Shattrimshat Tattva Sandoha

यदयमनुत्तरमूर्तिर्नजेच्छयाखिलमिदं जगत्स्रष्टुम्।
पस्पन्दे स स्पन्दः प्रथमः शिवतत्त्वमुच्यते तज्ज्ञैः॥१॥

Yadayamanuttaramūrtirnijecchayākhilamidaṁ jagatsraṣṭum|
Paspande sa spandaḥ prathamaḥ śivatattvamucyate tajjñaiḥ||1||

This very (yad ayam) Anuttaramūrti --lit. That whose form is the Highest Reality-- (anuttara-mūrtiḥ), according to His own desire (nija-icchayā) to manifest (sraṣṭum) this (idam) entire (akhilam) world (jagat) , vibrated (paspande). That (saḥ) first (prathamaḥ) Vibration (spandaḥ) is said to be (ucyate) the Śiva-tattva --lit. the category called Śiva-- (śiva-tattvam) by the ones who know (jñaiḥ) that (Anuttaramūrti) (tad) ||1||

इच्छा सैव स्वच्छा सन्ततसमवायिनी सती शक्तिः।
सचराचरस्य जगतो बीजं निखिलस्य निजनिलीनस्य॥२॥

Icchā saiva svacchā santatasamavāyinī sati śaktiḥ |
Sacarācarasya jagato bījaṁ nikhilasya nijanilīnasya ||2||

Śakti --the second tattva-- (śaktiḥ) is (satī) just (eva) that (sā) very transparent (svacchā) Will (icchā) (that) is continuously (santata) multitudinous (samavāyinī) . (She is) the Seed (bījam) of the entire (nikhilasya) world (jagataḥ) (which) comprehends (everything) moving (sacara) (and) motionless (acarasya) (and is) hidden (nilīnasya) in Herself (nija) ||2||

स्वेच्छाशक्त्युद्गीर्णं जगदात्मतया समाच्छाद्य।
निवसन् स एव निखिलानुग्रहनिरतः सदाशिवोऽभिहितः॥३॥

Svecchāśaktyudgīrṇaṁ jagadātmatayā samācchādya |
Nivasan sa eva nikhilānugrahanirataḥ sadāśivo'bhihitaḥ ||3||

Having totally covered (samāchādya) the world (jagat) , (which was) emitted (udgīrṇam) by His own (sva) Icchāśakti --Power of Will-- (icchā-śakti) , with the Self --i.e. after having covered it with the "Aham" or "I" portion-- (ātmatayā) , He (saḥ eva) is known as< (abhihitaḥ) Sadāśiva --the third tattva or category-- (sadāśivaḥ) who abides (nivasan) completely (nikhila) devoted (nirataḥ) to confer divine Grace (anugraha) ||3||

विश्वं पश्चात्पश्यनिदन्तया निखिलमीश्वरो जातः।
सा भवति शुद्धविद्या येदन्ताहन्तयोरभेदमतिः॥४॥

Viśvaṁ pañcātpaśyanidantayā nikhilamīśvaro jātaḥ|
Sā bhavati śuddhavidyā yedantāhantayorabhedamatiḥ ||4||

Afterward (paścāt) , when He --the Supreme Lord-- sees (paśyan) the whole (nikhilam) universe (viśvam) as "Idam" or "This" (idantayā) --i.e.when "Idam" predominates over "Aham" or "I"--, the Īśvara-tattva --the fourth category-- (īśvara) is born (jātaḥ) . The Śuddhavidyā-tattva --the fifthcategory-- (śuddhavidyā) is (bhavati) that (sā) which (yā) (is characterized by)perception (matiḥ) of unity (abheda) between thestates of Aham or I-ness (ahantayoḥ) (and) Idam or This --theuniverse-- (idantā) ||4||

माया विभेदबुद्धिर्निजांशजातेषु निखिलजीवेषु।
नित्यं तस्य निरङ्कुशविभवं वेलेव वारिधे रुन्धे॥५॥

