The Chamakam is an extremely ancient prayer that comes to us from the Yajurveda. In the days of old, the priest of the Vedic sacrifice (yajna) would chant this long supplication to the Divine while pouring oblations into the holy fire. These days, as yajna rituals are rare, the Chamakam is mostly chanted in temples of Shiva following the other famous Yajurvedic prayer known as Sri Rudram or Rudradhyaya. In essence, the Chamakam supplicates the Divine to provide all the necessary things for humanity's continued survival and prosperity. Though the reciter repeatedly says me meaning "to me" (grant me), it should be understood that the supplication is on behalf of humanity, and not the individual.
A translation of the Chamakam is posted here. However, no translation can ever capture the mystifying beauty of the Vedic mantras in the original language (proto-Sanskrit). Also, it must be noted that several items being beseeched are those specific to ancient Vedic rituals and do not have names in modern languages. As the Vedic rituals were considered crucial for the well-being of all humanity, praying for the necessary items and correct performance of the ritual plays a central role in the hymn.
When listening to Vedic hymns being chanted, one ought not concentrate too much on understanding the words or the meaning. It is far more important to close one's eyes, mediate, and allow one's mind to be transformed by the divine vibrations therein.
Aum Namah Shivaya, and a blessed Maha Shivaratri to all my readers.
Anyone who is familiar with the Tradition of Shiva is undoubtedly also familiar with the story of Daksha's Yajna. The story of Daksha's Yajna is one of the most famous Puranic Shaivite myths. Though it is a story with esoteric meaning, we will not, here, analyze this story. Suffice it to say that many Shaivite books and scriptures relate or allude to this story or events therein. In that, the epic Mahabharata is no exception.
What makes the Mahabharata epic unique among ancient books is that it was written by generations of writers over a period of a few hundred years (ca. 400 bce-400 ce). As a result, there are numerous interpolations and perhaps dozens of sections omitted from Sanskrit critical editions. The below prayer, here termed "Daksha's Supplication", appears to be from such an omitted part of the epic. Daksha's Supplication is found within an inserted section of 435 verses between chapter 274 and 275 of Book XII (Shanti Parva) of the Mahabharata.
As is evident below, Daksha's Supplication is a lengthy, 234-verse prayer to Shiva in His universal form. The prayer glorifies the Lord using almost every attribute, epithet and description imaginable. It is written as a prayer sung by Daksha-Prajapati to supplicate Shiva's fury. Judging by the age of the Mahabharata, coupled with references to the Sri Rudram and the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, we may assume that this prayer was composed by Pashupata ascetics.
While there are hundreds of hymns and prayers honoring Shiva in dozens of texts, this hymn captures a clear and beautiful image of ancient Shaivite thought from a time either before or during the composition of the Shaiva Puranas. It is a beautiful blending of Shaiva mythology and theology as taught by Pashupata sages. In its essence, what we find in Daksha's Supplication are the two core teachings: (a) In Shiva, in the Lord, all opposites, all contradictions cease and a sense of completeness is realized; and (b) Shiva is All, and All is Shiva. The unity in Divinity principle that is implicit in Daksha's Supplication remains a key feature of all Shaiva thought to this day.
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Daksha's Supplication
Yudhishthira said, “It behoveth thee, O sire, to tell me those names by which Daksha, that progenitor of creatures, adored the great Deity. O sinless one, a reverent curiosity impels me to hear them.”
Bhishma said, “Hear, O Bharata, what the names, both secret and proclaimed, are of that God of Gods, that Deity of extraordinary feats, that Ascetic of secret vows.”
Daksha said:
I bow to Thee! O Lord of all the Devas to the Destroyer of the forces of the Asuras.
Thou art the Paralyser of the strength of the celestial Chief Himself.
Thou art adored by both Devas and Danavas.
Thou art thousand-eyed, Thou art fierce-eyed, and Thou art three-eyed.
Thou art the Friend of the ruler of the Yakshas.
Thy hands and feet extend in all directions to all places.
Thy eyes also and head and mouth are turned on all sides.
Thy ears too are everywhere in the universe,
And Thou art Thyself everywhere, O Lord!
Thou art shaft-eared, Thou art large-eared, and Thou art pot-eared.
Thou art the Receptacle of the ocean.
Thy ears are like those of the elephant, or of the bull, or like extended palms.
Salutations to Thee!
Thou hast a hundred stomachs, a hundred revolutions, and a hundred tongues.
I bow to Thee!
The utterers of the Gayatri sing Thy praises in uttering the Gayatri,
And the worshippers of the Sun adore Thee in adoring the Sun.
The Rishis regard Thee as Brahmā, as Indra, and as the (illimitable) firmament above.
O Thou of mighty form, the ocean and the sky are Thy two forms.
All the Deities dwell in Thy form even as kine dwell within the fold.
In Thy body I behold Soma, and Agni, and the Lord of the Waters,
And Aditya, and Vishnu, and Brahmā, and Brihaspati.
Thou, O illustrious One, art Cause and Effect,
And Action and Instrument of everything unreal and real,
And Thou art Creation and Destruction.
I bow unto Thee that art called Bhava and Sharva and Rudra.
I bow unto Thee that art the Giver of boons.
I bow always unto Thee that art the Lord of all creatures.
Salutations to Thee that art the Slayer of Andhaka.
Salutations to Thee that hast three matted locks,
To Thee that hast three heads,
To Thee that art armed with an excellent trident;
To Thee that hast three eyes and that art, therefore, called Tryambaka and Trinetra!
Salutations to Thee that art the Destroyer of the triple city!
Salutations to Thee that art called Chanda, and Kunda;
To Thee that art the (universal) egg and also the bearer of the (universal) egg;
To Thee that art the Holder of the ascetic's stick,
To Thee that hast ears everywhere,
And to Thee that art called Dandimunda!
Salutations to Thee whose teeth and hair are turned upwards,
To Thee that art stainless and white, and that art stretched all over the universe;
To Thee that art red, to Thee that art tawny, and to Thee that hast a blue throat!
Salutations to Thee that art of incomparable form, that art of dreadful form,
And that art highly auspicious!
To Thee that art Surya, that hast a garland of Suryas round Thy neck,
And that hast standards and flags bearing the device of Surya.
Salutations to Thee that art the Lord of spirits and ghosts,
To Thee that art bull-necked, and that art armed with the bow;
To Thee that crushest all foes,
To Thee that art the personification of chastisement,
And to Thee that art clad in leaves (of trees) and rags.
Salutations to Thee that bearest gold in Thy stomach,
To Thee that art cased in golden mail,
To Thee that art gold-crested,
To Thee that art the Lord of all the gold in the world!
