Lord Shiva teaches

[atanu]

From Yoga Vashista

VASISTHA continued:

There is the abode of Lord Siva known as Kailasa. I lived there for some time, worshipping Lord Siva and practicing austerities. I was surrounded by the perfected sages in whose company I used to discuss the truths of the scriptures.

One evening I was engaged in the worship of Lord Siva. The entire atmosphere was filled with peace and silence. In that forest the darkness was so dense that it appeared to be solid enough to be cut with a sword.

At that time I saw a great light in the forest. With the external sight I saw that light and with my insight I enquired into its nature. I saw that it was Lord Siva himself who was walking along holding his consort Parvati with one hand. In front of him walked his vehicle Nandi, making way for the Lord. I made the divine presence known to the disciples assembled around me and moved to where the lord was.

I saluted the lord and offered him due worship. I remained for a considerable time feasting my eyes on the divine vision. Lord Siva then said to me: “Is your austerity proceeding satisfactorily, without any obstacles? Have you attained that which is worthy of attainment and have your internal fears ceased?”

In response, I said to the Lord: “Supreme Lord, they who are fortunate to be devoted to thee, finds nothing difficult of attainment and they do not experience fear at all. Everyone in the world salutes and prostrates to those who are devoted to you and who constantly remember you. Only they are the cities, they are directions and mountains, where people who are solely and wholeheartedly devoted to you dwell. Your remembrance is the fruit of merits acquired in the past births it is also the guarantee of still more blessedness in the future. Your constant remembrance, O Lord, is like the pot of nectar and is the ever-open door to liberation. Lord, wearing the precious and radiant jewel of your remembrance I have trampled under foot all the calamities that might otherwise torment me in the future.

“Lord, though by your grace I have reached the state of self-fulfillment, I am eager to know more about one thing. Pray enlighten me. What is the method of worshipping the Lord which destroys all sins and promotes all auspiciousness?”


THE LORD said: God is not Vishnu, Siva or Brahma; not the wind, the sun or the moon; not the brahmana, nor the king; nor I nor you; nor Laksmi nor the mind (intellect). God is without form and undivided; that splendor (devanmn) which is not made and which has neither beginning nor end is known as god (deva) or Lord Siva which is pure consciousness. That alone is fit to be worshipped; and that alone is all.

If one is unable to worship this Siva then he is encouraged to worship the form. The latter yields finite results but the former bestows infinite bliss. He who ignores the infinite and is devoted to the finite abandons a pleasure garden for a thorny bush. However, sages sometimes worship a form playfully.

The articles used in the worship: wisdom, self-control and the perception of thyself in all beings, are the foremost among those articles. The self alone is lord Siva, fit to be worshipped at all times with the flowers of wisdom.

I asked the Lord: “Pray tell me how this world is transmuted into pure consciousness and also how that pure consciousness appears as the jiva and other things.”

The LORD continued:
Indeed only that cid akasa (the infinite consciousness) which alone exists even after the cosmic dissolution exists even now, utterly devoid of objectivity. The concept and notions that are illumined by the consciousness within it shine as this creation on account of the movement of energy within consciousness, precisely as dreams arise during sleep. Otherwise, it is totally impossible for an object of perception to exist outside of the omnipresent infinite consciousness.

The whole world, the firmament, the self, the jiva (individuality) and all the elements of which this world is constituted are naught but pure consciousness. Before so-called creation when only this pure consciousness existed, where were all these? Space, supreme or infinite space (paramakasam), absolute space (brahmakasam), creation, etc. are mere words. Even as the duality experienced in dream is illusory, the duality implied in the creation of the world is illusory. Even as the objects seem to exist and function in the inner world of consciousness in a dream, objects seem to exist and function in the outer world of consciousness during the wakeful state. Nothing really happens in both these states. Even as consciousness alone is the reality in the dream state, consciousness alone is the substance in the wakeful state too. That is the Lord, that is the supreme truth; you are that and that am I and that is all.


The LORD continued: The worship of that Lord is true worship and by that worship one attains everything. He is undivided and indivisible, non-dual and not fashioned nor created by activity; he is not attained by external efforts. His adoration is the fountain-source of joy. The external worship of a form is prescribed only for those whose intelligence has not been awakened and who are immature. When one does not have self-control, etc., he uses flowers in worship; such worship is futile even as adoring the self in an external form is futile. However, these immature devotees derive satisfaction by worshipping an object created by them; they may even earn worthless reward from such worship.

I shall now describe to you the mode of worship appropriate to enlightened people like you. The Lord fit to be worshipped is indeed the one who upholds the entire creation, who is beyond thought and description, who is beyond the concepts of even the ‘all’ and the ‘collective totality’. He alone is referred to as ‘God’ who is undivided and indivisible by space and time, whose light illumines all the objects, who is pure and absolute consciousness. He is that intelligence which is beyond all its parts, which is hidden in all that is, which is the being in all that is and which robs all that is of their being (i.e., which veils the truth). This Brahman is in the middle of being and non-being, it is God, and the truth that is indicated as ‘OM’. It exists everywhere like the essence in a plant. That pure consciousness which is in you, me, in all the gods and goddesses, that alone is God. Holy one, even the other gods endowed with form are indeed nothing but that pure consciousness. The entire universe is pure consciousness. That is God, that ‘all’ I am, and everything is attained from and through him.

Contd.

[atanu]

2

That God is not distant from anyone, O Holy one, nor is he difficult to attain: he is for ever seated in the body and he is everywhere like space. He does everything, he eats, he holds everything together, he goes, he breathes, and he knows every limb of the body. He is the light in which all these limbs function and all the diverse activities take place. He dwells in the cave of one’s own heart. He transcends the mind and the five senses of cognition; therefore he cannot be comprehended or described by them - yet for the purpose of instruction, he is indicated as consciousness. Hence, though it appears as though he does everything, he does nothing. That consciousness is pure and seemingly it engages itself in the activities of the world to the same extent as the spring does in the flowering of trees.


