Sunil Raina Rajanaka
Sages and scholars of Kashmir developed an indigenous school of metaphysics and established school of Non Dualistic thought in Kashmir with the name of Trika which is also known as Kashmir Shaivism or Path of Grace. Trika or Triad also means three fold rather a combination of Shiva, Shakti and Nara. In Trika it is believed that world has three energies para (supreme), apara (lowest), and parapara (combination of the lowest and the highest). These energies represent the threefold activities of the world including worldly, physical and spiritual. The masters simplified this school to such an extent that it percolated in whole of Kashmir, enveloped the society which adopted it and which subsequently led to its spread wide and far. The Trika essentially emphasizes how Jiva – the Limited being can regain its primordial nature and gets to become Shiva – The Universal being. Because Shivahood nature is the only principal nature of the individual Jiva therefore to regain its pure state is always prevalent. Trika philosophy explains how the quest for the true nature can be achieved through Shakti thus enabling Jiva to again become the Shiva. Since Shiva is the transcendent principle hence the earnest quest in individuals arises to revert to its principal nature. This disclosure to seeker for salvation and to reach their esoteric goal of moksha in terms of realizing his unity with supreme consciousness is possible through Shakti in the upward trend and is thoroughly laid out in Trika of Kashmiri Shaivism. Therefore the sages emphasized these aspects in the Shiva nature of Bhairava, perceiving the ultimate reality in the esoteric worship of “Amriteshwar Bhairava” who is also known as Netranatha a concept unique to Kashmir. Translating in Sanskrit terms we can come very near to imaging the deity as;
*The Bhairava of the Elixir of Life (Amritestwar Bhairava)
*The Lord of the Eye (Netra Natha)
Here is a divine dialogue extended between Shiva and his consort Parvati that unfolds the aptness of the name Amriteshwara / Netranatha.
Devi asks Shiva
Lord your eyes loaded with tears of compassion are so beautiful. Please tell me how these eyes are capable of such a flare that it can reduce Death itself to ashes.
Says Shiva
O my beloved! Be in a state of Yoga and then you will understand the secret of the flare in my eyes. My eyes are brimming with amrita – the elixir of life.
The light emanating from my eyes pervades everything. The vision faces every direction and is resident in all states of waking, dreaming, sleeping and deep sleep. My eyes and their light can only be known through the practice of yoga. The light of my eyes is the radiance which shines the world with brilliance. Rather my light infuses matter with life.
The whole universe is pervaded by the Shakti’s of
*Iccha (Will)
*Jnana (Knowledge)
*Kriya (Action)
These three together are in fact the eyes of Lord Shiva rather the source of immortality which forces the world for further healing and nurture.
These three fold eyes of Lord Shiva embody radiant vitality. Hence those who know the real self of Shiva’s nature also call him “Mrityunjaya” – the conqueror of Death.
As per Trika school one who meditates on the light emanating from eyes of Shiva is freed from ignorance and is lifted to cosmic consciousness. Thus is the nature of Shiva as Amriteshwar Bhairava which is explained in Netra Tantra.
Overlaying the mystic significance of “Defeat of Death” with symbolism of the eyes, the Trika Masters associated Bhairava with these attributes and thus conceptualized Amriteshwar Bhairava / Netra Natha with Amrita – standing for elixir of Life/Immortality/Defeat of Death and Netra standing for eyes and the meaning thereof.
Amriteshwara as Deity is envisioned as:
*One faced
*Three Eyed
*Wide Eyed
*Brilliant White
*Four Armed
*Seated on Lotus
*Holding Amrit Kalash (the pitcher of ambrosia)
*Holds full moon
*Displaying Varda Mudra (the boon conferring gesture)
*Displaying Abhaya Mudra (the protection gesture)
*Wearing snakes as amulets, anklets and wristlets
Trika Master Khemraja who lived around 11th CE in Kashmir further explains that worshipper should visualize the Lord in his essential nature and should contemplate himself (the worshipper) as white, transparent, full with blissful joy and radiance of consciousness.
The sovereignty of joyous light manifest the universe on the screen of his own identity and fills it with bliss.
Amriteshwar Bhairava’s one face signifies that he alone is autonomous free willed for creation, sustenance, destruction, retraction and revelation of the universe. This aspect signifies his Swantantra Shakti.
He is three eyed as he has the Shakti of Iccha (will), Jnana (knowledge), Kriya (action). Through these power of autonomy he displays and pervades the world.
He is wide eyed because he manifests the universe which also signify His alertness and omni presence.
He displays posture of generosity and protection to show that he bestows the power of siddhis, supernatural attributes and protects and nurtures all sentient and insentient beings who take refuge in him.
He holds the jar of amrita to symbolize that he bestows immortality, the elixir of life and is Mrityunanjaya, the Conqueror of Death and eliminates all dangers.
He reveals the nature of the Self in cognition and action.
As no Bhairava is complete without his consort who is Shakti so is Amriteshwar Bhairava whose Shakti is Amritalakshmi.
The path of realization of Amriteshwar Bhairava goes through Amritalakshmi.
The stotra of Amriteshwar Bhairava in the Netra tantra which is the detailed manual for performing the worship and rituals of the Lord as Amriteshwar is as follows;
Om Jhumsa Amriteshwar Bhairavay Namah.
This esoteric form is worshipped in Kashmir since time immemorial and more so on Shivratri as this is the time when blissful aspect of Lord Amriteshwara Bhairava percolates the heart of the devotees and removes the veil of innate and intellectual ignorance, sets atma free from the perdition of bondage, bestows the divine grace in the form of elixir which is the Consciousness among the seekers for all times to come.
The temple dedicated to Lord Amriteshwara Bhairava is situated within Ishwar Ashram premises at Ishber, Nishat in Srinagar. Swami Lakshmanjoo was the ardent devotee of Lord. Therefore, let us pray to Amriteshwar Bhairava on this Shivratri to help us in removing the bondages of illusion and push us to seek the absolute so as to realise our true self.
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