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In the Name of Shiva, the Most Glorious, the Most Obvious, the |
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SHRI SHIVA RAHASYA THE TENTH LIGHT (Chapter
Ten) 10 Wherein the Eternal Yoga Path to Liberation is declared by
the Supreme Lord for the good of all beings Om is the Eternal Sound Supreme. Of that all other sounds are born. Lord Shiva
said:
1. I shall now make known to you a Yoga
Teaching that is easily understood by all.
Therein every Seeker shall find a Path to his heart's desire and as
taught by his Spiritual Guide. By
means of this Teaching, My devotees see their Self, the Highest Lord, shining
like the blazing Sun. The fire of Yoga
quickly burns the fetters of ignorance and sins. Perfect Knowledge that leads to Liberation
springs from this Yoga even as dawn springs from the Sun.
2. Verily, Knowledge arises from Yoga and Yoga
functions by means of Knowledge. I,
the Greatest God, am Delighted when one is devoted to both Yoga and
Knowledge. Those who practise the
Great Yoga of the Greatest God, either once, twice, three times a day or even
constantly, are themselves to be known as Great Beings Divine.
3. First, let it be understood that Yoga is of
three kinds. The first is called Bhava
Yoga (the Yoga of Being), the second, Abhava Yoga (the Yoga of Non-Being) and
the third, Maha Yoga (the Greatest Yoga), it being the greatest among all.
4. The Yoga whereby one's own inner Self is
meditated upon as a living Soul in the midst of mind, body and worldly
possessions is spoken of as Bhava Yoga (the Yoga of Being). It leads to the realisation of one's own
individual Self, unencumbered by mental delusions. Being the Yoga of Phenomenal Existence, it
should be practised by those who are attached to worldly life and who wish to
remain in the World in this life and the next.
5. The Yoga, whereby one visualises
oneself as infinite, eternally blissful and beyond the Physical World, is
known as Abhava Yoga (the Yoga of Non-Being).
It leads to the realisation of My Divine Transcendental Self and is
higher than the former. Therein all
manifested things are absorbed in the Original Source Whence everything comes
and Whereto everything does return, even as thoughts come to rest in the
emptiness of deep sleep and waves subside in the silence of the Ocean
deep. It should be practised only by
those who wish to leave the World behind and merge for ever in the Formless
Being.
6. The Yoga, however, wherein one meditates
upon oneself as identical at once with My Transcendental and Immanent Being,
that I regard as the highest Yoga leading to true God-Realisation. It is called Maha Yoga because it is the
Yoga of the Great Life (Maha Satta).
7. The Great Life is Greater than both Being
and Non-Being. It is the Supreme Being
(Para Bhava or Para Satta) Itself. It
is Higher than, and at the same time contains within Itself, all other forms
of being. Therefore the Yoga that
leads Thereto is known as Maha Yoga (Greatest Yoga) and Arya Yoga (Higher
Yoga). It is also called Shiva Yoga
(the Yoga of Shiva) as it leads to Identity with Shiva Who is both God and
the World in One. It is called in
three ways because it is Three Times the Greatest among all.
8. This Greatest of all Yogas shall be
practised by all who wish to attain Perfection in this very life. Verily, this Yoga is practised even by the
Gods. For, thereby one obtains the Joys
of Heaven even now.
9. Those Paths of Yoga one sees being followed
by others or one hears about in other Teachings, are not worth as much as
one-sixteenth of this Divine Yoga. The
Yoga whereby Enlightened Souls directly experience everything as One with
God, that Yoga alone shall be known as the greatest of all Yogas. Those who follow it, see God in each other
and at the end of their earthly life go to the Supreme Abode.
10. But those followers of the Yogic Way (that
is, of Bhava Yoga), who, even though they have brought their mind under
control still consider themselves to be separate or different from the Lord,
shall not perceive Me as One without a Second. Thus I, the Lord, declare.
11. O you who shine like the radiant Stars! Man
is born of the Perfect One and unto Him he shall return: this is the Eternal
Law. Let every man who desires to
abide in Unity with Me, do that which is most profitable for his Soul, which
removes all imperfections, and which makes him worthy of the Highest Heaven. It is called Spiritual Practice (Sadhana),
it leads to the perfecting of the Soul and is of eight kinds.
12. Hear you now what the Eight Practices of
Yoga are. Three Preliminary Practices
which are called, Self-discipline (Yama), Spiritual Observance (Niyama) and
Posture (Asana). And Five Advanced
Practices which are called, Breath-control (Pranayama), Detachment
(Pratyahara), Concentration (Dharana), Meditation (Dhyana) and Inward
Absorption (Samadhi).
13. The Three
Preliminary Practices (Prathamika Nityakarmma) or Yogas beginning with
Self-discipline. Self-discipline is of
five kinds: Truthfulness (Satya), Non-violence (Ahimsa), Not Stealing
(Asteya), Right Sexual Conduct (Dharmacharya) and Disinterest in material
possessions (Aparigraha). These five
develop will-power and purity in the mind of men.
14. Truthfulness. Unswerving adherence to Shiva
(Who Is the Highest Truth) and thinking, speaking and acting in conformity
with His Eternal Truth, is Truthfulness.
Since everything is based upon Truth, there is nothing that cannot be
attained by the power of Truth.