Māyā vibhedabuddhirnijāṁśajāteṣu nikhilajīveṣu|
Nityaṁ tasya niraṅkuśavibhavaṁ veleva vāridhe rundhe ||5||

Māyā --viz. the Māyā-tattva or sixth category--(māyā) ,whose intention (buddhiḥ) (is bringing about) separation (vibheda) in all (nikhila) living beings (jīveṣu) who are born (jāteṣu) as portions (aṁśa) of herself --that is, of Māyā-- (nija) ,always (nityam) restrains (rundhe) His (tasya) independent (niraṅkuśa) Power (vibhavam) --i.e. Svātantrya or Absolute Freedom of the Lord-- like (iva) the shore (velā) of an ocean (vāridheḥ) ||5||

स तया परिमितमूर्तिः सङ्कुचितसमस्तशक्तिरेष पुमान्।
रविरिव सन्ध्यारक्तः संहृतशक्तिः स्वभासनेऽप्यपटुः॥६॥

Sa tayā parimitamūrtiḥ saṅkucitasamastaśaktireṣa pumān|
Raviriva sandhyāraktaḥ saṁhṛtaśaktiḥ svabhāsane'pyapaṭuḥ ||6||

This very (saḥ... eṣaḥ) man --in the sense of human being-- (pumān) , whose form (mūrtiḥ) is mensurable --viz. limited-- (parimita) , has all (samasta) his power (śaktiḥ) contracted (saṅkucita) on account of that (Māyā) (tayā) . Just as (iva) the sun (raviḥ) , reddish (āraktaḥ) during twilight (sandhyā) (and) with its power (śaktiḥ) restrained (saṁhṛta) , is not capable (of giving the same light as before) (apaṭuḥ) (at that time,) though (api) it is self-effulgent (sva-bhāsane) ||6||

सम्पूर्णकर्तृताद्या बह्व्यः सन्त्यस्य शक्तयस्तस्य।
सङ्कोचात्सङ्कुचिताः कलादिरूपेण रूढयन्त्येवम्॥७॥

Sampūrṇakartṛtādyā bahvyaḥ santyasya śaktayastasya|
Saṅkocātsaṅkucitāḥ kalādirūpeṇa rūḍhayantyevam ||7||

The many (bahvyaḥ) powers (śaktayaḥ) of that (tasya) Bountiful and Benevolent One (santyasya) , viz. omnipotence (sampūrṇa-kartṛtā) ,etc. (ādyāḥ) , being shrunk (saṅkucitāḥ) becauseof saṅkoca or contraction (saṅkocāt) , are thus developed (rūḍhayanti evam) into the form (rūpeṇa) of Kalā --the seventh tattva or category-- (kalā), etc. (ādi) ||7||

तत्सर्वकर्तृता सा सङ्कुचिता कतिपयार्थमात्रपरा।
किञ्चित्कर्तारममुं कलयन्ती कीर्त्यते कला नाम॥८॥

Tatsarvakartṛtā sā saṅkucitā katipayārthamātraparā|
Kiñcitkartāramamuṁ kalayantī kīrtyate kalā nāma ||8||

That (sā) Omnipotence (sarvakartṛtā) of His (tad) , being contracted (saṅkucitā) , is merely occupied (mātra-parā) insome (katipaya) objects (artha) --i.e. it doesnot look like opulent--. (Such a contracted Omnipotence) is mentioned (kīrtyate) by the name (nāma) of Kalā (kalā) (because) it impels (kalayantī) that (amum) limited (kiñcid) doer (kartāram) ||8||

सर्वज्ञतास्य शक्तिः परिमिततनुरल्पवेद्यमात्रपरा।
ज्ञानमुत्पादयन्ती विद्येति निगद्यते बुधैराद्यैः॥९॥

