'One should worship Śiva by becoming Śiva.'
( Spandanirṇaya , II, 6-7)
This realization of one's identity with the object of meditation (namely, Śiva) is an absorption into the unity with Śiva, and this realization of one's identity with the object of meditation is not achieved by mere resolution, but rather it takes place only in the case of a spiritual aspirant with firm will, viz. in the case of a spiritual aspirant who is fully engrossed in the will of becoming one with Śiva, who is thoughtless --he is totally devoid of vikalpa-s-- and the 'I-consciousness' in all. So, this is the meaning of what has been declared before: The realization of one's identity with the object of meditation, i.e. Śiva, comes as a result of a state without thoughts.
To spiritual aspirants, teachers (advanced spiritual aspirants), etc., this realization that everything is identical with oneself (i.e. that oneself is one with the entire universe) is the cause of the attainment of the desired object. In other words, it is the cause of their getting Śivavyāpti (inherence in Śiva) directly leading to Liberation. Obviously, in this context 'the desired object' is not supernatural powers, residing in some higher world and so on, but the divine state of Śiva.
The desired object is the state of Śiva, as explained before, and this state of Śiva is achieved, according to this mysterious instruction, by becoming Śiva. By arduously remembering in the mind that everything is Śiva, that there is no state which is not Śiva, he (the Yogī) finally becomes Śiva, i.e. he realizes his identity/unity with Him.
Even if the deity of your mantra is the terrifying five-faced Śiva, when you attain this realization of identity with the object of meditation (of identity with the state of Śiva), you just enter into a condition where you perceive your unity with Śiva. You do not see any deity there. He just emerges as a mass of Consciousness and Bliss and you confirm that He is effectively You (the real You). When that happens, since He is one with the entire universe, you become one with the universe too. This is Śivavyāpti leading to Liberation.
You cannot attain this state of Śiva by merely resolving 'all of a sudden' in your mind that you will attain it. Why? Because it is beyond vikalpa-s or thoughts. Instead, it is the fruit of your firm will that persists in the direction of such an achievement. Every day you remember this goal, and you persist every day in your request about becoming one with the Lord who is thoughtless (He is beyond the realm of vikalpa-s) and I-consciousness in all (He is the Aham or 'I' in all the beings). This firm will is not merely mental resolution but something deeper and stronger.
Śāmbhavopāya, the means to Liberation.
According to Trika Shaivism, Śāmbhavopāya is the final means to the attainment of Liberation (the acquisition of the state of Śiva). In Śāmbhavopāya there is full thoughtlessness, i.e. the yogī just patiently waits for Śiva's decision. It is the only thing that he can do (to remain without thoughts and await) because his Liberation is not in his hands, viz. Liberation is the attainment of universality (like Śiva Himself). If someone will achieve this or not, or when, or where, etc., it is not decision of any 'individual'. Why? Because individual is considered to be incapacitated to do so as the last impurity situated between the tattva-s 5 and 6 cannot be crossed over by means of effort. This is a law and I have explained how it works in different parts of my website and also on the blog.
As long as you resort to dualism (e.g. I am here but not there, I exist now but not later, I am not liberated now but in the future I will be, etc.), you are doomed to die. But when you go in the direction of Non-Dualism, that is, in the direction of the acquisition of full unity with Śiva, then you become immortal. This immortality is obtained then by attaining the state of Absolute Freedom in which Śiva dwells.
Any other kind of nectar you can enjoy (e.g. the nectar descending from Nādabindu through Lalanācakra down to the tongue, as taught in the Hathayogapradīpikā) will not give you immortality, i.e. death will defeat you in the end. This is specified by the quote of Svacchandatantra, that is, that an ordinary nectar is not competent to make you triumph over death. Only the Nectar of Immortality, also called the state of the Great Śiva, can.
Therefore, as a conclusion of all the previous teachings, the core of the method to get the real Nectar of Immortality is 'Śivadṛṣṭi', i.e., the constant perception/remembrance that all is Śiva, the Great Lord.
By this method, all signs or marks of death are completely removed forever. Inferior nectars together with the methods to get them —e.g. that one where you use your tongue to stimulate the descent of nectar from Nāda-Bindu—, which are well-known by yogī-s, should be totally shunned, as by their help death anyway will overpower you at the end. This is the meaning.
