Spanda-Karikas: The Divine Creative Pulsation

The present book is of the supreme significance from four points of view. Firstly, it breaks a new ground in Indian philosophy. According to it, the Self is not simply witnessing consciousness as maintained by Sankhya, Patanjala Yoga, Vedanta, but an active force of Spanda. Secondly, the ultimate reality is not simply a logical system, a mysterious background of bloodless categories, but spanda or living, throbbing Energy, the Divine creative Pulsation, the source of all manifestation, physical or superphysical. It should be of particular interest to science which has now come to conclusion that matter is only an expression of electrical energy is, in its ultimate analysis, only an off-shoot of spiritual energy. Thirdly, the work elaborates the dynamic side of consciousness and serves as a commentary on the Siva Sutra. Fourthly, it gives hint of a new kind of yoga for the realization of self. Dr. Jaideva Singh has re-edited the text and the commentary with the assistance of his guru Swami Laksmana Joo. He has provided an English translation of both the text and Ksemaraja`s commentary. He has thrown, in his notes, new light on many subtle points of the text and the commentary and given lucid exposition of each verse. Spandakarikas are a sort of commentary on the Siva-sutras. The word karika means 'a collection of verses on grammatical, philosophical or scientific subjects.' The word spanda literally means a 'throb.' It connotes dynamism or the dynamic aspect of the Divine creative pulsation. The Self, according to Spandakarikas, is not simply a witnessing consciousness, but is characterized by both cognition and activity. He who is in communion with this active Self can alone rise to the status of his highest being. The author of spandakarikas The opinion regarding the authorship of Spandakarikas is divided. According to Bhaskara and Utpala Vaisnava or Bhatta Utpala, both of whom flourished in the second and third quarters of the 10th century A.D., the author of these karikas was Kallata who was the chief disciple of Vasugupta. Bhaskara say in his Siva-sutra-varttika that Kallata wrote a commentary, called Spanda-sutra-varttika that Kallata wrote a commentary, called Spanda-sutras on the three sections of the Siva-sutras, and a commentary, called Tattvartha-cintamani on the fourth section of the Siva-sutras. Bhatta Utpala, in his commentary, on the Spandakarikas, entitled Spandapradipika, says in the 53rd verse that Bhatta Kallata duly versified the secret doctrine after receiving it from his guru (spiritual guide) Vasugupta who had clear insight into Reality.