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Time (Kala) – Shiva Purana

6/22/2024

During the 7-8 chapters Section 7.1 of Vayaviva-saṃhita of Shiva Purana, Shiva informed about the glory of time.

Role of Time -
The universe is under the control of Kala. Kala is under the control of Shiva. Shiva is not subject to its control. Nobody is beyond death. Neither nobility of birth, nor good conduct nor strength nor skill is of any avail. Kala is unthwartable. No one dies or is born before time. No one flourishes well before the proper time. No one is happy or miserable before the time for it arrives. There is no object which is untimely. Kala is the cause of all births.
Nimesa to Year -
The basic unit of life is Nimesa. The time taken for the winking of an eye is Nimesa. Fifteen such Nimesas constitute one Kastha. Thirty such Kasthas make one Kala. Thirty Kalas make one Muhurta. Thirty Muhurtas make one day. Thirty days constitute one month of two fortnights. A month constituting the bright and dark halves is one day of the manes. Six months constitute one Ayana. Two Ayanas make a year. One human year constitutes one day and night for the celestials, Uttarayana being the day and Dakṣiṇayana the night. The divine month like the human month constitutes thirty days. The year of the gods constitutes twelve months. Three hundred and sixty human years make one divine year.

Yuga to Kulpa -
There are four Yugas. The first Yuga is Kṛta, then comes Treta. Dvapara and Kali are the other Yugas. Four thousand years constitute the Kṛtayuga. The period of four hundred years constitutes the intervening junction and a hundred-year period constitutes Sandhyaṃsha (a subdivision of the junction). In the three other yugas, their Sandhyas and Sandhyaṃshas the thousands and the hundreds become reduced by one. Thus, the twelve thousand years and the surplus period constitute a Caturyuga. A thousand Caturyugas constitute a Kalpa. Seventyone Caturyugas constitute a Manvantara. In a Kalpa there are fourteen such Manvantaras. In this order, hundreds and thousands of such Kalpas and Manvantaras have passed by this time.
A Kalpa constitutes a day of Brahma. A thousand Kalpas make a year of Brahma. Eight thousand Brahma years make one Brahma Yuga. A thousand Brahma Yugas make one Savana of Brahma. Three thousand and three Savanas make the life time of Brahma. A day of Brahma’s life constitutes the life of fourteen Indras, a month of his life constitutes a four hundred and twenty Indras; a year of his life five thousand and forty Indras; his whole life five hundred and forty thousand Indras. A day of Vishnu is the life-time of Brahma. A day of Rudra is equal to the life-time of Vishnu. A day of Shiva is equal to the life-period of one Rudra. A day of Sadashiva is the life-period of Shiva. A day of Sakṣat Shiva is the life-period of Sadashiva. The life-time of the latter is equal to the life-period of five hundred and forty thousand previous deities.

Parameshvara’s night shall be known to extend so long. His day is the period of creation. His night is the period of dissolution.
But understand that he has neither day nor night as we conceive them. The subjects, the Prajapatis, the three deities, gods, Asuras, the sense-organs, the sensual objects, the five great elements, the subtle and gross elements, the cosmic Intellect, the deities, all these abide during the day of the self-possessed Parameshvara. They get dissolved at the end of the day. At the end of the night again begins the origin of the universe.

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Nakshatra (Constellations) & Zodiac

6/16/2024

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Nakshatra (Constellations) & Zodiac

The Nakshatras are the fixed stars, asterisms or ‘lunar mansions’ in the zodiac. The term “Nakshatra” is a combination of two words – ‘Naks’ meaning sky and ‘Shetra” meaning region/area. Nakshatras (or Constellations) are ruled by the moon which is associated with our intellect, intuition, emotions & mind.

In Vedic astrology, the zodiac of 360 degree has twelve rashis (signs) with 30-degree sections and is marked by 27 constellations or Nakshatras with 13.2 degree each. Both, signs and constellations start from the same point viz. the zero degree of the zodiac (Aries) and the first point of Ashwini. Moon shifts the houses approx. 2.3 days, means in 28 days all the signs in zodiac. Each sign is named after some animal. Each Nakshatra has resemblance to some shape (animal or others). They are assigned many different characteristics that include ruling planets, gender, temperament, symbols, deities, animal symbols and also syllables.

