A Paeon to the Red Archer

O Thou of the Dark Belly and the Red Back! I stand upon the unploughed earth, In the shadow of the village and its rising smoke. I wear the skins of the wilderness; I carry the bow that needs no string.

Lord of the Blue-Neck, Towering Archer of the Clouds, Behind me the priests pour ghee into the pit, But I look to Thy face, divine and terrible in the heights. Turn Thy fierce gaze toward the horizon, Thou who art the Master of the Hounds and the Lord of the Sky.

Healer of the Wild, Drinker of the Poison, With the Vratya heart, I speak Thy name into the calm. I stand where the fence ends and the world begins, O Rudra, Great Bull of the Heavens! Give us the thousand medicines of the forest, And let us walk the path of the sun, Unbound, unburnt, and wild.

-Composed by invoking an unnamed Vratya Mendicant from 2000 BCE as described in the Atharva Veda 

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 ॥

---

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)

Revelation of the Supreme Principle

Today we read from the second chapter of the Svacchandabhairava Tantra, also known as Svacchanda Tantra, a hallowed and primary Shaivite text. This text is central to monistic Shaivism and leads in the long list of Bhairava Agamas. 

The central revelation of the Svacchanda Tantra is the inseparable unity of Shiva and Shakti. Here, Bhairava explains that Shiva (pure consciousness) and Shakti (His dynamic power) are two sides of the same coin. This divine couple is not just an abstract concept; their eternal embrace is the very essence of the universe. The text beautifully proclaims that the union of these two is the ultimate truth known as Bhairava. It invites us on a journey from the fragmented perception of self and world to the liberating realization of an all-pervasive, unified consciousness. It teaches that the path to liberation isn't about escaping reality, but about seeing it for what it truly is: the boundless, vibrant play of Bhairava-Shiva.

This text, which per historians locates itself around the 6th century CE and within the Taittiriya Krsna Yajurvedic milieu, does not stand in isolation. It acts sort of as a re-revelation of principles found in earlier Agamic scriptures such as the Raurava, Mṛgendra, and Kāmika, integrating Sāṃkhyic philosophical framework and refining the traditional tattvas into a non-dualistic context. We also see shared resonance with older Vedantic sources such as the Bhagavad Gita and Svetasvatara Upanishad. For example, a keen eye should take note of the 14th verse of this chapter with Bhagavad Gita XIII:28, and the 45th verse with Svetasvatara Upanishad III:16 and Bhagavad Gita XIII:14. These borrowings from Agamic and Vedantic scriptures should be taken as validation of the earlier texts as well as a deep reverence for the key principles within them. Indeed all these scriptures have been revealed and emerged from the flow of the very same, One unified river of consciousness. 

---OM---

Then Śri Bhairava spoke:

“O Goddess, essence of all realities, highest goal of the sacred transmissions,

tell Me that supreme truth, O Bhairava-Yoginī, whose being is auspicious.” 1

Śri Bhairavī said:

“O Lord, what is the first cause of all beings, O Supreme God?

And in what manner is this Bhairava’s form declared?” 2

“By whom is nature set forth and by whom does it operate?

In what does the universe rest, and when that support is withdrawn, in what is it dissolved?” 3

Bhairava said:

“Listen, O Goddess, I shall reveal to you a secret most wonderful—

the highest principle of Bhairava, by knowing which one is liberated.” 4

“Śiva, without beginning and without end—Bhairava, the Supreme Lord—

He alone is the cause of all beings; indeed, He Himself is nature.” 5

He alone is the witness of all beings, the very body of consciousness,

ever one, O Goddess, eternally joined with His own Powers. 6

No Power [Śakti] exists apart from Him, for being of Śiva’s own nature She is not distinct;

