86 - The sacrifice of meditation 

The sages said: 

1. The brahmins who have destroyed their sins say that the meritorious sacrifice of meditation is better than japa for unattached and enlightened persons. 

2. Hence, O Sūta, tell us today about the sacrifice of meditation suited for unattached noble souls in detail and with all effort. 

3-4a. On hearing those words of the noble sages who had performed the sacrifice of long duration, Sūta recounted to them what Rudra of universal action764 mentioned after neutralising the poison Kalakūta765 and entering his cave. 766  

764. Vishva-karmana--vishvan karma yasya sah vishvakarmā tena, Rudrena ST. by Rudra of multifarious activities. 

765. The poison Kālakūta or halāhala a product of the churned ocean was swallowed by Shiva. The blue colour of his neck and his extreme are are the effects of that poison. 

         766. guha-i.e. Meru-guhā, the abode of Shiva. 

Sūta said:

4b-5. The sages of great discipline bowed down to Shiva who entered the cave and seated himself comfortably along with Bhavanī. All of them, then, eulogised Nilakantha, the consort of Uma. 

6. “O lord, O bull-bannered lord, the terrible poison Kalakūța has been neutralised by you. Hence everything has been stabilised by you." 

7. On hearing their words, lord Nilalohita, the Atman of the Universe, smilingly said to those sages, Sanandana and others. 

8. "O excellent brahmins, of what consequence is this? I shall mention another more terrible poison. He who nullities that poison is really efficient. Of what avail is this? 

9. What is called Kalakūta is not at all poison when compared to worldly existence which is the real poison. Hence, with all efforts one shall try to dispel that terribile poison. 

10-13. The mundane existence is two-fold767 in accordance with one's rights and duties. In regard to men of deluded minds, the mundane cxistence is very terrible and burdensome. O sages of good holy rites, creation is caused by ignorance due to the defects of malice and attachment.768 It is certainly due to these, that virtue and evil befall everyone. O brahmins, even in regard to things not near at hand, 769 the scripture creates desire for them even in the minds of good men in the world merely by hearing of it. Hence, the perceptible world and the world of Vedic tradition 770 and rituals both should be eschewed771 with great effort. He then becomes Virakta (unattached person) altogether. 

767. i.e. támasa and rājasa.

         768.?????

rågah - vishaya-pritih ST. attachment with the objects of senses.

769. asannikruste - that which is beyond the scope of sense-perception.

770. drushtam - ????? ST. pertaning to this world.  

anusravikam- paralaukikam ST. pertaining to the world beyond.

771. ST. disjoins ??????

14. That portion of the Vedas which deals with rituals is called scripture, O brahmins. It is the principal essence of the Vedas. The benefit of the rites goes to the sages.771a 

771a. ????? karmanah ST, i.e., participation in activities without the expectation of their fruits. 

23. O brahmins, if duly pondered over, good men have to face only misery through the contact with women and similar activities. The miserable try to quell one misery only by another misery. 

24. Lust is never quelled by means of enjoyment of pleasures. Just as fire blazes all the more by Havis (ghee offering) so also lust is inflamed all the more by indulging into pleasure.779 

779. Repeated I. 8. 25; 67, 16. 

25-27. Hence, on pondering over, it will be seen that there is no happiness unto men even due to coitus. There is misery in earning wealth as also in preserving and spending it. O excellent brahmins, if we ponder over it, there is misery amongst the Pishācas, Rākshasas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, in the world of the moon, in the world of mercury, in the world of Prajapati, in the world of the Brahman, in the world of Prakruti and Purusha also. O sages of good holy rites, there are miseries due to destruction of possessions, due in one's possession being excelled by another's, etc. These cause only other miseries. 

28-30. One shall eschew those impure fortunes and riches. Hence, O sinless sages of good holy rites, all kinds of pleasures are really miseries to the discriminating person in whatever way you view them, viz., eightfold or sixteenfold or of twentyfour, thirtytwo, fortyeight, fiftysix, or sixtyfour types. 

31-32. The pleasures of the following types are undoubtedly miseries if pondered over properly even to those yogins who talk of Brahman: - Pārthiva (earthly), Apya (watery) Taijasa (fiery), Vāyavya (gaseous), Vyauma (of the firmament), Mānasa (mental), Abhimānika, (bringing pride), Bauddha780 (intellectual), Prākṣta (pertaining to Prakruti). 

