Shaiva Kali: Ninety-Eight

This enumeration of principles is not a rigid numerical count. Many ask—if the 10 Mahavidyas, 12 Kalikas, and 16 Nityas are added to the 36 principal tattvas, wouldn't the total be 74? But in truth, no mathematical sum is intended here; rather, these three levels are interconnected and overlapping streams. Mahavidya, Kalika, and Nitya are three layers that interpenetrate one another—the outward power, inward dissolution, and the art of fullness.

Mahavidya, Kalika, and Nitya are actually three successive layers of consciousness that merge within each other. Mahavidya is consciousness's outward power, where supreme awareness manifests itself in the world—creating, giving form, evolving. At this level, goddesses like Kali, Tara, and Tripurasundari symbolize consciousness's power of manifestation or creative force (sṛṣṭi-śakti).

Kalika represents the power of inward dissolution, where that manifested consciousness gradually begins to return toward its source. The twelve Kalikas symbolize this power of dissolution (saṃhāra-śakti)—the force that draws all forms, thoughts, attachments, and time into itself, so consciousness can recognize itself anew.

Nitya is the art of fullness, where both creation and dissolution unite to take form as one ultimate peaceful, luminous consciousness. The sixteen Nityas symbolize this power of completeness (pūrṇatā-śakti), where there is no more movement—only unity, beauty, and eternal radiance.

That is, Mahavidya is manifestation, Kalika is withdrawal, and Nitya is abiding. These three streams together create consciousness's complete cycle of pulsation, just as inhalation, exhalation, and pause together create the flow of life.

Thus, with these 28 subtle levels added to the 36 principal tattvas, consciousness's 64 stages are complete—where Shiva-consciousness returns to itself from the deepest point of its manifestation through dissolution.

And beyond even these 64 tattvas abides the sixty-fifth principle or the Anakhya level—beyond name, form, and sound, ultimate silence and vibrationless radiance. In this Anakhya level, Kali manifests in her true nature—beyond time, beyond sequence, the silent center of all creation.

Thus "Chauṣaṭṭi Tattva" (the Sixty-Four Principles) is not merely a theoretical arrangement, but consciousness's living cycle of pulsation—where creation and dissolution, dance and silence, Shakti and Shiva, sound and resonance—all become one in infinite supreme consciousness, in whose heart shines that all-pervading realization—"Aham Kali"—I am that timeless consciousness. The sixty-four tattvas are actually consciousness's complete journey—from supreme non-dual awareness to the multiplicity of the world, and the sixty-fifth principle is that ultimate return—where everything merges once again into vibrationless, ineffable, timeless Kali-consciousness.

The framework of the 36 tattvas describes the sequential process of supreme Shiva's self-contraction. The first level of these principles is the pure tattvas, which manifest Shiva's infinitude. These five tattvas identify those cosmic stages where there is no division between knower and known—the level of non-dual consciousness.

Shiva tattva is ultimate reality—formless, self-luminous consciousness (Prakāśa) or light.

Shakti tattva is Shiva's vibrant, active power (Vimarśa) or self-reflection. Shiva and Shakti are the source of existence, pervading all 36 tattvas.

Sadashiva tattva is consciousness's first pulsation, where the primary perception "I am this" (Aham Idam) is born; at this level the objective world or "this" aspect remains still unclear.

In Ishvara tattva, consciousness's reflection occurs in reverse—"This am I" (Idam Aham), where the objective world or "this" aspect becomes more defined.

Shuddhavidya tattva is the balanced level of knowledge and action—"I am this, this am I" (Aham Idam, Idam Aham).

Next comes the Shuddhashuddha tattvas, where Maya and the process of self-contraction begin. These seven tattvas are the transitional moment from Shiva's infinitude to limited being (Puruṣa)—where consciousness begins to bring its infinite nature within bounds. At this very level the bondage or "malas" (veils) begins. Maya tattva is the fundamental veil or power of illusion that makes the immeasurable supreme measurable. This is the beginning of forgetfulness of consciousness's true nature—where infinite oneness begins to experience itself as difference.

The Panchakanchukas are Maya's five subtle veils that contract supreme Shiva's infinite qualities to give birth to the limited self. These are—

Kala tattva: contracts omnipotence and transforms it into limited power or capacity for action;

Vidya tattva: contracts omniscience to create partial, limited knowledge;

Raga tattva: contracts the state of complete satisfaction to give birth to a sense of lack and desire;

Kala tattva: contracts consciousness's eternality and divides time into the sequence of past-present-future; and

Niyati tattva: contracts all-pervading freedom to create the definiteness of space, cause, and destiny.

At the end of this phase comes Purusha tattva, the limited self or individual being veiled by these seven coverings, who gains the field of worldly experience as an enjoyer.

The Impure tattvas or Ashuddha level (Aśuddha Tattvas) comprises principles 13 through 36, the phase where consciousness assumes worldly form and transforms into mental and material structures. These twenty-four tattvas constitute worldly experience and gross reality, essential for the limited Purusha or individual soul's experience.

First is Prakriti tattva (Prakṛti Tattva)—the equilibrium of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, tamas), which is the foundation of all cosmic manifestation. From within this emerges the Antahkarana (inner instrument), the combined psychological structure of buddhi (discriminative faculty), ahamkara (ego-sense), and manas (mind's movement).

