'VIDYA GITA' – From 'Tripura Rahasya'-There is no accomplishment equal to Self-Realization which is alone capable of ending all misery because it is the state of eternal Bliss. Self-Realization differs from all accomplishments in that the fear of death is destroyed once for all.

'Vidya Gita'

'Dattatreya' teaches to 'Parasurama'
1-20. “I shall now relate to you an ancient sacred story. On one occasion very long ago there was a very distinguished gathering of holy saints collected in the abode of Brahma, the Creator, when a very subtle and sublime disputation took place. Among those present were Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata, Vasistha, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Atri, Angiras, Pracheta, Narada, Chyavana, Vamadeva, Visvamitra, Gautama, Suka, Parasara, Vyasa, Kanva, Kasyapa, Daksha, Sumanta, Sanka, Likhita, Devala and other celestial and royal sages. Each one of them spoke of his own system with courage and conviction
and maintained that it was better than all the rest. But they could reach no conclusion and so asked Brahma: ‘Lord! We are sages who know all about the world and beyond, but each one’s way of life differs from that of the others because the dispositions of our minds differ. Some of us are always in Nirvikalpa Samadhi, some engaged in philosophical discussions, some sunk in devotion,
some have taken to work, and others seem exactly like men of the world. Which is the best among us? Please tell us. We cannot decide ourselves because each thinks that his way is the best.’ “Thus requested, Brahma seeing their perplexity answered: ‘Best of saints! I also would like to know. There is Parameswara who is
the All-knower. Let us go and ask him.’ Collecting Vishnu on their way, they went to Siva. There the leader of the deputation, Brahma, asked Siva about the matter. Having heard Brahma, Siva divined the mind of Brahma and understood that the rishis were wanting in confidence and so that any words of his would be useless. He then said to them, ‘Hear me, Rishis! Neither do I clearly see which is the method. Let us meditate on the Goddess – Her Majesty Unconditioned Knowledge – we shall then be able to understand even the subtlest of truths by Her Grace.’ On hearing these words of Siva, all of them, including Siva, Vishnu and Brahma, meditated on Her Divine Majesty, the Transcendental Consciousness pervading the three states of life (waking, dream and sleep). Thus invoked, She manifested in Her glory as the Transcendental Voice in the expanse of pure consciousness.
“They heard the Voice speak like thunder from the skies, ‘Speak out your minds, O Rishis! Be quick, the desires of my devotees will always be fulfilled immediately.’
21-28. “Hearing the Voice, the exalted rishis prostrated and Brahma and the others praised the Goddess – namely Absolute Consciousness pervading the three states of life.
“Salutations to Thee! the Greatest! the Best! the Most Auspicious! the Absolute Knowledge! the Consciousness of the three states! the Creatrix! the Protectress! the Dis solver in the Self! the Supreme One transcending all! Salutations again!
“There was no time when Thou wert not, because Thou art unborn! Thou art ever fresh and hence Thou never growest old. Thou art all; the essence of all, the knower of all, the delighter of all. Thou art not all. Thou art nowhere, with no core in Thee, unaware of anything, and delighting no one.
“O Supreme Being! Salutations to Thee, over and over again, before and behind, above and below, on all sides and everywhere. “Kindly tell us of Thy relative form and Thy transcendental state, Thy prowess, and Thy identity with jnana. What is the proper and perfect means for attaining Thee, the nature and the result of such attainment? What is the utmost finality of accomplishment, beyond which there remains nothing to be accomplished? Who is the best among the accomplished sages? Salutations again to Thee!
29. “Thus besought, the Goddess of ultimate knowledge began with great kindness to explain it clearly to the sages:
30. “Listen, sages! I shall categorically explain to you all that you ask. I shall give you the nectar drawn out as the essence from the unending accumulation of sacred literature.
31-40. “I am the abstract intelligence wherefrom the cosmos originates, whereon it flourishes, and wherein it resolves, like the images in a mirror. The ignorant know me as the gross universe, whereas the wise feel me as their own pure being eternally glowing as ‘I-I’ within. This realisation is possible only in the deep stillness of thought-free consciousness similar to that of the deep sea free
from waves. The most earnest of devotees worship me spontaneously and with the greatest sincerity which is due to their love of me. Although they know that I am their own non-dual Self, yet the habit of loving devotion which is deep-rooted in them makes them conceive their own Self as ME and worship ME as the life-current pervading their bodies, senses and mind without which nothing
could exist and which forms the sole purport of the holy scriptures. Such is my Transcendental State. “My concrete form is the eternal couple – the Supreme Lord and Energy – always in undivided union and abiding as the eternal
consciousness pervading the three phenomenal states of waking, dream and sleep, and reclining on the cot whose four legs are Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Protector), Siva (the Destroyer) and Isvara (Disappearance) and whose surface is Sadasiva (Grace) which is contained in the mansion known as ‘fulfilment of purpose’ enclosed by the garden of ‘Kadamba’ trees in the jewel island situated in the wide ocean of nectar surrounding the cosmos and extending beyond.
‘Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Isvara, Sadasiva, Ganesa, Skanda, the gods of the eight quarters, their energies of her gods, celestials,
serpents and other superhuman beings all manifestations of myself. However, people do not know ME because their intellect is shrouded in ignorance.
41. “I grant boons to those who worship ME. There is no one besides ME worthy of worship or capable of fulfilling all desires.
Commentary. – All deities who receive worship and all conceptions of God are My manifestations, because I am pure intelligence which cannot under any circumstances be transcended.
42. “The fruits of worship are put forth by Me according to the mode of worship and the nature of individual desires. I am indivisible and interminable.
43. “Being non-dual and abstract intelligence I spontaneously manifest even as the smallest detail in the universe and as the universe.
44. “Though I manifest in diverse ways, I still remain unblemished because absoluteness is My being. This is My chief power, which is somewhat hard fully to understand.
45. “Therefore, O Rishis! consider this with the keenest of intellect. Though I am the abode of all and immanent in all I remain pure.