780. bauddham prākrutam eva cha: the intellectual enjoyment is also material. 

33-37. The attributes (?) of the leaders of the Gaņas are, on reflection, causes of misery. In all the worlds there is always misery in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. The present ones are miseries, the future ones are miseries. (?) In the lands defiled by faults, there are various kinds af miseries. (?) Those who consider ignorance as knowledge do not consider the past events. (?) Just as the medicine is used to dispel ailments and not for positive pleasure so also the food taken in is intended for dispelling the sickness of hunger and not for any positive happiness. In the different seasons, the embodied beings undergo miseries through chillness, heat, wind rains, etc. There is no doubt about it; but the ignorant do not consider it that way. O excellent sages, even in the heaven the same thing happens through the destruction, etc. of the merit.781 

781. The activities enjoined for the attainment of heaven arc not without impurities. For instance, the agnishomiya sacrifice leads to heaven, but it is attended by violence (himsa)-the slaughter of the animal (Cf. agnishomiyam pashum álabheta) for which the performer of sacrifice suffers pain (Cf. Ishvararushna-drustavadānushravikaḥ sa by avishuddhi-kshayātishaya yuktah--SK.); secondly, heaven is not a permanent abode (Cf. V. 88 below). 

38. Just as the tree whose roots have been cut falls down to the ground helplessly so also the living being overwhelmed by various kinds of ailments, passion, hatred, fear, etc.782 

782. As soon as he has exhausted merit the heaven-dweller falls from heaven. Cf. 

39.41 Similarly, the heaven-dwellers fall down to the earth due to the destruction of the tree of merit. Even for heaven-dwellers who desire for things that cause misery and who are richly endowed with pleasures that cause misery, there is terrible misery when they fall from that heaven. There is definitely misery in the hell due to the fact that even religious students resort to it when they do not perform those rites that are laid down, O leading sages. 

42. Just as the deer frightened of death and uprooted from his habitation does not obtain sleep so also the noble-souled ascetic engaged in meditation and frightened of the worldly existence does not obtain slumber. 

43. Unhappiness is seen even in germs, Birds, animals, deer, elephants and horses. Hence there is great happiness unto a man who renounces. 

44. O sages of good holy rites, there is misery unto even those officers on duty spread over the whole kalpa who move about in aerial chariots, unto Manu and others who take pride in their respective positions.

45. Devas and Daityas undergo misery due to their desire for mutual conquest. Even kings and Räkshasas in the three worlds under go misery.

46-48. In fact, the Ashramas bring about only misery or exhaustion (shrama) unto the different castes. People do not attain the Atman through Ashramas (stages in life), Vedas, yajnas, Sāmkhyas, (numerical knowledge, vratas ?????), severe penances, different kinds of charitable gifts etc. But people with knowledge obtain it. Hence, with all efforts one shall perform the Pashupata rite. In the holy rite of Pashupata, the learned devotee shall perpetually lie on bhasman, besmered with ashes. 

49-50. The learned devotee, ????? endowed with the knowledge of the five objects and having great attention towards the principle of Shiva shall adopt the yoga that causes salvation and destroys fate and karman and shall becomes intelligent and endowed with the yoga of five objects.783 'Thereby ????? attains the end of misery. The devotees understand the knowable by means of Para Vidya784 and not by Apara Vaidya785 

783. pancārtha-yoga-sampaanah-It can be interpreted as 'accompanied by knowledge derived from the practice of the five-syllabled mantra ‘namas shivāya'. 

784. parā vidyā-knowledge of Brahma as taught in the Upanishads. 

785. aparā vidya -knowledge of the ritual as taught in the Shrauta and Gruhya Sütras.

51-54. Two Vidya (topics of knowledge) are to be known: Parā and Apara. O excellent brahmin, Apara consists of Rug, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas ????? kalpa,?????

What is imperishable is the Para. It is ?????, incomprehensible. It has no spiritual ?????, no caste, ?????, no eyes, no ears, no hands and no feet.  O execellent brahmins, it is not born. It has no past. It is not ????? by words. 