Characteristics of Nakshatras:

Ashwini (Symbol – Male Horse’s face, ruling planet- Ketu, Gender- Male, Gana – Deva, Guna- Rajas/rajas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Ashwini Kumaras, the horse headed twins, Animal- Male Horse, Star of Transport) - Horses in Vedas are always connected to the Sun which represent dynamism and light. People tend to be adventurous and full of energy, ready to take risks, impatient and restless.
Bharani (Symbol- female sex organ, ruling planet- Venus, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- Rajas/rajas/tamas, Presiding Deity- Yama, Animal- Male Elephant, Star of restraint) – Elephants symbolises intense sexuality, and strong personality. People struggles for personal growth and transformation. They tend to be jealous of others and have self-doubt. They are honest and disciplined people and give more importance to their own opinions.
Krittika (Symbol- Knife or razor, ruling planet- Sun, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- Rajas/rajas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Agni, Animal- Female Sheep, star of fire) - Sheep like to be in herds. They tend to live for others – giving wool for warmth and meat for sustenance. People are ambitious, caring, passionate and determined towards everything that they do. They tend to be successful. They are faced with various ups and downs in life.
Rohini (Symbol- Ox cart or chariot, ruling planet- Moon, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- Rajas/tamas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Prajapati, Animal- Cobra, Star of ascent) - People are beautiful, materialistic, charming, talented, creative and have a certain standard. They are critical of others and tend to look down on people.
Mrigashira (Symbol- Deer’s head, ruling planet- Mars, Gender- Female, Gana- Neuter Deva, Guna- rajas/tamas/tamas, Presiding Deity- Soma, Animal- Female Serpent, Star of searching) - People are intelligent, travel a lot, always looking for new things and knowledge. They like collecting and increasing their possession.
Ardra (Symbol- Tear drop, ruling planet- Rahu, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- rajas/tamas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Rudra, Animal- Female dog, symbol suggests grief) - People are cold & stern, tend to be destructive, use bad things to their benefit. They are constantly suffering and overcoming obstacles which leads to their inner growth.
Punarvasu (Symbol- Quiver of arrows, ruling planet- Jupiter, Gender- Male, Gana- Deva, Guna- rajas/sattva/rajas, Presiding Deity- Aditi, Animal- Female cat, Star of renewal) - People are having positive outlook on life, inspirational, kind, forgiving, good at overcoming bad situations and like travelling and are content with what they have.
Pushya (Symbol- Wheel or flower, ruling planet- Saturn, Gender- Male, Gana- Deva, Guna- rajas/sattva/tamas, Presiding Deity- Brihaspati, Animal- Ram) - People are kind, helpful, good in sharing, tend to be very religious and give high importance to their beliefs and laws. They believe that they are always right and tend to be arrogant towards people who disagree with them.
Ashlesha (Symbol- Coiled Serpent, ruling planet- Mercury, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- rajas/sattva/sattva, Presiding Deity- Nagas, Animal- male cat, Clinging star) - People tend to be wise and intelligent, cunning & liars and often use their wisdom for dark deeds. They don’t like getting humiliated or criticised.
Magha (Symbol- Royal throne, ruling planet- Ketu, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- tamas/rajas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Pitris, Animal- male rat) - People are loyal, tend to be great leaders, like power and wealth and work for attaining these things. They have a high self-opinion and sometimes tend to be arrogant towards others.
Purva Phalguni (Symbol- Hammock, front legs of bed, ruling planet- Venus, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- tamas/rajas/tamas, Presiding Deity- Bhaga, Animal- Female rat) - People are loyal, kind, often lazy but talented & very creative and like enjoying. They are good at communicating and are very social.
Uttara Phalguni (Symbol- Hammock, four legs of bed, ruling planet- Sun, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- tamas/rajas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Aryaman, Animal- Bull, Star of Patronage) - People are good natured and loving, friendly, kind & helpful. They do not do well alone and tend to be insecure.
Hasta (Symbol- Hand or fist, ruling planet- Moon, Gender- Male, Gana- Deva, Guna- tamas/tamas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Surya, Animal- female buffalo) - People are very intelligent, talented, having good grasping power, and tend to be good with their hands. They make good healers and artists. They like the profession were they’re able to help others with their skills.
Chitra (Symbol- Pearl, gem, ruling planet- Mars, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- tamas/tamas/tamas, Presiding Deity- Vishwakarma, Animal- female tiger, Star of opportunity) - People are artistic, creative, charming and beautiful, having good communication ability, good at expressing themselves. and have a good imagination.
