Pratyabhijnahridayam

The Pratyabhijnahridayam (“The Heart of Recognition”) is a seminal 11th-century text of Kashmir Shaivism, written by Kshemaraja, a disciple of Abhinavagupta. It provides a concise summary (20 sutras) of the Pratyabhijna philosophy, emphasizing the recognition of one’s own identity with the Supreme Self (Shiva).

The 20 Sutras

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 1

Sanskrit

चितिः स्वतन्त्रा विश्वसिद्धिहेतुः॥

Transliteration

Citiḥ svatantrā viśvasiddhihetuḥ

Translation

The independent consciousness is the cause of all accomplishment in the universe.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 2

Sanskrit

स्वेच्छया स्वभित्तौ विश्वमुन्मीलयति॥

Transliteration

Svecchayā svabhittau viśvamunmīlayati

Translation

The universe unfolds through her own free will on her own ‘canvas’.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 3

Sanskrit

तन्नानानुरूपग्राह्यग्राहकभेदात्॥

Transliteration

Tannānānurūpagrāhyagrāhakabhedāt

Translation

That (the universe) is multiform because of the distinctions of the perceiver and the perceived.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 4

Sanskrit

चितिसङ्कोचात्मा चेतनोऽपि सङ्कुचितविश्वमयः॥

Transliteration

Citisaṅkocātmā cetano’pi saṅkucitaviśvamayaḥ

Translation

The self, which is a contraction of the universe, is also a contraction of the universal consciousness.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 5

Sanskrit

चितिरेव चेतनपदावरूढा चेत्यसङ्कोचिनी चित्तम्॥

Transliteration

Citireva cetanapadādavarūḍhā cetyasaṅkocinī cittam

Translation

It is that contracted universal consciousness which becomes the mind, as it descends on the consciousness ladder.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 6

Sanskrit

तन्मयो मायाप्रमाता॥

Transliteration

Tanmayo māyāpramātā

Translation

That mind is the perceiver of Maya.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 7

Sanskrit

स चैको द्विरूपस्त्रिमयश्चतुरात्मा सप्तपञ्चकस्वभावः॥

Transliteration

Sa caiko dvirūpastrimayaścaturātmā saptapañcakasvabhāvaḥ

Translation

It (the mind) is one, then two-fold, then three-fold, then fourfold, and seven times five in its nature.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 8

Sanskrit

तद्भूमिकाः सर्वदर्शनस्थितयः॥

Transliteration

Tadbhūmikāḥ sarvadarśanasthitayaḥ

Translation

That forms the stages for all philosophical views.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 9

Sanskrit

चिद्वत्तच्छक्तिसङ्कोचान्मलावृतः संसारी॥

Transliteration

Cidvattacchaktisaṅkocānmalāvṛtaḥ saṁsārī

Translation

Due to its contracted power, like that of the consciousness, covered by impurities, becomes a samsarin.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 10

Sanskrit

तथापि तद्वत्पञ्चकृत्यानि करोति॥

Transliteration

Tathāpi tadvatpañcakṛtyāni karoti

Translation

Even then it performs the five functions.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 11

Sanskrit

आभासनरक्तिविमर्शनबीजावस्थापनविलापनतस्तानि॥

Transliteration

Ābhāsanaraktivimarśanabījāvasthāpanavilāpanatastāni

Translation

They are manifestation (shining forth), enjoyment, self-reflection, reproduction (putting down the seed), and dissolution.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 12

Sanskrit

तदपरिज्ञाने स्वशक्तिभिर्व्यामोहितता संसारित्वम्॥

Transliteration

Tadaparijñāne svaśaktibhirvyāmohitatā saṁsāritvam

Translation

Lacking this understanding, bewilderement of one’s own power, is the state of samsara.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 13

Sanskrit

तत्परिज्ञाने चित्तमेवान्तर्मुखीभावेन चेतनापदाध्यारोहाच्चितिः॥

Transliteration

Tatparijñāne cittamevāntarmukhībhāvena cetanāpadādhyārohāccitiḥ

Translation

Knowing this, the mind, turning towards its own face, ascending the ladder of consciousness, becomes pure consciousness.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 14

Sanskrit

चितिवह्निरवरोहपदे छन्नोऽपि मात्रया मेयेन्धनं प्लुष्यति॥

Transliteration

Citivahniravarohapade channo’pi mātrayā meyendhanaṁ pluṣyati

Translation

The fire of consciousness, although obscured in its descent, partly consumes the fuel of knowables.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 15

Sanskrit

बललाभे विश्वमात्मसात्करोति॥

Transliteration

Balalābhe viśvamātmasātkaroti

Translation

Gaining strength, it makes the universe like itself.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 16

Sanskrit

चिदानन्दलाभे देहादिषु चेत्यमानेष्वपि चिदैकात्म्यप्रतिपत्तिदार्ढ्यं जीवन्मुक्तिः॥

Transliteration

Cidānandalābhe dehādiṣu cetyamāneṣvapi cidaikātmyapratipattidārḍhyaṁ jīvanmuktiḥ

Translation

Gaining the bliss of pure consciousness, even while perceiving the body etc., by firmness of the awareness of unity of the self and the consciousness, the self becomes free.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 17

Sanskrit

मध्यविकासाच्चिदानन्दलाभः॥

Transliteration

Madhyavikāsāccidānandalābhaḥ

Translation

By the development of the middle, there is gain of the bliss of pure consciousness.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 18

Sanskrit

विकल्पक्षयशक्तिसङ्कोचविकासवाहच्छेदद्यन्तकोटिनिभालनादय इहोपायाः॥

Transliteration

Vikalpakṣayaśaktisaṅkocavikāsavāhacchedadyantakoṭinibhālanādaya ihopāyāḥ

Translation

Here are the techniques - dissipation of thoughts, contraction and expansion of power, cessation of the flow, focussing on the beginning and the end points.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 19

Sanskrit

समाधिसंस्कारवति व्युत्थाने भूयो भूयश्चिदैक्यामर्शान्नित्योदितसमाधिलाभः॥

Transliteration

Samādhisaṁskāravati vyutthāne bhūyo bhūyaścidaikyāmarśānnityoditasamādhilābhaḥ

Translation

After coming out of habitual samadhi, by reflecting on the unity of consciousness again and again, one gains samadhi that arises continuously.

Pratyabhijnahridayam Sutra 20

Sanskrit

तदा प्रकाशानन्दसारमहामन्त्रवीर्यात्मकपूर्णाहन्तावेशात्सदा सर्वसर्गसंहारकारिनिजसंविद्देवताचक्रेश्वरताप्राप्तिर्भवतीति शिवम्॥

Transliteration

Tadā prakāśānandasāramahāmantravīryātmakapūrṇāhantāveśātsadā sarvasargasaṁhārakārinijasaṁviddevatācakreśvaratāprāptirbhavatīti śivam

Translation

Then, by the invocation of the completed I-ness, which shines fully with bliss and the virility of mantra, one attains the state of ishwara, the creator and destroyer of all, the true knower of the chakra of goddesses. This is Shiva.