Salutations to Thee that hast been adored,
That deservest to be adored, and that art still being adored;
To Thee that art all things, that devourest all things,
And that art the Soul of all things!
Salutations to Thee that art the Hotri (in sacrifices),
That art the (Vedic) mantras uttered (in sacrifices),
And that ownest white flags and standards.
Salutations to Thee that art the navel of the universe,
That art both cause and effect in the form of the five primal elements,
And that art the Coverer of all covers.
Salutations to Thee that art called Krisanasa,
That art of thin limbs, and that art thin.
Salutations to Thee that art always cheerful
And that art the personification of confused sounds and voices.
Salutations to Thee that art about to be stretched on the Earth,
That art already stretched, and that standing upright.
Salutations to Thee that art fixed, that art running, that art bald,
And that bearest matted locks on Thy head.
Salutation to Thee that art fond of dancing
And that strikest Thy puffed cheeks making Thy mouth a drum.
Salutations to Thee that art fond of lotuses that blow in rivers,
And that art always fond of singing and playing on musical instruments.
Salutations to Thee that art the Eldest-Born,
That art the foremost of all creatures,
And that art the Crusher of the Asura Vala.
Salutations to Thee that art the Master of Time,
That art the personification of Kalpa;
That art the embodiment of all kinds of destruction, great and small.
Salutations to Thee that laughest awfully and as loud as the beat of a drum,
And that observest dreadful vows!
Salutations for ever to Thee that art fierce, and that hast ten arms.
Salutations to Thee that art armed with bones and that art fond of the ashes of funeral pyres.
Salutations to Thee that art awful, that art terrible to behold,
And that art an observer of dreadful vows and practices.
Salutations to Thee that ownest an ugly mouth,
That hast a tongue resembling a scimitar, and that hast large teeth.
Salutations to Thee that art fond of both cooked and uncooked meat,
And that regardest the gourded Vina as highly dear.
Salutations to Thee that causest rain, that helpest the cause of righteousness,
That art identifiable with the form of Nandi, and that art Righteousness' Self!
Salutations to Thee that art ever moving like wind and the other forces,
That the Controller of all things,
And that art always engaged in cooking all creatures (in the cauldron of time).
Salutations to Thee that art the foremost of all creatures,
That art superior, and that art the giver of boons.
Salutations to Thee that hast the best of garlands,
The best of scents, and the best of robes,
And that givest the best of boons to the best of creatures.
Salutations to Thee that art attached,
That art freed from all attachments,
That art of the form of yoga contemplation,
And that art adorned with a garland of Akshas.
Salutations to Thee that art united as cause and disunited as effects,
And that art the form of shadow and of light.
Salutations to Thee that art amiable, and that art frightful,
And that art exceedingly so.
Salutations to Thee that art auspicious,
That art tranquil, and that art most tranquil.
Salutations to Thee that art of one leg and many eyes,
And that hast only one head; to Thee that art fierce,
To Thee that art gratified with little offerings,
And Thee that art fond of equity.
Salutations to Thee that art the Artificer of the universe,
And that art ever united with the attribute of tranquility.
Salutations to Thee that bearest a foe-frightening bell,
That art of the form of the jingle made by a bell,
And that art of the form of sound when it is not perceptible by the ear.
Salutations to Thee that art like a thousand bells jingled together,
And that art fond of a garland of bells,
That art like the sound that the life-breaths make,
That art of the form of all scents and of the confused noise of boiling liquids.
Salutations to Thee that art beyond three Huns, and that art fond of two Huns.
Salutations to Thee that art exceedingly tranquil,
And that hast the shade of mountain trees for Thy habitation.
Thou art fond of the heart-flesh of all creatures,
That cleansest from all sins,
And that art of the form of sacrificial offerings.
Salutations to Thee that art of the form of Sacrifice,
That art the Sacrificer himself,
That art the brahmana into whose mouth is poured the sacrificial butter,
And that art the fire into which is poured the butter inspired with mantras.
Salutations to Thee that art of the form of (sacrificial) Ritvijas,
That hast Thy senses under control,
That art made of Sattva, and that hast Rajas also in Thy make.
Salutations to Thee that art of the banks of Rivers,
Of Rivers themselves, and of the Lord of all Rivers (the ocean)!
Salutations to Thee that art the Giver of food,
That art the Lord of all food, and that art identical with him that takes food!
Salutations to Thee that hast a thousand heads and a thousand feet,
To Thee that hast a Thousand tridents uplifted in Thy hands, and a Thousand eyes!
Salutations to Thee that art of the form of the rising Sun,
And that art of the form of a child,
That art the protector of attendants all of whom are of the form of children,
And that art, besides, of the form of children's toys.
Salutations to Thee that art old, that art covetous,
That art already agitated, and that art about to be agitated.
Salutations to Thee that hast locks of hair marked by the current of the Ganges,
And that hast locks of hair resembling blades of Munja grass!
Salutations to Thee that art gratified with the six acts,
And that art devoted to the performance of the three acts.
Salutations to Thee that hast assigned the duties of the respective modes of life.
Salutations to Thee that deservest to, be praised in sounds,
That art of the form of sorrow, and that art of the form of deep and confused noise.
Salutations to Thee that hast eyes both white and tawny, as also dark and red.
Salutations to Thee that hast conquered Thy vital breaths,
That art of the form of weapons, that rivest all things,
And that art exceedingly lean.
Salutations to Thee that always discoursest of religion,
Pleasure, profit, and emancipation.
Salutations to Thee that art a Sankhya, that art the foremost of Sankhyas,
And that art the Introducer of the Sankhya-Yoga.
Salutations to Thee that hast a car and that art without a car (for Thy journeys).
Salutations to Thee that hast the intersections of four roads for Thy car;
To Thee that hast the skin of a black deer for Thy upper garments,
And that hast a snake for Thy sacred thread.
Salutations to Thee that art Isana, that art of body as hard as thunderbolt,
And that art of green locks.
Salutations to Thee that art of three eyes,
That art the Lord of Ambika, that art Manifest, and that art Unmanifest.
Salutations to Thee that art Desire, that art the Giver of all desires,
That art the Killer of all desires,
And that art the discriminator between the gratified and the ungratified.
Salutations to Thee that art all things, the Giver of all things, and the Destroyer of all things.
Salutations to Thee that art the hues which appear in the evening sky.
Salutations to Thee that art of mighty strength, that art of mighty arms,
That art a mighty Being, and that art of great effulgence.
