Light and Awareness:-

“Absolute consciousness understood as the unchanging ontological ground of all appearing is termed ‘Prakasha’. As the creative awareness of its own being the absolute is called 'Vimarsha’. Prakasha and Vimarsha - the Divine light of consciousness and the reflective awareness -this light has of its own nature - together constitute the all embracing fullness (purnata) of consciousness .”[1]

Absolute self luminous conscious citi is die source of the universe. It comprises all powers. It emanates the universe out of its own free will. It has got absolute independence and is conditioned by space time and form. This integrated power in its unrelated state is called Anuttara (The Absolute), Vimarshmaya Self- Consciousness of the Supreme), Parasamvit (sovereign conscious power) Paramshiva (Supreme being).This reality has the kinds of operative processes - External and internal. External operative force is called ‘Prakasha’-Internal operative force is ‘Vimarsh’ Proceeding with there two operatives, it assumes the form of duality. In external form the same conscious power moulds itself into gross objective universe. The internal operative force in the form of self luminosity remains entirely subjective. This subjective aspect is transcendental. The manifested gross material universe which is not separated from this reality is said to be in transcendental aspect and in immanent aspect.

According to Kavirajji, a part of light becomes harmonious, but when it becomes harmonious with a part of vimarsh, then it is with form. And this very form is vak.[2]

Inside vak, there is objective reality i.e. creation, In the origin of creation there is a triangle which is made of vak. The three lines of this triangle is three vak and the central point of this triangle is Paravak. There is creation in Paravak but it is in its embryonic stage, in vama, it takes birth, in jyestha it is developed and in vaikhari it is fully strengthened.

It is mentioned in Varivasya Rahasya, 'The first (kuta), which resembles the deluvion fire, touches anahata, beginning from muladhara. The second (kuta) which has the brilliance often million suns, touches ajna cakra there from (from anahata). The third (kuta), which has the effulence of ten million moons, touches the middle of the forehead (lalatamadhya) hence (from ajna cakra). The letters (constituting the three kuta's) are to beggared as beads of a rosary, are above the other."[3]

Also, “In the repla (r) of the third group should be conceived the brightness which is the cause of the wakeful (Jagrata) state wherein alone the ten indriya's (physical anal psychic function) In the letter (i) of the third group should be appreahended the brightness which is the cause of the dream state (svapna) wherein the four antahkaranas operate; the letter of fee second group should likewise be so conceived.” [4]

Vimarsha is the radiation of Prakasha, due to which consciousness realizes itself as ‘I’. In the absence of Vimarsh, consciousness also due to lack of chitta or mind becomes acbit. That's why it is said that if the shakti is removed from Shiv then it will become shava.  This very vimarsh shakti is paravak. Locking this shakti prakash will be aprakashvat. Due to vimarsh  shakti only prakash becomes lightened

Every mantra originals from muladhara. After the arousal of kundalini, there is ascendance of a current of sound towards ajna charka. At the same time there is descendence of an opposite current from sahasrara. Both these opposite currents merge with each other in the bindu of ajna charka and there arises a bright smooth divine jyoti.

Pure light is Anuttara and transcendent.[5]

Vimarsh is absorbed in Prakash. According to Vamkeshwar Shastra, There are fore parts of light, i.e. Ambika. Varna, Jyeshtha and Raudri. And the parts of Vimarsh are :

Shanta Iksha, Jnana and kriya. In the harmonious state of Ambika and Shanta there is Paravak. This is a state of self radiation. At that time, when this Parashakti is involved in self-radiation then it is in the form of Ambika, that is why it is called Paravak. In this state of self-radiation there is whole cosmos in the form of seed. After this there arises Iksha from Shanta and the unmanifested world becomes manifested from the womb of Shakti. Now Iksha Shakti identifying with Vama Shakti takes the form of Pashyanti. After this arises Jnara Shakti Jnana Shakti is identical with Jyeshtha Shakti. It is called madhyana vak. This is the cause of the whole world. Kriya Shakti becoming identical with the Raudri Shakti, is called Vaikhari Shakti. This whole phenomenal world is the form of vaikhari. As it is written in Varisarya Rahasya :-

