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Philosophy of Srikantha
[CH. (cicchakti) that is regarded as pervading through all things and it is this energy that undergoes the transformations for the creation of the universe. It is this cicchakti that is to be regarded as the original force of life that manifests itself in the activities of life. All kinds of life functions and all experiences of pleasure are based on the lower or on the higher level of this ultimate life force, called also the cicchakti or ākāśa.
Again, Brahman is described as being of the nature of being, consciousness and bliss (ānanda). In this case, it is held that Brahman enjoys His own bliss without the aid of any external instrumentality. And it is for this reason that the liberated souls may enjoy bliss of a superlative nature without the aid of any external instruments. The truth as consciousness is also the truth as pure bliss which are eternal in their existence not as mere abstract qualities, but as concrete qualities adhering to the person of Lord Siva. Thus, though the Brahman or Lord Siva may be absolutely unchangeable in Himself, yet His energy might undergo the transformations that have created this universe. Brahman has thus within Him both the energy of consciousness and the energy of materiality which form the matter of the universe (cid-acitprapañca-rūpa-sakti-višişțatvam svābhābikam eva brahmaṇaḥ). As the energy of Brahman is limitless, he can in and through those energies form the material cause of the universe. As all external things are said to have 'being' as the common element that pervades them all, it represents the aspect of Brahman as 'being,' in which capacity it is the material cause of the world. The supreme Lord is called Sarva, because all things are finally absorbed in Him. He is called Iśāna, because He lords over all things, and He is hence also called Pasupati. By the epithet pasupati it is signified that He is not only the Lord of all souls (pašu), but also all that binds them (pāśa). The Brahman thus is the controller of all conscious entities and the material world.
It has been said that the māya is the primal matter, prakyti, which is the material cause of the universe. But God or the Lord Siva is said to be always associated with the māyā, that is, He has no separate existence entirely apart from the māyā. In such a view, if the māyā is to be regarded as the material cause of the universe,
1 anena cid-acin-niyāmakam brahmeti vijñāyate. Srikantha's bhāsya on Brahma-sūtra 1. I. 2, p. 127.