15. Non-violence. It has been declared by the great Sages
that Non-violence is the refraining from causing harm to any living being,
whether in deed, word or thought.
16. In truth, there is no greater virtue on
Earth than Non-violence. Nothing is
more conducive to happiness than Non-violence. But that violence that is done in
accordance with Dharma (moral and Spiritual Law), leads to Non-violence and
is to be practised as such by the righteous without fear of sin.
17. Verily, violence that is done in defence of
one's own life or that of others or in defence of My Truth shall be regarded
as lawful. For My Law is ever on the
side of the righteous. He who acts in
obedience to My Law shall not be touched by evil Karma. This is the Eternal Dharma.
18. Not Stealing. Taking what belongs to another, either
through deception, stealth or force is called Stealing. Refraining from such is Not Stealing. It is a means of acquiring merit.
19. Right Sexual Conduct. Refraining from improper sexual conduct,
whether mental, verbal or physical, in all circumstances, occasions and
places, is called Proper Sexual Conduct (lit. conduct according to Spiritual
Law, Dharmacharya). Abstinence from
sexual intercourse in body, speech and thought is the right conduct for one
who has taken the Vow of Chastity.
20. But enjoying physical union with one's wife
during her monthly courses or on holy days; or with a maiden who has not attained
womanhood; or with another man's wife; or with another man; or with a
subhuman creature; or with one who is not a follower of My Law; these six are
the deeds to be avoided by all righteous men.
21. Disinterest in material possessions. Non-acceptance of material gifts save when
compelled by need and being mentally detached from the same, is called
Disinterest in material possessions.
This virtue must be carefully guarded.
22. Spiritual Observance (Niyama) is likewise of
five kinds: Austerity (Tapas), Spiritual Study (Svadhyaya), Purity (Shaucha),
Contentment (Santosha) and Worship of God (Ishvara-Pujana). These five bestow Spiritual powers
(Siddhis) upon the Yogi who practises them.
23. Austerity.
Fasting and eating according as the Moon wanes and waxes, developing
endurance to heat and cold, insensitivity to pain, sleeping on the bare
ground, dwelling at the foot of a tree, etc., is known as Austerity.
24. Spiritual Study. The hearing and repeating of, and the
thinking on, My Word of Truth, is Spiritual Study. It develops the mental quality of
intelligence and happiness (Sattva) in those who practise it.
25. There are three kinds of Spiritual Study:
audible, inaudible and mental. Due to
differences in their efficacy, they are regarded as inferior, medium and
superior, respectively.
26. The Spiritual Study wherein the words
uttered by the student are clearly audible to others, is called vocal.
27. That which involves the movement of the
lips without audible pronunciation of the words, is called silent. It is of superior kind to the audible one.
28. The attentive contemplation of the Words of
Truth as revealed by the Lord, without any movement of the lips is called
mental repetition. It is to be
regarded as the best of the three.
29. Purity, O noble ones! is that which is
achieved by means of bathing (snana) and is of two kinds: outer and
inner. Outer Purity is attained by
such means as rubbing the bodily frame with water and clay, cow dung (on
account of its antiseptic properties) or ashes. Inner Purity is attained by bathing in a
holy river or temple bath, praying and adhering to pure thoughts. He who daily observes these two shall be
free of sin. But that purity which is
attained by means of Yogic Bathing which is steadfast concentration on Lord
Shiva shall be known as supreme.
30. Contentment. The
attitude whereby one accepts whatever comes to one without much effort, and
is conducive to inner peace, is called Contentment.
31. Worship of God. Expressing respect and devotion to Supreme
Lord Shiva through physical, verbal and mental activities such as bowing down
before Him, singing His praises and remembering His Name, are known as
Worship of God.
32. The five Self-disciplines and five
Spiritual Observances have thus been made known to you. Listen now to what is called Physical
Posture (Asana). It is that steady
position of the bodily frame whereby calmness, stable-mindedness and
happiness are attained.
33. The Physical Postures shall be known to be
eighty-four in total or the same multiplied ten hundredfold. The most excellent among them are the
following three: the Swastika, the Lotus and the Half-Lotus.
34. Sitting down with the soles of the feet
placed between the knees and the thighs, is known as the excellent
Swastika-Posture (the Posture of Well-being).
Sitting down with each foot resting sole-up on the opposite thigh, is
called the excellent Lotus-Posture (Padmasana). And that posture, wherein one sits cross-legged
with one foot resting upon the opposite thigh, is known as Half-Lotus-Posture
(Ardha-Padmasana).
35. Of sitting postures the Lotus shall be
regarded as the best. For it drives
away hunger, sloth and fatigue. By the
regular practice thereof the Yogi reverses the effects of earthly life and
overcomes disease, old age and untimely death. But of all postures that I call the most
excellent and greatest wherein the Yogi rests within himself. By abiding therein he becomes a Great Hero,
an Immortal and a God. Hear you now
the practices that lead to perfection in the greatest of all postures
(Mahasana).
36. The Five Advanced
Practices (Kartagama Nityakarmma) or Yogas beginning with
Breath-Control. Pranayama or the
practice of Breath-Control. Prana is
the air circulating within the body.
Control is known as Ayama.
Therefore, control of the breath is known as Pranayama.