46-49. “Although I am not involved in any manner and am always free, I wield My power – called Maya; become covered with ignorance, appear full of desires, seek their fulfillment, grow restless, project favorable and unfavorable environments, am born and reborn as individuals, until growing wiser I seek a teacher and sage, learn the truth from him, put it in practice and finally become
absolved. All this goes on in My pure, uncontaminated, ever free absolute intelligence. This manifestation of the ignorant and the free, and of others, is called My creation which is however, without any accessories – My power is too vast to be described. I shall tell you something of it in brief. It is that the cosmos is only the obverse of the many details in them leading up to different results.
50. “Knowledge relating to me is complex but it can be dealt with under the two categories; dual and non-dual, of which the former relates to worship and the latter to realization. On account of their intricacies, there are many details in them leading up to different results.
51. “Dual knowledge is manifold because it depends on the concept of duality and manifests as worship, prayer, incantation, meditation, etc., etc.. all of which are due to nothing more than mental imagery.

52-53. “Even so, they are efficacious in contradistinction to day-dreams, for, the law of nature provides for it. There are degrees in the efficacy of the methods, of which the most important concerns the aspect mentioned before (see above the concrete form of Devi). The ultimate goal of all is certainly non-dual realization.
Commentary. – Mental imagery cannot put forth tangible results either directly or in successive stages. But the one relating to God differs from ordinary day-dreams in that it purifies and strengthens the mind in order to make it fit to realise the Self. Again the most efficacious among the concepts of God is the one already mentioned, namely, the eternal couple. Although it will not directly remove
ignorance yet it will help its removal for the resurrection of the man as a full blown jnani.
54. “Worship of Abstract Intelligence in a concrete form is not only useful but essential for non-dual realization. For how can one be made fit for it, without Her benediction.
55. “Non-dual realization is the same as pure Intelligence absolutely void of objective knowledge. Such realization nullifies all objective knowledge revealing it in all its nakedness to be as harmless as a picture of a pouncing tiger or of an enraged serpent.
56. “When the mind has completely resolved into the Self, that state is called Nirvikalpa Samadhi (the undifferentiated peaceful state). After waking up from it, the person is overpowered by the memory of his experience as the one, undivided, infinite, pure Self and he knows ‘I am That’ as opposed to the puerile I-thought of the ignorant. That is Supreme Knowledge (Vijnana or Pratyabhijna
jnana).
Note. – The advanced state of meditation is Savikalpa Samadhi, where the person is aware that he has turned away from objectivity towards subjectivity and feels his proximity to the state of Self-Realisation. When he actually sinks within the Self, there is no knowledge apart from the simple awareness of blissful existence. This is Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Waking up, he sees the world just as any other man does but his outlook has become different. He is now able to know his pure Self and no longer confounds himself with the ego. That is the acme of Realisation.
57. “Theoretical knowledge consists in differentiating between the Self and the non-Self through a study of the Scriptures, or the teachings of a Master, or by one’s own deliberation.
58-62. “Supreme wisdom is that which puts an end to the sense of non-Self once for all. Non-dual realization admits nothing unknown or unknowable and pervades everything in entirety so that it cannot in any way be transcended, (e.g., a mirror and the images). When that is accomplished, the intellect becomes quite clear because all doubts have been destroyed; (doubts are usually with regard to creation, the identity of the Self and their mutual relationship) and then the predispositions of the mind (e.g., lust, greed, anger, etc.) are destroyed though any remnants of these that may remain are as harmless as a fangless viper.