The LORD continued:
Somewhere this consciousness functions as space, somewhere as a jiva, somewhere as action, somewhere as substance and so forth, but without intending to do so. Even as all the ‘different’ oceans are but one indivisible mass of water, this consciousness, though described in different ways, is but one cosmic mass of consciousness. In the body, which is like a lotus, it is the same consciousness that imbibes the experience which is like honey gathered by the restless mind which is like the bee. In this universe all these various beings (the gods, the demons, mountains, oceans and so forth) flow within this infinite consciousness even as eddies and whirlpools appear in the ocean. Even the wheel of ignorance which causes the wheel of life and death to revolve, revolves within this cosmic consciousness whose energy is in constant motion.

It was consciousness, in the form of the four-armed Vishnu, that destroyed the demons, even as a thunderstorm equipped with the rainbow quenches the heat that rises from the earth. It is consciousness alone which takes the form of Siva and Vishnu, of Brahma the creator and the numerous other beings. This consciousness is like a mirror, which holds a reflection within itself without undergoing any modification thereby. Without undergoing any modification in itself, this consciousness appears as all these countless beings in this universe. The infinite consciousness is like a creeper. It is sprinkled with the latent tendencies of countless jivas. Desires are the buds. Past creations are the filaments. The sentient and the insentient beings are parts of the creeper. The one appears as many, but it has not become many.

It is by this infinite consciousness that all this is thought of, expressed and done. It is the infinite consciousness alone which shines as the sun. It is the infinite consciousness which appears as the bodies which are in fact inert and which come into contact with one another and derive various experiences. This consciousness is like the typhoon, which is unseen in itself but in which sand particles and dust rise and dance as if by themselves. This consciousness casts a shadow in itself, as it were, and that is regarded as tamas or inertia.

In this body, thoughts and notions generate action in the light of this very consciousness. Surely, but for this consciousness even an object which is immediately in front of oneself cannot be experienced. The body cannot function nor exist but for this consciousness. It grows, it falls, it eats. This consciousness creates and maintains the entire movable and the immovable beings in the universe. The infinite consciousness alone exists, naught else exists.

VASISTHA continued:
Thereupon I asked the Lord: “If this consciousness is omnipresent, how then does one become insentient and inert in this world? How is it possible that one who is endowed with consciousness loses consciousness?”

The LORD applauded the question and replied:
The omnipresent consciousness, which is all in all exists in this body both as the changing jiva and as the unchanging and unmodified one. Just as a woman dreams herself to be another with another as her husband in that dream, the same consciousness believes itself to be of another nature. Just as the same man when he is under the influence of uncontrollable rage behaves completely differently, even so consciousness assumes another aspect and functions differently. By stages, it becomes insentient and inert.

Consciousness thus becomes its own object, creating space and then air and their respective qualities. At the same time it evolves within itself time and space and becomes a jlva followed by individualized finite intellect and mind. From this arises the cyclic world-appearance and notions like ‘I am an untouchable’ etc. The infinite consciousness itself thus becomes apparently inert, just as water becomes crystal. Thereafter the mind becomes deluded, entertains cravings, falls a prey to lust and anger, experiences prosperity and adversity, suffers pain and pleasure, clings to hope, endures terrible suffering and is filled with likes and dislikes. Thoroughly deluded, it goes from error to error, from ignorance to greater ignorance.

In childhood, this deluded consciousness is totally dependent on others, in youth it runs after wealth and is filled with worry, in old age it is sunk in sorrow and in death it is led by its own karma. In accordance with that karma, it is born in heaven or in hell, in the nether world or on earth as human, subhuman or inanimate being. It is the same consciousness that appears as Vishnu, Siva; Brahma and others. It is the same consciousness that functions as the sun, the moon, the wind, and the factors that cause changes in seasons, day and night. It is the same consciousness that is the life-force in seeds and the characteristics of all material substances. This consciousness which is conditioned by self-limitation is afraid of itself. Such is the truth concerning the jiva-consciousness. Behold the power of ignorance and inertia! Merely by the forgetfulness of one’s own true state, the consciousness undergoes great troubles and sorrows and experiences pitiable downfall.


The LORD continued: Consciousness thinks (feels or imagines) falsely ‘I am unhappy’ even as a demented woman might think she is miserable. Just as one who is not dead wails aloud, ‘Alas, I am dead’; and when she is not lost she weeps. ‘Alas. I am lost’ on account of perverse understanding even so the consciousness falsely imagines it is miserable or limited. Such imagination is irrational and unfounded. Due to the false assumption of the ego sense the consciousness thinks that the world-appearance is indeed real. It is the mind alone that is the root-cause of experiencing the world as if it were real; but it cannot be truly considered such a cause since there can be no mind other than pure consciousness. Thus, if it is realized that the perceiving mind itself is unreal, then it is clear that the perceived world is unreal, too.

Even as there is no oil in a rock, in pure consciousness the diversity of sight, seer and scene, or of doer, act and action does not exist. Similarly, the distinction between ‘I’ and ‘you’ is imaginary. The distinction between the one and the many is verbal. All these do not exist at all, even as darkness does not exist in the sun. Opposites like substantiality and insubstantiality, void and non-void, are mere concepts. On enquiry all these disappear, and only the unmodified pure consciousness remains.

Consciousness does not truly undergo any modification, nor does it become impure. The impurity itself is imaginary; imagination is the impurity. When this is realised the imagination is abandoned, and impurity ceases.

Contd.

[atanu]

3

However, unless the imagination is firmly rejected, even in those who have realised this, the impurity arises. By self-effort this imagination can be easily rejected: if one can drop a piece of straw, one can with equal ease also drop the three worlds! What is it that cannot be achieved by self-effort?

This infinite consciousness, which is unmodified and non-dual, can be realised by one in the single self-luminous inner light. It is pure and eternal, it is ever-present and devoid of mind, it is unmodified and untainted, it is in all the objects. In fact it is non-moving consciousness which exists as if a witness to all; even as light shines but shining is not its action. While pure, this consciousness appears to be tainted; in inert material it is non-inert energy. It is omnipresent without being divided by the particulars constituting the all. This infinite consciousness, which is devoid of concepts and extremely subtle, knows itself. In self-forgetfulness this consciousness entertains thoughts and experiences perception, though all this is possible because of the very nature of the infinite consciousness: even as one who is asleep is also inwardly awake!