Śiva is the Self as Power, and Power Herself is Śaṅkara. 7

Taking refuge in their unity—as Power and Lord of Power—

even the manifested world shines forth as undivided self-radiant light. 8

As the heat of fire is said to be its power,

so the Power of Śiva never departs from Him. 9

From Śiva indeed arise the appearance, maintenance, and withdrawal of beings;

through His powers their activity and their rest occur. 10

Śiva is said to be composed of Power, and Power too is Śiva-Self;

their unity is the supreme principle, called that of Bhairava. 11

By Him all is produced, by Him all is sustained, by Him all is absorbed—

Śiva, the eternal Lord. 12

He has neither origin nor support nor dissolution;

by His own nature He ever abides as Śiva in the form of Bhairava. 13

He Himself is Bhairava, Śiva taking the form of Bhairava;

whoever perceives Bhairava as Bhairava—that one truly sees. 14

Thus, O Goddess, has the principle of Bhairava been declared;

by knowledge of this, O Great Goddess, one is liberated beyond doubt. 15

Of that Power, O Goddess, there is a triad whose essence is Will, Knowledge, and Action;

by them the universe arises, abides, and is reabsorbed. 16

Will is declared the supreme Power of the Great Goddess,

through which all beings move forth according to Her own freedom. 17

Knowledge is called supreme, by which manifestation is apprehended,

by which Śiva, all-pervading and sovereign, knows everything. 18

Action is proclaimed as that which delights in manifestation,

by which Śiva, filled with Power, accomplishes all things. 19

These three Powers are said to set in motion all beings;

through them creation, continuance, and dissolution proceed. 20

These are the great energies of Śiva, the foundation of all,

by which the entire operation of the universe unfolds. 21

They are the Powers of the Great Goddess, of the Supreme Lord,

forming the body of that detached yet all-embodied Being. 22

In Will there is creation, in Knowledge maintenance,

and in Action dissolution—threefold is the form of Bhairava. 23

Through these, Śiva whose Self pervades all assumes the form of Bhairava;

from Śiva they are not distinct—of His Bhairava-nature there is no doubt. 24

Therefore of these Powers of the Great Goddess it is said:

creation, preservation, and dissolution—these indeed belong to Bhairava. 25

Then from Bhairava arises the supreme principle of Power,

said to be of Śiva’s own nature—for Power is none other than Śiva-Self. 26

Because Her essence is radiance, Śiva becomes manifest as awareness;

that supreme Power, of Śiva-nature, sets all beings in motion. 27

From Śiva Power arises, and through Her Śiva also shines forth;

there is no division between them—together they are the Supreme Lord. 28

From Śiva Power arises, and Power is born of Bhairava;

from their union this entire all-pervading Bhairava-world proceeds. 29

That supreme Power of Śiva initiating all creation

is called Śivā, the Power of Śiva, and also named Sadāśiva. 30

From Sadāśiva [tattva] there springs Bhairava of Bhairava-nature,

whose supreme Power of Will is called Bhairavānī. 31

From Īśvara [tattva] arises a higher Power known as Knowledge-Power,

by which the Supreme Lord perceives and knows the whole universe. 32

Through Her He becomes complete in form, all-pervading, transcending the transcendent;

from Her arises Bhairava, the Supreme Lord composed of pure knowledge. 33

From Śuddhavidyā [tattva] there arises the Power of Action,

by which creation, continuance, and dissolution are set in motion. 34

This very activity is the operation of the three Powers—

Will, Knowledge, and Action—the cause of all manifestation. 35

Thus, O Great Goddess, the five pure principles have been declared—

Śiva and the others—the supreme realities of Bhairava. 36

The connection of these five groups of principles is through Power;

by their union in the Power-principle, the nature of Bhairava is made known. 37

As by the light of fire the three worlds shine,

so by the light of Śiva the three worlds shine. 38

As a form appearing in light is not other than that light,

so within the Śiva-nature all shines without distinction. 39

Śiva is tranquil, all-pervading, bearing the form of Bhairava;

Śiva is ever the essence of knowledge, Śiva assumes Bhairava’s form. 40

Therefore know all to be Śiva, and all indeed to be Bhairava;

there is nothing apart from Śiva, nothing beyond Bhairava. 41

Wherever anything exists, of whatever form, moving or unmoving,

there dwells the Lord—Śiva in the form of Bhairava. 42

He Himself is Bhairava the serene, He Himself the Supreme Lord;

He Himself the manifold Deity, He Himself the Ruler of the world. 43

Beginningless, middleless, endless; without qualities yet the form of qualities;

undifferentiated yet the essence of all differentiation—Śiva in the form of Bhairava. 44

