Trikamukhyamatāni: Main Tenets of Trika Shaivism

By Gabriel Pradiipaka

Trikamukhyamatāni or Main Tenets of Trika Shaivism is a short, but very important book on the philosophy of Kashmir in Northern India. The word 'philosophy' is just a Greek-based English translation or rather a western interpretation of the Sanskrit term 'darśana'. Darśana ('seeing', 'observing') comes from the root 'dṛś' which means 'to see'. A

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gabriel Alfonso Arce
• Release date: Jun 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781649459404

Gabriel Pradiipaka

Gabriel Pradīpaka, the founder and leader of the spiritual movement "Parabhairavayoga" and its organization called "Parabhairavayoga Foundation", is a Guru with many followers around the world. His spiritual name, Pradīpaka, means "the one who sheds light", the one who sheds light on the secret meaning of sacred scriptures. Gabriel Pradīpaka belongs to the lineage of Bhagavān Nityānanda whom he views as his Grandguru. He considers Svāmī Muktānanda Paramahaṁsa to be his main Guru. And he sees Svāmī Lakṣmaṇa Joo as his Non-dualistic Kashmir Shaivism Guru. Inspired by the task of Svāmi Muktānanda Paramahaṁsa who brought Non-dualistic Kashmir Shaivism to the West, Gurujī has taken on the mission of introducing people all over the world to the treasure of this amazing Teaching. Gurujī was born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1963. He studied and worked in the famous Siddha Yoga community led by one disciple of the great Svāmī Muktānanda until 1989. Then, during 1989-1991 and 1995-1997 he studied, taught and worked under the guidance of one teacher. In 1997 Gurujī embarked on his own path as teacher of Non-dual Shaivism of Kashmir (Trika) and began to help spiritually-oriented people in the process known as "Self-realization" or "Final Liberation". He became Guru in 2010 after attaining Liberation. Being a fully Self-realized yogī, Gabriel Pradīpaka is capable of awakening the spiritual potential of seekers through Śaktipāta, Divine Grace bestowal, which help them transcend their limitations. Proficient in Sanskrit, Gurujī translates primordial texts of ancient Non-dualistic Kashmir Shaivism Masters, teaches Trika and Sanskrit. Among his translations are: Śivasūtra-s, Abhinavagupta's Paramārthasāra, Vasugupta's Spandakārikā-s and Kṣemarāja's Spandanirṇaya, Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam and Śivasūtravimarśinī, etc. He is right now also in the process of translating the full Tantrāloka. His teachings and translations are available on his website (published in 6 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Russian and Hindi) at www.sanskrit-trikashaivism.com Gurujī wrote his own scriptures in full agreement with the teachings of Trika: Svātantryasūtram, Parabhairavayogasaṁsthpanapracodanam along with its short commentary, and many others. Visit www.parabhairavayoga.org, the official Parabhairavayoga Foundation website, home of Parabhairavayoga based on the teachings of Gurujī.

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Foreword

Trikamukhyamatāni or Main Tenets of Trika Shaivism is a short, but very important book on the philosophy of Kashmir in Northern India. The word ‘philosophy’ is just a Greek-based English translation or rather a western interpretation of the Sanskrit term ‘darśana’. Darśana (‘seeing’, ‘observing’) comes from the root ‘dṛś’ which means ‘to see’. Accepting this fact is a key point when it comes to philosophies of India. Understanding a philosophy means ‘seeing’, ‘observing’ from the viewpoint of the philosophical system and according to this, one has to gradually change the base of one’s own perspective to get the benefits of any study.

Guru Gabriel Pradīpaka has made a great effort to present the necessary teachings to support the act of changing the viewpoint of those who are beginners in Trika Shaivism, but who, at the same time, are serious spiritual aspirants, zealous about diving into the ancient treasure called Trika.

