Śivadyuti (शिवद्युति)

In these chapters, Brahmā finally gets some good sense and approaches Viṣṇu for advice. He tells Brahmā to approach Śakti directly, which of course he could have done all along. But due to being conditioned by rājo-guṇa, the mode of passion, he made so much unnecessary trouble for everyone.

"I bow to that best among men who by means of jñāna (realized knowledge), which is like ākāśa and nondifferent from the object of knowledge—Brahman—realised the nature of the Dharmas (the jīvas) which are also like ākāśa." — Māṇḍūkya Upaṇiṣad Kārikā 4.1

Nārada said, “O Brahmā, dear, of great intellect, please tell me, O most eloquent one. When Viṣṇu went away what happened? O what did you do?” Brahmā said, “O brāhmaṇa , best of my sons, listen attentively to what I did when lord Viṣṇu went away. I began a continuous laudatory prayer of the Goddess Durgā, the beloved of Śiva, the creator of the universe, of the nature of vidyā and avidyā, and iden...

“If the mind becomes inactive in a state of oblivion, awaken it again. If it is distracted, bring it back to the state of tranquillity. In the intermediary state, know the mind containing within it desires in potential form. If the mind has attained to the state of equilibrium, then do not disturb it again.” —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārikā 3.44   “When the mind is immersed in oblivion (samādhi or s...

“The mind should be turned back from the enjoyment of pleasures, remembering that all this is attended with misery. If it be remembered that everything is the unborn Brahman, the born duality will not be seen.” —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārikā 3.43   “What is the way of disciplining the mind? Remember that all duality is caused by avidyā or illusion, and therefore afflicted with misery. With this th...

Nārada said, “O Brahmā, the fortunate, the dispenser of the fruits of our actions, you are a blessed devotee of Śiva, as your mind is fixed in Him. You have narrated to me the good story of Śiva, the great soul. When Kāma returned to his hermitage with Rati and his followers, what happened and what steps did you take? Please narrate that now.” Brahmā said, “O Nārada, listen lovingly to the story o...

In the process of trying to settle his grudge against Śiva for his perceived insult, Brahmā also inflicted the wiles of Kāma, Rati and Vasanta on all living beings. As a result, everyone in the material world is bewildered by lust.

“The mind distracted by desires and enjoyments, as also the mind enjoying pleasure in oblivion (trance-like condition of samādhi) should be brought under discipline by the pursuit of proper means. For the state of oblivion is as harmful as desires.” —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārikā 3.42   “One practising yoga meets with four kinds of obstacles that block realization of the Highest Reality: lāya (a s...

Brahmā said, “O great sage, when Kāma went to Śiva’s abode along with his attendants an adversely surprising incident occurred; please listen. After going there, the heroic Kāma competent to enchant others, spread all his wiles and charmed all living beings. O sage, Spring too showed his prowess in order to delude Śiva. All the trees simultaneously bloomed. Kāma and Rati played many a trick. All l...

Sūta said, “After hearing the words of Prajāpati Brahmā, Nārada became delighted in his mind and spoke these words:” Nārada said, “O Brahmā, O great disciple of Viṣṇu, endowed with great intellect, you are a blessed devotee of Śiva and a guide to the understanding of the great principle. You have narrated the divine story of Arundhatī and her previous form as Sandhyā. It increases our devotion to...

“The mind can be brought under control only by an unrelenting effort like that required to empty an ocean, drop-by-drop, with a blade of Kuśa grass.”  —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārikā 2.41

These chapters tell the story of Sandhyā, the first female born in the universe, who later because Arundhatī, the wife of Vasiṣṭha, one of the seven sages (saptaṛṣi). The name Arundhatī in Sanskrit literally means 'washed from the rays of sun', from arun 'sun rays', and dhatī , 'washed'. She is the grandmother of Parāśara and the great-grandmother of Vyāsa. Śiva Purāṇa describes her as Sandhyā, th...

Brahmā said, “O sage, when Śiva vanished after granting her the boons, Sandhyā too went to the place where Medhātithi was performing sacrifice. She entered the sacrificial hall without being observed by anyone, thanks to Śiva’s favour. She recalled to her memory the brāhmaṇa boy who had instructed her in the procedure of penance. O great sage, at the bidding of Brahmā, Vasiṣṭha had assumed the gui...