This is the main mark of the Yogī: 'He considers everything to have the state of Śiva.'
That same truth has been declared in the venerable Vijñānabhairava:
'Wherever the mind goes, whether toward the exterior or toward the interior, oh beloved One, the State of Śiva is right there, since It is all-pervading. Oh mind, where will you go then?' ||
Similarly in the same scripture:
'One should consider, with a mind free from thoughts, his entire body or the world simultaneously as composed of Consciousness; if he does so, there will be emergence of the Supreme Reality to him' ||
So, the goal in Trika Shaivism is always 'Śivavyāpti' (lit. inherence in Śiva) or full realization of the non-duality of the Supreme Śiva. In other words: Realization that the entire universe is Him and Him alone.
According to Trika Shaivism, only Śivavyāpti is a bestower of real Liberation.
When the disciple attains Ātmavyāpti (inherence in the Self), he does so by means of the favor of his own inner Self (Ātmā). His spiritual preceptor then should lead the disciple for him to reach Śivavyāpti (inherence in Śiva). In a nutshell, his Guru has to take the disciple to the State where he finally realizes that not only his inner Self is Śiva but also the entire universe. This perception of unity between the individual Self and the universal Self is called Śivavyāpti. This is Liberation!
Nevertheless, many systems such as Pāśupata, Lākula, etc. postulate that the state of Ātmavyāpti is real Liberation. Why? Because their founders failed to renounce duality regarding their essential nature (Paramaśiva). In other words, they could not realize, due to the powerful Āṇavamala (primordial impurity forcing the Lord to feel 'not Full', 'imperfect'), that they were also one with the universe. Instead, they kept the duality between Aham and Idam, between 'I' and the 'universe' and this act of theirs threw them down into a limited state known as 'the state of Vijñānakevala/Vijñānākala', in which they feel they are Śiva but they lack Absolute Freedom. They only experience themselves as Consciousness but they have no Power. It is a rather static state and a kind of prison too (a golden cage) as they remain there satisfied with only that. And because the goal of all those followers of inferior paths is the state of Śiva with no Absolute Freedom, they never mention the Absolute Freedom of the Supreme Lord in their studies.
In Trika Shaivism it has already been proved at length that the doctrine of the multiple selves is false as all the selves or beings are one with the infinite attributes of omnipresence, eternity, formlessness, consciousness, creatorship, etc. belonging to the Supreme Śiva. So, the notion of the state of Śiva being divided into multiple beings is just the result of an improper reasoning. The followers of these wrong systems speak about 'another Self separated from Paramaśiva', and consequently they cannot grasp the state of Paramaśiva as pervading all everywhere. But if through the Grace of this very Lord, they have access to Trika Shaivism's teachings, and again by the Grace of the very Lord, they decide to follow these holy teachings, then they can finally realize the real state of Paramaśiva. This is Śivavyāpti, this is true Liberation!
'All the worshipers of the Self reach, by means of Trika Shaivism (by means of the knowledge declared in the non-dualistic philosophy of the Supreme Lord, Paramaśiva) the Supreme Śiva.'
In this initiation of the disciple who has attained Ātmavyāpti to attain Śivavyāpti, real Liberation takes place. This is the culmination of all spiritual efforts made, many times, for a very long time. It is marked by the attainment of Jagadānanda (the Bliss of realizing that 'Jagat', the universe, is none other than Paramaśiva). In Ātmavyāpti, the disciple experienced only Cidānanda (the Bliss of realizing the inner Self who is internal Consciousness). All in all, after receiving this supreme initiation, the Yogī attains real Liberation.
Knowledge about the Heart or Core of all is knowledge about the all-pervading, all-inclusive nature of the Supreme Reality (Paramaśiva).
When the Guru explains to the disciple that just as the gigantic banyan tree resides in a small seed, so also the entire universe resides in Paramaśiva, this is the highest type of initiation, as it enables the disciple to realize the Totality.
Before, in ignorance, the universe was perceived as a separate reality different from the individual, but now, after being initiated in this way, the disciple realizes that, as a matter of fact, all is Paramaśiva (inside and outside), and that he himself is Paramaśiva too.
There is no way to put this experience into precise words due to the limitation inherent in the words themselves. This is, of course, the attainment of real Liberation according to Trika Shaivism.