With hands and feet everywhere, with eyes, heads, and faces everywhere,

with ears everywhere in the world, He stands pervading all. 45

Then from Śiva there arises Māyā through His power of activity;

by Her the unhidden knowledge becomes veiled, and differentiation appears. 46

This Māyā is fivefold—Kāla, Niyati, Kalā, Vidyā, and Rāga—

the five coverings that limit consciousness. 47

Assuming the form of division between subject and object,

She effects every operation of the great Bhairava. 48

Because Her nature is concealment, the world shines forth through that concealment;

knowledge veiled by Māyā becomes the manifest light of Bhairava. 49

Through Her covering, awareness becomes the limited puruṣa;

becoming thus an individual soul, it is bound by its own perceptions. 50

From that arises Prakṛti, possessed of the three qualities—

sattva, rajas, and tamas—through which the creation of the world proceeds. 51

Her power is the eternal energy of Bhairava Himself;

through the modes of sattva, rajas, and tamas she performs the activity of the universe. 52

From the conjunction of prakṛti and puruṣa arises the cause of all things:

the principle of buddhi (intellect), whose nature is determination and illumination. 53

From intellect arises the principle called ahaṃkāra (ego);

from that, the principle of manas (mind), and likewise the senses. 54

Hearing, touch, taste, smell, and sight are the five organs of knowledge;

speech, hands, feet, anus, and genitals are the organs of action. 55

The objects beginning with sound arise together with these groups of organs;

these are the subtle elements (tanmātras), the fivefold appearances. 56

From them emerge the five great elements—ether, air, fire, water, and earth—

each characterized by sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. 57

Thus the whole universe is created, resting upon the series of the tattvas,

all of Śiva-nature, arising from Bhairava, the Supreme Lord. 58

Whatever is born from the tattvas abides again in the tattvas;

since all is of Śiva’s essence, there is no other supreme reality. 59

Thus, O Goddess, has been declared the process of the arising of the principles;

by knowing this one beholds the supreme knowledge of Bhairava. 60

Thus this universe, arising from the principles, is born of Bhairava;

from Bhairava, the supreme principle, it returns again to Bhairava. 61

This, O Goddess, is the order of creation:

Bhairava, beyond the beyond, is the cause of creation, maintenance, and dissolution. 62

When, at the time of re-absorption, Bhairava withdraws into Himself,

then all subsides; the principles return each in their sequence. 63

Because everything is of Śiva-nature, only Śiva remains;

there abides the supreme peace, the supreme state of Bhairava. 64

Śiva is called Bhairava, Bhairava is remembered as Śiva-Self;

Śiva united with Bhairava, Bhairava grounded in Śiva, is imperishable. 65

His Power of Knowledge sets all beings in motion;

by Her this entire universe is pervaded—Śiva, whose Self is all, the Lord all-pervading. 66

That Power is the cause of the appearance, persistence, and re-absorption of beings,

as light through its radiance illumines the whole world. 67

Thus Śiva, by His own radiance, pervades and abides pervading;

He is both pervader and pervaded—the all-Self, the infinite Bhairava. 68

In the form of Śiva all this universe is established;

in every principle abides the Lord, the all-Self, the pervasive Bhairava. 69

From the fivefold Śiva beginning with the Śiva-tattva, resting on the pure principles,

all the other tattvas abide within the essence of Bhairava. 70

There is nothing, O Blessed One, that is not of Bhairava’s nature;

since all the principles are of Him, all indeed is Bhairava alone. 71

As a crystal jewel shines with many colours,

so the awareness of Bhairava appears as manifold distinction. 72

Because its essence is awareness, everything shines;

Bhairava shines as all beings, all-going, all-pervasive. 73

Nothing exists dependent on another, nothing stands apart;

there is only one supreme principle—Bhairava, the Supreme Lord. 74

Whoever sees all as Śiva and everywhere as Bhairava,

that person is liberated, O Supreme Goddess, abiding equal with Bhairava. 75

Whose nature is one with Bhairava, whose knowing is Bhairava-knowledge—

he is freed from every bondage, established as Śiva-Bhairava. 76

Without Bhairava nothing at all exists;

