MAHADEVA- SUPREME GOD, PERFECT “’FAMILY MAN”

 MAHADEVA- SUPREME GOD, PERFECT “’FAMILY MAN”

“Now, it is my turn to ask”, smiled the Yogi. “Why did you choose me?”

“Although God is one, His attributes are different in His different manifestations. Your form held a particular appeal for me. I was awed both by your appearance and character. Here was a lord, with no kingdom, no material acquisitions, no riches, nothing, yet he was bestowing gifts upon others. Here was a God sitting serenely in meditation, a technical God? Someone who loved his wife and children, and was so much at ease with Nature. Someone who loved the forests and the hills, the rivers and the springs and all the beings, that lived in them. I loved the way you let your hair hang loose, and was intrigued at your informal attire. I loved it that a God showed us how to be a perfect “Family man”

~ From the book The Yogi and the snake ( Conversations with Shiva) by Shail Gulhati: Shiva and Mysticism.)

BABAHAM BHAYANKAR, JAI SHIV SHANKER

 

The extreme sorrow gave way to extreme rage, and Narada noticed that Shiva was going into a different mood.
He had darkened. His face resembled the darkest cloud in the sky, His eyes became bloodshot, His hair rising in extreme excitement, like the mixed thrill of a warrior, when He is about to embark into an immediate and deadly battle.
He started stomping His feet on the ground, causing the earth below Him to quake, and the mountains in even the farthest horizons began to shake. “Daksha, you will not be spared! Sati, I am coming! Sateee!!”
The ganas repeated the call, “Daksha, you will not be spared! Ma, we are coming!!”

Shiva started a war dance, tugging violently at His own hair and whirling in the air, with His torso doing the most unusual twists, like a man in severe pain. His right hand pulled out His Trishula from the ground where it had been restfully parked for months, as if to jerk it out of its dormancy. “BABHAM!!” He yelled a war cry and lunged forwards.
“Babham Bhayankar, Jai Shiv Shanker!” cried the ganas, their collective voices sending shudders down the entire jungle and valley.

Creatures started running helter skelter in utter confusion. That Shiva would never harm them was clear, but just the level of His anger was sending waves across that were a hitherto unknown vibration.
It was scary, it was deadly, and it was grim.

Shiva started charging down the valley towards Kankhal.
The ganas charged as hordes; very menacing, deathly hordes, as if a thousand Gods of Death had collected to unleash the great havoc upon all beings in the kingdom of Kankhal.
Then, Shiva commanded,“Get to Daksha! Kill all who come in your way of killing the vile Daksha. I want his head on my Trishula today. Even if a rishi or even if Vishnu or Brahma comes to His rescue, do not spare Daksha. His end is here. It is going to be done. NOW!!”

“Jai Shiv Shanker Babham Bhayanker!” cried the ganas, and then added, “Jai Ho Veerbhadra!!”Narada noted that Shiva, in His darkest mood, had turned into a terrifying and almost sinister appearance, and yet he was the paradoxical hero. He moved like a one-man army getting ready to wreak havoc on all those who came in its way, and Narada was reminded of a cloud of locusts on rampage.

From the book ~ SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.
by Shail Gulhati  

The right use of money

 

"I need to ask a few questions about things that are in focus today, said the snake, what about money?" Said the snake

"What about money? "asked the yogi," it has always been in focus."

"Well what of it then?"

"Enjoy money, only, don’t let it deprive you of whatever comes for free, don’t let it deprive you of friendship with the transpersonal doers."

"Can a moneyed man be spiritual? "asked the snake.

"Why not?" answered the yogi, " Man has only made the currency. But money is evaluated in terms of what it can buy. Whatever it can buy, from where has all this come? Break everything down to the elements and you are back to Nature again. It can buy food, livestock, tents, a home, gems, metals, contraptions? All these belong to God in any case.
Is money unspiritual? No you cannot blame the piece of paper. What goes wrong then? a moneyed man, a man of means, gets so involved with those means, he forgets the end. He gets so externalized, he seldom finds the time, or has the need to introspect, to meditate; therefore the chances of his making contact with the source, become minimal. He remains joyous with these toys, to which he has easy access. We say he is distracted. Not attracted to the source of joy, within. We say he is deluded.