Swati (Symbol- Sword, coral, ruling planet- Rahu, Gender- Female, Gana- Deva, Guna- tamas/tamas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Vaya, Animal- male buffalo) - People are curious, intuitive, artistic, tend to be good at communicating and expressing their thoughts and ideas. They can sometimes be shallow and egoistic.
Vishaka (Symbol- Decorated archway, potter’s wheel, ruling planet- Jupiter, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- tamas/sattva/rajas, Presiding Deity- Indragni, Animal- male tiger, Star of Purpose) - People are ambitious, hard-working, determined and very focused. They like competitions and never back down easily. They can get jealous of others very easily and often get angry when things don’t go their way.
Anuradha (Symbol- Triumphal archway, umbrella, lotus, ruling planet- Saturn, Gender- Male, Gana- Deva, Guna- tamas/sattva/tamas, Presiding Deity- Mitra, Animal- female deer or rabbit) – People are very organized, cooperative, good leaders and good at balancing their work and relationship. They are good at sharing and make great friends.
Jyesta (Symbol- Umbrella, earring, ruling planet- Mercury, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- tamas/sattva/sattva, Presiding Deity- Indra, Animal- Male deer or rabbit) - People are wise and intelligent. They tend to be experienced and are good at dealing with power and wealth. They are protective towards their family members and are usually the leaders of their house. They face a lot of hardships in life. They are not very social and have few trusting friends.
Mula (Symbol- Bunch of roots tied together, ruling planet- Ketu, Gender- Female, Gana- Neuter Rakshasa, Guna- sattva/rajas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Nirriti, Animal- Male dog, Root star) - People are good investigators, good at uncovering secrets and tend to have a resenting nature and always blame others. They face various ups and downs in life which gives them a sense of pain and loss.
Purva Ashadha (Symbol- Elephant tusk, fan, basket, ruling planet- Venus, Gender- Male, Gana- Manusha, Guna- sattva/rajas/tamas, Presiding Deity- Apas, Animal- Male monkey, invincible star) -People are independent, strong, good at manipulating and influencing others and have great communication skills. They have anger issues and are often aggressive.
Uttara Ashadha (Symbol- Elephant tusk, small cot, planks of bed, ruling planet- Sun, Gender- Female, Gana- Manusha, Guna- sattva/rajas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Vishwadevas, Animal- Male mongoose, universal star) - People are patient, soft, kind and great endurance power. They are responsible people and do their work with great determination. They are sincere and never lie. They often become lazy when they lose interest and what they are doing.
Shravana (Symbol- Ear, three footprints in uneven row, ruling planet- Jupiter, Gender- Male, Gana- Deva, Guna- sattva/tamas/rajas, Presiding Deity- Vishnu, Animal- female monkey, Star of learning) - People are intellectually wise. They are good at listening as well as teaching others. They tend to be restless and always travel to different places in search of more knowledge.
Dhanishta (Symbol- Drum or flute, ruling planet- Mars, Gender- Female, Gana- Rakshasa, Guna- sattva/tamas/tamas, Presiding Deity- 8 Vasus, Animal- Female Lion, Star of symphony) - People have a lot of wealth and possessions. They are inclined towards music and dancing.
Shatabhisha (Symbol- Empty circle. Thousand flowers or stars, ruling planet- Rahu, Gender- Female, Gana- Neuter Rakshasa, Guna- sattva/tamas/sattva, Presiding Deity- Varun, Animal- Mare, Veiling star) - People are secretive and philosophical. They make good healers. They can moody and lonely as they are not good at communication. They tend to think highly of themselves in terms of knowledge and consider themselves to know everything.
Purva Bhadrappada (Symbol- Sword, two front legs of a funeral cot, Man with two faces, ruling planet- Jupiter, Gender- Male, Gana- Manusha, Guna- sattva/sattva/rajas, Presiding Deity- Aja Ekapada, Animal- Male lion, Star of transformation) - People are passionate and very indulgent in whatever they do. They are two faced and are secretive about themselves. They will face problems and accidents in life and hence have to be careful. They are good at communication and influencing people.
Uttara Bhadrapada (Symbol- twins, back legs of a cot, a snake in the water, ruling planet- Saturn, Gender- Male, Gana- Manusha, Guna- sattva/sattva/tamas, Presiding Deity- Ahir Bhudyana, Animal- Female Cow, Warrior star) - People are kind, cheerful, good at controlling their emotions and tend to be lazy. They are extremely protective of the people they love and like home and family and the simple pleasures that come with it.
Revati (Symbol- drum, pair of fish, ruling planet- Mercury, Gender- Female, Gana- Deva, Guna- sattva/sattva/sattva, Presiding Deity- Pushan, Animal- Female Elephant) - People are loving, kind, helpful, creative, imaginative, happy and positive people. They like being social and getting to know new people. They make great artists. They are care givers and are always helping others.

