Vātūlanāthasūtrāṇi
Aphorisms of the Bliss-intoxicated Lord
महासाहसवृत्त्या स्वरूपलाभः ॥१॥
Mahāsāhasavṛttyā svarūpalābhaḥ || 1 ||
By the occurrence of Great Courage (mahā-sāhasa-vṛttyā), (there is) acquisition of one’s own Essential Nature (sva-rūpa-lābhaḥ). || 1 ||
Notes:
‘Mahāsāhasa’ or ‘Great Courage’ in this context means a Forceful appearance of Spiritual Realization which happens in an instant and unexpectedly. It makes one’s limited identity thoroughly vanished, then only one’s own Essential Nature remains. The nature of ‘Suddenness’ means the non-sequential nature of one’s own Self.
तल्लाभाच्छुरिता युगपद्वृत्तिप्रवृत्तिः ॥२॥
Tallābhācchuritā yugapadvṛttipravṛttiḥ || 2 ||
By the acquisition of That --i.e. of one’s own Essential Nature-- (tat-lābhāt), simultaneously (yugapat) the ongoing activities (of Consciousness in the form of the rays of the senses become) (vṛtti-pravṛttiḥ) soaked (with It) (churitā). || 2 ||
Notes:
The realization of one’s own Essential Nature, which is Supreme Consciousness, permeates the Rays of Consciousness which are nothing but the activity of the senses. Once such an Essence is achieved, it will never disappear, as Its realization is the recognition of Its Eternal Presence. Hence, all the plains of Reality are soaked with It and become United in Oneness.
उभयपट्टोद्घट्टनान्महाशून्यताप्रवेशः ॥३॥
Ubhayapaṭṭodghaṭṭanānmahāśūnyatāpraveśaḥ || 3 ||
By breaking both boards (ubhaya-paṭṭa-udghaṭṭanāt), (there is) penetration into the State of the Great Void (beyond the void) (mahā-śūnya-tā-praveśaḥ). || 3 ||
Notes:
The two boards represent prāṇa and apāna or exhalation and inhalation that are nothing but the immanent and transcendent aspects of Supreme Reality. By breaking these two states in the sense of transcending them, a penetration into the Supreme Void takes place. This Supreme Void is Supreme Consciousness, also called Emptiness, on account it is free of objectivity.
युग्मग्रासान्निरवकाशसंविन्निष्ठा ॥४॥
Yugmagrāsānniravakāśasaṃvinniṣṭhā || 4 ||
By swallowing the pair (of opposites) (yugma-grāsāt), firm establishment in uninterrupted or thoughtless Consciousness (takes place) (nir-avakāśa-saṃvit-niṣṭhā). || 4 ||
Notes:
The pair of opposites is essentially the difference between subject and object. This relationship of difference is manifested everywhere in the world on the plane of elements. For example: the gross element of Earth in the external plane is experienced internally as the subtle element of smell which pair is also connected with procreation and smelling. The same pattern is valid regarding all the other elements, as all the elements have an external and an internal aspect. This differentiated consciousness is fueled by the illusion of the difference of subject and object. By swallowing this primordial pair of opposites of subject and object, establishment in uninterrupted Consciousness takes place which is ‘niravakāśa’ or unsuitable to reflect temporal and spatial limitations. This is the entrance into the Essential Nature of Thoughtless Consciousness which is unsurpassable Supreme non-duality which remains permanent after its realization and takes place by the Glance or Speech of an eminent Guru.
सिद्धयोगिनीसंघट्टान्महामेलापोदयः ॥५॥
Siddhayoginīsaṃghaṭṭānmahāmelāpodayaḥ || 5 ||
(Then) by the union of Siddha-s and Yoginī-s (siddha-yoginī-saṃghaṭṭāt), rises the Great Encounter (mahā-melāpa-udayaḥ). || 5 ||
Notes:
The Yoginī-s are the Goddesses or Mistresses of the senses called Karaṇeśvarī-s. An Encounter with Them constitutes the Union of subject and object (of the senses). That Union is the Act of Embracing, which takes place by the process of mutual agreement. The Rising of the Great Encounter always takes place in the Sky of Silenced or Unsurpassable Consciousness due to the disappearance of the duality consisting of the nature of I-ness and this-ness. This is the emergence of exhilaration by the perception of the Supreme Taste of Oneness everywhere that is absorption into Supreme non-duality.
