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Vivid abstract fields of blue, teal, red, orange, and violet flow into one another along golden contours.
Vivid abstract fields of blue, teal, red, orange, and violet flow into one another along golden contours.

Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam – the Heart of Recognition

Enter with Kṣemarāja’s early eleventh-century Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam into one of the most important texts of Trika Śaivism. At its centre stands the recognition of divine Awareness.

Dr. Ronald Steiner Dr. Ronald Steiner Bärbel Münchow Bärbel Münchow
PJH: Maṅgala- und Verehrungsverse
PJH: Maṅgala- und Verehrungsverse

Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam: Homage and the Aim of the Teaching

After the brief opening invocation, two Maṅgala verses honour Śiva and the nature of the Self. Kṣemarāja seeks to reveal the essence of Recognition, which...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 0
oṃ namo maṅgala-mūrtaye |
Oṃ (oṃ). Reverence (namo, the sandhi form of namaḥ | nom/acc sg n) to the embodiment of auspiciousness (maṅgala-mūrtaye | dat sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 0.1
namaḥ śivāya satataṃ; pañca-kṛtya-vidhāyine | cid-ānanda-ghana-svātma;-paramārthāvabhāsine ||0.1||
Homage (namaḥ | nom sg) to Śiva (śivāya | dat sg), who continually (satatam) performs the five acts (pañca-kṛtya-vidhāyine | dat sg m) [and] reveals the highest reality of one’s own Self, which consists entirely of consciousness and joy (cid-ānanda-ghana-svātma-paramārthāvabhāsine | dat sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 0.2
śāṅkaropaniṣat-sāra;-pratyabhijñā-mahodadheḥ | uddharāmi paraṃ sāraṃ; saṃsāra-viṣa-śānti-dam ||0.2||
From the great ocean of the teaching of Recognition, which is the essence of Śiva’s esoteric teaching (śāṅkaropaniṣat-sāra-pratyabhijñā-mahodadheḥ | abl sg), I extract (uddharāmi | 1p sg act pres) the highest essence (paraṃ sāram | acc sg), which pacifies the poison of the cycle of existence (saṃsāra-viṣa-śāntidam | acc sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 1-2: Beschreibung des universellen oder göttlichen Bewusstseins
PJH 1-2: Beschreibung des universellen oder göttlichen Bewusstseins

What is citi, and what actions does she perform?

The first two Sūtras describe universal divine Awareness, designated here by the feminine noun citi. They describe what she is and what actions she performs.

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 1
citiḥ svatantrā viśva-siddhi-hetuḥ ||1||
Awareness (citiḥ | nom sg) [is] completely independent (svatantrā | nom sg f) [and] the cause of the universe coming into manifestation (viśva-siddhi-hetuḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 2
svecchayā sva-bhittau viśvam unmīlayati ||2||
By her own will (svecchayā | ins sg), [Awareness] unfolds (unmīlayati | 3p sg act pres caus) the whole universe (viśvam | acc sg) upon her own ground (sva-bhittau | loc sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 3-4: Wahrnehmender und Wahrgenommenes; Mikrokosmos und Makrokosmos
PJH 3-4: Wahrnehmender und Wahrgenommenes; Mikrokosmos und Makrokosmos

Here contraction into limited human experience begins

Here begins the contraction of universal divine Awareness into limited human experience. First, the perceiver and the perceived are described. We then learn...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 3
tan nānānurūpa-grāhya-grāhaka-bhedāt ||3||
This [universe] (tat | nom sg n) [is] manifold (nānā) because of the differentiation of mutually corresponding objects and subjects of perception (anurūpa-grāhya-grāhaka-bhedāt | abl sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 4
citi-saṃkocātmā cetano 'pi saṃkucita-viśva-mayaḥ ||4||
The conscious being (cetanaḥ | nom sg), too (api), whose nature is the contraction of Awareness (citi-saṃkoca-ātmā | nom sg), consists of the contracted universe (saṃkucita-viśva-mayaḥ | nom sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 5-6: Die Kontraktion des Göttlichen
PJH 5-6: Die Kontraktion des Göttlichen

From citi through cetana to citta

Universal divine Awareness (citi) contracts through the individual self (cetana) into the human mind (citta).