63. “The fruit of Self-realization is the end of all misery here and hereafter and absolute fearlessness. That is called Emancipation.
Note. – There is an end of misery in sleep; but the potentiality of misery is not ended. Realization destroys the cause of misery and sets the man free for ever.
64-65. “Fear implies the existence of something apart from oneself. Can the sense of duality persist after non-dual Realization, or can there be darkness after sun-rise? “O Rishis! There will be no fear in the absence of duality. On the other hand, fear will not cease so long as there is the sense of duality.
66. “What is perceived in the world as being apart from the Self is also clearly seen to be perishable. What is perishable must certainly involve fear of loss.
67. “Union implies separation; so also acquisition implies loss.
68-70. “If emancipation be external to the Self, it implies fear of loss, and is therefore not worth aspiring to. On the other hand, moksha is fearlessness and not external to the Self. “When the knower, knowledge and the known merge into unity that state is totally free from fear and hence moksha results. “Jnaana (Supreme Wisdom) is the state devoid of thoughts, will and desire, and is unimpeded by ignorance.
71. “It is certainly the primal state of the knower, but remains unrecognized for want of acquaintance with it. The Guru and sastras
alone can make the individual acquainted with the Self.
72-77. “The Self is abstract intelligence free from thought. The knower, knowledge and the known are not real as different entities. When differentiation among them is destroyed, their true nature is evident in the resulting non-dual consciousness, which is also the state of emancipation. “There is in fact no differentiation among the knower, etc. The differences are simply conventions retained for the smooth working of earthly life. Emancipation is eternal and, therefore, here and now, it is nothing to be acquired. The Self manifests as the knower, knowledge and the known; the cycle of births and deaths endures with all the apparent reality of a mountain so long as this manifestation lasts. As soon as the manifestation is realised to consist of the Self alone without any admixture of non-self, the cycle of births and deaths comes to a standstill, and is broken down to fragments like clouds dispersed by strong winds.
78. “Thus you find that earnestness is the only requisite for emancipation. No other requisite is needed if the longing for emancipation is intense and unwavering.
79. “What is the use of hundreds of efforts in the absence of a real and unswerving desire for emancipation? That is the sole requisite and nothing else.
80-81. “Intense devotion signifies mental abstraction as the devotee loses himself in the desired object. In this particular instance, it will mean emancipation itself. For such unwavering devotion must certainly succeed and success is only a question of time – which may be days, months, years, or even the next birth, according as the predispositions are light or dense.
82-83. “The intellect is ordinarily befouled by evil propensities and so nothing good flourishes there. Consequently, the people are boiled in the seething cauldron of births and deaths. Of these evil propensities, the first is want of faith in the revelations made by the Guru and in the sastras; the second is addiction to desires; and the third is dullness (i.e., inability to understand the revealed truth).
This is a brief statement of them.
84-85. “Of these, want of faith is betrayed by one’s doubts regarding the truth of the statements and by failure to understand them. The doubt arises whether there is moksha; and later misunderstanding leads to its denial. These two are sure obstacles to any sincere efforts being made for realization.
86. “All obstacles are set at nought by a determined belief in the contrary; that is to say – determined belief regarding the existence of moksha will destroy both uncertainty and misunderstanding. “But the question arises how this determined belief will be possible when faith is wanting. Therefore cut at its root. What is its root?
87-88. “Want of faith has its root in unfavorable logic. Give it up and take to approved logic as found in holy books and expounded by a Guru. Then enlightenment becomes possible and faith results. Thus ends the first evil propensity.

