Friday, December 26, 2008

What do Vedas say about Siva?

Rig veda
"Rudra by day, Rudra at night we honour with these our songs, the Universe's Father. Him great and lofty, blissful, undecaying let us call specially as the Sage impels us. " (Rigveda 6:49:10)
Purport:
Here, Rudra is referred as ‘Universe’s Father’. The Sanskrit word used is ‘Bhuvanasya pitaH’ which means pitaH(father) of all Bhuvanas (worlds). Bhuvana includes all spiritual worlds. Even the Vaikunta( the abode of Vishnu) also called bhuvana.

tryambakam yajAmahe sugandhim pusti vardhanam
urvArukamiva bandhanAn mrtyormukshIya mAmrtAt
(Rigveda 7:59:12)
Meaning:
"We worship the fragrant Three-Eyed One, the Promoter of prosperity. May we be freed from the bondage of death as a cucumber from its stalk; But not from immortality".
Purport:
THE ABOVE VERSE FROM VEDAS IS CALLED MAHA MRUTHYUMJAYA MANTRA. shiva is the only one who can grant liberation from cycle of birth and death.
REMEMBER ONE THING. IN ENTIRE VEDAS, THE VEDIK RISHIS ASKED ONLY SHIVA FOR LIBERATION (MOKSHA). THEY DIDN'T ASK ANY OTHER GOD, INCLUDING VISHNU
.

“To Rudra bring these songs, whose bow is firm and strong, the self-dependent God with swiftly-flying shafts,The Wise, the Conqueror whom none may overcome, armed with sharp-pointed weapons: may he hear our call.”(Rigveda 7:46:1)
Purport:
Here Rudra is referred as God who is self dependent and none can overcome Rudra. As he is self dependent, the vishnavites cannot claim that he derives his strength from Vishnu by quoting Rigveda 70.40.5.

The Maruts deck their beauty for thy glory, yea, Rudra! for thy birth fair, brightly-coloured.
That which was fixed as Visnu's loftiest station-therewith the secret of the Cows thou guardest (
Rigveda 5:3:3)

What does Yajur veda say about Rudra?

Taittariya samhita( 4.5 and 4.7 ), Yajurveda

High light:

The Rudraprasna starts withOM NAMO BHAGAVATE RUDRAYA’.

Purport:

Vedas very rarely use the word ‘bhagavath’ . this word cannot be used to address demigods. Even Vishnu is not addressed with this ‘Bhagavath’ shabdh . we should not forget that Prabhupada in his BG-As it is, translated the word bhagavan as ‘Supreme personality of godhead’. All other mantras like om namo bhagavate vasudevaya..etc are not from vedas but from puranas only.
But we can see ‘om namo narayanaya’ in vedas. It doesn’t matter because in this Rudraprasna itself we can see Siva PANCHAKSHARI. Ie., Na Ma Si Va Ya


Namo bhavaya cha rudraya cha
namah sharvaya cha pashupataye cha
namo nilagrivaya cha shitikanthaya cha
namah kapardine cha vyuptakeshaya cha
namah sahasrakshaya cha shatadhanvane cha
namo girishaya cha shipivishhtaya cha
(Anuvaka 5)

Meaning:
Salutations to Him who is the source of all things. And to Him who is the destroyer of all ills. Salutations to the destroyer and to the protector of all beings in bondage. Salutations to Him whose throat is black and whose throat is also white. Salutations to Him of the matted locks, and to Him who is clean-shaven. Salutations to Him who has a Thousand eyes and a hundred bows. Salutations to Him who dwells on the mount and who is in the form of Shipivista (Vishnu).

Purport:
In this anuvaka we can see the words like Bhavaya, pasupati.etc. Apart from this, we can see the word ‘Shipivista’. This word is not an ordinary word .it is used as an epithet of Vishnu on several occasions in yajurveda. This implies that Rudra appears as ‘Shipivista’. Here it is said that shiva performs three different activities (creation, protection and destruction) similarly, in the word ‘pasupati,’ ‘pasu’ implies jeevas and pati implies lord. Hence pasupati literally means lord of all pasu(jeevas). The concept of ‘Gopal’ was borrowed from Vedik ‘pasupati’. Both are metaphors.

Namo agriyaya cha prathamaya cha
nama ashave chajiraya cha
(Anuvaka 5)
Meaning:
“Salutations to Him who was before all things and who is foremost
Salutations to Him who pervades all and moves swiftly “


Namasteastu-bhavagan-vishvesvaraya-mahadevayatriyambakaya triupurantakaya trikalagni kalaya kalaagni Rudraya Nilakanthaya-mrutyunjayaya-sarveshvaraya-sadashivayaSriman mahadevaya Namah ( first Anuvaka ending )

Meaning:
Let my salutations be to that great God who is the Lord of the universes; the great God who has three eyes and who destroys Tripura, the three Asura cities. To that God who is the Dandhya time when the three sacred fires are lit; who is Rudra the fire that consumes the universe; whose throat is blue; who has conquered death; the Lord of all; the ever auspicious one; salutations to that glorious and great God."


