Chapter 17 of 23 · Kailasa Samhita · Overall chapter 382 of 464
Original Creation
Through a rapid back-and-forth of Vamadeva's pointed objections and Skanda's clarifications, the chapter works out how Purusha relates to Prakriti and Niyati, the detailed unfolding of ahamkara into the senses and elements, and culminates in the provocative, unqualified declaration that anyone who truly realises 'I am Sadashiva' thereby becomes a guru equal to Shiva himself.
Vamadeva said
You said Purusha is placed below Niyati and above Prakriti. That is what you said earlier but now you say the opposite. Lord, how is Niyati placed below, and how does its form shrink through maya? On this I have a doubt about the truth, and you should dispel it.
Subrahmanya replied
This is the belief in Shiva as non-dual, which tolerates no notion of duality. Brahmana, duality is destroyed, but Ishvara is supreme and non-dual, omniscient and doer of everything, Sarveshvara Shiva, without gunas, father of the three divinities, whose form is the being-consciousness-bliss brahman, the divinity Shankara. By his own will and maya he shrinks his form and Purusha results; he is conceived as the enjoyer of the five kalas. The Purusha in Prakriti enjoys the gunas born of Prakriti. These two locations of Purusha are not inconsistent: his own form is the aggregate and his own shrunk form is the individual, knowledge and the others. Consciousness results from mind, intellect and ego, which come from sattva and the other gunas, and Prakriti is the cause of those gunas. Differences among sattva and the others result from Prakriti. Intellect, which determines the nature of objects, arises from the gunas, and the great ego results from them, and so do intellect and the senses. The mind is born too, with two parts, the certain and the uncertain. The organs of perception are ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose, used to grasp sound, touch, form, taste and smell. In order, these subtle elements and the ears and other organs of perception are born from the vaikarika ego. Sages who see the truth call these subtle. Know the organs of action with their tasks, brahmana rishi: the organ of speech, hands, feet, anus and genital organs, whose tasks are speaking, receiving, going, releasing and giving pleasure. In order, the subtle elements that arise from the bhutadi ego have their subtle forms in sound and the other things. From these, in order, space, wind, fire, water and earth arose, tiger among sages, known as the five elements, with the functions of giving room, bearing, purifying, agitating and supporting.
Vamadeva said
Skanda, you spoke earlier of the creation of the elements, but now you speak of kalas, which seems different.
Skanda answered
A indicates the nature of the self, U the nature of knowledge and M Shiva's nature. Vamadeva, think on this. Bindu and nada should be known to represent the essence of everything. Sage, hear now of the associated divinities: Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshvara and Sadashiva are forms of Shiva himself, as is well known from the shruti.
Vamadeva said
You told me this before and seem now to say something different about the origin of the subtle elements. I have a great doubt, Skanda; show me compassion and cut it.
Suta continued
Hearing the sage, Kumara answered.
Shri Subrahmanya answered
Sage, that is why I began to speak of the origin of the elements. Listen attentively, wise one: it is certain that the five elements arose from the kalas. The body of the lord of elements takes the form of the gross world display. In order they start with Shiva's tattva and end with earth's tattva, and it should be said they emerge in order from the subtle elements. As causes of the elements, the subtle elements and the kalas are identical. Supreme knower of brahman, know there is no inconsistency between the two. The universe has gross and subtle parts. The moon, sun, planets, stars and other luminaries that arose, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha and the other gods, Indra and the guardians of the worlds, ancestors, asuras, rakshasas, beings, humans, other mobile things, animals, birds, worms, species of serpents, trees, creepers, plants, the eight famous mountains, the seven rivers, Ganga and the others, the great oceans and everything born are established in it. Supreme sage, if you think, there is nothing outside it. The learned know it has the forms of Shiva and Shakti, masculine and feminine, and those like you who know Shiva should know it so. Sage, "everything is established in brahman, everything is established in Rudra," say the shruti texts. So Sadashiva is the self of the world display. Because of his thirty-eight kalas the perception of duality also spreads. But anyone who thinks "I am Sadashiva" becomes like the guru Shiva, and such a disciple becomes the guru Shiva himself, and doubtless gains the yantra, mantra and self of the divinity of the world display. Brahmana, as a teacher he cuts all bonds. Even a child, as long as he is devoted to Shiva's feet, certainly gains a guru's traits. Every object that exists, collectively or individually, with an excess of one or another guna, is said to indicate the world display's meaning. Shiva, the essence of the Vedas, is in the ten directions, free of faults like attachment. Out of affection I have told you of non-dual knowledge, which Shiva loves. If any insolent, proud god, human, siddha, gandharva or evil-souled person holds a contrary view, I will certainly cut off his head with my spear, which is like the fire of destruction to enemies. Sage, you yourself are supreme among those with non-dual knowledge of Shiva. You teach knowledge of Shiva and point the path to devotion to Shiva. The sins of any impure being are destroyed on contact with the ash on your body. By your compassion even a great pishacha will gain the destination of the virtuous. You are famous in the three worlds as a yogi devoted to Shiva, and by your glance or touch even an animal becomes Pashupati. I look on you affectionately as one who will teach the worlds, for the virtuous roam to do good to the worlds. This supreme secret is established in you. You are full of love and devotion to Pranava. May all these rest in you and unite you with Parameshvara. They will make people accept the conduct of Shiva's devotees and wear ash and rudraksha. You follow Shiva's conduct and are Shiva. You know the non-dual view. You will wander to protect the world and gain lasting happiness.
Suta concluded
Hearing these wonderful words of Vedanta from the six-faced one, the rishi was an image of humility. He lay on the ground like a rod many times, behaving like a bee around a lotus.
Retold in our own words from Bibek Debroy's English translation of the Shiva Purana (Penguin Classics). Names, numbers and the order of events follow the source.