The five actions of Paramashiva

The five actions of Paramashiva
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Shiva represents the absolute reality, the highest state of existence and the Supreme Self (Parabrahman). Shiva pervades the entire cosmos through His Shakti. Shiva is the pure consciousness while His Shakti, is pure energy. Shiva and His shakti are one and inseparable. Shakti cannot exist without its possessor, similarly Shiva is Shava (Motionless, sometimes translated as lifeless) without His Shakti. The entire cosmos is filled up with this Shiva-Shakti synthesis. Everything, from the subtlest to the grossest, from visible to invisible, is essentially Shiva. Shiva is you, Shiva is me.

Five divine aspects of Shiva represent five of His actions. They are also associated with the five-syllable Mahamantra na-ma si-va-ya.

The five aspects of Shiva are as follows:
1. Sadyojāta
2. Vāmadeva
3. Aghora
4. Tatpurusha
5. Īshāna

Sadyojāta represents the iccha-shakti(will power) of Shiva. It is associated with Sristhi. Sristhi should not be translated into "creation". Because, there is nothing like creation. Creation in itself is a misnomer.

According to Jaideva Singh:
"The usual translation 'creation' is misleading. Creation implies that the creator acts upon an external material, and thus brings about the world-process. This translation does not do justice to the Hindu point of view, particularly to the point of view of Shaiva philosophy. Sristi is derived from the root srj which means 'to let go', 'to pour forth', 'to cast out'. This implies that the world-process is already implicitly contained in Shiva. He only lets it go or casts it out of himself. He has not to work on an external material in order to bring about the world- process."

According to Shaiva philosophy, the world is not a creation but a manifestation of Maheswara.
Prajapati Brahma is represented by this aspect of Maheswara.

Vamadeva represents kriya-shakti(power of action) of Shiva. It is associated with Stiti (preservation). Sri Mahavishnu is represented by this aspect. Through Vishnu, Shiva preserves the manifest cosmos.

Aghora represents jnana-shakti (Power of Knowledge). It is associated with Samhara(withdrawal). It is another widely misunderstood term. It doesn't mean destruction. There is no creation or destruction.

Destruction is another misnomer. Samhara means the process of taking the manifest cosmos back to Shiva for a time. It's reabsorption. Sri Maharudra is represented by this aspect of Shiva. Maharudra, the withdrawal principle, is considered as the complete incarnation of Shiva.

Tatpurusha is the ananda-shakti of Shiva. It is associated with vilaya (the concealment of the real nature of the Self). Maheswara is represented by this aspect.

Ishana represents Citta-shakti of Shiva. It is associated with anugraha(the revealing grace of Shiva). Sri Samba sadashiva is represented by this aspect.

There is no difference between Shiva and His potencies (aspects). In fact, there is no difference between Shiva and His manifestations. All is One. All is Shiva. The sooner we realize this oneness of the Self with Shiva(universal consciousness), the quicker we cross the ocean of Samsara.

Om namah shivaya!