Meditation on the Akshara

𑆥𑆫𑆤𑇀 𑆥𑆫𑆴𑆡𑇀 𑆡𑆬𑆴 𑆑𑆶𑆬𑇀 𑆓𑆍𑆩𑇀 𑇅 𑆃𑆑𑇀𑆰𑆫 𑆣𑇀𑆪𑆳𑆤 𑆓𑆍𑆩𑇀 𑆣𑆳𑆫𑆤𑆳 𑇅 𑆏𑆀𑆑𑆳𑆫 𑆠𑆶𑆡𑆶𑆩𑇀 𑆪𑆼𑆬𑆴 𑆢𑆼𑆲 𑆓𑆍𑆩𑇀 𑇅 𑆠𑆼𑆬𑆴 𑆬𑆬𑆴 𑆓𑆍𑆩𑇀 𑆥𑇀𑆫𑆳𑆥𑇀𑆠 𑆮𑆳𑆪𑆶 𑆥𑆳𑆤𑆪𑇀 𑇆

I wore out my palate and tongue by reading and reading, But I did not find the practice that would help me. When I meditated on the Akshara (Om) as the focal point, My body and mind became one. When I realized the Omkara, I was transformed; Then Lalla’s vital breath became one with the Universe.

~Lalleshvari, Lal Vakh 58 (Jayalal Kaul collection)

The Decad of Rebuttal

We are subjects to no one. We do not fear Death. We shall not suffer the torments of hell. We are free from wavering and deceit. We exult in bliss. We know no disease. We shall never bow down. It is joy alone every day; there is no sorrow. For we have become the eternal, un-returning servants of the Lord who wears the white conch-shell earring in His ear. To His flower-like feet alone have we surrendered.

The wide world is our home. In every town, we eat what is cooked and offered; no one denies us our alms. Our refuge is the sacred public halls. If we lie upon Mother Earth, she does not cast us off—this is the truth. The Lord who rides the fierce Bull has accepted us. Now we lack nothing; our miseries are gone. Should we listen to the words of those who wrap themselves in fine silks and wear gold? We are free from such stains.

We do not enter the houses of those who dwell in worldly lusts. Chanting "Mahadeva! Mahadeva!" we have gained the blessing of bathing in the waters of the morning. We have attained the beauty of wearing the sacred ash. Like a raincloud in the dark season, our tears flow as our stone-like hearts melt into "good hearts." Should we obey the commands of those who ride on royal elephants and rule the land? We are detached from all bonds.

Our kinsmen are the countless hosts of Shiva. Our clothing is but a loincloth. Even those who hate us cannot harm us; even evil turns into goodness for us. We shall never return to the cycle of birth. With our tongues, we are capable of chanting the glorious "Namah Shivaya." We have followed the Radiant Light who turned the fish-bannered God of Desire to ashes.

Never shall we yield to anyone; in this vast world, there is no one who can oppose us. We will not go and join lesser gods; we have reached the sacred feet of Lord Shiva. We do not lack a single thing. Great diseases have lost their power over us and fled. We are among the blessed who have approached the Holy One, who wears a garland of skulls on His head.

He is the first form among the Trinity; the Lord of the eight directions. He is the coral-hued Shiva whom the thirty-three groups of Devas and Great Ones praise. Those whose tongues speak His name are our masters. Even if the rulers of this world send their fierce orders to us, we shall not obey. We are free from harshness and deceit.

He is the stationary and the moving; He is land, water, fire, wind, and the wide sky. He is the small and the great, the rare and the precious. To those who love Him, He is easily found. He is the Transcendental Absolute, the Eternal Shiva. He is the one whose nature is to become both "Himself and Me." We shall speak only of His beauty and goodness. Why should we speak the babble of fools? We are free of error.

The Master, the Lord of all worlds, the King of the Immortals, the Radiant Flame! He is the red-bodied one covered in white ash, the lover of the Golden Daughter of the Mountain. We have gained the merit of thinking of Him daily. We have forgotten the words of those who came to tell us to obey. Who is this "King" that has come? Who does he think he is?

He has matted hair, a conch-shell earring, and a body adorned with ash and snakes. He rides the Bull and wears the tiger’s skin as His garment, with a spotted deer skin over it. See, He is the one who owns us! We will not perform service for you or your army. We are in a state where the bonds of worldly attachment have been cast away.