37. Breath-Control is of three kinds: inferior,
medium and superior. It may also be
classified into two kinds depending on whether it is done with or without
mental repetition of a Mantra (Mystical Formula) such as the sacred Sound OM:
Sagarbha (with Mantra) and Agarbha (without Mantra).
38. The inferior kind of Pranayama is that
practised for the duration of twelve time measures; the medium, for the
duration of twenty-four measures; and the superior kind is practised for the
duration of thirty-six measures. The
time required for opening and closing the eyes is the measure of time (matra)
called Twinkling (nimesha) by the wise.
39. As he advances in the practice of these
three, the Yogi experiences perspiration, trembling and jumping, in due
course. Success in the practice of
Pranayama shall be judged by the bliss it produces.
40. Pranayama has three parts: inhalation,
retention and exhalation. They are
well-known to all accomplished Yogis.
41. Inhalation is called
Puraka (Filling) and exhalation Rechaka (Emptying). The middle part is known as Kumbhaka
(holding the air in, as within a Pot).
42. Restraining one's breath, let one repeat
three times the Prayer To The Divine Sun (Savitri) after duly reverencing the
Primordial Sound OM, as well as Earth, Air, and Sky. This is known as breath-control.
43. The ultimate goal of
Yogic Breath-Control is called Maha-Yoga, the Great Union (Maha Samyoga)
wherein Perfect Harmony with Me, the Universal Being, is experienced. It is attained through suspension of the
breath in conjunction with mental repetition of the Mantra as instructed by
one's Teacher (Guru).
44. The breath flows
evenly through the left and right nostrils six times in a night and day. Know that to be the best time for the
practice of Yogic breathing. At the
meeting-place of Day and Night, when the hot Sun of exhalation moves upwards
and the cool Moon of inhalation moves downwards while in the middle shines
the Flame of Illumination;
45. Or, when neither the Sun nor the Moon are
seen; for the Sun (of Knowledge) in the form of exhalation and the Moon (of the
Knowable Object) in the form of inhalation together have merged into the Fire
of Shiva's Consciousness;
46. Then, the Spiritual Serpent Power
(Kundalini) that enters into one's body even while in the mother's womb and
lies dormant like a sleeping serpent in the energy centre (Chakra) at the
base of the spine, is awakened through the Spiritual heat produced by
Pranayama.
47. Thus awakened, it rushes up the spinal
column like an effulgent flash of lightning to reunite itself with the Soul
that resides in his luminous lotus-like abode at the crown of the head. Then Liberation is attained. This is called the Union of the Moon (Ha)
and Sun (Tha) or Hatha Yoga. This,
verily, O learned ones! is the essence of Yogic Breath-Control. He who realises this, obtains the fruit of
Yoga Practice.
48. Now, Detachment. O excellent ones! the mind of the ignorant
flows towards the objects of the World even as water flows from a pot with
many holes. But when by means of
breath-control the inner life-force is awakened, detachment arises
therefrom. As a tortoise draws its
limbs into the middle of its body, so the Yogi withdraws his senses from
their objects and brings them back into himself. This is Sensory Detachment (Pratyahara).
49. Concentration. By abiding in the state of detachment, the
Yogi attains to Concentration (Dharana) which is the focusing of the mind on
certain places within the body, such as the top of the head, the forehead,
the heart, the navel and so forth.
50. Meditation.
By abiding in the state of concentration, the Yogi attains to
Meditation (Dhyana). It is the
prolonged, uninterrupted and undistracted concentration of the mind on a
particular object. The highest
meditation shall be known to be that which has My Divine Person as object.
51. Inward Absorption or Trance. By abiding in the state of meditation, the
Yogi attains to Inward Absorption (Samadhi, lit., Unified Consciousness). It is the merging of the mind in the object
of contemplation to the complete exclusion of everything else. The highest kind thereof shall be known to
be Absorption in the Supreme (Shiva-Samadhi).
Samadhi is that state wherein the winds of change are stayed and
Changelessness is obtained. By
becoming established therein, the Yogi attains the Great Nirvana and becomes
One with the Supreme.
52. Twelve Pranayamas
amount to Concentration; twelve times the duration of Concentration equals
one period of Meditation; and twelve times the duration of Meditation
constitutes Absorption (Samadhi).
Having put away all imperfections by means of Yama and Niyama; having
hardened his body by means of Asana and awakened his inner life-force by
means of Pranayama; having stilled his mind by means of Pratyahara and
Dharana; and having united his mind to his Soul and his Soul to the Supreme
Self by means of Samadhi and Dhyana; having thus perfected himself by means
of the Eightfold Sadhana, the Yogi attains to the Great Nirvana.
53. Verily, as a lamp shines without a flicker
when placed in a spot that is free from wind, even so the Yogi who has merged
with the Supreme knows neither suffering nor sin but is ever happy and
serene. Such an one is never disturbed
by outer perceptions nor by inner agitation; he ever abides in a state of
Supreme Perfection.
54. O wise ones! an accomplished Yogi is not
perturbed by time or space. But they
who have newly entered upon the Path shall not practise Yoga at inappropriate
times or in inappropriate places. The
best time to begin the Practice of Yoga is in the seasons of Spring or
Autumn, when Nature is not harsh but gentle, when the Stars are favourable
and when the Teacher gives his blessings.