Trika Shaivism teaches how to see with the Eye of the Lord. For this very reason, the study of the main tenets contained in this book is simply crucial and I recommend it for those who know that a building needs a strong foundation. Trikamukhyamatāni is not a mere summary of Trika Shaivism, but a foundational treatise that helps recognize the Divine perspective which originally lies in each and every human being.

Dávid Durvāsās

Budapest, Hungary

May, 2019

Preface to the first edition

I am extremely pleased to present for the first time this book dealing with the main tenets of Trika Shaivism, the great philosophical system of Kashmir, in northern India.

I have been for the last twenty years dedicated to a website at ‘https://www.sanskrit-trikashaivism.com’. There I published several full translations of original texts of Trika Shaivism. All those texts, despite my detailed explanation, are sometimes a little difficult to understand for the neophyte. A beginner needs something like a list of the main principles of the philosophy first.

For this reason, I decided to write the present book, which contains a list in verse of the main tenets of Trika Shaivism. The text in Sanskrit is furnished with its transliteration in IAST plus the respective translation. Additionally, I added a complete explanation of every tenet so the reader can understand the core of the teaching. In spite of the abundance of Sanskrit terminology throughout the book, I took considerable pains to explain all these complex topics to the reader so he can perfectly understand them. Also, I added many quotes from important Trika scriptures to support my points of view. Obviously, I took those quotes from my own translations at ‘https://www.sanskrit-trikashaivism.com’.

I received the Śakti or Power of my Guru, Svāmī Muktānanda Paramahaṁsa, in 1983, which opened my eyes to my own Self. Next, in 1989, I started my serious studies in Trika Shaivism and Sanskrit. In short, I have been studying and teaching Trika Shaivism and Sanskrit for the last thirty years. In 2010 I became a Guru after receiving His full Grace. And in 2016, I founded Parabhairavayoga (a new Yoga based on the glorious teachings of Trika Shaivism).

May you have so much joy reading this book as I had writing it!

Iti Śivam – May there be welfare for all!

Guru Gabriel Pradīpaka

Moscow, Russia

May, 2019

Introduction

Before starting with this introduction, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Balázs Zubák for his invaluable help in the making of this book.

The present book deals with the basic teachings of glorious Trika Shaivism. It is a small book acting like a good introduction for all people who wish divine Knowledge and Liberation. I wrote it in verse (non-strict Āryā and Āryāgīti meters). By ‘non-strict’ I mean that I meet the requirements for the numbers of mātrā-s or syllabic instants in each of the mātrāgaṇa-s (groups of 4 syllabic instants) as well as the total number of mātrā-s per quarter. Anyway, for the sake of more flexibility, I am not meeting the extra requirements (e.g. that the odd-numbered mātrāgaṇa-s cannot include ja-gaṇa, i.e. the combination: 1 + 2 + 1 mātrā-s). OK, Sanskrit prosody is very complex and the area of scholars. With knowing this it is more than enough for the average reader.

One of the tacit tenets of Trika Shaivism is that, being Tantric, Trika Shaivism is not requiring people to abandon family, job, house, city, etc. in order to get Liberation from bondage. What is bondage after all? It is the constant limitation regarding Fullness. A person in bondage does not feel Full, and for this reason, he is all the time wandering around in this world in search of elusive happiness. Liberation from bondage means the return of Fullness.

The 64 Tantra-s Trika Shaivism is based on appeared at the beginning of Satyayuga (near four million years ago). But Trika, as a whole, appeared thanks to the strenuous work of eminent Abhinavagupta. It was him who joined the four separate schools of non-dualistic Shaivism into one solid system. That happened around one thousand years ago.

With reference to the structure of the book, now I will briefly explain its contents by means of a synthetic analysis:

Twelve stanzas about the Temple of Truth

(1-12)      It is a short poetry where I call Trika Shaivism the Temple of Truth. In the process I mention some important points of this philosophical system, its main exponents and a little history.

Twenty-five main tenets of Trika Shaivism

(1)      Parabhairava (Supreme Bhairava) is one Self. There are not multiple selves.