Sarvajñatāsya śaktiḥ parimitatanuralpavedyamātraparā|
Jñānamutpādayantī vidyeti nigadyate budhairādyaiḥ ||9||

His (asya) Omniscience (sarvajñatā... śaktiḥ) , having a limited (parimita) form (tanuḥ) , is merely occupied (mātra-parā) with afew and little (alpa) knowables --i.e. objects-- (vedya) . (Such a contracted Omniscience) is called (nigadyate) "Vidyā" (vidyā iti) by the first (ādyaiḥ) sages (budhaiḥ) , (because) it brings about (utpādayantī) knowledge (jñānam) ||9||

नित्यपरिपूर्णतृप्तिः शक्तिस्तस्यैव परिमिता तु सती।
भोगेषु रञ्जयन्ती सततममुं रागतत्त्वतां याता॥१०॥

Nityaparipūrṇatṛptiḥ śaktistasyaiva parimitā tu satī|
Bhogeṣu rañjayantī satatamamuṁ rāgatattvatāṁ yātā ||10||

(Now,) His (tasya eva) Power (śaktiḥ) (called) "Satisfaction (tṛptiḥ) (which is) eternal (nitya) (and) perfect (paripūrṇa) " --i.e. Icchāśakti or Power of Will-- is (satī) certainly (tu) limited (parimitā) . (This contracted Power of Will) becomes the tattva or category (tattvatām yātā) (known as) Rāga (rāga) (because it) constantly (satatam) causes that (limited being) to be attracted (rañjayantī... amum) by enjoyments (bhogeṣu) ||10||

सा नित्यतास्य शक्तिर्निकृष्य निधनोदयप्रदानेन।
नियतपरिच्छेदकरी कॢप्ता स्यात्कालतत्त्वरूपेण॥११॥

Sā nityatāsya śaktirnikṛṣya nidhanodayapradānena|
Niyataparicchedakarī kḷptā syātkālatattvarūpeṇa ||11||

That (sā) Eternity (nityatā... śaktiḥ) of His (asya) , being dragged down (nikṛṣya) because of (His) act of giving (pradānena) rise (udaya) to destruction (nidhana) , makes (karī) limited regular (niyata) divisions (pariccheda) , (and thus such an Eternity) is (syāt) arranged and trimmed (kḷptā) in the form (rūpeṇa) of the tattva or category (tattva) (called) Kāla (kāla) ||11||

यास्य स्वतन्त्रताख्या शक्तिः सङ्कोचशालिनी सैव।
कृत्याकृत्येष्ववशं नियतममुं नियमयन्त्यभून्नियतिः॥१२॥

Yāsya svatantratākhyā śaktiḥ saṅkocaśālinī saiva|
Kṛtyākṛtyeṣvavaśaṁ niyatamamuṁ niyamayantyabhūnniyatiḥ ||12||

(When) that (sā eva) Power (śaktiḥ) of His (asya) , which (yā) is known as (ākhyā) Absolute Freedom (svatantratā) --viz. Cicchakti or the Power of Consciousness--, is full (śālinī) of contraction (saṅkoca) , (then),by restraining (niyamayantī) that (limited individual) (amum) who is devoid of free will (avaśam) (and) restricted (niyatam) regarding what is to be done (kṛtya) (and) what is not to be done --akṛtya-- (akṛtyeṣu) --i.e. he depends on right and wrong actions--, (such a Power) became (abhūt) (the tattva or category called) Niyati (niyatiḥ) ||12||

इच्छादित्रिसमष्टिः शक्तिः शान्तास्य सङ्कुचद्रूपा।
सङ्कलितेच्छाद्यात्मकसत्त्वादिकसाम्यरूपिणी तु सती॥१३॥

बुद्ध्यादिसामरस्यस्वरूपचित्तात्मिका मता प्रकृतिः।
इच्छास्य रजोरूपाहङ्कृतिरासीदहम्प्रतीतिकरी॥१४॥