Then at the level of Indriyas and Tanmatras (Indriyas & Tanmātras), consciousness manifests as the subtle instruments of knowledge and action. Through the cognitive senses consciousness perceives the world, through the active senses it performs actions, and in the form of tanmatras the subtle elements of experience—sound, touch, form, taste, smell—are created.

Finally, from these subtle elements are formed the Mahabhutas (Mahābhūtas)—space, air, fire, water, earth—which provide the gross form of the visible world.

Thus the impure tattvas are consciousness's most densified form, where pure consciousness enters the world of experience through matter, mind, and senses.

According to the philosophical foundation of the dissolution sequence, each of these created world's tattvas later returns to its source. For this return, the 28 goddess-principles are needed, who are symbols of consciousness's dynamic aspect or Vimarsha. They dissolve the bondage created through the 36 tattvas—this process is the Laya-Krama (dissolution sequence).

The first level of this is the twelve Kalis (Dvādaśa Kāli), who symbolize the power of dissolution and withdrawal. The twelve Kalis symbolize the cosmic cycle's creation, sustenance, and destruction. In Krama philosophy, the supreme goddess is known as Kalasankarshini Kali, she who is the time-devouring power (saṃkarṣaṇī).

Through the twelve Kalis, consciousness's dissolution process is subtly revealed. Creation Kali (Sṛṣṭikālī) is consciousness's outward projection—where the goddess manifests herself in the material world. At this level the goddess keeps her true nature hidden in the material world while remaining absorbed in the joy of simultaneous expansion (unfolding) and contraction (enfolding).

At the Destruction Kali (Saṃhārakālī) level, consciousness meditates on itself as Samhara Kali. Here the goddess devours all elements of anxiety, attraction, or attachment imposed upon objects. According to Tantrāloka, in this process she melts and withdraws all external events into her inner self-fire. Samhara Kali is infinite, beyond mind's reach, and emerges as pure and perfect void, closing her eyes to the destruction of phenomenal existence.

At the Death Kali (Mṛtyukālī) level, the yogi realizes that he himself is the power of destruction, the devourer. Consciousness meditates on its inherent nature—"This power of reabsorption is my very nature." In this realization the goddess devours both death and ego, for both are merely transient experiences.

At the Rudra Kali (Rudrakālī) level, fierce Kali is that power who forcefully brings forth all doubts, anxieties, and conflicts dwelling in consciousness's depths, so they can be clearly illuminated. Then she dissolves (drāvaṇa) all those dormant obstacles (rodhana), transforming them into consciousness. Her radiance is infinite; she devours all fear, conflict, and delusion within herself and manifests as Mahashakti.

At the Martanda Kali (Mārtaṇḍakālī) level, the goddess withdraws the wheel of the twelve cognitive and active senses—which distributes consciousness's light like the sun. Through this withdrawal the senses merge again into consciousness's higher levels and unite with ahamkara. Here both action and knowledge of the senses dissolve into self-consciousness—the light of the world then transforms into the radiance of the inner world.

The sixteen Nityas or sixteen eternal principles are actually symbols of the rhythmic unity of consciousness and time. Goddess Tripurasundari or Lalita manifests as these sixteen Nityas, of whom the first fifteen relate to the moon's fifteen lunar days, while Shodashi or Maha Tripurasundari symbolizes the full moon—the form of ultimate unity and completeness. These fifteen phases of lunar art and Shodashi herself reveal sixteen transformative states of consciousness, where each kala indicates a specific radiance, feeling, or stage of realization in consciousness.

The relationship of the Nityas with time and consciousness is deeply symbolic. They are not mere goddess-forms, but powers of the time-wheel or cycle of time that create waves of consciousness at every moment. They are compared to the vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet, because vowels are consciousness's fundamental vibrations or life-sounds; while consonants (symbolizing the 36 tattvas) represent consciousness's specific forms and limitations. When the 36 consonants (tattvas) are multiplied by 16 vowels (Nityas), a cosmic number of 576 sounds is created—indicating that all creation is the product of consciousness's sound-vibrations and time's waves.

The worship of the Nityas is performed in the central triangle of the Shrichakra. The Shrichakra is the symbolic form of goddess Tripurasundari—where different triangles indicate consciousness's levels. Its central inverted triangle symbolizes consciousness's deepest level or creative power. Worshipping the Nityas within this triangle means awakening different forms of goddess-power in the center-point of one's own consciousness.

This central triangle is actually consciousness's inner center-point, where all movement, thought, and duality dissolve. When the practitioner meditates on the Nityas, he enters deep into his inner world—where pure consciousness pervades everywhere.

The 'Nitya Ṣoḍaśārṇava Tantra' is an extremely important and foundational text of Hinduism's Shakta (goddess worship) and Shrividya traditions. It is primarily composed about the worship of goddess Lalita Tripurasundari or Shodashi, methods of mantra and ritual, and their philosophical significance.

Here it is said that these fifteen Nitya goddesses must be worshipped in counterclockwise direction, that is, opposite to the clock's hands. This counterclockwise movement symbolizes consciousness's inward return—the journey from outside to inside, from the external world toward the soul. The fifteen Nitya goddesses are actually symbols of the moon's fifteen phases, so in this worship sequence consciousness gradually returns to its source.