Bhagavadgita Pages, Chapters 1 to 18
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V.Krishnaraj
SIVA-HIERARCHY.GIF --->siva-hierarchyA.jpg
Go to <<<TATTVAS-36.htm>>> for elaboration on Tattvas.
Siva, Sakti, Nada, and Bindu form the Tetralogy of Saiva Siddhanta.
More elaboration:
Nirvana Sakti is the most supreme Siva, also known as Unmani, Sivapada beyond KAla and KalA (Time and parts or power). It is the Antagata (gone to the end). Thus it is Antagata of its two parts or powers: Nirvana Kala and AmA Kala.
Nirvana Kala is VyApini Tattva
Paraparam: Supreme Supreme, Beyond the beyond
Paraparai: the Sakti aspect of Paraparam
Nada and Bindu: Aspects of Sakti.
Para Nada: Supreme Nada or Subtle Sound, Nada is the the product of Sakti Tattva, one of the Suddha Tattvas. (See Tattvas-36 Chart) Its other name is Sadasiva Tattva--the One who confers Grace.
Para Bindu: Supreme Bindu. Isvara Tattva. Bindu: Dot, Light; A product of Nada (or Sadasiva Tattva.)
Siva has many levels of perfection and hierarchy. Do you mean to say that the one at a lower level answers to the one at a higher level? In a way, yes is the answer. That means He is talking to Himself. Let me give you an example to illustrate this point of hierarchy. In India, it is not uncommon that the prime minister holds many lesser (not less in importance) portfolios besides being the prime minister. All ministers answer to the prime minister. The prime minister may be finance minister, defense minister, and external affairs minister, stations below the prime minister. His lower station answers to His higher station.
Horizontal and vertical relationships among entities
Supreme Siva, 1st perfection, Siva Linga, Absolute Reality, Paramatman or Supreme Atman, Nirguna Brahman (Brahman without attributes or ParaBrahman, Brahman without Parvati), A-Tattva (Beyond Tattva), Niskalatattva = the Tattva without Kala or Prakriti. Niskala (No Kala [parts] = No manifested Sakti), Niskriya (No action = actionless), Asabda (No sound = beyond sound = unmanifest sound), Amanaska (without Manas or mind), Nir-vikalpa Samadhi (absence of differentiation; union; absorption, nondual state between Yogi and Brahman). Siva is Niskala, meaning he has no parts, he is whole, he is undivided, he is absolute or Nirguna Brahman--Brahman without attributes.
Nirguna Brahman = Supreme Narayana (Adhi Narayana) = Parasambhu Siva = Brahmamayi (Here you get an instance where attributeless Brahman becomes Clinical Brahman [Saguna Brahman, Brahman with attributes] who can be any of the following depending on the sect of the worshipper: Vishnu of Vaishnavas, Siva of Saivites, or Devi of Saktas (worshippers of Mother Goddess.) Their common ontologic superior is genderless non-sectarian Para Brahman or Nirguna Brahman.
Parasakti: 2nd perfection, Sakala (many forms; consisting of parts as opposed to Niskala), Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes, Sabda Brahman or Sound Brahman, Sakala Siva with attributes and actions, Saguna Brahman with maya Parvati), Sat-Chit-Ananda (Sachidananda, Being-Consciousness-Bliss), Sa-vikalpa Samadhi (Duality between object and Subject [Yogi and Brahman], differentiation.)
Paramesvara: 3rd Perfection, Paramapurusa (Supreme Purusa), manifest Brahman --clinical Brahman, Siva-Sakti.
The Supreme Paramasiva (Parabrahman Siva) lives in Satyaloka. Sambhu lives in Maharloka. Sadasiva, Isa, Rudra, Vishnu, and Brahma, whose abodes are Tapoloka, Janaloka, Svarloka, Bhuvarloka and Bhurloka, preside over the five elements respectively: Earth, water, fire, air, and ether.
Siva's manifestations in iconic and anthropomorphic forms are Sivalinga, androgynous Ardhanarisvara, Dakshinamurti, Hari-Hara ( a conjugate Being of Vishnu and Siva), Bhairava, and Trisula (Trident representing Itcha, Jnana and Kriya--Will, Wisdom and Action).
Sivalinga is Parasiva and 1st perfection. It has neither an upper end nor a lower end, which are depicted rounded so that they can never stand on ends. Ardhanarisvara is fusion of Siva and Sakti. ARDHANARISVARA. Nataraja is the Supreme Controller (Paramesvara) and the Supreme or Primal Soul.
In Sivapurana (Book 3, Siva Purana, page 1099, Motilal Banasrsidass publishesrs), the Vedas (anthropomorphized) glorify Siva as follows:
Rigveda says: That in which Bhutas stay, that from which everything comes out, what they call as the greatest entity--that is Rudra alone.
Yajurveda says: The Lord who is worshipped by means of all sacrifices and meditation, whereby we have an authority--that sole seer of all is Siva.
Samaveda says: That by which this universe whirls, that which is meditated upon by Yogins, the light whereby the universe is illuminated--that Tryambaka alone is the greatest.
Atharvaveda says: They call that sole being Siva who is beyond all misery who is the lord of gods whom the people who have the blessing of devotion see.
Pranava says: Lord Isa, Rudra, Siva indulging in sports and assuming various forms never sports about with Sakti different from him. The great Lord is self-luminous and eternal. Siva is his sakti in the form Bliss, not a chance of occurrence.
According to Padma Purana, the east-facing face of Brahma was the originator of Rgveda. the second face was the originator of Yajurveda; the third face, Samaveda; the fourth face, the Atharva Veda; the fifth face looking up Vedangas, supplements to Vedangas, history, secret sciences and compilation of laws. (Volume 39 Padma Purana page 147, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.)
Padma Purana talks about gods' praise of Siva, while Siva cut the 5th head of Rajasic Brahma; they call Siva as Kapardin, Mahakala, DuhkhAnta (ender of miseries) Sankara, the bringer of welfare to His devotees and Kapalin, the cutter of the 5th head of Brahma.