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 5
citir eva cetana-padād avarūḍhā cetya-saṃkocinī cittam ||5||
Awareness (citiḥ | nom sg) herself (eva), having descended (avarūḍhā | nom sg f ppp) from the level of the conscious being (cetana-padāt | abl sg), contracts through the perceptible object (cetya-saṃkocinī | nom sg f) [and is] the mind (cittam | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 6
tan-mayo māyā-pramātā ||6||
Someone who consists [only] of this [mind] (tan-mayaḥ | nom sg m) becomes the perceiver of Māyā [duality] (māyā-pramātā | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 7-8: Tantrische Kosmologie und Offenbarung des göttlichen Bewusstseins
PJH 7-8: Tantrische Kosmologie und Offenbarung des göttlichen Bewusstseins

There are different ways in which the divine Absolute can be seen and classified. The thirty-six Tattvas are its articulated classification.

Universal Awareness reveals itself in a great variety of ways. The thirty-six Tattvas, the impurities (malas), the different layers of the self, and the...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 7
sa caiko dvi-rūpas tri-mayaś catur-ātmā sapta-pañcaka-svabhāvaḥ ||7||
And (ca) this [perceiver] (saḥ | nom sg m) [is] one (ekaḥ | nom sg m), of twofold form (dvi-rūpaḥ | nom sg), consisting of three (tri-mayaḥ | nom sg m), fourfold in being (catur-ātmā | nom sg), and of the nature of seven pentads (sapta-pañcaka-svabhāvaḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 8
tad-bhūmikāḥ sarva-darśana-sthitayaḥ ||8||
The positions of all philosophical systems (sarva-darśana-sthitayaḥ | nom pl) [are] the roles of this [one perceiver] (tad-bhūmikāḥ | nom pl).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 9: Im Kreislauf der Wiedergeburten
PJH 9: Im Kreislauf der Wiedergeburten

How does divine Awareness reveal itself as an individual wandering through the cycle of rebirth?

Sūtra 9 marks the first half of the journey towards recognising one’s true nature. Universal divine Awareness is in a contracted state, so that the individual...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 9
cidvat-tac-chakti-saṃkocān malāvṛtaḥ saṃsārī ||9||
Because of the contraction of those Awareness-like powers (cidvat-tac-chakti-saṃkocāt | abl sg), the one bound in saṃsāra (saṃsārī | nom sg) [is] covered by impurity (mala-āvṛtaḥ | nom sg m).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 10-11: Die fünf göttlichen Handlungen
PJH 10-11: Die fünf göttlichen Handlungen

Here our spiritual journey begins, from the painful existence of a saṃsārin towards the recognition of our true nature.

The first step is to recognise the so-called five divine acts. They characterise not only Śiva’s cosmic dance in the role of Naṭarāja, but are also performed...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 10
tathāpi tadvat pañca-kṛtyāni karoti ||10||
Nevertheless (tathāpi), [the limited perceiver] performs (karoti | 3p sg act pres) the five acts (pañca-kṛtyāni | acc pl) in the same way as that [highest Awareness] (tadvat).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 11
ābhāsana-rakti-vimarśana-bījāvasthāpana-vilāpanatas tāni ||11||
Those [five acts] (tāni | nom pl n) [occur] through manifestation, taking delight, reflective apprehension, depositing a seed, and dissolving it (ābhāsana-rakti-vimarśana-bījāvasthāpana-vilāpanatas).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 12-14: Fünf Handlungen verstehen
PJH 12-14: Fünf Handlungen verstehen

What happens as long as we do not recognise our own authorship?