89-95. “The second propensity, namely desire, prevents the intellect from following the right pursuit. For, the mind engrossed in desire, cannot engage in a spiritual pursuit. The abstraction of a lover is well known to all; he can hear or see nothing in front of him. Anything said in his hearing is as good as not said. Desire must therefore be first overcome before aspiring for spiritual attainment.
That can be done only by dispassion. The propensity is manifold, being the forms of love, anger, greed, pride, jealousy, etc. The worst of them is pursuit of pleasure which, if destroyed destroys all else. Pleasure may be subtle or gross. Neither of these must be indulged in, even in thought. As soon as the thought of pleasure arises, it must be dismissed by the will-power developed by dispassion.
96-99. “In this way, the second evil propensity is overcome. The third, known as dullness resulting from innumerable wicked actions in preceding births, is the worst of the series and hardest to overcome by one’s own efforts. Concentration of mind and understanding of truth are not possible when dullness prevails.
“There is no remedy for it other than worship of the Goddess of the Self (adoration, prayer, meditation, etc.). I remove the devotee’s dullness according to his worship, quickly, or gradually, or in the succeeding birth.
100-102. “He who unreservedly surrenders himself to Me with devotion, is endowed with all the requisites necessary for Self-Realization. He who worships Me, easily overcomes all obstacles to Self-Realisation. On the other hand, he, who being stuck up, does not take refuge in Me – the pure intelligence manipulating the person – is repeatedly upset by difficulties so that his success is very doubtful.
103-104. “Therefore, O Rishis! the chief requisite is one-pointed devotion to God. The devotee is the best of aspirants. The one devoted to abstract consciousness excels every other seeker. Consummation lies in the discernment of the Self as distinguished from the non-Self.
105-112. “The Self is at present confounded with the body, etc., such confusion must cease and awareness of the Self must result as opposed to nescience in sleep.
“The Self is experienced even now; but it is not discerned rightly, for it is identified with the body, etc., there is therefore endless suffering. The Self is not hidden indeed; it is always gleaming out as ‘I’, but this ‘I’, is mistaken for the body, owing to ignorance. On this ignorance ceasing, the ‘I’ is ascertained to be the true consciousness alone; and that sets all doubts at rest. This and nothing
else has been ascertained by the sages to be finality. Thaumaturgic powers such as flying in space, etc., are all fragmentary and not worth a particle of Self-Realization. For this is the unbroken and immortal bliss of the Self in which all else is included. “Thaumaturgic powers are also hindrance to Self-Realization. Of what use are they? They are but simple acrobatic tricks. The Creator’s status appears to a Self-realized man to be only a trifle. What use are these powers, unless for wasting one’s time?
113. “There is no accomplishment equal to Self-Realization which is alone capable of ending all misery because it is the state of eternal Bliss.
114. “Self-Realization differs from all accomplishments in that the fear of death is destroyed once for all.
115. Realization differs according to the antecedent practice and, commensurate with the degree of purity of mind, may be perfect, middling or dull.
Note. – Realization of the Self and eternal inherence as unbroken ‘I-I’ in all surroundings are the practices and the fruit.
116-119. “You have seen great pandits well versed in the Vedas and capable of chanting them quite correctly amidst any amount of distractions. They are the best. Those who are capable businessmen, repeat the Vedas quite correctly when they engage in chanting them without other distractions. These are the middle class. “Whereas others are constantly chanting them and do it well. Such are of the lowest order among pandits. Similarly there are distinctions among the sages also.
120-121. “Some sages abide as the Self even while engaged in complex duties, such as ruling a kingdom (e.g., King Janaka); others can do so in intervals of work; still others can do so by constant practice alone. They are respectively of the highest, the middle and the lowest order. Of these, the highest order represents the utmost limit of realization.
122. “Unbroken supreme awareness even in dream is the mark of the highest order.
123. “The Person who is not involuntarily made the tool of his mental predispositions but who invokes them at his will, is of the highest order.
124. “He who abides in the Self as ‘I, I,’ as spontaneously and continuously as the ignorant man does in the body, is again of the highest order.
125. “He who, though engaged in work, does not look upon anything as non-self, is a perfect sage.
126. “He who even while doing his work remains as in a sleep is a perfect sage.
127. “Thus the best among the sages are never out of samadhi, be they working or idle.
128-133. “He who is from his own experience capable of appreciating the states of other jnanis including the best among them, is certainly a perfect sage. He who is not influenced by happiness or misery, by pleasure or pain, by desires, doubts or fear, is a perfect sage. He who realises pleasure, pain and every other phenomenon to be in and of the Self, is a perfect sage. He who feels himself pervading all – be they ignorant or emancipated – is a perfect sage. He who knowing the trammels of bondage, does not seek release from them and remains in peace, is a perfect sage. “The perfect among the sages is identical with Me. There is absolutely no difference between us.
134. ‘I have now told you all these in answer to your questions. You need no longer be perplexed with doubts.
135. “Having said so, Transcendental Intelligence became silent. “Then all the Rishis saluted Siva and the other Gods and returned to their own abodes.
“I have now told you the sacred Gita of pure knowledge, which destroys all sins and purifies the mind. This Gita is the best among Gitas because it has proceeded from Abstract Intelligence Herself and it leads one to emancipation on being attentively heard and cogitated upon. “This Gita is the raft to save one from sinking in the ocean of samsara (cycle of births and deaths), and so it must be read or repeated every day with love and care.”
Thus ends the chapter of Vidya Gita in Tripura Rahasya.

