Shaktipata

{{Short description|Transmission of spiritual energy}} {{italic title}} {{Hinduism}} '''Shaktipata''' ({{Langx|sa|शक्तिपात|translit=śaktipāta}})<ref>{{Cite book |last=Maharaj |first=Ayon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D0bnDwAAQBAJ&dq=%C5%9Baktip%C4%81ta&pg=PT311 |title=The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Vedanta |date=2020-05-28 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=978-1-350-06325-9 |pages=311 |language=en}}</ref> or '''Shaktipat''' in Hinduism is the '''transmission''' (or conferring) of spiritual energy upon one person by another or directly from the deity. ''Shaktipata'' can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra, or by a look, thought or touch – the last usually to the ajna chakra or agya chakra or third eye of the recipient.

''Shaktipata'' is considered an act of grace (''Anugraha'') on the part of the guru or the divine. It cannot be imposed by force, nor can a receiver make it happen.<ref>Abhinavagupta, The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, John R. Dupuche, page 154</ref> The very consciousness of the god or guru is held to enter into the Self of the disciple, constituting an initiation into the school or the spiritual family (kula) of the guru.<ref>Abhinavagupta: The Kula Ritual, as Elaborated in Chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka, John R. Dupuche, Page 131</ref> It is held that ''shaktipata'' can be transmitted in person or at a distance, through an object such as a flower or fruit.<ref>Satyananda Saraswati, ''Kundalini Tantra'', Yoga Publications Trust (1984), p. 46.</ref>

==Etymology== The term shaktipata is derived from Sanskrit, from ''shakti'' "(psychic) energy" and ''pāta'', "to fall".<ref name="Abhinavagupta, The Kula Ritual page 155">''Abhinavagupta : the Kula ritual, as elaborated in chapter 29 of the Tantrāloka'', John R. Dupuche, 2003, page 155</ref>

==Levels of intensity==

===Levels=== In Kashmir Shaivism, depending on its intensity, ''shaktipata'' can be classified as:  * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|tīvra-tīvra-śaktipāta}}'' - the so-called "Super Supreme Grace" - produces immediate identity with ''Shiva'' and liberation; such a being goes on to become a siddha master and bestows grace from his abode (''Siddhaloka''), directly into the heart of deserving aspirants<ref name="Kashmir Shaivism Page 66">Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 66</ref> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|tīvra-madhya-śaktipāta}}'' - "Supreme Medium Grace" - such a being becomes spiritually illuminated and liberated on his own, relying directly on ''Shiva'', not needing initiation or instruction from other exterior guru. This is facilitated by an intense awakening of his spiritual intuition (''pratibhā'') which immediately eliminates ignorance<ref name="Kashmir Shaivism Page 66"/> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|tīvra-manda-śaktipāta}}'' - "Supreme Inferior Grace" - the person who received this grace strongly desires to find an appropriate guru, but he does not need instruction, but a simple touch, a look or simply being in the presence of his master is enough to trigger in him to the state of illumination<ref name="Kashmir Shaivism Page 66"/> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|madhya-tīvra-śaktipāta}}'' - "Medium Supreme Grace" - a disciple who receives this grace desires to have the instruction and initiation of a perfect guru; in time he becomes enlightened. However, he is not totally absorbed into this state during his lifetime and receives a permanent state of fusion with ''Shiva'' after the end of his life<ref>Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 67</ref> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|madhya-madhya-śaktipāta}}'' - "Medium Middle Grace" - such a disciple will receive initiation from his guru and have an intense desire to attain liberation, but at the same time he still has desire for various enjoyments and pleasure; after the end of his life, he continues to a paradise where he fulfills all his desires and after that he receives again initiation from his master and realizes permanent union with ''Shiva''<ref name="Kashmir Shaivism Page 68">Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Joo, Page 68</ref> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|madhya-manda-śaktipāta}}'' - "Medium Inferior Grace" - is similar to "Medium Middle Grace" except that in this case the aspirant desires worldly pleasures more than union with ''Shiva''; he needs to be reincarnated again as a spiritual seeker to attain liberation<ref name="Kashmir Shaivism Page 68"/> * ''{{lang|sa-Latn|manda}}'' - "Inferior Grace" - for those who receive this level of grace, the aspiration to be united with ''Shiva'' is present only in times of distress and suffering; the grace of ''Shiva'' needs to work in them for many lifetimes before spiritual liberation occurs<ref>Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Lakshman Jee, Page 69</ref>

===Table=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" ! style="width:25%; font-weight:normal" | Type of spiritual grace ! style="width:25%; font-weight:normal" | When is the moment of liberation? ! style="width:25%; font-weight:normal" | What one needs in order to attain liberation? ! style="width:25%; font-weight:normal" | What is the defining quality of the recipient? |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''tīvra-tīvra-śaktipāta'' Super Supreme Grace | immediate | nothing exterior, only the grace of ''Shiva'' | capability to abandon duality |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''tīvra-madhya-śaktipāta'' Supreme Medium Grace | immediate | nothing exterior, only the grace of ''Shiva'' | intuition of nonduality{{refn|group=note|Abhinavagupta distinguishes here between two sublevels: * those whose intuition (''pratibhā'') is firm * those whose intuition is hesitant, who need more practice in order to stabilize; they would take a guru, study the scriptures or practice yoga<ref name="Abhinavagupta, The Kula Ritual page 155"/>}} |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''tīvra-manda-śaktipāta'' Supreme Inferior Grace | after meeting a perfect guru | the presence of a physical guru | total surrender to his guru |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''madhya-tīvra-śaktipāta'' Medium Supreme Grace | at the end of life in this physical plane | the initiation and instruction of a guru | intense spiritual aspiration |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''madhya-madhya-śaktipāta'' Medium Middle Grace | after living for some time in a paradise | the initiation and instruction of a guru | spiritual aspiration is more intense than worldly desires |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''madhya-manda-śaktipāta'' Medium Inferior Grace | in the next physical incarnation | the initiation and instruction of a guru | lower aspiration than worldly desires |- | style="background:#f0f0f0" | ''manda'' Inferior Grace | after many lifetimes of incremental progress | the initiation and instruction of a guru and lot of time | |}