त्रिकञ्चुकपरित्यागान्निराख्यपदावस्थितिः ॥६॥
Trikañcukaparityāgānnirākhyapadāvasthitiḥ || 6 ||
By abandoning the three coverings (tri-kañcuka-pari-tyāgāt), stability in the Unspeakable State (takes place) (nirākhya-pada-avasthitiḥ). || 6 ||
Notes:
The three coverings are the three states of Consciousness that are wakefulness, dreaming and deep-sleep. Abandoning these three, the yogin achieves the Fourth State that is Unspeakable.
वाक्चतुष्टयोदयविरामप्रथासु स्वरः प्रथते ॥७॥
Vākcatuṣṭayodayavirāmaprathāsu svaraḥ prathate || 7 ||
The Sound of Consciousness (svaraḥ) is spreading (prathate) in the expansions of the cessation and emergence of the fourfold Speech (vāk-catuṣṭaya-udaya-virāma-prathāsu). || 7 ||
Notes:
The Sound of Consciousness is the Essential Nature of the expansion of the outpouring of Mahānāda or the Great Sound that transcends created and even uncreated sounds, as It is Self-awareness. It is the rising of the Supreme Vanishing which is beyond the consciousness of thoughts and even of thoughtlessness, as It is the Supreme Light of the Consciousness of the Self.
रसत्रितयास्वादनेनानिच्छोच्छलितं विगतबन्धं
परं ब्रह्म ॥८॥
Rasatritayāsvādanenānicchocchalitaṃ vigatabandhaṃ
paraṃ brahma || 8 ||
By tasting the three flavors (rasa-tritaya-āsvādanena), the Supreme (param) Brahma (brahma), (Who is) free from bondage (vigata-bandham), waves without desire --i.e. indifferently-- (aniccha-ut-chalitam). || 8 ||
Notes:
The three flavors are manifestation, maintanence and withdrawal. The taste to be enjoyed in one’s own Self, which rises from these three flavors, is Oneness of unlimited perception that is considered to be an entrance into the Mudrā of the Sky of Consciousness, the incessant Great Dissolution, the Essential Nature of Turya, which shines by Supreme non-duality.
देवीचतुष्टयोल्लासेन सदैव स्वविश्रान्त्यवस्थितिः ॥९॥
Devīcatuṣṭayollāsena sadaiva svaviśrāntyavasthitiḥ || 9 ||
By outpouring the four Goddesses (devī-catuṣṭaya-ullāsena), the stability of reposing in one’s own Self (sva-viśrānti-avasthitiḥ) (rises) in continuity (sadā…eva). || 9 ||
Notes:
The four Goddesses are ‘Hunger’, ‘Thirst’, ‘Envy’ and ‘Mentation’.
Hunger rises for the satisfaction of the devouring of everything. This is Mahāsaṃhāra or Great Dissolution.
Thirst rises for drying up everything --i.e. objectivity-- . This is Saṃhāra or Withdrawal.
Envy, which relates to the act of assuming the forms of subject and object, is the state of the expansion of duality. This is Sthiti of Maintenance.
Mentation is outpouring of imaginations and thoughts. This is Sṛṣṭi or Manifestation.
Ullāsena or ‘by Outpouring’ of these four Goddesses means: ‘by the act of unfolding Them by means of an activity of the flow of Voracious Consciousness, to experience Them -one by one- as Their Essence that belongs to the Self. These are the acts of Udyoga, Ābhāsana, Carvaṇa and Alaṃgrāsa.
Experiencing these four acts while being furnished with Voracious Consciousness is ‘Outpouring the Four Goddesses’.
Udyoga or continuous endeavour which is the way a yogin must perceive Sṛṣṭi or Manifestation is outpouring Consciousness into one’s own field of experience. In other words, yogic Sṛṣṭi is Udyoga.
Ābhāsana or shining is establishment in the act of outpouring of Consciousness. This is yogic Sthiti.
