Consortism

Our reply is : — It may possibly be a mere state of consortism — another of the many familiar instances of two diverse organisms being found in company.

The alga, on the contrary, derives a definite advantage from its consortism with the fungus, receiving from it inorganic substances and water, and possibly organic substances also.

Consortism is classified into four types according to the benefit derived by the consortes: 1. If it is voluntary with mutual benefit but not asymmetrical or damaging to either consorte, it is mutualism. 2. Commensalism is a voluntary asymmetrical consortism in which one organism is benefited with no appreciable benefit or damage to the partner. 3. Parasitism is an involuntary consortism with progressive asymmetrical damage to one for the benefit of the other. 4. Predation is a nonsymbiotic consortism with damage to one for the benefit of the other.

Nowhere in the Vaisnava artistic tradition does one find the kind of representation of divine consortism that occurs in the Śaiva tradition, and based on this alone it is possible to assert that divine consortism in the Vaisnava tradition does not reflect the praka-śavimarśa aspect of consciousness which is a central feature of Śiva-Śakti art.

The consortism of Śiva and Pārvatī is a perfect artistic model of Kāśmīr Śaivism which ultimately leads to the ānanda of aesthetic realisatiton.

The sexual rite of the fertility cult of the 'archaic' Tantrism transformed into spiritual Tantrism as Śivaism and Vișņuism; also developed the philosophical concepts of consortism or dualism of Śańkhya — purușa and prakŗti — having close affinity with Taoist yan and ying.