55.58. It has no touch, no form, no taste, no smell, no change, no support. It is perpetual, omnipresent and all-power-fun. ????? great and massive. O brahmins, it is unborn and identical with chit (consciousness); it is devoid of Pranas (vital airs); it has no mind, it is non-emollient and it is devoid of blood. It is incomprehensible; it is neither stout nor long; it is not excessively clear; it is not short; it is impassable; it is bliss; it is unswerving; not open; without a second; infinite; not perceivable, and not covered; Parā is identical with the Atman 786 and not otherwise. 

786, para vidya anyathā na-anya-prakārena varnitum ashakya ST, Cf.'yato vācho nivartante." 

The realization of Brahma cannot be described in words.

59. But these Parā and Aparā are not the real. I alone am identical with the universe; the universe is in me alone. 

60-61. Everything originates from me, stays within me and gets dissolved in me; there is nothing different from me. This shall be realised mentally, verbally and physically. The devotee shall with concentration see everything: the 'sat' (the existent) and the 'asat (the non-existent), in the Atman. One seeing everything in the Atman does not allow the mind to stray to other objects. 

62. On lowering the vision, one shall see the Atman stationed in Vitasti above the umbilicus in the heart, the abode of the universe. 

63-64. In the middle of this heart is stationed the lotus787 with dharma for its bulbous root and knowledge for its splendid stalk. The eight accomplishments are its eight petals; vairagya (detachment) is its white pericarp, the quarters are its pores filled with the vital airs.

787. puņdarikam-hrutkamalan ST. the lotus-heart which is the abiding place of the mind. 

65-71. It sees mostly and in due order on being united with Prāņa, etc. O leading sages, each of the veins (Nädis) carries the ten Präņas (vital airs). Altogether there are seventy-two thousand Nädīs. The Jagrat (waking stage) is stationed in the eyes, the svapna (dream stage) in the neck; the sushupta (sleeping stage) in the heart and turiya (the fourth above the three) in the head. The presiding deity in the jagrat state is brahmā; in Svapna Vishņu; Ishvara in Sushupta and in Turiya Maheshvara. Others say as follows: - when the person is in full possession of his senses and organs it is called Jāgrat; when only the four organs, mind, intellect, ego and chitta function, it is Svapna. O sages of good holy rites, when the organs and senses are merged into the Ātman it is Sushupta. The fourth (Turiya) is different from the organs and senses. The greatest Shiva who is beyond the fourth is the prime cause. 

72-79. The four states Jāgrat (wakefulness), Svapna (dream), Sushupti (slumber) and Turiya (the fourth) have been mentioned. I shall now describe the Adhibhautika, Adhyatmika and Adhidaivika terms, O leading brahmins. It should be known by the learned that all these are I myself. O great sages, the Adhyātmika (organic) is said to be fourteen in all, viz., the sense organs (five), the organs of action (five) and the mind, intellect, ego, and will (four). 

O excellent sages, the following constitute the Ādhibhautika (the extraneous matter), viz. what should be seen, what should be heard, what should be smelt, what should be tested, what should be touched, what should be thought of, what should be understood, what should be taken pride in, what should be willed, what should be spoken, what should be grasped, what should be traversed, what should be evacuated and what should be enjoyed. 

The following fourteen constitute the Ādhidaivika (the Divine factor), viz.- the Sun, quarters, earth, Varuņa (water), wind, Brahmā, Rudra, Kshetrajña, Agni, Indra, Vishnu, moon, lord Mitra and Prajāpati. 

80-81. The following are fourteen Nädis (tubular vessels), viz.-Räjñi, Sudarshanā, Jitā, Saumyā, Moghā, Rudra, Mrutā, (Amrutā), Satya, Madhyamā, Nādīrā, Shishukā, Asurā, Kruttikā and Bhāsvati. 

82-87. There are fourteen carrying winds788 stationed in the middle of Nadis: - They are Prāņa, Vyāna, Apāna, Udāna, Samāna, Vairambha, the important Antaryāma, Prabhañjana, Kūrmaka, Shyena, Shveta, Krushņa, Anila and Nāga. 

