shimla lecture i, 2012 nishkama-karma (‘action without desire’) of the bhagavadgita versus...

7/31/2019 Shimla lecture I, 2012 NishKama-Karma (Action Without Desire) Of The Bhagavadgita Versus NishKarma-Kama (

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Raffaele Torella

NIKMA-KARMA (ACTION WITHOUT DESIRE) OF THE BHAGAVADGT VERSUSNIKARMA-KMA (DESIRE WITHOUT OBJECT) OF NON-DUAL AIVISM

(Lecture at Indian Institute for Advanced Study, Shimla, Oct. 19th 2012)

Deathconsistsoftwosyllables;theEternalBrahmanconsistsofthree.Deathstwosyllablesaremamamine;thethreesyllablesoftheEternalarena mamanotmine.TheBrahmanandDeath,OKing,dwellunseeninthebosomofallcreaturesandstirthemceaselessly.[]IfamanshouldconquertheentireEarthandallthatmovingandunmovingdwellswithinit,butwithinhimselfdevelopsnoideaofappropriationthisEarthismine,whatwilltheEarththathehasconqueredbeforhim?If,ontheotherhand,OSonofPthu,amanlivingasahermitintheforest,feedingonwildherbs,shoulddevelopafeelingofbelongingtowardhispoorpossessions,thismanislivinginthejawsofdeath.[]Menblameonewhoispenetratedbydesire,yetnoactionisbornfromtheabsenceofdesire,neithergenerousgiving,norstudyoftheVedas,norasceticism:theVedicritesarenourishedbydesire.[]Indeed,whateveramandesiresforhimselfisdharma;dharmadoesnothaverestrictionasitsfoundation1.TothispurposethewisemenofoldquotedafewstrophesthatweresungbyKmahimself.Hearme,OYudhihira,whileInowreciteallthosestrophestoyou.Nobeingmaythinkofkillingmewithoutrecoursetosomemeans.Ifoneseekstokillmeknowingtheeffectivenessofrecitingmantras,inhisveryrecitationIoncemoreshowmyself.Ifoneseekstokillmewithsacrificesandmanyofferingstotheofficiant,Ireappearinhimasaction,asinthebeingsthatmove;ifoneseekstokillmewiththeVedasandtheUpaniadsthatbringthemtofulfilment,thenIreappearinhiminaquiescentform,asinmotionlessthings. Ifoneseekstokillmewithfearlessperseverance,Ishowmyselfinhiminhisstateofnobleheroism,andheisnotawareofme.Ifoneseekstokillmethroughasceticism,theninhisascesisIamrebornintheformofunshakableperseverance.Ifone,asage,seekstokillmebydevotinghimselfwholeheartedlytoliberation,Idanceandlaughinhim,inhispassionforliberation.Of

allbeings,eternalamIaloneandIcannotbekilled.2

Thepassagequoteddoesnotcomefromjustanytext,butfromtheverysourceofbrahmanicculture,theMahbhrata.Traditionally,itisknownastheKma-gtSongofDesire,theumpteenthvariationofanillustriousmodel,theBhagavadgt. TogivenewvigourtothesovereignYudhihira,nowwearyanddemotivated,VsudevaresortstoaninjectionofdesireandwhobetterthanKma,thedivinepersonificationofdesire,couldaccomplishthistask?3

1Myinterpretationisdiametricallyopposed(seeNote3*below)tothatgivenbytheprincipalcommentatorofthe

Mahbhrata,Nlakaha(16thcentury).2Mahbhrata(Punecriticaledition),XIV.13.3-18.3Imustadmitthatmyinterpretationofthemeaningoftheentirepassage(thetextualtransmissionofwhichis,however,uncertainatseveralpoints,withvariousdifferencesbetweenthevulgataandthePunecriticaledition)is


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HethereforerecitestotheKingtheversesthatKmaoncecomposedinhisownself-exaltation.Swarmsofsimilarpassagesspringtomindfromliteraturethroughouttheworld.Oneofthemany,attheopeningofthebrilliantlibrettoofMonteverdisIncoronazione diPoppea,theworkofGiovanniFrancescoBusenello,iswhereAmoreturnstoFortunaandVirt,eachconvincedofbeingthepowerthatdrivestheworld:

