Panchastavi

*Pañcastavī* is a pentad of devotional hymns sung in praise of *Parabhaṭṭārikā Mahā-tripurasundari*. The throb of ecstasy of the Divine I-Consciousness is spiritual dynamism, called Spanda, which is the absolute freedom of Śiva or *Śiva's svātantrya Śakti*. Śiva has no flux but serves as the causa sine qua non of all pulsation as His own *Śakti*. *Parāśakti* is, therefore, *yoni*, the source or the Supreme Mother whose five glories are consciousness (*cit*), bliss (*ananda*), volition (*icchā*), knowledge (*jñana*), and activity (*kriya*). These glories are praised in the *Pañcastavī* in reverse order. It is said that during his glorious visit to Kashmir, *Śri Sankaracharya* was impressed with these hymns recited by a Kashmiri Pandit. Basically a monistic treatise, *Pañcastavī* deals with secrets of *Kundalini* power according to *Śakta* tradition which corresponds to *krama* system of Kashmir Saivism. This commentary is an attempt to bring out inner meanings of these "deceptively simple" poems on Kundalini Yoga. The worship of the Ultimate Reality as Mother is a unique feature of the Vedic spiritual tradition of India. Among the various compositions in the praise of the Divine Mother, *Pañcastavī* occupies an important place. It is a treatise comprising five hymns in praise of the Supreme *Śakti*. *Śiva* is the transcendental Self, and His *Śakti* is the cause of all manifestations. It is by the grace of the *Śakti* that one experiences the transcendental *Śiva*. This is a work that can be described as Kundalini Yoga or Śakta Yoga as well, which culminates in Advaita or Non-Dualism.