“namo harikeshayopavitine pushhtanam pataye namo
namo bhavasya hetyai jagatam pataye namo
namo rudrayatatavine kshetranam pataye namo”
( second Anuvaka)

Meaning:
Salutations to Him who is always black-haired, who wears the yajnopavita (sacred thread); to him the Lord of the sleek, salutations. Salutations to Him the instrument that destroys Samsara (Ignorance); to the Lord of all the worlds, salutations. Salutations to Him who protects the world by the might of His drawn bow, to Rudra the destroyour of all miseries; to the Lord of the fields and sacred places, salutations
Purport:
In this, we can observe two great words i.e., jagathaampati, and kshetranam pati. ‘jagataam pati’ means lord of all jagat(anything created is ‘jagat’ this includes heavens and abodes). Hence SIVA is JAGAPATI. Similarly, siva is kshetranaam pati. Please read Bhagavad gita. Chapter 13 for details on Ksetra-kshetrajnya . BG 13:23 upadrasta anumantacha barta bhokta maheswarah……. ‘Maheswara’ mentioned here is ‘Siva’ only. Because vedas proclaim that Rudra is ‘kshetra pati.’

Some ‘hare krsna’ stupid like ura444 often say that ‘Linga’ worship is not Vedik etc. but it is perfectly Vedik. Taittariya Aranyaka of Yajurveda gives us some mantras.
bhavÀyâ namaha
bhavalingÀyâ namaha
sarvÀyâ namaha
sarvalingÀyâ namaha
sivÀyâ namaha
sivalingÀyâ namaha
jvalÀyâ namaha
jvalalingÀyâ namaha
ÀtmÀyâ namaha
ÀtmalingÀyâ namaha
paramÀyâ namaha
paramalingÀyâ namaha
etathsomasyà suryâsyâ sarvalingam sthÀpâyâté pÀnimantram pavétram
( YajurVeda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:16:1 )


“I take refuge in Sadyojata. Verily I salute Sadyojata again and again. O Sadyojata, do not consign me to repeated birth; lead me beyond birth, into the state of bliss and liberation. I bow down to Him who is the source of transmigratory existence.” ( Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:17:1)

“May the Supreme who is the ruler of all knowledge, ishana, controller of all created beings, the preserver of the Vedas and the one overlord of Hiranyagarbha, be benign to me. That Sadasiva I’m described thus and denoted by Pranava.” (Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:21:1 )


“Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Reality, has become an androgynous Person in the form of Umamaheshvara, dark blue and reddish brown in hue, absolutely chaste and possessing uncommon eyes. Salutations to Him alone who is the Soul of the universe or whose form is the universe” (Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:23:1)

“All this verily is Rudra. To Rudra who is such we offer our salutation. We salute again and again that Being, Rudra, who alone is the light and the Soul of creatures. The material universe the created beings and whatever there is manifoldly and profusely created in the past and in the present in the form of the world, all that is indeed this Rudra. Salutations be to Rudra who is such “ (Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:24:1)

“We sing a hymn that confers on us happiness in the highest degree to Rudra who is worthy of praise, who is endowed with the highest knowledge, who rains objects to the worshippers most excellently, who is more powerful and who is dwelling in the heart. Indeed all this is Rudra. Salutations be to Rudra who is such” (Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:25:1)

The following Verse is popular as Rudra gayatri:

OM tatpurushàya vidmahe mahàdevàya dhimahi
tanno rudraþprachodayàt
(Yajurveda Taittariya Aranyaka 10:20:1)
Meaning:
May we know or realize the Supreme Person(purusha). For that, may we meditate upon Mahadeva and to that meditation may Rudra impel us

UPANISHADS

Let us now see what Upanishads say about siva. I classified Upanishads into three types.
Type 1 :
it is always advised to quote from primary Upanishads. So that the other person cannot refute these Upanishads. If he refutes then he is no more a VEDANTIN.
Mandukya Upanishad
Svetasvatara Upanishad
Isa Upanishad
Kena Upanishad
.


NOTE: Eventhough Svetasvatara Upanishad is not in top 10 List of Upanishads, it still holds a respectable position. It is treated as 11th Upanishad in order.
Svetasvatara upanishad is not Shaiva upanishad. Shaiva agamas were not even there at the time. Moreover, if this Upanishad is indeed a Shaiva Upanishad, other sects of Hinduism such as Vaishnavas wouldn't have quoted its verses/mantras as authority in their respective treatises. There are many words which voice submission to God or Brahman (words such as Sharanam, Prapadye, etc.). This concept of devotion later found profound expression in the Bhakti Sutras and other treatises on Bhakti.)



That which is without parts is the Fourth ( beyond A-U-M), beyond apprehension through ordinary means, the cessation of the phenomenal world, It is SIVAM( the auspicious) and ADVAITAM (the non-dual). Thus Om is certainly the Self. He who knows thus enters the Self by the Self.” (12 MANDUKYA UPANISHAD)


isavaasyam idam sarvam.... (1 sloka of isa upanishad)

Meaning: All this is pervaded by Isa (siva).


“Prakriti is perishable. Hara, the Lord, is immortal and imperishable. The non—dual Supreme Self rules both prakriti and the individual soul. Through constant meditation on Him, by union with Him, by the knowledge of identity with Him, one attains, in the end, cessation of the illusion of phenomena. "( 1:10 svetasvathara upanishad )

“Rudra is truly one; for the knowers of Brahman do not admit the existence of a second, He alone rules all the worlds by His powers. He dwells as the inner Self of every living being. After having created all the worlds, He, their Protector, takes them back into Himself at the end of time." ( 3:02 svetasvatara upsanishad )

“He, the omniscient Rudra, the creator of the gods and the bestower of their powers, the support of the universe, He who, in the beginning, gave birth to Hiranyagarbha—may He endow us with clear intellect!" (3:04 svetasvatara upanishad )

“The Supreme Lord Rudra is higher than Virat, beyond Hiranyagarbha. He is vast and is hidden in the bodies of all living beings. By knowing Him who alone pervades the universe, men become immortal "( 3:07 svetasvathara Upanishad)

