* BONDAGE
After discussing the cosmic manifestation in the form of tattvas and speech, let us come to bondage and liberation as per Kashmir Shaivism.
From the absolute point of view there is no bondage, yet when the Lord manifests as limited due to His own free will, He forgets His own perfection and becomes bound. In other words, bondage is nothing more than an individual’s self – forgetfulness or ignorance of his own perfection. Even in the state of apparent limitation he remains pure and perfect although he is unaware of it. For the purpose of divine sport, the Absolute voluntarily accepts the limitation of self – consciousness, which give rise to limited desires. Because of these limited desires, the finite self performs various finite actions and experiences their consequences. Thus, the chain of karma leads the individual from bondage to bondage.
(*a) Specific Principles of Kashmir by Dr. B. N. Pandit, Munshi Ram Manoharlal, Delhi.