Aṇḍa


In Kaśmir Śaivism the world is described as being composed of four spheres that contain a series of phenomenal elements. The four are described to appear by the means of the internal abundance of Śiva's divine powers. Outside the four is Śiva tattva which is the substrate and essential nature of all the other tattvas.

Projected by the absolute, is the first step of creation. Also called the pure creation because at this level the divine nature of Śiva is not obscured, it manifests a state of diversity in unity. The divine powers gradually descend from Ānanda Śakti to Icchā Śakti, Jñāna Śakti and Kriyā Śakti, at the same time creating the basis for the dual creation. At this stage, though, the duality is only "in concept"; there is no actual division or limitation yet. This contains Śakti tattva, Sadāśiva tattva, Iśvara tattva and Śuddha-vidyā tattva.

The sphere of Māyā causes the divine nature and purity that exists in to be forgotten. The divine creation is covered with five limitations that make the infinite, eternal, perfect in itself, all knowing and all powerful nature of God, as manifested first in the , appear limited in space and time, incomplete, with limited knowledge and power of action. This contains seven tattvas, from Māyā tattva to The 36 tattvas#puru.E1.B9.A3a|.

describes the world as it is perceived from the common human level of consciousness. It contains the śakti of the individual soul : The 36 tattvas#prakṛti tattva|, the intellect, the ego, the sensory mind, the five sense organs, the five organs of action, the five subtle essences and the last four physical elements : Ākāśa tattva, Vāyu tattva, Tejas tattva and Jala tattva.

is the terminal point of creation – solid matter. There is only one tattva in this sphere: The 36 tattvas#p.E1.B9.9Bithv.C4.AB - earth|. This tattva has a special statute because it contains in essence all the other tattvas and is the home of Kundalini energy|.