Kashmir Shaivism Tradition

Kashmir Shaivism or Trika Shaivism is a nondualist Hindu tradition of Shaiva-Shakta Tantra which originated in Kashmir sometime after 850 CE. Since this tradition originated in Kashmir it is often called "Kashmiri Shaivism". It later went on to become a pan-Indian movement termed "Trika" (lit. The Trinity) by its great exegete, Abhinavagupta, and particularly flourished in Odisha and Maharashtra.

Defining features of the Trika tradition are its idealistic and monistic Pratyabhijna ("Recognition") philosophical system, propounded by Utpaladeva (c. 925–975 CE) and Abhinavagupta (c. 975–1025 CE), and the centrality of the three goddesses Parā, Parāparā, and Aparā.

Statue of Shiva Mahadeva, Northern India, Kashmir, 8th century. Cleveland Museum of Art. Source: Wikipedia.While Trika draws from numerous Shaiva texts, such as the Shaiva Agamas and the Shaiva and Shakta Tantras, its major scriptural authorities are the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, the Siddhayogeśvarīmata and the Anāmaka-tantra.

Its main exegetical works are those of Abhinavagupta, such as the Tantraloka, Mālinīślokavārttika, and Tantrasāra which are formally an exegesis of the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra, although they also drew heavily on the Kali-based Krama subcategory of the Kulamārga.

Another important text of this tradition is the Vijñāna-bhairava-tantra, which focuses on outlining numerous yogic practices.

The philosophy of Trika Shaivism is called Pratyabhijñā (Recognition) and it is mainly a nondual idealistic and monistic theism. It also adopted much of the ontological apparatus of Sāṁkhya school, such as its system of 25 tattvas, expanding and reinterpreting it for its own system of 36 tattvas.¹

Prominent Gurus of Trika Shaivism

Durvāsā Ṛṣi

In Hindu scriptures, Durvāsā (Sanskrit: दुर्वासा) also known as Durvāsas (Sanskrit: दुर्वासस्), is a legendary rishi (sage). He is the son of Anasuya and Atri.² According to some Purāṇas, Durvāsā is a partial avatar of Śiva, known for his short temper. Being short-tempered, Ṛṣi Durvāsā is said to have both cursed and gifted boons to several notable deities and people in the Hindu scriptures.

Disciples: Tryambakanatha, Amardakanatha, Shrinatha.

Vasugupta (c.800-850 CE)

In Shaiva tradition Vasugupta is believed to have amassed knowledge and recognition through direct realization. He was a native of Kashmir and a Shaiva. It is unclear how and what inspired him to write the Śiva Sutras, and early texts mention no legends. Later tradition and hagiographic texts present inconsistent stories. One states that Vasugupta found the sutras inscribed on a rock called Sankaropala.

Another states that Śiva appeared in his dream and recited it to him, who then wrote it down. There are additional stories, but the texts of the immediate students of Vasugupta mention none of these legends except the one where Vasugupta discovers the Sutras in his dream. Vasugupta is regarded by some as the founder of the system of Hindu philosophy known as Advaita Shaivism of Kashmir, or Trika.

Writings: Śivasūtra (received inspirationally); Spandamrita; Vasavi-Tika, a Commentary on the Bhagavadgītā.
Disciples: Bhatta Kallata.

Bhatta Kallata (855-883 CE)

Bhatta Kallata also referred as Kallata was a notable 9th-century Shaivite thinker and a pupil of Vasugupta.

Writings: Spanda Karikas; Spanda Vritti (or Spanda Sarvasva); Two commentaries on the Śiva Sutras: Tattvartha-Chintamani and Madhuvahini, both lost.
Disciples: Pradyumna Bhatta.

Somanandanatha (875–925 CE)

Somananda was one of the teachers of Kashmir Shaivism in the lineage of Trayambaka, author of the first philosophical treatise of this school, Śivadṛṣṭi. A contemporary of Bhatta Kallata, the two formed the first wave of Kashmiri Shaivites to propose in a rigorous and logical way the concepts of nondual Shaivism. Somananda lived in Kashmir, most probably in Srinagar, where most of the later philosophers of the school lived, as a householder.

Writings: Śivadṛṣṭi (Vision of Śiva, the earliest work of Pratyabhijñā School); Commentary (vṛtti) on his own Śivadṛṣṭi and on Paratrimsika Vivarana.
Disciples: Utpaladeva

Utpaladeva (c. 900–950 CE)

Utpaladeva also known as Utpalacarya belonged to the Trika Shaiva tradition and is the most important thinker of the Pratyabhijna school of monistic idealism.