'Guru Gita'- The letter ‘gu’ stands for darkness, the letter ‘ru’ stands for its removal. The Guru is so called because he removes the darkness (of ignorance).There is no greater Reality than the Guru, there is no greater austerity than (the worship of) the Guru, there is no knowledge greater than the Guru (who is Knowledge or Brahman Itself).

'Guru Gita'

Translated by S. N. Sastri

Prostrations to Lord Ganesa and Gurus: 

 1. I meditate constantly on Lord Ganesa who has an elephant’s face and a single tusk, who is like the sun for the lotus that is the face of the Daughter of the Mountain (Parvati) and who confers many boons on devotees.

2. I bow down to the succession of Gurus starting with Lord Sadasiva and leading up to my own Acharya, with Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada in the middle.

3. I prostrate before Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada, the repository of the Srutis, Smritis and Puranas, the abode of compassion, who confers blessings on the whole world.

4. Detachment having arisen in me because of my pondering over the frightful prospect of repeated births and deaths, meditating on Lord Pasupati, the Consort of Uma, residing in my heart, imbibing the flow of nectar of supreme bliss, I prostrate again and again before the pair of lotus-feet of my Guru. (Svarajyasiddhi – 1.2)

Sri Guru Gita (From Skanda Purana, Brahma Samhita)

The following slokas bring out the essential teaching of the scriptures that the Guru should not be looked upon as a mere human being, but should be considered as God Himself in that form.

 
1. The Guru is Brahma, the Guru is Vishnu, the Guru is the Lord Mahesvara; the Guru is the Supreme Brahman Himself. Prostrations to the Guru.

2. Prostrations to the Guru by whom the eye blinded by the darkness of ignorance has been opened with the collyrium of knowledge.

3. Prostrations to the Guru who reveals the true nature of ‘That’ (Brahman), which is infinite and indivisible, and which pervades all creation, both moving and non-moving.

4. Prostrations to the Guru who reveals the true nature of ‘Thou’ (Jivatma) which dwells in all creation, both moving and non-moving.

5. Prostrations to the Guru who imparts the meaning of the term ‘Asi’ (the identity of ‘That’ and ‘Thou’), which shows that all the three worlds, consisting of both moving and stationary creatures are pervaded by Pure Consciousness (Brahman).

6. Prostrations to the Guru by whose words, even in half a moment or a half or quarter thereof, the firm realization of one’s Self is attained.

7. Only to that great soul who has supreme devotion to God and equal devotion to his Guru will the scriptures reveal their real import.

8. You (Guru) are my father, you are my mother, you are my well-wisher and you are my God. I prostrate to the Guru for the eradication of the fear of Samsara.

9. The letter ‘gu’ stands for darkness, the letter ‘ru’ stands for its removal. The Guru is so called because he removes the darkness (of ignorance).

10. One should always worship the Guru by deed, thought and word. One should prostrate before the Guru without any inhibition.

1. The Guru should be worshiped every day by prostration with eight limbs. There by one will attain firmness of mind and realization of one’s real nature (as the Self).
12. The eight limbs of prostration (sashtanga namaskara) are the hands, legs, knees, chest, head, eyes, mind and speech.