Brahmā said, “O best of my sons, O intelligent one, listen to the description of the great penance of Sandhyā, on hearing which, sins are quelled instantly. When Vasiṣṭha went back to his abode after instructing her in the rites of penance, Sandhyā was greatly pleased on learning the procedure of penance. Putting on the dress of a person of blissful mind, she began to perform penance on the bank o...

“The yogīs who do not follow the method of jñāṇa-yoga as described in this Kārikā depend on control of their mind for fearlessness, destruction of misery, knowledge of Self and eternal peace.” —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārikā 2.40  "O Kṛṣṇa, the mind verily is restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. The restraint thereof I deem quite as difficult as that of the wind." — Bhagavad-gītā  6.34 &...

"We worship the three-eyed One (Śiva), who is fragrant and who nourishes all. Like the fruit falls off from the bondage of the stem, may we be liberated from death, from mortality." — Mahā-mṛtyunjāya-mantra   “This yoga, which indeed is called unrelated to anything, is hard to attain by all yogīs in general. The yogīs are afraid of it, for they see fear in it where there is really fearlessnes...

On hearing these words of Brahmā, the excellent sage remembered Śiva with a delighted heart and spoke joyfully. Nārada said, “O Brahmā, the fortunate disciple of Viṣṇu, O intelligent one, you have narrated the wonderful divine sports of the moon-crested Lord. After Kāma had married and gone to his residence when all of you—you the creator, Dakṣa and the mental sons—had all gone to your respective...

Poor Lord Brahmā: he's made of passion through and through, and yet so powerful that whatever he thinks automatically is created—a dangerous combination! He's always getting in trouble because of this, and this story of the creation of Kāmadeva is a perfect example. 

Nārada said, “O lord Brahmā, O Viṣṇu’s disciple of great intellect, O creator of the world, you have narrated a wonderful story consisting of the nectar of Śiva’s divine sports. O dear one, what happened thereafter? Please tell me now. I am all attention to a narrative based on Śiva’s life.” Brahmā said, “When Śiva had gone back to His place and I, Brahmā had vanished from the scene, Dakṣa remembe...

“Seeing the Truth of what exists internally, as well as the Truth of what exists externally, he becomes one with Truth, derives pleasure from it, and never fails to be situated in Truth.”  —Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad Kārakā 2.38  Don't be lazy. Avoid show-bottle counterfeits. Study the original texts. Do the sādhana and get the result.

Brahmā said, “Then those sages, my sons—Marīci and others who understood my view—gave him suitable names. Dakṣan and others who understood other facts on seeing my face, gave him a suitable place and a wife. The brāhmaṇas Marīci and others, my sons, decided on suitable names for the Being and said thus “Since at your nativity itself you have begun to torment and bedevil our minds and that of Brahm...

Sūta said, “O residents of Naimiṣa forest, after hearing Brahmā’s words, the excellent sage further requested him for more such stories that quell sins.” Nārada said, “O Brahmā, O great lord, though continuously hearing the auspicious story of Śiva from your lotus-face I am never satisfied. Please further narrate the auspicious story of Śiva entirely. I wish to hear that story in which Satī is glo...

Human knowledge and intelligence are limited. We cannot know when a specific apple will fall off a particular tree. We can only predict such things in aggregate, by statistics—and even then, there is always some error. Similarly in spiritual life, we cannot know for certain the effect of a particular spiritual practice upon a specific individual. Anyone who says we can is bluffing.

Nārada said, “O Brahmā, thanks to Śiva’s favour, you know everything. You have narrated to me the wonderful stories of Śiva and Pārvatī. O lord, I am never fully satiated by hearing the great story of Śiva from your lotus-like face. I wish to hear further the same. As explained by you, Rudra is the complete manifestation of Śiva. He is the great Lord whose abode is Kailāśa. He is a yogin of perfec...

Spiritual life should be fun. There, I said it! If it's boring, dry, if there's pressure to perform, a daily grind—something is very wrong. "This knowledge is the king of education, the most secret of all secrets. It is the purest knowledge, and because it gives direct perception of the self by realization, it is the perfection of religion. It is everlasting, and it is joyfully performed." —Bhagav...