Attributes of Nakshatras:

Tattva - Each division of 13-degrees 20 minutes is further subdivided into 4 quarters of 3-degree 20 minutes called as padas. The first pada is Agni (fire) tattva, the second is Prithvi (earth) tattva, the third is Vayu (air) tattva, and the fourth is Jal (water) tattva. From these four Padas, Nakshatra aims are derived, which are Dharma, Artha, Kaam, and Moksha. These four Padas are like four legs of the Bull, wherein Moon represents the Bull that visits each Nakshatra (cows).
Gana – Ganas are three viz. Dev, Manushya & Rakshasa. People with Dev Gana are angel-like, very subtle and refined. People with Manushya Gana act human like. People with Rakshasa Gana are not demon like but there are more chances for them to exhibit an unpolished behaviour to some extent.
Presiding Deities –
1. Ashwani Kumars (sarsa & satya) – Physician of Gods and connected to healing & rejuvenation.
2. Yama – God of death. It helps in self-control & restraint as well as death & transformation.
3. Agni – God of fire. Its characteristic attributes are intelligence, speed, brightness and sacrifice.
4. Prajapati or Brahma – It stands for creativity & culture. It confers fertility.
5. Soma or Chandra – Moon. It characterizes comfort, development, happiness and friendly attitude.
6. Rudra -the storm God. It signifies emotional upheavals, annihilation and natural diseases.
7. Aditi – Mother of Gods. She characterizes empathy, abundance, safety, knowledge and expansion.
8. Brihaspati – Priest of Gods. It represents consciousness, insight and rituals.
9. Nagas – deified snakes. It denotes healing, transcendence, overconfidence and powerful speech.
10. Pitrs – family ancestors. It demonstrates sense of responsibilities, masculine energy, ancestral relation and authority.
11. Bhaga – God of patronage. He provides health, body strength, and nourishment.
12. Sun – He characterizes knowledge, insight, mindfulness and illumination.
13. Vishwakarma – Celestial architect. It stands for construction, embellishment, development and renovation.
14. Vayu – It stands for vigour, movement and influence.
15. Indra – the chief of Gods. It denotes for both political and spiritual authority.
16. Mitra – He denotes partnership and friendship.
17. Nirrti – Goddess of dissolution & obliteration. It is related to the end of life, a precursor of new beginning.
18. Apah – God of Water. It is linked to seeking, rejuvenation and emotions.
19. Vishvadevas – Universal Gods. It stands for dharma, descent character and goodness.
20. Vishnu – The preserver of universe. It stands for tolerance, growth and understanding.
21. Eight Vasus – It is known for prosperity and exceptional fame.
22. Varuna – God of cosmic waters. It is exemplified by discrimination and judgement.
23. Ajikanda – Ancient fire dragon. It represents penance and purification.
24. Ahir Budhyana – It is related to unconscious mind.
25. Pushan – The protective God. He provides guidance, as well as protection and offers sustenance and success.
Animals –
1. Male Cats can really sleep for long hours yet have high sexual activity. This indicates a passive and procreating ability. (Ashlesha)
2. The female cats are very observant and sensual. (Punarvasu)
3. The male serpent is known to be very silent and dormant. They can be dangerous when provoked and watchful of his surroundings. (Ashlesha)
4. Female serpent which is the symbol of fertility. (Mrigasira)
5. Goat is both curious and agile. The people are very daring. (Krittika & Pushya, nakshatras)
6. A female dog can be very loyal and fierce. (Ardra)
7. The male dogs who apart from being loyal and intelligent can be ferocious, if provoked. (MULA)
8. The male rat exhibits aggressive behaviour when threatened. (Magha)
9. The female rat attribute can be very productive, but also look for comfort and luxury in their life. (Purva Phalguni)
10. The male cow can be passive but yet become more dominant as it grows up. (Uttara Phalguni)
11. The female cow represents the same has a lot of maternal qualities. (Uttara Bhadrapada)
12. The male horse shows strength, virility, and freedom. (Ashwini)
13. The female horse can be cranky and territorial. (Satabhisha)
14. Mongoose likes solitude and find difficulty in adjusting with others. (Uttaraashada)
15. The male elephant is known for its sensuousness and gentleness. They are the epitome of honour, status, and respect. (Bharani).
16. The female elephant bestows the person with grandeur yet the person is not aware of their own importance. (Revati)
17. The female deer are highly inquisitive, gentle, alert, family-oriented and loving. (Anuradha) The male deer shows similar nature as of female deer. (Jyestha)
18. Monkeys are very intelligent, vocal and creates very strong bonds. (Purvaashada) (Shravana)
19. A male lion is a very territorial animal, commanding powers and an ability to instil fear in others. (Purva Bhadrapada) The female lion allows people to earn more than their shares. (Dhanishta)
20. The female tiger has a sense of amiability in relationships and an attitude of sharing. (Chitra nakshatra) The male tigers have a daring and curious attitude who likes to move into unknown places. (Vishakha).