“His eyes are everywhere, His faces everywhere, His arms everywhere, everywhere His feet. He it is who endows men with arms, birds with feet and wings and men likewise with feet. Having produced heaven and earth, He remains as their non—dual manifester”. ( 3:3 svetasvatara upanishad)

“All faces are His faces; all heads, His heads; all necks, His necks. He dwells in the hearts of all beings. He is the all— pervading Bhagavan. Therefore He is the omnipresent and benign Lord”.( 3:11 svetasvatara upanishad)


“He, indeed, is the great Purusha, the Lord of creation, preservation and destruction, who inspires the mind to attain the state of stainlessness. He is the Ruler and the Light that is imperishable.” (3:12 svetaswatara upanishad)

No one can grasp Him above, across, or in the middle. There is no likeness of Him. His name is Great Glory (Mahad Yasah). (4:19 svetasvatara upanishad)

His form is not an object of vision; no one beholds Him with the eyes. They who, through pure intellect and the Knowledge of Unity based upon reflection, realise Him as abiding in the heart become immortal.(4:20 svetasvatara upanishad)


It is not female, it is not male, nor is it neuter. whatever body it takes, with that it becomes united( 5:10 svetasvatara upanishad)

By realising Him who is subtler than the subtlest who dwells in the midst of the chaos, who is the Creator of all things and is endowed with many forms, who is the non—dual Pervader of the universe by realising Him as 'Sivam' (auspicious) one attains the supreme peace.( 4:14 svetasvatara upanishad )

When there is no darkness of ignorance, there is no day or night, neither being nor non—being; the pure SIVA alone exists. That immutable Reality is the meaning of "That"; It is adored by the Sun. From It has proceeded the ancient wisdom.( 4:18 svetasvatara upanishad)


KENA UPANISHAD :
There is an interesting story in kenopanishad. Even though it did not use the word Rudra, Siva etc it indirectly showed Shiva as Brahman.
chapter 3.
1 Brahman, according to the story, obtained a victory for the gods; and by that victory of Brahman the gods became elated. They said to themselves: "Verily, this victory is ours; verily, this glory is ours only."

2 Brahman, to be sure, understood it all and appeared before them. But they did not know who that adorable Spirit was.

3—6 They said to Agni (Fire): "O Agni! Find out who this great Spirit is." "Yes," he said and hastened to It. Brahman asked him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am known as Agni; I am also called Jataveda." Brahman said: "What power is in you, who are so well known?" Fire replied: "I can burn all— whatever there is on earth." Brahman put a straw before him and said: "Burn this." He rushed toward it with all his ardour but could not burn it. Then he returned from the Spirit and said to the gods: "I could not find out who this Spirit is,"

7—10 Then they said to Vayu (Air): "O Vayu! Find out who this great Spirit is." "Yes," he said and hastened to It. Brahman asked him: "Who are you?" He replied "I am known as Vayu; I am also called Matarisva." Brahman said: "What power is in you, who are so well known?" Vayu replied: "I can carry off all— whatever there is on earth." Brahman put a straw before him and said: "Carry this." He rushed toward it with all his ardour but could not move it. Then he returned from the Spirit and said to the gods: "I could not find out who this Spirit is,"

11—12 Then the gods said to Indra: "O Maghavan! Find out who this great Spirit is." "Yes," he said and hastened to It. But the Spirit disappeared from him. Then Indra beheld in that very region of the sky a Woman highly adorned. She was Uma, the daughter of the Himalayas. He approached Her and said: "Who is this great Spirit?"
chap 4
1 She replied: "It is, indeed, Brahman. Through the victory of Brahman alone have you attained glory." After that Indra understood that It was Brahman.

2 Since they approached very near Brahman and were the first to know that It was Brahman, these devas, namely, Agni, Vayu and Indra, excelled the other gods.

3 Since Indra approached Brahman nearest and since he was the first to know that It was Brahman, Indra excelled the other gods.

SMRITHI STORY ( Siva puran story )

During the time when ocean was being churned first of all poison appeared from it. The deities were very terrified to see the tremendous heat it generated. They went to lord Shiva and requested to protect them from the heat of that poison. Lord Shiva drank all the poison but did not let it pass down his throat.

After the poison, Nectar appeared from the ocean, which was drunk by the deities. The demons too wanted to drink the nectar, so a tremendous battle ensued between them and the deities. The deities became victorious in this battle because they had become immortal due to the effect of the Nectar. This victory made the deities very arrogant.

Lord Shiva was very concerned about their arrogant nature. He went to them in the guise of a Yaksha. He asked as to what was it that had made them so arrogant. The deities replied that their arrogance stemmed from victory over the demons. Lord Shiva who was disguised as Yaksha replied- “Your pride is based on false notion, because you did not achieve victory due to somebody's grace and blessing.”


The deities disagreed with him. Lord Shiva then asked them to cut the grass if they considered themselves so mighty. He then kept a grass leaf in front of them. Each of the deities tried to cut that grass with their respective weapons but remained unsuccessful in their attempts. They were all amazed. Suddenly a heavenly voice was heard which said that the Yaksha was none other than Lord Shiva himself. The deities realized their mistakes. They apologized to lord Shiva. After vanquishing the false pride of the deities lord Shiva disappeared.

