Vimarśa

Vimarśa is a philosophical concept in Shaivism that comes from the "Recognition" (Pratyabhijñā) philosophy, introduced by Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta, two eminent masters in Kashmir Śaivism from around the 9th and 10th centuries.

Dr. Sthaneshwar Timalsina, founder of the Vimarsha Foundation [1], in his paper describes Prakāśa as a light that helps us see things within and around us, while Vimarśa makes us aware of our seeing.

Caitanyam is considered the fundamental nature of reality, encompassing consciousness (cit) and bliss (ananda).

[3] In his book, Mark S. G. Dyczkowski discusses how consciousness is metaphorically perceived as an ocean, with its expressions as waves.

[5] Moreover, Utpaladeva says that Vimarśa assists individuals in perceiving each emotion or experience, such as joy or pain, as an integral part of oneself.

He also notes that Vimarśa is at work when we recognize cause and effect, such as knowing there's a fire because we smell smoke.

Timalsina states: Vimarśa, therefore is more than reflexivity of consciousness in confirming its own mode, as it is a crucial factor of enabling perception and inference and it also gives rise to veridical knowledge.

[15] In exploring Kashmir Shaivism and related philosophical debates, several scholarly works offer in-depth insights :