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Anubhava Sutra

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Anubhava Sutra is an authoritative treatise on Shakti Visishtadvaita (monism qualified by Shakti). Anubhava Sutra (1430 CE) was written by Kalyananda Mayideva. He was honored by the Vijayanagar King, Proudadevaraya II (1419-46 CE) for his superb and lucid exposition of Shatsthala philosophy.

Apart from Anubhava Sutra, Mayideva has to his credit Vishssartha Prakasika, Satakatrayam – Bhakti, Jnana and Vairagya – and Prabhugita, all in Sanskrit.

Anubhava Sutra contins the following chapters –

  1. Purva Paramparyakramah
  2. Sthala Nirdesah
  3. Lingasthalanirupanam
  4. Angasthalanirupanam
  5. Lingangasamyoga Vidhi
  6. Sarvangalinga Sahityam
  7. Lingarpana Sabdhavam
  8. Kriyavisranti

Sivatattva or sthala doctrine, according to the author, is two-fold, owing to the agitation of Shakti in itself, as lingasthala (upasya) and angasthala (upasaka). The nature of lingasthala with its main and sub-sthalas is dealt within detail. The three-fold lingasthalas are bhavalinga, pranalinga and ishtalinga. Each of these three-fold main lingas is further differentiated into two sub-sthalas. Bhavalinga becomes mahalinga or mahatmalinga and prasadalinga; pranalinga becomes caralinga and Shivalinga; ishtalinga becomes gurulinga and acharalinga.

The three angasthalas with their sub-sthalas are – yoganga with aikya and saranasthalas, bhoganga with pranalinga and prasadisthalas, and tyaganga with Maheshwara and bhaktasthalas as subthalas. The first three sthalas are of the nature of knowledge and the other three are in the form of action or kriya. The devotional experience of intimate relationship of both kriyanga of ishtalinga and jnananga of antarlinga (inward linga) is a continuous process of the self in its attempt to unite with the one of Aikyasthala.

The six modifications of both linga and anga sthalas with their corresponding six-fold Shakti and the nature of the manifold experience indicate the ‘unity in diversity’. Shivabhakti, which is the supreme bestower of jivanamukti (the living liberation), is regarded as Pancama Purusharta (the fifth object of man’s desire).