55. He who desires success should not indulge
in improper food, nor take that which has turned sour and stale, but eat what
is wholesome and pure. Fried grains
and flesh should be avoided, above all, that of humans, human-like beasts and
the sacred cow.
56. But grains like barley, millet, wheat and
rice, as well as nuts, pulses, roots, green leaves and fruit, eaten either
boiled or raw; food that is not too salty, pungent or bitter; neither
overcooked nor burned; which is pleasantly prepared, possessing nourishing
properties and is agreeable with one's constitution, that can be eaten to
one's heart's content.
57. As for place, one should not practise near
fire, in water or on dry leaves. Nor
in places infested with vermin or full of insects, ant-hills, dilapidated
cowpens and houses, crowded places, crossroads and border lands, the
meeting-place of unbelievers (dharmatyagis) who reject My Law Eternal nor yet
places sought by Spirits, ghosts and evil folk.
58. Nor should Yoga be practised when the body
is ailing or the mind is troubled.
Yoga is best practised at dawn when the body is strong and the mind is
clear; otherwise it may be practised at dusk.
59. With a mind concentrated upon Me, let one
practise Yoga in a land ruled by a righteous king, in a secluded place such
as a forest, rock or mountain cave, on a river bank or open space, in a holy
spot, a well-kept cowpen, a hut made of leaves or mud, in a graveyard or
cremation ground, at the foot of a tree, in a place that is clean, tranquil
and free of all vermin.
60. After bowing down to the Leading Yogis,
their disciples, his human Guru and Me, let the Yogi commence his practice
with a composed mind.
61. Firmly seated in any of the sitting
postures, the Swastika, the Lotus or the Half-Lotus, with open or closed
eyes, let him concentrate his mind by focusing upon the place between the
eyebrows.
62. With a mind thus calmed and free of worldly
desires, worries and fears, let one then meditate upon the Supreme Lord
within one's own self.
63. Let the Mystic Lotus or Chakra be conceived
of as being at a distance of twelve finger-breadths from the top of the
head. For thus it has been said, From
one hundred and one channels of the heart, one leads to the crown of the
head; going up by it, the Yogi attains Immortality.
64. Therefore, know that Mystic Lotus to be brilliant
white in colour and exceedingly beautiful.
Its root represents the Spiritual Law of the Universe, its stalk is
Spiritual Knowledge and eight Divine Powers form its petals.
65. It has Detachment for its calyx. In the calyx of that Lotus, let one
meditate on the golden pericarp.
Within that, let one meditate upon Me as the Lord Who is Divine and
Changeless, Who is All-Powerful, Who is expressed by the sacred Sound Om, Who
is Unmanifest and surrounded by a halo of blazing rays.
66. In the heart of that Lotus, let him
meditate upon that great Eternal Radiance, the Lord of Unmeasured Splendour,
the All-Source and conceive himself as being One with That. He shall discard all other thoughts. This is the most secret of secrets.
67. Having become One with the Cosmic Self, the
Yogi shall then perceive the Self as living in and through all things. Thus he attains the Highest Vision Divine
and the Goal of Maha Yoga.
68. Listen you now to
another form of meditation whereby, having purified the body by means of the
sacred Sound OM, one contemplates upon one's own essential Self as the
luminous twenty-fifth Life-Principle, beyond Material Energy. The Divine Self, the Light of all Lights
and Bestower of Life Eternal, shall then be meditated upon within oneself, as
one's own true Self.
69. Verily, the physical body, man's outer
shell, is born at the beginning of earthly life, lives for awhile and then it
dies. The mind also, rises like to a
wave and then subsides. The Soul only,
man's true Self, ever shines like as the Sun.
Therefore, he who meditates upon the Inner Sun becomes Immortal, like
the Sun.
70. O you who shine like Suns in the Firmament
of Stars! the Soul is known as having three different bodies, gross, subtle
and originating. The Originating Body
(or Source Body, Karana Sharira) consists of the Life-Principle Maya and Five
Limited Powers. It is the first cover
that envelops the Soul upon his birth into the Material World. Therein one abides in Dissolution and Deep
Sleep, retaining it as a limiting cover, from birth to birth. Of this body, the other two are born. Hence, it is called Originating (Karana),
being the material origin or source of these two.
71. The Subtle Body (Sukshma Sharira) is that
whereby the Soul is covered during the Dream-State as well as (in the state)
between death and rebirth. It consists
of those aspects of the Soul that are hidden to the physical eye. Hence it is called Subtle (Sukshma) and
also City-of-Eight (Puryashtaka), its elementary parts being eight: Reason,
Thought of I, Lower Mind and the Five Mental Faculties of Knowledge or
Action, according as one's experience is active or passive.
72. The Gross Body (Sthula Sharira) is the
third material cover. It envelops the
Soul upon entering his future mother's womb from whence, when the months of
gestation have passed, he goes forth into the dim light of Earth. Therein the Soul abides in the state called
Waking. Being made of the Material
Qualities, Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth, it is known as Gross
(Sthula). It dies upon departure from
earthly life and is replaced by a new one upon rebirth on Earth. Its properties such as size, shape, skin
colour, gender and duration are in accord to the Law of Karma.