Salutations to Thee that lookest like a mighty mass of clouds,
And that art the embodiment of eternity!
Salutations to Thee that art of well-developed body,
That art of emaciated limbs, that bearest matted locks on Thy head,
And that art clad in barks of trees and skins of animals.
Salutations to Thee that hast matted locks as effulgent as the Sun or the Fire,
And that hast barks and skins for Thy attire.
Salutations to Thee that art possessed of the effulgence of a thousand Suns,
And that art ever engaged in penances.
Salutations to Thee that art the excitement of fever
And that art endued with matted locks drenched with the waters of the Ganges Characterised by hundreds of eddies.
Salutations to Thee that repeatedly revolvest the Moon, the yugas, and the clouds.
Thou art food, Thou art he who eats that food,
Thou art the Giver of food, Thou art the Grower of food,
And Thou art the Creator of food.
Salutations to Thee that cookest food and that eatest cooked food,
And that art both wind and fire!
O Lord of all, the Lords of the Gods,
Thou art the four orders of living creatures.
Thou art the Creator of the mobile and immobile universe,
And Thou art their Destroyer!
O foremost of all persons conversant with Brahmā,
They that are conversant with Brahmā regard Thee as Brahmā!
The utterers of Brahmā say that Thou art the Supreme source of Mind,
And the Refuge upon which space, wind, and light rest.
Thou art the Riks and the Samans, and the syllable OM.
O foremost of all Deities!
Those utterers of Brahmā that sing the Samans constantly sing Thee,
When they utter the syllables Hayi-Hayi, Huva-Hayi, and Huva-Hoyi.
Thou art made up of the Yajus, of the Riks, and of the offerings poured on the sacrificial fire.
The hymns contained in the Vedas and the Upanishads adore Thee!
Thou art the Brahmanas and the Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas, and the Sudras,
And the other castes formed by intermixture.
Thou art those masses of clouds that appear in the sky;
Thou art lightning; and Thou art the roar of thunder.
Thou art the year, Thou art the seasons,
Thou art the month, and Thou art the fortnight.
Thou art Yuga, Thou art the time represented by a twinkle of the eye,
Thou art Kashtha, Thou art the Constellations, Thou art the Planets, Thou art Kala.
Thou art the tops of all trees, Thou art the highest summits of all mountains.
Thou art the tiger among the lower animals, Thou art Garuda among birds,
And Thou art Ananta among snakes.
Thou art the ocean of milk among all oceans,
And Thou art the bow among instruments for hurling weapons.
Thou art the thunder among weapons, and Thou art Truth among vows.
Thou art aversion and Thou art desire;
Thou art attachment and Thou art stupefaction (of judgment);
Thou art forgiveness and Thou art unforgiveness.
Thou art exertion, and Thou art patience;
Thou art cupidity; Thou art lust and Thou art wrath;
Thou art victory and Thou art defeat.
Thou art armed with mace, and Thou art armed with shaft;
Thou art armed with the bow,
And Thou bearest the Khattanga and the Jharjhara in Thy hands.
Thou art He who cuttest down and piercest and smitest.
Thou art He who leads (all creatures) and he who gives them pain and grief.
Thou art righteousness which is marked by ten virtues;
Thou art wealth or profit of every kind; and Thou art pleasure.
Thou art Ganga, Thou art the oceans, Thou art the rivers, Thou art the lakes,
And Thou art the tanks.
Thou art the thin creepers, Thou art the thicker creeping plants,
Thou art all kinds of grass, and Thou art the deciduous herbs.
Thou art all the lower animals and Thou art the birds.
Thou art the origin of all objects and acts,
And Thou art that season which yields fruits and flowers.
Thou art the beginning and Thou art the end of the Vedas;
Thou art the Gayatri, and Thou art OM.
Thou art green, Thou art red, Thou art blue, Thou art dark,
Thou art of bloody hue, Thou art of the colour of the Sun,
Thou art tawny, Thou art brown, and Thou art dark blue.
Thou art without colour, Thou art of the best colour,
Thou art the maker of colours, and Thou art without comparison.
Thou art of the name of gold, and Thou art fond of Gold.
Thou art Indra, Thou art Yama, Thou art the Giver of boons,
Thou art the Lord of wealth, and Thou art Agni.
Thou art the eclipse, Thou art the fire called Chitrabhanu,
Thou art Rahu, and Thou art the Sun.
Thou art the fire upon which sacrificial butter is poured.
Thou art He who pours the butter.
Thou art He in honour of whom the butter is poured,
Thou art the butter itself that is poured,
And Thou art the puissant Lord of all.
Thou art those sections of the Brahmanas that are called Trisuparna,
Thou art all the Vedas; and Thou art the sections called Satarudriya in the Yajus.
Thou art the Holiest of Holies, and the auspicious of all auspicious things.
Thou animatest the inanimate body.
Thou art the chit (consciousness) that dwellest in the human form.
Invested with attributes, Thou becomest subject to destruction.
Thou art Jiva, that is He who is never subject to destruction when uninvested with attributes.
Thou art full yet Thou becomest liable to decay and death in the form of the body,
Which is Jiva's accompaniment.
Thou art the breath of life, and Thou art sattva,
Thou art rajas, Thou art tamas, and Thou art not subject to error.
Thou art the life breaths called Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.
Thou art the opening of the eye and shutting of the eye.
Thou art the act of sneezing and Thou art the act of yawning.
Thou art of red eyes which are ever turned inwards.
Thou art of large mouth and large stomach.
The bristles on Thy body are like needles.
The beard is green.
Thy hair is turned upwards.
Thou art swifter than the swiftest.
Thou art conversant with the principles of music both vocal and instrumental,
And fond of both vocal and instrumental music.
Thou art a fish roving in the waters,
And Thou art a fish entangled in the net.
Thou art full, Thou art fond of sports,
And Thou art of the form of all quarrels and disputes.
Thou art Time, Thou art bad time,
Thou art time that is premature,
And Thou art time that is over-mature.
Thou art the killing, Thou art the razor (that kills), and Thou art that which is killed.
Thou art the auxiliary and Thou art the adversary,
And Thou art the Destroyer of both auxiliaries and adversaries.
Thou art the time when clouds appear,
Thou art of large teeth,
And Thou art Samvartaka and Valahaka.
Thou art manifest in the form of splendour.
Thou art concealed in consequence of being invested with maya.
Thou art He who connects creatures with the fruits of their acts.
Thou hast a bell in Thy hand.
Thou playest with all mobile and immobile things (as with Thy toys).
Thou art the Cause of all causes.