Purport:
As smrithi texts support sruthi we can take this story as a valid one. Hence Supreme Brahman ( in disguise of yaksha) Of Kenopanishad is SIVA only. )

TYPE 2
If you want to quote more you can quote from this type 2 upanishads. Better, give priority to type 1 upanishads . If you still want to quote more, Do it from the following mentioned Upanishads.
Rudra hridhaya Upanishad
Kaivalya Upanishad
Varaha Upanishad
Adharva siras Upanishad
Atharva shika Upanishad



“The pranava (the sound of Om) makes all the souls to bow before it. It is the one and only one which has to be meditated upon as the four Vedas and the birth place of all devas. One who meditates like that goes away from all sorrows and fears and gets the power to protect all others who approach him. It is because of this meditation only that Lord Vishnu who is spread every where, wins over all others. It is because Lord Brahma controlled all his organs and meditated upon it, he attained the position of the creator. Even Lord Vishnu , parks his mind in the sound (Om) of the place of Paramathma (ultimate soul) and meditates upon Eeshana, who is most proper to be worshipped. All this is only proper in case of Eeshana” (2.1 Atharva shika upanishad )


Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Indra are creating all beings, all organs and all karanas. They are also capable of controlling them. But Lord Shiva exists in between them like sky and is permanently stable. ( 2.2 Atharva shika upanishad )


It is advised that the five gods Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Ishwara and Shiva should be worshipped in the form of pranava [Aa+Uu+Ma+sound+Bindu(full stop)]. ( 2.3 Atharva shika upanishad )


This god is the one who pervades in all directions. He is the one who came earlier than every thing. He is the one who is in the womb. He is the one who is in all the creatures which have come out till now and all those who are going to be created in future. He is also the one who sees the inside but the one who has a face which looks outside. (5.1 Atharva siras upanishad )


Rudra is one and only one. There is none second to him. He rules all worlds by his power. He pervades fully in all beings. He is the one who, at the time of deluge, absorbs all beings. He is the one who creates all beings and upkeeps them. (5.2 atharva siras upanishad )


For the sake of this world, this deathless primeval being, catches hold of this world which is created by Prajapathi and which is minute and peaceful, without touching it and attracts its shape of things by shape, peacefulness by peace, minuteness by minuteness and airy nature by its airy nature and swallows it. Salutations and salutations to that great swallower.( 3-4 Atharva siras Upanishad )


He converts fire, air, water, earth, ether and everything that exists here in to ash. He who sees this and mentally realizes it and observes the “penance to Pasupathi (Lord of all beings)” and who coats ash all over his body with this ash attains the state of Brahman. By worshipping “Pasupathi (lord of all beings)” like this, the ties of bondage of all beings get cut and they attain salvation.( 5.4 Atharva siras )


Meditating on the highest Lord, allied to Uma, powerful, three-eyed, blue-necked, and tranquil, the holy man reaches Him who is the source of all, the witness of all and is beyond darkness (i.e. Avidya). (7 kaivalya upanishad)


He alone is all that was, and all that will be, the Eternal; knowing Him, one transcends death; there is no other way to freedom.( 9 kaivalya Upanishad)


Seeing the Atman in all beings, and all beings in the Atman, one attains the highest Brahman – not by any other means (10 kaivalya upanishad )


sivo guruh sivo vedah siva devah sivah prabhuh
sivo'smyaham sivah sarvam sivadanyanna kimcana
( iv-32 Varaha upanishad)

Meaning:
Shiva alone is Guru; Shiva alone is Vedas;
Shiva alone is Lord; Shiva alone is I;
Shiva alone is All. There is none other than Shiva



All those devas who are all under stupor by the illusion of Maheswara would not understand properly that Mahadeva who is the teacher of the universe, is the cause of all causes. His shape does not appear before the eye. This world is shining because of that Parathpara Purusha in whom the world exists. It merges in him. That Ishana aspect is the Para Brahman which is the upper boundary of peace. The knowledge that the Para Brhaman is oneself and the rise of Sathyo Jatam (birth of truth) is Para Brahman (6 pancha brahmaopanishad )”


Rudra is the embodiment of all Devas. All devas are merely different manifestations of Sri Rudra Himself. On the right side of Rudra, there is the sun, then the four-headed Brahma, and then three Agnis (fires). On the left side, there exist Sri Umadevi, and also Vishnu and Soma (moon) (Rudra hridhaya upanishad )


Uma Herself is the form of Vishnu. Vishnu Himself is the form of the moon. Therefore, those who worship Lord Vishnu, worship Siva Himself. And those who worship Siva, worship Lord Vishnu. Those who envy and hate Sri Rudra, are actually hating Sri Vishnu. Those who decry Lord Siva, decry Vishnu Himself. (Rudra hridhaya upanishad )


Rudra is the generator of the seed. Vishnu is the embryo of the seed. Siva Himself is Brahma and Brahma Himself is Agni. Rudra is full of Brahma and Vishnu. The whole world is full of Agni and Soma. The masculine gender is Lord Siva. The feminine gender is Sri Bhavani Devi. All the mobile and immobile creation of this universe, is filled up with Uma and Rudra. The Vyakta is Sri Uma, and the Avyakta is Lord Siva. ( Rudra hridaya upanishad )


The effect is Vishnu. The action is Brahma. The cause is Siva. For the benefit of the worlds. Rudra has taken these three forms. ( Rudra hridaya upanishad)

(I bow) to Shiva of the form of Vishnu and Vishnu who is Shiva; Vishnu is Shiva’s heart and Shiva, Vishnu’s. Just as Vishnu is full of Shiva, so is Shiva full of Vishnu. As I see no difference, I am well all my life. (8-9. skanda upanishad )


Rudra is man. Uma is woman. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Brahma. Uma is Sarasvati. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Vishnu. Uma is Lakshmi. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Sun. Uma is shadow. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is moon. Uma is star. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is day. Uma is night. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Yajna. Uma is Vedi. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Agni, Uma is Svaha. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Veda. Uma is Sastra. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is tree. Uma is creeper. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is scent. Uma is flower. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is meaning. Uma is word. Prostrations to Him and Her. Rudra is Linga. Uma is Pitha. Prostrations to Him and Her ( Rudra hridaya upanishad )