wherever anything stands, there abides the all-Self, the boundless Bhairava. 77

Thus, O Goddess, has been told the sequence of the dissolution of the principles

and the union of Śiva and Bhairava, the eternal supreme reality. 78

Whoever hears or recites this doctrine of Bhairava

is freed from sin, united with the knowledge of Bhairava. 79

One endowed with devotion and faith who beholds the Supreme Lord

comes to know the ultimate reality as Bhairava alone. 80

All beings are of Śiva’s nature; the whole universe is filled with Śiva—

there is never doubt that anything exists apart from Him. 81

As by a single sun all things are illumined,

so by Śiva, by Bhairava who is all-Śiva, this world shines. 82

As by the light of a lamp a whole house is illumined,

so by Bhairava, all of Śiva-nature, this universe shines forth. 83

Knowing that one’s own body is of Śiva-nature, one becomes filled with Śiva;

therefore with every effort one should cultivate knowledge of Śiva. 84

Apart from knowledge of Śiva there is nothing purifying or wondrous;

by knowing it one is freed from the root of every bondage. 85

Through knowledge of Śiva, the sins of mortals are dissolved;

through perfect understanding of that knowledge one attains the supreme state. 86

By knowledge of Śiva beings come to be, by it they endure;

by knowledge of Śiva the cycle of existence is overcome. 87

All is composed of knowledge of Śiva; through it all increases;

by realization of that knowledge all becomes of Śiva-essence. 88

By knowledge of Śiva one is liberated, by it purified;

through it one becomes the all-Self—through it one is Bhairava. 89

By knowledge of Śiva, indeed, all this is to be known—no doubt;

through it surely the liberation of all is accomplished. 90

Whoever, endowed with devotion and faith, attains the knowledge of Śiva

reaches the supreme wisdom and the highest state. 91

Through knowledge of Śiva the embodied being, understanding the Śiva-principle,

attains Bhairava, O Bhairavī, and is liberated. 92

Knowledge of Śiva is the supreme knowledge, the highest goal of Bhairava;

by its full realization all becomes the imperishable Bhairava. 93

As righteousness and other virtues in the world grow through Śiva-knowledge,

so all states imbued with that knowledge become tranquil. 94

Knowledge of Śiva is the supreme wisdom destroying all sin;

through it eternally all remains the imperishable Bhairava. 95

Through knowledge of Śiva, O Goddess, the cycle of birth and death ceases;

by its full realization one becomes Bhairava, identical with Śiva. 96

Through knowledge of Śiva the eternal supreme reality is known;

by that knowledge one is liberated and becomes Bhairava. 97

Through perfect knowledge of Śiva alone

the sinner, cleansed of impurity, becomes Bhairava. 98

Through full knowledge of Śiva all takes the form of Bhairava;

through that realization one’s very life becomes Bhairava. 99

Through knowledge of Śiva the eternal supreme principle is known;

by that comprehension one is freed from the bondage of becoming. 100

Through knowledge of Śiva death itself is destroyed;

by that same knowledge one attains the supreme liberation. 101

Endowed with devotion and understanding Śiva completely, the yogin

through that knowledge becomes Śiva-Bhairava, Śiva Himself. 102

Thus, O Goddess, has the doctrine of Bhairava been declared;

knowing Śiva and Bhairava, one never again undergoes rebirth. 103

— End of Chapter 2 of the Svacchanda Tantra (Paratattva-prakāśaḥ). 

Śrī Svacchanda Tantra II.1-103

|| oṃ svacchandabhairavaya namaḥ ||

Read via gDoc

Devīkālottara

Today, we read from the second chapter of Śrī Devīkālottarāgama. 

The Devīkālottara stands as a key text in the Śākta and Śaiva traditions, where Śiva, the Supreme Consciousness, imparts ultimate wisdom to Devi, the Goddess. These texts ending with the name -uttara find themselves within jnana-pitha of the Siddhānta Tantras, represent the final teaching from Śiva to Devi and provide the most advanced instruction—the realization of the non-dual Self.

In the excerpt below, Śiva explains that liberation is not achieved through external practices but through the deepest realization of the Self—the understanding that the mind is the source of both bondage and liberation. When the mind attaches to desires and external objects, it creates suffering, but when it becomes still and detached, it merges with the true Self, leading to freedom. This text highlights the transformative power of knowledge of the Self, urging the practitioner to dissolve the ego and mental attachments to experience the non-dual, formless Śiva, beyond all concepts of time, space, and duality.

