The word "Pratyabhijñā" means Recognition. According to Trika, Śiva cannot be "known" as He is not a knowable but the Knower Himself. Instead, He is to be "recognized" as such. Thus, one is not going to know Śiva, but recognize that he is Him really. When one realizes that he is Śiva, that is known as Enlightenment.
However, it is not as easy to say "I am siva", one must recognise his unity in him really. but his Māyā turns the aforesaid Enlightenment into something extremely difficult to attain. the term "Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam" would mean the Core or Heart of that divine Recognition which, "theoretically, at least", everyone can attain, but that "in practice" only a few people enjoy. In this sense, this scripture would be so called as it contains profound teachings about Pratyabhijñā or Recognition.
Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam
-Heart (hṛdayam) of Recognition (pratyabhijñā)-
Citiḥ svatantrā viśvasiddhihetuḥ||1||
The independent (svatantrā) Śakti or Supreme Power (citiḥ) (is) the cause (hetuḥ) of manifestation, maintenance and dissolution (siddhi)1 of the universe (viśva)||1||
1 The term "siddhi" does not mean "supernormal power" or "perfection" in this case, but the triple process of manifesting, maintaining and dissolving the universe, carried out by Citi (Universal Consciousness).Svecchayā svabhittau viśvamunmīlayati||2||
Through Her own (sva) Will (Power) --icchā-- (icchayā), She --i.e. "Citi"-- unfolds (unmīlayati) the universe (viśvam) on Her own (sva) Canvas --bhitti-- (bhittau)||2||
Tannānānurūpagrāhyagrāhakabhedāt||3||
That --i.e. "the universe"-- (tad) (is) multiple (nānā) because of the differentiation (bhedāt) of (reciprocally) adapted (anurūpa) objects or knowables (grāhya) (and) experients or subjects (grāhaka)||3||
Citisaṅkocātmā cetano'pi saṅkucitaviśvamayaḥ||4||
The individual experient (cetanaḥ), in whom there is contraction (saṅkoca-ātmā) of Citi (citi)1, also (api) has the universe as his body (viśva-mayaḥ), but in a contracted way (saṅkucita)||4||
1 In other words, "in whom Citi is contracted".Citireva cetanapadādavarūḍhā cetyasaṅkocinī cittam||5||
It is Citi (citiḥ) alone (eva) (who), by descending (avarūḍhā) from the stage (padāt) of pure Consciousness (cetana), contracts Herself (saṅkocinī) (assuming the form of) the object or knowable (cetya); (and it is also Citi who) becomes the mind (cittam)||5||
Tanmayo māyāpramātā||6||
The limited experient (pramātā) ruled by Māyā (māyā)1 consists (mayaḥ) of that --i.e. "of citta or mind"-- (tad)||6||
1 Māyāpramātā is also known as "the experient of void" as he rests at Māyā level which is the profound void of ignorance.Sa caiko dvirūpastrimayaścaturātmā saptapañcakasvabhāvaḥ||7||
And (ca) (even though) He --i.e. "the Supreme Self"-- (saḥ) (is) One (ekaḥ), (He becomes) double (dvirūpaḥ), triple (trimayaḥ), fourfold (catur-ātmā) (and) of the nature (sva-bhāvaḥ) of seven (sapta) groups of five (pañcaka)||7||
Tadbhūmikāḥ sarvadarśanasthitayaḥ||8||
The positions (sthitayaḥ)1 of all (sarva) philosophical systems (darśana) (are only various) roles (bhūmikāḥ) (played) by that (Self or Consciousness) (tad)||8||
1 In other terms, "the final conclusions stated by those philosophies".Cidvattacchaktisaṅkocānmalāvṛtaḥ saṁsārī||9||
That --i.e. "the Self"-- (tad), who is full of Consciousness (cit-vat), (becomes) the transmigratory soul (saṁsārī) covered (avṛtaḥ) by Mala (mala)1 due to (His) contraction (saṅkocāt) of Śakti or Power (śakti)||9||
1 Mala literally means "impurity". In turn, Mala can be divided into three categories: Āṇavamala (bringing about in Śiva the notion that He is imperfect, that is, not Divine), Māyīyamala (bringing about in Śiva the notion of difference in That which is completely non dual) and Kārmamala (bringing about in Śiva the notion that He is a limited doer of limited actions). Wake up Śiva!Tathāpi tadvatpañcakṛtyāni karoti||10||
Even (tathā-api) (in that limited condition, the individual soul) performs (karoti) the five (pañca) functions (kṛtyāni)1 as (vat) that (Supreme Self) (tad)||10||
1 The five functions are: Sṛṣṭi (manifestation), Sthiti (maintenance), Saṁhāra (reabsorption), Vilaya (obscuration or concealment of His essential nature) and Anugraha (Divine Grace which draws the veil of Māyā or Delusion).Ābhāsanaraktivimarśanabījāvasthāpanavilāpanatastāni||11||