(2-5)      Paramaśiva (Parabhairava) is composed of Śiva and Śakti. Śiva is also called Prakāśa (omnipresent Light) and Śakti is also called Vimarśa (Awareness of that Light). Despite the separate description, there is no difference between Śiva and Śakti.

(6)      Not only Paramaśiva (Parabhairava) is Free but also ‘nara’ (the limited individual) is.

(7-8)      But nara experiences bondage because of internal mala or impurity which arises from Parabhairava. Therefore, it is Parabhairava Himself who becomes nara.

(9)      The luminous Lord is the possessor of five Powers.

(10)      When nara or limited individual realizes that he is Parabhairava, mala is eliminated, or else, one could say that when mala is eliminated, nara realizes that he is Parabhairava.

(11)      Nara manifests the universe like a garland or a rosary for japa around his neck.

(12)      This universe arises from Śakti, i.e. from the Joy of Parabhairava and not from sorrow.

(13)      Understanding that the mind is inherently Śakti is encouraged.

(14-15)      As a king needs a proper seat, so the mind cannot sit on objects, figuratively speaking. The mind becomes permanently Joyful by only merging into Parabhairava. This is Liberation.

(16)      When there are vikalpa-s (mental fluctuations), there is bondage; when there are no vikalpa-s, there is Liberation.

(17-18)      Parabhairava is not at all a void but Consciousness in Absolute Freedom. He looks like a void to the undeserving ones only.

(19)      Trika Shaivism has its roots in the 64 Bhairavatantra-s along with Śivasūtra-s. The rest of scriptures are just an expansion of it.

(20)      Trika Shaivism affirms that Liberation is here and now and not after reaching some world of Śiva.

(21-23)      There are three means in Trika Shaivism: Śāmbhavopāya, Śāktopāya and Āṇavopāya. In the first one there is absence of vikalpa-s, in the second one there is concentration on I-consciousness and in the third one there is all the rest.

(24-25)      In Trika Shaivism, Liberation is full of Consciousness and Bliss. After Liberation the Great Yogī sees the things such as they are, i.e. as Consciousness and Bliss.

A kind of epilogue

(26-27)      And this is the end of the book written by me, through a sincere devotion for Parabhairava, in the form of a short poetry. May all the good spiritual aspirants experience the highest delight.

Concluding stanza

The work called ‘Main tenets of Trika Shaivism’ is totally finished! Additionally, after the explanation of the whole scripture, I added the original scripture (Trikamukhyamatāni) in Sanskrit signs, in IAST transliteration and totally translated. Also, I included a complete glossary where I describe the various Sanskrit words occurring in the book. Likewise, I added a chart elucidating to a certain extent the thirty-six tattva-s or categories of universal manifestation. There is also extra information about the Sanskrit alphabet and its pronunciation.

My goal is always to elevate so many people as possible. They do not need to live in bondage. There is no ‘organic’ reason for that. All the happiness they are trying to get from outside is right inside their hearts. Trika Shaivism is the key to open this Great Treasure of the Heart.

Consequently, this small book is always for the welfare of all those people who want to leave their limitations behind and embrace real Freedom.

Iti Śivam! — May there be welfare for all

त्रिकमुख्यमतानि

Main tenets of Trika Shaivism

सत्यमन्दिरद्वादशकम्

Satyamandiradvādaśakam

Twelve stanzas about the Temple of Truth

परमशिवस्यस्वातन्त्र्यभावितस्त्रिकमुख्यमतानि खलु।

विरचितुमहं प्रवर्ते निश्चलया सर्वेशभक्त्या॥१॥

Paramaśivasyasvātantryabhāvitastrikamukhyamatāni khalu|

Viracitumahaṁ pravarte niścalayā sarveśabhaktyā||1||

Inspired by the Absolute Freedom (svātantrya-bhāvitaḥ) of Paramaśiva (parama-śivasya), I (aham) proceed (pravarte) to write (viracitum) the main tenets of Trika Shaivism (trika-mukhya-matāni khalu) with unshakable devotion for the Lord of all (niścalayā sarva-īśa-bhaktyā)||1||