Type 3

Sometimes it becomes necessary to quote some weird statements inorder to make those dumb hare krsnas mouth shut.
But I advice you to restrain yourself from quoting these verses. Hare krsnas may sometimes try to quote some verses from vaishnava Upanishads like Gopala Tappani Upanishad etc. In such cases don’t accept it. Tell them clearly that if they quote from vaishnava upanishads you would go for shaiva Upanishads like Sharaba Upanishad.


i am saluting that primeval God who is the Lord, who is the best, who is the father of the world, who is the greatest among gods, who has created Brahma, who gave all Vedas to Brahma in the beginning, who is the father of Vishnu and other devas, who merits praise, and who at the time of deluge destroys the world. He is the only one who is greater than every body, who is the best and who rules over others. (1-2 sarabha upanishad )

That very strong Maheswara took the horrifying form of Sarabha and killed Narasimha who was destroying the world. (Sarabha is the avatar of Shiva which is a combination of eagle, lion and man.) 3

That god with his sharp claws tore, Vishnu who took the form of Narasimha. He who was wearing the hide became Veerabhadra. 4

Salutations to that Rudra whose feet were worshipped by the flower of Vishnu’s eyes and who being pleased gave him the holy wheel (Chakra).( 7 sharaba upanishad)



*****Sarvam Sri SAmbaSadAsiva CharaNArpaNamastu*******

Mahadev Shiva in Mahabharat



There are many ancient sages connected with the Tradition of Shiva. Of those, one is Sage Tandi. Almost nothing is known about the historical Sage Tandi. The name Tandi suggests a connection with Tandya branch of the Samaveda, of which he may have been the originator. One of the oldest and most important Vedic upanishads called the Chhandogya (a.k.a. Tandya Rahasya Upanishad; ca. 900 BCE) originates from this branch.
The Mahabharata epic (200 BCE-200 CE) mentions the illustrious Sage Tandi as a great Shiva devotee from remote antiquity, and credits him with authorship of the Thousand Names of Shiva ( Shiva Saharanama).
In the Anushasana Parva (Book XIII) of the Mahabharata, Vasudeva (Krsna) teaches a prayer to Yudhishthira as taught to him by Sage Upamanyu. This prayer hymn is said to have been recited originally by Sage Tandi himself upon having a mystical vision of Shiva.
Sage Tandi’s Prayer glorifies Shiva in the most beautiful and exalted terms. It is a prayer based entirely on theological and philosophical principles found in the Vedanta, Yoga and theistic Sankhya systems. Note that unlike later hymns which heavily inject Puranic mythology into philosophy and theology, Tandi’s Prayer is free from Shiva's Puranic exploits (Shiva Charita). ---0---
Sage Tandi's Prayer
The Rishi Tandi, desirous of beholding Him who making Himself endued with life-breaths, resides in what results from it (the jiva), in the form of that effulgence which is called the mind, passed many years in the practice of the severest austerities, and having succeeded in beholding Him as the reward of those penances, he praised the great God (Mahadeva) in the following terms.
Tandi said:

Thou art the holiest of holies and the Refuge of all, O foremost of all beings endued with intelligence.
Thou art the fiercest energy of all kinds of energy.
Thou art the austerest penance of all penances.
Thou, O puissant One, art the liberal Giver of blessings.
Thou art the supreme Truth.
Salutations to Thee, O Thou of a thousand rays, and O Refuge of all felicity.
Thou art the Giver of that Nirvana which, O puissant One, Yatis, standing in fear of birth and death, strive for so hard.
The Grandsire Brahmā, He of a hundred sacrifices (Indra), Vishnu, the Vishvadevas, the great Rishis, are incapable of comprehending Thee and Thy real nature.
How then can persons like us hope to comprehend Thee?
From Thee flows everything.
Upon Thee rests everything.
Thou art called Kāla, Thou art called Purusha, Thou art called Brahma.
Celestial Rishis conversant with the Puranas, say that Thou hast three bodies -- those pertaining to Kalas, those pertaining to Purusha and those pertaining to Brahma or the three forms namely Brahmā, Vishnu and Rudra.
Thou art Adi-Purusha, Thou art Adhyatma, Thou art Adhibhuta, and Adhi-Daivata, Thou art Adi-loka, Adi-Vijnanam and Adi-Yajna.