The LORD continued: By identification with its own object, consciousness seems to reduce itself to the state of thinking or worrying: even as impure gold looks like copper until it is purified, when it shines like gold. By self forgetfulness on the part of the infinite consciousness the notion of the universe arises, but this unreality ceases when there is self-knowledge. When consciousness becomes aware of itself within itself, the ego sense arises. With just a little movement though, this ego sense (which in truth is nothing other than consciousness) falls down as a rock rolls down the mountainside. However, even then it is consciousness alone that is the reality in all forms and all experiences. The movement of the vital airs brings about vision within and an object which is apparently outside. But the experiencing of sight (the seeing itself) is pure consciousness! The apparently inert vital air which is the tactile sensation comes into contact with its object and there is the sense of touch. But awareness of the tactile sensation is again pure consciousness. In the same way, it is the vital air (prana) that enables the nose to smell the scents which are modifications of the same energy, while the awareness of the smell is pure consciousness. If the mind is not associated with the sense of hearing, no hearing is possible. It is pure consciousness that is the experience of hearing.

Action springs from thought, thought is the function of the mind, mind is conditioned consciousness - but consciousness is unconditioned! The universe is but a reflection in consciousness (like the scenery reflected in a crystal ball) but consciousness is not conditioned by such reflection. Jiva is the vehicle of consciousness, ego sense is the vehicle of jiva, intelligence of ego sense, mind of intelligence, prana of the mind, the senses of the prana, the body of the senses and motion is the vehicle of the body. Such motion is karma. Because prana is the vehicle for the mind, where the prana takes it the mind goes; but when the mind is merged in the spiritual heart, prana does not move; and if the prana does not move, the mind attains a quiescent state. Where the prana goes the mind follows it. even as the rider goes where the vehicle goes .

The reflection of consciousness within itself is known as puryastaka. Mind alone is puryastaka, though others have described it more elaborately (as composed of the five elements, the inner instrument - mind, buddhi, egosense and citta - prana, the organs of action, the senses, ignorance! desire, and karma or action). It is also known as the linga-sarira, the subtle body. Since all these arise in consciousness, exist in consciousness and dissolve in consciousness, that consciousness alone is the reality.


The LORD said:
But for the mind and prana, the body is an inert mass. Just as a piece of iron moves in the presence of a magnet, even so the jiva moves in the very presence of consciousness which is infinite and omnipresent. The body is inert and dependent; it is made to function by the consciousness which believes it to be similar to the vital airs prana. Thus, it is the karma self or the active self (karmatma) that keeps the body in motion. It is however the supreme self itself that has ordained both the mind and the prana as the promoters of life in the body. It is the consciousness itself, assuming inertia, which rides the mind as the jiva.

Once this limitation is established, other consequences follow. They are the physical and mental diseases. This is like waves first arising on the surface of the ocean and then creating ripples, and so forth. The consciousness as jiva becomes dependent, having abandoned the self-knowledge as consciousness. Laboring under a thick veil of ignorance, it is foolishly unable to recognize the harm that it has brought upon itself, even as a drunkard wielding a sword cuts his own leg. However, even as the drunkard can soon become sober, this consciousness can soon regain self-knowledge.

When the mind is divested of its support, it remains alone in the self. When the puryastaka (the subtle body) is rid of all its supports, it attains a state of quiescence and falls motionless. When consciousness, on account of objectification, becomes deluded, the latent psychological tendencies become active; identifying with these, consciousness forgets its essential nature. When the lotus of the heart unfolds, the puryastaka functions; when that lotus folds the puryastaka ceases to function. As long as the puryastaka functions in the body, the body lives; when it ceases to function, the body dies. This cessation can be caused by some form of inner conflict between the impurities and inner awakening. If only pure vasanas or tendencies fill one’s heart then all conflicts cease, there are harmony, liberation and longevity. Otherwise, when the puryastaka ceases to function, the body dies and the subtle body chooses another suited to fulfill the hidden vasanas. Due to these vasanas, the puryastaka forges new links with the new subtle body, forgetting its nature as pure consciousness. However, since consciousness is infinite and omnipresent, the mind riding the puryastaka roams everywhere. Bodies are taken up and abandoned by the jiva even as trees sprout new leaves and discard old ones. Wise men do not set any store by these changes.


In response to Vasistha’s questions: (i) in the infinite consciousness how did duality arise, and (ii) how does that duality which has been strengthened by aeons of confirmation, cease, the LORD continued:

Since that omnipresent infinite consciousness alone is present at all times, diversity (duality) is absurd and impossible. The concept of one arises when there is a concept of two, and vice versa: when the diversity is realised as of consciousness, the diversity is also that! The cause and effect are one in their essence. This essence is indivisible. Consciousness being its own object is consciousness at all times; the modifications being but vain thinking. Consciousness alone is ‘that’, ‘this’ and ‘in the middle’ (the factor that perceives the modification). It is the one infinite consciousness that is variously known as Brahman, truth, god, Siva, void, one and supreme self .

That which is beyond all these forms and states of consciousness, that which is the supreme self, that which is indicated by the pure ‘I’ - that is not for words to describe. That which is perceived here is itself indivisible. When this consciousness invests itself with a secondary vision then it perceives duality. It is bound by its own ignorant imagination. This imagination gives rise to substantiality, and the experience of objects gives rise to the confirmation of the reality of that object. The ego sense gains credence thereafter and is firmly established, assuming the role of the doer of actions and the experiencer of other experiences. Thus, what was accidental coincidence to begin with, soon becomes an established fact.

Contd.

[atanu]

4

Belief in the existence of the goblin creates it. Belief in the duality (diversity) establishes it. When the non-dual being is known, the duality vanishes instantly. Belief (or imagination) gave rise to diversity; when that belief is dropped, diversity goes. Thought, imagination or belief gives rise to sorrow; to abandon such thinking is not painful. It is feeding these thoughts and beliefs that have brought about this sorrow; and this comes to an end by not entertaining those thoughts and beliefs: where is the difficulty in this? All thoughts and beliefs lead to sorrow, whereas no-thought and no-belief are pure bliss. Therefore, with the help of the fuel of wisdom, vaporise the waters of your beliefs and become peaceful, supremely blissful. Behold the ‘one infinite consciousness.