Carvaṇa or chewing is enjoying the state which rises from the outpouring of Consciousness. This is yogic Saṃhāra.
Alaṃgrāsa or complete devouring is uniting everything in Oneness. This is yogic Mahāsaṃhāra or Realization.
By the Unity of these four (Goddesses), resting in one’s own True Nature that is the Abundance of the Fifth State (takes place). She is firmly established in Uninterrupted Consciousness.
द्वादशवाहोदयेन महामरीचिविकासः ॥१०॥
Dvādaśavāhodayena mahāmarīcivikāsaḥ || 10 ||
By the rising of the twelvefold flow (dvā-daśa-vāha-udayena), (there is) expansion of the Great Rays (mahā-marīci-vikāsaḥ). || 10 ||
Notes:
The twelvefold flow constitutes the twofold collection of ‘the five organs of perception along with the mind’ and ‘the five organs of action along with intellect’. Its rising by the activity of the Motionless and Unsurpassable Supreme Freedom of the Unfettered Abode is the Flow of Voracious Consciousness. By the unveiled process of the Great Rays in every single flow, the expansion of the Great Rays of Consciousness, which has the nature of being established in Udyoga, Ābhāsana, Carvaṇa and Alaṃgrāsa, is the Essential Nature of the Eternal Opening (which happens) by the vanishing of the spreading out of the states furnished with Consciousness and also the lack of Consciousness along with suppression and lack of suppression (of the senses), which are together constitute the state of the perishable. This is the Complete and Great Awakening always and everywhere, which is standing as the All-bestowing (Realization). This is the meaning of these mystical words (of the sūtra).
चर्यापञ्चकोदये निस्तरङ्गसमावेशः ॥११॥
Caryāpañcakodaye nistaraṅgasamāveśaḥ || 11 ||
In the emergence of the fivefold activity or conduct (caryā-pañcaka-udaye), Absorption into Motionless Consciousness (takes place) (nistaraṅga-samāveśaḥ). || 11 ||
Notes:
The five conducts or activity of a fully Realized Yogin are the following:
Anāśrita –
Independent
Avadhūta - Shaken off
Unmatta - Mad or Intoxicated
Sarvabhakṣya - All-devouring
Mahāvyāpaka - All-pervading
Emergence of these is the outpouring of the Essential Nature of the Expansion that is an internal rising of the collection of Śakti-s or Powers, limited and unlimited as well.
Absorption into Motionless Consciousness is nothing but the nature of an unsurpassable absorption that is the characteristic of such a penetration and is devoid of the flow of the multitude of the emergence of Āṇava, Śākta and Śāmbhava means.
‘Anāśrita’ is His ‘Hearing’ that is the nature of the Supreme Sky, which rises from the condition of being Supportless. It emerges to withdraw one’s own objects or perception (e.g. ‘sound’) by (let it) enter the region of the cavity of the ear.
‘Avadhūta’ is His ‘Vision’ that is ‘opening the eye’ by the State of being unrestricted that is the Path of the Power of Sight wandering everywhere to make everything -that is to be avoided (or dissolved into Oneness), His own.
‘Unmatta’ is His ‘Smelling’ that is the expansion by that Freedom which knows nothing about what to do with relation to ‘what is acceptable’ and ‘what is not’, and which emerges to seize His own Abode.
‘Sarvabhakṣya’ is His ‘Tasting’ that is the aptitude or conduct which completely swallows the latent impressions that are to be swallowed and emerges to devour all His collected meanings of the words.
‘Mahāvyāpaka’ (can be described) by the expression ‘Sarvavyāpikā’ or ‘All-pervading’, denoting the activity of the ‘Skin’ or ‘Touch’ which is an ‘Opening’ that emerges from the pervasion of everything for the sake of making everything touchable His own.
This is the emergence of the Fivefold conduct that is the uninterrupted ‘Siddhacaryākrama’ or the Sexual Practice --i.e. union of Śiva and Śakti-- of the Siddha-s which is constantly revolving in them due to the Oneness of subject and objects.