Icchāditrisamaṣṭiḥ śaktiḥ śāntāsya saṅkucadrūpā|
Saṅkalitecchādyātmakasattvādikasāmyarūpiṇī tu satī ||13||

Buddhyādisāmarasyasvarūpacittātmikā matā prakṛtiḥ|
Icchāsya rajorūpāhaṅkṛtirāsīdahampratītikarī ||14||

His (asya) Pacific (śāntā) Power (śaktiḥ) whose nature (rūpā) is to contract (saṅkucat) , (appears) as a triad (tri-samaṣṭiḥ) composed of Icchā or Will (icchā) ,etc. --viz. Knowledge and Action-- (saṅkucat) . She --i.e. that Pacific Śakti orPower having become Prakṛti or the thirteenth tattva or category-- is (rūpiṇī... satī) certainly (tu) an equipoise (sāmya) of Sattva (sattva) , etc. --viz. Rajas and Tamas-- (ādika) , which consist (ātmaka) of Will (icchā) , etc. (ādi) being heaped together (saṅkalita) ||13||

Prakṛti (prakṛtiḥ) is considered (matā) as of the nature (ātmikā) of Citta orlimited mind (citta) whose essence (sva-rūpa) isa homogeneity (sāmarasya) of Buddhi --intellect-- (buddhi) , etc. --viz. Ahaṅkāra and Manas-- (ādi) . His --i.e. of theLord-- (asya) Will (icchā) , in the form (rūpā) of Rajas (rajas) , became (āsīt) the concept of individuality (ahaṅkṛtiḥ) ,which brings about (karī) I-sense --i.e. ego-- (aham-pratīti) ||14||

ज्ञानापि सत्त्वरूपा निर्णयबोधस्य कारणं बुद्धिः।
तस्य क्रिया तमोमयमूर्तिर्मन उच्यते विकल्पकरी॥१५॥

Jñānāpi sattvarūpā nirṇayabodhasya kāraṇaṁ buddhiḥ|
Tasya kriyā tamomayamūrtirmana ucyate vikalpakarī ||15||

Knowledge (jñāna) too (api), in the form (rūpā) of Sattva (sattva), (is) the cause (kāraṇam) of the consciousness (bodhasya) of determination (nirṇaya) (and this is) Buddhi or intellect (buddhiḥ). Its (tasya) activity (kriyā), whose form (mūrtiḥ) is composed (mayam) of Tamas (tamas), is called (ucyate) Manas or mind (manaḥ), which produces (karī) thought-constructs (vikalpa) ||15||

वामादिपञ्चभेदः स एव सङ्कुचितविग्रहो देवः।
ज्ञानक्रियोपरागप्राधान्याद्विविधविषयरूपोऽभूत्॥१६॥

Vāmādipañcabhedaḥ sa eva saṅkucitavigraho devaḥ|
Jñānakriyoparāgaprādhānyādvividhaviṣayarūpo'bhūt ||16||

The fivefold (pañca) division (bhedaḥ) into Vāmā (vāmā), etc. (ādi) (viz. the five buddhīndriyas or organs of cognition) is (saḥ eva) God (devaḥ) (Himself with) a contracted (saṅkucita) body (vigrahaḥ). He became (abhūt) the form (rūpaḥ) of various (vividha) objects (viṣaya) due to the preponderance (prādhānyāt) of being colored (uparāga) by knowledge (jñāna) (and) action (kriyā) ||16||

श्रोत्रं चक्षुः स्पर्शनजिह्वाघ्राणानि बोधकरणानि।
शब्दस्पर्शौ रूपं रसगन्धौ चेति भूतसूक्ष्माणि॥१७॥

Śrotraṁ cakṣuḥ sparśanajihvāghrāṇāni bodhakaraṇāni|
Śabdasparśau rūpaṁ rasagandhau ceti bhūtasūkṣmāṇi ||17||