Thou art Brahman (in the form of Pranava),
Thou art Swaha; Thou art the bearer of the Danda,
Thy head is bald, and Thou art he who has his words, deeds and Thoughts under control.
Thou art the four Yugas, Thou art the four Vedas,
Thou art He from whom the four (sacrificial) fires have flowed.
Thou art the Director of all the duties of the four modes of life.
Thou art the Maker of the four Orders.
Thou art always fond of dice.
Thou art cunning.
Thou art the Chief of the spirits distributed into ganas, and their Ruler.
Thou art adorned with red garlands and attired in robes that are red.
Thou sleepest on the mountain-breast, and Thou art fond of the red hue.
Thou art the Artisan; Thou art the foremost of artists;
And it is Thou from whom all arts have flowed.
Thou art the tearer of the eyes of Bhaga;
Thou art Fierce, and Thou art He who destroyed the teeth of Pushan.
Thou art Swaha, Thou art Swadha,
Thou art Vashat, Thou art Salutation's form,
And Thou art the words Namas-Namas uttered by all worshippers.
Thy observances and Thy penances are not known to others.
Thou art Pranava; Thou art the firmament bespangled with myriads of stars.
Thou art Dhatri, and Vidhatri, and Sandhatri, Vidhatri,
And the Refuge of all things in the form of the Supreme cause,
And Thou art independent of all Refuge.
Thou art conversant with Brahmā, Thou art Penance, Thou art Truth,
Thou art the Soul of brahmacharya, and Thou art Simplicity.
Thou art the Soul of creatures, Thou art the Creator of all creatures,
Thou art absolute Existence, and Thou art the Cause
Whence the past, the present, and the future, have sprung.
Thou art Earth, Thou art firmament, and Thou art heaven.
Thou art eternal, Thou art self-restrained, and Thou art the great God.
Thou art initiated, and Thou art not initiated.
Thou art forgiving; Thou art unforgiving;
And Thou art the Chastiser of all who are rebellious.
Thou art the lunar month, Thou art the cycle of the yugas (i.e., Kalpa),
Thou art destruction, and Thou art creation.
Thou art lust, Thou art the vital seed, Thou art subtile, Thou art gross,
And Thou art fond of garlands made of Karnikara flowers.
Thou hast a face like that of Nandi,
Thou hast a face that is terrible, Thou hast a handsome face,
Thou hast an ugly face, and Thou art without a face.
Thou hast four faces, Thou hast many faces,
And Thou hast a fiery face when engaged in battles.
Thou art gold-stomached (i.e., Narayana), Thou art (unattached to all things like) a bird,
Thou art Ananta (the lord of mighty snakes), and Thou art Virat (hugest of the huge).
Thou art the Destroyer of Unrighteousness, Thou art called Mahaparshva,
Thou art Chandradhara, and Thou art the Chief of the spirit-clans.
Thou lowedst like a cow, Thou wert the Protector of kine,
And Thou hast the Lord of bulls for Thy attendant.
Thou art the Protector of the three worlds,
Thou art Govinda, Thou art the director of the senses,
And Thou art incapable of being apprehended by the senses.
Thou art the foremost of all creatures,
Thou art fixed, Thou art immobile,
Thou tremblest not, and Thou art of the form of trembling!
Thou art incapable of being resisted,
Thou art the destroyer of all poisons,
Thou art incapable of being borne (in battle),
And Thou art incapable of being transcended,
Thou canst not be made to tremble,
Thou canst not be measured,
Thou canst not be vanquished,
And Thou art victory.
Thou art of swift speed,
Thou art the Moon,
Thou art Yama,
Thou bearest (without flinching) cold and heat and hunger and weakness and disease.
Thou art all mental agonies, Thou art all physical diseases,
Thou art the Curer of all diseases,
And Thou art those diseases themselves which Thou curest.
Thou art the destroyer of my Sacrifice which had endeavoured to escape in the form of deer.
Thou art the advent and the departure of all diseases.
Thou hast a high crest.
Thou hast eyes like lotus-petals.
Thy habitation is in the midst of a forest of lotuses.
Thou bearest the ascetic's staff in Thy hands.
Thou hast the three Vedas for Thy three eyes.
Thy chastisements are fierce and severe.
Thou art the Destroyer of the egg (whence the universe springs).
Thou art the Drinker of both poison and fire,
Thou art the foremost of all Deities,
Thou art the Drinker of Soma,
Thou art the Lord of the Maruts.
Thou art the Drinker of Nectar.
Thou art the Master of the universe.
Thou shinest in glory,
And Thou art the Lord of all the shining ones.
Thou protectest from poison and death,
And Thou drinkest milk and Soma.
Thou art the foremost of the protectors of those that have fallen off from heaven,
And Thou protectest him who is the first of the Deities.
Gold is Thy vital seed.
Thou art male, Thou art female, Thou art neuter.
Thou art an infant, Thou art a youth,
Thou art old in years with Thy teeth worn out,
Thou art the foremost of Nagas,
Thou art Sakra,
Thou art the Destroyer of the universe, and Thou art its Creator.
Thou art Prajapati, and Thou art adored by the Prajapatis,
Thou art the Supporter of the universe,
Thou hast the universe for Thy form,
Thou art endued with great energy,
And Thou hast faces turned towards all directions.
The Sun and the Moon are Thy two eyes,
And the Grandsire is Thy heart.
Thou art the ocean.
The Goddess Saraswati is Thy speech
And fire and wind are Thy might.
Thou art day and night.
Thou art all acts including the opening and the shutting of the eye.
Neither Brahmā nor Govinda nor the ancient Rishis,
Are competent to understand Thy greatness,
O auspicious Deity, truly.
Those subtile forms which Thou hast are invisible to us.
Rescue me and, O, protect me as the sire protects the son of his loins.
O, Protector! I deserve Thy protection.
I bow to Thee, O sinless One!
Thou, O illustrious One, art full of compassion for Thy devotees.
I am always devoted to Thee.
Let him be always my Protector who stayeth alone on the other side of the ocean,
In a form that is difficult to be apprehended,
And overwhelming many thousands of persons!
I bow to that Soul of yoga who is beheld in the form of an effulgent Light,
By persons that have their senses under control,
That are possessed of the attribute of sattva,
That have regulated their breaths,
And that have conquered sleep.
I bow to Him who is endued with matted locks,
Who bears the ascetic's staff in his hand,
Who is possessed of a body having a long abdomen,
Who has a kamandalu tied to his back,
And who is the Soul of Brahmā.
I bow to Him who is the Soul of water,
In whose hair are the clouds,
In the joints of whose body are the rivers,
And in whose stomach are the four oceans.
