Somananda

Somananda (875–925 CE) was one of the teachers of Kashmir Shaivism, in the lineage of Trayambaka, author of the first philosophical treatise of this school, Śivadṛṣṭi. A contemporary of Bhaṭṭa Kallaṭa, the two formed the first wave of Kashmiri Shaivites to propose in a rigurous and logical way the concepts of nondual Shaivism. Somananda lived in Kashmir, most probably in Srinagar, where most of the later philosophers of the school lived, as a householder.

There is considerable myth surrounding the origins of Somananda. He claimed he was a descendent of the sage Durvasa. Durvasa received from Shiva the spiritual mission of keeping the tradition and secrets of Agamic Shaivism alive. It is said that Durvasa created his son, Tryambaka, directly from the mind (in a similar way with the creation of Athena directly from the mind of her father, Zeus, in the Greek mythology). In turn, Tryambaka also created a son directly from his mind. This went on for 15 generation terminating with the father of Sangamaditya, who took a woman as a wife. Then, there were three more generations until Somananda. So, Somananda claims a divine spiritual ancestry and investiture.

Somananda was also the disciple of Vasugupta, another important Shaivite master. Vasugupta was the author of Shiva Sutra, one of the fundamental texts of nondual Shaivism. Bhatta Kallata, the author of Spanda Karika, was contemporary with Somananda and had also been a disciple of Vasugupta. Thus, from Vasugupta emerged two disciples, Somananda and Bhatta Kallata, each proposing a school of monistic Shaivism, Pratyabhijna and respectively Spanda.

The difference between the texts we have left from these rival disciples is mainly in their scope, not in essence. While Somananda's Sivadristi has a philosophical bent, Bhatta Kallata's Spanda Karika is more practical and shorter in length.

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