Inspired by the Absolute Freedom of Paramaśiva, I proceed to write the main tenets of Trika Shaivism with unshakable devotion for the Lord of all||1||

Explanation: It is impossible to write something meaningful about Trika Shaivism —the great philosophy of northern India— without being inspired by His irresistible Svātantrya (Absolute Freedom). How to write about escaping from overwhelming bondage without the help of Paramaśiva’s Independence? It would be a contradiction in itself, and something impossible too, like going to catch the wind with one’s own hands. What knowledge does a human being possess that can be called ‘his’? All his knowledge is originated from a spark of Awesome Śakti (His Power) which lives in the minds of all the beings.

Being conscious of my current position, I proceed to write the main principles of Trika Shaivism with a firm devotion for Him. This devotion is not based on remembering Paramaśiva when the things are not going very well, and on forgetting Him when they return to normality or when they go very well. My devotion for the Lord of all is not like that. It remains stable throughout the moods of my mind and body just like a thread running through many beads in a rosary. It is with this devotion that now I begin to write about greatly holy Trika Shaivism.

May my efforts be for the welfare of all the beings who are suffering from the sickness called ‘never-ending ignorance about one’s own essential nature’!

द्वैतैर्दृष्टिभिरधिवासिते जगत्यस्मिनप्रसिद्धं त्रिकम्।

एतत्प्रश्नं साधयितुं विरचयामि ग्रन्थमहम्॥२॥

Dvaitairdṛṣṭibhiradhivāsite jagatyasminaprasiddhaṁ trikam|

Etatpraśnaṁ sādhayituṁ viracayāmi granthamaham||2||

In this world perfumed by the dualistic viewpoints (dvaitaiḥ dṛṣṭibhiḥ adhivāsite jagati asmin), Trika Shaivism (trikam) is not generally known (aprasiddham). To solve (sādhayitum) this problem (etad-praśnam), I (aham) am composing (viracayāmi) the book (grantham)||2||

In this world perfumed by the dualistic viewpoints, Trika Shaivism is not generally known. To solve this problem, I am composing the book||2||

Explanation: In this world where fools reign supreme, one can find dualistic viewpoints at the summit of their foolishness. All the time postulating that the Lord is someone different from the rest of the beings, all the time pushing people more and more into the hole of Saṁsāra (Transmigration full of misery), all the time accumulating more and more followers who go nowhere like the philosophies themselves, all the time resisting with all their force the revelation of the Truth, all the time throwing nonsensical ideas, and so on. In a world like this, it is difficult for a philosophical system like Trika to be well-known, let alone popular.

I am writing this book to solve this problem once and for all. In spite of the overwhelming masses of fools going nowhere, there are wiser people hidden everywhere in this world. My book aims, above all, at reaching them. This kind of people are called in this book ‘aspirants’. Therefore, may them hear me loud and clear!

त्रिकं त्रिविधं शिवशक्तिनररूपशासनत्वादस्य परायाः।

परापरायायपरायाश्चोपाध्यभिसम्बन्धव्याख्यात्वात्॥३॥

Trikaṁ trividhaṁ śivaśaktinararūpaśāsanatvādasya parāyāḥ|

Parāparāyāyaparāyāścopādhyabhisambandhavyākhyātvāt||3||

Trika (trikam) (is) triple (trividham) since it teaches about the nature of Śiva —the Lord—, Śakti —the Power of the Lord—, and nara —the limited being— (śiva-śakti-nara-rūpa-śāsanatvāt asya), and (ca) since it explains the relationship and peculiar characteristic (asya... upādhi-abhisambandha-vyākhyātvāt) of Parā —Supreme— (parāyāḥ), of Parāparā —Supreme-nonSupreme— (parā-aparāyāḥ) and (ca) of Aparā —nonSupreme— (aparāyāḥ)||3||

