Divine Dance of Shiva and Its Shakti

Creativity is a paradoxical play – the dynamic dance of Colors (Shakti) unites with the ever-Immutable Canvas (Shiva), where the Creator Shiva loses Itself in the Creation Shakti, transforming unity into diversity and diversity into unity – that too without creating any division.                                            

                                                                 – Surinder Shanker Anand

In art, every creation begins in silence — a blank canvas, an empty sheet, or a still mind. From this emptiness emerges line, form, and color, slowly shaping into an image that holds meaning. Similarly, life and the universe are seen as arising from a vast stillness, a source complete in itself. Just as an artist gives form to what already exists within, the world too is an expression of that inner source. It is interesting to explore and understand the profound Kashmir Shaiv Darshan, which reminds us that creation is not separate from the creator. In this way, art becomes more than technique — it becomes a reflection of life itself.

In Kashmir Shaivism, Paramaśiva (परमशिव) is the absolute, formless, infinite supreme consciousness (संवित्), the source and ground of all existence. It is beyond the 36 tattvas (तत्त्व), untouched by limitation, and manifests the entire universe by its free-will (स्वातंत्र्य) through the dynamic power of Śakti (शक्ति). Paramaśiva is the perfect, non-dual unity of Prakāśa (प्रकाश), the self-luminous and pure awareness, and Vimarśa (विमर्श), its dynamic and self-reflecting power. This unity is pure being, awareness, and bliss (Saccidānanda – सच्चिदानन्द), transcending all dualities and categories. In the play of spontaneous creation, Paramaśiva performs five actions, called Pañcakṛtya (पंचकृत्य) –

1. Creation (सृष्टि) – This is the power of creation, where Śiva manifests the universe and all beings from his consciousness.
2. Sustain (स्थिति) – This means sustenance or preservation, the maintaining force that keeps the universe in existence.
3. Dissolution (संहार) – This is the power of dissolution, where the manifest universe is withdrawn back into Śiva.
4. Concealment (निग्रह) – This means restriction or concealment. Śiva in this act veils or hides his true nature, creating the appearance of limitation and obscurity in the world.
5. Grace (अनुग्रह) – This means grace or liberation. It is the compassionate act of Śiva that bestows spiritual awakening, knowledge, and ultimately freedom (मोक्ष) to beings.

Śuddha Tattvas (शुद्ध तत्त्व)

1. [1] Śiva-tattva (शिव-तत्त्व) – It represents the state of pure, absolute consciousness, a stillness without any stirrings of manifestation or differentiation. Here, consciousness exists as pure Prakāśa (प्रकाश), or self-luminous awareness, containing everything implicitly but manifesting nothing. There is no distinction between Subject (अहम्) and Object (इदम्), as the universe is still in a state of unmanifest potential. This is the stage of perfect subjectivity, where the divine “I” rests in its own nature, prior to any will or thought to create. It is the unmoving ground from which all subsequent principles and realities will unfold.
2. [2] Śakti-tattva (शक्ति-तत्त्व) – In Śakti-tattva, the power of consciousness (Śakti) appears, introducing movement and creative vibration. The first subtle stirrings of Object (Idam) arise, but not clearly distinguished—the energy or dynamic aspect of “I”, but not yet externalized as a separate Subject. Śiva and Śakti here are in equilibrium: undifferentiated subjectivity and its implicit power. Kriyā Śakti (क्रिया शक्ति), the power of action, belongs to Śakti.
3. [3] Sadāśiva-tattva (सदाशिव-तत्त्व) – Emphasis on Subject with faint Object. In Sadāśiva-tattva, the first clear polarity emerges: a strong emphasis on Subject, with a faint sense of Object. The awareness is “I am this” (अहम् इदम्): subjectivity shines forth, as the will Icchā Śakti (इच्छा शक्ति) to manifest arises, but objectivity is still secondary. The universe is present in its most ideal, subtle form—objectivity is recognized but as secondary to the supreme “I”. Icchā Śakti is the power of will or desire and belongs to Sadāśiva.
4. [4] Īśvara-tattva (ईश्वर-तत्त्व) – Emphasis on Object illumined by “I”. In Īśvara-tattva, the focus shifts: Object becomes prominent, now illumined by the abiding presence of the “I”. Awareness is “This am I” (इदम् अहम्): objectivity or “thisness” dominates, but it is recognized as not separate from “I”. Subject and object are not yet fragmented—objectivity is radiant within subjectivity. The power of knowledge (ज्ञान शक्ति) dominates; the universe appears as an ideal, primordial manifestation. Jñāna Śakti is the power of knowledge and belongs to Īśvara.
5. [5] Śuddhavidyā-tattva (शुद्धविद्या-तत्त्व) – Balance of “I” and “This”. In this state, consciousness is manifest but remains absolutely pure, without limitation or duality—Aham-Aham/Idam-Idam (अहम् अहम् / इदम् इदम्) emphasizing the equal intensity of both Subject and Object without separation. Śuddhavidyā thus represents the consummate fullness of spiritual knowledge and realization where all divisions dissolve, and the experience is one of “I and This” simultaneously, indivisible yet distinct, manifesting the fullness of divine wisdom.