Such a man, is rarely compassionate, indifferent to the welfare of fellow beings, and prone to oppressiveness and unrightful authority. Where there is unrightful authority, there is hell.

But, if such a man, who inspite of his money, doesn’t lose kindness, love and other things that money can’t buy, can he not be spiritual? If a moneyed man doesn't lose track of the end goal of life,will Heaven not welcome him then?
So, enjoy money, with a through understanding about its limitation. Understand the mystic character of money, it deprives you of what it can’t buy. Do not let it deprive you of harmony." replied the Yogi

~ From the book The Yogi and the snake ( conversations with lord Shiva)
First Published in1995.

WITH THE LORD OF THE WORLD

 

WITH THE LORD OF THE WORLD

Shiva gently put one arm around Sati and lifted Her easily off the ground. He seated Her on Nandi, and then looking at the wedding party one last time, sat on Nandi Himself.

The royal drummers started beating their drums, breaking out into a lilting rhythm. The Shiv ganas promptly drew out their damarus and started playing them with equal vigour. The confluence of the palace music and that of the mountain men was, indeed fabulous—a divine jugalbandi.

And thus began Sati’s journey to Her abode in Kailash, amidst drums and trumpets, roars and fanfare. Kailash, where She hoped to live happily ever after with Her Lord, Shiva, who was also the beloved Lord of the world.

~ SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.

Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam -Heart of Recognition

 

Svacchanda Nath  ( Shiva Mahadeva, Kashmir Shaivism )

Now is expounded the Pratyabhijnahrdayam

प्रत्यभिज्ञाहृदयम्
Pratyabhijñāhṛdayam

-Heart (hṛdayam) of Recognition (pratyabhijñā)-
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The Pratyabhijnahrdyam prepared by Ksemaraja, the disciple of Abhinavagupta, serves as a digest to the prtyabhijna  philosophy of Self Re-cognition in the Kashmir Shaiv Darsana.The following texts have been taken from Shri Jaideva singh's translation.

My friend Randhir bhan has painstakingly and with thorough devotion , given the sutras in sanskrit. At most places, i have added a few of my notes.


चितिः स्वतन्त्रा विश्वसिद्धिहेतुः॥१॥
Citiḥ svatantrā viśvasiddhihetuḥ||1||

1) Citih, which is absolute consciousness, (and latent with power to do),
by its own free will (svatantrya/independence), is the cause of manifestation, preservation, and again re absorption or withdrawal of the Universe into itself also called dissolution.



This is a description of Godhead, and before time and space are created, it alone is, in itself. It is Citih, or Para Samvit , perfect Prakasa Vimarsa ,it is all knowing, omniscient, and all powerful, omnipotent.

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स्वेच्छया स्वभित्तौ विश्वमुन्मीलयति॥२॥
Svecchayā svabhittau viśvamunmīlayati||2||

2) By Her own power, she unfolds the Universe on her own screen.



This is a direct statement on the understanding of Kashmir Shaivism, that God is both the efficient, as well as material cause of the Universe, that is to say, He creates out of his own will, on his own self, there is no extraneous material, and even the analogy of the potter and the pot of clay, fails here, since the potter emanates or projects out of himself, not out of clay.

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तन्नानानुरूपग्राह्यग्राहकभेदात्॥३॥
Tannānānurūpagrāhyagrāhakabhedāt||3||

3) That Universe, so unfolded, is manifold , consisting of many subjects, who are objects for the others in reciprocal differentiation.



