66 Isansivagurudevapaddhati III. KRIYĀPĀDA The second part of the work begins with Kriyāpāda which consists of sixty-four Patalas. As suggested by the title it deals with the ritualistic aspect of the Mantras enunciated in the previous part. (1) The first Patala deals with Sivasadbhava, Agamaprāmā- nya, Tattvamātṛkä and Vastunirdeśa. The existence of Siva as the supreme power is the main thesis of the section. It is Śiva who enunciated the main principles of virtue. He is not subjected to the power of Mäyā. He is the root cause of the universe both for sustenance and destruction and is the abject of the means of knowledge like Pratyakşa, Anumana and Agama. It can be definitely proved that there is one force called Siva as the agent who is different from all other forces. It is said : सर्वकर्त्रा शिवेनोक्तं शास्त्र मुख्यं हि सर्वथा । सहि मायादि भूम्यन्त विश्वकार्यस्य कारणम् ॥ शिवः कर्ता विकर्ता च प्रमाणत्रयगोचरः | अस्त्येकः स शिवः कर्ता ह्यपरेभ्यो विलक्षणः ॥ योगि प्रत्यक्षतः सिद्धश्चानुमानागमैरपि ।। The author shows that various schools of thought like Vaiśeşika Samkhya, Vedanta, Cärväka and Jaina would have to accept the existence of Siva as the primordial cause of the universe. Now the reliability of Agamas is established. Siva himself proclaimed these Agamas which are mainly classified as Para and Aparã. Under the first category called Parã there are twenty- eight Agamas designated as Sivajñanabheda. There are ten Agamas beginning with Kamika and eighteen beginning with Vijaya. These together make twenty eight. The second category Apara consists of fourteen. There are ten beginning with Rgveda and four beginning with Mimamsã. Both of them to- gether make fourteen. This second category is often called Pasujñānabheda as agent Sivajñanabheda. The following passages may be noted.
