Precognitive Dreams in Kashmir Saivism

Precognitive dreams appear to predict the future through a sixth sense. Historically, there are a lot of references to precognitive dreams responsible for great discoveries and showcasing big happenings. This volume is an attempt to illuminate and rediscover precognition in dreams in a different perspective of investigation in the light of Kashmir Saivism about reality and consciousness.

In the process, the book introduces readers to dreams and consciousness, underlining evidences, references and descriptions of the phenomenon. To enlighten one on the concept of precognition on the basis of reflectionism, it illustrates the Pure and Reflected Consciousness, and how one attains spiritual powers like precognition through japa, dana, tapa, puja and so on, based on the findings from Tantraloka and Pratyabhijnasastra. Further, it surveys the complete philosophical physiology of precognitive dreams with respect to concepts like pramata, prameya and pramana.

While establishing a uniform principle lying in the back of precognition, it lets future scope for investigation on precognition and the mysteries of this phenomenon, giving the book a high referral value to all in the field of psychology and parapsychology.

Dr. Surabhi Verma has been at National Institute of Technology (NIT), Rourkela, since 2015. Right from her school, she has been trained as a blend of Sanskrit and Modern Sciences. The topics under psychology, parapsychology like of precognition and Kashmir Saivism are some of her favourite subjects of interest. Dr. Surabhi Verma is introducing the Sanskrit tradition and Indian philosophy to the engineering and technical students of NIT. She investigated the hidden secrets about dreams and precognition in Indian philosophy especially in Kashmir Saivism during her doctoral work. This work is the presentation of her investigations.

DREAM (svapna), indeed a mystic, interesting but unconditioned reality, is an expression of Consciousness. The whole Universe and all our thoughts are well regulated by the Universal Laws of Nature. Consciousness is the root cause of life. Consciousness descends down to take the shape of gross forms. During each level of manifestation, Pure Consciousness becomes enclosed in a limited zone of powers. Thus in Wakened State Consciousness is maximally delimited. In Dream State, Consciousness expressed in subtle aspects is released from the bonds of Wakened State. The State of Dream also provides some kind of knowledge because Consciousness is functional. The range of this kind of knowledge is determined by the bonds which delimit Consciousness. When Consciousness accesses the information related with the forward coordinates of Time and Space in dreams, that phenomenon comes to be known as "Precognition". If knowledge is acquired of an event which has not yet happened, but which later happens as foretold; and if this knowledge could not have been obtained by logical inference from present facts, and could not result from an intention to fulfil the prediction, and is of too precise or detailed a character for its fulfilment to be attributed to chance, then the case is said to be one of "Precognition". Precognition thus means the direct perception of events which have not yet happened. This phenomenon is a natural capability of Consciousness and experienced by many persons. In the field of Indian philosophy, the levels and functions of Consciousness indicating this phenomenon have been described. In Sanskrit literature, this kind of phenomenon is narrated in many contexts like in drama or poetry and in the form of prayers to deities to save oneself from the effects of bad dreams. In historical and global perspective, there are a lot of references of Precognitive Dreams which are responsible for great discoveries and a showcase of big happenings.

This work is an effort to illuminate and rediscover Precognitive Dreams with a different may of investigation in the light of the concepts of Non-dualistic school of Bharatiya Darsana, i.e. Kashmir 8aivism, about Reality and Consciousness. The First Chapter lays down a General Introduction of Kashmir Saivism, indicating the metaphysical aspects and popular doctrines along with the historical background and literature. The Second Chapter illuminates the Introduction of Dreams and Precognition. It underlines the evidences, references and descriptions of the phenomenon. The Third Chapter reflects the Stages and Dimensions of Consciousness and defines the category of Precognitive Dreams as a natural substage of Universal Creation on the basis of the evidences of Tantraloka. The Fourth Chapter is devoted to the complete Darsanika Physiology of the Precognitive Dreams with respect to pramata, prameya and pramana. It establishes the uniform principle lying in the back of Precognition and leaves future scope of investigation and thinking to reveal the mysteries of the phenomenon further.

**Contents and Sample Pages**