13. Prostration to the Guru (who is Brahman Himself), because of whose existence (as the substratum) the world appears real, because of whose effulgence all the creatures in the world are seen as existing and because of whose Bliss the creatures in the world enjoy happiness. (In this and the next verse the nature of Brahman, that It is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, is attributed to the Guru also, to point out that the Guru and Brahman are to be looked upon as one and that the Guru should not be considered to be just the human form).

14. Prostrations to the Guru (Brahman), because of being enlivened by whom (as the pure Consciousness) the mind of man (all beings) has consciousness in the states of waking, dream and deep sleep.

15. Prostrations to the Guru, mounted on the power of knowledge and adorned with the garland of Reality, who confers prosperity as well as liberation.

16. Prostrations to the Guru who burns by the power of the fire of knowledge the bondage of karma accumulated over innumerable lives.

17. The water with which the feet of the Guru have been washed dries up the ocean of trans-migration and burns (negates) all that is transient (by the realization that it is unreal). Prostrations to the Guru.

18. There is no greater Reality than the Guru, there is no greater austerity than (the worship of) the Guru, there is no knowledge greater than the Guru (who is Knowledge or Brahman Itself).

19. My Lord is the Lord of the universe, my Guru is the Guru of the universe (God), my Self is the Self in all beings. Prostrations to the Guru.

20. The Guru is the Cause, but has himself no cause or beginning. (This statement is made by identifying the Guru with Brahman, which is the Cause of the universe, but Itself has no cause. It is a fundamental principle in our tradition that the Guru should not be looked upon as a mere human being, but should be considered as Brahman or God Himself. The real import of many of the verses here can be properly understood only if this principle is kept in mind). The Guru is the supreme God. There is no mantra equal to the mantra of the Guru.

21. When proper discrimination arises, it will be realized that the Guru alone is the supreme well-wisher. The Guru is the embodiment of all Dharma. Prostrations to the Guru.

22. The universe exists in the Guru and the Guru is in the universe. The Guru is himself the universe. Prostrations to the Guru.

23. Prostrations to the Guru who shows the way of liberation for those who have got caught in the forest of Samsara (transmigration) and are bewildered by delusion.

24. O Uma, for the creatures who are agitated in mind and tormented by the fire of the three kinds of affliction (those of the body, those from other creatures and those caused by divine forces), the Guru is like the great Ganga river. Prostrations to the Guru.

25. All living beings have been bitten by the snake of ignorance. The Lord in the form of knowledge (Guru) is the only physician for them. Prostrations to the Guru.

26. Prostrations to the Guru who is Lord Siva Himself, who is the cause of the universe, who is the bridge for crossing the ocean of Samsara and who is the lord of all knowledge.

27. The form of the Guru is the object of meditation, the feet of the guru are the object of worship, the words of the Guru are the mantra and the grace of the Guru is the means of liberation.

'Om Tat Sat'

'Bhaja Govindaṁ' A Hymn to Govinda (Krishna) by 'Sripad Shankaracharya' - Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many past things. Alas! Hardly is there anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman.

'Bhaja Govindaṁ' was written by 'Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya' and is one of his greatest composition.

'Bhaja Govindaṁ'

भजगोविन्दं भजगोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भजमूढमते .
संप्राप्ते सन्निहिते काले
नहि नहि रक्षति डुकृञ्करणे .. १..
Text1

bhajagovindaṁ bhajagovindaṁ
govindaṁ bhajamūḍhamate |
samprāpte sannihite kāle
nahi nahi rakśati ḍukṛñkaraṇe || 1

Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda. Oh fool! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death.

मूढ जहीहि धनागमतृष्णां
कुरु सद्बुद्धिं मनसि वितृष्णाम् .
यल्लभसे निजकर्मोपात्तं
वित्तं तेन विनोदय चित्तम् .. २..
Text 2

mūḍha jahīhi dhanāgamatṛṣṇāṁ
kuru sadbuddhiṁ manasi vitṛṣṇām |
yallabhase nijakarmopāttaṁ
vittaṁ tena vinodaya cittam || 2

Oh fool! Give up your thirst to amass wealth, devote your mind to thoughts to the Real. Be content with what comes through actions already performed in the past.