महाबोधसमावेशात्पुण्यपापासंबन्धः ॥१२॥
Mahābodhasamāveśātpuṇyapāpāsaṃbandhaḥ || 12 ||
Due to the Penetration into Great Awakening (mahā-bodha-samāveśāt), the connection with virtue or vice becomes eradicated (puṇya-pāpa-a-saṃbandhaḥ). || 12 ||
Notes:
‘Mahābodha’ or Great Awakening is free of the dirt of thoughts and imaginations about (the triad of) knower, knowledge and knowable which has the nature that is expanding as an Abode, but it’s also Abodless because it is (really) unlocated whether it be restless or calm. It is the Direct Experience of the Essential Nature of the most Supreme Knowledge and it rises from the State that is beyond both succession and non-succession by the Great Guru. Its ‘Samāveśa’ or Penetration happens by the actionless process which is suitable for (the act of) entrance, which rises from giving up embracing renunciation by the constant activity of the imperishable (state).
Because of the ‘Penetration into Great Awakening’, the lack of connection with virtue or vice, which two emerge from actions characterised by (the notions of) ‘good’ or ‘bad’ (, and) which is the conduct which bestows the twofold fruits (of these actions), takes place. This is the incessant non‑union or non-connection with the jīva on the part of the best of the Vīra who is someone without an additional birth, and who is forever uncreated and satisfied with the enjoyment of the taste of Unlimited Perception standing firmly on the plane of created existence. This is the Great Liberation which is beyond the duality of bondage and Liberation that is completely clear before his eyes.
अकथनकथाबलेन महाविस्मयमुद्राप्राप्त्या खस्वरता ॥१३॥
Akathanakathābalena mahāvismayamudrāprāptyā khasvaratā || 13 ||
By attaining the Mudrā of Great Amazement (mahā-vismaya-mudrā-prāptyā) through the Power of the Oral Instruction of Akathana (rising from the letter ‘A’) (a-kathana-kathā-balena), (realization of) the Vibrancy of the Sky of Consciousness (takes place) (kha-svaratā). || 13 ||
Notes:
The teaching about the letter ‘A’ is the following, (in brief):
It has four phases, namely: waking state, dreaming state, deep sleep and the Fourth. These are the nature of Jyeṣṭā, Ambikā, Vāmā and Raudrī, respectively.
The Power or Balam of this teaching is the Flashing Consciousness of the Fourth, which has come forth from the (union of the) three. The Revelation called ‘Akathana’ is Unspeakable, as it is the Attention to one’s own Essential Nature which is free of any characteristic and is attained by the Direct Transmission of the Guru who is free of the false identification of the experiencer of the bodies, and whose Sight is Itself the Direct Experience of the Supreme Sky (of Consciousness) filled with Unwavering Bliss. This Power is the Essence of the Expansion of uncreated Reality. Through Its Power, the Revelation pervades all the philosophical systems, the four Kaula Traditions and (even) the Tradition of the process of Melāpa or Union (of Siddha-s and Yoginī-s, i.e. of Yogī-s who become Siddha-s by means of the process of the Uniting Powers of their own Consciousness, called Yoginī-s in Mahānaya) assuming the forms of specific deities arising in their system of Worship.
But here, according to the Oral Tradition of the Siddha-s like venerable Vātūlanāthaḥ, It shines everywhere without interruption as the Expansion of the Rays of Consciousness beyond the connection of the worshipped, worship and the worshipper.
The Great Amazement --i.e. Mahāvismayamudrā--, which is attained by the Power mentioned above, is the Entrance into one’s own Essential Nature and the destroyer of all the egos, whether it be limited or not. This is the Penetration into the activity of the unveiled Khecara Who is the One Who Pervades the Sky of Consciousness. It takes place in a flash by forgetting the duality of ‘the Self’ and the ‘other’.
The Vibrancy of the Sky (of Consciousness) is the Union of the Revelation of the thirteen Kathā-s (composing the Vātūlanāthasūtrāṇi).
This Oral Tradition, written in this set of sūtra-s, was revealed by the Goddesses of the Supreme Pīṭha during the Great Encounter or Union with Them.
The notes are based on the Vātūlanāthasūtravṛttiḥ of Anantaśaktipādaḥ.