Men of wisdom, when they succeed in knowing Thee that residest in themselves and that art incapable of being known by the very Gods, become freed from all bonds and enter to a state of existence that transcends all sorrow.
They that do not wish to know Thee, O Thou of great puissance, have to undergo innumerable births and deaths.
Thou art the door of heaven and of Emancipation.
Thou art He that projectest all beings into existence and withdrawest them again into Thyself.
Thou art the great Giver.
Thou art heaven, Thou art emancipation, Thou art desire (the seed of action).
Thou art wrath that inspires creatures.
Thou art Sattva, Thou art Rajas, Thou art Tamas,
Thou art the nether regions, and Thou art the upper regions.
Thou art the Grandsire Brahmā, Thou art Bhava, Thou art Vishnu, Thou art Skanda, Thou art Indra, Thou art Savitri, Thou art Yama, Thou art Varuna, Thou art Soma, Thou art Dhatri, Thou art Manu, Thou art Vidhatri, and Thou art Kuvera, the Lord of treasures.
Thou art Earth, Thou art Wind, Thou art Water, Thou art Agni, Thou art Space, Thou art Speech, Thou art the Understanding, Thou art Steadiness, Thou art Intelligence, Thou art the acts that creatures do, Thou art Truth, Thou art Falsehood, Thou art existent and Thou art non-existent.
Thou art the senses, Thou art that which transcends Prakriti, Thou art immutable. Thou art superior to the universe of existent objects, Thou art superior to the universe of non-existent objects, Thou art capable of being conceived, Thou art incapable of being conceived.
That which is supreme Brahman; that which is the highest entity; that which is the end of both the Sankhyas and the Yogins, is without doubt, identical with Thee.
Verily, rewarded have I been today by Thee in consequence of Thy granting me a sight of Thy form.
I have attained the end which the righteous alone attain to.
I have been rewarded with that end which is solicited by persons whose understandings have been cleansed by knowledge.
Alas, so long I was steeped in ignorance; for this long period I was a senseless fool, since I had no knowledge of Thee that art the Supreme Deity, Thee that art the only eternal Entity as can be only known by all persons endued with wisdom.
In course of innumerable lives have I at last succeeded in acquiring that devotion towards Thee in consequence of which Thou hast shown Thyself to me.
O Thou that art ever inclined to extend Thy grace to those that are devoted to Thee.
He that succeeds in knowing Thee is enabled to enjoy immortality.
Thou art that which is ever a mystery with the Gods, the Asuras, and the ascetics, the Brahman is concealed in the cave of the heart.
The very ascetics are unable to behold or know Him.

Thou art that puissant Deity who is the Doer of everything and whose face is turned towards every direction.
Thou art the Soul of all things, Thou seest all things, Thou pervadest all things, and Thou knowest all things.
Thou makest a body for Thyself, and bearest that body.
Thou art an embodied Being.
Thou enjoyest a body, and Thou art the Refuge of all embodied creatures.
Thou art the Creator of the life-breaths, Thou possessest the life-breaths, Thou art one that is endued with life-breaths, Thou art the Giver of the life-breaths, and Thou art the Refuge of all beings endued with life-breaths.
Thou art that Adhyatma which is the Refuge of all righteous persons that are devoted to Yoga-meditation and conversant with the Soul and that are solicitous of avoiding rebirth.
Verily, Thou art that Supreme Lord who is identical with that Refuge.
Thou art the Giver unto all creatures of whatever ends become theirs, fraught with happiness or misery.
Thou art He that ordains all created beings to birth and death.
Thou art the puissant Lord who grants success to Rishis crowned with success in respect of the fruition of their wishes.
Having created all the worlds beginning with Bhu, together with all the denizens of heaven, that upholdest and cherishest them all, distributing Thyself into Thy well-known forms numbering Eight (Ashtamurtis).

From Thee flows everything.
Upon Thee rests all things.
All things, again, disappear in Thee.
Thou art the sole object that is Eternal.
Thou art that region of Truth which is sought by the righteous and regarded by them as the highest.
Thou art that cessation of individual existence which Yogins seek.
Thou art that Oneness which is sought by persons conversant with the soul.
Brahmā and the Siddhas expounding the mantras have concealed Thee in a cave to prevent the Devas and Asuras and human beings from beholding
Thee.
Although Thou residest in the heart, yet Thou art concealed.
Hence, stupefied by Thee, Devas and Asuras and human beings are all unable to understand Thee, O Bhava, truly and in all Thy details.
Unto those persons that succeed in attaining to Thee after having cleansed themselves by devotion, Thou showest Thyself of thy own accord, O Thou that residest in all hearts.

By knowing Thee one can avoid both death and rebirth.
Thou art the highest object of knowledge.
By knowing Thee no higher object remains for one to know.
Thou art the greatest object of acquisition.
The person that is truly wise, by acquiring Thee, thinks that there is no higher object to acquire.
By attaining to Thee that art exceedingly subtle and that art the highest object of acquisition, the man of wisdom becomes immortal and immutable.
The followers of the Sankhya system, well conversant with their own philosophy and possessing a knowledge of the attributes (gunas) and of those called the topics of enquiry, those learned men who transcend the destructible by attaining to a knowledge of the subtle or indestructible, succeed, by knowing Thee, in freeing themselves from all bonds.
Persons conversant with the Vedas regard Thee as the one object of knowledge, which has been expounded in the Vedantas.
These men, devoted to the regulation of the breaths, always meditate on Thee and at last enter into Thee as their highest end.
Riding on the car made of Om, those men enter into Maheshvara.
Of that which is called the Devayana (the path of the Devas), Thou art the door called Aditya.
Thou art again, the door, called Chandramas, of that which is called the Pitriyana (the path of the Pitris).

Thou art Kashtha, Thou art the points of the horizon, Thou art the year, and Thou art the Yugas.
Thine is the sovereignty of the heavens, Thine is the sovereignty of the Earth, Thou art the Northern and the Southern declensions.
The Grandsire Brahmā in days of yore uttered Thy praises, O Thou that art called Nilarohita (blue and red), by reciting diverse hymns and urged Thee to create living creatures.
Brahmanas conversant with Riks praise Thee by uttering Riks, regarding Thee as unattached to all things and as divested of all forms.
Adhyaryus, in sacrifices, pour libations, uttering Yajus the while, in honour of Thee that art the sole object of knowledge, according to the three well-known ways.