The LORD said:
Thus does the universe exist as both real and unreal; the divine - being free of duality - unites them, transcends them and is therefore both of them. Manifest consciousness is the universe, and the unmanifest universe is consciousness. By entertaining the notion ‘I am this’, consciousness is bound; by this very knowledge it is freed. Objectification leads to self-forgetfulness. However, even in the state of diversity and activity, consciousness is truly undivided; it is only that supremely peaceful Brahman that is apparently manifest as the universe through the instrumentality of the mind and its three modes (satva, rajas and tamas, or waking, dreaming and sleeping).

However when the mind is destroyed by the mind, the veil is rent asunder and the truth of the world-jugglery is seen, the notion of world appearance and the existence of a jiva are destroyed. The mind is then clear, having given up repeatedly reviving the notions of objective perception. This state is known as pasyanti Then the mind which is pure abandons conjuring up images of objects. It attains a state like deep sleep or the consciousness of homogeneity, thus going beyond the possibility of birth again. It rests in supreme peace. This is the first state.

Now listen to the second state. Consciousness devoid of mind is all light, free from darkness and beautiful like space. The infinite consciousness frees itself totally from all modification or duality and remains as if in deep sleep, or as a figure in uncut marble. It abandons even the factors of time and space and transcends both inertness and motion; it remains as pure being beyond expression. It transcends the three states of consciousness and remains as the fourth, or the state of undivided infinite consciousness. The third state is beyond even what is termed ‘Brahman’, ‘the self, etc. It is sometimes referred to as turiyatita (beyond the fourth state). It is supreme and ultimate. It defies description, for it is beyond the practices which are described by those who undertake them.

O sage, remain forever in that third state. That is the real worship of the Lord. Then you will be established in that which is beyond what is and what is not. Nothing has been created and there is nothing to vanish. It is beyond the one and the two. It is the eternal, beyond the eternal and the transient; it is pure mass of consciousness. In it there is no question of diversity. It is all. it is supreme blessedness and peace, it is beyond expression. It is purest OM. It is transcendent. It is supreme.

After thus remaining immersed in himself for some time, the LORD opened his eyes and continued:

O sage, abandon the habit of apprehending the objects with your mind. The knower of that (self) have seen what is worth seeing. What more is there to be seen or not to be seen? Behold the self. Be a sword which sunders what is regarded as peace and what is regarded as restlessness. Or, resorting to just a little extroversion of attention, listen to what I am going to say to you. Nothing is gained by merely keeping quiet!

This body is kept alive and active by the life-force or prana. Without that life-force the body is inert. The energy that moves the body is prana. The intelligence that experiences through all this is consciousness. This consciousness is formless and purer than even the sky. When the relationship between the life-force and body ceases, the life-force only is separated from the body. Consciousness, which is purer than space, does not perish. A pure mirror reflects what is in front of it, but the reflection is not seen if the mirror is dirty. Even so, when the prana has left the body, though the body is seen, the intelligence does not reflect the objects.

The consciousness though infinite and omnipresent is able to become aware of the movement of the mind and the body. When this defect of objectification is removed, that itself shines as the supreme being. It is itself the creator Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Indra, the sun, the moon and the supreme Lord. Some of these divinities like Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are not deceived by the cosmic illusion. They are indeed parts of the infinite consciousness sharing its true nature, like red-hot iron which shares the nature of fire. However, none of these has actually been created by the infinite consciousness and none of these exists apart from it. These are no more than notions, some notions being denser than others. It is impossible to describe the extent of such notions which have arisen in ignorance. In a manner of speaking, the Supreme Being (the infinite consciousness) is the father of Brahma, Vishnu, Siva and others. That infinite consciousness alone is fit to be adored and worshipped. However, there is no use inviting it for the worship; no mantras are of any use in its worship for it is immediate (closest, one’s own self) and hence does not need to be invited. It is the omnipresent self of all. The realisation of this infinite consciousness, which is totally effortless, is alone the best form of worship.

The LORD said:
Thus, they say that lord Rudra is the pure, spontaneous self-experience which is the one consciousness that dwells in all substances. It is the seed of all seeds, it is the essence of this world-appearance, and it is the greatest of actions. It is the cause of all causes and it is the essence in all beings, though in fact it does not cause anything nor is it the concept of being and therefore cannot be conceived. It is the awareness in all that is sentient, it knows itself as its own object, it is its own supreme object and it is aware of infinite diversity within itself.

It is the consciousness in all experiences but it is pure and unconditioned. It is absolute truth and therefore not truth as a concept. It is not limited to the definitions of truth or falsehood. Though it is like the sky, unconditioned and undivided, it becomes limited and conditioned. In this infinite consciousness there have been millions of mirages known as world-appearance, and there will also arise millions more mirages known as world-appearance. Yet nothing really has come into being independent of the infinite consciousness: light and heat seem to come out of fire, but they are not independent of fire.

This infinite consciousness can be compared to the ultimate subatomic particle, which yet hides within its bowels the greatest of mountains. It encompasses countless epochs, but it does not let go of a moment. No one has seen its limits. It does nothing. .Yet it has fashioned the universe. Sustaining the entire universe, it does nothing at all. All substances are non-different from it, yet it is not a substance; though it is non-substantial it pervades all substances. The cosmos is its body, yet it has no body. It is the eternal ‘now’, yet it is the tomorrow. Often apparently meaningless sounds become meaningful and are regarded as meaningful while communicating with one another: even so that infinite consciousness is and is not. It is even what it is not. All these statements about what is and what is not are based on logic, and the infinite consciousness goes beyond truth, beyond logic.

Contd.

