Shaiva Kali: One Hundred Three

(5) The presence of these two currents within human consciousness: our mind too is a reflection of the cosmic power. When we imagine, create language, or express an idea—then Kali becomes active within us in the stream of manifestation. And when we turn inward in silence to perceive that very idea—then through the stream of reflection, that idea returns to the depths of consciousness.

Example: A poet is writing poetry. First, an ineffable feeling arises within (reflection). Then it blooms into words (manifestation). Again, when the reader discovers that same feeling within themselves while reading the poem, those manifested words are transformed back into reflection.

The "seventeen arts" (saptadashi kala) is not merely some mystical number—it is that level where the rhythm of creation and dissolution merge into each other. The final five syllables—hreem, kleem, sauh, aing, om—are symbols of this ultimate vibration, which manifests as sound and returns again to silence—just as Kali herself, after creation, dissolves everything back into herself.

The duality of manifestation and reflection is not a division, but rather the dual rhythm of consciousness at play. Kali is the symbol of both these rhythms—in manifestation she is Mahakala, in reflection she is Mahashakti; she is light on one side, and the self-awareness of that light on the other; she is the source of creation, and also the ultimate destination of dissolution. Therefore she is called "Kalika tu param Brahma"—because she is that Brahman who creates the world in her own radiance and dissolves everything in her own silence.

The seventeen arts signify such a luminous state of consciousness that transcends even the perfection of the sixteen arts. Up to the sixteen arts, consciousness fully manifests all its forms, powers and expressions—meaning all levels of creation are then complete. But the seventeenth art is the state beyond that completeness—where consciousness realizes itself again in its source-form. This is not a limited level, but rather a super-fullness—where the manifested and unmanifested, stability and movement, remain united together in one eternal radiance.

This seventeenth art is not a logic-dependent or thought-based process, because logic only works when the division between "I" and "this" has already been created. But the seventeenth art exists at that level where this division has not yet been born or has already dissolved. Therefore it is called non-logical or alogical—where the rules of logic do not apply, because logic itself is born from here. It is also called meta-empirical, because it is beyond ordinary experience—here subject and object are not separate, the experiencer and experience are also one. From this we understand how logic, mind, experience, even the world of dualities are all born from the non-dual source of consciousness.

When this unified consciousness engages in self-reflection, duality begins. One consciousness appears to see itself in two ways—as manifestation and reflection, Shiva and Shakti, light and shadow. This division is not really a separation, but rather consciousness's joyful play, its own dance with its own forms. Non-dual consciousness thus creates the semblance of duality within itself, so that its own beauty and bliss can manifest before itself. But where this division began, there too is its dissolution—just as waves rise from the ocean and merge back into the ocean. From one comes many, and from many comes one again—this circular movement is the play of the seventeenth art.

This movement or vibration of consciousness is spontaneous—arising without any cause or effort. It is called natural vibration (svābhāvika spanda). Through this vibration sometimes creation occurs, sometimes dissolution occurs, but the two are not separate. Creation means consciousness breathing in, and dissolution means its breathing out. In one breath the world is manifested, and in the next breath it dissolves again. So creation and destruction are not opposite processes; they are the eternal breath of the same consciousness—in one the world awakens, in the other it returns to silence.

This rhythm of consciousness, this dance of eternal breathing, takes form as the goddess Kali. Kali is that power who stirs from the silence of quiet Shiva-consciousness to awaken the world, and again dissolves everything in that very radiance. She is creation as well as dissolution; she is light as well as darkness; she is source as well as end. Within the seventeenth art, Kali is eternal in all senses—holding within herself the five activities of creation, preservation, destruction, concealment and grace.

The seventeenth art can be understood through the symbol of one great breath—in one breath consciousness gives birth to the world, and in the next breath takes that world back into itself. Just as waves rise from the ocean and merge back into the ocean, so Kali illuminates the entire universe in the waves of her radiance, and again dissolves everything in her deep silence. She is simultaneously Shiva's silence and Shakti's movement—that great dance of consciousness where unity and multiplicity, stillness and motion, creation and dissolution—all merge in one undivided flow. The seventeenth art is really that eternal radiance where emptiness and fullness dance in the same breath—the unceasing vibration of creation, destruction and bliss all at once.

Entering deep into the tantric tradition, we understand that Krama is not merely a "branch" or "sub-path" of Kashmir Shaivism—it is actually the living expression of the underlying unity-principle of Shaiva and Shakta philosophy. That is, where Shiva-principle and Shakti-principle, consciousness and vibration, knowledge and bliss—all flow within each other, Krama is the principle of that consciousness's gradual, step-by-step unfoldment.