ChevicredeteoDee/dividerfradivoidelmondotutto/lasignoriaelgoverno,escludendoneAmore,/Numechdambevoitantomaggiore?/Iolevirtudiinsegno,/iolefortunedomo,/questabambinaet/vincedantichit/iltempoeognialtroDio:/gemellisiamleternitadeedio./Riveritemi,adoratemi,/edivostrosovranoilnomedatemi.[Whodoyouthinkyouare,Goddesses,/todividebetweenyourselves/thesovereigntyandgovernanceoftheworld/totheexclusionoflove,/adivinitysomuchgreaterthanthetwoofyou?/Itellthevirtueswhattodo,/Igovernthefortunesofmen.Thischildlikeformofmine/surpassesinantiquity/timeitself

andeveryotherGod./Wearetwins,eternityandI./Revereme,/worshipme/andacknowledgemeasyoursovereign.]

TheKma-gtshowsusthegodofdesire(kma,whichoriginallymeantjustdesire,progressivelycametomeandesireparexcellence,i.e.eroticdesire)boastingoflyingconcealedeveninthebosomofwhatwouldappeartobehisopposite:ascesis.Atthesametime,however,theoppositeisalsotrue,asrevealedbythemythologyofiva,thesovereigncreator/destroyergod,atthecentreofthespiritualexperienceofTantrism,supremelyasceticandsimultaneouslysupremelyerotic,whosesexualembracesmaylastthousandsofyears.Whenweseekthesourceofhissexualenergy,weunfailinglycomeupagainsttapas,ascesis.Theterribleausteritiesthat ivacanbearheretoo,forthousandsofyearsoftenincludeamongtheirresults,andsometimesevenastheirpurpose,theregenerationofsexualenergy:thecontraryisalsopossible,i.e.thatsexualactivityproducestapasasitsfruit.Iniconography,ivaisusuallyrepresentedwiththeattributesoftheascetic:hewearstheskinofablackantelope,hisheadisstrewnwithash,hewearsskullnecklaces,ornamentsmadeofhumanbones,andissubstantiallydescribedasanasceticbythemostancienttexts.He-theyoginparexcellence(yogvara)withdrawstothemostinaccessiblesolitudesanddriveshistapastosuchextremelevelsthattheforcegeneratedtherebyyetagain,aswithsexualpower,risksoverturningtheuniverse.OnlyafterenormousdifficultiesdoesPrvat,thedaughteroftheHimlaya,fallinginlovewiththegod,managetoleadhimtomarriage,i.e.onlyaftershetoohaspracticedtapas.Ordinarylife,sensualpleasuresseemto ivairreconcilablewithhisnature:histapaswouldbehinderedbythem.Wheneverthisoccurs,hiswrath,alwaysprimed,explodes.Theonewhopaysforit,inafamousmythcyclewithabundantvariations,isofcourseKma,themainantagonistoftheascetic iva.Heattemptstodisturbhisconcentrationwithoneofhisamorousdarts,nowexploitingtheinexhaustibledesiresofPrvat,nowcausingfascinatingnymphstoappear. ivasreactionislethal:thefirefromhisverticalthirdeyethatopensimmediatelyinhisforeheadreducesKmatocinders.Theresultisthatthewholeuniverseentersuponaspiralofdeath:coloursfade,plantsbegintolanguish,allbeginstofadeawayasinalongtwilight,tosuchapointthat ivaisobligedbythepeopletobringKmabacktolife.

notatallinlinewithcurrentbrahmanicinterpretation,whichtendstoconsideritasawarningagainstthesubtlesnaresofdesire.Whateverthecase,evenifoneadmitstheasceticintentofitsoriginalcomposer,theentirepassageresoundsasaparadoxicalcelebrationoftheineludiblepresenceandpowerofdesire.