नारीस्तनभर नाभीदेशं
दृष्ट्वा मागामोहावेशम् .
एतन्मांसावसादि विकारं
मनसि विचिन्तय वारं वारम् .. ३..
Text3

nārīstanabhara nābhīdeśaṁ
dṛṣṭvā māgāmohāveśam |
etanmāṁsāvasādi vikāraṁ
manasi vicintaya vāraṁ vāram || 3

Do not get drowned in delusion by going wild with passions and lust by seeing a woman's navel and chest. Bodies are flesh, fat and blood. Do not fail to remember this again and again in your mind.

नलिनीदलगत जलमतितरलं
तद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम् .
विद्धि व्याध्यभिमानग्रस्तं
लोकं शोकहतं च समस्तम् .. ४..
Text 4

nalinīdalagata jalamatitaralaṁ
tadvajjīvitamatiśayacapalam |
viddhi vyādhyabhimānagrastaṁ
lokaṁ śokahataṁ ca samastam || 4

Uncertain is the life of man as rain drops on a lotus leaf. Know that the whole world remains a prey to disease, ego and grief.

यावद्वित्तोपार्जन सक्तः
स्तावन्निज परिवारो रक्तः .
पश्चाज्जीवति जर्जर देहे
वार्तां कोऽपि न पृच्छति गेहे .. ५..

Text 5

yāvadvittopārjana saktaḥ
stāvannija parivāro raktaḥ |
paścājjīvati jarjara dehe
vārtāṁ ko'pi na pṛcchati gehe || 5

So long as a man is fit and able to support his family, see the affection all those around him show. But no one at home cares to even have a word with him when his body totters due to old age.

यावत्पवनो निवसति देहे
तावत्पृच्छति कुशलं गेहे .
गतवति वायौ देहापाये
भार्या बिभ्यति तस्मिन्काये .. ६..

Text 6

yāvatpavano nivasati dehe
tāvatpṛcchati kuśalaṁ gehe |
gatavati vāyau dehāpāye
bhāryā bibhyati tasminkāye || 6

When one is alive, his family members inquire kindly about his welfare. But when the soul departs from the body, even his wife runs away in fear of the corpse.

बालस्तावत्क्रीडासक्तः
तरुणस्तावत्तरुणीसक्तः .
वृद्धस्तावच्चिन्तासक्तः
परे ब्रह्मणि कोऽपि न सक्तः .. ७..

Text 7

bālastāvatkrīḍāsaktaḥ
taruṇastāvattaruṇīsaktaḥ |
vṛddhastāvaccintāsaktaḥ
pare brahmaṇi ko'pi na saktaḥ || 7

Childhood is lost in play. Youth is lost by attachment to woman. Old age passes away by thinking over many past things. Alas! Hardly is there anyone who yearns to be lost in Parabrahman.

काते कान्ता कस्ते पुत्रः
संसारोऽयमतीव विचित्रः .
कस्य त्वं कः कुत आयातः
तत्त्वं चिन्तय तदिह भ्रातः .. ८..

Text 8

kāte kāntā kaste putraḥ
saṁsāro'yamatīva vicitraḥ |
kasya tvaṁ kaḥ kuta āyātaḥ
tattvaṁ cintaya tadiha bhrātaḥ || 8

Who is your wife? Who is your son? Strange is this samsara. Of whom are you? Where have you come from? Brother, ponder over these truths.

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्स्ङ्गत्वं
निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् .
निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं
निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः .. ९..

Text 9

satsaṇgatve nissṇgatvaṁ
nissaṇgatve nirmohatvam |
nirmohatve niścalatattvaṁ
niścalatattve jīvanmuktiḥ || 9

From Satsanga comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness. From self-settledness comes Jivan Mukti (liberation).

वयसिगते कः कामविकारः
शुष्के नीरे कः कासारः .
क्षीणेवित्ते कः परिवारः
ज्ञाते तत्त्वे कः संसारः .. १०..

Text 10

vayasigate kaḥ kāmavikāraḥ
śuṣke nīre kaḥ kāsāraḥ |
kśīṇevitte kaḥ parivāraḥ
jñāte tattve kaḥ saṁsāraḥ || 10

What good is lust when youth has fled? What use is a lake which has no water? Where are the relatives when wealth is gone? Where is samsara (the continuation of birth and death) when the Truth is known?

मा कुरु धन जन यौवन गर्वं
हरति निमेषात्कालः सर्वम् .
मायामयमिदमखिलं हित्वा
ब्रह्मपदं त्वं प्रविश विदित्वा .. ११..