I seek the protection to Him who, when the end of the Yuga comes,
Devours all creatures and stretches himself (for sleep)
On the wide expanse of water that covers the universe.
Let him who entering Rahu's mouth drinketh Soma in the night
And who becoming Swarbhanu devoureth Surya also, protect me!
The Devas, who are mere infants
Ad who have all sprung from Thee after Brahmā's creation,
Enjoy their respective shares (in sacrificial offerings).
Let them (peacefully) enjoy those offerings made with Swaha and Swadha,
And let them derive pleasure from those presents -- I bow to them.
Let those Beings that are of the stature of the thumb,
And that dwell in all bodies, always protect and gratify me.
I always bow to those Beings who dwelling within embodied creatures
And make the latter cry in grief without themselves crying in grief,
And who gladden them without themselves being glad.
I always bow to those Rudras who dwell in rivers, in oceans,
In hills and mountains, in mountain-caves, in the roots of trees,
In cow-pens, in inaccessible forests, in the intersections of roads,
In roads, in open squares, in banks (of rivers and lakes and oceans),
In elephant-sheds, in stables, in car-sheds, in deserted gardens and houses,
In the five primal elements, and in the cardinal and subsidiary directions.
I bow repeatedly unto them that dwell in the space amidst the Sun and the Moon,
As also in rays of the Sun and the Moon, and them that dwell in the nether regions,
And them that have betaken themselves to renunciation,
And other superior practices for the sake of the Supreme.
I bow always unto them that are unnumbered, that are unmeasured,
And that have no form, unto those Rudras, that is, that are endued with infinite attributes.
Since Thou, O Rudra, art the Creator of all creatures,
Since, O Hara, Thou art the Master of all creatures,
And since Thou art the indwelling Soul of all creatures,
Therefore wert Thou not invited by me (to my sacrifices).
Since Thou art He who is adored in all sacrifices with plentiful gifts,
And since it is Thou that art the Creator of all things,
Therefore I did not invite Thee.
Or, perhaps, O God, stupefied by Thy subtile illusion I failed to invite Thee.
Be gratified with me, blessed by Thyself,
O Bhava, with me possessed by the quality of rajas.
My mind, my understanding, and my chitta all dwell in Thee, O God!
Mahabharata, Book XII [Shanti Parva]
Section between chapters 274 and 275: verses 155-388
Trans. Kisari Mohan Ganguli
As most may be already aware, the festival of Maha Shivaratri (the great night of Shiva) is rapidly approaching. In the year 2009, Maha Shivaratri will fall on February 22 (North and South America, Pacific) or February 23 (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia).
Without doubt, Maha Shivaratri is one of the greatest festivals in the Hindu calendar, and the holiest day for all Shaivites. In a given solar year, there are actually twelve (or thirteen) Shivaratris, one per lunar month. Shivaratri occurs whenever the fourteenth lunar day of the waning moon (krsna paksha chaturdashi) is in effect at midnight local time.
Of the twelve (or thirteen) Shivaratris of the year, only one is considered Maha (great) Shivaratri. Within the lifetime of anyone reading this, Maha Shivaratri will fall sometime between February 12-March 13 when the Sun is in the sidereal constellation Kumbha (Aquarius).
Per the purnimanta mode of reckoning the Hindu calendar, the lunar date of Maha Shivaratri is defined as: Phalguna Krsna Chaturdashi ~ the fourteenth lunar day in the dark half (waning moon) in the month of Phalguna. The purnimanta mode is in vogue in Northern and Central India, parts of Orissa, Nepal and among Hindus in Pakistan.
Per the amanta mode of reckoning the Hindu calendar, the lunar date of Maha Shivaratri is defined as: Magha Krsna Chaturdashi ~ the fourteenth lunar day in the dark half (waning moon) in the month of Magha. The amanta mode is in vogue in Southern, Eastern and Western India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and among Hindus in South-East Asia.
Regardless of which reckoning mode one uses, the date and time of Maha Shivaratri is exactly the same. The two reckonings are, in fact, two ways of saying the same thing. The two systems only differ in how they define lunar months - whether they go from full moon to full moon (purnimanta) or new moon to new moon (amanta). However, it must be remembered that Maha Shivaratri, like all festivals on the Hindu calendar, does not necessarily fall on the same day throughout the world. One must observe this festival according to its actual occurance in your time zone.
As was stated at the beginning of the post, in all time zones that cover North and South America and the Pacific, Maha Shivaratri is to be observed on Sunday, February 22, 2009. In all time zones that cover Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, Maha Shivaratri is to be observed on Monday, February 23, 2009. Full celebrations generally begin around 6 pm on the given date, and continue on until 6 am (or local sunrise) on the following day.
A woman who thought she had been left infertile by chemotherapy gave birth after visiting a statue of the Hindu God Shiva.
By Matthew Moore Last Updated: 9:52AM GMT 13 Feb 2009
Doctors told Clare McVerry that she would never get pregnant because the breast cancer drugs she was taking could damage a child in the womb.
Her early-onset arthritis and a car crash she suffered in her 20s that left her with a weak spine should also have left her unable to carry a baby, according to The Sun newspaper.
But after visiting a statue of Shiva [...] while on holiday in India with her partner Tony Clarke, the 41-year-old gave birth to a son Mitchell.
"After I saw Shiva I was filled with a powerful feeling. I bought a model statue for my mantelpiece," she told the newspaper.
"When Mitchell grows up I will tell him how special the statue turned out to be."
Ms McVerry, from Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, stopped taking her cancer drug Tamoxifen during pregnancy to give her baby a better chance.
He was born a healthy 7lb 10 oz in December 2007 and is still doing well.
Her consultant Dr Simon Bowman told The Sun: "He really is a miracle baby."
Anyone who has lived and experienced the nuances of existence knows that our world is filled with diversity. Everywhere we look in the physical world, we find living beings, both large and microscopic. Ignoring the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe, we know that the Earth itself supports an estimated four to six million species. Our world is inhabited by five million trillion trillion (5x10^30) bacteria, one hundred billion birds, and almost seven billion human beings. Now, if one believes that there are greater (subtler) worlds beyond the physical, why can those worlds also not be equally rich with diversity? Why could they not be inhabited by trillions of beings as well?
In theology, the answer is that greater worlds are indeed inhabited by trillions of beings. All major religions acknowledge and teach of the existence of greater beings beyond our world. The religions of the Middle East, however, teach that these beings are not to be worshipped and do not dare call the highest among them “Gods.” By contrast, the religions of the East acknowledge the power and divinity of the greatest of celestial beings and call them Gods. Calling the greatest of celestial beings Gods does not imply that they are immortal or omnipotent. It implies that the these beings are endowed with special powers to help and guide humanity, and are thus worthy of our worship and allegiance. The Gods are our guides and the keepers of dharma.
