Īśvara-pratyabhijñā-kārikā

Īśvara-pratyabhijñā-kārikā

Stanzas on the Recognition of Śiva
With the vṛtti (concise auto-commentary) of Utpaladeva
Chapter 4 verses 12
Tattvasaṃgrahādhikāraḥ   
THE SUMMATION OF REALITY
Abhinavagupta’s commentary (vimarśinī)
evaṃ vikalpanirhrāsena nirvikalparūpasātmībhāve viśvātmasākṣātkāralakṣaṇaḥ

svapratyaya eva mokṣo darśitaḥ. adhunā vikalpanirhrāsābhāve ‘pi taṃ darśayati.
When one habituates themselves to the nature of non-conceptual awareness by

dissolving conceptual narratives, that inherent conviction characterized as the
immediate perception of the universal Self is shown to be liberation [in the previous
verse]. Next he reveals that [same liberation] even when conceptual narratives are still
present.
sarvo mamāyaṃ vibhava ity evaṃ parijānataḥ | 

viśvātmano vikalpānāṃ prasare 'pi maheśatā || 4.12 || 
“This entire [universe] is my all-pervasive power.” Maintaining such an awareness,

the one who is one with the universe is Śiva even in the stream of conceptual
cognitions.
Ipv: kṣetrajñasyāpīśvaraśaktyaiva vikalpārambha iti taddaśāyām api parijñāteśvarabhāvasya

mamāyaṃ saṃsāramayo vibhava ity abhedena viśvam āviśataḥ parāmarśamātrān aśeṣān
vikalpān saṃpādayato maheśvarataiva.
The individual subject whose identity with Śiva is fully recognized even in that state
wherein conceptualization arises through Śiva’s power itself, penetrates the universe as
a unified reality in this way: “this entire world of cyclical existence, is my omnipresent
power.” Thus transforming all concepts in their entirety into pure reflective awareness,
one becomes Śiva.
Abhinavagupta’s commentary (vimarśinī)
na hi pratyagātmā nāma paśuḥ kaścid anyo yo ‘ham api tu parigṛhītagrāhyagrāhaka-

prakāśaikaghanaḥ paro yaḥ sa evāhaṃ sa cāham eva na tv anyaḥ kaścit.
There is not separate reality, an individual limited being rather, that I am. Rather, I am
the ultimate, the unified mass of luminous awareness, which is aware of both the
perceiver and perceived. I am that and that alone, and nothing else.
ato vikalpasṛṣṭir api mama svātantryalakṣaṇo vibhavaḥ ity evaṃ vimarśe dṛḍhībhūte
saty aparikṣīṇavikalpo ‘pi jīvann eva muktaḥ.
For this reason, when the awareness “the emanation of concepts is also my all-
pervading power, marked by independence” becomes stable, even one whose
conceptual narratives still operate becomes liberated while embodied.
yathoktam
śaṅkāpi na viśaṅkyeta niḥśaṅkatvam idaṃ sphuṭam | iti
As it is taught:
Even inhibition should be of no concern. This is clear to one who is free of inhibition.
Parallel verses
Tantrāloka ‘Light on the Tantras’ of Abhinavagupta
tac ca svacchasvatantrātmaratnanirbhāsini sphuṭam || 4.111 ||

bhāvaughe bhedasaṃdhātṛ svātmano naiśam ucyate |
tad eva tu samastārthanirbharātmaikagocaram || 4-112 ||
śuddhavidyātmakaṃ sarvam evedam aham ity alam |
Moreover, that [conceptual cognition] is taught as the ignorance (naiśa) of the Self
[since] it sharply conceives duality among the totality of existent entities that clearly
shine in that crystal-like Self that is pure and free. However, that same [conceptual
awareness], which is completely [steady as] “All this is I,” taking as its focus nothing
but the Self full of all objects, consists in pure unitive wisdom.
idaṃ vikalpanaṃ śuddhavidyārūpaṃ sphuṭātmakam || 113 ||