Persons of cleansed understandings, that are conversant with Samans, sing Thee with the aid of Samans.
Those regenerate persons, again, that are conversant with the Atharvans, hymn Thee as Rta, as Truth, as the Highest, and as Brahma.
Thou art the highest Cause, whence Sacrifice has flowed.
Thou art the Lord, and Thou art Supreme.
The night and day are Thy sense of hearing and sense of sight.
The fortnights and months are Thy head and arms.
The seasons are Thy energy, penances are Thy patience, and the year is Thy lower end, thighs and feet.
Thou art Mrityu, Thou art Yama, Thou art Hutasana, Thou art Kāla, Thou art endued with speed in respect of destruction, Thou art the original cause of Time, and Thou art eternal Time.
Thou art Chandramas and Aditya with all the stars and planets and the atmosphere that fills space.
Thou art the pole-star, Thou art constellation called the seven Rishis, Thou art the seven regions beginning with Bhu.
Thou art Pradhana and Mahat, Thou art Unmanifest, and Thou art this world.
Thou art the universe beginning with Brahmā and ending with the lowest forms of vegetation.
Thou art the beginning or original cause of all creatures.
Thou art the eight Prakritis.

Thou art, again, above the eight Prakritis.
Everything that exists, represents a portion of thy divine Self.
Thou art that supreme Felicity which is also Eternal.
Thou art the end which is attained to by all things.
Thou art that highest existence which is sought for by the Righteous.
Thou art that state which is freed from every anxiety.
Thou art eternal Brahman!
Thou art that highest state which constitutes the meditation of persons learned in the scriptures and the Vedangas.
Thou art the highest Kashtha, Thou art the highest Kāla.
Thou art the highest Success, and Thou art the highest Refuge.
Thou art the highest Tranquillity.
Thou art the highest cessation of Existence.
By attaining to thee, Yogins think that they attain to the highest success that is open to them.
Thou art Contentment, Thou art Success, Thou art the Sruti, and Thou art the Smriti.
Thou art that Refuge of the Soul after which Yogins strive, and Thou art that indestructible Prapti which men of knowledge pursue.
Thou art, without doubt, that End which those persons have in view that are habituated to sacrifices and that pour sacrificial libations, impelled by specific desires, and that make large presents on such occasions.
Thou art that high End which is sought for by persons that waste and scorch their bodies with severe penances with ceaseless recitations, with those rigid vows and fasts that appertain to their tranquil lives, and with other means of self-affliction.
O Eternal one, Thou art that End which is theirs that are unattached to all things and that have relinquished all acts.
Thou, O Eternal one, art that End which is theirs that are desirous of achieving Emancipation from rebirth, that live in dissociation from all enjoyments, and that desire the annihilation of the Prakriti elements.
Thou art that high End, O illustrious One, which is indescribable, which is stainless, which is the immutable one, and which is theirs that are devoted to knowledge and science.
These are the live Ends that have been declared in the Vedas and the Scriptures and the Puranas.
It is through Thy grace alone that persons attain to those ends, or, if they fail to attain to them, it is through thy grace being denied to them.
It was thus Tandi, who was a vast heap of penances, praised Isana. And he sang also that high Brahman which in ancient days was sung by the Creator Himself (in honour of Mahadeva).

Source:

Shiva Darshana Blog

Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva (Book XIII): Chapter XVI: 13-66Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli(Edited for clarity and capitalization)


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Brahma's Prayer


Brahma said:

vavande devamīśānaṃ sarveśaṃ sarvagaṃ prabhum /
omīśāna namaste 'stu mahādeva namo 'stu te // LiP_1,16.6 //
namo 'stu sarvavidyānām īśāna parameśvara /
namo 'stu sarvabhūtānām īśāna vṛṣavāhana // LiP_1,16.7 //
brahmaṇo 'dhipate tubhyaṃ brahmaṇe brahmarūpiṇe /
namo brahmādhipataye śivaṃ me 'stu sadāśiva // LiP_1,16.8 //

Oṁ! O Īśāna, O Mahādeva!O Lord with the Bull as Your conveyance, obeisance be to You.O Lord of living beings, obeisance be to You.O Overlord of Brahmā, obeisance be to You.Obeisance to Brahman in the form of Brahmā.Obeisance to the Overlord of Brahmā. O Sadāśiva, may auspiciousness befall me.

oṅkāramūrte deveśa sadyojāta namonamaḥ /
prapadye tvāṃ prapanno 'smi sadyojātāya vai namaḥ // LiP_1,16.9 //
abhave ca bhave tubhyaṃ tathā nātibhave namaḥ /
bhavodbhava bhaveśāna māṃ bhajasva mahādyute // LiP_1,16.10 //


O Lord representing Oṁkāra in the physical form, obeisance be to You!I resort to You! I have resorted to Sadyojāta. Obeisance to Sadyojāta.Obeisances to the Unborn; the Source of [all] birth,And who is beyond the worldly existence. O Bhava, O Īśāna, O Source of the worlds,O Deity of great luster, bless me.

vāmadeva namastubhyaṃ jyeṣṭhāya varadāya ca /
namo rudrāya kālāya kalanāya namo namaḥ // LiP_1,16.11 //
namo vikaraṇāyaiva kālavarṇāya varṇine /
balāya balināṃ nityaṃ sadā vikaraṇāya te // LiP_1,16.12 //


O Vāmadeva, obeisance to You,The eldest Being [Jyeṣṭha], O Granter of all boons.Obeisance to Rudra, to Kāla, the Reckoner of time.Obeisance to the Lord as the mind,To the Lord dark in hue,To the Lord as a religious Student,To the Lord as the Strength in the strong,And to the Lord devoid of organs and their function.

balapramathanāyaiva baline brahmarūpiṇe /
sarvabhūteśvareśāya bhūtānāṃ damanāya ca // LiP_1,16.13 //
manonmanāya devāya namastubhyaṃ mahādyute /
vāmadevāya vāmāya namastubhyaṃ mahātmane // LiP_1,16.14 //
jyeṣṭhāya caiva śreṣṭhāya rudrāya varadāya ca /
kālahantre namastubhyaṃ namastubhyaṃ mahātmane // LiP_1,16.15 //


Obeisance to the Suppressor of bala,To the strong One, O form of Brahman.Obeisance to the Overlord, the Suppressor of living beings.Obeisance to the Lord, the Impeller of the mind,Obeisance to the Lord of great luster,Obeisance to the refulgent Vāmadeva,And to the Supreme Soul.Obeisance to the Eldest and the Greatest,Obeisance to Rudra, the Bestower of boons.Obeisance to You, the Slayer of Kāla.Obeisance to You possessed of noble soul.


