The chapter 3 of Section 7.1, Vayavuya-samhita of Shiva Purana discusses about devotion, Shiva’s grace and Salvation.
Those who are desirous of salvation, Shiva shall be meditated upon by. Every thing inclusive of Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, the elements, the sense-organs, is born at first from Sarveshvara. He rules over all the worlds through the Jivas. He is the sole lord of infinite Shakti who presides over all causes and is released from Time—Death. He has neither day nor night; neither equals nor superiors. The great knowledge and activity are innate in him. By concentrating on him, the person of Sattvic feelings becomes the lord himself. Shiva is the cause. He has no beginning, no end. He is naturally independent and perfect. The mobile and immobile beings are subservient to his will. He is glorious, devoid of examples and definitions. He is both the liberated and liberator. He is not influenced by Time. He is the activiser of time. He is the lord of the universe comprising the sixfold path. He is the Being above all beings, one above the other. There is no being above him. He is the ocean of benevolence, prowess, majesty and sweetness. The universe is created by him indulging in wonderful activities. At the time of dissolution this gets dissolved in him. Sacred rites, charitable gifts, penances and observances, these are advocated by people for the purification of emotions. Forms in the universe are threefold—the gross, subtle and that which is beyond. The gross is seen by us, the gods and others. The subtle is seen by the Yogis. That which is beyond the two, is eternal, knowledge, bliss and the unchanging can be seen by those who dwell in it, are devoted to it and are engaged in the rites concerning it. Devotion is the result of grace and grace is the result of devotion just as the sprout comes out of the seed and produces the seed. The achievements of the individual are due to the grace of God. Contact with grace yields excellence of Dharma. After attaining this excellence, the sins of the individual decline. When his sins decline through succession of births the devotion to Sarveshvara and Amba is generated along with knowledge. The grace of the lord varies in accordance with the purity of emotions. Due to grace, eschewment of rites results. Here the eschewment is of the fruits of rites and not the rites themselves. As a result of the abandonment of the desire for the fruits of holy rites, the auspicious Shaivite virtues are attained. This is twofold: that dependent on the preceptor and that which is not. That which is dependent on the preceptor is more important and hundred times more efficacious. In view of the knowledge the man sees the defects in the worldly existence (saṃsara). Thereafter arises non-attachment to the sensual objects and thence Bhava is attained. When Bhava is attained the man becomes more inclined towards meditation than towards rituals. A man endowed with knowledge and meditation becomes engaged in Yoga. Through Yoga arises the great, devotion and then grace of God. By means of the grace the creature is liberated and becomes equal to Shiva. Some soul is liberated even while in the womb; another even while being born; a third whether he be a boy or a youth or an old man. Some soul may return after the enjoyment of heavenly region and then liberated. Still another soul may be liberated on its way. Hence there is no stipulated mode or order in the attainment of liberation. The supreme bliss is in accordance with the knowledge and emotion and attained by the grace of the lord. Hence, in order to win his grace, you shall avoid verbal and mental defects; meditate on Shiva.
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