Śivadyuti (शिवद्युति)

This chapter reveals the benefits of regular worship of Śiva and other deities. The basic principle of worship is service. When God is delighted, we immediately experience the same delight. One thing I forgot to mention is the very nice interpretation of the Gāyatrī mantra at the end of the chapter.

"An excellent brāhmaṇa must repeat the mantra a thousand times in the morning every day. Others shall repeat as many times as they can. In the midday Gāyatrī shall be repeated a hundred times; in the evening at least twenty times along with Śikhāṣṭaka [a set of eight prayers.] He shall meditate on Vidyeṣa, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Īśa, Jīvatman and Parameśvara stationed in the twelve esoteric centres of the...

The sages said, “Kindly tell us the mode of good conduct whereby the sensible man quickly attains higher worlds. Please tell us about virtue and evil that cause attainment of heaven or hell." Sūta said, “A brāhmaṇa endowed with strict adherence to good conduct is perfectly wise. A brāhmaṇa learned in the Vedas and of good conduct is called a vipra. A brāhmaṇa endowed with only one of these two is...

I'm back up in the Himālayan hills, and it's quite cool! These three chapters are chock-full of extremely useful and encouraging information on Śiva's worship and its beneficial results. But not content to simply describe the methods, we are going to actually implement them and share the process in a separate video series.

Sūta said, “O wise sages, please listen to the narrative of holy centres with Śiva’s temples, all of which accord salvation. Thereafter I shall tell you their traditions for the welfare of the people. The Earth, fifty crores of yojanas in extent, abounding in mountains and forests, supports the people at the bidding of Śiva. The Lord has Himself raised up these temples and holy centres in differen...

The sages asked, “How is the phallic form of Śiva to be installed? What are the characteristic features of the form? How is He to be worshipped? What is the appropriate time and place for worship? What sort of person must the performer be?”

“Obeisance to Thee of the bodiless form. Obeisance to Thee of the formless lustre. Obeisance to Thee, the Lord of everything. Obeisance to Thee, the soul of everything and of the embodied form. Obeisance to Thee, stated by the praṇava, Oṁkāra. Obeisance to Thee, having praṇava as Thy symbol. Obeisance to Thee the author of the five duties. Obeisance to Thee of five faces. Obeisance to Thee, identi...

This 9th chapter of Vidyeśvara-saṁhitā contains so many important philosophical points it needs its own separate explanation. Even so, we barely scratch the surface of its deep content. This chapter reveals the original form of worship of Śiva as the Supreme Lord. Brahmā and Viṣṇu offer Him all kinds of royal honor, and the remnants are distributed as prasādam. Then Śiva assumes the role of precep...

“Thus blessing Brahmā and Viṣṇu who had been made humble, the Lord resuscitated by His nectar-like power all the soldiers of the two deities that had been killed in the battle before, and spoke to them to remove their foolishness and mutual enmity: ‘I have two forms: the manifest and the unmanifest. No one else has these two forms. Hence all others are non-Īśvaras. Dear sons, first in the form of...

Brahmā and Viṣṇu as portrayed in the Śiva Purāṇa are not only personalities in higher realms of the world—they also represent deep psycho-spiritual truths. All paurāṇik stories are literally true on one level, but on another, they are profound allegories and metaphors.

Nandikeśvara said, “Mahādeva then created a wonderful person named Bhairava from the middle of His brows to quell the pride of Brahmā. This Bhairava knelt before the Lord in the battlefield and said, ‘O Lord, what shall I do? Please give me Your directive quickly.’ Śiva said sarcastically, ‘Dear, here is Brahmā, the first deity of the universe. Worship him with your sharp-pointed quick-moving swor...

"Seeing that auspicious wonderful phenomenon assuaging their weapons, they asked each other “What is this wonderful form?” “What is this column of fire that has risen up? It is beyond the range of the senses. We have to find out its top and bottom.” Jointly deciding like this, the two heroes proud of their prowess immediately set about assiduously in their quest. “Nothing will turn up if we are to...

Nandikeśvara said, “Once, long ago, O foremost among yogīs, Viṣṇu was having a nap on his serpent-couch. He was surrounded by the goddess of fortune and his attendants. Brahmā, foremost among Vedic scholars chanced to come there. He asked the lotus-eyed handsome Viṣṇu who was lying there, ‘Who are you lying here like a haughty person even after seeing me? I have come here. Get up, O dear, and see...