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Pashupata Knowledge – Shiva Purana

6/1/2024

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The chapters 2 to 7 in Section 7.2 of Vayaviya-saṃhita of Shiva Purana informed about Pashupata knowledge.

The teaching of the Pashupata system is for the total annihilation of all kinds of sorrow. When the disciple follows the ascetic practices recommended by the Lord, he attains liberation through His grace. Whereas the doctrine of karma propounds the theory of rebirth based on karmic account. But as per the Pashupata-sutra, liberation comes directly from the grace of Shiva.
The word pashu is connected with the word pasha, which means “cause and effect”, and is technically also called kala. All animals are thus bound by cause and effect, the sense images and their objects, and become attached to them.

Pashu, Pasha & Pashupati -
Owing to ignorance, living beings are entangled in a circle of life and death. Every conscious being beginning with Brahma is called Pashu. Shiva, the lord of the gods and also known as Pashupati, binds the Pashus through the Pashas (strings or bonds) of dirt. The twenty-four principles, Maya, Karman and the three Guṇas are called Vishayas. These are the Pashas that bind the Pashus. After binding the Pashus, lord Shiva makes them do their respective duties. Shiva alone can cut off these bonds. That is the reason why He is called Pashupati.

Generation of Pashas -
At his behest Prakriti generates Buddhi befitting the Purusha. Buddhi (cosmic intellect) generates Ahankara (Ego). The ego generates the eleven sense-organs (five organs of knowledge, five organs of action and mind) and five Tanmatras. At his bidding the Tanmatras too, create the great Bhutas entirely in their order; the five Bhutas (earth, water, fire, air and space) create the physical bodies of all beings from Brahma to the grass. Intellect determines and resolves. Ego feels pride in and identifies with what is possessed. Consciousness observes and becomes conscious of things. Mind conceives and imagines. The organs of knowledge apprehend the objects separately.
Shiva, the universal sustainer & destructor -
It is only at the behest of the lord Shiva all Bhutas & deities perform their duties. Ether pervades all, yields space to the elements. The wind sustains the entire universe, internal and external, under different names of Praṇa, etc. The fire god bears offerings to the gods and oblations to the Pitrs. It facilitates cooking etc. The waters enliven all. The earth holds up the universe for ever.
Indra protects the gods, kills the Asuras and guards the worlds. Varuṇa rules over the waters and binds those who are to be punished, by means of his noose. Lord of wealth, the lord of the Yakshas, distributes wealth to the living beings in accordance with their merit. Ishana bestows knowledge on the intelligent ones and affords them riches, and curbs the evil-doers.
The earth is supported by Shesha. The Raudri and Tamasi form of Vishnu brings about destruction is created by the four-faced lord. At his behest, Shiva through other forms of his own, he protects the universe and annihilates it in the end. He protects, creates and devours the universe through his own three bodies. At his bidding alone Rudra annihilates the universe in the end.
The Shiva, Atman of the universe, assuming three different forms creates and protects too. Time creates, protects and destroys at his behest. At his bidding with the three parts of his splendour, the sun supports the universe, commands the shower and rains in the heaven. At the behest of the moon-crested lord, the moon nourishes the plants, delights the living beings and is imbibed by the gods.
Adityas, Vasus, Rudras, Ashvins, Maruts, heaven-walkers, Sages, Siddhas, Serpents, human beings, beasts, animals, birds, worms, immobile beings, rivers, oceans, mountains, forests, lakes, Vedas with their ancillaries, the scriptures, the compendiums of mantras, sacrifices, etc., the worlds beginning with Kalagni and ending with Shiva and their over-lords, the innumerable Brahmanḍas (galaxies), their coverings, the past, present and future, the quarters, interstices, the different units of time, Kala etc.—all these, whatever is seen or heard in the world, are presided over by the order of Shiva.
It is through the power of his order that the earth, the mountains, clouds, oceans, luminary bodies, Indra and other gods, the mobile and immobile beings, sentient or non-sentient are sustained.