73. Now, the Yogi who knows the Perfect Science
of Spirit, having found a quiet and secret place away from the din of the
World, seats himself upon a comfortable seat and, with quiescent mind,
applies himself to the Great Practice (Maha Abhiyoga) of the Yogic Way.
74. Realising that he is not the Gross
Life-Principles such as Earth and the rest, realising himself to be higher
than these, he detaches himself from the Gross Body and enters the subtle
City-of-Eight.
75. Therein, like a Great King in his Palace,
like a Hermit in his Cave, like a God in his Heaven, with great devotion and
a pure heart he reverences the following thought: I am not this bodily frame,
I am not this mind, I am the Light within.
I am greater than the Earth, greater than the Atmosphere, greater than
the Sky, greater than all the Worlds.
I am the Very Being Supreme.
The Universe is My Own Creation.
76. Thinking thus, one quickly attains the
Highest. Having attained the Highest,
one does not return to worldly life.
One soars in the Infinite Firmament of Consciousness like an Eagle in
the Sky, thinking to himself, O wonderful! my Soul has been freed from the
fetters of the World and I am United with Shiva, the Supreme Lord. Verily, indeed, I am Shiva: I am Pure
Consciousness and Bliss.
77. One is then Liberated While Living. One is endowed with a body of light and
lives like a God upon Earth. Upon
departure from this World, one goes to Shiva's Home Which is the Abode of
Supreme Purity and Goodness (Shivalaya) and returns no more. He, verily, who knows this secret, becomes
One with Me, the Highest God.
Therefore, let one practise diligently, with devotion to Me and one's
Spiritual Teacher. Having begun this
Perfect Practice, one should not give up.
78. Verily, as a young Swan stays at first
close to his nest and then flies ever further and higher according as his
wings gain strength, even so the diligent Yogi by the power of Meditation
gradually reaches the Highest Goal.
79. O you who are most wise! the constant
recitation of My Holy Name is known as Mantra-Japa and is of three kinds:
voiced, whispered and silent, the last-named being the best among the
three. When during Meditation the mind
grows either sluggish or restless, Japa should be performed. And when the same (i.e., the mind growing
sluggish or restless) occurs during Recitation, Meditation should be done
again. Thus the Yogi steadily advances
on the Path.
80. Looking within, one shall see a dark Cave,
a great Void, or an inward Light shining like unto a swarm of Fireflies,
grains of Camphor, a fluffy Cotton Flower, a white Lotus, a bright Cloud, a
scintillating Mist, a Looking-glass of burnished silver or a Dish of
(mother-of-) pearl, a flickering Flame of Fire, a snow-clad Mountain, a
wave-less Pond, a Full Moon, a radiant Human Form, a blazing Sun and a Sea of
Light. These shall be known as the
Sixteen Signs of Progress on the Yoga Path.
They are the road marks that tell the traveller that he is approaching
the Goal even as the Morning Star heralds the approaching of Dawn.
81. O noble ones! pleasures born of the senses
have a beginning and an end. They
bring joy while they last and pain when they pass away. But the Bliss of the Lord has neither
beginning nor end. As the Sun always
shines in the Firmament even when his light is obstructed by clouds, night or
dark blindness, even so I, the Supreme Lord, Eternally Shine in the Boundless
Sky of Universal Consciousness.
82. As sunlight is obscured by various things,
even so My Divine Bliss is obscured by many kinds of pain that afflict Souls
who are bound to worldly existence.
The suffering that severs bound Souls from My Undying Light and Bliss
is of three, five, seven and of countless kinds.
83. The three-fold suffering is Spiritual,
self-inflicted and divine. Spiritual
suffering is born of ignorance of Higher Truth. Self-inflicted suffering is naturally
created by one's own actions done in the past, present and future. Divine suffering is that which comes about
through divine intervention, as when one is struck by lightning, hit by a
stray missile or is stricken with an illness or misfortune.
84. Spiritual Knowledge that flows from the
Practice of Yoga is the only remedy to the first (kind of suffering). Right thinking, right intention, right
action, right speech, right livelihood, right food and right medical
treatment are the remedy to the second.
Restraint of the mind, atonement, prayer, propitiation (of the God
whose wrath one has incurred), magic incantations (mantras), auspicious
observances, charitable gifts and solemn vows are the remedy for the
third. Verily, these sixteen are the
remedies for all kinds of suffering that afflict man. But of these, Spiritual Knowledge shall be
known as the best and the remover of all pain.
85. Now, the five-fold suffering. It is that which consists of dullness,
delusion, great delusion, darkness and blinding darkness. Dullness is
vanity and self-pride; delusion is thinking that one is the physical body;
great delusion is thinking that one is family or possessions; darkness is
hating those who harm oneself or one's family or one's possessions; blinding
darkness is being afraid of death.
86. Yet another, seven-fold kind of suffering
is known to the wise. It consists of
fear, attachment, greed, anger, sadness, lassitude and doubt. All these are impediments upon the
Path. They are to be conquered by
Spiritual Practice (Sadhana).
87. O Sages! how can he, who is punished even
by the Gods, who is ignorant, fearful and who doubts, who is thus afflicted,
advance upon the Path trodden by the righteous and the unafflicted?