==Descriptions== Swami Muktananda, in his book ''Play of Consciousness'', describes in great detail his experience of receiving shaktipata initiation from his guru Bhagawan Nityananda and his spiritual development that unfolded after this event.<ref name=POC>{{cite book|last=Muktananda|first=Swami|title=Play of Consciousness|year=1978|publisher=Siddha Yoga Publications|isbn=0-911307-81-8}}</ref>

Paul Zweig has written of his experience of receiving ''shaktipata'' from Muktananda.<ref>Paul Zweig, in John White (editor), ''Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment'' ({{ISBN|1-55778-303-9}})</ref> In the same book Itzhak Bentov describes his laboratory measurements of kundalini-awakening through ''shaktipata'',<ref>Itzhak Bentov, ''Micromotions of the body as a factor in the development of the nervous system'', in John White (editor), ''Kundalini, Evolution, and Enlightenment'' ({{ISBN|1-55778-303-9}})</ref> a study held in high regard by the late Satyananda Saraswati, founder of the Bihar School of Yoga, and by Hiroshi Motoyama, author of ''Theories of the Chakras''.

Barbara Brennan describes shaktipata as the projection of the guru's "aura" on the disciple who thereby acquires the same mental state, hence the importance of the high spiritual level of the guru. The physiological phenomena of rising kundalini then naturally manifest.<ref>Barbara Brennan, ''Hands of Light''</ref>

In his book, Building a Noble World, Shiv R. Jhawar describes his shaktipata experience at Muktananda's public program at Lake Point Tower in Chicago on September 16, 1974 as follows:

"Baba [Swami Muktananda] had just begun delivering his discourse with his opening statement: 'Today's subject is meditation. The crux of the question is: What do we meditate upon?' Continuing his talk, Baba said: 'Kundalini starts dancing when one repeats Om Namah Shivaya.' Hearing this, I mentally repeated the mantra, I noticed that my breathing was getting heavier. Suddenly, I felt a great impact of a rising force within me. The intensity of this rising kundalini force was so tremendous that my body lifted up a little and fell flat into the aisle; my eyeglasses flew off. As I lay there with my eyes closed, I could see a continuous fountain of dazzling white lights erupting within me. In brilliance, these lights were brighter than the sun but possessed no heat at all. I was experiencing the thought-free state of "I am," realizing that "I" have always been, and will continue to be, eternal. I was fully conscious and completely aware while I was experiencing the pure "I am," a state of supreme bliss. Outwardly, at that precise moment, Baba shouted delightedly from his platform, "Mene kuch nahi kiya; kisiko shakti ne pakda" ("I didn't do anything. The Energy has caught someone"). Baba noticed that the dramatic awakening of kundalini in me frightened some people in the audience. Therefore, he said, 'Do not be frightened. Sometimes kundalini gets awakened in this way, depending upon a person's type.<ref>Jhawar, Shiv R. (2004) Building a Noble World, Page 84 ({{ISBN|0-9749197-0-5}})</ref>

== Related concepts == {{anchor|Pranahuti}}

In Sahaj Marg, yogic transmission is named Pranahuti (Devanagari: {{lang|sa|प्राणाहूति}}, IAST: ''{{IAST|prāṇāhūti}}'') from ''prāṇā'', "life force" and ''āhūti'', "offering".<ref name="ShabdKosh - Ahuti">{{cite web |title=aahuti - Meaning in English |url=https://www.shabdkosh.com/dictionary/kannada-english/aahuti/aahuti-meaning-in-english |website=www.shabdkosh.com |access-date=30 December 2021}}</ref> It is described as "the gracious and conscious offering of the life force or spirit by the Guru into the disciple’s heart."<ref>{{cite book |last=Joyce |first=Janine |title=Human spirituality and coming together in peace, looking through two lenses |date=2014 |url=https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10523/5992/JoyceJanineM2015PhD.pdf;jsessionid=04F81FB4DEF8848052F4C2E463665375?sequence=1 |publisher=University of Otago (PhD thesis) |location=Otago, New Zealand |pages=44, 105–106}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Powell |first=C. |year=1996 |title=A Sahaj Marg Companion: The Natural Path |location=India |publisher=Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation |page=170}}</ref>

==See also== * Ramana Maharshi * Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas * Diksha

==Notes== {{reflist|group=note|2}}

==References== {{reflist|2}}

Category:Shaivism Category:Kashmir Shaivism Category:Hindu tantra Category:Tantric practices Category:Hindu prayer and meditation Category:Hindu philosophical concepts Category:Spiritual faculties Category:Sanskrit words and phrases Category:Hindi words and phrases