A: Yes, that is the Krama school.

The word krama means “succession, sequence, series,

etc.”. This school is called so because it teaches that all the processes of perception go
through 12 stages. The system mentions the names of 12 goddesses known as “Kālī-s”.
Each of these Kālī-s is associated with one of the 12 stages of the perceptual process. The
Kaula and Pratyabhijñā schools are beyond space and time, but the Krama school is not.
Why? Because there is krama or succession of 12 goddesses or stages in one’s perception,
all of which is displayed in space and time accordingly. Yes, this school leads an aspirant to
the Non-dual Reality where space and time are absent, but its methods are based on space
and time though.

Q: Could you name those twelve goddesses?

A: Yes. The names of the first two goddesses were declared by Kṣemarāja in his
Spandanirṇaya I.1, while he wrote the first interpretation of the compound
“śakticakravibhavaprabhavam” to be found in the first stanza of Spandakārikā-s. He said the
following regarding the group of powers (śakticakra):

… शक्तीनां सृष्टिरक्तादिमरीचिदे वीनां चक्र

ं द्वादशात्मा समूहस्तस्य यो विभव

उद्योगावभासनचर्वणविलापनात्मा क्रीडाडम्बरस्तस्य प्रभवं हेतुम।् …

… Śaktīnāṁ sṛṣṭiraktādimarīcidevīnāṁ cakraṁ dvādaśātmā samūhastasya yo vibhava

udyogāvabhāsanacarvaṇavilāpanātmā krīḍāḍambarastasya prabhavaṁ hetum|…

… –Now, a first interpretation of the compound “śakticakravibhavaprabhavam” in the

aphorism–

The group (cakram) of powers (śaktīnām) (appearing in the form of) the luminous (marīci)
goddesses –devyaḥ– (devīnām) (such as) Sṛṣṭi (sṛṣṭi), Raktā (raktā), etc. (ādi), (is) an
aggregate (samūhaḥ) consisting (ātmā) of twelve (deities) (dvādaśa). Its –i.e. of that
aggregate or group– (tasya) “vibhava” (yaḥ vibhavaḥ) (is, according to this first
interpretation,) the immensity (āḍambaraḥ) of the play (krīḍā) whose nature (ātmā) (is)
creative activity (udyoga), maintenance (avabhāsana), reabsorption (carvaṇa) (and)
concealment (vilāpana). (And) “prabhava” (prabhavam) (is) its (tasya) cause (hetum)…

There, the sage is giving the name of the first two Kālī-s (Sṛṣṭi and Raktā). Now I will give
you the name of all the 12 Kālī-s controlling any process of perception then (4 for the
knowable or object, 4 for knowledge and means of knowledge or perception, and 4 for the
subject himself –the knower or perceiver–, respectively).

For the knowable or object

Sṛṣṭikālī
Raktākālī
Sthitināśakālī
Yamakālī
For knowledge and means of knowledge or perception
Saṁhārakālī
Mṛtyukālī
Bhadrakālī or Rudrakālī
Mārtaṇḍakālī
For the subject (the knower or perceiver)

Paramārkakālī
Kālāgnirudrakālī
Mahākālakālī
Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī or Mahābhairavacaṇḍograghorakālī
The fourth goddess in each of the three groups (object, knowledge/means of knowledge,
subject) is the unmentionable/unspeakable aspect (anākhyā) of the previous three
goddesses, i.e. she makes the products of those three goddesses “unmentionable,
unspeakable” (I will explain this soon, be patient). Therefore, the fourth goddess is always
indefinable regarding the previous three goddesses.