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Thetotalnegationofthedesire-polarityisunexpectedandseemstoreduce ivatomuchmorecircumscribeddimensions.Itsufficestoconsiderthesequelofthetaletoseethat iva,topleasePrvat-orRati,Kmasconsortresurrectsthegod;orelseitshowsthatthefireofthethirdeyedestroysonlyKmasbody,andthatevenbodilesshestillexists,becomingevenmorefearsomeowingtohisinvisibility.Significanttooisthegistofthegodsproteststo iva

forhisaction;theyaccusehimofkillingoneofhiscreaturesand,insodoing,tohaveinexplicablydeprivedofdesireauniversethathehimselfhadcreatedpervadedbydesire.Thecirclethencloseswiththeconsiderationthat,inIndianmythology-wherethephoenixthemeisverymuchalive-deathbyfirenevermeansafinalend,butisalwaysapreludetoresurrection.

TheKmaoftheMahbhrataandthePurashas,however,averylonghistorybehindhim,bothasanabstractprincipleandasadivineincarnation.Inacertainsense,thecosmogonichymnofCanto129ofthetenthmaalaofthegveda,ascelebratedasitismysterious,constitutesKmasfirstarchaicapotheosis.

ThenNon-Beingdidnotexist,andnotevenBeing.Aerialspacedidnotexist,northefirmamentbeyondit.Whatisitthatmovedsopowerfully?Andwhere?Andcontrolledbywhom?Wasitthewaters,unfathomablydeep?Atthattimeneitherdeath,nornon-deathexisted:therewasnodistinguishingsignfornightandday.TheOnebreathedwithitsownvitalforce,withouttherebeingbreath.Besidethis,nothingelseexisted.Originallythedarknesswashiddenbythedarkness.Thisuniversewasnothingbutanindistinctwave.Then,throughthepoweroftapas,theOnecameintobeing,empty,coveredwithvacuity.Desire(kma)wasitsprimordialdevelopment,[Desire]thatconstitutedtheoriginalseedofConsciousness.Inquiringwithinthemselves,PoetsknewthroughtheirreflectionhowtofindthelinkofBeinginNon-Being.Theircordwasstretchedbetween.Whatwastherebeneath:whatwasabove?Thereweretheprocreators;therewerepowers.InherentPower(svadh)wasbeneath;Exertion(prayati)wasuppermost.Intruth,whoknows,whocouldproclaimwhencethissecondarycreationwasborn,whenceitcomes?Thegodswerebornlater,throughthesecondarycreationofourworld.Butwhoknowswhencethiscreationarose,whetheritwasHewhobroughtitintobeingornot,Hewhowatchesoverthisworldinthehighestfirmament,Healoneknows.OrperhapsevenHeknowsitnot...4

Solongbeforethebirthofthegods,whenneitherbeingnornon-beingexisted,butonlydarknessandchaos,therebegantoissueforthaheat-tapas,i.e.thatsameheatthatisbornofandcoincideswithascesis.TheformthatthenfirsttakesshapeisthatofDesire(whoseheatis,moreover,thesameasthatofascesis).Whereasthelaterbrahmanicculturesoughttomaintainanunbridgeableoppositionbetweendesireandconsciousness,intheabove-quotedpassagefromthegvedanotonlyaretheynotpresentedasantithetical,butdesireisidentifiedastheverymatrixofconsciousnessandontologicallyrankedbeforeit.Amongstthemanyotherspossible,atleastonesecondpassageofVedicliteraturedeservestobequoted,theso-calledHymntoDesire,inBookIXoftheAtharvaveda.

Kmawasbornfirst,himneitherthegods,northeFathers,normenhaveequalled.Totheseartthousuperior,andevergreat;tothee,OKma,doIverilyofferreverence.As

4TranslationpartlybasedonHymnes spculatifs du Vda,traduitsetannotsparL.Renou,ConnaissancedelOrient,Gallimard,Paris1956,pp.125-126.