The teaching aligns with key ideas in Sanātana Dharma nondual philosophy. Verses here parallel those in other important texts. E.g., the Amṛtabindu Upaniṣad states that "mind is bondage, mind is liberation"; the Māṇḍūkya Kārikā emphasizes that liberation comes when the mind ceases its restless activity and rests in the unchanging Brahman; and the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha teaches that the destruction of the mind dissolves the illusion of the world. Ultimately, the mind, when purified and turned inward, reveals the non-dual truth of the Self, as Śiva imparts to Devi, transcending all dualities.

——om——

Devi said: 

O Lord, what is called bondage and what is called liberation? By what is one bound and by what released? Tell me, O Śaṅkara.

The Lord said: 

Listen, O Devi, I shall explain clearly—mind alone is the cause of bondage and liberation for embodied beings.

When the mind attaches to sense objects it is bondage; when detached, that is called liberation.

Restlessness of the mind is bondage; its steadiness is liberation. Therefore the wise should make the mind still.

When the mind ceases to move toward objects and abides in its own nature, it attains supreme peace and dissolves in the Self.

As fire dies when fuel is exhausted, so the mind ceases when the seed of desire is consumed.

When nothing arises in the mind, it remains eternal; abiding in the Self, one surely attains liberation.

As wind ceases in a windless space, so the mind rests in the supreme, supportless Self.

Neither austerity, nor mantra, nor gift, nor scripture leads to liberation—only knowledge of the Self, O Beloved.

When one knows that the Self and Śiva are not different, duality vanishes, and he himself is the Supreme Lord.

When the mind moves outward to objects, that is bondage; its quiescence is liberation.

As the ocean, though full of waves, remains by nature calm and pure, so is the Self despite the mind’s movements.

As clouds arise and vanish in the sky, so thoughts arise and dissolve in consciousness without touching it.

Therefore the wise ever turn the mind inward and see the Self; seeing non-duality, they attain supreme peace.

He who is equal to all beings, free from fault and attachment, having abandoned anger and greed, attains eternal liberation.

As a lamp does not flicker in a windless place, so the mind, established in the Self and free from desire, is still.

When all objects and ego are abandoned, the pure light of the Self shines of itself, stainless and serene.

Where no thought arises and no difference exists, there is neither bondage nor liberation—only Śiva alone.

When the mind is merged in the heart, desireless and still, knowing Brahman, the person becomes immortal.

There are many sacred places on earth, but where the mind becomes still—that alone is the supreme pilgrimage.

So long as the mind is not slain by knowledge it binds; when destroyed by wisdom, it rises no more.

When the mind is absorbed in the Self, it becomes the Self; when turned outward, it is called the world.

Hence the mind is said to be twofold—pure and impure. The impure goes outward; the pure abides in the heart.

As gold hidden in stone shines when smelted in fire, so the Self concealed in the mind is revealed by wisdom.

When the mind rests without thought in the supreme state, that alone is Brahman—no other reality exists.

When the mind dissolves seeing the non-dual Self, then knowledge arises, free from bondage and release alike.

The ignorant wander outward through desire; the wise turn within to the heart and meditate on the Self alone.

He who knows the Lord as unborn, infinite, unmoving, all-pervading, and eternal is freed from worldly bondage.

He who has no attachment among beings, whose acts do not cling to him, is like a lotus leaf untouched by water.

Though dwelling in the body, he who witnesses but is not the body is called liberated while alive (jīvan-mukta)—he is Śiva indeed.

Thus, O Auspicious One, the nature of bondage and liberation is declared: when the mind is destroyed, the pure, stainless Śiva alone remains.

Śrī Devīkālottarāgama II.1-31.

|| oṁ namaḥ śivāya ||

Hymn to Rudra Kapardin

This hymn attributed to Maharishi Atri Bhauma belongs to the early Vedic stratum that venerates Rudra as both terrifying and beneficent—the “Destroyer of heroes” whose arrows bring disease and the end of all things great, yet who also carries “healing remedies most precious.” The poet pleads for the God’s favor and protection for people, animals, and the settlement, revealing the ancient understanding of divine power as ambivalent: to be feared, yet also the sole source of well-being when rightly propitiated. This Rudra, like the serene Śiva of later theology, already contains the seeds of transformation, as His destructive energy (Śakti) is recognized as inseparable from healing and renewal.