[atanu]

5

The LORD continued:
It is this infinite consciousness that makes the seed sprout with the help of earth, water, time, etc. and become food. It makes flowers blossom and makes the nose smell their fragrance. In the same way it is able to create and sustain the substances in the world and their corresponding sense-organs, with the help of suitable means which are also brought into being by the same consciousness. The energy of this consciousness is able to create the entire Universe and then thinking ‘This is not’ reduces to state of void. This apparent creation is but a reflection of consciousness within itself, which has apparently acquired a body in course of time. The trinity is the manifestation, as also is that cosmic power or energy that determines so it shall be, and it shall not be otherwise’. Yet consciousness does not create anything; it is like a lamp that illumines the room in which actions take place.

VASISTHA asked: Lord, what are the energies of this Siva (consciousness) and what are their powers and their activities?

The LORD replied: The Supreme Being is formless, and yet the following five are its aspects - will, space, time, Niyati, unmanifest nature. It has countless powers, energies or potencies. Chief among them are knowledge, dynamics, action and non-action. All these are but pure consciousness; because they are called the potencies of consciousness, they are apparently regarded as distinct from consciousness, though in fact they are not.

This entire creation is like a stage on which all these potencies of consciousness dance to the tune of time. The foremost among these is known as ‘order’ (the natural order of things and sequences), action, will to do, time, etc. It is this potency that ordains that each thing should have a certain characteristic - from the blade of grass to the creator Brahma. This natural order is free from excitement but not purified of its limitation: that (the natural order) is what dances a dance-drama known as the world-appearance. It portrays various moods (compassion and anger, etc.), it produces and removes various seasons and epochs, it is accompanied by celestial music and the roaring of the oceans, its stage is illumined by the sun, the moon and the stars, its actors and actresses are the living beings in all the worlds - such is the dance of the natural order. The Lord who is the infinite consciousness is the silent but alert witness of this cosmic dance. He is non-different from the dancer (the cosmic natural order) and the dance (the happenings).


The LORD continued: Such is the Lord who is fit to be worshipped constantly by holy ones. It is he indeed who is worshipped by wise men in various ways and in various forms such as Siva, Vishnu, etc. Now listen to the ways in which he is to be worshipped. First of all, one should abandon the body-idea. Meditation alone is true worship. Hence one should constantly worship the Lord of the three worlds by means of meditation. How should one contemplate him? He is pure intelligence, he is as radiant as a hundred thousand suns risen together, he is the inner light. The limitless space is his throat, the firmament is his feet, the directions are his arms, worlds are the weapons he bears in his hands, the entire universe is hidden in his heart, the gods are hairs on his body, the cosmic potencies are the energies in his body; time is his gatekeeper and he has thousands of heads, eyes, ears and arms. He touches all, he tastes all, he bears all, he thinks through all though he is beyond thinking. He does everything at all times, he bestows whatever one thinks of or desires, he dwells in al1, he is the all, he alone is to be sought by all. Thus should one contemplate him.

This Lord is not to be worshipped by material substances but by one’s own consciousness. Not by waving of lamps nor lighting incense, nor by offering flowers nor even by offering food or sandalpaste. He is attained without the least effort; he is worshipped by self realisation alone. This is the supreme meditation, this is the supreme worship: the continuous and unbroken awareness of the indwelling presence, inner light or consciousness. While doing whatever one is doing - seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, moving, sleeping, breathing or talking - one should realise one’s essential nature as pure consciousness. Thus does one attain liberation.

Meditation is the offering, meditation is the water offered to the deity to wash his hands and feet, self-knowledge gained through meditation is the flower - indeed all these are directed towards meditation. The self is not realised by any means other than meditation. If one is able to meditate even for thirteen seconds, even if one is ignorant one attains the merit of giving away a cow in charity. If one does so for one hundred and one seconds, the merit is that of performing a sacred rite. If the duration is twelve minutes, the merit is a thousand fold. If the duration is of a day, one dwells in the highest realm. This is the supreme yoga. One who practices this mode of worship is worshipped by the gods and the demons and all other beings. But this is external worship.


Contd.

[atanu]

6

The LORD continued: I shall now declare to you the internal worship of the self which is the greatest among all purifiers and which destroys all darkness completely. This is of the nature of perpetual meditation whether one is walking or standing, whether one is awake or asleep, in and through all of one’s actions. One should contemplate this supreme Lord who is seated in the heart and who brings about, as it were, all the modifications within oneself. One should worship the ‘bodha-lingam’ (the manifest consciousness or self awareness) which sleeps and wakes up, goes about or stands, touches what is to be touched, abandons what should be abandoned, enjoys and abandons pleasures, engages in varied external activities, lends value to all actions, and remains as peace in the vital organs in the body. This inner intelligence should be worshipped with whatever comes to one unsought. Remaining firmly seated in the stream of life after having bathed in self-knowledge, one should worship this inner intelligence with the materials of self-realisation.

One should contemplate the Lord in the following manner: he is the light illumined by the solar force as well as the lunar force, he is the intelligence that eternally lies hidden in all material substances, he is the extrovert awareness that flows through the bodily avenues on to the external world, he is the prana that moves in one’s face (nose), he transforms contacts of the senses into meaningful experiences, he rides the chariot composed of pranaa and apana, he dwells in secret in the cave of one’s heart. He is the knower of the knowable and the doer of all actions, the experiencer of all experiences, and the thinker of all thoughts. It is he who knows all parts or limbs thoroughly, who is recognised by being and non-being and who illumines all experiences.

He is without parts but he is the all, he dwells in the body but he is omnipresent, he enjoys and does not enjoy, he is the intelligence in every limb. He is the thinking faculty in the mind. He rises in the middle of prana and apana. He dwells in the heart, in the throat, in the middle of the palate, the middle of the eyebrows and at the tip of the nose. He is the reality in all the thirty-six elements (or metaphysical categories), he transcends the internal states, he is the one that produces the internal sounds, and he brings into being the bird known as mind. He is the reality in what is described as imagination and non-imagination. He dwells in all beings as oil dwells in the seed. He dwells in the heart-lotus and again he dwells throughout the body. He shines as pure consciousness. He is immediately seen everywhere, for he is the pure experiencing in all experiences, who apparently polarises himself when apprehending the objects of such experiences.