Those (five functions) (tāni) (can also be explained) through (taḥ) (these five terms): Ābhāsana --i.e. "the act of manifesting"-- (ābhāsana), Rakti --i.e. "enjoyment"-- (rakti), Vimarśana --i.e. "the act of experiencing oneself as the Self"-- (vimarśana), Bījāvasthāpana --i.e. "the act of sowing the seed"-- (bīja-avasthāpana) (and) Vilāpana --i.e. "dissolution"-- (vilāpana)1||11||
1 That is, Ābhāsana would be tantamount to Sṛṣṭi (manifestation), Rakti to Sthiti (maintenance), Vimarśana to Saṁhāra (reabsorption), Bījāvasthāpana to Vilaya (obscuration or concealment) and Vilāpana to Anugraha (Divine Grace).Tadaparijñāne svaśaktibhirvyāmohitatā saṁsāritvam||12||
To be a transmigratory soul (saṁsāritvam) (means) to be bewildered or infatuated (vyāmohitatā) by one's own (sva) powers --śakti-- (śaktibhiḥ) on account of the complete ignorance (aparijñāne) of that --i.e. "of the authorship of the five functions or fivefold act"-- (tad)1||12||
1 The term "pañcakṛtya" (five functions) is also translated as "fivefold act" sometimes.Tatparijñāne cittamevāntarmukhībhāvena cetanāpadādhyārohāccitiḥ||13||
When there is complete knowledge (parijñāne) of that --i.e. "of the authorship of the five functions or fivefold act"-- (tad), the mind (cittam) itself (eva), through (bhāvena) introversion (antarmukhī), (becomes) the Supreme Power (citiḥ) by ascending (adhyārohāt) (up to) the state (pada) of pure Consciousness (cetana)||13||
Citivahniravarohapade channo'pi mātrayā meyendhanaṁ pluṣyati||14||
The Fire (vahniḥ) of the Supreme Power (citi), though (api) covered or concealed (by Māyā or Delusion) (channaḥ) in the inferior (avaroha) stage (pade), partially (mātrayā) consumes (pluṣyati) the fuel (indhanam) of the knowables (meya)||14||
Balalābhe viśvamātmasātkaroti||15||
When (one) obtains (lābhe) the Power of Citi or Universal Consciousness (bala), he makes (karoti) the universe (viśvam) similar to himself (ātmasāt), (that is, he assimilates the universe to himself)1||15||
1 The phrase "ātmasātkaroti" is derived from "ātmasāt kṛ", which commonly means "to place upon oneself, to make one's own, attract, turn to oneself, acquire or gain for oneself, etc.". However, in Trika, it means "to make similar to oneself, assimilate to oneself", which is tantamount to "experiencing unity". Therefore, "viśvamātmasātkaroti" really means "to experience unity with the universe". When it is said that you should assimilate the universe to yourself, it is meant that you should experience unity with it, this is the sense.Cidānandalābhe dehādiṣu cetyamāneṣvapi cidaikātmyapratipattidārḍhyaṁ jīvanmuktiḥ||16||
When (one) obtains (lābhe) the Bliss (ānanda) of Absolute Consciousness (cit), (there is) stability or firmness (dārḍhyam) of the awareness (pratipatti) of identity (aikātmya) with (that) Absolute Consciousness (cit), even though (api) the body (deha), etc. --ādi-- (ādiṣu) are being experienced (cetyamāneṣu). (This state is known as) Jīvanmukti --i.e. "Liberation or Mukti while living"-- (jīvanmuktiḥ)1||16||
1 In other words, "Liberation while one retains his physical body". In turn, "Videhamukti" means Liberation attained at the time of leaving one's body.Madhyavikāsāccidānandalābhaḥ||17||
Through the unfoldment or development (vikāsāt) of the middle (state) (madhya), (there is) acquisition (lābhaḥ) of the Bliss (ānanda) of Absolute Consciousness (cit)||17||
विकल्पक्षयशक्तिसङ्कोचविकासवाहच्छेदद्यन्तकोटिनिभालनादय इहोपायाः॥१८॥
Vikalpakṣayaśaktisaṅkocavikāsavāhacchedadyantakoṭinibhālanādaya ihopāyāḥ||18||
Here (you are) (iha) the means (to that unfoldment or development) (upāyāḥ): 1) dissolution or dissipation (kṣaya) of (all) vikalpa-s or thoughts (vikalpa), 2) unfoldment (vikāsa) (and) contraction (saṅkoca) of Śakti or Power (śakti)1, 3) cessation of the flow of prāṇa and apāna by means of the repetition of "anacka" --i.e. "without vowels"-- sounds (vāha-cheda)2, etc. (ādi), (and) 4) the perception (nibhālana) of the dvādaśānta (antakoṭi)3, etc. (ādayaḥ)||18||
1 By "unfoldment and contraction of the Śakti or Power", the author meant to say "withdrawal of Prāṇaśakti ('pranic or vital energy' would be an approximate but useful translation for now) which escapes through the sense organs by introverting it toward the Self, while at the same time the senses are allowed to keep working as usual". In other terms, "withdrawal or contraction --saṅkoca-- of Prāṇaśakti" together with "unfoldment of Śakti --vikāsa-- through the senses, as these are allowed to keep working as always".