Trika (is) triple since it teaches about the nature of Śiva —the Lord—, Śakti —the Power of the Lord—, and nara —the limited being—, and since it explains the relationship and peculiar characteristic of Parā —Supreme—, of Parāparā —Supreme-nonSupreme— and of Aparā —nonSupreme—||3||

Explanation: The Sanskrit word ‘Trika’ literally means ‘triple, threefold’. There are many ways to explain this, but here I have selected the two most important ones:

Trika is triple because it teaches about the nature of Śiva (the Lord of all the beings), Śakti (the Power of the Lord who is His I-consciousness as well as the entire universe), and nara (the limited being always prone to error and completely unable to do anything meaningful by himself).

Trika is also triple because it explains the relationship and peculiar characteristic of Parā, Parāparā and Aparā. Parā literally means ‘Supreme’. It is the highest level where the Lord exists as Pure Consciousness. It is the Kingdom of His irresistible Icchā or Will. It stands for the present, i.e. this Will is present at all times without the least interruption. Nobody can reach Parā because She is all. One cannot at all reach ‘the All’. One already lives in the All, and when one can recognize this simple Truth, one realizes that one is the Lord Himself. This is full non-dualism, i.e. complete identification with Paramaśiva.

Parāparā literally means ‘Supreme-nonSupreme’. It is the middle level where another Power of the Lord appears and mixes with His Will: Jñāna (Knowledge). Therefore, in this Kingdom, His Will and Knowledge are completely mixed with each other. It is not only Will to manifest an universe but also the Knowledge about how to do it. It stands for the future, i.e. this Will + Knowledge represents all the future things that will emerge from the Womb of His Power. One can reach Parāparā, at least in its gross aspect, by means of intense efforts or sometimes just spontaneously due to His merciful Touch.

Diagram 1 - The kingdoms of Parā, Parāparā and Aparā

Yes, the topic is even more complex. I am only showing a little bit of it to keep the things so simple as possible.

Aparā literally means ‘nonSupreme’. It is the lowest level where even another Power of the Lord appears and mixes with His Will + Knowledge: Kriyā (Action). As a result, in this Kingdom, His Will, Knowledge and Action are completely mixed with each other. It is not only Will to manifest an universe but also the Knowledge about how to do it, and now the Action, i.e. the Capacity to carry it out. It stands for the past, i.e. this Will + Knowledge + Action represents all the things that have already emerged from the Womb of His Power. One can reach Aparā by means of the right efforts.

Those three levels are related to the well-known four levels of speech. The topic is very complex but I will simplify it here for the reader. This is just a very summarized way to understand a subject which is much more complicated and deep:

Parāvāk (the Supreme Speech) is in Parā, as it obvious. Here there is no differentiation between word and object, e.g. the word ‘tree’ and the respective object denoted by it (i.e. the tree itself) are completely one.

Paśyantī (the one who sees), though it starts to emerge in Parā, it can be said to be positioned in Parāparā. Here the differentiation between word and object cannot be detected too, but there is a seed of duality emerging. Generally, the state of Paśyantī is compared to watching a far city from a mountain. One can see the city but cannot differentiate the things down there. Or better, one can hardly differentiate something by enormous effort, but this differentiation is just a sprout and never full duality.

Madhyamā (the middle one) is also potentially in Parā but it descends to Parāparā. Here the differentiation between word and object can be detected but only at a mental level. Anyway, though it could sound very strange, when one reaches Madhyamā, there are no thoughts in one’s mind. Madhyamā, following the above example, is like descending from the mountain and little by little to start to differentiate the different objects and people in the city.

Vaikharī (ordinary speech) is also potentially in Parā but it descends to Aparā. Here the differentiation between word and object is total at all levels. The mind is finally fully active and the tongue runs like a rocket. It is like to be in the middle of the city, in the previous example.