The LORD continued: One should contemplate that the Lord is the intelligence in the body. The various functions and faculties in the body serve that intelligence as consorts serve their lord. The mind is the messenger who brings and presents to the Lord the knowledge of the three worlds. The two fundamental energies, viz. the energy of wisdom (Jnana sakti) and the energy of action (kriya sakti), are the consorts of the Lord. Diverse aspects of knowledge are his ornaments. The organs of action are the gates through which the Lord enters the outside world. ‘I am that infinite self which is indivisible; I remain full and infinite, thus the intelligence dwells in the body.

He who contemplates in this manner is equanimity itself, his behavior is equanimous guided by equal vision. He has reached the state of natural goodness and inner purity and is beautiful in every aspect of his being. He worships the Lord who is the intelligence that pervades his entire body.

This worship is performed day and night perpetually, with the objects that are effortlessly obtained, which are offered to the Lord with a mind firmly established in equanimity and in the right spirit (for the Lord is consciousness and cares only for the right spirit}. The Lord should be worshipped with everything that is obtained without effort. One should never make the least effort to attain that which one does not possess. The Lord should be worshipped by means of all the enjoyments that the body enjoys, through eating, drinking, being with one’s consort and such other pleasures. The Lord should be worshipped with the illnesses one experiences and with every sort of unhappiness or suffering one experiences. The Lord should be worshipped with all of one’s activities, including life and death and all of one’s dreams. The Lord should be worshipped with one’s poverty and prosperity. The Lord should be worshipped even with fights and quarrels as well as with, sports and other pastimes, and with the manifestations of the emotions of attraction and aversion. The Lord should be adored with the noble qualities of a pious heart, friendship, compassion, joy and indifference.

The Lord should be worshipped with all kinds of pleasures that are granted to one unsought, whether those pleasures are sanctioned by the scriptures, etc. or forbidden by them. The Lord should be worshipped with those which are regarded as desirable and others which are regarded as undesirable, with those that are considered appropriate and others that are considered inappropriate. For this worship, one should abandon what is lost and one should accept and receive what has been obtained without effort.


The LORD continued: One should engage oneself in this worship at all times, established in supreme equanimity in regard to all the percepts, whether they be pleasant or unpleasant. One should regard everything as good and auspicious. Realising that everything is the one self, one should worship the self in this spirit. One should look with equal vision upon that which is pleasant and beautiful through and through, and that which is unendurably unpleasant.

One should abandon the divisive notions of ‘This I am’ and ‘This I am not’ and realise that ‘All this is indeed Brahman’, the one indivisible and infinite consciousness. In that spirit one should worship the self. At all times, in all forms and their modifications, one should worship the self in and through all that one obtains. One should worship the self after having abandoned the distinction between the desirable and the undesirable, or even while relying on such a distinction (but using them as the materials for the worship).

Without craving and without rejecting, that which is effortlessly and naturally obtained may be enjoyed. One should not get excited or depressed when faced with insignificant or significant objects, just as neither sky nor space is so affected by the diverse objects that exist and grow in it. One should worship the self, without psychological perversion, with every object that is obtained purely on account of the coincidence of the time, place and activity whether they are popularly known as good or as not-good.

In this procedure for the worship of the self, whatever article has been mentioned as being necessary for the worship is of the same nature as all others, though the expressions used are different. Equanimity is sweetness itself and this sweetness is beyond the senses and the mind. Whatever is touched by that equanimity instantly becomes sweet, whatever its description or definition may be. That alone is regarded as worship which is performed when one is in a state of equanimity when the mind has become utterly quiescent without the least movement of thought, when there is effortless absence of perversity. Established in this state of equanimity, the wise man should experience infinite expansion within himself while carrying out his natural actions externally without craving or rejection. Such is the nature of the worshipper of this intelligence. In his case, delusion, ignorance and ego sense do not arise even in dream. Remain in this state, O sage experiencing everything as a child does. Worship the Lord of this body (the intelligence that pervades it) with all that is brought to you by time, circumstance and environment, and rest in supreme peace, devoid of desire.


The LORD continued:
Whatever you do and whenever you do it (or refrain from doing it) - all that is worship of the Lord who is pure consciousness. By regarding all that as the worship of the self who is the Lord, he is delighted. Likes and dislikes, attraction and aversion, are not found in the self independent of its essential nature; they are mere words. Even the concepts indicated by words like ‘sovereignty’, ‘poverty’, ‘pleasure’, ‘pain’, ‘one’s own’ and ‘others’, are in fact worship of the self, for the conceiving intelligence is the self. Knowledge of the cosmic being alone is the proper worship of the cosmic being.

Contd.

[atanu]

7

It is that self or cosmic consciousness alone which is indicated by expressions like ‘this world’. Oh, what a mysterious wonder it is that the self which is pure consciousness or intelligence somehow seems to forget its own nature and comes to regard itself as the jiva (the individual). In fact, in that cosmic being which is the reality in everything, there is not even the division into worshipper, worship and the worshipped. It is impossible to describe that cosmic being which supports the entire universe without division; it is impossible to teach another concerning it. And, we do not consider them worthy of being taught by us, who consider that god is limited by time and space. Hence, abandoning all such limited concepts, abandoning even the division between the worshipper and the worshipped (Lord), worship the self by the self. Be at peace, pure, free from cravings. Consider that all your experiences and expressions are the worship of the self.


(In reply to Vasistha’s request for a fuller explanation of Siva, Brahman, self: why they are called so and how such differences arose, the LORD continued


The reality is beginningless and endless and it is not even reflected in anything: that is the reality. However, since it is not possible to experience it through the mind and the senses, it is even regarded as if it were non-being. (In reply to Vasistha’s question: if it is beyond the mind, how is it realised, the LORD replied: In the case of the seeker who is eager to attain freedom from ignorance and who is therefore equipped with what is subtle ignorance, kills satvic avidya, with the help of what are known as scriptures, removes the ignorance just as a washer-man removes dirt with the help of another form of dirt (soap). By this catalytic action the ignorance is removed, the self realises the self, the self sees the self on account of its own self-luminous nature.

