The main stream of brahmanic thought, as well as most of the texts aimed at regulating the socio-religious dimension of the ideal Hindu man, tend to erect an absolute line of demarcation between desire–senses–passions and the intellectual–spiritual element. Consciousness must be ‘pure’ (śuddha), transparent and weightless, and any activation of the ‘desire’ pole can only muddy its necessary clarity, preventing it from being itself, from ‘functioning’. However, it is not rare to find in Brahmanical literature passage like Manusmṛti II.2-4: “Being governed by desire is not recommended, yet there is nothing devoid of desire in this world. For even for the study of the Veda and for the performing of Vedic rituals desire is necessary. […] There is no action whatsoever in one who is without desire, for whatever may be done is accomplished due to desire.” This and many other possible quotations demonstrate that the force and value of desire are deeply rooted in Indian culture from its very origins. Under the banner of ‘desire’ we place the entire dimension of human energy and drives, as manifested first and foremost in sensory activities, in the emotions and passions. Non-dual Śaivism starts from this shared awareness and pushes it to the extreme.