Shiva, the Five Murtis -
These shall be known as his Murtis whereby this universe is pervaded viz: —Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Maheshana and Sadashiva.

Shiva, the Five Brahmans -
There are Panchabrahmans viz. Ishana, Purusha, Aghora, Vamadeva and Sadyojata. Ishana, presides over the individual soul the enjoyer of Prakriti and the presiding deity of the ear speech, sound and the all-pervasive ether. Purusha presides over the unmanifest which is worthy of being enjoyed and which is in the form of the support of the Gunas and the presiding deity of the skin, hand, touch and Vayu. Aghora, of the trident-bearing lord, presides over the principle of cosmic intellect consisting of eight parts of Dharma etc and the presiding deity of the eye, leg, colour and fire. Vamadeva as the presiding deity of Ego and the presiding deity of the tongue, anus, taste and the waters. Sadyojata is the presiding deity of the mind and the presiding deity of the nose, sexual organ, smell and the earth.

Shiva, the cause –
The godhead is called Brahman because it is immense and it expands. There are two forms of lord Brahman viz. Vidya & Avidya. Vidya is Cetana (consciousness) and Avidya is Acetana (insentience). The universe too is in the form of Vidya and Avidya. Since he is the lord of the two, Shiva is called the lord of the Sat and Asat. Some say that he is in the form of Kṣara and Akṣara. The living beings are called Kṣara. Beyond the two is Shiva the quiescent. Shiva the great cause is the cause of both the universal and the individual.

