The Essence of the Tantra· 3.8 / 34

The Essence of the Tantra3.8

3.8

ननु किम् अकारणकं तत् हन्त तर्हि हेतुप्रश्नः तत् किं बिम्बवाचोयुक्त्या हेतुश् च परमेश्वरशक्तिर् एव स्वातन्त्र्यापरपर्याया भविष्यति विश्वप्रतिबिम्बधारित्वाच् च विश्वात्मकत्वं भगवतः संविन्मयं हि विश्वं चैतन्यस्य व्यक्तिस्थानम् इति तद् एव हि विश्वम् अत्र प्रतीपम् इति प्रतिबिम्बधारित्वम् अस्य तच् च तावत् विश्वात्मकत्वं परमेश्वरस्य स्वरूपं न अनामृष्टं भवति चित्स्वभावस्य स्वरूपानामर्शनानुपपत्तेः

Transliteration (IAST)

nanu kim akāraṇakaṃ tat hanta tarhi hetupraśnaḥ tat kiṃ bimbavācoyuktyā hetuś ca parameśvaraśaktir eva svātantryāparaparyāyā bhaviṣyati viśvapratibimbadhāritvāc ca viśvātmakatvaṃ bhagavataḥ saṃvinmayaṃ hi viśvaṃ caitanyasya vyaktisthānam iti tad eva hi viśvam atra pratīpam iti pratibimbadhāritvam asya tac ca tāvat viśvātmakatvaṃ parameśvarasya svarūpaṃ na anāmṛṣṭaṃ bhavati citsvabhāvasya svarūpānāmarśanānupapatteḥ

— without a cause ; — a question about the cause ; — by the figure of speech "original object" ; — the cause ; — the power of the Supreme Lord ; — whose other name is autonomy ; — because of bearing the reflection of the universe ; — the state of being identical with the universe ; — consisting of Awareness ; — the site of manifestation of consciousness ; — turned-back, reflected (lit. "facing-back") ; — the state of bearing a reflection ; — essential nature ; — un-reflected-upon, not seized in awareness ; — of that whose nature is consciousness ; — because non-reflection upon its own nature is untenable

"But surely, then, is it without any cause?" Ah, so now it is a question about the cause! In that case, what need is there of the figure of speech "original object"? The cause will be precisely the power of the Supreme Lord, whose other name is autonomy. And because the Lord bears the reflection of the universe, he is identical with the universe; for the universe consists of Awareness and is the site where consciousness becomes manifest. Thus it is that very universe that is here "turned back" (reflected), and so his bearing-the-reflection holds. And that identity-with-the-universe, the essential nature of the Supreme Lord, does not remain un-reflected-upon, since for that whose nature is consciousness a failure to reflect upon its own nature is untenable.