Tuesday 21 April 2015

Shaktipat

 

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Shaktipat or Śaktipāta (Sanskrit, from shakti - "(psychic) energy" - and pāta, "to fall")[1] refers in Hinduism to the conferring of spiritual "energy" upon one person by another. Shaktipat can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra, or by a look, thought or touch – the last usually to the ajna chakra or third eye of the recipient.
Saktipat is considered an act of grace (anugraha) on the part of the guru or the divine. It cannot be imposed by force, nor can a receiver make it happen.[2] The very consciousness of the god or guru is held to enter into the Self of the disciple, constituting an initiation into the school or the spiritual family (kula) of the guru.[3] It is held that Shaktipat can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit or else by telephone or letter.[4]


Levels of intensity[edit]

Levels[edit]

In Kashmir Shaivism, depending on its intensity, Śaktipāt can be classified as:
  • tīvra-tīvra-śaktipāta - the so-called "Super Supreme Grace" - produces immediate identity with Śiva and liberation; such a being goes on to become a siddha master and bestows grace from his abode (Siddhaloka), directly into the heart of deserving aspirants[5]
  • tīvra-madhya-śaktipāta - "Supreme Medium Grace" - such a being becomes spiritually illuminated and liberated on his own, relying directly on Śiva, not needing initiation or instruction from other exterior guru. This is facilitated by an intense awakening of his spiritual intuition (pratibhā) which immediately eliminates ignorance[5]
  • tīvra-manda-śaktipāta - "Supreme Inferior Grace" - the person who received this grace strongly desires to find an appropriate guru, but he does not need instruction, but a simple touch, a look or simply being in the presence of his master is enough to trigger in him to the state of illumination[5]
  • madhya-tīvra-śaktipāta - "Medium Supreme Grace" - a disciple who receives this grace desires to have the instruction and initiation of a perfect guru; in time he becomes enlightened. However, he is not totally absorbed into this state during his lifetime and receives a permanent state of fusion with Śiva after the end of his life[6]
  • madhya-madhya-śaktipāta - "Medium Middle Grace" - such a disciple will receive initiation from his guru and have an intense desire to attain liberation, but at the same time he still has desire for various enjoyments and pleasure; after the end of his life, he continues to a paradise where he fulfills all his desires and after that he receives again initiation from his master and realizes permanent union with Śiva[7]
  • madhya-manda-śaktipāta - "Medium Inferior Grace" - is similar to "Medium Middle Grace" except that in this case the aspirant desires worldly pleasures more than union with Śiva; he needs to be reincarnated again as a spiritual seeker to attain liberation[7]
  • manda - "Inferior Grace" - for those who receive this level of grace, the aspiration to be united with Śiva is present only in times of distress and suffering; the grace of Śiva needs to work in them for many lifetimes before spiritual liberation occurs[8]

Table[edit]

Type of spiritual graceWhen is the moment of liberation?What one needs in order
to attain liberation?
What is the defining quality
of the recipient?
tīvra-tīvra-śaktipāta Super Supreme Graceimmediatenothing exterior, only
the grace of Śiva
capability to abandon duality
tīvra-madhya-śaktipāta Supreme Medium Graceimmediatenothing exterior, only
the grace of Śiva
intuition of nonduality[note 1]
tīvra-manda-śaktipāta Supreme Inferior Graceafter meeting a perfect guruthe presence of
a physical guru
total surrender for his guru
madhya-tīvra-śaktipāta Medium Supreme Graceat the end of life in this physical planethe initiation
and instruction of a guru
intense spiritual aspiration
madhya-madhya-śaktipāta Medium Middle Graceafter living for some time in a paradisethe initiation
and instruction of a guru
spiritual aspiration is more intense than worldly desires
madhya-manda-śaktipāta Medium Inferior Gracein the next physical incarnationthe initiation
and instruction of a guru
lower aspiration than
worldly desires
manda Inferior Graceafter many lifetimes of incremental progressthe initiation
and instruction of a guru and lots of time

Descriptions[edit]

Swami Muktananda, in his book, Play of Consciousness, describes in great detail his experience of receiving shaktipat initiation from his guru Bhagavan Nityananda and his spiritual development that unfolded after this event. [9]
Paul Zweig has written of his experience of receiving shaktipat from Muktananda.[10] In the same book Itzhak Bentov describes his laboratory measurements of kundalini-awakening through shaktipat,[11] a study held in high regard by the late Satyananda Saraswati, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, and by Hiroshi Motoyama, author of Theories of the Chakras.
Barbara Brennan describes shaktipat as the projection of the guru's "aura" on the disciple who thereby acquires the same mental state, hence the importance of the high spiritual level of the guru. The physiological phenomena of rising kundalini then naturally manifest.[12]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. Jump up ^ Abhinavagupta distinguishes here between two sublevels:
    • those whose intuition (pratibhā) is firm
    • those whose intuition is hesitant, who need more practice in order to stabilize; they would take a guru, study the scriptures or practice yoga[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Abhinavagupta, The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, John R. Dupuche, page 155
  2. Jump up ^ Abhinavagupta, The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, John R. Dupuche, page 154
  3. Jump up ^ Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, John R. Dupuche, Page 131
  4. Jump up ^ Satyananda Saraswati, Kundalini Tantra, Yoga Publications Trust (1984), p. 46.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 66
  6. Jump up ^ Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 67
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 68
  8. Jump up ^ Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Jee, Page 69
  9. Jump up ^ Muktananda, Swami (1978). Play of Consciousness. Siddha Yoga Publications. ISBN 0-911307-81-8. 
  10. Jump up ^ Paul Zweig, in John White (editor), Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment (ISBN 1-55778-303-9)
  11. Jump up ^ Itzhak Bentov, Micromotions of the body as a factor in the development of the nervous system, in John White (editor), Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment (ISBN 1-55778-303-9)
  12. Jump up ^ Barbara Brennan, Hands of Light

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