The LORD continued: When a child is playing with charcoal his hands become black. If he washes his hands but immediately plays again with charcoal, his hands become black again. However if he does not handle charcoal again after washing, his hands can remain clean. Even so, if one enquires into the nature of the self and at the same time refrains from those actions that promote avidya or ignorance, the darkness of ignorance vanishes. However it is only the self that becomes aware of the self. Do not look upon this diversity as the self. Do not entertain the feeling that self-knowledge is the result of the teaching of a preceptor. The guru or the preceptor is endowed with the mind and the senses; the self or Brahman is beyond the mind and the senses. That which is attained only after the other ceases, is not attained with its help while it still exists. However, though the instructions of a preceptor and all the rest of it are not really the means for the attainment of self-knowledge, they have come to be regarded as the means for it. The self is not revealed either by the scriptures or by the instructions of a preceptor, and the self is not revealed without the instructions of a preceptor and without the help of the scripture. It is revealed only when all these come together. It is only when the scriptural knowledge, instructions of a preceptor and true discipleship come together that self-knowledge is attained.


That which IS, after all the senses have ceased to function and all notions of pleasure and pain have vanished is the self or Siva - which is also indicated by expressions like ‘that’, ‘truth’ or ‘reality’. However that which IS when all these cease to be exists even when all these are present, like the limitless space. Out of their compassion for the ignorant deluded ones, to awaken in them a thirst for liberation, the redeemers of the universe have composed scriptures like the vedas. In these scriptures they have used words like ‘consciousness’, ‘Brahman’, ‘Siva’, ‘self, ‘Lord’, ‘supreme self, etc. These words may imply diversity, but in truth there is no such diversity. The truth indicated by the words like ‘Brahman’, etc. is indeed pure consciousness. In relation to it even the limitless space is as gross and substantial as a great mountain. That pure consciousness appears to be the knowable object and gives rise to the concept of intelligence or consciousness, though it is not an object of knowledge, being the innermost self. On account of a momentary conceptualization, this pure consciousness gives rise to the ego sense (‘I know’).



The LORD continued:
This ego sense then gives rise to the notions of time and space. Endowed with the energy of the vital air, it then becomes jiva or the individual. The individual thenceforward follows the dictates of the notions and’ slips into dense ignorance. Thus is the mind born in conjunction with the ego sense and the different fom is of psychological energy. All these together are known as the ‘ativahika’ body, the subtle body which moves from one plane to another.


After this the substances (the objects of the world) corresponding to the subtle energies of the ativahika body were conceived of and thus were the various senses (sight, touch, hearing, taste and smelling), their corresponding objects and their connecting experiences brought into being. These together are known as the puryastaka and in their subtle state they are also known as the ativahika body.

Thus were all these substances created; but nothing was created in fact. All these are but apparent modifications m the one infinite consciousness. Even as dream-objects are within oneself, all these are non-different from the infinite consciousness. Even as when one dreans those objects they seem to become the objects of one’s perception, all these, too, appear to be objective realities. When ‘the truth concerning them is realised, all these shine as the Lord. However, even that is untrue, for all these have never become material substances or objects. On account of one’s own notions of their being substances which one experiences, they appear to have a substantiality. Thus, conjuring up substantiality, the consciousness sees the substantiality.


Conditioned by such notions, it seems to suffer. Conditioning is sorrow; but conditioning is based on thoughts and notions (or sensual and psychological experiences). However the truth is beyond such experience and the world is an appearance like a mirage! In that case, what is psychological conditioning and who conditions what and who is conditioned by such conditioning? Who drinks the water of the mirage? Thus, when all these are rejected, the reality alone remains in which there is no conditioning, naught conditioned. It may be styled the being or the non-being, but it alone is. Mental conditioning is illusory non-being like a ghost; when it is laid the illusion of creation also vanishes. He who takes this ego sense and this mirage known as creation to be real, he is unfit to be instructed. Preceptors instruct only a man endowed with wisdom, not foolish men. The latter put their faith and hope on the world-appearance, like the ignorant man who bestows his daughter m marriage to the man seen only in his dream!


The LORD continued:
The jiva perceives all these elements as constituting its body in the void, even as the dreaming person perceives diverse objects within the inner void. This is true even today; the cosmic consciousness or the cosmic being perceives the universe of diversity within itself even as the dreamer perceives diversity within himself.

The jiva thinks of itself as Brahma, Vishnu, etc., but all this is nothing more than thought-form. However, this thought-form conceives and perceives other thought-forms and experiences them. The sole reality in all these percepts is the primary concept known as the ego sense, which arises the very instant consciousness conceives of an object within itself and thinks it perceives it (obviously as its object). That instant itself is the epoch and all the multiples and divisions of epoch, existence; this self-veiling and self-knowledge is enacted all the time, all of which is nothing more than thought-form created by consciousness. Yet, nothing is created by or in cosmic consciousness, which remains unchanged and unmodified.


The mountain seen in a dream only appears to exist in time and space. It does not occupy any space nor does it take time to appear and disappear. Even so is the case with the world. In whatever manner the omnipotent deity comes into being, in exactly the same manner a worm also comes into being within the twinkling of an eye. From lord Rudra down to the blade of grass all the beings one sees in the universe have come into being in the same manner, whether they are micro-organisms or colossal personalities.

If one thus enquires into the nature of this, the perception of diversity disappears simultaneously with the dawn of self-knowledge, or god-realisation. If the real nature of the infinite consciousness is allowed to slip even for one-half of a hundredth part of a second, then all these unfortunate illusory creations take place. By the expression ‘Brahman’ the wise sages indicate that state in which one remains forever firmly established in the infinite consciousness. When this is disturbed one entertains the notion of the world as real, and this gives rise to an endless sequence of diversity - gods, demons, humans and sub-humans, plants and worms. However, if one does not slip from that state of cosmic consciousness, one realises that the truth is ever-present everywhere.



Om Namah Shivayya

[Agnideva]

Namaste.

The following excerpt is from the Parameshvara Āgama. All the Āgama and Tantra texts are in the form of dialogs between Shiva and Shakti (Shive/Devī), this one is no different. Here, Lord Shiva teaches of His own nature to Shakti.