For instance, in the group related to the subject (the knower or perceiver), Paramārkakālī is
the goddess that dissolves one’s ego (Ahaṅkāra, tattva or category 15) in Puruṣa (individual
soul, tattva or category 12). Next, Kālāgnirudrakālī is the goddess that dissolves the
individual soul (Puruṣa, tattva or category 12, also known as Kālāgnirudra) in Śiva residing in
the tattva-s or categories 3, 4 and 5 (Sadāśiva, Īśvara and Sadvidyā), viz. in the three tattva-
s where Śiva dwells in full unity with the incipient universe. This means that Kālāgnirudrakālī
is the goddess allowing a limited individual (an individual soul) to overcome the primordial
impurity (Āṇavamala) situated between the tattva-s 5 and 6. After that, the goddess called
Mahākālakālī dissolves Śiva residing in tattva-s 3 to 5 in “pure Śiva” (Śiva dwelling in tattva 1
only, beyond even the incipient universe). Finally, the fourth goddess
(Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī) appears as the one who contains all the previous three
goddesses and their products (Puruṣa, Śiva in tattva-s 3 to 5 and pure Śiva) but at the same
time she makes all that anākhyā “unmentionable/unspeakable”, i.e. when you are in the
fourth goddess, in Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī, you cannot “name, mention” Puruṣa, Śiva
in tattva-s 3 to 5 and pure Śiva in tattva 1, because your State is That of Paramaśiva (the
Supreme Śiva), which is beyond description in words. All in all, the State of Paramaśiva is
called with the name of a goddess in the Krama system: Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī.
Besides, this goddess is not only transcending the three goddess Paramārkakālī,
Kālāgnirudrakālī and Mahākālakālī, but she also engulfs all of the previous 11 goddesses at
the same time, because Paramaśiva is not only beyond all the tattva-s or categories since
He is also present in each of them simultaneously. This is obvious from the very name of the
last goddess:

Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī = Mahābhairava (it stands for the subject or knower) – ghora

(it stands for knowledge/means of knowledge or perception) – caṇḍa (it stands for the
knowable or object) – kālī.

OK, it is enough. For more information about tattva-s, read the “Trika overview” section
found in Trika > Trika (overview) of the Main Website.

Q: I have a headache!
A: That is why I told you before that knowledge contained in these four schools is simply
“brutal”. Now you can understand that I was not exaggerating. And that was just a mere
sample of what the Krama school has to give you regarding spiritual knowledge. As it is very
obvious, this school uses Śakti’s viewpoint.

Q: Who founded the Krama school?

A: Although it existed even in the early Kaliyuga (around 5000 years ago) due to the efforts
of the great sage Durvāsās, it was refounded by Erakanātha (also known as
Śivānandanātha) in the late 7th century AD. This sage initiated only three disciples who were
women: Keyūravatī, Madanikā and Kalyāṇikā. Hence, the Krama system is sometimes
known as a female system o something like that, since these three gurvī-s (female guru-s)
were very famous and extremely knowledgeable about the Krama school. Anyway, they had
also men among their disciples.

Q: Will you make a final summary of the four Trika schools?

A: It’s as follows:

Spanda school: uses Śakti’s viewpoint. It is by far the most famous school out of the four, at
least in the West. It is also the most accessible school for western students who are always
desirous of learning techniques/methods to realize their Self. I call it “traditional Trika”, as I
told you before.
Pratyabhijñā school: uses Śiva’s viewpoint. It requires a very powerful intellect to understand
all the intricacies contained in the main scripture of this system, no doubt about it. Moreover,
both a great guru and a great disciple are indispensable as all of its processes have to do
with Grace bestowal. The disciple practices no method or technique but he rather receives
Śiva’s Grace through his Guru and attains spiritual enlightenment instantly, any place, any
time.
Kaula school: uses Paramaśiva’s viewpoint. Though the processes in the Kaula system are,
like those of the Pratyabhijñā system, beyond space and time, this school uses methods of
Śāmbhavopāya, sexual Tantra, etc. As you can see, its methods are really elevated and not
fit for all the students. This school can give much but at the same time it demands much, i.e.
it requires of disciples of high caliber. To practice certain Kaula methods without the
adequate fitness could even be very dangerous (no jokes).
Krama school: uses Śakti’s viewpoint. Instead of using tattva-s or categories to describe the
process of perception, this school uses 12 goddesses. The Krama system moves in space
and time, but finally leads to Paramaśiva (like the previous three schools, obviously) who is
beyond space and time.