Sutra 3.3

Translation The non-discrimination of the principles beginning with the arts (kalā) and extending through the tattvas is Māyā.

Meaning In the architecture of Trika Shaivism, reality descends from pure consciousness into limitation through specific stages called tattvas. This sutra identifies the very mechanism of that descent: a failure to distinguish between the eternal Self and the transient instruments of experience. The term "kalā" refers to the limited powers of action and knowledge that characterize the individual soul, while "tattvas" encompasses the entire spectrum of manifested reality from the subtle mind to the gross earth. Māyā is not an external illusion cast upon you; it is the internal state of confusion where one mistakes these limited components for the whole of who they are.

This non-discrimination creates the veil that hides your true nature as Shiva. When you identify solely with your capacity to act, your thoughts, or your physical form, you contract your infinite awareness into a finite persona. The sutra teaches that bondage is essentially a cognitive error, a blurring of lines between the witness and the witnessed. As long as the discriminative wisdom (viveka) that separates the unchanging consciousness from the changing phenomena is absent, the play of Māyā continues, keeping the seeker trapped in the cycle of subject-object duality.

Contemplation Throughout your day, whenever you feel frustration, pride, or limitation arising from your abilities, thoughts, or body, pause and silently ask: "Is this the whole of me, or is this merely a tool I am using?" Consciously label the feeling or thought as a "limited power" (kalā) rather than your identity. Rest for a moment as the silent awareness that observes this tool, thereby piercing the veil of non-discrimination and reclaiming your stance as the master of the instruments rather than the servant of their limitations.