Namaste Nesh. The Sun of Consciousness in the Kālīkrama is the wheel of the twelve Kālīs who embody the dynamism of awareness. This wheel of energies performs the joyous dance and is itself that dance. The Jayadrathayāmala Tantra says: "The Sun of the Twelve Kālīs that is the illumining Light in the world has emerged from the middle of the Sun in the center. Within the Sun of the Twelve Kālīs is the Sun that illumines all the universe. The universe is filled with the network of of the rays of energy that emanate from Her, She who is Bhānavī Kaulinī." The triad of cognitive awareness consists of prameya, pramāṇa and pramātṛ. Each of these undergo the four cosmic cycles: sṛṣṭi, sthiti, saṁhāra and anākhya. So, taken together, the three and the four are the twelve Kālīs. This is technically called Anākhyacakra, in which the triad is subsumed in the Fourth state. This twelve rayed Sun emanates from its center, the Sun of the Sun, which is the unitary ground of the twelve. This is Bhāsa, the highest reality of the Kālīkrama and the object of worship at the conclusion of this system's pūjā (which, at the most elevated level, is not an external ritual but rather is absorption into the dynamism of consciousness). Concerning Bhāsa, Maheśvarānanda says: "The ignorant imagine a division by saying that Light is the fifth function of the whole. In reality, Light is the stem connecting the other functions and they are its leaves." The wheel of the twelve Kālīs is the expansion of consciousness, its resonance, which is the forceful attainment of its own nature. The same source of the original verse also says: "The Kālīkrama arises as Kuṇḍalinī, pulsing with energy by the delight of the consciousness of its savour. It merges into the supreme plane with the sound of a flying bee." Leading into your second question, the dance of the energies of consciousness is inherently uninhibited. However, it appears to be so due to ignorance. Kṣemarāja says in his Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam: "When one lacks realization of this, one exists in the state of a saṁsārin: that of being deluded by one's own powers." He then defines this state more concretely: "This state of delusion is one of being nailed down and thus paralyzed by the 'spikes' of various anxieties, doubts, and inhibitions, both worldly and religious. It is this which constitutes the state of being a saṁsārin." To explain by way of aesthetics again, it is understood that there are several factors which inhibit the viewer's sensitivity and thus capacity to cultivate rasa. Notably, if there is too personal an identification of the scene with one's everyday experience and if one is too caught up in their personal sentiments, they will not be as sensitive to aesthetic wonder. Sound familiar? Rasa is particularly understood as a different sort of experience, one that transcends everyday, common experience. It is a very potent engagement which is, ironically, brought about by this sort of detachment. Abhinavagupta says: "Once one has overcome distraction, the pleasure one enjoys through the sentiments of love, etc., expressed in poetry or drama, for example, differs from the pleasure derived from sense objects. This is because one gains access to it by the removal of of such obstacles as the anticipation of possible personal gain." What he is suggesting here is that rasa is not simply enjoyment of sense objects as such or simply an emotional state. As I said, rasa is not ordinary experience. The source of aesthetic rapture is oneself. More specifically, it is repose in oneself freed from, as Kṣemarāja says, anxieties, doubts, and inhibitions. One becomes satisfied in repose in the Self, and thus grasping and rejecting fall away. The scriptures take it further than just enjoyment of drama, though. The universe itself becomes a grand drama through which one experiences the wonder of the Self. It is not the specific contents of worldly experiences that thus become beautiful; it is You. And Your body is the Śrīcakra, the totality of all things. Nothing is excluded. Everything is of one flavor (though this does not mean that everything is "the same"; the universe is a garden, not an empty room). The energies of consciousness thus become uninhibited, flying freely in the sky of consciousness. Intoxicated with the bliss of the Self, they dance and sing, so to speak. This is a very general and short explanation, and the truth is there is much, much more that could be said about this. But to give a starting point for further study and practice more appropriate for Śrīvidyā, I will say that Vārāhī and Śyāmalā embody this secret in their own ways. You could say that they embody the aforementioned dancing and singing, respectively. They are at the left and right sides of Lalitā, the Playful One.

That clarified quite a bit, especially the phases of Kuṇḍalinī. You mention the final phase as resting in itself and that Śāmbhavopāya remains a means. Does the path ever really end, or does upāya become so transparent that it’s simply folded into being? And when awareness begins to practice itself, how do you distinguish that from inertia or passive spacing out? About triadic mapping of Yoni. Do you see a direct mirroring between that and the movement from inner triangle to middle to outer circuit in the Śrīyantra or Kālikā yantras? Or is that reading too structurally? Also curious what sort of orientation you’d suggest when working with cakra healing or Kuṇḍalinī modulation. Not in the sense of major awakenings or theatrics, but more in the subtle recalibration of one’s outlook and process of digestion. Or a conscious system update, ideally one that partially slips the ahamkar potential resistance up. Unrelated inquiry: I’ve come across a range of views on how to handle bija mantra endings, specifically the use of candrabindu, anusvāra, or full ma akṣara, and I am not sure about the situation. Some expert explanations from Sanskriters leads me one way and then I hear/read another well hashed out theory saying otherwise, and I am confused all over again. I’ve tried looking through some of the sources and spoken with a few sadhakas and gurus, but it still feels like I’m mostly guessing. At this point I’m just going off instinct and subtle feeling, but I’m not sure if I’m missing something deeper. Any clarity you might have here would be appreciated.

