Kamakalavilasa is an important tantric text by Punyananda
(also called Advaitananda) of Kashmir, teacher of Amritananda Natha. This work
is referred to as Tripura Sundari Stotram in many manuscripts. Kamakalavilasa
work deals with the principles of cosmogonic symbolism, represented
geometrically in Sri Chakra.
The date and place of the author remain uncertain.
The author is quoted by Bhaskaracharya, possibly of the 18th
century AD.
Kamakalavilasa follows the Hadi interpretation of Sri Vidya.
The work comprises fifty five verses in the arya meter.
According to the Shaiva Sakta preceptors of Yoga, nothing is
lost in this world and everything is in the form of ‘I-in-fullness”, and to realize this purnatva (state of
fullness) one should know the mystery of kamakala, otherwise called
kamakalavilasa.
Kamakalavilasa means the evolution of kamakala. That is the
Supreme Triangle formed of the bindu and visarga, of prakasha (illumination,
experience of I ness) and Vimarsha (experience of This which indicates the prapancha,
i.e, the universe) of Shiva and Shakti.
It is the first display of activity in the Brahman
substance.
After pralaya (deluge) all the thirty six tattvas rest in
Lalita or Tripura Sundari, the Supreme Shakti aspect of Brahman.
Then there arise kama (a desire) for creation.
A description of the unfolding of kamakala is the subject
matter of this work.
The very first verse of this work mentions God, ever-engaged
in the process of creation, maintenance, and dissolution as mere prakasha,
merged in whom is Vimarsha.
In the next verse, Tripura has been described as the
primordial power, excellent, eternal and limitless bliss and the seed of all the
moving and motionless things, which act as a perfect mirror of Shiva for the experience
of his one Self.
Tripura Sundari is compare to the seed and sprout at the
same time, since she is the manifested union of Shiva and Shakti.
Then kamakala is described in the form of all the letters.
The word aham comprises a and ha (the first and the last
letter respectively and signifies the union of Shiva and Shakti, which holds in
itself the whole universe.
Shiva and Shakti are represented as two white and red
bindus, respectively, expanding and contracting, the cause of the creation of
word and meaning.
The two bindus enter each other and separate.
Creation of the five elements (bhutas), origin of the world from
bindu before creation, the indistinguishable and inseparable character of the
two bindus as well as vidya and vedya are described in minute detail.
Next comes discussion on the composition of Sri Chakra out
of nine triangles, the nature of para, pasyanti, etc and their geometrical representations.
Kamakalavilasa is accepted as an authority in the field and
is held in high esteem. It is quoted by Bhaskaracharya in this Varivasya Rahasya
and Saubhagya Bhaskara and also by others.
There are commentaries on this work by Krishnananda,
Natananda and Nilakantha.
Source:
- Kamakalavilasa: With the commentary of Natananandanatha (1953) – Punyanandanatha – published by Ganesh and Co Ltd Chennai.
- Encyclopedia of Hinduism Volume V page 422 – 423 IHRF