Vimarsha

(“reflection”) In Hindu tantra, a secret,
ritually based religious practice, vimarsha is one of the bipolar opposites that
are used to characterize the nature of all
reality, with its counterpart being illumination (prakasha). These two terms are
particularly important for the creation
of the world, which is said to happen
when the pure and radiant consciousness (prakasha) of the ultimate
Brahman becomes self-conscious
through the reflection (vimarsha) of this
original consciousness. From one single
consciousness, the absolute then
evolves into a binary divinity—the god
Shiva and his consort Shakti—whose
continued interaction combines to
create the world. This dyad of prakashavimarsha is particularly important in the
Trika school of Kashmiri Shaivism. For
further information see Jaideva Singh,
Pratyabhijnanahrdayam, 1982.