It must be stressed here, that not every celestial being is to be called a “God.” Just like the Semitic religions, Hinduism lists a variety of beings in existence. The Puranic texts list many kinds of beings inhabiting the subtler worlds: Devas, Siddhas, Sadhyas, Apsaras, Asuras, Daityas, Garudas, Guhyakas, Kinnaras, Nirutas, Kimpurushas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, Vinjayas, Bhutas, Pishachas, Antaras, Munivas, Charanas, Uragas, Kecharas, Akashavasis and Bhoga Bumidars. Of these, only the Devas (“shiny ones”) are usually termed Gods. Of the Devas, those that inhabit the highest plane of existence (Satyaloka) may also be termed Mahadevas.
It is common knowledge that certain Puranas state that there are 330 million Devas. The number 330 million has a special semantic/esoteric meaning in Hindu theology. Even without a detailed analysis of its esotery, if we take this number literally, it should not be so surprising that 330 million Devas exist. Why should it be so surprising that higher worlds are inhabited by 330 million Devas when our world is inhabited by seven billion humans? In practice, we know only a few Devas are actually worshipped; but in theory, there is no reason why 330 million cannot or should not exist.
In Shaivite theology, in particular, the existence and worship-worthiness of the Gods is fully acknowledged without unnecessary philosophizing or minimizing their existence. It is without doubt that all is Shiva [Brahman] – all Gods, all humans, all beings and all things. Nevertheless, to reach that supreme realization one needs the guidance and grace of the Mahadevas, who are already fully in that realization. It is acknowledged that the Mahadevas can instruct and guide us onto the right path. It is for this reason that the Mahadevas like Lord Ganesha and Kartikeya are routinely worshipped. They are verily our Gurus and the Gurus of our gurus too.
O Devas! May we hear with our ears only that which is auspicious, May we see with our eyes only the auspicious, O worship-worthy Ones! May we praise Ye with steady body and limbs, And may we enjoy the term of life allotted to us by the Devas.
As we begin yet another year, we take time to remember that time itself, in the philosophies of Sanatana Dharma, is divine. The monistic and monistic-inclined philosophies, in particular, teach that everything is part of the divine Being including matter, space and time.
The doctrine of Time Divine in Sanatana Dharma transcends sectarian boundaries. Each of the three primary sects of Hinduism – Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism – impart this doctrine of Time Divine, albeit using varying iconography or imagery. In Shaivism, the Lord is represented as Great Time through the iconographic forms of Mahakala (Great Time) or Kalabhairava. In Shaktism, the cognate forms of Goddess Time are Mahakali or Kalasankarshini. In both Shaivism and Shaktism, these aforementioned forms are represented in temple icons. Vaishnavism, by contrast, rarely if ever uses iconographic forms to teach of Time Divine. Instead, a vivid imagery of Time Divine is given in the Bhagavad-Gita (XI.32-33). No matter the sect through which the doctrine of Time Divine comes, the idea is the same: time, the great dissolver of all things, is indeed a manifestation of the divine Being.
Much of the doctrine of time in Hindu theology and philosophy arose in central India in the city of Avantika (later called Ujjayini or Ujjain). For as long as anyone can remember, Avantika has been a center of Shaivite worship, and especially associated with Pashupata Shaivism. The city of Avantika was also the capital of various ancient Indian kingdoms and empires. Most importantly, as the location of the Jyotirlingam Shrine of Mahakala (Great Time), Avantika has for long been considered the prime meridian of longitude in Indian time calculation. Local legends dictate that it was the great emperor Vikramaditya of the Malwa dynasty who mandated that the prime meridian pass through the Linga icon of Mahakala.
Though the meridian (82.5ºE) for Indian standard time (UTC+05:30) no longer passes through Avantika (Ujjain), the default Indian Hindu calendar is still calculated for the coordinates of Ujjain. Moreover, the primary era of the Hindu calendar throughout northern India and Nepal begins with the coronation of legendary emperor Vikramaditya, the devotee of Lord Mahakala, in the year 58 BCE. It is also with the blessings of Lord Mahakala that great treatises on astronomy, astrology, mathematics, and time calculation were written by their sagacious authors in Avantika. The Aryabhatiyam, the Surya Siddhanta, the Pancha Siddhantika, and other important treatises were all composed in Avantika. It is here, in the land of Lord Mahakala, that great scholars came to understand time and the doctrine of Time Divine. It is here that sages first came upon the concept of great time cycles known as yugas. And, it is in Avantika, no doubt, that the ancients fully realized that time indeed is the manifest Divine.
As we mark the beginning of a new Gregorian year, we take a moment to remember Lord Mahakala-Shiva, who is immanent as Time, and His holy city of Avantika, whence the measurement of time and space amalgamated with theology and philosophy. Though we envision our passage through time as a passage through the living divine Being, we simultaneously realize that He is never bound by time. In the approach of understanding time as divine, we use time as an anchor to experience and obtain timelessness – that eternal, unchanging Shiva.
One of the most recognized and ubiquitous symbols of Lord Shiva is the trishula, the trident. It is fairly common, in Shaivite iconography, to have anthropomorphic forms of Shiva represented with trishula in hand. It is also not uncommon to see the trishula alongside Shiva’s aniconic (Linga) form. On rare occasions, one even finds the trishula is Shiva’s very representation in the absence of any other. The trishula is such a powerful symbol of the Lord that when one sees the trishula, one thinks of Shiva.
But, what makes the trident such a special symbol of God, and what message does it convey? In this post, we explore these two questions.
What makes the trident such a potent symbol of God are its three prongs. In Shaivite theology, the entire manifest universe, its quantitative and qualitative nature, as well as the process by which it emerged from the unmanifest Absolute is described in triadic terms. In short, therefore, Shiva holding the trishula symbolizes that the entire triadic universe is held together by the Lord.
The three prongs of the trishula represent:
(1) The three Shaktis of Shiva - the Power of will (Iccha), the Power of knowledge (Jnana) and the Power of action (Kriya). It is through progressive expansion of these Shaktis that the Unmanifest impinges into universal experience.
(2) The three Aspects of the Divine – Paramashiva, Parashakti (Paranada or Shiva Tattva) and Parabindu (Parameshvara or Shakti Tattva). The three Aspects are the very Being (Aham or "I am") of Shiva, His very Self.