88. Indeed, there is no end to the kinds of
suffering that befall those who are separated from Me. But those who, by My Grace, have entered
upon the Royal Road of Yoga, shall overcome all obstacles and enjoy the Bliss
of Union with Me.
89. There are four limbs to the Yoga Path:
Entrance (upon the Path), Becoming Established, Advancing and Arriving. When all impediments have been burned in
the fire of Yoga and the Yogi, having discarded wrong knowledge, is
well-established on the Path, the signs of progress begin to appear and he
develops great Spiritual Powers such as the ability to hear, feel, see, taste
and smell things unknown and divine.
90. The chief among these Powers is Pratibha,
the Inward Flame of Illumination, whereby one perceives things that are
hidden, subtle or far away; things that have been or are still to come. In truth, Pratibha is the Supreme Power
Divine. There is nothing that the Yogi
cannot know or accomplish thereby.
91. Whilst thought-based knowledge is a mere
modification of the mind, the Sunlike Lamp of Inward Illumination is the
Soul's own Light. It is the Light of
True Man's Inner Wisdom and a Radiance Divine.
92. Inward Illumination is but the One Power of
the Lord that abides in all living things.
When kindled by His Grace, it flares up like as a flame that has lain
concealed beneath the ashes, and at once enlightens the World.
93. He in whom the Flame of Illumination has
been kindled, can enlighten other men if they be righteous even as the flame
of a lamp kindles another flame.
Verily, such an one shines like unto a Lamp, a Fire, a Star, the Moon
or the Sun and enlightens the World according to the Grace of the Mighty
One. As the Sun, the Moon and other
things that shine bestow light upon all, so shall every man bring Light into
the World, each one according to his means.
This is My Supreme Command
(Parama-Shasana).
94. When the Inward Radiance Divine dawns upon
the horizon of the Yogi's pure mind, then the Sun of Awakening shall not be
far. For as the Morning Star announces
the coming of the Rising Sun, so the first flashes of Inspiration herald the
Dawning of the Great Illumination and Liberation of man.
95. O immortal ones! this is the Yoga of the
Lord of all Creatures. It liberates
the Soul from the bondage of worldly life.
Verily, it is the Path taught by all true Teachers of Spirit and can
be walked upon by all and everyone. It
is the greatest Spiritual Truth and it bestows Union with Me (Sayujya) Who am
the Truth.
96. Yet even before attaining Union with Me, My
devotee shall enjoy the Bliss of Heaven.
For he who practises Yoga diligently in a secret place, conquers Old
Age and Death, and becomes Master of his own life. He becomes a Perfect One (Siddha).
97. He can understand the secret tongue of wild
beasts, Spirits and Gods. He can
traverse the Sky at will and congress with the Deathless Ones. He obtains the Eightfold Supernatural Power
called Ashta Siddhi and becomes one of the Gods.
98. Verily and without doubt, by the Power of
Anima, the Yogi makes himself small as an atom and perceives the inner
workings of Matter; by the Power of Laghima, he makes himself weightless or
rises up in the air; by the Power of Garima, he makes himself exceedingly
heavy or impossible to move; by the Power of Mahima, he can stretch himself
forth in space and see or touch even the remotest of things like the Sun, the
Moon or the Stars.
99. By the Power of
Prakamya, the Yogi acquires irresistible will-power; by the Power of Ishitva,
he gains absolute power over body and mind; by the Power of Vashitva, he has
control over all creatures and elements; and by the Power of Kama-Vasayitva,
he can fulfil all his desires.
100. Endowed with Yogic
Powers, My devotees shall ascend to the Celestial Regions wherein they shall
enjoy all the pleasures known unto the Immortal Gods.
101. Provided with
Celestial bodies, translucent, shining and imperishable like the best of
gems, the Enlightened Yogis shall hear the most beautiful sounds. They shall enjoy the most exquisite tactile
sensations, sights, flavours and scents.
102. All this they shall
enjoy in the company of Celestial Beings of Light whose unsurpassed beauty is
beyond what mortal man has ever seen; who shine like corals, diamonds and
pearls; who are ever blissful, radiant and fragrant; and who gladden the
hearts of all. Thus they shall abide
in My Glorious Heaven to their heart's content for countless Ages.
103. With Souls resonant
with Divine Sound, with hearts satisfied to the brim and overflowing with
Celestial Delight, they shall be fit to drink of My Infinite Ocean of Bliss
Supreme. For otherwise, they would be
overwhelmed and drown like flies in a milk jar.
104. Verily, they only
shall enjoy Celestial Delight that have emptied their heart of worldly
pleasures. And they only shall relish
My Bliss Supreme who have fortified their senses in the Joys of Heaven.
105. But My devotee shall attain the Bliss of
Heaven even in this lifetime. Turning
his gaze within, entering the secret cave of his heart, he shall find the
Luminous Path that leads to My Celestial Abode (Arya-Laya) wherein the Noble
Ones reside.
106. But those who are not My devotees, who
follow other paths, who are not thus guided by My Inward Light, shall go
astray and wander in the dark recesses of their own mind. Verily, for countless Ages they shall
wander in that darkness like travellers on a moonless night.
107. O Sages! I accept all who approach Me with
a pure heart and reward them according to their sincere effort.