Writings: Pratyabhijna Karikas or Sutras and a Vrtti on the same; Stotravali; Ishvara-Siddhi; Ajadapramatri-Siddhi.
Disciples: Lakshmanagupta (son and pupil)

Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1016 CE )

Abhinavagupta was a philosopher, mystic and aesthetician from Kashmir. He was also considered an influential musician, poet, dramatist, exegete, theologian, and logician – a polymathic personality who exercised strong influences on Indian culture. He studied all the schools of philosophy and art of his time under the guidance of many teachers and gurus. Abhinavagupta's thought was strongly influenced by Buddhist logic. His tantric synthesis was the most influential form of the tantric Kashmir Shaivism. It brought together elements from the Trika, Pratyabhijna, the Kaula Krama, and Shaiva Siddhantha sampradayas (lineages).

Writings:

• Religious works

Tantrāloka (Elucidation of Tantra), a synthesis of the entire Trika system; Parātrīśikāvivaraṇa, a commentary on Parātrīśikā; Tantrasāra (Essence of Tantra, a summarized version, in prose, of Tantrāloka); Tantroccaya and Tantravatadhanika (Seed of Tantra), summaries of Tantraloka; Purvapancika was a commentary of Purvatantra, alias Mālinīvijaya Tantra, lost to this day; Mālinīvijaya-vārttika (Commentary on Mālinīvijaya) is a versified commentary on Mālinīvijaya Tantra's first verse; Kramakeli, (Krama's Play), a commentary of Kramastotra, now lost. Bhagavadgatartha-samgraha (Commentary on Bhagavadgītā); Paratrisika-laghuvrtti (A Short Commentary on Pararisika), Paryantapancasīka (Fifty Verses on the Ultimate Reality), Rahasyapancadasika (Fifteen Verses on the Mystical Doctrine), Laghvi prakriya (Short Ceremony), Devistotravivarana (Commentary on the Hymn to Devi) and Paramarthasara (Essence of the Supreme Reality).

• Devotional hymns

Bodhapancadasika (Fifteen Verses on Consciousness); Paramarthacarca (Discussion on the Supreme Reality); Anubhavanivedana (Tribute of the Inner Experience); Anuttarastika (Eight Verses on Anuttara); Krama-stotra – an hymn, different from the fundamental text of the Krama school; Bhairava-stava (Hymn to Bhairava); Dehasthadevatacakra-stotra (Hymn to the Wheel of Divinities that Live in the Body); Paramarthadvadasika (Twelve Verses on the Supreme Reality); Mahopadesa-vimsatiks (Twenty Verses on the Great Teaching); Śivaśaktyavinābhāva-stotra (Hymn on the Inseparability of Śiva and Śakti) was lost.

• Philosophical works

Isvarapratyabhijna-vimarsini (Commentary to the Verses on the Recognition of the Lord); Isvarapratyabhijna-vivrti-vimarsini (Commentary on the explanation of Isvarapratyabhijna); Sivadrstya-locana (Light on Sivadrsti) – is now lost; Padarthapravesa-nirnaya-tika and Prakirnkavivarana (Comment on the Notebook) referring to the third chapter of Vakyapadiya of Bhartrihari; Kathamukha-tilaka (Ornament of the Face of Discourses); Bhedavada-vidarana (Confrontation of the Dualist Thesis).

• Poetical and dramatic works

Abhinavabharati (commentary on Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni); Ghata-karpara-kulaka-vivṛti, a commentary on Ghatakarpara of Kalidasa; Kavyakautukavivarana (Commentary to the Wonder of Poetry, a work of Bhatta Tauta), now lost; Dhvanyalokalocana (Illustration of Dhvanyāloka, commentary on the famous work of Anandavardhana).

Disciples: Kshemaraja.

Kṣemarāja (late 10th to early 11th century)

Rajanaka Kṣemarāja was a philosopher and brilliant disciple of Abhinavagupta. Not much is known of Kṣemarāja's life or parentage. His chief disciple was a sage known as Yogāraja.

Writings: Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam, a work in which Kṣemarāja brings the main tenets of the Pratyabhijñā system into a succinct set of sutras for those who may not have studied in-depth metaphysics, occupies the same place in Kashmir Shaivite or Trika literature as Vedanta Sara does in Vedanta. Other works: Spandasandoha, Spandanirnaya, Svacchandodyota, Netrodyota, Vijnanabhairavodyota, Shivasutravimarsini, Stavacintamanitika, Parapraveshika, Tattvasandoha.
Disciples: Yogaraja.

Kashmir Shaivism Lineage

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashmir_Shaivism
• Abhinavagupta. A Historical and Philosophical Study, Dr. Kanti Chandra Pandey
• https://www.lakshmanjooacademy.org/

Notes

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