2 The compound "vāhaccheda" is not at all formed from "vāhac" (which in turn would be possibly derived from "vāhat") and "cheda", but from "vāha" and "cheda", since by the first sub-rule of the 19th Rule of Consonant Sandhi, you are bound to insert "c" between "ch" and the preceding short vowel ("a" in "vāha", in this case).
In other words, that "c" before "ch" is not an original constituent but a consonant to be obligatorily inserted according to that particular rule of Consonant Sandhi.
So, "Vāha" means "vital energy or Prāṇaśakti". In turn "cheda" means "cessation of prāṇa (i.e. the specific energy being released through the exhalation) and apāna (i.e. the specific energy entering the body through the inhalation) by means of the repetition of anacka sounds". Anacka sounds are simply consonants without a vowel. For example: h.
3 "Dvādaśānta" means "certain points placed at the distance of twelve fingers" (e.g. there is one dvādaśānta in the space between the eyebrows, at twelve fingers from the throat). Even though Kṣemarāja does not specify which dvādaśānta (there are several ones) he is referring to, it is generally understood as meaning to say "āntaradvādaśānta" (the heart or point where the inhalation ends) and "bāhyadvādaśānta" (the outer point where the exhalation ends). That is, you should pay attention to those two points or dvādaśānta-s while meditating in order to unfold or develop the middle state or Madhya.
समाधिसंस्कारवति व्युत्थाने भूयो भूयश्चिदैक्यामर्शान्नित्योदितसमाधिलाभः॥१९॥
Samādhisaṁskāravati vyutthāne bhūyo bhūyaścidaikyāmarśānnityoditasamādhilābhaḥ||19||
In the state coming after Samādhi or Perfect Concentration (vyutthāne), which is full of the saṁskāra-s --saṁskāravat-- (saṁskāravati)1 (of that) Samādhi (samādhi), (there is) acquisition (lābhaḥ) of a permanent (nitya-udita) Samādhi (samādhi) by reflecting (āmarśāt) over and over again (bhūyas bhūyas) upon one's own identity (aikya) with the Absolute Consciousness (cit)||19||
1 "Full of the saṁskāra-s" here means "full of the subsequent effects". In other terms, when one is in Vyutthāna (the state coming after Samādhi or Perfect Concentration), both mind and body are full of the respective and subsequent effects produced by that Samādhi.
तदा प्रकाशानन्दसारमहामन्त्रवीर्यात्मकपूर्णाहन्तावेशात्सदा सर्वसर्गसंहारकारिनिजसंविद्देवताचक्रेश्वरताप्राप्तिर्भवतीति शिवम्॥२०॥
Tadā prakāśānandasāramahāmantravīryātmakapūrṇāhantāveśātsadā
sarvasargasaṁhārakārinijasaṁviddevatācakreśvaratāprāptirbhavatīti śivam||20||
Then (tadā), as a result of entering (veśāt) in the Perfect (pūrṇa) I-consciousness (ahantā), which is essentially (sāra) Light (prakāśa) (and) Bliss (ānanda), (and whose) nature (ātmaka) (consists of) the great (mahā) power (vīrya) of the Mantra (mantra), there is (bhavati) always (sadā) acquisition or obtainment (prāptiḥ) of sovereignty or supremacy (īśvaratā) over the group (cakra) of deities (devatā) of one's own (nija) Consciousness (saṁvid), which brings about (kāri) all (sarva) manifestations (sarga) (and) dissolutions (saṁhāra) (of the universe). Thus, all is of the nature of Śiva (iti śivam)1||20||
1 All is essentially Śiva.