Sūta said, “A person incompetent to perform the three methods of śravana, kīrtana and manana shall install the śiva-liṅga (phallic emblem) or mūrti (Deity image) of Śiva and worship Them every day. Thus he can cross the ocean of worldly existence. Since Śiva has a bodiless aspect in virtue of His being the Supreme Brahman, in conformity with the Vedic implication, the niṣkala-liṅga is used only in...

Śrī Śiva Purāṇa teaches three principal things: bhakti, jñāṇa and vairāgya or devotion, Self-realization and detachment. They only appear to be separate; actually they are one thing, the spiritual Path. It also teaches three methods for advancement on the Path: śravana, kīrtana and mañana, or hearing from Realized beings, chanting or repeating what one has heard, and contemplation of Śiva in vario...

The sages said, “O holy one, what is śravana? How is kīrtana performed? What is manana? Please expound these precisely.” Brahmā said: “O wise men, the means of śravana (hearing), famous in the world, is listening to words concerning Śiva, in whatever manner, howsoever and wherever they are produced, with the same steady attention as in the sporting dalliance with women. By kīrtana (glorification)...

The sages said, “What is that great sadya (the Achievable)? What is that great sādhana (means of achievement)? Of what sort is the sādhaka (performer of the rite)? Please explain these precisely.” Brahmā answered: “The attainment of Śiva’s region is the sadya. The sādhana is devotional service rendered unto Him. The sādhaka is the person who is free from desire even for permanent existence, which...

Chapter 1 of Vidyeśvara-saṁhitā opens with a wonderful mangalācāranam full of beautiful names of Śiva, itself a perfect example of the process of śravanam: hearing about Śiva from authentic sources. Then the sages ask Sūta Gosvāmī the only question that really matters: “Please tell us the easiest remedy for the immediate destruction of the sins of the denizens of Kaliyuga.” Sūta’s reply is the ess...

Sūta said, “O saintly men, the question that you put to me is very pertinent. Prompted by my love towards you all, and remembering my preceptor Vyāsa the benefactor of the three worlds, I shall tell you everything. All of you listen attentively. The entire essence of Vedānta is contained in the excellent Śiva Purāṇa. It dispels all sins. It affords the attainment of the highest truth, Brahman. O b...

“O Sūta, how can these deluded people who have abandoned their traditional virtues get salvation here and hereafter? Hence our minds are always agitated. Indeed there is no virtue equal to helping others. Since thou art conversant with the essentials of all tenets, please tell us the easiest remedy for the immediate destruction of the sins of these people, the denizens of Kaliyuga.”

Vidyeśvara means ‘the Lord of knowledge’ or ‘knowledge of the Lord.’ So the knowledge in this saṁhitā gives the foundation or framework for understanding the rest of Śiva Purāṇa. Many deep secrets are revealed herein that are not given anywhere else.

“Undoubtedly, thus, everything shall be fruitful and the fruit too shall be excellent since there is no greater thing in the three worlds than this. O Śaunaka, by the power of this gift and of Śiva Purāṇa he shall secure the blessings of Śiva and be freed from the bondage of worldly existence. If these rites are performed, the Śiva Purāṇa shall yield entire fruit, enjoyment of worldly pleasures an...

There are so many good philosophical points in this chapter! Too many to cover in this video—you should watch or read the whole thing yourself. The theme is compassion and mercy. Thus Cañculā approaches Pārvatī, the Divine Mother, seeking the redemption of her fallen husband from hellish condition of life.

Cañculā said, ‘O Mother of all, daughter of the mountain, O beloved of Śiva, bestower of all pleasures having the form of the Supreme Brahman, Thou art worthy of being served by Viṣṇu, Brahmā and other gods. Thou art both endowed with and devoid of attributes. Thou art the subtle primordial Prakṛti with Existence, Knowledge and Bliss for Thy forms. Thou createst, maintainest and annihilatest. Thou...

The story of Cañculā’s fall and redemption is instructive of the power of Śiva Purāṇa. It shows how a little contact with a pure brāhmaṇa devotee can have enormous effect. It also reminds us that, while social fashions of morality may change with the times, the actual standards do not. We will have to experience the consequences of our actions not as measured by popular opinion, but by the unchang...