I am the lord present in all these as the great Atman and the devotees shall worship me. I am present, О sages of good holy rites, in the eyes, in what is to be seen, in the Sun, in the Nādi, in the Prāņa, (five types) in the Vijñāna, and in ananda (bliss), in the heart, in the firmament, and within all these. I am the sole Atman, moving within. The lord is ageless, infinite, devoid of sorrow, immortal and stable. He is the sole being moving amidst these fourteen types of objects. O brahmins, all these merge into him as there is nothing else. 

              788. väyavashcha chaturdasha--the fourteen vital airs stationed in the arteries. 

     88. The omniscient Being is only one. There is only one lord of all. He is the overlord of all. He is the immanent soul of great lustre. 

89. On being worshipped, the eternal lord grants happiness. O excellent brahmins, if one does not worship him one does not attain happiness.789 

789. The lord stationed in the subtle body is the source of pleasure for others but he has no source of pleasure for himself. 

90. He is being worshipped by the Vedas and other scriptures. But this omniscient lord does not go unto them for succour. 

91. This visible universe is his Anna790 (food). He does not become the Anna himself (unto anyone else). Nowhere does it devour Anna guarded by one's own self. 

790. The lord is the source of food for others but he has no source of food for himself. Cf. Bhagavadgitā: 

92. I am the food taken in by the living beings everywhere. I am the knot of the living beings and I bring about all great things. I am five-sold Ātman divided into several parts. 

93. I am the soul of the living beings identical with Anna. What is taken in is called Anna. I am the soul of the sense-organs identical with Prāņa (vital breaths). I am the soul of mental conceptions identical with the mind. 

94.  As Soma I am Kālātman (the soul of Time), identical with Vijñāna (perfect knowledge). As Mahe a Parameshvara. I become identical with Ananda (Bliss).791 

791. pañchakosha or panchakañchuka of Shaiva philosophy constitutes the five sheaths of the self-luminous lord. They are the products of avaranashakti (power of concealment) of Māyā (lord's power of projection). 

95. Thus I am the entire universe and everything is stationed in me. I am independent but everything is dependent on me. This can be understood on pondering over the real form of various things. 

96. Even the state of being one (i.e. ekatva) is not present there792 as a distinct attribute. Then, how can there be Dvaita (duality)? So also there is no mortal being. Whence can there be an immortal born of the unborn?

792. ekatvam api nasti- The terms ekatva (singleness, etc., are relative and hence, they shall be avoided in regard to the exposition of Brahman. 

97. The Ātman is neither Antahprajna (having intellectual awareness within) nor Bahihprajna (having the intellectual awareness without) nor is He in both ways (Ubhayatahprajña). He is not Prajñanaghana (solid in perfect knowledge) nor Prājna (wise being) nor Ajñänapúrvaka (having ignorance). 

98-99. Brahman is not one that is known nor one to be known. In fact, it is Nirvāņa (extinction, Kaivalya, Nihshreyasa. Anāmaya (devoid of ailments), Amruta (immortal, Akshara imperishable, Brahman, Parama Atman, Parātpara (greater than the greatest), Nirvikalpa (devoid of doubtful alternatives), Nirābhasa (devoid of fallacious appearances), Jñana (knowledge); all these are synonyms (for perfect knowledge). 

100. When it is pleased and concentrated in a single form it is known as Jnana (Perfect knowledge). Everything else is Ajñāna (Ignorance). No doubt need be entertained in this regard. 

101-104. Perfect clear knowledge certainly originates from contact with the preceptor. It is uncontaminated by lust, hatred, falsehood, anger, passion, covetousness and the like. It should be known as the bestover of salvation. Since the man has the impurity of ignorance he is contaminated. Salvation takes place only when impurity is dispelled and not otherwise, even if one takes a crore of births. Without perfect knowledge793 neither merit nor demerit is destroyed. Hence, O most excellent ones among the knowers of the Brahman, practise knowledge alone as the means of liberation. It is only by practice of perfect knowledge that the intellect of men becomes free from impurities.