Eight Munis -
The universe consists of eight Munis, of the primordial lord of the gods, which are Sarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugra, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, and Mahadeva. The earth, waters, fire, wind, ether, souls, the sun and the moon are presided over by them respectively.
Shiva, the possessor Shakti -
This universe of the mobile and immobile beings is the cosmic body of the lord of the gods. The entire universe of the mobile and immobile beings is full of Shakti. Kala, the greatest Shakti of the great Atman, is called Para Shakti. Lord Shiva is Shaktimaan possessing the three Shaktis of knowledge, activity and wish. He pervades the universe for ever and stays. Shakti of knowledge is in the form of Buddhi and it determines its effect, instrument, cause and purpose factually. Shakti of activity in the form of conception formulates and evolves the effect—universe, in the manner wished for and in the manner determined. All men are identical with Shiva. All women are identical with Maheshvari. Hence all men and women are their exalted superhuman power. Goddess Maheshvari holds all objects of reflection. The reflector is the all-pervading Lord himself.
Shiva, the Pradhana-Purusha-Vyakta-Kalatman -
Shiva is also called Pradhana-Purusha-Vyakta-Kalatman. Pradhana is Prakriti. Purusha is the individual soul. The twenty-three principles constitute the Vyakta (manifest) Prakriti. Kala is the sole cause of the transformation of the effected creation. Hiranyagarbha is the cause of the worlds, Brahma etc., Viraṭ is the cosmic form or being. The sages are unable to determine the true nature of the lord due to the presence of different ideas and beliefs. When the seer sees the maker, the lord, golden in colour, the Purusha the origin of Brahma, he shakes off both merits and sins and becomes unsullied. He attains the great equality or union with the lord.
Shiva of unmeasured brilliance there is no Kala or Kala; no Vidya or Niyati; neither lust nor hatred. He has no keen desire. He has neither happiness nor unhappiness; neither Karmans nor their after-effects; neither pleasure nor misery as a result of those Karmans. He has no cause or maker; he has no beginning no end nor the intervening space. He has no activity or instrument. He has neither birth nor death; neither expectation nor disinclination. He is not subject to injunctions or prohibitions; he has neither liberation nor bondage.
Presiding over everything by means of his Shaktis, he is stationed without dropping his intrinsic nature. Hence, he is known as Shiva. Since the universe consisting of the mobile and immobile beings is presided over by Shiva, he is known as omniformed. In the beginning he was the instructor of the scriptural texts to the Brahmans born during the period of re-creation. He is not conditioned by time. He is the lord of all. He is the preceptor of all the preceptors, subject to the influence of Time.
Shiva, the Pranava -
Pranava is the greatest symbol of Shiva. The great Siddhi can be acquired by meditation on Pranava. The letter “A” is the Rigveda; “U” is the Yajurveda; “M” is the Samaveda and the Nada is the Atharvaveda. The letter “A” is the great Bija, Rajas and the creator, the four-faced lord. The letter “U” is Prakriti, the womb, Sattva and the protector Vishnu. The letter “M” is Purusha, the seed, the Tamas and the annihilator Rudra. Nada is the great Purusha, Isha, Shiva, devoid of Guṇas and activities.
Realisation of Shiva -
Though the Atman is sentient and experiences happiness and misery yet it is incapable of ruling. After these reflections those who meditate can realise the Shakti of the lord. Through this Shakti when their binding cords are cut, they can see the Shaktiman, the cause of all causes, through their divine eyes. He is incomprehensible and through this Shakti he presides over all causes, including the Time-soul. Through his grace, the great Yoga and the path of devotion they can attain the supreme divine goal. Their devotion is due to their grace and the grace is a result of devotion in view of the difference in states.
Service with or without the ancillaries is called devotion. It is threefold due to the three means of mind speech and body. The meditation on Shiva’s form is mental service. Repetition of mantras is verbal service. The rites of worship constitute the physical service. This threefold service is called the holy rite of Shiva. It is of five kinds as explained by Shiva the great Atman. In brief they are penance, holy rites, repetition of mantras, meditation and knowledge. An intelligent man seeking welfare shall avoid too much adherence to sensual objects and increase devotion towards Shiva, the great cause.
Story of Indra’s pride -
After conquering the Asuras in the war formerly, the gods including Indra began to argue with one another “I am the victor, I am the victor”. Then lord Shiva assumed the guise of a Yaksha and stood in their midst devoid of his characteristic features in the limbs. He set a blade of grass on the ground and told the gods, “He who can deform this grass is the conqueror of the Daityas.”
On hearing the words of the Yaksha, the thunderbolt-bearing consort of Shaci became infuriated. Smiling a little he attempted to take up the grass. When he could not lift it up, he hurled his thunderbolt at it in order to cut it. The thunderbolt coming into contact with the grass appeared to clash with a steel and fell aside.
Then the guardians of the quarters and the worlds, of great strength exerted themselves and hurled thousands of their weapons at the grass-blade. The great fire blazed, the fierce wind blew and the lord of the waters swelled as if the hour of dissolution had arrived.
Thus, everything initiated by the gods strenuously against the grass was a flop. It was due to the power of that Yakṣa alone. Then the infuriated lord of go is asked the Yaksha, “Who are you, sir?” Then even as they were watching, the Yaksha vanished. In the meantime, the goddess Haimavati bedecked in divine ornaments, appeared in the sky smiling and shining brilliantly. On seeing her the wonderstruck gods, Indra and others bowed to her humbly and asked, “Who is this uncommon Yaksha?” The goddess smiled and said — “He is invisible to you. He is the lord by whom this wheel of the world including the mobile and immobile beings, revolves. In the beginning the universe is created by him, and it is annihilated again by him. There is none to control him. Everything is controlled by him”.
After saying this the great goddess vanished there itself. The surprised gods bowed to her and went to heaven.
Story of Krishna’s son -
Sri Krishnaa performed the Pashupatavrata and attained perfect knowledge. Sri Krishna of great prowess performed penance for the attainment of a son with Shiva and Parvati as the deity aimed at. Due to that penance, at the end of a year, lord Shiva, equipped with great splendour and accompanied by his Gaṇas and Parvati appeared there. Krishna eulogised him with palms joined in reverence.
He obtained his son Samba of good qualities bequeathed by Shiva who was delighted by his penance. Since it was Shiva accompanied by Amba, who blessed him with a son, he named Jambavati’s son Samba.

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