Liṅga Purāṇa I.16.6-15

Siva puran - Suta explains what he heared from Supreme Rishis

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Sūta said:O ye sages, may this be heard. I shall explain the perfect knowledge of Śiva in the manner I have heard. It is a great secret as it is the form of the highest salvation. (1)

In the assembly of Brahmā, Nārada, Kumāra, Vyāsa and Kapila they had discussed this and come to this conclusion. (2)

It shall be known that the entire universe is wholly Śiva. That Śiva is in everything must be known by the learned scholar. (3)

Beginning with Brahmā and ending with a blade of grass whatever is seen as constituting the universe is Śiva Himself. That Deity is called Śiva. (4)

When He wishes, this is created. He alone knows all. No one knows Him. (5)

He Himself creates it and enters it, but stand far off. The Citsvarūpa (Pure Consciousness) Being who is pure does not really enter it. (6)

[Just as] luminary bodies are reflected in water and do not actually enter it, so Śiva too appears [to have] entered it [the created world]. (7)

Really Śiva alone, the Auspicious Being, manifests Himself. The ignorance of the same is a defect of the mind. In fact, there is no second entity. (8)

In all philosophical systems the concept of duality is evident. But the Vedāntins call Him eternal and non-dualistic. (9)

The individual soul, though it is a part of His becomes deluded by avidyā (ignorance). He then thinks that He is different (from Śiva). If He is released from avidyā, He becomes Śiva. (10)

Śiva pervades all creatures. He is the Lord of the sentient and the insentient. He is the Benefactor. (11)

He who cleverly tries means of releasing himself after resorting to the Vedāntic path attains the fruit of his right. (12)

The pervading fire is latent in every block of wood, but only he who churns it sees it manifested [knows this] to be true. (13)

So also, the clever devotee who makes use of the expedients of devotion, etc. certainly reaches Śiva. This is undoubtedly true. (14)

Lord Śiva is everywhere. There is nothing else. Śiva appears in different forms always due to our illusion. (15)

The ocean or the lump of clay or the piece of gold attains different shapes due to delimiting conditions. Śiva too is so. (16)

There is one essential difference between the material cause and its effect. The difference is due to illusory perception. If the one ceases to exist, the other is also quelled. (17)

The shooting sprout from the seed may exhibit multiplicity, but ultimately it becomes the seed and shoot perishes. (18)

The perfectly wise is the seed. Deformity is the sprout. When deformity disappears, he becomes perfectly wise again. There is no doubt in this regard. (19)

Everything is Śiva. Śiva is everything. There is no difference at all. How is this manifoldness seen? How is the unity regained? (20)

Just as the luminary called the sun is seen differently in [different bodies of] water, so also is the case with it [Śiva and the universal manifoldness]. (21)

The all-pervading space is not bound or fettered anywhere. So also the all-pervading Lord is not bound anywhere. (22)

The individual soul is contaminated by the ego. Śiva is free of it. The individual soul is insignificant and it experiences fruit of action. But the great Śiva is uncontaminated. (23)

Gold mixed with silver or other base metals depreciates in value. So also is the individual soul in its association with the ego. (24)

When a gold alloy is purified with chemicals, it regains its original value. Similarly the consecrated soul too attains purity. (25)

The devotee at the outset shall go to a competent preceptor with devout and reverential feelings. He shall worship and serve him considering Him Śiva. (26)

Thanks to this conception, all sins and dirt are removed from the body. When he gains knowledge, his ignorance disappears. (27)

Freed from the ego, the individual soul attains pure intellect. Thanks to Śiva’s grace, he attains the state of Śiva again. (28)

Just as one sees one’s own form in the mirror, so also the pure soul sees the all-pervading Śiva, certainly. (29)

He becomes the living liberated soul (jivanmukta). When the body perishes, he merges into Śiva. The body is begot by the prārabda karma. The perfectly wise is considered different from it. (30)

If a person is not elated on acquiring something good and is not annoyed on acquiring something bad and if he has equanimity, he is said to be perfectly wise. (31)

By the practice of yoga, discrimination between the different principles is generated. Then there is a desire to get released from the body. The aspirant then is blessed with devotion to Śiva. (32-33)

From devotion arises love; from love the desire to hear about the Lord; from this desire association with the good; and from this association a competent preceptor is attained. (34)

If knowledge is attained, he certainly becomes liberated. Hence if one desires to be perfectly wise, one should worship Śiva alone always. (35)

He shall worship Śiva with unflinching and exclusive devotion. Salvation will be the result. There is nothing to be doubtful about this. (36)

There is no other Deity greater than Śiva for the attainment of salvation. After seeking refuge in Him, one withdraws form worldly existence. (37)

O wise ones, these words have been uttered by me after considering the statement of the sages. Ye shall retain these strenuously in your minds. (38)

SOURCE:

~ Śrī Śivapurāṇa: Koṭirudra Samhitā [Book IV]: Chapter XLIII: 1-38.The Śiva Purāṇa (Part III). Trans. and annotated by a board of scholars. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1996

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