According to Kashmiri Shaivism, there are four types of Upayas or remedies which shake off the five veils of Kanchukas and wipe out the impurities embedded on the mirror of the perception of an individual , blocking his vision to see his true form and achieve liberation from the bondages.
Different type of Upayas
1. Anupaya or the Non method or no means
2.Shambhavopaya or the method of Shamboo or Shiva
3.Shaktopaya or the method of Shakti
4. Anavopaya or the Individual method.
The order of the upayas is based on the levels of spiritual maturity and capacity of the practitioner. But let us take them in ascending order for the sake of convenience.
Anavopaya, as the name a suggests , refers to Anu , the atomised limited Individual and is associated with efforts at the bodily level. These include bodily postures , breathing exercises, ritual worship , utterances of mantra and even elementary meditation .
This is also called kriya yoga . It helps us to accelerate our capacity for taking up more advanced inner practices to purify ourselves to make us capable for receiving the spiritual illumination.
Shaktopaya is associated with mental activity in which the focus is on clearing the mind of thought constructs that block it and tend to obscure the view of the unity of ones true self with reality. The basic thrust in Shaktopaya is on developing some pure and positive idea and concentrating on it to drive away impure concepts . The positive or pure thought could be like " I am omnipotent and omniscient Shiva." The Shaktopaya is also called way of Knowledge or rather correct reasoning to remove true nature of the ignorance of self.
Shambavopaya
This upaya does not need the observance of any external form of yogic practice but only visualisation of one's identity with Shiva without the interference of any thought constructs. Not by exertion but by mere exercise of his will , the yogi who practices Shambavopaya is carried to the supreme level of consciousness by a powerful and direct awareness. Through it the yogi comes to realise that shiva's thought free state of pure consciousness is his basic state. This realisation does not come in gradual stages but in a sudden flash of I- Consciousness of Shiva, towards whom he is drawn by an irresistible mystical pull. The awareness of identity is awakened in him due to Shiva's grace.
Anupaya occupies the top place in the hierarchy of the means to achieve liberation or realisation. Literally the term means no- means or no- technique and at this level actually no personal effort is required. Actually it is liberation itself, a state of enlightenment which comes spontaneously with out any effort or meditation . At this stage nothing has to be done or achieved , no effort is needed as the goal and means are one.
All these four categories of means ultimately lead to the same goal, which is realisation of one's true nature and mystical immersion in Shiva Consciousness. All the means are interrelated in a manner that they can be regarded as continuation or extension of one another. Each has been devised to suit the spiritual capacity of the aspirant.
The four types of Upayas mentioned above however, can not ensure our liberation from bondage. It may sound like a paradox , but Kashmiri Shaivism does not believe that self effort alone is enough for us to achieve spiritual goals.
Shaktipata
It is ANUGRAHA , the decent of divine grace or SHAKHTIPAT which is decisive factor. It is Shiva's grace alone that can help us to shake off the five coverings of Kanchukas that hide our real Shiva nature.
This divine grace comes mysteriously depending entirely on Shiva's will and automatically destroys all the malas. As it comes freely there can be no compulsion in the flow of grace from Shiva , who can shower it on anyone he chooses irrespective of his efforts in the field spiritual practice.
If Shaktipata happens with out any cause but that does not mean it comes with out any regard for worthiness . A person who receives grace can never be undeserving , but that is for Shiva to determine .
Who is Shiva whose grace is needed
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