अभिनवगुप्तो वसुगुप्तः सोमानन्द उत्पलः क्षेम एव।

श्रीमत्त्रिकप्रमुख्यबुधास्ते पञ्चातिदृढस्थूणा नूनम्॥४॥

सत्यस्य मन्दिरधरास्तेषां श्रीदुर्वासस आदत्तेषु हि।

अद्वैतचतुष्षष्टिप्रशंस्यभैरवतन्त्रेषु शम्भुकृतेषु॥५॥

अन्तर्गतविज्ञानसुदृढभूम्यां स्था असंशयमधोभागाः।

तेषां च शङ्कवस्तद्बुधपरमज्ञानेन सबलीकृता वै॥६॥

पञ्चातिसुन्दरस्थूणानामेवामूषां शीर्षाण्येषाम्।

मोक्षस्य महाविभवेन भूषितास्तावद्योऽवलम्बते च हि॥७॥

स्थूणाशीर्षाणि दीर्घचतुरश्रो भागो भवनस्यास्मिनेव।

अन्यबुधानां नामानि परमशिवेन तष्टानि निश्चितमेव॥८॥

त्र्यम्बकनाथो लक्ष्मणगुप्तश्च कल्लटः शम्भुर्भास्करश्च।

अभिनवगुप्तविशेषश्च रामकण्ठो वरदश्चेत्यादीनि हि॥९॥

Abhinavagupto vasuguptaḥ somānanda utpalaḥ kṣema eva|

Śrīmattrikapramukhyabudhāste pañcātidṛḍhasthūṇā nūnam||4||

Satyasya mandiradharāsteṣāṁ śrīdurvāsasa ādatteṣu hi|

Advaitacatuṣṣaṣṭipraśaṁsyabhairavatantreṣu śambhukṛteṣu||5||

Antargatavijñānasudṛḍhabhūmyāṁ sthā asaṁśayamadhobhāgāḥ|

Teṣāṁ ca śaṅkavastadbudhaparamajñānena sabalīkṛtā vai||6||

Pañcātisundarasthūṇānāmevāmūṣāṁ śīrṣāṇyeṣām|

Mokṣasya mahāvibhavena bhūṣitāstāvadyo’valambate ca hi||7||

Sthūṇāśīrṣāṇi dīrghacaturaśro bhāgo bhavanasyāsmineva|

Anyabudhānāṁ nāmāni paramaśivena taṣṭāni niścitameva||8||

Tryambakanātho lakṣmaṇaguptaśca kallaṭaḥ śambhurbhāskaraśca|

Abhinavaguptaviśeṣaśca rāmakaṇṭho varadaścetyādīni hi||9||

Abhinavagupta (abhinavaguptaḥ), Vasugupta (vasuguptaḥ), Somānanda (somānandaḥ), Utpaladeva (utpalaḥ) (and) Kṣemarāja (kṣema eva) (are) the main sages of glorious Trika Shaivism (śrīmat-trika-pramukhya-budhāḥ).

They (te) (are) certainly (nūnam) the five extremely firm columns (pañca-atidṛḍha-sthūṇāḥ) supporting the Temple (mandira-dharāḥ) of Truth (satyasya).

Their (teṣām) bases (adhobhāgāḥ) are doubtless resting (sthāḥ asaṁśayam) on the very firm ground of the Wisdom contained (antargata-vijñāna-sudṛḍha-bhūmyām) in the non-dualistic sixty-four praiseworthy Bhairavatantra-s (advaita-catuṣṣaṣṭi-praśaṁsya-bhairavatantreṣu) composed by Śambhu (śambhukṛteṣu) (and) received (ādatteṣu hi) from venerable Durvāsās (śrī-durvāsasaḥ).

And (ca) their (teṣām) shafts (śaṅkavaḥ) are strengthened (sabalīkṛtāḥ vai) by the Supreme Knowledge of those sages (tad-budha-parama-jñānena).

(And) the capitals (śīrṣāṇi) of those five very beautiful columns (pañca-atisundara-sthūṇānām eva amūṣām) are indeed decorated (bhūṣitāḥ tāvad) with the Great Glory (mahā-vibhavena) of their Liberation (eṣām mokṣasya).