pratihantīha māyīyaṃ vikalpaṃ bhedabhāvakam |
This conceptual awareness, whose nature is pure unitive wisdom, [when it is] perfectly
lucid, removes in this case the dichotomizing concepts that generate duality.
Tantrasāra Chapter 4
tatra yadā vikalpaṃ krameṇa saṃskurute samanantaroktasvarūpapraveśāya tadā

bhāvanākramasya sattarkasadāgamasadgurūpadeśapūrvakasya asti upayogaḥ |
When conceptual cognition is gradually refined, then in order to enter one’s essential
nature that has just been described, one engages in a series of meditations which are
based on true reasoning, the Śaiva scriptures, and the teachings of the most excellent
Guru.
tathā hi vikalpabalāt eva jantavo baddham ātmānam abhimanyante sa abhimānaḥ
saṃsārapratibandhahetuḥ ataḥ pratidvandvirūpo vikalpa uditaḥ saṃsārahetuṃ
vikalpaṃ dalayati iti abhyudayahetuḥ |
To explain, by the power of concepts, human beings considered their own Self to be
bound. Misidentification is the cause of one’s connection to cyclical existence. For this
reason it is said that a concept that is opposed [to that limited Self notion] reduces to
ashes the concepts that cause cyclical existence. Thus, [that kind of concept] is uplifting.
sa ca evaṃrūpaḥ samastebhyaḥ paricchinnasvabhāvebhyaḥ śivāntebhyaḥ tattvebhyo

yat uttīrṇam aparicchinnasaṃvinmātrarūpaṃ tad eva ca paramārthaḥ tat
vastuvyavasthāsthānaṃ tat viśvasya ojaḥ tena prāṇiti viśvam tad eva ca aham ato
viśvottīrṇo viśvātmā ca aham iti
And that [pure concept] can be formulated like this: “I am that which transcends all
limited forms of existence, beyond the levels of reality ending in Śiva; I am the essence
of pure Consciousness that cannot be divided [by time, space, etc.], the ultimate reality;
I am the pure abode in which all things find their being, the vitality of the universe, I
am that which animates the universe. For this reason, I am [Śiva who] transcends the
universe and is one with the universe.”
sa ca ayaṃ māyāndhānāṃ na utpadyate sattarkādīnām abhāvāt |
And that [pure concept] does not arise for those in the darkness of differentiated
experience, because of the absence of true reasoning (sattarka), etc.

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Īśvara-pratyabhijñā-kārikā

Stanzas on the Recognition of Śiva

With the vṛtti (concise auto-commentary) of Utpaladeva

THE SUMMATION OF REALITY

Abhinavagupta’s commentary (vimarśinī)

evaṃ vikalpanirhrāsena nirvikalparūpasātmībhāve viśvātmasākṣātkāralakṣaṇaḥ

When one habituates themselves to the nature of non-conceptual awareness by

sarvo mamāyaṃ vibhava ity evaṃ parijānataḥ |

“This entire [universe] is my all-pervasive power.” Maintaining such an awareness,

Ipv: kṣetrajñasyāpīśvaraśaktyaiva vikalpārambha iti taddaśāyām api parijñāteśvarabhāvasya

Abhinavagupta’s commentary (vimarśinī)

na hi pratyagātmā nāma paśuḥ kaścid anyo yo ‘ham api tu parigṛhītagrāhyagrāhaka-

śaṅkāpi na viśaṅkyeta niḥśaṅkatvam idaṃ sphuṭam | iti

Tantrāloka ‘Light on the Tantras’ of Abhinavagupta

tac ca svacchasvatantrātmaratnanirbhāsini sphuṭam || 4.111 ||

idaṃ vikalpanaṃ śuddhavidyārūpaṃ sphuṭātmakam || 113 ||

tatra yadā vikalpaṃ krameṇa saṃskurute samanantaroktasvarūpapraveśāya tadā

sa ca evaṃrūpaḥ samastebhyaḥ paricchinnasvabhāvebhyaḥ śivāntebhyaḥ tattvebhyo

sa ca ayaṃ māyāndhānāṃ na utpadyate sattarkādīnām abhāvāt |

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