The potter was one, the projector was one, but the pots are many, the projection features many. The various projections, though coming from the same source, and thus essentially the same, are different from the other, like one is a conical pot, the other rounded the third triangular and so on. When they view the other as an object, they see others as different from themselves, and therefore begin to be more difference than identity.  Spiritually, this means that the manifold creation gets adapted to each other as subject and object in a reciprocal manner, in my perception you are my object, but in yours, I am an object, you are the subject that views me. Or, simply, that even though we are all essentially the same, but still no two people are alike. Thus, the identity of the oneness of Citih has been veiled (vilaya).

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चितिसङ्कोचात्मा चेतनोऽपि सङ्कुचितविश्वमयः॥४॥
Citisaṅkocātmā cetano'pi saṅkucitaviśvamayaḥ||4||



4) (But) even while he has been reduced to such individual experients,
each individual has the Citi contracted within him, as Citta.



So even while each Experient finds himself limited from birth, and/or limits himself in life, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have the primal consciousness in him, he always does ,albeit in a contracted manner. The fact is, one cannot survive without the Citi, that gone, the body would be lifeless.



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चितिरेव चेतनपदावरूढा चेत्यसङ्कोचिनी चित्तम्॥५॥
Citireva cetanapadādavarūḍhā cetyasaṅkocinī cittam||5||



5) Thus does Citi contract itself in conformity to the object of consciousness, Cetaya.
Such that in the high Experient of Sadashiva, there is predominance of Prakasa Vimarasa, that is, light (pure knowledge)
and power (the power of knowledge knowing itself),
but in the Pasu (a soul bound by ignorance of its divine nature, using its ability as a human, and thus akin to a lower species of animal)
there is predominance of the contraction, and therefore great dullness.

By Dhyana(contemplation, meditation) one may loosen the contraction and advance to a higher stage.



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तन्मयो मायाप्रमाता॥६॥
Tanmayo māyāpramātā||6||

6) Even the Mayapramata, highly deluded being, consists of Citta.


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स चैको द्विरूपस्त्रिमयश्चतुरात्मा सप्तपञ्चकस्वभावः॥७॥
Sa caiko dvirūpastrimayaścaturātmā saptapañcakasvabhāvaḥ||7||



7) And thus, though He is one, he becomes two, three, and many.
As is said in the Taittiriya Upanishad, for Brahman as source of all, he desired, may I be many, may I be born!

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तद्भूमिकाः सर्वदर्शनस्थितयः॥८॥
Tadbhūmikāḥ sarvadarśanasthitayaḥ||8||

8) Thus too, it becomes easier to understand the positions of various systems of philosophy. They are only various reaches of that consciousness of Self.

Like the Hill and the climbers, each successively exalted Darsana is like the climber who has already traversed the path and is now on top, he can see Panoramically (wholly) at what stage the other is, but not vice versa.
Thus a Carvaka, or gross materialist, will tell the believer of soul,
'show me your soul', let me test it, and so on ,and the  spiritualist will insist, that everything that is transient, is more like a dream, less of a reality. Swami Vivekananda, said they both think that the other is a dreamer!
And, in all honesty, at all times, no one Darsana deliberated misleading; they actually spoke of the vision, as they saw, much like only one who has seen the moon in its entire phases, will know the truth that it is always full, it only appears to wax and wane. The man who has only seen a crescent, will find it difficult to talk of a full moon, and vice versa.
So too, the non dualism of Kashmir Shaiv is Paradvait, Dvait and Advait both. Thus Shiva spoke of the dual as well as non dual Tantras.



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चिद्वत्तच्छक्तिसङ्कोचान्मलावृतः संसारी॥९॥
Cidvattacchaktisaṅkocānmalāvṛtaḥ saṁsārī||9||



9) Consequently, highest Shiva who's reality, is all consciousness ,because of such limitation of his own Sakti, becomes a mala (dross) covered Samsarin.
The travelling soul is covered with Mala because of constriction of His power(Sakti).



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तथापि तद्वत्पञ्चकृत्यानि करोति॥१०॥
Tathāpi tadvatpañcakṛtyāni karoti||10||

10) For even in the limited state of Jiva, Shiva does retain the five acts, in a limited way, and it is all his perception of what happens as :

· Sristi (projection),

· Sthiti (maintenance or preservation),

· Samhara (dissolution or re -absorption back to the pristine),

· Vilaya ( veiling of the divine nature by Malas) ,and

· Anugraha ( revelation of the divine by grace).