Śuddha-āśuddha Tattvas (शुद्ध-अशुद्ध तत्त्व)

1. [6] Māyā-tattva (माया-तत्त्व) — The power of self-limitation and concealment. It is by Māyā that Śiva, while utterly free, contracts his infinitude and appears as the limited. Māyā is the power by which the infinite consciousness (Śiva) contracts or veils itself to appear as limited individual existence and multiplicity. It is through Māyā that the pure and balanced Aham-Idam of Śuddhavidyā becomes increasingly divided and veiled, leading to the sensation of separation and fragmentation—transforming pure infinite awareness into the condition of duality and multiplicity experienced in the phenomenal world. This limitation causes the infinite to appear as a finite, discrete universe populated by individual selves and objects, introducing impurity and ignorance into the cosmos. The Malas (मल) — Māyā brings about three core impurities:
   1. Āṇava-mala (आणवमल): Sense of individuality or limitation (“I am small”).
   2. Māyīya-mala (मायीयमल): Perception of difference and separation (“you and I”).
   3. Kārma-mala (कर्ममल): Bondage of action leading to the experience of pleasure and pain.
2. The Five Kañcukas (कञ्चुक) — Sheaths born from Māyā, each limiting an aspect of the infinite:
   1. [7] Kāla (काल): Limitation of eternal into time.
   2. [8] Vidyā (विद्या): All-knowing into limited knowledge.
   3. [9] Rāga (राग): All-desire into specific desire.
   4. [10] Niyati (नियति): Omnipotence into capacity or causality.
   5. [11] Kalā (कला): Omnipresence into limited agency.
3. [12] Puruṣa (पुरुष) — The individual soul, now limited, becomes the experiencer.

Aśuddha Tattvas (अशुद्ध तत्त्व)

1. [13] Prakṛti (प्रकृति) — The creative matrix, giving rise to mind and matter. Sattva (सत्त्व), Rajas (रजस्), and Tamas (तमस्) are principles active within (Māyā-tattva / माया तत्त्व), understood as contracted expressions of the Absolute. They manifest respectively as purity, activity, and inertia in the world.
2. [14] Buddhi (बुद्धि) — The faculty of judgment and discrimination
3. [15] Ahaṃkāra (अहंकार) — Individual ego-sense
4. [16] Manas (मनस्) — The faculty of thought, memory, doubt, and choice
5. [17-21] Five Jñānendriyas (ज्ञानेन्द्रिय) — Organs of sensory knowledge
6. [22-26] Five Karmendriyas (कर्मेन्द्रिय) — Organs of action
7. [27-31] Five Tanmātrās (तन्मात्रा) — Subtle sensory essences
8. [31-36] Five Mahābhūtas (महाभूत) — Space (Ākāśa – आकाश), Air (Vāyu – वायु), Fire (Tejas – तेजस), Water (Āp – आप), and Earth (Pṛthvī – पृथ्वी).

The Divine Play (Līlā) and Liberation

This descent is Śiva’s Līlā (लीला), where the One becomes the many. Through Tirobhāva-śakti (तिरोभाव-शक्ति), concealment, Śiva acts as the embodied souls; through Anugraha-śakti (अनुग्रह-शक्ति), revelation, Śiva grants grace and recognition. The spiritual path is one of Pratyabhijñā (प्रत्यभिज्ञा)—re-cognition that one’s true nature is not the contracted self but Paramaśiva. This re-cognition dissolves the malas, unveiling the radiant Self.

Upāyas (उपाय)

The means or methods to attain spiritual realization and liberation are called Upāyas (उपाय). There are primarily four well-known Upāyas:

1. Śāmbhavopāya (शंभवोपाय) – The supreme or highest means. It is the direct path of Śiva consciousness and pure will (Icchā Śakti – इच्छा शक्ति). This path is beyond actions, thoughts, or words, relying on pure awareness and grace.
2. Śāktopāya (शाक्तोपाय) – The power or energy-based means. This path uses knowledge and energy (Jñāna Śakti – ज्ञान शक्ति) through meditation and contemplation. The practitioner works with inner spiritual energies to realize Śiva.
3. Āṇavopāya (आणवोपाय) – The embodied or individual means. This is the inferior or general path using the body, senses, and mind, including practices like yoga, mantra, rituals, etc. It addresses the individual limited self’s spiritual progress.
4. Anupāya (अनुपाय) – The no-means or pathless state. This is the transcendence of all methods where the self-realized simply resides in the natural state without any effort. Sometimes called the path of bliss (आनन्दोपाय).

The Mahānṛtya (महानृत्य)

The whole of existence is the Mahānṛtya (महानृत्य), the cosmic dance of Śiva and Śakti—being and becoming, unity and multiplicity, play and repose. To directly recognize “I am Śiva” (शिवोऽहम्) is liberation (जीवनमुक्ति), where the world is not bondage but the play of Śiva himself.