(3) The three great universal acts of creation, sustenance and dissolution. Shiva is the Master and Controller of all three universal acts.
(4) The three personified Divinities of creation, sustenance and dissolution known as Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. The three Divinities depicted as separate entities in mythical stories are one and the same with Shiva. He alone creates, sustains and dissolves the universe.
(5) The three syllables of Omkara: A (akara), U (ukara) and M (makara). The Omkara is the primal sound, the Word of God, which gave birth to entire universe. It is for this reason that Shiva is also called the Lord of Omkara (Omkareshvara).
(6) The three causes of the universal manifestation: efficient, instrumental and material. All three causes originate and reside within Shiva, and there is no cause external to Him which brought about universal manifestation.
(7) The three planes of reality that make up the manifest universe: the physical, the subtle, and the causal. The multitudes of heavenly and hellish realms that make up the universe are all contained within these three planes of reality. Shiva alone is the Lord and Master over all planes and all realms of existence.
(8) The three qualities of prakriti (primal nature): sattva, rajas and tamas. All things in existence emerged by the admixture of these three primal qualities. Shiva is the supreme Purusha who is both Master over prakriti and the three qualities, yet beyond them at the same time.
(9) The three ordinary states of consciousness: waking, dreaming and deep sleep. Shiva is ever existent within the three states, yet exists in the fourth transcendental state upon which the three ordinary states are founded.
(10) The triad impurities - anava, karma and maya - which keep the individual being feeling that s/he is separate or separable from Shiva. Shiva is the Ruler over these three impurities, and alone by the descent of His grace can one work through these impurities to realize Him.
(11) The triadic essences - Pati, pashu and pasha - which make up the trichotomy of existence. The trichotomy of all existence is held together within Shiva and in Him all three are realized as inseparable from one another.
In Shaivite theology and metaphysics, therefore, the trishula is the perfect symbol of the manifest universe, just as the Wielder of the trishula is the perfect representation of Divinity.
Brahmā said: Oṁ! O Īśāna, O Mahādeva! O Lord with the Bull as Your conveyance, obeisance be to You. O Lord of living beings, obeisance be to You. O Overlord of Brahmā, obeisance be to You. Obeisance to Brahman in the form of Brahmā. Obeisance to the Overlord of Brahmā.
O Sadāśiva, may auspiciousness befall me. O Lord representing Oṁkāra in the physical form, obeisance be to You! I resort to You! I have resorted to Sadyojāta. Obeisance to Sadyojāta. Obeisances to the Unborn; the Source of [all] birth, And who is beyond the worldly existence.
O Bhava, O Īśāna, O Source of the worlds, O Deity of great luster, bless me. O Vāmadeva, obeisance to You, The eldest Being [Jyeṣṭha], O Granter of all boons. Obeisance to Rudra, to Kāla, the Reckoner of time. Obeisance to the Lord as the mind, To the Lord dark in hue, To the Lord as a religious Student, To the Lord as the Strength in the strong, And to the Lord devoid of organs and their function.
Obeisance to the Suppressor of bala, To the strong One, O form of Brahman. Obeisance to the Overlord, the Suppressor of living beings. Obeisance to the Lord, the Impeller of the mind, Obeisance to the Lord of great luster, Obeisance to the refulgent Vāmadeva, And to the Supreme Soul.
Obeisance to the Eldest and the Greatest, Obeisance to Rudra, the Bestower of boons. Obeisance to You, the Slayer of Kāla. Obeisance to You possessed of noble soul.
Liṅga Purāṇa I.16.6-15
----- Brahmā's Prayer is based on and is an elaboration of thePañcabrahma Mantras of the Taittirīya Āraṇyaka (X.17-21) of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. The Pañcabrahma Mantras, in essence, recall the Lord through His five forms - Sadyojāta, Vāmadeva, Aghora, Tatpuruṣa and Īśāna representing His five universal acts: creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealing grace and revealing grace, respectively. The Pañcabrahma doctrine of early Vedic Shaivism is later amplified in the Agamas and Purāṇas, and forms the core of all Shaivite theology. Reorganized and reformatted these mantras have been embedded within Brahmā's Prayer in the Liṅga Purāṇa. Brahmā's Prayer from the Liṅga Purāṇa represents perhaps the oldest recollection of the Pañcabrahma doctrine within the purāṇic corpus. Aum Namah Shivaya.
Le Dieu éternel qui est entre nous maintenant et toujours, Cette Divinité la plus haute qui n’a pas de noms, Le Seigneur, l’un qui a toujours été et toujours sera, C’est mon Dieu, Shiva, qui ne devient jamais vieux.
Le Dieu des Vedas qui a une forme et aussi n’a pas de forme, Cette Divinité exalté, le mieux du mieux, Le Seigneur qui vit dans l’espace infinie de conscience, C’est mon Dieu, Shiva, qui n’a pas de commencement ni de fin.
Le Dieu qui n’est pas mâle ni femelle, qui n’est pas ici ni là-bas, Cette Divinité unique, le Dieu des dieux tous, Le Siegneur qui toujours existe dans nos cœurs et âmes, C’est mon Dieu, Shiva, qui est au-delà de toute compréhension.
Shiva est partout, Shiva est chacun, Shiva est tout qui existe.
Mon Seigneur, tu es mon ami seul en tristesse, Et en heureusement aussi, O Ganesha! Qui est dans le monde pour ton fervent, mais toi? Quand nous réalisons que tu es avec nous chaque minute, Nous sommes heureux. Mais quand nous oublions que tu es toujours avec nous, Nous sommes tristes. O Ganesha, le premier Dieu de prière, Jamais nous ne t’oubliions; jamais nous ne t’abandonnions. Car seulement par la grâce de Ganesha, Sommes-nous vivants.
Aum! The universe, with all that is mobile in it, is inhabited by the Lord; therefore enjoy renouncing and do not covet the richness of others. [1]
Acting in the world according to this wisdom, one can aspire to live a hundred years and action shall not restrict your freedom. [2]
After death, the killers of the soul go to the worlds of the demons, covered by blinding darkness. [3]
The Self is motionless, and even faster than the mind. The senses cannot reach Him because He goes before them. In His quietude, He exceeds the speed of any runner. Because of this, Mātariśvan (wind), the activities of every living being is maintained. [4]
While moving He is motionless. He is far also very close. He is both inside and outside of everything. [5]
He who sees everything and everyone in the Self alone, and sees the Self in everything and everyone, hates not anything or anyone. [6]
What can cause misery or illusion to the enlightened one, who has realized that everything and everyone is his own Self, when wherever he looks, he only sees unity? [7]
The Ātman pervades everything. It is radiant, incorporeal, devoid of muscles, pure, immaculate, self-created and all-embracing. It is the omniscient Seer and it is self-sufficient. It has established the laws and duties since time immemorial. [8]
Above are the first eight verses of the Isha Upanishad, the first among the traditional Vedic (Mukhya) Upanishads. The term Isha means Lord or Ruler, and therefore the name of this text can be translated as "Upanishad of the Lord." Alternatively, it is also called the Ishavasya Upanishad, and is so named after the first word in its text ishavasyam (the Lord dwells). Unlike other Upanishads, the Isha Upanishad is literally the closing chapter of the Shukla Yajurveda's Vajasaneyi recension. Another name for the same Upanishad is the Vajasaneyi Samhita Upanishad.