There may be a cat, but for you it comes into existence when you see it, so you give it its Sristi (creation) in your world. If you were to close your eyes, the cat would still be in the world, but not in your world for then. if you remember the cat you are preserving it , maintaining it by memory. and so on. therefore, in a limited way you are still playing Shiva



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आभासनरक्तिविमर्शनबीजावस्थापनविलापनतस्तानि॥११॥
Ābhāsanaraktivimarśanabījāvasthāpanavilāpanatastāni||11||



11) And so on you go, manifesting, relishing, experiencing, dissolving etc


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तदपरिज्ञाने स्वशक्तिभिर्व्यामोहितता संसारित्वम्॥१२॥
Tadaparijñāne svaśaktibhirvyāmohitatā saṁsāritvam||12||

12) To be a samsari means to be deluded by one's own power , because of ignorance of such authorship of the fivefold act. Samsari aka traveling soul is bewildered and infatuated by his own powers as ignorance leads him into delusions.
Since this power of delusion or concealment is Vilaya, obscuration or
forgetfulness of one's divine nature, one should understand that the very recognition that one is deluded, marks Anugraha, grace, and the process of re-cognition of one's (lost) nature begins.

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तत्परिज्ञाने चित्तमेवान्तर्मुखीभावेन चेतनापदाध्यारोहाच्चितिः॥१३॥
Tatparijñāne cittamevāntarmukhībhāvena cetanāpadādhyārohāccitiḥ||13||

13) And as the process ripens, through Sadhanas and methods ,acquiring the full knowledge of the five fold act accrues, and Citta expands from its contracted form to become Citti itself.



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चितिवह्निरवरोहपदे छन्नोऽपि मात्रया मेयेन्धनं प्लुष्यति॥१४॥
Citivahniravarohapade channo'pi mātrayā meyendhanaṁ pluṣyati||14||

14) It can be seen that the fire of citti, keeps burning the fuel of the known objects.

Citti is ever at work! taking you back to your pristine consciousness. but you may accelerate this, by roasting, as they say, the chestnut over and over again..! The fuel is partially consumed by the fire of Citti though its still delusional and is in inferior stage.



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बललाभे विश्वमात्मसात्करोति॥१५॥
Balalābhe viśvamātmasātkaroti||15||

15) In the re -assertion of that power, it, through the aspirant, accomplishing the prasara, or outgoing (expansion) of the divine senses,
comes to fulfillment ,such that it makes the entire universe its own by assimilation.
Ballabbhe vishvaatmasatkaroti, the world is the same as your pristine SELF. That is, he assimilates universe to himself.



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चिदानन्दलाभे देहादिषु चेत्यमानेष्वपि चिदैकात्म्यप्रतिपत्तिदार्ढ्यं जीवन्मुक्तिः॥१६॥
cidānandalābhe dehādiṣu cetyamāneṣvapi cidaikātmyapratipattidārḍhyaṁ jīvanmuktiḥ||16||



16) Liberation while one retains his physical body.
When this bliss of cit is attained, there accrues a lasting acquisition (a stability) of identity with cit, even while having the body, and this is jivanmukti.

This means that one does not have do die, or lose the physical body, to attain to the subtler realms and consciousness itself, the great promise is to attain to the essence here, in this body, and be free from the delusion of life as one earlier thought it to be. Indeed , the reverse seems to be true, if you die without knowing God while alive, there's little chance, you'll come back to birth , knowing him .



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मध्यविकासाच्चिदानन्दलाभः॥१७॥
Madhyavikāsāccidānandalābhaḥ||17||

17) By the sustained development of this centre(of consciousness) ,by the sustenance of this stability on Samvit itself, there is lasting of the bliss.