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Nature of Śiva

Śiva is begininningless, middleless, and endless, luminous like the sun, beyond the darkness (of ignorance), is near to all beings, witness to everything and the Lord of all.

He is the Sustainer, Controller and the Cause of all causes. He exists prior to the beginning, sustenance and the end of all creation.

Remaining formless, He is adorned with all forms, unknowable, smaller than the smallest, and bigger than the biggest. He is nameless but the source of all words.

He is uncaused, non-dual, unmanifested but the basis of all manifestations, beyond everything, inherent in all beings, luminous, of the nature of Truth and consciousness, and all-pervasive.

Paramaśiva is of the nature of luminosity, consciousness and existence, beyond the beginning, middle and end. Śambhu is devoid of six kinds of evil propensities and six types of perversions.

He is adorned with six kinds of glorious virtues which makes ineffective the accomplishments (siddhis) like aņimā, etc. He transcends all means of knowledge, is immovable, beyond all causes and examples.

He is self-luminous, unique, locus of everything, non-dual, formless like space, unaffected by pain and disease.

He is indicated by the supreme statements like tattvamasi (That thou art), etc. (He is) One, Eternal, Self-Consistent, Unblemished, Unthinkable, and devoid of the three qualities (guņas).

He is beyond the three states (waking, dreaming and deep sleep), though non-attached by related to all, being the inner self of all beings, He is the enjoyer, the enjoyed and the enjoyment.

God has the form, but is not subject of vision. Nobody can see Him with his eyes. The wise who try to know Him by contemplating on Him with their minds, attain immortality.

He moves though without hands and feet, He perceives everything though Himself remains invisible. He hears everything without ears, nothing is equal to Him, yet He is similar to everything.

Though He is the enjoyer, He is inexhaustible, pure, without alternative, imperishable, non-attached, supreme bliss, and devoid of pleasure or pain.

He is ever in bondage and also in the state of liberation. He is unperturbed, immutable, but the origin of everything, but Himself uncaused, sinless, all-pervasive, indivisible.

O Devī, by knowing this nature of Mine, the Lord of the Universe, as stated above, the devotee certainly achieves the firmness of mind, which is termed as knowledge by the learned.

Being Self-luminous, Unborn, Unknowable, the Supreme Insight inherent in all experiences, the One, Non-dual, Unknowable by speech, and the highest Principle is Me alone. This is the universal inspiration of all beings.

O Śīve (Devī), I reside in the hearts of beings as well as remain inherent in all elements. I am the Lord of All, omniscient, all-pervasive and eternal.

Śiva is All

I myself am Śiva, the God, Rudra, Sadaśiva, Hari (Vişņu), Vidhi (Brahmā), Kāla (Time), Jīva (embodied soul), unmanifested guņas (sattva, rajas, tamas), buddhi (cosmic intelligence, the first evolute), cosmic ego, mind, citta, space, air, fire, water, earth, smell, sound, taste, touch and form – all these are My manifestations.

I am the three savanas and the three kālas (dawn, noon and dusk). I am also the oblation, the sacrifice as well as the sacrificial rites. I am all the Deities such as Indra.

O Graceful One, I am the rakşasas, the yakşas, the spirits, humans beings, animals, birds, worms, crawling insects and flying insects.

O Śive (Devī), I am the luminaries like the sun, I am the twenty-seven asterisms like krittikā, I am the divisions of time, I am the constellations like meşa (Aries) – all these are My manifestations.

O Devī, I am moonlight, I am light and darkness, I am the origination, preservation and dissolution, I am all the spheres (of existence). The immovables and movables are also Me.

I am the Vedic scriptures, the histories (itihāsas), mythology (purāņas), books of ethical codes (smritis), and revealed texts (āgamas). I am the four stages of life (aśramas), and the four varņas. I am the Supreme Śiva (Paraśiva).

O Devī, Dharma and adharma, pleasure and pain, good endeavors and their results are all Me. Past, present and future are also My forms.

O Śive (Devī), the world, worldly lives, and their mutations are all Me only. The devotee who knows that the enjoyer, the enjoyed and the inspirer are all manifestations of Me only, becomes liberated.

Source:
Pārameśvara Āgama
Chapter 23 (Nature of Jñāna Yoga)
Verses 19-43

[Agnideva]

The Spirit, the eternal witness, is in its own nature like the void which exists both outside and inside all things, and which has neither birth nor childhood, nor youth nor old age, but is the eternal intelligence which is ever the same, knowing no change or decay.

It is the body which is born, matures, and decays. Men enthralled by maya, seeing this, understand it not.

As the Sun when reflected in different platters of water appears to be many, so by maya the one soul appears to be many in the different bodies in which it abides.

As when water is disturbed the Moon which is reflected in it appears to be disturbed, so when the intelligence is disturbed ignorant men think that it is the soul which is disturbed.

As the void inside a jar remains the same ever after the jar is broken, so the Soul remains the same after the body is destroyed.

The knowledge of the Spirit, O Devi, is the one means of attaining final liberation; and he who possesses it is verily – yea, verily – liberated in this world, even yet whilst living, there is no doubt of that.

Neither by acts, nor by begetting offspring, nor by wealth is man liberated; it is by the knowledge of the Spirit, by the Spirit that man is liberated.

It is the Spirit that is dear to all; there is nothing dearer than the Spirit; O Shive, it is by the unity of Spirits that men become dear to one another.

Knowledge, object of knowledge, the knower appear by maya to be three different things; but if careful discrimination is made, Spirit is found to be the sole residuum.

Knowledge is Spirit in the form of intelligence, the object of knowledge is Spirit whose substance is intelligence, the Knower is the Spirit Itself. He who knows this knows the Spirit.

I have now spoken of knowledge which is the true cause of final liberation. This is the most precious possession of the four classes of Avadhutas.

Notes:
Soul/Spirit (as used here) = Atman
Avadhuta = a type of renunciant monk

Source:
Mahanirvana Tantra
Chapter 14 - The Consecration of Shiva-Linga and Description of the Four Classes of Avadhutas
Verses 129-140.