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SHIVA RAHASYA C SHRI SHIVA RAHASYA (THE SECRET TEACHING OF SHIVA) 1 SHIVA RAHASYA In the Name of Shiva, the Most Glorious, the Most Obvious, the Highest God, Master of the Universe, Lord of Yoga, Lord of Unity To the Eternal Teacher and Master, Obeisance. May He Enlighten the heart of all Seekers And set their purified mind upon that Path which is straight and not crooked! May He forever guide us From Delusion unto Truth, From Darkness unto Light, From Death unto Eternal Life. SHRI SHIVA RAHASYA (THE SECRET TEACHING OF SHIVA) being THE GLORIOUS MYSTERY OF SUPREME REALITY according to HIS DIVINE HOLINESS MAHAGURU SHRI SOMA-NATHA MAHARAJ DEV with Abridged commentary by Shri Somananda Copyright © 2004-2006 The Yoga Order International 2 SHIVA RAHASYA THE FIRST LIGHT (Chapter One) 1 Wherein His Supreme Majesty Lord Shiva introduces the Eternal Teaching of Yoga to the Four Holy Seers Om is the Eternal Sound Supreme. Of that all other sounds are born. Thus spoke Sage Vyasa, the divinely appointed Compiler and Disseminator of Sacred Scriptures: 1. OM. Adoration be to Shiva, the Essence of all Goodness, the Kindly, the Pure, the All- Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Most Merciful One! 2. O you who have sought instruction in the Highest Truth! seek no more. For, I shall now speak to you the Word of God which was proclaimed for the deliverance of Souls from delusion, pain and sorrow. By hearing It men know what is right and tread upon the Path of Light. 3. Om is the Eternal Sound of Truth that ever abides in God's Heart. From That, the Will to Speak arose; from Will a Thought came forth; and Thought manifested as Word. Thus God's Word of Truth was born. His Holy Word shall not be doubted. For, he who follows It, is rightly guided. 4. Hear you now the Secret Lore revealed by the Lord unto the Blessed Yogis of yore. Desiring to bring knowledge of the Spirit into the World, the Sages Duravasa, Nageshanatha, Kapalin and Anandanatha addressed their thought to the Supreme Lord. 5. They intoned holy mantras and chants; their prayers went up to the lofty Gods and beyond them, to the God of Gods: to the Very Greatest One Whose Glory is measured by none. 6. Moved by their earnest devotion, the Great Ever-Living Ocean of Life sent forth a dazzling Stream of Light, like a redeeming River of Compassion, whereby the Lord of Mercy came down into the World. 7. A whirling Glow of Silver parted the Sky and lo! a mighty Orb of Light was descended from the Highest Height. A light so bright no mortal man had seen before. Even those that saw It from afar off were bedazzled and perplexed. 8. In the midst of that great Brightness the Lord of Life outshined all other lights. His sky-blue complexion was delightful and fair and His eyes shined like two Stars. A third eye, even brighter, illumined the World. 3 SHIVA RAHASYA 9. The Crescent Moon shined upon His radiant brow announcing the Dawning of Enlightenment. For He was the Glorious Lord of Light, the Fiery One Who has come into the World to dispel all darkness, pain and sorrow. 10. He was seated upon a royal lotus-seat with petals of blue sapphire and a middle part of gold. The Sky offered Him shelter like an azure canopy of silk whilst the Sun enveloped His head with a halo of golden rays. A threefold Bolt of Light rested in His mighty hand. 11. Thus the Great Compassionate One, the Embodiment of Beauty, Truth and Goodness, descended from the Secret Place in Heaven and appeared before His faithful devotees shining like unto the Sun as he rises over the Sea at dawn. 12. On seeing the Supreme Deity, the Three-Eyed, Moon-Crowned Lord of the Universe, the Four Quarters stood still and then trembled with Joy: Creation trembled in the Presence of its Creator. 13. Unheard-of heavenly sounds poured out of the Sky and filled the Three Worlds. All things in sight became translucent like crystal and precious gems. The whole World came alive with an inner glow of light. 14. A great gladness came into all beings' heart and their Souls rose up as high as the North Star and beyond. The Yogis made obeisance before the Lord and with joyful hearts spoke these wise words of praise. 15. There is no higher Truth than Shiva, the Universal Consciousness, Who is the Cause of all causes, Who at the beginning of Time created the World and the Gods who rule over the World. He is Eternally Higher than the highest and the One Who is worshipped by all men on Earth. 