108. I, the Most Benevolent, Most Merciful God
Shiva, the Embodiment of Goodness, accept even the greatest of sinners,
regardless of what crimes or sins they have committed.
109. I accept all who accept My Word. For My Word shall work in those who accept
It and not in the others.
110. To attain My Heavenly Abode, My devotee must
first accept the Divine Word. It can
be heard either from Myself, a Divine Guru, a Superhuman Guru (Siddha or
Accomplished Yogi) or a human Guru.
111. Avoiding the Path of those who go astray,
following the Path of the righteous ones, the devotee shall come across one
of the four. For thus I have declared,
Whensoever the disciple is ready, even then the Teacher shall appear: as the
disciple, so shall be the Teacher.
112. O you who ever see the Truth! the Universe,
resting upon Consciousness, is made of Knowledge. Knowledge is of two kinds: Awake and
Dormant. When awake, it is called Knower. When dormant, it is called the
Known. The Knower is he who has the
power to know himself and others. The Known is that which is known to others,
but itself knows not.
113. The Known is born of the Knower's
Knowledge, for what is insentient, like Matter, is born of what is Sentient,
like Spirit. First there was Spirit
and Matter was born thereof.
114. They who know not themselves and others,
are like the knowable objects of the World.
But they who know themselves and others are true Knowers. They are Possessors and Masters of
Knowledge. Though living upon Earth,
they abide in My Highest Heaven, for they are equal to Me, the Supreme
All-Knowing Master.
115. Therefore, let him who would be a Master,
be well-versed in Higher Knowledge.
For he alone is worthy to be called a Master, who knows all things
like to Myself.
116. It is knowledge of all things that
constitutes the Perfect Knowledge of Enlightenment. He who has mastered the Perfect Knowledge
of the Self, becomes a Universal Master, a Lord of the Wheel of the Universe
(Chakravarti) and Supreme Sovereign like Myself.
117. Living Souls are of two kinds: those whose
Wisdom is broad and deep like to the Ocean are called Masters; but those
whose Wisdom is shallow and narrow like a mere Stream of Water are called
disciples. Whilst a Master's duty is
to lead, the disciples' is to follow even as rivers flow unto the Sea. Therefore, let him who is desirous of
Knowledge be a disciple first. For
only he can be a Knower and a Master, who has been sitting at his Master's
feet. One becomes a Master worthy of
My Highest Heaven through association with the worthy and not in any other
way.
118. Hear you now the qualities of one who is fit
to be a Master. Him I call a True
Master (Sat-Guru) who ever abides in unbroken awareness of God; who has
attained Mastery of Magic Spells and Speech; who has Control over the
elements; who has the Power of accomplishing all desired ends; who is a
Knower of all Scriptures; and who has the Power of transmitting the Truth.
119. These, O Great Sages! are the six most
excellent signs whereby a Yogi is known to have attained the Highest
Truth. They are like to the six
flavours, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and sharp, that bring
perfection to a meal; like to the six quarters, sunrise, midday, sunset,
midnight, upper and nethermost, that make the Sphere of the World complete;
and like the six two-monthly seasons (which are) Spring, Heat, the Rains,
Autumn, Cold, and the Dews, without which the circle of the year is never
full. Such an one shall be regarded as
an Incarnation of my Self Supreme and the Greatest Master of all.
120. Having by My Grace and good Karma
encountered such a Guru who is an enlightening Source of Truth, let the
devotee first listen to My Word with an open heart. This is known as Hearing the Truth
(Shravana).
121. Having heard and listened to the Truth with
an open heart, he shall then ponder over It with a pure mind and act
according thereto. This is known as
Thinking upon the Truth (Manana).
122. Having thus thought upon the Truth, he
shall next let his mind become absorbed in That so that his entire life may
be pervaded, enlightened and elevated thereby. This is known as Living in the Truth
(Bhavana).
123. O you who are awake! these three steps only
are needed to be taken by My devotee.
The fourth and highest shall be accomplished of its own accord.
124. When the devotee's heart has been purified
by the practice called Living in the Truth, I, the Lord, shall appear unto
him and grant him an actual Experience of My Supreme Self. This Highest State, which is a direct
perception of Truth, is known as Shiva-Jnana (Direct Knowledge of Shiva),
Shiva-Bhava (God's Own Being) or Shiva-Samdhana (Union with the Supreme).
125. My devotees are of three kinds. First, those who wish to renounce the World
and who have My Supreme Abode for their only Goal. Second, those who wish to remain in the
World. And third, those who remain in
the World solely for the purpose of propagating My Word, that is, for the
purpose of functioning as Gurus (Spiritual Teachers).
126. For those who wish to renounce the World,
who desire to devote themselves to the things of the Spirit and who have
taken the Vow of Renunciation, the observances to be followed are these.
Chastity, Non-violence, Compassion, Self-control, Contentment, Truthfulness
and Faith. The non-observance of even
one of these shall be seen as a violation of the Holy Vow.
127. Having renounced the
World and dedicated his Soul unto Me, the Yogi shall apply ashes from the
holy fires unto all his limbs as a mark of Renunciation while reciting the
appropriate Mantras such as that of Fire or Sun. Then he shall meditate upon My Supreme Self
in his heart.
