Dancing with Śiva

The 36 Tattvas: Categories of Existence

Atattva: Paraśiva (Śivaliṅga, Absolute Reality), beyond all categories
5 ŚUDDHA TATTVAS
Actinic or Pure Spiritual Energy

1) Śiva tattva: Parāśakti-Nāda (Satchidānanda, pure consciousness)§

2) Śakti tattva: Parameśvara-Bindu (Naṭarāja, Personal God), energy, light and love§

3) Sadāśiva tattva: the power of revealment (Sadāśiva)§

4) Īśvāra tattva: the power of concealment (Maheśvara)§

5) Śuddhavidyā tattva: dharma, pure knowing, the powers of dissolution (Rudra), preservation (Vishṇu) and creation (Brahmā)§

7 ŚUDDHĀŚUDDHA TATTVAS
Actinodic or Spiritual-Magnetic Energy

6) māyā tattva: mirific energy §

7) kāla tattva: time§

8) niyati tattva: karma§

9) kalā tattva: creativity, aptitude§

10) vidyā tattva: knowledge§

11) rāga tattva: attachment, desire§

12) purusha tattva: the soul shrouded by the above five tattvas§

24 AŚUDDHA TATTVAS
Odic or Gross-Magnetic Energy

13) prakṛiti tattva: primal nature §

14) buddhi tattva: intellect §

15) ahaṁkāra tattva: external ego §

16) manas tattva: instinctive mind §

17) śrotra tattva: hearing (ears)§

18) tvak tattva: touching (skin)§

19) chakshu tattva: seeing (eyes) §

20) rasanā tattva: tasting (tongue)§

21) ghrāṇa tattva: smelling (nose) §

22) vāk tattva: speech (voice)§

23) pāṇi tattva: grasping (hands) §

24) pāda tattva: walking (feet) §

25) pāyu tattva: excretion (anus) §

26) upastha tattva: procreation (genitals) §

27) śabdha tattva: sound§

28) sparśa tattva: feel/palpation§

29) rūpa tattva: form§

30) rasa tattva: taste§

31) gandha tattva: odor §

32) ākāśa tattva: ether§

33) vāyu tattva: air§

34) tejas tattva: fire§

35) āpas tattva: water§

36) pṛithivī tattva: earth §