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greatasaretheheavensandearthinextent,asfarasthewatershaveswept,asfarasfire;totheseartthousuperior.[]Not,surely,doesthewindequalKma,notthefire,notthesun,andnotthemoon.Totheseartthousuperior.Withthoseauspiciousandgraciousformsofthine,OKma,throughwhichwhatthouwillstbecomethreal,withthesedoyouenterintous,andelsewheresendtheevilthoughts!5

TheseandmanyotherpotentialquotationsdemonstratethattheforceandvalueofdesirearedeeplyrootedinIndianculturefromitsveryorigins.Underthebannerofdesireweplacewithriskybutnecessarysimplificationtheentirehumanenergyanddrivedimension,asmanifestfirstandforemostinsensoryactivities,intheemotionsandpassions.6Thecentralcourseofbrahmanicthought,aswellasthetextsaimedatregulatingthesocio-religiousdimensionoftheidealHinduman,tendtoerectanabsolutelineofdemarcationbetweendesire-senses-passionsandtheintellectual-spiritualelement.Consciousnessmustbepure(uddha),transparentandweightless,andanyactivationofthedesirepolecanonlymuddyits

necessaryclarity,preventingitfrombeingitself,fromfunctioning.7

Statementsofthiskind,inbrahmanicasalsoinBuddhistandJainaliterature,areinnumerable.Foritsexemplarynature,aswellastheconsequencesthatderivefromsomeofitsassertions,weshallexamineatleastoneothertextbelongingtothesetofso-calledMiddleUpaniads(certainlypriortotheCommonEra),theKaha-upaniad.ThesettingisasublimeandtormenteddialoguebetweentheyoungNaciketasandDeath,towhichheisdrivenbyanimprudentstatementofhisfathers,thebrahmanVjaravasa.NaciketasdescendstotherealmofYama,theGodofDeath,andgoesstraighttohisdwelling.Yamaisnotathome(Death,asweknow,isalwaysextremelybusyhereandthere)andtheyoungmanstayswaitingforhimonthethresholdforthreenights,neithereatingnordrinking.Onhisreturn,Yama,admiringtheyoungmansconstancyandausterity,grantshimthreewishes.Forhisfirst,NaciketasaskstoreturntoEarthandfindhisfathercalmafterhisangerandwell-disposedtowardhim;forhissecond,thatYamawillteachhimtheritualwayofreachingheaven.WhileYamabenignlygrantshisfirsttwowishes,hedoeseverythingpossible,withoutsuccess,toescapefromthethird:Naciketas

5AtharvavedaIX.2.19-25.Hymns of the Atharva-Veda : together with extracts from the ritual books and thecommentaries,translatedbyM.Bloomfield,rist.Delhi,MotilalBanarsidass1987,p.93.6HerewearesupportedbytheauthorityoftheBhagavadgtwhich,intheversequoted(III.40ab),states,Ofdesire,thesenses,themindandtheintellectarethesubstrate.7Bywayofanantidote,IshallquotethestrongwordsofRemoBodei:Nothingpreventsushoweverfromthinkingofthepassions(emotions,feelings,desires)asstatesthatarenotaddedfromtheoutsideatazerolevelofindifferentconsciousness,toexciteandconfuseit,butareingredientsofthetoneofanypsychicstateofbeingandevenofanycognitiveorientation.[]Despiteeverything,thepassionscannotbereducedjusttoconflictandmerepassivity.Theytinttheworldwithlivelysubjectivecolours,accompanytheunravellingofevents,shakeexperiencefrominertiaandmonotony,andmakeexistenceflavoursome,discomfortandpainnotwithstanding.Woulditbeworthwhilelivingifwefeltnopassion,iftenacious,invisiblethreadsdidnotbindustowhatinvariouswayswearefondof,whoselosswefear?(Nullaimpediscetuttaviadipensarelepassioni(emozioni,sentimenti,desideri)qualistatichenonsiaggiungonodallesternoaungradozerodellacoscienzaindifferente,perintorbidarlaeconfonderla,machesonocostitutividellatonalitdiqualsiasimododiesserepsichicoepersinodiogniorientamentocognitivo.[]Malgradotutto,lepassioninonsiriduconopersoltantoaconflittoeamerapassivit.Essetingonoilmondodivivacicolorisoggettivi,accompagnanoildipanarsideglieventi,scuotonolesperienzadallinerziaedallamonotonia,rendonosapidalesistenzanonostantedisagiedolori.Varrebbelapenaviveresenonprovassimoalcunapassione,setenaci,invisibilifilinonciavvincesseroaquantoadiversotitolocistaacuore,edicuitemiamolaperdita?)(Geometria delle passioni: Paura, speranza,

felicit: filosofia e uso politico,rist.Milano,Feltrinelli2003,pp.8-9).Yetagain,thistimereferringtoSpinoza:Conditioningsofallkindsmouldhim[man]indeedlikeclayinthepottershands: toescapethem,withoutprejudicetothelawsofthisworld,appearsjustasabsurdandundesirableaslivingunderaneternallyserenesky(ibid.p.58).