Now this seems like a repetition, but Shaiv Darsana has the understanding of Vipula, the thickening of that stability on centeredness. Like an actor who goes over his lines over and over, who gets used to playing the role of king, becomes natural about it. while Advait Vedanta goals "Sat Chit Ananda", consciousness, blissed at knowing itself as the ultimate,Kash Shaiv exhorts to reach Cid Ananda Ghana, consciousness blissed thickly, densely! like a forest of bliss consciousness! after having scaled the ultimate truth that doesnt change. ( So Sat,is understood, to be present in the statement...Sat Chid Ananda Ghana!)
Even in traditional yogi literature, once one reaches Sahasrara, the crown chakra (in the human body at the place over the head ,
in geography, Kailash..and so on), by definition itself, the lotus of thousand petals opens,
here thousand denotes Anant, infinite...The Vedantic realization, is called Atma Vyapti, and the thickened Ghana, Vipula, Shaivic goal , is Shiva Vyapti.
One who has Atma Vyapti, has full knowledge of the self, but lacks the powers, while one who has Shiva Vyapti, gets the dynamics also.
The lesser realization is about pure being, the higher realization is about being and becoming, both.
To repeat, again, Prakasa, and prakasavimarsa both, Advait, or Paradvait.



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विकल्पक्षयशक्तिसख़ोचविकासवाहच्छेदद्यन्तकोटिनिभालनादय इहोपायाः॥१८॥
Vikalpakṣayaśaktisaṅkocavikāsavāhacchedadyantakoṭinibhālanādaya ihopāyāḥ||18||

18) For the development : Upayas are given for dissolving all thoughts, constriction and unveiling of power.

At this point the Pratyabhijna gives a few means beginning with sukhopaya, or anupaya, which cannot be taught,and then gives a few other methods, as sadhanas to reach at one ment with Shiva. Since the methods may be found in the successive upayas, it is better to get versed with the Upayas for detail.



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समाधिसंस्कारवति व्युत्थाने भूयो भूयश्चिदैक्यामर्शान्नित्योदितसमाधिलाभः॥१९॥
Samādhisaṁskāravati vyutthāne bhūyo bhūyaścidaikyāmarśānnityoditasamādhilābhaḥ||19||

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19) By reflecting upon the Oneness with Cit experienced in samadhi, there is the lasting bliss even in vyutthana.

Samadhi is to go into the deepest meditation, and merge with pristine consciousness. Vyuthana is when you arise from that Samadhi.
Samadhi passes on its effects to Vyutthana,
and Kashmir shaivism says that by constant reflection on that Oneness with cit, as experienced in samadhi,
we are lead to a permanent state of samadhi, even while not in meditation.
You may call samadhi 'being in meditation', and vyutthana 'meditation in being'.
Such alternation of swinging between the actual inner state of smadhi, and the externalised reflection over it, is called Krama mudra.
Regular practice of this inner-outer swing, of krama leads to the permanent state of Bhairava avastha,
which is to simply know, that inner or outer..all is siva.




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तदा प्रकाशानन्दसारमहामन्त्रवीर्यात्मकपूर्णाहन्तावेशात्सदा सर्वसर्गसंहारकारिनिजसंविद्देवताचक्रेश्वरताप्राप्तिर्भवतीति शिवम्॥२०॥
Tadā prakāśānandasāramahāmantravīryātmakapūrṇāhantāveśātsadā
sarvasargasaṁhārakārinijasaṁviddevatācakreśvaratāprāptirbhavatīti śivam||20||

20) By attainment of such krama mudra and bhairava,as a result of entering into the perfect I -consciousness or Self,
which is in essence Cit and ananda and also of the nature of power of the great mantra,there accrues Lordship over the group of the deities of consciousness that bring about all emanation and re absprbtion of the Universe.All is the nature of Siva.


When one is completely established in Siva consciousness in Samadhi and Vyutthan,One gains Lordship over every power of emanation and re absorbtion that arises from consciousness,because, all is the nature of Siva.

~ Shail Gulhati Author of  SHIVA, The Ultimate Time Traveller.