The Kali of this Krama path is no limited goddess; she is the symbol of supreme consciousness—who embodies the one, undifferentiated truth that lies behind all forms and names. In various tantric streams she has been called by different names, but those name-differences are merely differences of perspective, not any fundamental distinction.

The Bamakeshvar tradition is an important tantric stream of Kashmir Shaivism. It is not merely a branch, but rather the living expression of the unity-principle hidden within Shaiva and Shakta philosophy. The word "Bamakeshvar" is composed of two parts—"Bama" and "Ishvar." "Bama" means Shakti, that is, the goddess's position on the left side, which symbolizes Shiva's inherent power. And "Ishvar" means Shiva, who is the still, silent and solitary aspect of consciousness. Therefore "Bamakeshvar" or "Bameshvar" means the inseparable union of Shiva and Shakti—where Shakti and consciousness exist non-dually within each other.

The fundamental philosophy of this tradition is that creation is not an external event; it is consciousness's own development, its own manifestation in its own bliss. Here the goddess is seen not merely as creatrix, but as that consciousness who manifests the world in her own radiance and again causes dissolution within herself. Therefore the Bamakeshvar tradition is essentially a non-dual Shakta principle—where worship means realizing the goddess within oneself.

In this tradition the goddess is worshipped as Tripurasundari. The word "Tripura" means the three cities or three levels of consciousness—waking, dreaming and deep sleep. Goddess Tripurasundari is the unity of consciousness flowing through these three levels, which binds all states together and finally leads to turiya or the fourth, unbroken consciousness. She is the beauty of the external world in the waking state, the forms of imagination in dreams, and silent consciousness in deep sleep—one and the same in all three states.

In the Bamakeshvar tradition, Tripurasundari is that goddess who transcends the boundaries of the three states and resides in the turiya state. This turiya itself is supreme beauty—where there is no duality, no division, only one radiant, peaceful, blissful consciousness. Therefore she is called "Sundari" (Beautiful), because her beauty is not external; it is consciousness's inner radiance, which illuminates world, mind and soul together.

The Bamakeshvar tradition is deeply connected with the Krama and Kaula methods of Kashmir Shaivism. In Krama the gradual unfoldment of consciousness is explained, and the Kaula method shows how that consciousness is directly experienced as bliss. The Bamakeshvar tradition creates a bridge between these two streams—here worship means gradually progressing on the path of inner realization, until the practitioner understands, "I am that goddess, I am Tripurasundari."

The essence of this philosophy is that Shakti and Shiva are one. Form and formless, thought and beyond thought, creation and silence—all are different aspects of the same consciousness. Tripurasundari, Kali, Kauliki or the maternal principle—all names and forms are actually various radiances of the same truth. The Bamakeshvar tradition teaches that realizing this unified consciousness is liberation. When the practitioner experiences this unity, then Shiva and Shakti are no longer separate; both become one, and that unified state is the manifestation of supreme knowledge and bliss—where consciousness worships itself, recognizes itself, and realizes itself.

Tripurasundari, Kali, Kauliki and the maternal principle—hearing these four names, one might think of four goddesses, four separate powers; but delving deep into tantric philosophy and unfolding these names, we see that all are different radiances of one supreme consciousness.

When consciousness manifests itself as beauty and play, then she is Tripurasundari—threading together the three levels of consciousness—waking, dreaming and deep sleep—into the non-dual light of turiya. In this manifestation, the world's forms, feelings, meanings—all blaze in one non-dual harmony; bliss seems to laugh seeing its own reflection.

That same consciousness, when it breaks the boundaries of time and binds "creation-preservation-destruction" in one breath, then she is Kali—not the goddess of destruction, but the secret dance of self-manifestation behind destruction. Here destruction is actually return; form goes back to its source, sound dissolves in its silence, and multiplicity rests in the depths of oneness.

When consciousness recognizes the flow within itself as its own truth, then creation and dissolution—these two opposite aspects are no longer separate. They become connected like one continuous breath. Just as a person breathes in once and breathes out once—both actions are part of life's one undivided rhythm—similarly in consciousness too, creation means turning outward, and dissolution means returning inward. Both are its own nature; neither is beginning nor is either end. In this state, consciousness's movement is a rhythmic flow, where manifestation and return, silence and sound—all remain bound in one melody.

In this very state the goddess is called Kauliki or Visarga. "Visarga" means continuous flow, constant emanation—that movement of consciousness which never stops. This is that divine power who is constantly manifesting from Shiva's waveless consciousness, and again dissolving in that consciousness. And the word "Kauliki" comes from "kula," meaning "unity bound in one thread"—where all differences become one. Kauliki means that power who unites Shiva and Shakti, agent and action, stillness and movement in one non-dual being.