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askedhimtorevealmansdestinyafterdeath.YamasteachingessentiallyconcernsmanstruenatureascoincidingwiththeUniversalBeing,theBrahman-thepathtorealiseitnecessitatesthedeathofdesire.

Whenalldesiresharbouredinmanshearthavebeenexpelled,onlythencanthemortal

becomeimmortalandexperiencetheBrahmanhere.(V.14)8

Sincethesensesembodythesubjectsprojectiontowardtheworld,itisnecessarytoblocktheircourseandforcetheminward:

TheSelf-BegottenLordhaspiercedthecavityofthesensestowardtheoutside,sothattheindividuallooksoutwardandnotwithinhimself.Butthesage,aspiringtonon-death,willturnhiseyeinwardandseehisinnerself.(II.1)

Accordingtothecommentator akara,pierceddoesnotsimplymeanopened,butcontains

apunitiveimplication,anactofaggressionagainstthesenses,soastocastigatethemfortheirimpudentvitality.9AndtheKaha goeson:Foolsfollowtheirdesires;theyfallintothesnaresofvastDeath.(II.2ab)Inordertooutlinethetaxonomyofmansfaculties,Yamausesanancientsimile,thatofthechariot,alsowell-knownintheWest10:

Knowthattheselfisthemasterofthechariot,whereasthebodyisthechariotitself.Knowthattheintellectisthecharioteerandthemindthereins.Itissaidthatthesensesarethesteedsandtheobjectsofthesensesthetracks.(III.3-4ab)

Atfirstsight,theKahaseemstosetoutanintegratedviewofthehumancharacterbut,intheversesthatimmediatelyfollowit,afurtherelementemerges:theelementsidentifiedarenotplacedonthesamelevel,butaresubjecttoarigoroushierarchyinontologicalterms:

Superior11tothesensesaretheobjectsofthesenses;superiortotheobjectsofthesensesisthemind;superiortothemindistheintellect;superiortotheintellectistheGreatSelf.12(III.10)

8Irefertoaneditionwiththecommentaryby akara:didaopaniadaakarabhyasamet,MotilalBanarsidass,rist.Delhi1978.9Ed.cit.p.85.10Inanalogousterms,thismotifrecurse.g.inthePlatonicdialogues(Phaedo andPhaedrus).11TheSanskrittermpara-maymean superior,supremeandotheraswell.AlltheancientcommentatorsoftheKahaagreeintakingitinthesenseofsuperiorinontologicalterms(akara,ed.cit.pp.81-82, glossesitbyskmatara-moresubtle,meaningthatitpossessesahigherontologicalrank.TheverseoftheKahawillbetakenupagainintheBhagavadgt(III.42)almostliterallyandeveninthatcaseallthecommentatorstakeitinthesameway(akara,ifpossible,isevenmoreexplicit:para-meanspraka-moreelevated(inthehierarchyofbeing).Thereisonlyoneexception:thetantricAbhinavagupta,whoinhisBhagavadgtrthasagrahaimpassiblyglossespara-byanya-:themindisnotsuperiortothesensesandtheobjectsofthesenses,itisonlydifferentfromthem(rmadbhagavadgt with Gtrthasagraha of Abhinavagupta,editedbyS.Sankaranarayan,SriVenkateswaraUniversityOrientalSeriesNo.11,Tirupati1985,p.59).12Immediatelyaftertheversequotedabove,thingsgetcomplicatedandonerealizesthattheUpaniadismovinginanunequivocallySkhyascenario,albeitfarfromtheformofclassicalSkhya.TheGreatSelfofthepreviousverseisyetanotherintermediatedimension:SuperiortotheGreatSelfistheUnmanifest;superiortotheUnmanifestistheSpirit(purua).SuperiortotheSpiritthereisnothing.Itisthedeadline,thesupremegoal.