The ear (śrotram), the eye (cakṣuḥ), the skin (sparśana), the tongue (jihvā) (and) the nose (ghrāṇāni) (are) the instruments (karaṇāni) of consciousness (bodha). Sound (śabda), touch (sparśau), form (rūpam), taste (rasa) (and) smell (gandhau) --and (ca) so on (iti)-- (are) the subtle (sūkṣmāṇi) elements (bhūta) ||17||

अयमेवातिनिकृष्टो जातो भूतात्मनापि भूतेशः।
गगनमनिलश्च तेजः सलिलं भूमिश्च पञ्चभूतानि॥१८॥

Ayamevātinikṛṣṭo jāto bhūtātmanāpi bhūteśaḥ|
Gaganamanilaśca tejaḥ salilaṁ bhūmiśca pañcabhūtāni ||18||

This very One (ayam eva), though exceedingly (ati) diminished (nikṛṣṭaḥ) (and) born (jātaḥ) as the embodied (ātmanā) Self of the elements (bhūta) (yet) too (api) (remains) Bhūteśa (bhūteśaḥ), the Lord (īśa) of the elements (bhūta). Space (gaganam), air (anilaḥ) and (ca) fire (tejaḥ), water (salilam) and (ca) earth (bhūmiḥ) (are) the five (pañca) (gross) elements (bhūtāni) ||18||

श्रोत्रादिकरणवेद्याः शब्दाद्यास्तानि वेदकान्येषाम्।
वचनकरी वागासीत् पाणिः स्यात्करणभूत आदाने॥१९॥

Śrotrādikaraṇavedyāḥ śabdādyāstāni vedakānyeṣām|
Vacanakarī vāgāsīt pāṇiḥ syātkaraṇabhūta ādāne ||19||

Sound (śabda), etc. (ādyāḥ) (are) knowable (vedyāḥ) by the instruments (karaṇa) (beginning with) the ear (śrotra), etc. (ādi). Those (tāni) (organs are) the knowers (vedakāni) of them (eṣām). Speech (vāk) is (āsīt) the (organ) that produces (karī) utterance (vacana). The hand (pāṇiḥ) is (syāt) the instrument (karaṇa) (that has) become (bhūta) (the organ) for grasping (ādāne) ||19||

गमनविसर्गानन्दत्रितये पादादिकं करणम्।
गन्धवती भूमिः स्यादापः सांसिद्धिकद्रवास्तेजः॥२०॥

उष्णस्पर्शमरूपस्पर्शो वायुरम्बरं सशब्दम्।
षट्त्रिंशत्तत्त्वमयं वन्दे कौलं कुलातिगं शम्भुम्॥२१॥

Gamanavisargānandatritaye pādādikaṁ karaṇam|
Gandhavatī bhūmiḥ syādāpaḥ sāṁsiddhikadravāstejaḥ ||20||

Uṣṇasparśamarūpasparśo vāyurambaraṁ saśabdam|
Ṣaṭtriṁśattattvamayaṁ vande kaulaṁ kulātigaṁ śambhum ||21||

(For) the triad (tritaye) of locomotion (gamana), excretion (visarga) (and) enjoyment (ānanda) (there are) the feet (pāda), etc. (ādikam) (as their) instruments (karaṇam). Earth (bhūmiḥ) is (syāt) endowed (vatī) with smell (gandha). Water (āpaḥ) (is characterized by) liquidity (dravāḥ) (which is its) essential property (sāṁsiddhika). Fire (tejaḥ) ||20||

(has) heat (uṣṇa) (and) touch (sparśam). Air (vāyuḥ) (has) formless (arūpa) touch (sparśaḥ). Space (ambaram) (is) with sound (sa-śabdam). I bow (vande) before Śambhu (śambhum), the Kaula (kaulam) who transcends (atiga) the Kula (kula), (who is) composed (mayam) of the thirty-six (ṣaṭ-triṁśat) tattvas (tattva) ||21||