75 - Monism of Shiva 

The sages said: 

1. How did the lord who is nişhkala (attributeless), nirmala (pure), and nitya (eternal) adopt sakalatva (the state of being with attributes). It behoves you to tell us about this in the same manner you had learnt it formerly. 

Suta said: 

2. O leading brahmins, persons who know reality recognize the lord in the form of the Praņava, Vijñāna (perfect knowledge), after hearing about the unborn lord in the Vedantic treatises. 

3. The knowledge that has sound, etc. for its object is called Jñana. Others say that jnana is devoid of Error. Still others say that it is not so. 

of. O brahmins, some sages say that knowledge which is pure, devoid of impurities, has no alternatives as objects and does not require a support and is made manifest through a teacher, is the real one. 

5. Salvation results only from perfect knowledge. Grace of the lord is conducive to the achievement of perfect knowledge. Both help to liberate the yogin and make him blissful.660 

660. anandamayaḥ-i.e. by the real knowledge and divine grace the yogin can attain the supreme bliss. Cf. "Anandamayo'bhyāsāt"--cited in ST. 

6. Some sages say that His contact can be acquired by means of holy rites. By one's own free will, the form that is conceived fancifully shall be withdrawn. 

7-11. The heaven is the head of Lord, the sky661 is his umbilicus, the moon, sun and fire are his eyes, the quarters are his cars. The nether world's constitute his feet, the ocean is his cloth, Devas are his arms, the constellations are his ornaments, Prakruti is his wife', Puruşha is his Linga. From his face662 issued forth all the Brahmins, Brahmi, Indra, and Vishņu. The Kshatriyas issued from his arms. The Vaishyas issued from his thighs and Shūdras from his feet. Puşhkara Avartaka and other clouds are his hairs. The winds are born of his nose. The Shruti and Smruti texts constitute his gait. 

661. kham--the world of mortals. ST. quotes Vishva in support of this meaning. 

662. The divine origin of society and its division into four classes, viz. Brāhmaṇa, Kshatriya, Vaishya ard Shūdra, can be traced as far back as the Puruşha-sūkta of the Rugveda. 

12. The lord in the forın of Karman makes Prakruti function by means of this cosmic body. The glorious Puruşha is compre- hensible to man through perfect knowledge, not otherwise 

13-14. Tapoyajňa (sacrifice in the form of austerity) is superior to thousands of Karmayajñas (sacrifice in the form of holy rites). Japayajňa (sacrifice in the form of Japa) is superior to thousands of Tapoyajñas. Dhyanayajña (sacrifice in the form of meditation) is superior to thousands of Japayajnas. There is nothing greater than Dhvanavajña. Dhyāna (meditation) is a means of perfect knowledge. 

15. When the yogin stands firmly by equal elegance and sees through meditation, when he is engaged in the Dhyāna yajña, Shiva becomes manifest in him. 

16. All people conversant with the knowledge of Brahman are pure, thanks to that Vidyā. There is no expiatory rite or any injunction in regard to Vijñānins (knowers); nor do they have purificatory rites. 

17. On consideration it is clear that there is no holy rite in the world, there is no happiness or misery, neither dharma nor adharma. neither japa nor homa, lo those who take up meditation. They come near to the ‘Sat’ (the existent Being). 

18. "The Linga is pure, auspicious and imperishable. It is exceedingly blissful in nature. The Nishkala form, that is, the form devoid of attributes is all-peivasive. It is always stationed in the heart of yogins. 

19. O brahmins, they say that the Linga is of two types viz., -the external and the internal. O excellent sages, the gross one is the external. O brahmins, the subtle one is the internal. [So are the devotees]. 

20. The gross devotees are those engaged in the worship of gross Lingas and interested in holy rites and sacrifices. The gross????? just for awakening knowledge of the gross devotres.663 

663. The gross (linga) form of the supreme lord Shiva is meant just to create a feeling of devotion in the gross-minded people. In fact, lord Shiva (like the ether) is an indivisible entity, His division into sakala and nişhkala forms, as of the ether into ghatākāśha and mathākāśha is conditioned by external factors. 

21-22. The spiritual linga is not perceptible to thi deluded person who conceive's things only externally and not otherwise. The gross linga made of clay, wood, etc., is perceptible only to non-yogin as the subtle and eternal linga is perceptible to the Jnänin. 

23. Other knowers of reality say that the object, on consi- deration, is non-existent.664 Therefore, everything, the Niskala and the Sakala is of the Nature of Shiva. 

664. arthah---goal, viz. the release from the bondage of activities. Because, actually, as there is no bondage, there is no release. Cf. Panchadashi; VI. 351; also, Mbh. "bandhasya māyāmülatvān na me moksho na bandhanam-cited in ST. 

24. Others say like this, O men of good Holy rites -Al through the mother is one, it is perceived separate in regard to separate platters. Similarly, Shiva has separateness as well as non separateness. 

25. O men of good holy rites, though the sun is only one he is seen manifold in the different water-reservoirs. This example is cited in order to convince the people. 

26. The creatures in the heaven and on the earth are evolved out of the five elements. Still they are seen in multiples of forms as different species and individuals. 

27. Know that whatever is seen or heard is identical with Shiva. The difference among the people, on deliberation, is mere illusion. 

28. After experiencing extensive pleasures in dream a man may be happy or miserable. But on pondering we understand that neither the pleasure nor the misery has been really experienced. 

29-30. All those who have understood the real meanings of the Vedas also speak thus in regard to worldly matters The great lord invested with attributes is directly perceptible in the hearts of the worldly-minded persons. The lord devoid of attributes appears in the hearts of yogins and is identical with the universe. He appears to the wise ones only. The physical body of the great lord is of three types. 

31. O excellent brahmins, the first-one is Nishkala, the second one is Sakala-Nishkala and the third-one is Sakala. 

32-33. Some worship the Sakala-Nişhkala form, some wor- ship in the heart, or in the Linga or in the fire. Some worship the Sakala form along with then wives and sons. 

34-35. Just as Shiva so also is the goddess. Just as the goddess so also is Shiva. Hence people worship the deities with the consciousness of non-difference. They worship the twenty seven665 principles in the body as well as outside, in the mystic diagrams of four, six, ten angles, twelve, sixteen and three sides.

665. sapta-vimshat prabhedatah. In the groups of tattvas, Shiva is placed in the twentyseventh category. (Cf. 1.71.51). But this classification is only impirical, not real. However, the physical and mental worship of Shiva enjoined in the agamas rests on the categorical basis.  

36. Shiva, the lord, devoid of difference of Sat and Asat is stationed out of his own free will along with the goddess for the protection of the world. 

37. Some call him one, some call him one with two Guņas.666 Some call himn Triguņa667 (having three Guņas). Some say that it is Shiva. Others, the knowers of the Vedas speak of him as the cause of the universe. 

666. dvigunam- - in the form of Prakruti and Puruşha.

667. trigunam--in the form of Brahmi, Vishnu and Rudra. 

38. All Brahmins equipped with devotion and auspicious yoga are persons of special characteristics. They are interested in Dharma. In the middle of the hexagon they worship the lord of yogas, having all the forms (or no form). 

39. Those who perceive Shiva in the three-sided (mystic diagram), in the middle of the three principles, attain him; not the other yogins. They perceive the three-eyed668 lord with the three Guņas, the ancient Puruşha along with the goddess. 

668. tri-yakşham=tryaksham, three-eyed. See p. 280 note. 259.