Namaste Dylan. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! That Kālikākrama quote at the end is a rare gem, like a whole initiation wrapped in two lines. If you ever have others like that tucked away, I’d be grateful to read them too. I’ve been sitting with a few things and wanted to ask a bit more. When the text talks about the “Sun of Consciousness” and the “lotus of consciousness,” are these referring to prakāśa and vimarśa in action, or is there something subtler going on? Also, your earlier point about the vīra’s capacity to see one taste in all things is swishing around my mind. Would you say that’s more a result of samādhi or a kind of cultivated sensitivity through insight? I loved the mention of the viewer’s aesthetic detachment in the drama metaphor. Do you think that detachment, that wonder, is what actually lets Śakti move freely through perception? Or is it more about the loosening of grasping that lets the play become luminous? I’ve also really been trying to let go of grasping lately. The rāga-dveṣa patterns feel so loud now (maybe because Tivra’s graciously shared nitya sādhana is working), and my mind feels more alert to its own projections and little compulsions. But that hasn’t made them easier to drop. I stumble over the same egoic reflexes again and again (and again, and again, and again…) even while watching them unfold. It’s odd to feel both clearer and more turbulent. There’s joy and even a few uncanny things creeping in, but I still flinch at things I want and recoil from things I fear, as if some older part of me refuses to believe it’s safe to just witness without clinging. Not to ramble, I’m trying to figure out what I want to convey. I suppose I’m asking: does this heightened discomfort plausibly indicate I’m on the right track, or just more awake to how (very) far there is to go?

Dylanji namaskaram ! The kaulasutras references were truly enlightening ! The word associated with swami narasimha is "rudra " As manifestation of rudra and the word for angry form is "raudram " ,this can be seen as pretty valid as in tamil nadu and some parts of andhra pradesh swamy narasimha abhishek is done by chanting shri rudram and rudra suktam, also the folklore of swamy narasimha manifesting from a linga the carvings can be seen in vaitheeswaran temple .The stambh from which swamy narasimha appeared is symbolic(narasimha stambh avirbhava) to when shiva appeared to sri vishnu and brahma , he appeared in form of endless agni stambh ( infinite pillar of fire ) . The concept of each diety having the param tattva is certainly valid but its unavoidable that the param tattva is shivatva itself the supreme consciousness . Anyways , maybe i may have an inclination towards advait, hence im stressing on these arguments.

Can anyone share information about Shadanvaya Shambhava? I remember Tivra Ji said it’s an extremely advanced practice but did not share much besides that. Very interested to learn more.

@hunting, for Bala absolutely not! That’s why we need a proper Guru for such questions, not facebook as the Guru! But we are replacing Gurus with facebook and internet/google! If one receives proper deeksha or mantra upadesha such questions do not arise.

For Bala absolutely not! That’s why we need a proper Guru for such questions, not facebook as the Guru! But we are replacing Gurus with facebook and internet/google! If one receives proper deeksha or mantra upadesha such questions do not arise.

@rushikesh, have you received proper mantra upadesha or deeksha for this mantra? If yes then you can! If not then you must seek deeksha/mantra upadesha from a proper guru first.

Namaste Wide Awake. Concerning your original question, I do not know the context, but "rudrarūpa" could just mean "fierce form", not nessecarily referring to Rudra the deity. That appellation is perfectly fitting for Narasiṃha. Again, without context I cannot be sure if this is the intended meaning. The notion of a single deity encompassing other deities is not as far fetched as it seems. You see it with Kubjikā, for example, whose six faces are the deities of other Goddess traditions: Tripurā, Kālī, Siddhayogeśvarī, etc. That does not necessarily mean that the one that subsumes them is inherently superior to the others. It is more like a description of the qualities of that particular deity as understood in the context of their own scriptures and sampradāya. Every deity is a maṇḍala, and every maṇḍala is complete in its own right. You say you are inclined to advaita, in which case I invite you to ponder the second of the Kaulasūtras: "There is but one deity, the reality perceived by virtue of the transmission of the rays of awakened awareness." With Śarabha's wings, the two Goddesses are evidently qualities by means of which one "flies up" into the empty, luminous sky (ākāśa [Bhairava]) of consciousness. I recall from somewhere else on this website that Śūlinī Durgā indicates the destruction of all triads (hence Śūlinī - trident wielder) and Pratyaṅgirā being the destruction of the ego sense (the name Pratyaṅgirā means "retaliation", that is, putting an abrupt end to something). It is said in the Manonuśātarastotra: "Verily, swans spread their wings widely and fly unbounded in the sky. O Swan of the Sacred Lake, O my mind! Your marvelous flight takes you to the farthest reaches of the sky when you deploy your two allies (i.e. wings): 'emptiness' and 'momentum'." By "emptiness" is meant access via spiritual insight to cidākāśa, and "momentum" means the capacity to rise beyond the binding thought constructs that ensnare you in the world of duality. Again from the Kaulasūtras: "Due to the consumption of the three, the net of the extensive fat of illusion melts away, and the dissapearance of bonds unfolds in the Heart. Otherwise, there is no flying up from the poisonous trap of illusion."

Can Sauhu: replaced with Soum? I saw in a Facebook post Aim kleem Soum Soum kleem aim