128. With his mind
concentrated upon Me to the exclusion of everything else, the renunciant
shall abstain from much talking, eat for the upkeep of his physical body
only, give up all other knowledge (than Yoga) and the company of worldly
men. Indeed, such an one will quickly
attain My Eternal Abode.
129. Even non-celibate
Yogis, by wisely adopting the Yogic attitude of detachment, will before long
attain perfection in the Path.
130. Practising in secret, abiding in the World
but not having their heart in it, discharging the duties of their profession,
caste or station for the sake of Me, they shall be free of sin.
131. Many Spiritually-minded mortal men, having
cast off wrong knowledge, lust, fear and anger, and taken refuge in Me, were
in the past purified by My Divine Knowledge and became One with Me.
132. Therefore, O noble ones! let all reverence
Me, the Supreme Lord, by means of the Paths of Knowledge, Devotion or
Detachment, each according to their abilities.
133. In this connection,
know would-be Yogis to belong to one of four kinds, lowly, moderate, keen and
supreme.
134. The lowly, being afflicted by ailments of body
and mind, unstable, unreliable, selfish, unintelligent and given to the
pleasures of the senses, shall attain success in twelve long years. They are to be taught the Path of Mantra
(Mantra Yoga, the easiest) by the discerning Teacher.
135. The moderate, Spiritually-minded, kind and
averse to extremes, shall meet their goal in nine years. Let the Teacher initiate them in the Path
of Contemplation (Dhyana Yoga).
136. The keen are steady-minded, courageous,
full of energy and faith. They shall attain
success in six years and are fit for the Path of Effort (Hatha Yoga).
137. The supreme are intelligent, reliable,
devoted to God and their Teacher, loving, well-bred, strong, talented and
learned. There is no doubt that such
Souls will succeed in merely three years and are deserving of being initiated
in all Paths.
138. Those who, while still in this World, do
not follow the Path of Yoga, live merely like beasts and cannot expect better
even in the afterlife. The others,
however, who follow the call of Spirit, they ascend high in this life and
higher still in the next.
139. Thus I, the Lord, make a Path for all Souls
and having assumed the form of a Teacher, I guide them homewards to My
Heavenly Abode. I Myself, to
re-establish the Eternal Law of Heaven and to save My devotees, appear in
some quarter of the World, Age after Age.
140. He who is devoted to Me, who takes refuge
in Me and who abides in My Truth, shall not perish. He shall not be harmed by evil Spirits, nor
by beasts nor yet by men. He shall
ever be endowed with life and afforded guidance and protection from all
ills. For I Myself abide in him and
illumine his World from within.
141. Through My Grace,
through the practice of the Great Yoga and the Path of Devotion, My devotee
shall attain the Highest Goal. Whether
one be a God, a Demon, a Beast or Bird, a Worm or a Germ, one is liberated
through My Grace.
142. Without doubt, a foetus in the womb, a
newborn child, a boy, a youth, a young, old or dying man, a Soul in Heaven or
Hell, one who is fallen or pious, a fool or a wiseman, is forthwith freed
from imperfection when touched by My Grace Divine.
143. When pleased with their devotion, I, the
Lord, remove the faults of My devotees even though they be unfit for the
Spiritual life. As base metal turns to
gold by means of a magic spell, so a mere mortal by My Grace becomes a
Perfect Man. By the Power of My Grace
My devotees shall be equal to the Gods and enjoy Eternal Life.
144. Know that My devotees' devotion is due to
My Grace and My Grace descends upon them due to their devotion. This is clearly understood by the Wise.
145. After many a lifetime, the seed of My
Grace takes root, grows and blossoms in the heart of righteous men. Following the inner impulse of devotion,
they turn to Me and attain the Great Perfection in the course of a few
births.
146. Being pleased with them, I, the Highest
God, awaken in My devotees the awareness that I exist. Due to this, they seek to approach Me by
various means prescribed in My Gospels (Shiva Agama).
147. Due to Spiritual practices, their devotion
becomes greater. As their devotion
becomes greater, so My Grace also increases.
Due to an increased Grace, Liberation is attained. Liberated Souls enjoy Eternal Bliss.
148. As seed brings forth a plant and the plant
brings forth seed, just so Grace (Prasada) and Devotion (Bhakti) mutually
generate and make grow each other. O Sages!
let there be no doubt that through devotion even a man of mediocre virtue is
liberated in three births.
149. Verily, Devotion is the highest human
emotion. Some name it Love. And such it is. For Love is a feeling of unity between
lover and beloved and so is Devotion, whether it be towards a fellow-human,
one's country or God.
150. The first sign of Devotion is Faith. He who believes even for the sake of
appearances or feigns belief for the sake of some material gain, shall in the
end be cleansed of his sins and drawn to the Path of Truth even as the bandit
who became a Yogi through deceit.
151. Hear you how this came to pass. A great King desired to give his daughter
in marriage to the most pious man in the land. He therefore let it be known to all, that
he who could abide absorbed in My Contemplation for a full year, would be
entitled to his Kingdom and to his daughter's hand.
152. Hearing this, a Bandit who was famed for
his misdeeds made up his mind to deceive the King through a cunning
trick. Thus thinking, he disguised
himself as a Yogi and mingling with the others sat down in meditation at the
foot of a tree on the bank of the Holy River Ganges. |