793. Cf. "jñānād eva hi kaivalyam"- cited in ST.; also “ite jñānan na muktih". 

105-109. Hence, one shall always practise perfect knowledge having that as the foundation and the ultimate goal. O leading brahmins, a yogin who is satiated with knowledge  alone and who has eschewed all contacts with worldly objects has no further duty. If he has, he is no longer a knower of reality. Neither in this world nor in the other has he any duty.794 since he is a liberated soul. Hence, the knower of Brahman is the knower of the reality of perfect knowledge and perpetually engaged in the practice of perfect knowledge. He eschews the practice of all duties. He obtains perfect knowledge alone. O excellent brahmins, if one who takes pride in his position in varnāśhrama as Brāhmin, kshatriya, etc, takes pleasure in other things (other than Brahman) certainly he is deluded and ignorant, eventhough he might have discarded anger. Ignorance is the cause of worldly existence and adoption of physical body means worldly existence. 

110-111. Similarly, Jnana (perfect knowledge) is the cause of salvation. The liberated man abodes in his own Atman. O leading brahmins, there is no doubt about this that wrath etc, occur only when there is ignorance. Wrath, delight, covetousness, delusion, arrogance, virtue and evil, all these, O excellent brahmin?????

116. Like fire that burns the dry fuel quickly, the fire of knowledge burns sins whether inborn or extraneous or originating from bones and speech (i.e. physically and verbally). 

117. There is nothing greater than perfect knowledge for the destruction of all sins. One shall always practise perfect knowledge after eschewing all attachment to worldly objects. 

118. There is no doubt that all the sins of a Jnānin shall perish. Even if he indulges in dalliance he is not affected by sins. 

119-120. As is knowledge so is meditation. Hence, one should practise meditation.797 At the outset meditation is laid down as Savişhaya (having an object) and then Nirvişhaya (having no object). The leading yogin shall practise meditation in six ways798 as follows: -for the duration of two, four, six, ten, twelve and sixteen units of time in order. Certainly he shall be liberated. 

797. In Shaiva system of thought, emphasis is laid upon knowledge and meditation. For detail, see Shiva-rahasya, section X. 

798. For detail about the varieties of meditation, ibid, section X. 

121-125a. At the outset he meditates on a form as resplendent as pure gold 799 or like the burning coal without smoke, of yellow, red or white colour or having the lustre similar to that of a crore of lightning streaks. 

799. śhuddha-jāmbūnada. The verse describes the form of the lord in the savikalpaka samadhi. Cf, muninâm jnänadātri ca sadaivopanişhach chrutā kaivalya-śhruti-bodhyā shri mürtir mama maheśhvari-Shiva-rahasya cited in ST. 

Or800 the meditator keeps his mind assiduously stationed in the Brahmarandhra (cerebral orifice). He shall remember that it (the object of meditation) is neither white nor black nor yellow. He shall thereby become the knower of Brahman. 

800. The verse describes the state of the mind in the stage of nirvikalpaka samadhi. 

He shall be non-violent, truthful in speech, and non-stealer. He shall by all means maintain celibacy and avoid gifts. He shall be stable in observing holy rites, contented richly endowed with cleanliness and always engaged in the study of the Vedas. He shall be devoted to me and practise meditation, of course, as instructed by the preceptor. 

125b-127a. O excellent brahmins, after fixing his mind, the meditator does not know anything else. The yogin does not identify himself with anything else. He does not see all round nor smell nor hear anything. He has dissolved himself in his Atman. He does not feel the touch of anything. He is then known as having acquired equal taste in everything. 

127b-131a. He shall think in order thus 801: -Brahma in the mass of earth; Vishņu in the principle of water; Kälarudra in the principle of Fire; Maheshvara in the principle of Vayu and Shiva in firmament. I am lord Pashupati, stationed in eight forms. In earth I am lord Sharva802In waters lord Bhava; I am Rudra in fire; Ugra in wind; in firmament, I am Bhima; in the sphere of Sun I am Ishana and in lunar disc as Mahādeva. 

801. The verse describes the method of pañchatattva-devata-dhyāna in the savikalpaka samadhi. 

802 This refers to the aşhta-mūrti-devatādhyāna. 

131b-137. Everything firm and solid in body is spoken of as pertaining to the earth; what is liquid in form pertains to water; what is called colour belongs to Agni (fire); what moves about is Vayu (wind). O excellent brahmins, what appears like a hole is the firmament. 

