KS - SHIVA X SHAKTI

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Great question — and an important one, especially when comparing Shaiva Tantra (like in Parātriśikā) with Sāṅkhya-Yoga philosophy.

In simple terms:

Shiva–Shakti ≠ Purusha–Prakriti, though they might seem similar on the surface.

Let’s break this down:

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🕉️ Purusha & Prakriti (Sāṅkhya-Yoga)

Concept	Meaning	Relationship
Purusha	Pure consciousness, inactive witness	Passive observer
Prakriti	Material nature, all energy and form	Active, but unconscious
Relationship	Dualistic — Purusha is completely separate from Prakriti	Liberation (kaivalya) means realizing this separation

Prakriti acts for the enjoyment and eventual liberation of Purusha. But they are fundamentally distinct and unrelated in essence.

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🔱 Shiva & Shakti (Trika Shaivism / Kashmir Shaivism)

Concept	Meaning	Relationship
Shiva	Supreme Consciousness, the ultimate reality	Active awareness
Shakti	Power of Shiva, dynamic expression of that awareness	Not separate; intrinsic power
Relationship	Non-dual (Advaita) — Shiva and Shakti are inseparable aspects of the same reality

Just like fire and its heat — you can talk about them separately, but they cannot exist independently.

Shakti is Shiva’s power to manifest, create, know, and dissolve — she is his self-expression. Consciousness is never without its power.

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🧘 Key Differences

Aspect	Sāṅkhya	Shaiva Tantra
Philosophy	Dualistic	Non-dualistic
Consciousness (Purusha/Shiva)	Passive	Active
Nature (Prakriti/Shakti)	Separate and unconscious	Inseparable, conscious
Goal of Liberation	Realize Purusha is distinct from Prakriti	Realize everything is Shiva — even the world

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✅ In Summary:

• Purusha & Prakriti = Two separate principles (dualism).

• Shiva & Shakti = Two faces of the same coin (non-dualism).

Shiva is not separate from Shakti — the world is not an illusion or trap, but the play (līlā) of divine consciousness.

Would you like a metaphorical or meditative way to understand Shiva–Shakti better? Or how this affects spiritual practice?

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