From Shiva to Jiva : Part 2

The First Steps of Manifestation

In the previous part, we saw how Śiva, the Supreme Consciousness, alone is real, eternal, and self-luminous. Everything else — the cosmos, mind, and body — is a manifestation of this infinite awareness. But the question remains: how does the One, still and undivided, appear as many? How does consciousness begin to unfold into the world of forms, time, and space?

In Śaiva Siddhānta, this unfolding is explained through the tattvas — the fundamental principles or building blocks of existence. The first set of tattvas are the pure tattvas, also called śuddha tattvas, which reveal the earliest stages of manifestation. They arise from Parāśiva, the absolute and unmanifest consciousness, through the power of Parāśakti, the dynamic energy of Śiva.

• Parāśiva and Parāśakti: The Absolute and Its Power

  Parāśiva is the ultimate reality, beyond name, form, and thought. It is pure, infinite, and unchanging.

  Parāśakti is the divine power of Śiva. It is not separate from Śiva; rather, it is the active aspect through which the unmanifest becomes manifest. Through Parāśakti, Śiva expresses the potential of creation without losing His unity.

  Together, Parāśiva and Parāśakti form the foundation from which the pure tattvas emerge.

• Parānāda and Parābindu: The First Vibrations

  Parānāda is the first vibration of consciousness — the cosmic sound, the anādi (beginningless) pulse. It is the seed of all manifestation.

  Parābindu is the first point of differentiation in the absolute. While still fully integrated with the whole, it marks the beginning of multiplicity within unity.

  Think of this as a calm ocean: a single wave forms, yet it remains inseparable from the ocean itself.

• Aparānāda and Aparābindu: The Reflection Begins

  Aparānāda is the echo of Parānāda. It is the secondary vibration, a subtle reflection of the first.

  Aparābindu is the point of light reflecting within the primary point. It is the first hint of the universe taking form.

  These two tattvas are still beyond time, space, and individuality. They are pure, formless potential, ready to become the more concrete principles that guide manifestation.

• Śuddha Māyā: The Divine Prism

  The next stage is Śuddha Māyā, sometimes called the pure Māyā. It is like a prism that splits the One light of consciousness into multiple rays, each perfectly distinct yet still entirely part of the whole.

  Through Śuddha Māyā, the first divine tattvas — known as the Vidya tattvas — are prepared. These tattvas give rise to the first divine entities, forces, and knowledge without introducing ignorance or limitation.

  Key point: At this level, multiplicity exists, but there is no distortion. Each aspect knows its unity with the source.

The Five Pure Tattvas

From Śuddha Māyā emerge five fundamental tattvas:

1. Śiva – pure consciousness, the inner witness.
2. Śakti – dynamic power, the creative energy.
3. Sadāśiva – the first form of manifestation, aware of the Self and the other.
4. Īśvara – the principle of universal order, governing cause and effect.
5. Sadvidyā – the knowledge that illuminates creation, distinguishing the self from the selfless.

These tattvas are subtle, eternal, and free from limitation. They form the pure realm, where all is known, conscious, and divinely harmonious.

From Pure to Limited Manifestation

As the play of consciousness continues, awareness begins to turn outward. This outward turning — when consciousness identifies with its own projections — leads eventually to Aśuddha Māyā, the impure or limited Māyā.

Śuddha Māyā: multiplicity without ignorance, like light passing through a clear prism.

Aśuddha Māyā: multiplicity with limitation and ignorance, like the same light passing through a fogged or dusty prism, creating apparent separation.

Through Aśuddha Māyā, the Vidyā tattvas arise, forming the bridge to the individual soul (jīva) and the manifested world.

Summary: The Pure Realm

• The pure tattvas show the first stages of creation: a subtle, harmonious unfolding of consciousness that is still fully aware of its unity.
• Consciousness differentiates without distortion.
• The seeds of knowledge, energy, and divine order emerge.
• Limitation has not yet entered; all is pure potential.

In the next part, we will explore the Vidyā tattvas, where the first signs of limitation and individuality appear. This will prepare the ground for understanding how consciousness takes form in the soul and the world, leading to the 36 tattvas that structure existence.