1
Hence, there is no state of consciousness in the contemplation of word or object that is not Shiva.
—Vasugupta, Spanda-Kārikā.
2
Letting all the sense, sight, and so on,
Feast simultaneously on their respective objects,
Stand in the center,
Shining like a pillar of gold supporting the entire Universe.
—Kakhyastotra.
3
That person who is bent upon destroying the sphere of time, he wants to destroy the sphere of time by putting consciousness on the timeless point; and the timeless point is found between two breaths, the timeless point is found between one step and another step, one talk and another talk, one word and another word; in between there is the timeless point. When your consciousness is bent upon finding out that point, then you are said to be kāla grāsa-tatpara, you are bent upon destroying the sphere of time. So, in the near future, there will be no time existing for you.
—Swami Lakshmanjoo, Comentarios a los Shiva-sutras.
4
The meaning of the Sanskrit word “upāya” is “means”. The word “upāya” in Kashmir Śaivism is used to indicate the means to enter into Universal God Consciousness from individual consciousness. Our Śaivism proclaims that there are three means for entering into Universal God Consciousness: śāmbhavopāya (the supreme means), śāktopāya (the medium means), and āṇavopāya (the inferior means).
Āṇavopāya is the means found in the world of duality and is known as bhedopāya. The means which exists in the world of mono-duality, in the world where duality and nonduality exist together, is śāktopāya and is called bhedābhedopāya. That means which exists in the world of pure monism (abheda) is śāmbhavopāya and is called abhedopāya.
Śāmbhavopāya is also called icchopāya, as it is the means which exists in icchā śakti. The means which exists in jñāna śakti is śāktopāya, and is called jñānopāya. Āṇavopāya is called kriyopāya because it is the means which is found in kriyā śakti.
—Swami Lakshmanjoo, Kashmir Shaivism. The Secret Supreme, 5.33-40.
5
[Lord Śiva’s] energies are the means; [His] energies have become the upāyas. The energy of His will is explained as śāmbhavopāya, the energy of knowledge is śāktopāya, and the energy of action is āṇavopāya. The energy of action is breathing exercises, reciting mantras, reciting ślokas (hymns), and pūjā (worship). All these are in action, in the world of action. So, all these things are included in āṇavopāya. And they will carry you to the state of Lord Śiva. And [the energy of] knowledge, this is śāktopāya. Perceiving, middle-ing, centering, all these are in the world of śāktopāya. They will also carry you to the state of Lord Śiva. And [the energy of] will is the first start of each and every action. That is śāmbhavopāya. That will carry you to Śiva’s state.
—Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 1:70, USF archive.
6
The difference between āṇavopāya, śāktopāya, and śāmbhavopāya is this: In āṇavopāya, the strength of your awareness is such that you have to take the support of everything as an aid to maintain and strengthen your awareness. In śāktopāya, your awareness is strengthened to the extent that only one point is needed as a support for your concentration and that point is the center. In śāmbhavop̄ya, the strength of your awareness is such that no support is needed. You are already residing in the meant (upeya). There is nowhere to go, just reside at your own point. The rest is automatic.
It is important to realize that though there are different upāyas, all lead you to the state of one transcendental consciousness. The difference in these upāyas is that āṇavopāya will carry you in a long way, śāktopāya in a shorter way, and śāmbhavopāya in the shortest way. Although the ways are different, the point to be achieved is one.
—Swami Lakshmanjoo, Kashmir Shaivism. The Secret Supreme, 5.33-40.