13 - The Eight Bodies of Shiva

Sanatkumara said:

1. O Nandin, recount to me further about the greatness of the consort of Uma, the great lord having eight cosmic forms, of Shiva, Parameshthin.

Nandikeshvara said:

2. I shall recount to you the greatness of the lord the consort of Uma, Parameshthin, having eight cosmic forms, pervading the universe.

3. The lord and creator of all living beings mobile and immobile is of the nature of the sustainer of the Universe and is called Sharva by the masters of scriptural texts and their meanings.

4. Vikeshi is the wife of Sharva, Parameshthin, in the form of Vishvambhara. Angaraka (Mars) is their son.

5-9. The lord is called Bhava by the expounders of the Vedas. Uma is known as the consort of Bhava, the great Atman, who enlivens the worlds. Venus is their son. In the form of the fire the great Pashupati is remembered by the learned as the lord who pervades the universe consisting of seven worlds, of which he is the sole protector. The beloved wife of Pashupati in the form of the fire is Svaha. The six-faced lord is cited as their son by the learned.

The lord in the form of the wind pervadas the worlds. He is the sustainer of all embodied beings. He is glorified as lshana by the learned men. The goddess of lshana, the lord in the form of the wind, the creator of the universe, is mentioned as Shiva and their son is Manojava.

10-17, The lord in the form of the firmament, is the bestower of all desires on all living beings. He is called Bhima by the learned. The ten quarters are the goddess of lord Bhima in the form of the firmament, having great magnanimity. Creation is their son. The lord in the form of the sun is called Rudra by Devas. He bestows prosperity on all, and yields all worldly pleasures and salvation. Suvarchala is the goddess of Rudra when the latter is in the form of the sun, the bestower of devotion on his devotees. Shanaishchara (Saturn), is their son. The lord in the form of the moon is Mahadeva and he is known as the source of origin of all gentle objects. Rohini is the beloved of lord Mahadeva in the form of the moon. Budha (mercury) is their son.

Lord Mahadeva in the form of yajamana who apportions Havya and Kavya to Devas and Pitrus is called Ugra. He is also called lshana by others.

18. Diksha is the wife of the lord Ugra when the latter is in the form of yajamana and their son is named Santana.

19. The hard part in the bodies of the embodied souls like Konkana ¹²² etc. is known as the earthly body by the principle of lord Shiva.

122. Konkana — tatsamjnaka-deshah ST, contextually not dear, though it refers to the strip of land lying between the Sahya mountain and the Indian ocean.

20-26. The lord of Devas is present in every body. The unchanging thing in the embodied souls in the form of solid matter pertains to Bhava the great Atman and it is known as such by those who know reality and have mastered the Vedas.

The fiery principle that is seen in the bodies of the embodied beings is known as the physical form Pashupati by those who understand reality. The body which is a gaseous transformation in the bodies of the embodied beings is known by the learned as Isha. The crevisse that is in the body of all the embodied beings is known as the physical form of Bhima by those who seek to know facts. The glowing element in the eyes etc. of the bodies of the embodied beings is known as the physical form of Rudra by those who know precise facts. The mind that is lunar in form and stationed in the bodies of all living beings is known as the physical form of Mahadeva by those who ponder over facts. The Atman that is named Yajamana and is present in the bodies of all living beings is known as the physical body of Ugra by those who know the greatest Atman.

27-29. Great sages aver that all the living beings born of the fourteen different species are not different from Shiva possessed of the eight cosmic bodies. They say that the bodies of embodied beings are identical with the seven bodies of Isha. The Atman is his eighth physical body and is present in the bodies of all living beings. If you wish to attain welfare resort by all means to the eight-formed lord Ashtamurti, the lord identical with all the worlds.

30-37. If one is able to do some thing that is beneficent to any living being it is as good as propitiating Mahesha with eight cosmic bodies. If one suppresses or obstructs any embodied being it amounts to perpetrating the same to Mahesha with eight cosmic forms. If protection from fear and danger is accorded to any embodied being, undoubtedly, it is the propitiation of the eight-formed lord. Helping all the people and affording shelter in times of fear is undoubtedly the propitiation of Ashtamurti. Leading sages say that the help rendered to everyone and the blessings offered to all is the great worship of the eight-formed lord. Blessings to other embodied beings and offerings of freedom from fear should be pursued by you if you wish to propitiate Shiva.