O brahmins, perfect knowledge originating from sound is born of firmament; similarly, the knowledge of what is called "touch" originates from Vāyu; that of Rūpa (colour) from Vahni; O brahmins, what belongs to water is full of taste; and what is called "smell" belongs to the earth. 

Again he shall meditate in order: -the Sun in the right eye; the moon in the left eye; the lord in the heart; the principle of earth upto the knee; the sphere of water upto the umbilicus; the principle of fire upto the neck; the principle of wind upto the forehead. Beginning with the forehead and ending with the tuft is the principle called firmament; above the firmament and beyond that is the Brahman called Hamsa. This first entity called Vyoman is stationed in the middle of firmament. 

138-139. These principles including the first entity Jiva, Prakruti, sattva, rajas, tamas, intellect, the ego, the subtle elements, the sense-organs, the elements beginning with ether are not real803, because he stands steady pervading the universe he is called Sthāņu. 

803. na jivaḥ -In fact, meditation, its varieties and ancillaries are all due to maya--the lord's power of projection. Actually, meditation, meditator and the object meditated upon are all unreal, vide Panchadashi vi. 35. 

140-142. It is at the behest of Bhava that the frightened Sun rises,804 the wind blows and purifies, the moon shines, the fire blazes, waters flow, the earth holds aloft and the firmament gives room. Hence', brahmins, one shall think about all these. O excellent brahmins, all these are presided over by him alone. One shall remember Bhava, thinking that he is identical with all forms in the universe. 

804. udeti- Cf. bhişhāsmad vātaḥ pavate TA.8,8.1, TU. 2.8.1; Nrp.U. 2.4 

143. To those who are scorched by the poison of mundane existence, the only antidote is the nectar-like perfect knowledge and meditation. O excellent brahmins, no other solution has been laid down anywhere. 

144. Perfect knowledge originates directly from Dharma (virtue). Vairāgya (detachment) originates from knowledge; from Vairāgya arises the supreme knowledge that illuminates the true meanings of objects. 

145. O excellent brahmins, he who is endowed with knowledge and detachment attains Yogic Siddhi. One who abides by sattva guņa attains liberation through yogic siddhi and not otherwise. 

146. It is surprising that his unchanging region is covered by the words tamas and Avidyā. O brahmins, one should adopt Sattvashakti (the power of Sattvaguņa) and worship Shiva. 

147-152a. My devotee abides by the sattva guņa. He is engrossed in my worship. He clings to virtue in every respect. He is enthusiastic always. He is endowed with concentration. He is bold and endures all Dvandvas (mutually clashing pairs). He is engaged in the welfare of all living beings. He is straight forward by nature. Hc is continuously healthy and normal in his mind. He is always soft-natured. He is not arrogant. He is intelligent and quiescent. O excellent brahmins, he eschews rivalry. He is always desirous of liberation. He is conversant with virtue. Hy is marked with the characteristics of the supreme soul.805 He is released from the threefold indebtedness in the previous birth and is meritorious. After becoming an aged brahmin or even otherwise he shall serve his preceptor with sincerity806 and avoid hypocritical attiudes, O brahmins, he reaches the heavenly world and enjoys pleasures in the proper order. Then gradually he comes to the sub-continent Bhārata and is born as a knower of Brahman. 

805. runa-trayam- a man owes three debts, viz.-- (i) brahmacharya 'or study of the Vedas,' to the ruşhis; (ii) sacrifice and worship, to the gods; (ii) procreation of the son, to the manes.

806. Shraddhaya --with faithful devotion. Cf 

152b-157. Thanks to the contact with a Jñanin (a man with perfect knowledge), he shall acquire perfect knowledge and become conversant with yoga. O excellent brahmins, this is the order in which one full of impurities attains perfect knowledge. Hence, O leading sages, he shall proceed along this path and be steady in his holy rite. Eschewing attachment with worldly objects he is liberated from the poison Kālakūta in the form of the worldly existence. Thus, succinctly, I have incidentally recounted you the greatness of perfect knowledge that is splendid and unswerving. 

O leading sages, this Pashupata yoga mentioned by Ishvara, Shiva should not be given to anyone and everyone. It should be imparted gladly to a yogin who always clings to Bhasman. The man who reads this chapter on suppression of worldly existence or listens to it certainly attains Säyujya with the Brahmana.