In later Śaiva thought, especially within Purāṇic and Siddhāntic traditions, the dipoles between Rudra’s wrath and grace evolves into a philosophy of divine duality—Śiva as both the Destroyer of ignorance and the Giver of liberation. This hymn thus marks the beginning of the shift from propitiating a formidable power to embracing Him as the inner Lord and Protector. Through this early meditation, we glimpse the emergence of the Śaiva vision of auspiciousness born from awe.

Maharishi Atri Bhauma meditates on Rudra-Shiva

---om---

These thoughts we offer to Rudra, the powerful, 

the matted-haired ascetic, the destroyer of heroes; 

may he grant peace to beings with two legs and four, 

and make all that thrives within this settlement flourish and untroubled.

Be gracious to us, Rudra; make us happy.

We bow to you, the destroyer of heroes, with our homage.

That welfare and favor which our ancestor Manu once desired,

may we experience through your guiding protection, O Rudra.

May we attain your favor, O Rudra of great might, through our divine offering.

Bring our people into harmony and strength,

and grant that our men may live unharmed;

accept this offering from us.

We call upon the fierce Rudra, master of the sacrifice,

the wise and unbending Lord, for help.

Let the divine anger stand far from us;

we choose instead your gracious favor, your kindly mind.

We call with reverence upon Rudra, the red one of the sky, 

the matted-haired, whose form is radiant;

holding in his hand healing remedies most precious—

may he bestow on us shelter, protection, and defense.

This word is spoken to the father of the Maruts—

sweeter than the sweet—a hymn to Rudra for increase.

Grant us, O deathless one, mortal sustenance in due measure;

be gracious to our life, to our children and descendants.

Harm not our great ones nor our little ones,

strike not him who rears the herd nor him who is born to it.

Do not slay our father nor our mother;

O Rudra, do not injure our dear bodies.

Do not harm our sons, our children, or our lifespan;

do not wound our cattle or our horses.

O Rudra, in your might, do not strike down our warriors.

We who make offerings call to you always for help.

Like a herdsman guarding his cattle, I have brought praises to you;

grant us, father of the Maruts, your goodwill.

For your disposition is auspicious and most gracious;

therefore we choose you as our protector and friend.

Keep far from us your arrow that kills the cow and the man,

O mighty Rudra, may your favor be upon us.

Be gracious to us; speak kindly, O God,

and grant us shelter and wide protection.

We have declared our homage to him, the helper;

may Rudra, companion of the Maruts, hear our call.

And may Mitra, Varuṇa, Aditi, the River, the Earth, and the Sky

not harm us — may they protect us in friendship.

Ṛgveda (Śākala Saṃhitā) I.114.1-11 

- Composed by Maharishi Atri Bhauma

Sita and Ram and the Dharma of Shiva

As we embark on the beginning of a new age of Sanatan Dharma, we seek answers to unanswered questions. Sanatan Dharma is neither a dogma nor organized on the premise of an unfaltering book, but rather is a quest, a eternal journey to understand ourselves and reality. The never ending seeking is therefore very much a part of our Dharma. Hence the ancients left much answered for future generations to continue to seek and experience findings answers from within. 

And now, we come upon the subject at hand, that of Sita and Ram in the context of Shaivism. Although it is has been realized again and again, the deep connection between the Dharma of Sita-Ram and Uma-Maheshwar is worth again exploring. To understand the deep connection, the oneness of the two, we must explore the stories of both. 

Let us begin then with the story of Sati (feminization of Sat, truth/existence). In the beginning of the cycle of creation, Sati is born of Daksha Prajapati, one of the many sons of Brahma and progenitors of mankind. Daksha has many daughters, and Sati is one of them. Sati in intent on marrying none other than Shiva and eventually marries Him, much to her father's displeasure. Later on, Sati attends her father's yajna, uninvited, and when Shiva is insulted chooses to self-immolate. Shiva then descends there in a Bhairava form called Virabhadra to destroy the sacrifice of Daksha. The relics of Sati are later spread around the Indian subcontinent which later come to be known as Shakti Pithas (Centers of Energy). We now consider there to be 51 or 52 principal Shakti Pithas in existence (51 or 52 being the number of phenomes in Sanskrit, and Shakti being the primal divine energy that permeates and brings forth name and form of all things in existence). 

