Yoga of Synthesis in Kashmir Shaivam

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

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the next yoga in the hierarchy because anava can be a means to reach shāktopāya and shāktopāya culminates in shămbhavopāya.
Yet each means has its own distinctive character and definitive traits that find expression in several specific terms that distinguish it. The first thing to be noted is that anavopāya is related to the body and vital breath, shāktaopāya to mental activity and meditation and shambhavopāya to spiritual consciousness, while anupāya or the no-means is pure lawareness. Thus, the three principle means can be projected as "three different modesstates of single cognition" marked by duality (ūnavopāya), duality-cum-non-duality (shāktopāya) and non-duality (shămbhavopāya), the fourth mode, anupāāya being distinguished as ineffable. So far as the triad of powers icchā (will), jnāna (knowledge) and kriyā (action) is concerned, the power of action (kriyā shakti) operates in anavopāyaor the Individual Means, the power of knowledge (jnana shakti) operates in shāktaopāya or the Empowered Means and the power of will iccha shakti) in shambhavopāya or the Divine Means. The three main means are associated with kundalini yoga as well. While the Individual Means is in tune with prāna kundalini or the coiled energy at the level of vital breath, the Empowered Means with nādakundalini or the coiled energy at the level of resonance and the Divine Means with bodhakundalini or the coiled energy at the level of knowledge or consciousness.
The triple types of yogas can also be distinguished from the point of view of sequential development. Thus, while the shămbhava yoga operates immediately without any gradations or intervening stages (akrama) in realization of its goal, shākta yoga associated with mentation and ideation displays both directness of and progression (kramākrama) in its development and anava yoga develops progressively only in successive stages (krama) as it is associated with physical activity. The three can be viewed from the perspective of the state of the mind also. In the Individual Means a complete repose of mind, chittavishrānti, is achieved through self-awareness; in the case of the Empowered Means, there is a "thorough grasp of such repose” called chittasambodha; and in the Divine means there is a withdrawal or dissolution of mind or chittapralaya. In the words of Navjivan Rastogi, "they correspond directly to the states