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Thesenseshaveavalueonlytotheextenttowhichtheyaredominatedbytheintellectandthemind:

Ifoneisnotunitedwithhisintellectandhismindisnotalwaysproperlysubjugated,hisuncontrolledsenseswillbeforhimlikeskittishhorsesforthecharioteer.(III.5)

SuchacategoricalmessagefromtheveryheartofthebrahmanicworldleadsusbackantiphrasticallytotheTantrictextquotedinpartintheIntroduction.

Considerwhatisinvolvedwhenonedecidestoputthenaturalcourseofthemindundercontrol,i.e.whenonewishestoputabitonawildhorse.Owingtotheviolenceoftheprocedures,themindlikethehorse-willstartrunninghereandthere,takingmanywrongdirections.Whydoesthisoccur?Weallknowthatthemindcanevendelightinpainand,conversely,retreatdisgustedfrompleasureandknowledge.Theimpulsesofthesensescanbemadetoceasethankstoahighlyspecialkindof

detachment,adetachmentpracticedinelegantsouplesse.If,onthecontrary,oneattemptstosubjugatethem,theybecomeungovernableintheend.13

Inthebackgroundaworldviewisoutlined,marked,asitwere,byhealthyrealism.Insteadofissuingprecepts(often,asinthebrahmanicstra,withafairdoseofwishfulthinking),itpreferstoaccepttheevidence,asleastasastartingpoint.Significantinthisconnexioniswhatwefindina10th-11thcenturytreatise,theMahnayaprakaLightoftheGreatMethod,belongingtooneofthemoreextremeTantricschools,theKrama:

Commonexperienceshowsusthatallcreatures,broadlyspeaking,areaddictedtosex,meatandalcoholicdrinking;somearemoreaddictedtooneofthem,sometoanother.If,fromtheverybeginning,theyareaskedimmediatelytoproceedtotheabandonmentofallthis,theteachingwillnotintheleasttakerootinthem.Humanmindisturnedtowardstheseobjectssincehundredsofpreviousexistences,anditishardlypossibletoturnitawayfromthem,justliketoturnanoldcowawayfromthefields.Thereisageneralagreementonthis:theabandoningofsuchthingsishardtoobtain,alsobecausemenwouldendupbyhatingthosewhoputforwardsuchateaching.If,onthecontrary,ateachingissuchaspreliminarilytoleavetheirenjoymentsintact,commonmenwilladheretoitwithfaith.14

ThenoveltyoftheworldviewproposedbyTantrismisnothowevercondensedinthispragmaticattitude,underlyingwhichisaprofoundandarticulatedanalysisofthehumancharacterisallitscomplexity,accompaniedbyanequallypenetratingandoriginaldevelopmentofthespiritualtoolsthatcanleadtoitsemancipation,toliberation(moka).OfthemanycuesthatTantricliteratureprovides,Ihavechosenonethatseemstohavecentralimportance.Oncemore,wefindourselveswithintheTantricworldofthe ivaiteschool,whichdevelopedinKashmirstartingfromthe8th-9thcenturiesoftheCommonEra:here,

13Mlinvijayavrttika,II.109-112.14IX.4-8pryo hi maithune madye mse} ca paridyate | sakti sarvajantn viet kasyacit kvacit || yaditattygasarambha prva te vidhyate | upadeo na sa mang api citte prarohati || janmntaraatbhyast

viayeu matir nm | jaradgaur iva sasyebhya s hi dukhena vryate || iti savdatas te paritygo hidukara | abhyasyanti te yasmd upadeakarya ca || yathsthitopabhogtma prva yat tpadiyate |tatrdhirdhir lokasya raddhprva prajyate || (Mahnayapraka,editedbyK.Smbaiva str,TrivandrumSanskritSeriesNo.CXXX,Trivandrum1937).


