Introduction

According to Saktism, the Absolute is, on the one hand, •static, unqualified and, formless and, on the other hand, dynamic, qualified and endowed with endless forms. &va and Sakti represent these two aspects, respectively, of the Absolute. These two principles of Siva and ^akti are inseparable from each, other and form one integral reality called I&va-Sakti¹. Thus according to this system, Siva-Sakti is the Absolute. Popularly, however, any of them i. e. &va or Sakti is regarded as the Absolute, though the emphasis is laid more on $akti.

&va-l3akti is the source of all other principles of the universe. The well-known thirty-six principles of ^aiva-^akta philosophy evolve from Sakti or ^iva-^akti. During this process of evolution, ^akti appears as maya or cosmic nescience, after the manifesta­tion of the five pure principles of biva-tattva, Sakti-tattva, Sada-•Siva tattva, Isvara-tattva and JSuddhavidya-tattva. This maya conceals the real nature of Siva-^akti and projects the world of appearances. From maya come forth five products, namely, fca/a, vidyd, rdga, kalU and niyati, which are known as five kaHcukas or coverings².

Nature of the Self

According to Saktism, &va confined by maya and the five is the individual self. When Siva assumes the power 11

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of maya, his nature is limited by the limiting adjuncts of the five kaftcukas produced from maya. &va under this limited con­dition is the self³. Thus, in its real nature, the self is identical with Siva. But during bondage, its real nature being veiled by mays, the cosmic nescience, the self cannot realise its identity with Siva. Maya is a principle of individualisation which limits the omniscience, omnipotence and other powers of S'iva, and creates a knowledge of difference between the jiva and S'iva*.

Mays in its individual aspect, is called avidya which forms the causal body of the self and fetters in into the world. The self limited by the causal body or avidya is called praj<na, that limited by the subtle body, is called taijasa, and that limited by the gross body is called visva⁵.

The self is of the nature of pure consciousness. The empi­rical self or jiva is real, atomic in size, and is endowed with limited knowledge and power. It is also a real agent of action and the enjoyer of the fruits thereof. In its real nature, the self is all-pervasive, its atomicity being caused by the limiting adjuncts. Also, it is homogeneous, unborn and immortal;. it seems to be undergoing birth and death, only because of its false identification with the rnind-body. Again, the self is, in reality, passive ; it seems to be active, since the activity of buddhi is superimposed on it⁶.

The individual self bound to the embodied life is called pa&u-Such a self is deluded by ignorance or avidya which is created by maya or cosmic nescience. As a result, it experiences joys, and sorrows, according to the merits and demerits arising from its actions. Being veiled by avidya, the self forgets its real nature as the supreme Spirite or Siva, and is attached to the body and other things related to it, such as, property, the rela­tives etc. Consequently, the self develops a false sense of egoism in the form of T and 'mine', harbours various desires, and acts to fulfil those desires. The good and bad actions of the self produce merits and demerits, respectively,, which, are deposited.

to the subtle body or suksma-deha. By the force of these merits and demerits, the individual self goes to heaven or hell, or is born to this world, and is thus subjected to births and deaths⁷. When avidya or ignorance, the root-cause of bondage, is destroyed by vidya or real knowledge, all the effects arising from avidya, such as, merits, demerits, egoism etc. are also destroyed. As a result, the self becoms free from bondage and the cycle of birth and death. Such a liberated self is absorbed in the Mother Goddess who is non-different from S'iva⁸.

The self is, in reality, only one which is identical with Sakti or diva-Sakti. But it appears to be many in different orga­nisms because of mflya, just as one aka^a appears to be many, when it is confined by jars, houses and the like, or just as the sun appears to be many, when it is reflected in different locii. In other words, the plurality of the self is only empirical; in the transcendental plane, there is no plurality, since at <hat plane only S*iva-Sakti exists⁹.

The Self and S'iva-S'akti

In the state of bondage, the self remains different from Siva-S'akti, because in this state itbecomes limited by its adjuncts, and is tainted by merits and demerits. During dissolution also, the bound self remains in a subtle state in Sakti as non-different from her. In the state of liberation, the self realises its identity with the Supreme Self or Brahman or S*iva-Sakti t it becomes identical with S'iva and also with S*akti. This union of the self with Siva is known as yoga. According to Saktism, bondage is real, just as liberation is.

The Mother is the ultimate cause of bondage and liberation of the self. Of course, liberation is said to be acquired by vidya arising from karma or the performance of duties and bhakti or devotion. But all these means—karma, bhakti and sridya—become operative only by the grace of the Mother.

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According to the ^aktists, the self can attain liberation even in its embodied life¹⁰.

The Devi Gita, adopts the Theory of Reflection or Prati-bimba-vada advocated by a group of Advaitins, and holds that the jlva is a reflection of Brahman in avidyS or primal nescience. The Tripura-Tapanl-Upanisad accepts this Theory of Reflection and also the Theory of Limitation or Avaccheda-vdda propounded by another group of Advaitins, according to which the jlva is Brahman limited by avidyd, just like the akdЈa limited by a jar. The Var&ha- Upani$ad also holds the view that the jiva is Brahman limited by avidyH, an effect of mgya. It is further held that when this avidyQ is destroyed by real knowledge,, there remains on jlva. The SaubhUgya-Upani&ad also holds that when the real knowledge of the self dawns, the self is united with the Supreme Self¹¹.