Yoga of Synthesis in Kashmir Shaivam

Author(s): S S Toshkhani
Publisher: S S Toshkhani

Page 19

shambhavopāya or the Divine Means, shaktopāya or the Empowered Means and ānavopāya or the Individual Means.
Of these four, anupya, also called anuttaraopāya, is more a state of being than a means and requires practically no or little practice. It is based on direct insight into the supreme reality without any self-effort, with the yogi penetrating into his real nature in a state of uninterrupted awareness due to pure grace of highest intensity. The yogi in the realm of anupāya, therefore, has just to be aware of his transcendent nature through the guru's word, and to repose in his own self. Nothing has to be done or achieved; no udyama or effort is needed as the goal and the means are the same. The shāmbhavopāya is not much different from the anupāya, as it does not need any exertion either, but only the visualization of one's identity with Shiva without the interference of any thought constructs. The yogi in the realm of shămbhavopāya subtly directs his power of will or ichcha and his reflective consciousness to recognize that his state is no different from Shiva's own state of svātantrya or absolute freedom. It is therefore also called ichchopāya. The shāktopāya or Empowered Means is associated with mental activity in which the yogi resorts to contemplative meditation to purify thought. He uses chit-shakti to free himself of the thought constructs arising out of ignorance. That is why it is called shāktopāya. With the help of one shuddha vikalpa or pure thought which the yogi holds in his mind, ashuddha vikalpa or impure thought is eliminated by constant contemplation and the true nature of the self is revealed. Anavopāya or the Individual Means, as the name suggests, is concerned with anu, the limited individual, and is therefore associated with the physical body. Various external practices at the level of physical effort come within the scope of this upāya. As Navjivan Rastogi points out, "notions of mantra, mudrā, diagrams and mental installation (nyāsa) assume implicit importance" at the plane of the Individual Means.xxxvi
Before proceeding to discuss the four categories of practice in some detail, it would be necessary to make certain preliminary observations about their common as well as distinctive features. It would also be of interest to trace them historically to the original
19