"It has the power (Shakti) of Vimarsha which may be defined as inherent pulsation. It is in conjunction with that Power that Shiva creates, sustains, and withdraws the world."[6]

Also, “She (shakti) by whose transformation this creation in the form of objects (arths), words (shabdas) plexuses (cakras) and bodies (dehas) exists, should of necessity be known by us."[7]

Vimarsh is all powerful dynamic force of the Lord. It has infinite power. It constitutes everything in it. All manifestations emanates from itself. It unites and divides and negates. This is the nature of this dynamic force Vimarsh.

The only dominant feature of this great reality is svatantryashakti, which transcends every rule. Svatantryashakti is a very comprehensive expression. Svatantrya aspect of universal consciousness has been given different names from different view points. In the Shiva Sutra it is called caitanya since it has power of uniting and separating and dealing in multifarious ways with what is within. It is called sphuratta or spanda because it represents the essential nature of universal consciousness which is responsible for its apparent change from the state of absolute unity. It is called Mahasatta because it is the cause of all that can be said to exist in anyway. Another name for it is Paravak because it represents speech in its most subtle form.

The letter of alphabet which in their origin from A to Ha represent in succession Para. Pashyanti, Madhyanma and Vaikhari, the four stages of the utterance. The vowels stand for Shiva. The consonants stand for Shakti-similarly, the combination Shiva and Shakti is ‘Yamala’ the origin of the universe. Thus the whole creation is based on the combination of Shiva and Shakti. The letters are only symbols representing the whole creation. The whole universe of objects and also of thoughts and words is always in Paramashiva the Supreme being. Paravak constitutes the heart of supreme being who is Prakasha – Vimarshamaya. ‘Prakash’ is vacya. Vimarsh is vachaka. The entire creation or the universe may be divided into substance (objects) and speech (thought and words) vachya and vachaka the two fold manifestation. The substance is the grossest manifestation of the prakasha aspect and the speech is that of Vimarsha. The speech is not mere physical phenomenon but it is that of which the words are symbols.

Paravak brings in the sense of time (kala) both in the objective world and in the subjective cognize. Hence it is called kala-karshini. It is called Para when it is purely in its subjective aspect as pure illumination. When it is both the subject and the object like one seeing his image in a mirror it is Parapara. It is a Para when the object aspect is distinct and is seen as such when all there aspects are comprehended together by parashakti it is called kalakarshini.

Vimarsh –Vitmrs the root mrs means to touch Vimrs means to touch mentally. It is a highly technical term of this system. Paramshiva, the ultimate reality is not only prakasha or luminous consciousness, but also Vimarsha i.e. consciousness of its consciousness Vimarsh is self consciousness of reality that brings about the emergence of the universe (srishti), its manifestation (sthiti) and its-withdrawal (samhara) into it again as identical

with its joy of pure I-consciousness. Vimarsha assumes three movements, viz. going out of itself (sristi) maintaining its continued existence (sthiti) and then returning to itself (simhara).

The entire universe is already contained in the highest consciousness or the highest. Self even ans the yoriegated plumage of the peacock is already contained in the plasma of its egg (mayurandarasa - nyayena). Vimarsh is the positing of this self which leads to manifestation.

  Ultimate Reality is Cit or Parasamvit. It is non relational consciousness. It is the changeless principle of all changes. It it’s there is no distinction of subject and object of I and This. It is the Supreme Self surveying. Itself in the words of Pratyabhijna Shastra, it is prakash vimarshamaya. Prakasha is the eternal Light without which nothing can appear. It is Shiva Vimarsha is Shakti, the svabhava of Shiva. It is, so to speak, the mirror in which Shiva realizes His own grandeur, power and beauty. Vimarsha is the Kertritva Shakti (The Power of doership) of Shiva. Mere Prakasha cannot be the nature of Reality Vimarsha is that aspect of prakasha by which it known itself. That self knowledge is an activity.