And (ca) on the rectangular portion (dīrghacaturaśraḥ bhāgaḥ... asmin eva) which (yaḥ) rests (avalambate... hi) upon the capitals of the columns (sthūṇā-śīrṣāṇi) of the Temple (bhavanasya) —i.e. ‘the frieze’—, the names (nāmāni) of other sages (anya-budhānām) have definitely been carved (taṣṭāni niścitam eva) by Paramaśiva (paramaśivena):

‘Tryambakanātha (tryambakanāthaḥ), Lakṣmaṇagupta (lakṣmaṇaguptaḥ), Kallaṭa (kallaṭaḥ), Śambhunātha (śambhuḥ), Bhāskara (bhāskaraḥ), Abhinavaguptaviśeṣa (abhinavagupta-viśeṣaḥ), Rāmakaṇṭha (rāmakaṇṭhaḥ), and (ca... ca... ca... ca) Varadarāja (varadaḥ), etc. (iti-ādīni hi)’||4-9||

Abhinavagupta, Vasugupta, Somānanda, Utpaladeva (and) Kṣemarāja (are) the main sages of glorious Trika Shaivism.

They (are) certainly the five extremely firm columns supporting the Temple of Truth.

Their bases are doubtless resting on the very firm ground of the Wisdom contained in the non-dualistic sixty-four praiseworthy Bhairavatantra-s composed by Śambhu (and) received from venerable Durvāsās.

And their shafts are strengthened by the Supreme Knowledge of those sages.

(And) the capitals of those five very beautiful columns are indeed decorated with the Great Glory of their Liberation.

And on the rectangular portion which rests upon the capitals of the columns of the Temple —i.e. ‘the frieze’—, the names of other sages have definitely been carved by Paramaśiva:

‘Tryambakanātha, Lakṣmaṇagupta, Kallaṭa, Śambhunātha, Bhāskara, Abhinavaguptaviśeṣa, Rāmakaṇṭha, and Varadarāja, etc.’||4-9||

Explanation: ‘On my list’, the main five sages of Trika Shaivism are ‘Abhinavagupta, Vasugupta, Somānanda, Utpaladeva and Kṣemarāja’. But why are they so important?

Abhinavagupta: He was the sage who unified Trika Shaivism. Before Abhinavagupta, there were four separate schools that shared many points with each other but that disagreed about others. The names of those schools are: Spanda, Pratyabhijñā, Kula and Krama. After the monumental effort by Abhinavagupta, the four schools were part of a whole doctrine which is now known as Trika Shaivism. The topic, as always, is much more complex but with this simplification is more than enough for now. Nonetheless, I will add now this list explaining a little bit about every school:

Abhinavagupta wrote many important books that are crucial to understand Trika Shaivism. Anyway, his most important work, in my opinion, is Tantrāloka (Light of Tantra). By means of near six thousand stanzas, Abhinavagupta compiled a great treasure of divine Knowledge which could have easily been lost. It is a voluminous book that could be considered to be a kind of commentary on the holy Mālinīvijayottaratantra (the most important Bhairavatantra, which is most sacred to all the followers of Trika Shaivism). Without the help of Tantrāloka is practically impossible to understand the teachings of Śiva in that Tantra. And without Tantrāloka it is also practically impossible to understand Trika Shaivism as a whole. This is the importance of Tantrāloka.

The importance of Abhinavagupta is so massive in this system that I have included his main disciple (sage Kṣemarāja) on this list not only for the relevance of his work but also because he was the main disciple of such a great Master. But I will speak about him soon.

Before speaking about Vasugupta, a short description of the three sections in the literature of Trika Shaivism:

By only seeing the names of the founders of the last two schools, it becomes obvious about why I chose Vasugupta and Somānanda as two of the five more important sages in this tradition. Nonetheless, I want to speak about Vasugupta first.

Vasugupta: He was the one who received from the Lord