16. Hail to You, O Greatest God, O Shiva, Lord of all beings! Glory unto You, O Lord of Sages, O Master Who are worshipped by means of Knowledge of the Self! 17. You are the Soul of the Universe, You create all things by assuming a thousand forms. You are the One by Whose Power alone everything moves, O Infinite One! May You be Glorified, You Who are the Cause of the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the World. 18. May Victory be Yours, O Lord of Life! You Source of Supreme Peace, All-Pervading One, Deity Whom the foremost among Yogis bow down to, Whom Mother Earth ever reveres as her Lord. Obeisance to You, Supreme God! 19. Having graciously listened to their praises, the Three-Eyed Lord Shiva, favourably disposed towards His devotees, spoke unto them with His delightful voice: O noble Sages! what good can I do to those who are perpetually immersed in the Light of Truth? How can I enlighten them? 20. On hearing those words of His, the Sages bowed down to the Eternal Lord of Life, the Very Soul of the Universe, and spoke to the Great God Who had appeared before them, graciously inclined to fulfil their every wish. 21. O Lord! by Your Grace, we lack nothing and are ever-satisfied. Yet though we know the Truth, our minds are not entirely free from doubt. We therefore seek shelter with You, the 4 SHIVA RAHASYA Original Wise and Perfect One, the Unmanifest Being. For You alone have full knowledge of the highest secret teachings. 22. You are the Primal Ever-Living One Who preceded all other things. Except You, the Great Lord (Maheshvara), there is no other knower of Truth in all the Worlds. Therefore, pray dispel our doubts. 23. We desire to know, Where do all things come from? How did the World come into existence? What is the true Home of all Souls? What causes a Soul to be born and reborn into this World? What is the cause of suffering and pain? How is deliverance from sorrow attained? 24. What is the best Path in life for men to follow? What are the various planes of existence? Who is the All-Witnessing Self? What is the Highest Reality? How is Higher Knowledge attained? What are the means for gaining lasting Peace and Happiness? Kindly dispel our doubts by means of the dazzling beams of Your Eternal Glory. 25. O Lord of Unmeasured Greatness! we are your faithful devotees; with Pure Souls, we have sought refuge in You; if You be pleased with us, graciously grant us knowledge of Your Self Divine. 26. For, You Alone O Shiva! know Your Own Self. No one else does so. Therefore, deign to reveal Your Divine Self unto us. 27. O Jewel of Mercy! O Wielder of the Bolt of Light! You are the Comforter of the distressed, the Friend of the destitute, the Protector of the oppressed, the Lord of the Three Worlds. Whatever be a Soul's anxiety and pain, You offer him Salvation and make him hale again, You Who Are the Saviour of all! You are ever-gracious to those who seek refuge in You. Elevate our Souls with the nectar of Your Perfect Knowledge! 28. Bowing down to the God Whose Emblem is the Bull of Heaven, the Sages the foremost of whom was Duravasa, thus requested of the Supreme Lord. 29. The Supreme Sovereign, the God of Unmeasured Greatness, the Creator of the Universe and Lord of Yoga, illumined the World with His Radiance Divine. 30. The Lord of Life and Master of all beings, the Great One within Whom the entire Universe lies, and by Whose Power alone everything moves, the Most Compassionate One, the Greatest God, thus instructed the Sages concerning the excellent Yoga of the Self. 31. O pure ones! listen you now, with steady minds, to the knowledge of the Lord, being imparted to you that your heart may find peace. 32. Lord Shiva made the Secret Wisdom Sign (Jnana Mudra) and spoke: This Perfect Knowledge of Mine is an eternal mystery and secret. It cannot be adequately expressed. Those who follow other Paths do not know it though they may strive for it, O twice-born ones! 33. Resorting to this Perfect Knowledge, in days gone by, the first among Seekers of Truth attained unity with Truth. Having found Truth, their Souls have attained Perfection (Sampurnata) and are free from the fetters of the earthly World. 5 SHIVA RAHASYA 34. The Perfect Ones (Siddhas) know not delusion, nor pain, nor sorrow. For they have joined the Immortals (Amaras, the Deathless Ones) in the Firmament and shine like the Rays of the One Light. They have taken their seats among the Heavenly Guardians who ever watch over the World from on high.
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