  Vimarsha betokens that activity. It is the non-relational, immediate awareness of I. Kshemaraja says that if ultimate Reality were merely pakasha and not also vimarsha, it would be entirely powerless and inert. It is this I consciousness of ultimate Reality that is responsible for the manifestation, maintenance, and reabsorption of the universe. Cit  is conscious of itself as Cidrupini Shakti. This consciousness of itself a Cidrupini  Shakti is Vimarsha. Vimarsha has been named variously as parashakti, svatantrya, aishvarya, kartritva, sphuratta, sara hrideya, spanda.

  Jaidev Singh writes, “it is because Shankara Vedanta considers Brahman to be only prakasha or jnana (light or illumination) without any Vimarsha or activity that it has to invoke the help of maya for the manifestation of the universe.”[8]

  Brahman is devoid of any activity it is, therefore, impotent to create. It is only Ishvara or mayapahita caitanya that can manifest the universe. But whence does this Maya drop in? If it is some power of Brahman, then Brahman cannot be diverted of activity. Both Samphaya and Vedanta consider the Parusha or Atma to be nishpriya or inactive because they take the word ‘activity’ in a very crude sense. Brahman or Atma does not work like a potter or watch maker. The very Vimarsha, the very Iccha (will) of the Divine is spiritual energy of calculable force that can proliferate in o any form from the subtlest to the grossest..[9]

  Svatantrya or unimpeded Sovereignty is the characteristic par excellence of Shiva. It expresses itself into. Iccha (will) which immediately translates itself into jnana (knowledge) and kriya (action).

  Ultimate Reality is not only Universe consciousness but also supreme spiritual energy or Power. This all inclusive universal consciousness is also called Aunttara, the highest reality, the Absolute. It is both transcendental and immanent.

  Ultimate Reality or Parama Shiva is Prakasha Vimarshamaya. In that state the ‘I’ and the ‘This’ are in am undivided unity. The ‘I’ is the prakasha aspect ‘This’ or its consciousness of itself is the Vimarsha aspect. This Vimarsha is svatantrya or unimpeded sovereign power or Shakti. This Vimarsha is not content less. It contains all that is to be.

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[1] The Doctrine of Vibration -Mark S.G. Dyczkowski - Motilal Banarasidass Publishers Pvt. Delhi - P. 59 -

1989.

[2] Sri Sadhana - Pt. Gopinath Kaviraj. Tran. Vishvanath Mukerji - Pub - Vishvavidhyalaya Prakashan -Varanasi. 1998 P. 9.

[3] Varivarya Rahasya - Bhaskararaya trans. By r. Krishnaswami Sartri - Pub- The Adyar library and research centre - The theosophical Society Chennai - 1934 P. 16.

[4] Ibid PP. 26-27.   

[5] l t;fr egku izdk”kks ;fLeu n`’Vs u n`”;rs fdefi A3A

Varivasya Raharya Basparoraya trans by R. Krishna Swami Sartri - Pub - The Adyar Library and Research centre Chennai - 1934 - PP. 5-6.

[6] uSlfxZdh LQqjÙkk foe”kZ:ikL; orZrs “kfDr%A

r|ksxknso f”kok txnqR;kn;fr ikfrlagjfrAA4AA

Varivaya Rahasya, P. 6

[7] Lko”;a foKs;k lR;ifj.kkeknHkwnsokA

vFkZe;h “kCne;h pØe;h nsgeL;fipl`f’V%AA5AA

Ibid-P.P. 6-7

[8] Shiva Sutra – Translated by Jaidev Singh P.XX

[9] Shiva Sutra – Translated by Jaidev Singh P.XX