With our tongues, we have sung of the Trustworthy One. We have been blessed to speak openly so that the shameless ones cannot approach us. The Lord of the Immortals, whom Brahma and Vishnu could not find as a pillar of fire, has entered and stayed in my heart. Even if the King of the South himself comes and commands us to do menial service, we will not consider it. We are established in the Eight Virtues of God.

~Saint Appar, Maṟumāṟṟat Tiruttāṇṭakam (Tēvāram VI.98)

Agni-Soma Vibhuti Stotra

 

यदेतदग्नीषोमाख्यं तत्तदाभासनिर्मितम् । तत्त्वं विजयते तस्य विभोः शिवलक्षणम् ॥ १ ॥

अग्नीषोममयं विश्वं तच्चैतदुभयात्मकम् । प्रकाशानन्दसारं तज्जयेच्छक्तिद्वयात्मकम् ॥ २ ॥

अग्नीषोमात्मकं रूपं मुक्तामपि न मुञ्चति । सर्वज्ञत्वं च यत्तस्य तृप्तिश्चाव्यग्रलक्षणम् ॥ ३ ॥

तस्मादनुत्तरं रूपं यदग्नीषोममर्दनम् । शक्तयो यत्र विलीनास्तद्वन्दे शाम्भवं पदम् ॥ ४ ॥

भक्षकोऽग्निः स्मृतो लोके भोज्यं सोम इति स्थितिः । अग्नीषोममयं विश्वमिति भोक्तृप्रकाशनम् ॥ ५ ॥

यथाग्निः समिधः प्राप्य ज्वलत्येव सविस्तरम् । तथा ग्राह्यं समासाद्य प्रकाशोऽयमुज्जृम्भते ॥ ६ ॥

एवमग्निर्महानेष बोधलक्षण उच्यते । विश्वं यस्यैतदखिलं हविर्भावेन कल्पितम् ॥ ७ ॥

यथाग्निरिध्मसापेक्षस्तथा बोधोऽप्ययं विभुः । ज्ञेयसापेक्षतां यातः प्रकाशत्वेन भासते ॥ ८ ॥

स सोमो ज्ञेयतामभ्येति प्रकाशाप्यायितः पुनः । प्रकाशस्य च सा पूर्णता यज्ज्ञेयाप्यायनं प्रति ॥ ९ ॥

तस्माज्ज्ञेयं प्रकाशश्च द्वयमेतन्न भिद्यते । अग्नीषोममयं तस्मात्तत्त्वमेकमवस्थितम् ॥ १० ॥

अग्नीषोममयीं जुह्वदवस्थां तत्र तत्र यः । विभोराराधनपरः स धन्यः कोऽपि जायते ॥ ११ ॥

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Glory to that all-pervading Reality characterized as Shiva, which is called Agni and Soma, and which is constructed from their various manifestations.

The entire universe is composed of Agni and Soma; it consists of both these natures. Glory to that which is the essence of Light and Bliss, and whose nature is the union of these two Shaktis.

This form, consisting of Agni and Soma, does not leave even the liberated soul; it is manifested as the Lord’s omniscience and His state of unwavering contentment.

Therefore, I bow to that state of Shambhu where the supreme form is the union of Agni and Soma, and wherein all individual powers are dissolved.

It is traditionally held that Agni is the Devourer and Soma is the Food. The statement "the universe consists of Agni and Soma" refers to the manifestation of the Enjoyer.

Just as fire, upon reaching fuel, blazes up and expands, so too this Light of Consciousness expands and flashes forth upon reaching an object of perception.

Thus, this great Agni is said to be the nature of Awareness, for which this entire universe is conceived as the sacrificial offering.

Just as fire depends upon fuel, so too this all-pervading Awareness, having come to depend upon the object of knowledge, shines forth as Light.

That object of knowledge becomes "Soma" when it is nourished by the Light; and the fullness of the Light consists in its act of nourishing that object.

Therefore, the object of knowledge and the Light of awareness—these two are not different. Thus, they remain as a single Reality consisting of Agni and Soma.

Blessed is that rare soul who, devoted to the worship of the All-pervading Lord, offers every state of Agni and Soma into the fire of the Divine at every moment.

Agni-Soma Vibhuti Stotra, Shivastotravali II:1-11

-by Utpalacharya (10th century CE)