Now, from that very holy land dotted with Shakti Pithas emerges the Lady Sita (literally sita = furrow). She is discovered as a baby by the ruler of Videha, King Janak, in a field. Sita then is an embodiment of the very Shakti that was dispersed across the land. Sita is Shakti. On the other hand, Ram descends through the holy fire into which Sati has chosen to self-immolate. In the story, the Deity of Fire, Agni, emerges from sacrificial fire conducted by King Dasharath and delivers the pudding (payasa) to feed his queens so they may bear children. From this, Ram is born. Ram, then, is the essence of the holy fire, the Divine Being who is invoked through Agni, the fire of consciousness in all beings. Ram descends from above, while Sita emerges from below. 

The essence of Ram is Shiva, and the essence of Sita is Shakti. Ram is Shiva and Sita is Shakti. 

There is only a singular eternal existence, which indeed is all existence. We understand it as the Divine encompassing of pure unfettered existence and its inseparable pure energy. These two then are emblematically represented and personified as the Divine Couple, the bipoles of Absolute Reality. 

Today, as we begin the new Samvatsar, let us remember Sita-Ram and Uma-Maheshwar together. 

Om Namah Shivaya. 

Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, Vikram Samvat 2081 (Pingala)/Shaka 1946 (Krodhi)

Sutras and Tantras

Sutra [सूत्र] means thread, derived from /siv/, to sew. When applied to scripture (shastra, शास्त्र), it means a text wherein core ideas around a certain subject are stitched or sewn together. Technically, sutras are written in a very terse language, making them easy to memorize. The language is so terse that context is often left out, and it is very difficult to understand sutras without extensive commentary or explanation. Sutra literature of Sanatana Dharma comprises of hundreds of texts that begin, historically, at the end of the Vedic age covering a every imaginable subject from Vedic rites and rituals, philosophies, linguistics, Dharma, bhakti, medicine, astronomy, etc. In many cases, a sutra text forms the foundational basis for a given system. For example, Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is the first encoding of Yoga philosophy.  

Famous extant sutras of Shaivism include the Pashupata Sutras, Shiva Sutras, Vatulanatha Sutras, and Meykanda Sutras (Sivagnanabodham). Early core of early Shaivite Tantras (Agamas) also likely began as sutras, even if they don't fit into the category of terseness in language. This principle is clear in the Nishvasatattvasamhita, and implied in the titles of Svayambhuva and Raurava Agamas both of which are termed sutra-sangraha (collection of sutras). 

The literal meaning of tantra [तन्त्र] is loom, derived from /tan/, to stretch. When applied to shastra, it means a text wherein a complex range of ideas are woven elaborately together incorporating both philosophy and practice. Tantras are generally written in poetic meters (shloka or anushtup chandas) and are very voluminous. Tantra literature of Sanatana Dharma comprises of hundreds of texts that also begin, historically, after the end of the Vedic age and experienced efflorescence during the first millennium of the common era. Tantric literature spans a variety of topics, but largely focusing on ritual, practice, theology and philosophy. Whereas the Vedic literature espouses a fire ritual called Yajna, the Tantric literature endorses a ritual called Puja using consecrated icons and recommended for the Kaliyuga, the age of discord. 

Generally, the extant Tantric texts of Sanatana Dharma are divided into three categories - Shaiva, Shakta and Vaishnava. The Shaiva-Shakta system is conjoined and the Tantras of this system represent a continuum of ever-evolving esoteric knowledge traditions which presuppose older, simpler forms of the same. Therefore, the epistemology and ontology of both is similar, if not the same. Hundreds of Tantric texts or Agamas have come into existence through the sub-traditions of the Shaiva-Shakta system; most of them lost and many of the remaining untranslated. The Tantric literature of what we term Shaivism proper encompasses the 92 principal Shaiva Agamas divided into 10 Shiva, 18 Rudra, and 64 Bhairava Agamas. While this system of thought within Sanatana Dharma has remained distinct, running parallel to the Vedic-Vedantic system, in truth the latter has been strongly influenced and subsumed by it.

Aum Namah Shivaya. 

Aspectless (Nishkala) Form of Shiva

Today we read from the ninth chapter of the Ishvara Gita entitled the Nishkala (aspectless) Form of Shiva. In the Kurma Purana, of which Ishvara Gita is a part, it is said that the Ishvara Gita was spoken in an earlier aeon (Satya Yuga) long before the Bhagavad Gita was spoken. In a future aeon (Dvapara Yuga), the Bhagavad Gita reveals the same knowledge yet again. 