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philosophicalandaestheticspeculationandspiritualwisdomreachthehighestpeakssimultaneouslyelegantandextremeofIndiancultureasawhole.

Amongthebasicprinciples(tattva)thatformthestructureoftheuniverseaccordingtotheShaivaTantrictradition,thegroupnamed'kacukas'certainlydonotconstituteamere

doctrinaldetailamongmanyothersbutthetheorization,alsotranslatedintoritual,ofacentralpointofTantricthought,whichmaytellusverymuchonitsconceptofmanandhislife.

Thewordkacukaistakenforgrantedinallsourcesandnodoubtbelongstoacommonlayerofteachings.Onthecontrary,thesamecannotbesaidofitsmeaning,thenumberofthekacukasandtheirgenesis.Thetwoprincipalmeaningsofkacuka,'cuirass,armour'and'akindofdress,bodice'bothfitthemainfunctionoftheseprincipleswhichisthatof'covering,sheltering'theindividualsouldestituteofitsfullpowersbecauseofmaculation(akindofinnateandprimordialcontractionofthespiritualsubstanceofthesoul),butthetextsconstantlyalsorefertotheir'hardness'or'force'and'strengtheningpower'(udbalana).

Therefore,letussay'cuirass',whichperhapsmaybebetterassumedinan'organic'sense,asthethickskinofananimal,thatis,assomethingabletoprotectandstrengthen,notbeingsuperimposedfromwithoutbutbeinganintegralpartoftheindividualitprotects.Thiswouldfitwelltheverytight,almostinextricable,connexionwiththeindividualsoulwhichthetextsassigntothekacukas,andparticularlytosomeofthem.TheonlyonetosayitexplicitlyistheaivaphilosopherRmakaha(X-XIcentury)whenhecomparesthemtothesnake'sskin.15Theirnumbervaries(six,five,fourorthree),butaccordingtothemostcommonconceptiontheyarefive:Energy,Science,Passion,TimeandNecessity. However,amongthemthereisagroupofthreeenjoyingaprivilegedstatus,sothatsometimes,asinthepassagecitedattheveryoutset,theappellation'kacuka'appliestothemonly.16Theyarekal,vidy andrgaEnergy,Science,Passion.Ourconsiderationswillbemainlydevotedtothem.

Amongthekacukasproper,kal(commonlytranslatedas'energy','[limited]powertoact')istheonewhichisunanimouslyconsideredthemostcloselylinkedto,orratherintertwinedwith,thesubject-a'secondconsciousness'asitwere,asBhaspatisays.17Theindividualsoul,whosepowersofknowledgeandactionhavebeenblurredbyaninnatemaculation(mala),findsitsdeepestsupportinkal,akindofinjectionofbasicenergy(indeed,theveryincitingpoweroftheLordisactinginit),which,atleastpartially,revivesthepowersofthesoul.Anobjectioncomesspontaneouslytoone'smind:whydoestheLord'spowernotintervenedirectlybutresorts,inordertoreleasethesoul,tosomethingwhichisinitselfabond? Thisobjectionindirectlyrevealstheparadoxicalnatureofkal,andofhumandimensionasawhole.ThescripturesreplythattheinterventionoftheLord'spowerwouldentailtheimmediatemanifestationofthesoul'spowersintheirfullestglory,namelyliberation,whilstthequestionhereistofitoutthesoulforitsworldlyadventure,towhichtheripenessofmalaandthekarmicimpulsesdirectit. Asinthenicesimilefoundina aivasiddhntatext,kalisliketheclub iva(ortheguru)makesuseofinordertowakentheadept,whowould

15Matagapramevargama (Vidypda), avec le commentaire de Bhaa Rmakaha,ditioncritiqueparN.R.Bhatt,Publicationsdel'InstitutFranaisd'IndologieNo.56,Pondichry1977,p.334.16Cf.e.g.Matagapramevargama (Vidypda), cit.,XIV.2:"Permeatedbythetriadofthecuirasses,softlypushedbyTime,envelopedbyNecessity,thisprincipleproceedswiththequalityof'individualsoul',pertainingtotheSelf."17OfBhaspati,theoldaivamaster(certainlyearlierthanthe10thc.),noworkhascomedowntous.TheabovesentenceisquotedbyAbhinavaguptainTantrloka(IX.208c)andbyNryaakahainhiscommentaryon

Mgendra-tantra(Mgendratantra, vidypda and yogapda)with commentary of Nryaakaha,editedbyMadhusudanKaulShastri,KSTSL,Bombay1930,p.208).