Since it is literally a part of a Vedic samhita, its consists of poetic verses meant to be chanted, rather than prosaic verses meant to be recited. The poetic verses that make up Vedic samhitas are called mantras, and so this text is a mantra upanishad. The text consists of only eighteen short mantras, but its brevity is outweighed by its philosophical and theological import. Volumes and volumes have been written on this short, but important Upanishad. Great masters propounding different philosophies have commented extensively on this text, and tried to find evidence for their own philosophical standpoint therein.
Here, we examine only the first eight mantras of this text and highlight the salient points from a monistic Shaivite point of view.
The Upanishad begins with a bold declaration – whatever there is in this universe, it is pervaded by the Lord. He is everywhere and in all beings. There is nowhere that He is not. But, how do we find Him everywhere? The Upanishad says by renunciation – renunciation of selfish desires. When we renounce selfish external desires, we learn to look within ourselves for happiness. It is only by this wisdom, says the Upanishad, that we can progress spiritually. But this does not mean renouncing the world. Here the Upanishad informs us that we may live a hundred years and perform all the actions we need, but once we learn to experience the truth within ourselves, no external action will bind us and nothing will restrict that inner freedom or spiritual progress (verses 1-2). The Upanishad goes on to state that those who do not even attempt to look within enter the regions of darkness, and calls them “slayers of the soul.” This does not mean that they have “slain their soul” in a literal sense, but that they have deprived themselves of learning and experiencing the true meaning of existence. As a result, they have fallen down to levels of consciousness associated with lower chakras (worlds of the demons). Having never made the effort in the present lifetime, they must attempt to raise themselves to higher consciousness in successive lifetimes (verse 3).
In the next verse, the Upanishad begins speaking of the Atman, the Self. The term Self or Atman as used here indicates the Universal Self known as Brahman in Vedanta and Paramashiva (Parashiva) in Shaivism. The Upanishad declares that this Self lies beyond the reach of our ordinary consciousness consisting of the mind and the senses. The Self is realized only by surpassing the ordinary states of consciousness in samadhi. It is the Universal Self, the Self of all, that is the basis of all activity in creation. It is because of that Self that the wind (meaning prana, vital energy) functions in every living being – maintaining and enabling our activity (verse 4).
That Self which is everywhere is ever in motion and ever in stillness (verse 5). Here, we find much in parallel with Shaiva Agamic teachings that Paramashiva is not just pure, placid consciousness, but ever brimming with activity. The Absolute is never without activity. Its eternal activity manifests as cycles of creation, sustenance and dissolution. This activity is inherent to Paramashiva, and never to be thought of either external to It or as a mere thought construct on our part. Though the Absolute is an absolute unity, for the purpose of comprehension we speak of It in two aspects – the consciousness and the activity. The consciousness is Paramashiva and the activity is Parashakti. Paramashiva never exists without Parashakti. The Absolute is dimensionless, spaceless, and timeless. He is far and near, He is both inside and outside. It is utterly incomprehensible to the mind and senses.
Next the Upanishad moves to the topic of the realized sage who has mastered this wisdom. Such a sage realizes that Paramashiva is in all, in everything and nothing exists but That. He sees the Self in all and all in the Self. Such a realized being is called a jivanmukta, and such a being will not harbor any hate or bad feeling toward another because s/he sees everything as an extension of the same Self (verse 6). Of such a jivanmukta, the Upanishad asks a rhetorical question: “what can cause misery or illusion to the enlightened one?” (verse 7)
Finally in the eighth verse, the Upanishad declares again that the Atman pervades everything. Here we learn to put into context what is meant by pervading. The verb to pervade as used here and in the first verse does not indicate any distinction between the pervading and the pervaded. In the previous three verses, the text has already declared that nothing is distinct or different from Paramashiva. Therefore, the phrases the Lord inhabits or the Atman pervades should not be taken to mean that He is distinct from that which is being pervaded. Though He is truly the basis (material, instrumental and efficient) of and non-distinct from all existence, He is nevertheless seen and understood as the omniscient Seer of all and personified as the Lord (Isha), the first and highest Being.
In Shaivism, we call the personal Lord Shiva or Parameshvara (Highest Lord). Shaivism teaches that the Absolute consciousness (Paramashiva), its inseparable Activity (Parashakti), and the first conception of Being within the Absolute (Parameshvara) are three perfections of the Supreme. In Agamic terms, Parashakti is also called Paranada or Shiva Tattva, and Parameshvara is referred to as Parabindu or Shakti Tattva. They are not to be seen as distinct or distinguishable from Paramashiva. Understanding and worshipping the Supreme as the personal Lord is therefore not a lower or lesser path, but one of full realization of the unity of the Divine.
In essence, the philosophical teachings of the Upanishad of the Lord are in consonance with those of the Shaiva Agamas.
As it is presently the festival of Navaratri (Nine Nights of Divine Mother), we invoke and remember the inseparable Shakti of Shiva, the Divine Mother. It is only in our semantics and relative experience that Shakti is experienced or spoken as separate or separable from Shiva.
There are many beautiful and captivating hymns to the Divine Mother in Shaktism, where Shakti is exclusively worshipped. One of them is the Bhavani Ashtakam (Eight Stanzas on Bhavani) addressed to Her in the form of Bhavani. The name Bhavani means existence, and is a feminine form of the name Bhava which is of course a name of Shiva.
Like many such hymns, this hymn is said to be written by Adi Shankaracharya. The Bhavani Ashtakam captivates with its simple sound and its meaning, yet it is full of mysticism and devotion. In every stanza, the devotee accepts that the Divine Mother is existence itself and takes full refuge in Her.
Gatistvam Gatistvam Tvameka Bhavani.
For the meaning of the Bhavani Ashtakam click here.
Thou art the Paralyser of the strength of the celestial Chief Himself.
