Śivasaṃhitā 5.210

The two movements of the Vedantic intellect—adhyāropa (superimposition: «everything is Brahman») and apavāda (negation: «nothing is permanent except Brahman»)—are presented as the logical method of the highest yoga. At the point where both movements converge, where the superimposed and the negated dissolve simultaneously, direct non-dual understanding emerges.

Adhyāropa = superimposition (adhi = over, āropa = placing), the practice of seeing Brahman in everything, apavāda = negation (apa = away, vāda = declaration), systematically withdrawing attributions to the Absolute, vilīyate = dissolves. Domestic activities (gṛha-karma) are the test of practice: the yogi performs them without being absorbed by them.

The integration of the Vedantic adhyāropa-apavāda method into the tantric Śiva-saṃhitā is philosophically significant. While tantrism generally prefers the affirmative approach (sarvam śivam — «everything is Śiva»), here the Vedanta’s negative approach (neti neti — «not this, not this») is also incorporated. This synthesis of Indian thought’s two paths anticipates the yoga vedanta current that would dominate Indian spirituality in subsequent centuries.