The Svacchanda Tantra

It is called Ishvara-advayavada non-dualism of the Lord, Shiva-advaita, Shiva-advaya, Shaktimat-vada doctrine of the possessor of power, or simply Shaiva philosophy. Because of the dominance of the triad of the Lord (Pashupati), the bond (pasha), and the individual soul (pashu), it is also called the Trika-darshana Triad philosophy; however, due to the fame of Acharya Utpala's own work, Ishvara-pratyabhijna, this philosophy later became known as the Pratyabhijna philosophy.

According to the Pratyabhijna philosophy, the individual soul (pashu) is truly Shiva himself, but upon entering the world, he forgets his original nature, that is, his divinity (Shivatva), and begins to consider his gross, subtle, or causal body as his own nature. Because this philosophy causes such a bound soul to recognize its original nature of divinity, it is called the Pratyabhijna philosophy. Pratyabhijna (prati + abhi + jna) means "recognition," in which there is a simultaneous perception of "thatness" and "thisness" (tattedantavagahini pratitih pratyabhijna). Prati means "against" or "opposite." Abhi means "facing" or "front-to-front." Jna means "knowledge" or "illumination." Therefore, the knowledge of a forgotten reality, when it is faced directly, is called recognition. "Opposite" here only means that the self was already manifest previously. It is not that its existence did not exist before, because it is a reality that shines continuously. Despite being limitless (unobstructed, undivided) due to the play of His own power of freedom (svatantrya-shakti), it appears limited (obstructed, divided). Thus, recognition means the unification of a previously known object with what is currently appearing. Acharya Abhinava says—

Recognition is knowledge or illumination that is face-to-face with the self. "Opposite" means the reflection of one's own self, which was not experienced before, because it is of the nature of continuous light. However, it is described as being divided or imagined as limited by that very power. —Ishvara-pratyabhijna-vimarsini.

Although Acharya Somananda, Utpala Deva, Abhinavagupta, and Kshemaraja have explained Pratyabhijna in different ways, the essence of all of them appears to be the same: that the experience of the majesty of the Lord within the soul is Pratyabhijna. The Great Lord (Maheshvara) is the soul of all beings because all their actions are operated by His powers of will, knowledge, and action. This soul is self-luminous, pre-existent, ancient, and the basis for the accomplishment of all tasks. However, even though such a self, which is proven by self-awareness, is of the nature of Shiva, it forgets such limitless majesty due to delusion (maya-shakti or impurity). And when this extraordinary influence or capability is made known, that is, when the unobstructed knowledge and action powers of that soul are investigated, then surely its Pratyabhijna is established.