Hindu tantras are discourses between Shiva and Shakti, the male and female aspects of divinity whose play creates the entire universe. The Jnanasankalini Tantra is a brief work of 107 shlokas (verses) which outlines the dynamics of this interplay.
Of particular importance in this short work is the emphasis placed on the syllable Om, made up of the three Sanskrit letters a+u+m. These represent Shiva, Shakti and their union and can also be represented by the three gunas or qualities well known as rajas, tamas and sattvas.
Other important elements of the tantrik cosmology are outlined here, including the correspondence between the macrocosm and the microcosm, the five elements of earth, air, fire, water and space, and the essential similarity between the individual spirit, the Atma, and the universal spirit, the Paramatma.
The emphasis here is on Jnana, or pure knowledge. Although the spirit is one and all- pervading, it manifests through a variety of elements (tattvas). Through ignorance, an individual soul (jiva), may take each or any of these elements to be himself or herself.
The work here translated is, then, a brief summary of the essential elements of the Hindu tantrik tradition. There is no indication in the contents of this book when it was written, but it cannot be very old.
Translation
Mahadevi questioned Maheshvara, the Deva of all devas, the World Guru, sitting on the peak of Mount Kailasha: Speak to me of knowledge! (1)
Devi said – Deva! what is creation and how is creation destroyed? What is the Brahma Jnana beyond creation and destruction? (2)
Ishvara answered – Creation comes from that beyond words (avyakta) and returns to that beyond words at (the time of) destruction. Brahma Jnana is the avyakta, beyond creation and destruction. (3)
From the syllable Om comes everything, the fourteen vidyas, mantra, puja, dhyana, action and non-action. (4)
The four vedas, the six limbs of veda, mimamsa, nyaya, dharma shastra and puranas are the fourteen Vidyas. (5)
For as long as these Vidyas are known, (true) knowledge is not. On knowing Brahma Jnana one is strong in all other knowledge. (6)
The vedas and the puranas are like common whores but the Shambhavi Vidya is concealed like a Kula Shakti. (7)
All knowledge is in the body, all devatas are in the body, all sacred bathing spots are in the body, known through the words of a guru. (8)
Self-knowledge is the cause of happiness and liberation for a man, not dharma, not karma and not the reciting of mantra. (9)
Just as there is potential for fire in wood, as there is scent in flower and nectar in water, so in the centre of the human frame is Deva, devoid of good or bad. (10)
The Ida is the Ganges and the Pingala is the Yamuna. In the centre of the Ida and the Pingala is the Sushumna, the Sarasvati. (11)
The union of the three is known as the king of bathing places. Whosoever bathes there is released from all badness. (12)
Devi said-Maheshvara, what is Khecari Mudra? What is Shambhavi Vidya? What is knowledge of the self? Tell me of that! (13)
Ishvara said-A steady mind without external support, steady breath without restraint, steady seeing without looking, that resembles Khecari Mudra. (14)
Like a child or a fool’s mind drifts in sleep and dream, even without actually being asleep, so a man who wanders similarly without support knows Shambhavi Vidya (15)
Devi said-Devadeva, Natha of the Cosmos, Parameshvara, tell me the differences between the different darshanas, each separately. (16)
Ishvara said-The tridandins are devoted to practice of the vedas. The Shaktas worship Prakriti, the Buddhists follow the void. (Shunya). (17)
The Carvakas, although knowing the tattvas, are atheistic prattlers, denying the existence of the source of all. (18)
Uma said, Lord! Speak of the characteristics of the microcosm! Talk of the five elements and the twenty-five qualities. (19)
Ishvara said-The five qualities of earth (Prithvi) according to Brahma Jnana are bone, flesh, nails, skin and hair. (20)
Knowers of Brahma Jnana say that semen, blood, marrow, urine and faeces are the five gunas of water. (21)
The knowers of Brahma Jnana say sleep, hunger, thirst, fatigue and idleness are the five qualities of fire. (22)
According to Brahma Jnana, holding, shaking, throwing, expanding and contracting are the five qualities of air. (23)
The knowers of Brahma Jnana say desire, anger, delusion, shame and greed are the five qualities of space. (24)
Air comes from space, fire comes from air, water comes from fire, and earth comes from water. (25)
Earth dissolves into water, water dissolves in fire, fire dissolves in air and air dissolves in space. (26)
Creation comes from the five tattvas and is dissolved into them. Greater than the five tattvas is that which is above them, without stain. (27)
The organs of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing are the five tattvas of the senses. Mind (manas) is the tattva that gives birth to them. (28)
The entire macrocosm is situated in the centre of the body. That with form is destroyed while that without form is indestructible. (29)
Whosever’s mind is fixed on the formless becomes one with the formless. Therefore, by every means, reject that with form. (30)
Devi said-Adinatha, tell me of the seven dhatus. What are they? What is Atma? What is the inner Atma (Antaratma)? What is the Supreme Atma (Paramatma)? (31)
Ishvara said-Semen, blood, marrow, fat, flesh, bones and skin are the seven (dhatus) in the body. (32)
The body is Atma. Mind is the Antaratma and Paramatma is the Shunya (void) where the mind dissolves. (33)
Blood is the mother dhatu and semen is the father dhatu. The Shunya dhatu produced from vital breath is the foetus. (34)
Devi said-Tell me of the nature of speech. How is it produced and how is it dissolved? (35)
Ishvara said-Vital breath comes from the Avyakta, mind arises from vital breath. Speech comes from mind and is dissolved into mind. (36)
Devi said-Where does the sun dwell? Where does the moon dwell? Where does vital breath dwell? Where does mind dwell? (37)
Ishvara said-The moon is at the root of the palate. The sun is at the root of the navel. Vital breath is above the sun and mind is below the moon. (38)
The Cit is above the sun and the jiva is above the moon. Mahadevi, this is to be learned from the mouth of a guru. (39)
Devi said-Where is Shakti? Where is Shiva? Where is Time? What causes ageing? (40)
Ishvara said-Shakti is within (Patala). Shiva is without. Time is in space and causes ageing. (41)
Devi said-What wants to eat? What wants to drink? What stays awake in waking, dream and deep sleep? (42)
Shiva said-Vital breath wants food. Food is consumed by fire. Vital breath is awake during waking, dream and deep sleep. (43)
Devi said-What causes karma? What causes bad deeds. Who does bad deeds? How is one liberated from bad deeds? (44)
Shiva said-The mind does bad deeds. The mind is stained by bad deeds. That mind, having become itself, does neither good nor bad. (45)
Devi said-How does an embodied soul (jiva) become Shiva? What is cause and effect? Speak to me, of your grace! (46)
Ishvara said-Bound by delusion jiva, freed from delusion Sadashiva. You are cause and effect. Enlightenment is different from you. (47)
Folk subject to tamasa wander to this sacred place and that sacred place, thinking that Shiva is here, Shakti is elsewhere, mind is somewhere else and vital breath is somewhere else again. (48)
O Beauteous One, they do not realise the sacred place within the body. How then, can they be liberated? (49)
Veda is not the vedas, the eternal Brahma is veda. Whosoever knows the Brahma Vidya is a brahmin, skilled in the vedas.(50)