What happens when we do not yet understand that our own self constantly performs these five acts? How do the powers of universal divine Awareness then deceive...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 12
tad-aparijñāne sva-śaktibhir vyāmohitatā saṃsāritvam ||12||
When that is not recognised (tad-aparijñāne | loc sg), being deluded (vyāmohitatā | nom sg) by one's own powers (sva-śaktibhiḥ | ins pl) [means] being bound in saṃsāra (saṃsāritvam | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 13
tat-parijñāne cittam evāntar-mukhī-bhāvena cetana-padādhyārohāc citiḥ ||13||
When that is fully recognised (tat-parijñāne | loc sg), the mind (cittam | nom sg) itself (eva), by becoming inward-facing (antar-mukhī-bhāvena | ins sg) and by ascending to the level of the conscious being (cetana-pada-adhyārohāt | abl sg), [becomes] Awareness (citiḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 14
citi-vahnir avaroha-pade channo 'pi mātrayā meyendhanaṃ pluṣyati ||14||
The fire of Awareness (citi-vahniḥ | nom sg), though (api) concealed (channaḥ | nom sg m ppp) at the level of descent (avaroha-pade | loc sg), partially (mātrayā | ins sg) scorches (pluṣyati | 3p sg act pres) the fuel of what can be known (meya-indhanam | acc sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 15-16: Erlangung der Kraft, Freude des Bewusstseins (cidānanda) und Befreiung zu Lebzeiten (jīvanmukti)
PJH 15-16: Erlangung der Kraft, Freude des Bewusstseins (cidānanda) und Befreiung zu Lebzeiten (jīvanmukti)

Cidānanda and Jīvanmukti

In this section we learn what liberation while living (jīvanmukti) is, how it can be attained, and what the joy of Awareness (cidānanda) has to do with it.

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 15
bala-lābhe viśvam ātmasāt karoti ||15||
When power is attained (bala-lābhe | loc sg), [Awareness] makes (karoti | 3p sg act pres) the whole universe (viśvam | acc sg) her own (ātmasāt).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 16
cid-ānanda-lābhe dehādiṣu cetyamāneṣv api cid-aikātmya-pratipatti-dārḍhyaṃ jīvan-muktiḥ ||16||
When the joy of Awareness is attained (cid-ānanda-lābhe | loc sg), liberation while alive (jīvan-muktiḥ | nom sg) [is] firmness in the realisation of identity with Awareness (cid-aikātmya-pratipatti-dārḍhyam | nom sg), even (api) while the body and other [things] are perceived (dehādiṣu cetyamāneṣu | loc pl).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 17-19: Einfache Mittel (sukhopāyas) und Samādhi
PJH 17-19: Einfache Mittel (sukhopāyas) und Samādhi

Sukhopāyas – expanding the centre and making Samādhi continuous

This section becomes practical. We learn how to expand our centre (madhya), which means can lead us to liberation while living (jīvanmukti), and how we can...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 17
madhya-vikāsāc cid-ānanda-lābhaḥ ||17||
From the unfolding of the centre (madhya-vikāsāt | abl sg) [comes] the attainment of the joy of Awareness (cid-ānanda-lābhaḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 18
vikalpa-kṣaya-śakti-saṃkoca-vikāsa-vāha-cchedādy-anta-koṭi-nibhālanādaya ihopāyāḥ ||18||
Here (iha) the means [are] (upāyāḥ | nom pl): the subsiding of conceptual constructions (vikalpa-kṣaya), contraction and expansion of power (śakti-saṃkoca-vikāsa), interruption of the currents (vāha-ccheda), contemplation of the beginning and ending points (ādi-anta-koṭi-nibhālana), and further [related approaches] (ādayaḥ | nom pl).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 19
samādhi-saṃskāravati vyutthāne bhūyo bhūyaḥ cid-aikyāmarśān nityodita-samādhi-lābhaḥ ||19||
In the re-emerged state (vyutthāne | loc sg), which bears the imprint of samādhi (samādhi-saṃskāravati | loc sg n), repeated contact with the unity of Awareness (bhūyo bhūyaḥ cid-aikya-āmarśāt | abl sg) [brings] the attainment of ever-arising samādhi (nityodita-samādhi-lābhaḥ | nom sg).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 20: Alles ist Śiva
PJH 20: Alles ist Śiva

The fruit of a fully awakened and liberated Awareness

Sūtra 20 gives us a fascinating description of a fully awakened and liberated Awareness. This is the fruit we harvest when, through the means described...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 20
tadā prakāśānanda-sāra-mahā-mantra-vīryātmaka-pūrṇāhaṃtāveśāt sadā sarva-sarga-saṃhāra-kāri-nija-saṃvid-devatā-cakreśvaratā-prāptir bhavatīti śivam ||20||
Then (tadā), through immersion in the complete I-ness whose essence is illumination and joy and whose nature is the potency of the great mantra (prakāśa-ānanda-sāra-mahā-mantra-vīrya-ātmaka-pūrṇa-ahaṃtā-āveśāt | abl sg), there comes (bhavati | 3p sg act pres) the attainment of sovereignty over one's own circle of Awareness-deities, which continually performs all manifestation and reabsorption (sadā sarva-sarga-saṃhāra-kāri-nija-saṃvid-devatā-cakra-īśvaratā-prāptiḥ | nom sg); thus (iti) [all is] Śiva (śivam | nom sg n).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
PJH 21: Epilog und Schlusssegen
PJH 21: Epilog und Schlusssegen

Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam: Closing Verses and Benediction

The epilogue contains two closing verses in different metres. They return to the image of consciousness as an ocean and to the purpose of the teaching. After...

Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 21.1
deha-prāṇa-sukhādibhiḥ pratikalaṃ saṃrudhyamāno janaḥ | pūrṇānanda-ghanām imāṃ na cinute māheśvarīṃ svāṃ citim | madhye-bodha-sudhābdhi viśvam abhitas tat-phena-piṇḍopamaṃ | yaḥ paśyed upadeśatas tu kathitaḥ sākṣāt sa ekaḥ śivaḥ ||21.1||
A person (janaḥ | nom sg), confined (saṃrudhyamānaḥ | nom sg m pcp) at every moment (pratikalam) by body, vital energy, pleasure, and other things (deha-prāṇa-sukhādibhiḥ | ins pl), does not (na) recognise (cinute | 3p sg med pres) this (imām | acc sg f) Awareness of their own (svāṃ citim | acc sg), belonging to Śiva (māheśvarīm | acc sg f) [and] filled with complete joy (pūrṇānanda-ghanām | acc sg f). But (tu) whoever (yaḥ | nom sg m), through the instruction (upadeśatas), may see (paśyet | 3p sg act opt) the universe (viśvam | acc sg) all around (abhitas) as a mass of its foam (tat-phena-piṇḍopamam | acc sg n) within the nectar-ocean of consciousness (madhye-bodha-sudhābdhi), that one (saḥ | nom sg m) alone (ekaḥ | nom sg m) [is] called (kathitaḥ | nom sg m ppp) Śiva (śivaḥ | nom sg) in person (sākṣāt).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 21.2
yeṣāṃ vṛttaḥ śāṅkaraḥ śakti-pāto | ye 'nabhyāsāt tīkṣṇa-yuktiṣv ayogyāḥ | śaktā jñātuṃ neśvara-pratyabhijñām | uktas teṣām eṣa tattvopadeśaḥ ||21.2||
For those (teṣām | gen pl m) to whom (yeṣām | gen pl m) the descent of power (śakti-pātaḥ | nom sg) proceeding from Śiva (śāṅkaraḥ | nom sg m) has occurred (vṛttaḥ | nom sg m ppp), [and] who (ye | nom pl m), through lack of training (anabhyāsāt | abl sg), [are] unskilled (ayogyāḥ | nom pl m) in rigorous argument (tīkṣṇa-yuktiṣu | loc pl) [and] not (na) capable (śaktāḥ | nom pl m ppp) of understanding (jñātum | inf) the Īśvarapratyabhijñā (īśvara-pratyabhijñām | acc sg), this (eṣaḥ | nom sg m) instruction on reality (tattvopadeśaḥ | nom sg) [has been] set forth (uktaḥ | nom sg m ppp).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal
Pratyabhijñāhṛdaya 21.3
śubham astu |
May [it] be (astu | 3p sg act imp) auspicious (śubham | nom sg n).
Dr. Ronald Steiner - 2026 - historically literal

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Dr. Ronald Steiner

Dr. Ronald Steiner

From Ulm

The "Yoga Doc" - Dr. Ronald Steiner is the founder of the AYI method. This method links traditional Ashtanga Yoga with innovative Yogatherapy and living Philosophy. This forms a practice that is personal for each and... more ›

Bärbel Münchow

Bärbel Münchow

Practising since 2003 Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam From Hamburg Ashtanga YogaYoga therapyPhilosophy & Sanskrit

2003 entdeckte ich Yoga für mich – damals noch als neue „Sportart“, weil meine Knie und mein Rücken Tennis und Laufen nicht mehr mochten. Was zunächst als körperlicher Ausgleich begann, ist längst zu einer großen... more ›