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notbeabletostandhisdirecttouch.18Kalandindividualsoul (au)canneverbeseenseparatefromoneanother,theyseemonesingleentity."Justasaclaypot,onceheatedbyfire,canabsorbshellac,sotheanu,permeatedbykal,canreceivethefruitionsobtainedbyhimwithgreatjoy".19Andagain:"Kalbringsaboutfruitionandistheabodeoftheindividualsoul.Restingonkal,imbuedwithkarma,theindividualsoulcannotleaveitanymoreand

becomesattachedmoreandmore."20

Butifkalisthemostinternalandimportantfactorleadingthesoultowardstheworldofexperience,itisnottheonlyonehowever."Justas,byvirtueofitsswelling,duetounionwithsubstancessuchaswaterorthesun'sheat,firebecomesthecauseofthesprout'sbirth,sokalisthecauseoftheunionwithScienceandoftheawakeningbroughtaboutbyPassionwithaviewtopromotingthefruitioninthesoul."21Inthesoulmadeactivebykal,theprocessofknowledgecannottakeplaceyetowingtothelackofaspecificinstrument.Thelattercannotberepresentedbythesensesorthemind(buddhi),sincetheydonotfigureinallkindsofknowledge;theminditself,thoughhavingaroleofitsowninallformsofeverydaylife,is

notabletocognizeitself.Sinceitfullybelongstothematerialworld,itisnotenabledtobeanythingmorethanamirrorinwhichequallymaterialthingsarereflected.Vidy'Science'isthenecessarylinkbetweentheknowingsubject-exclusivelyrepresentedbytheau -andobjectimages.

Everythingisnowreadyforthesubjecttobeginhavingexperiences,butforafactor,subtlynotedbythe aivascriptures,theabsenceofwhichwouldmaketheentireprocessactuallymotionlessormerelyvirtual:thedesiretohaveexperiences,thelongingforthem.Or,asthe

Mgendra-tantra(vidypda,X.11)putsit,nowthesoulcancognizeobjectsthankstothemanifestationofthepowerofconsciousness,buthedoesnotturntoseizethem;forthisreason,theLordcreatesrga.Rga'attachment,passion,affection,thefactofbeingcolouredbyemotions'isthelastofthethreecuirassesproper.Infact,itisdifficultifnotimpossibletoestablishanabsolutepriorityoforderbetweenrgaandvidy(passionandknowledge),thatis,tosaywhetherhewhoknowsthendesiresorvice-versa,sointimatelydotheyrefertoeachother.AsAbhinavaguptasaysinhisvastcommentaryonthemostimportantphilosophicaltextofaivaTantrism,ThestanzasontherecognitionoftheLord,referringtothekacukasasawhole:"Thesecuirassesminglewitheachother,inthesensethattheysupporteachotherintheirfunctions.Theyarelikethevariousflavoursandingredientsinasweet."22

18Cit.inV.A.Devasenapathi,aiva Siddhnta as expounded in the ivajna-siddhiyr and its commentaries,UniversityofMadras,Madras1960,p.47.Thesimileislikelytocomefrom ivgrayoginscommentaryontheivajna-siddhiyr.19Matagapramevargama, vidypda, IX.28-29.20Matagapramevargama,vidypda,IX.28-29aand31cd-32.21RmakahascommentaryonMatagapramevargama, vidypda, IX.11cdetseq.(p.298).22Abhinavagupta,varapratyabhijvivtivimarin, editedbyMadhusudanKaulShastri,vols.I-III,KSTSLXLXIILXV,Bombay1938-43;vol.III,p.292.

shimla lecture i, 2012 nishkama-karma (‘action without desire’) of the bhagavadgita versus...

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