SHIVA MAHAPURANA CONTINUES....................3.............................

SHIVA MAHAPURANA 
CONTINUES....................3.............................

PART ONE VIDYESHWAR SAMHITA :

SAGES ENQUIRE :
Viddyeshwar Samhita which is classified into twenty five chapters, has a narration in its first
chapter which goes as followsOnce upon a time, the sages were performing a yagya at Prayag kshetra. Sage Suta came to know
about this and arrived there. All the sages were very pleased to see him. They requested:-"Lord! Though we have heard many tales from you regarding the man's benediction, but today
we want to listen to something special. Because in this present era of Kali, when all the castes
have forgotten about their respective duties we want to know is there any way to prevent the
deterioration in the human values?"
Suta replied:-
"O Great men! Your enquiry has great relevance in this era of Kali. I will certainly tell you about
the way by the help of which a man can achieve benediction. Shiva Mahapurana contains the
essence of Vedantic philosophy, which gives worldly pleasures as well as Salvation. Mere
remembrance of it destroys all the sins of a man. One who studies the Rudra-Samhita attentively,
his gravest of sins are destroyed instantaneously. One who studies Rudra-Samhita' silently,
sitting in front of Bhairav-idol, all of his aspirations are fulfilled. A man gets liberated from the
sin of killing a brahmin, if he studies Rudra Samhita while circulbulating around a Banyan tree."
"Kailash Samhita is even superior than Rudra Samhita, as it elaborates upon the meaning of
Omkar. Shiva Mahapurana is created by lord Shiva Himself. It contains twelve Samhitas which
are - Viddyeshwar, Rudra, Vinayak, Uma, Matri, Ekadash-rudra, Kailash, Shat-rudra, Koti-rudra,
Sahastra Koti, Vayaviya and Dharma."
"Initially it contained one lac shlokas but it was precised to twenty-four thousand shlokas by sage
Vyasa. The present Shiva Purana is the fourth one which consists of seven Samhitas. The earlier
three Shiva Puranas are unavailable. The scientific analysis of the Vedantic mysteries are the
main subject of this divine Shiva Purana. The study of Shiva Purana helps a man to attain
Dharma, Artha, Kam and Moksha.
Suta continued with his narration:-
"During the initial period of 'Svet Varaha Kalpa'. Six prominent sages collected near Triveni and
started debating as to who was the greatest deity, among Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh. Their
debate remained inconclusive, so they went to lord Brahma to seek the answer.
Lord Brahma told them:-
"O revered Sages! The source of Vishnu, Rudra all the deities including myself and all the other
creations is none other Mahadeo. Union with the Shiva should be the objective of a man to attain
that objective. Listening to the qualities of Lord Shiva, singing devotional songs in his praise and
contemplating on him are the greatest means, which help to unite with Shiva."
Purification of the mind by the help of doing worship and chanting the name of God is called
contemplation. Singing devotional songs in the form of stotra, or hymns of the vedas or even in
one's own language is called Kirtan.
The above mentioned three activities are the supreme means to attain liberation
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