Notice the subtle philosophy in this text in the usage of the terms Brahman, the highest Lord, and Maya. Maya is termed Shakti, the cause of the universe, and the supreme Brahman termed the ground of that cause. What is termed the Lord is the one pointed intersection between the unmanifest and the manifest, who is immanent in all beings, and the goal or doorway for escape from the cycles of samsara and means for bliss eternal. One sees in this chapter a continuation of the old philosophy present in seed form in the Nandikeshvara Kashika. Indeed, this is the core of all forms of Shaivite theology even today. 

-----

The Sages said : 

1 . O Mahadeva, the Supreme God is unsullied, pure, eternal and devoid of activities. Hence, explain to us how you become identical with universe in form. 

Ishvara replied : 

2. O brahmanas, I am not the Universe (in reality). Nor does the universe exist without Me. In this respect Maya is the cause and She is supported by Me in my [own] Atman. 

3. Maya is the Shakti (potency) which has neither beginning nor destruction. It is supported in the Avyakta (the Unmanifest). This world is caused by it and is indeed born of the Avyakta. 

4. They (the sages) say that the Avyakta which is bliss luminous and imperishable is the cause. I am that supreme Brahman [viz the Avyakta] and nothing else exists apart from Me. 

5. In my unity and diversity (or apparent identity and separateness from the universe) the expounders of the Vedas have decisively concluded that from My Being the universe formed. 

6. I am that greatest Brahman, the eternal supreme Atman. As I am said to be the non-cause, no fault can be attributed to Atman. 

7. All divine powers are infinite, unmanifest, permanent and established by Maya. The absolute Avyakta which is abiding in the region beyond shines eternally. 

8. The unmanifest eternal Brahman which is without any beginning or end and which is permanent is united with Maya and thereby is called diverse and divided though it is an undivided whole. 

9. Just as the manifestation of the Purusha’s one power is not concealed or obscured by another, He functions through the power of knowledge without beginning, middle and the end. 

10. That is the supreme unmanifest, embellished with a halo of lustre. That is the imperishable light. That is the supreme abode of Vishnu. 

11. Therein the entire universe is woven as if in the warp and woof of cloth. That alone is the entire universe. Having realised this, one is liberated. 

12. Brahman is that entity from which words along with mind recede due to their inability to reach it. He who has realized the joy of the Brahman entertains no fear from anywhere at any time. [Taittiriya Up. II. 9.]

13. I know this supreme Purusha with the refulgence of the sun in front of me (beyond the darkness of ignorance). Having realized Him as such, the knower is liberated (from samsara). Becoming identical with the Brahman, he enjoys perpetual bliss. [Svetasvatara Up. III.8; III.21]

14. Realizing that is his self from which there is nothing that is greater, and that is the supreme light of the luminaries stationed in the heaven, the knower becomes identical with the Brahman and attains perpetual bliss. 

15. Knowers of the Brahman (aka brahmanas) who are established in the Brahman, proclaim that I am however impenetrable, subtle-bodied, joy of the Brahman, and the immortal abode of the universe, and after attaining whom one never reverts to samsara. 

16. The lustre that appears to shine in heaven is the principle of the highest firmament of golden colour. The sages visualize it in their own supreme knowledge as the resplendent, pure (spotless) abode of heaven. 

17. Thereafter, the bold (self-possessed) men observe it, after experiencing the (cosmic) Atman directly in their individual Atman. Paramesthin, the Lord Himself, is the greatest one. The Lord has the bliss of Brahman. 

18. That one Lord is lying hidden in all living beings. He is omnipresent, the immanent soul of all living beings. The self-possessed men who see him as one (without a second) enjoy permanent bliss and not the others. 

19. He has heads and necks on all sides. He is the ultimate goal of all. He abides in the cavity of the heart of all living beings. That Lord is omnipresent. There is nothing other than He. 

20. O leading sages, thus the knowledge pertaining to Ishvara has been related to you. It should be particularly guarded, as it is very difficult even for Yogis to attain.

Ishvara Gita IX.1-20 (Kurma Purana, Book II, IX.1-20).

Aum Namah Shivaya. 

See also: Vibhuti Yoga of Shiva (from Chapter VII of the Ishvara Gita)