Part 16 - Seven States of the Seven Perceivers (Pramātā or Pramātṛ)

[The following are the Seven perceivers]—

1. Sakala Pramātā [Pramātṛ],
2. Pralayākala Pramātā,
3. Vijñānakala Pramātā,
4. Mantra Pramātā,
5. Mantreśvara Pramātā,
6. Mantramaheśvara Pramātā, and
7. Śiva Pramātā.

[These seven perceivers] adorn the ladder of achieving the path of tracing back to the origin of manifestation. The lowest rung is Sakala Pramātṛ and the highest is Śiva Pramātṛ on the subjective level^[1].

1) Sakala Pramātā [Pramātṛ]

The first state for the Sakala Pramātṛ (perceiver) is the state of Prameya, the state of the object of perception. The perception takes place in the objective world and not in the subjective world. This state is realized by its Sakala Pramātṛ,where the observer dwells in the field of objectivity and its world. All the three malas, Āṇava, Māyīya, and Kārmaṇa mala, are active in him.

2) Pralayākala Pramātā

Second state, Pralayākala is the state of negation, where the whole world is negated. Pralayākala Pramātṛ of this state who resides in this world of negation has no experience of the state of this voidness because this state is actually the state of unawareness. Mūrccha, Coma etc., represent this state which is like unnatural and heavy sleep, like deep sleep which is void of dreams. Pralayākala Pramātṛ, resides in that void unawareness. Only two malas Āṇava mala and Māyīya mala remain, in this state which are concerned with thought rather than action as against Kārmaṇa mala that is concerned with action.

The twin states mentioned above are states of worldly people not spiritualists as they function in the state of individuality not in the state of one’s real nature.

3) Vijñānakala Pramātā

Vijñānakala Pramātṛ, the third state is attained by one pursuing on the path of yoga. At times awareness is experienced by the yogi but the same is not active. At other times his awareness is active but he is not aware of that active awareness. “Āṇava mala is two fold. It is the cause of ignorance of free will and it is also the cause of the loss of free will.Thus it carries one away from their own Real Self.” Sometimes it is full of action (Svātantrya -full of absolute independence) without awareness and sometimes it is full of awareness without actions. Being full of awareness is Jñānapūrṇa, full of knowledge^[2]. Only Āṇava mala, remains while the other two malas are removed.

4) Mantra Pramātā

The observer of the fourth state, Śuddhavidyā, is called Mantra pramātṛ in whom all malas are removed. He observes only the state of his own Self, his own Real nature, full of consciousness, full of bliss, full of independent will, full of knowledge, and full of action. This state, though not a stable state, is the real state of Śiva. The mantra for this state is “aham aham, idam idam”. The meaning of the first section of this mantra, “aham, aham”, is that in this state he experiences that he is the reality, the Real nature of Self, the Truth of this whole universe. On the other hand the meaning of the second section of this mantra, “idam, idam”, tells us that he also experiences that this universe is false, unreal. He feels that the universe is false, that he is the truth of this reality. Due to instablity of this state, the yogi does not always remain in this state. The experience of this state comes and goes. Sometimes he experiences this state and sometimes he does not experience this state. Sometimes he experiences only “aham aham”. Sometimes, when his consciousness is a little damaged, he experienced only “idam idam”. Therefore, his reality of Self remains unstable and uncertain.

5) Mantreśvara Pramātā

Īśvara Pramātṛ is the fifth state and the observer is Mantreśvara which means the one who has sovereignity on mantra (aham—‘I’). Just like the state of Mantra Pramātṛ this state is full of consciousness, full of bliss, full of will, full of knowledge, and full of action but this state is a more stable. The mantra for this state is “idam aham”, meaning that the aspirant in this state of mantreśvara feels that this whole universe is not false, on the contrary, he feels that this whole universe is the expansion of his own nature. He unites the state of the universe with the state of his own consciousness. This is actually the unification of jīva, the individual, with Śiva, the universal. In this state of mantreśvara he finds the universe in his Self.

6) Mantramaheśvara Pramātā

Sadaśiva is the sixth state, the observer of which is Mantramaheśvara who finds himself to be absolutely one with the Universal Transcendental Being. He experiences this state to be more valid, more solid, and deserving of confidence. Entry into this state ensures no falling from it at all. This is the established state of his Self, his own Real nature. The mantra of this state is “aham idam”. The meaning of this mantra is, I am this universe. Here, he realizes his Self in the universe. In the former state he realized the universe in his Self.

6) Śiva Pramātā

Śiva is the seventh^[3] and last state where Śiva himself is the observer. In this final state, the state is Śiva and the observer is also Śiva. There is nothing outside Śiva. The mantra in this state is “aham”, universal I. This state is completely full with consciousness, bliss, will, knowledge, and action.

In the former six states, the state is one thing and the observer is something else. However in the final seventh state Thisness is gone, melted in His Iness.

Energies of the seven Pramātā [Pramātṛ]

In these seven states of seven Pramātṛs there are seven Pramātṛ Śaktis.

They are the energies of the seven Pramātṛs.

Sakala Pramātṛ Śakti the first energy makes one capable of residing in all the three malas and thereby remaining in the state of Sakala.

Pralayākala Pramātṛ Śakti the second energy enables one to be in unawareness, in void (Śūnya).

Vijñānakala Pramātṛ Śakti, the third energy enables one to be seated in the state of vijñānakala, where only Āṇava mala is active. Mantra Pramātṛ Śakti, the fourth energy enables one to reside in the state of “aham aham, idam idam” in the state of Mantra Pramātṛ, which is the state of Śuddhavidyā. All three malas have vanished completely^[4].

Mantreśvara Pramātṛ Śakti, the fifth energy is that energy which carries one in the state of mantreśvara and is found in the state of Īśvara as perception “idam aham”^[5].

Mantramaheśvara Śakti the sixth energy guides the yogi to the state of Sadāśiva, the state of mantra maheśvara and it carries the aspirant in the perception of “aham idam” where he finds his I-ness in the universe^[6].

The seventh energy is the state of energy of Śiva. This energy strengthens His state which is already established in the state of Supreme Iness, the state of the universal and transcendental “I”. This energy is called Śiva Pramātṛ Śakti^[7].

Pañcadaśavidhi (the mode of fifteen-fold thoughts):

In the M V T purpose of these seven states is fully described for the benefit of the aspirant termed Pañcadaśavidhi, the mode of fifteen-fold thoughts for ascending and descending. The theory of the seven Pramātṛs and their seven energies is meant not only for rising but also for descending. The aspirant must be capable of both rising and descending. The one who rises and can not descend is incomplete. It is that aspirant who can rise and also descend simultaneously who is considered to be complete and full^[8].

Supremacy of The state of Śiva

The state of Śiva^[9] is actually that state where Śiva can rise and descend, and after descending He can again rise. On the other hand the state of individuality is that state where Śiva descends from the state of Śiva to the state of individuality and then having descended cannot rise again. This is the difference between the reality of Śiva and the reality of individual.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 4.

[2]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 25.

[3]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 53.

[4]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 59.

[5]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 58.

[6]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 57.

[7]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 5.

[8]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 23.

[9]:

[Cidgaganacandrikā] Verse 56.