Tattva (Shaivism)

Also known as Naadha tattva. One of the two aspects of the omniscient, omnipresent, conscious Absolute. In this essence, the Absolute doesn't consists of any desire (icchā), action (kriyā) or Knowledge (jnāna) related properties. It is in its pure conscious state.

Another aspect of the Absolute which is known as Bindu Tattva. Pairing of Śiva-Śakti causes the creation of all the lower tattvas. The paired Śiva-Śakti is omniscience and consistently active. These two properties of Śiva-Śakti are known jnāna and kriyāa respectively.

Also called Sadāśiva tattva or Siva Sakthi tattva. This tattva is responsible for the appearance of aham or self. This tattva is when kriyāśakti and jnānaśakti of the Absolute are in equilibrium.

Also known as Ishwara tattva. The tattva where the fourth act of Panchakritya - delusion or concealment happens. Iśvara tattva activates the souls which are concealed by pāśa. Idam, "this is myself", i.e., the objectivation of self-awareness is caused by Iśvara tattva.[7]

Also known as Sadvidyā or Kriyā. In this tattva the tri-murthis manifest. Jnānaśakti is more initiative than kriyaśakti in Śuddhavidyā tattva. Here, "self-ness" and "this-ness" become balanced.[7] The other three acts of Panchakritya - creation, maintenance and destruction are done below suddhavidya.

These five tattvas are the Absolute which leads to the moksha of souls. Or this five tattvas can be seen as retrogradation of souls from lower state to its higher steps towards liberation.

Maya hides the divine nature of created beings as it creates the sense of separateness from the Divine and from each other.

Kanchukas can be fairly translated as cloaks. They block the subject from recognising the divine nature of the Universe.

• kāla - the cloak of time
• vidyā - the cloak of limited knowledge
• rāga - the cloak of desire
• niyati - the cloak of causality
• kalā - the cloak of being limited[7]

Purusha is the soul. It pairs with maya, the final manifestation of god along with five kancukas. These five vidya tattvas are idle in nature. So, Śiva joins with Maya and Śakti joins with three kancukas - Kāla, Niyati, Kalā. Sadasiva joins with purusha and śuddhavidya operates vidya tattva. Raga is operated by Ishvara.[9] The activated purusha with other vidya tattvas cannot exist in universe solely. There comes the assistance of upcoming 24 asuddha tattvas.

Consciousness within the limited purusha forms the citta made of Intellect (buddhi), Ego (ahamkāra), and Mind (manas), known collectively as the antahkarana, or "inner organ". Buddhi is the first evolute of prakṛti. It represents the capacity of discernment. It evolves into ahamkāra after buddhi differentiates a notion of a limited individual self. That external sense of self is then experienced through the sensory mind (manas). Ten indriyas (five sense organs and five action organs), five tanmātras (subtle elements), five mahābhūtas (gross elements), and the sensory mind evolve from ahamkāra as it modifies into sattvic (sensory), rajasic (active) and tamasic (material) modes. These 24 lowest tattvas that evolve from individual consciousness are known as the impure tattvas (aśuddha).[12]

The five sense organs (jñānendriya) are the most sattvic functions of manas and include:

• ghrāna (nose), i.e., the medium to experience smell
• rasana (tongue), i.e., the medium to experience taste
• caksus (eye), i.e., the medium to experience colour and shape
• tvāk (skin), i.e., the medium to experience touch
• śrotra (ear), i.e., the medium to experience sound

The five motor organs (karmendriya), each corresponding to a sense organ, represent the physical organs of action. They are the most rajasic functions of manas.

• pāyu (anus) - the organ responsible for excretion
• upasthā (sexual organ) - the organ that enables procreation and sexual enjoyment[13]
• pāda (leg) - the organ that makes ambulation possible
• pāni (hand) - the organ that enables grabbing and touching
• vāk (mouth) - the organ that makes sound/speech possible

The five subtle elements (tanmātra) are the most tamasic functions of manas and represent the reflection of the corresponding five gross elements in the mind:

• gandha (smell)
• rāsa (taste)
• rūpa (form)
• sparśa (touch)
• śabda (sound)

The five gross elements (mahābhuta) represent the final point of manifestation:

• prthvi (earth)
• jala (water)
• tejas (fire)
• vāyu (air)
• ākāśa (ether or space)

While mahābhūtas are the basis for the material world, tanmātras are but limited aspects and views of it, in no way able to fully describe it. We cannot actually perceive the reality, all we can access are limited "bands" of information that form a description of reality. These bands of information are the five tanmātras.

This restriction however applies only to the limited beings (jiva, or aṇu). For one who has gone beyond māyā, in the realm of the pure tattvas, there can be direct perception of reality, because as one's self is Ātman, so are the external objects. In such a state an enlightened being can perceive the world beyond the five senses (direct perception), in a state of diversity in unity and unity in diversity.[14]