Text 11

mā kuru dhana jana yauvana garvaṁ
harati nimeṣātkālaḥ sarvam |
māyāmayamidamakhilaṁ hitvā
brahmapadaṁ tvaṁ praviśa viditvā || 11

Do not boast of wealth, friends, and youth. Each one of these are destroyed within a minute. Free yourself from the illusion of the world of Maya and attain the timeless Truth.

दिनयामिन्यौ सायं प्रातः
शिशिरवसन्तौ पुनरायातः .
कालः क्रीडति गच्छत्यायुः
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशावायुः .. १२..

Text 12

dinayāminyau sāyaṁ prātaḥ
śiśiravasantau punarāyātaḥ |
kālaḥ krīḍati gacchatyāyuḥ
tadapi na muñcatyāśāvāyuḥ || 12

Daylight and darkness, dusk and dawn, winter and springtime come and go. Time plays and life ebbs away. But the storm of desire never leaves.

द्वादशमञ्जरिकाभिरशेषः
कथितो वैयाकरणस्यैषः .
उपदेशो भूद्विद्यानिपुणैः
श्रीमच्छन्करभगवच्छरणैः .. १३..

Text 13

dvādaśamañjarikābhiraśeṣaḥ
kathito vaiyākaraṇasyaiṣaḥ |
upadeśo bhūdvidyānipuṇaiḥ
śrīmacchankarabhagavaccharaṇariḥ || 13

This bouquet of twelve verses was imparted to a grammarian by the all-knowing Shankara, adored as the bhagavadpada.

काते कान्ता धन गतचिन्ता
वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता .
त्रिजगति सज्जनसं गतिरैका
भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका .. १४..

Text 14

kāte kāntā dhana gatacintā
vātula kiṁ tava nāsti niyantā |
trijagati sajjanasaṁ gatiraikā
bhavati bhavārṇavataraṇe naukā || 14

Oh mad man! Why this engrossment in thoughts of wealth? Is there no one to guide you? There is only one thing in three worlds that can save you from the ocean of samsara. Get into that boat of satsanga (knowledge of the Truth) quickly.

जटिलो मुण्डी लुञ्छितकेशः
काषायाम्बरबहुकृतवेषः .
पश्यन्नपि चन पश्यति मूढः
उदरनिमित्तं बहुकृतवेषः .. १५..

Text 15

jaṭilo muṇḍī luñchitakeśaḥ
kāṣāyāmbarabahukṛtaveṣaḥ |
paśyannapi cana paśyati mūḍhaḥ
udaranimittaṁ bahukṛtaveṣaḥ || 15

There are many who go with matted locks, many who have clean shaven heads, many whose hairs have been plucked out; some are clothed in saffron, yet others in various colors --- all just for a livelihood. Seeing truth revealed before them, still the foolish ones see it not.

अङ्गं गलितं पलितं मुण्डं
दशनविहीनं जतं तुण्डम् .
वृद्धो याति गृहीत्वा दण्डं
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापिण्डम् .. १६..

Text 16

aṇgaṁ galitaṁ palitaṁ muṇḍaṁ
daśanavihīnaṁ jataṁ tuṇḍam |
vṛiddho yāti gṛihītvā daṇḍaṁ
tadapi na muñcatyāśāpiṇḍam || 16

Strength has left the old man's body; his head has become bald, his gums toothless and leaning on crutches. Even then the attachment is strong and he clings firmly to fruitless hope.

अग्रे वह्निः पृष्ठेभानुः
रात्रौ चुबुकसमर्पितजानुः .
करतलभिक्षस्तरुतलवासः
तदपि न मुञ्चत्याशापाशः .. १७..

Text 17

agre vahniḥ pṛṣṭhebhānuḥ
rātrau cubukasamarpitajānuḥ |
karatalabhikśastarutalavāsaḥ
tadapi na muñcatyāśāpāśaḥ || 17

Behold there lies the man who sits warming up his body with the fire in front and the sun at the back; at night he curls up the body to keep out of the cold; he eats his beggar's food from the bowl of his hand and sleeps beneath the tree. Still in his heart, he is a wretched puppet at the hands of passions.

कुरुते गङ्गासागरगमनं
व्रतपरिपालनमथवा दानम् .
ज्ञानविहिनः सर्वमतेन
मुक्तिं न भजति जन्मशतेन .. १८..

Text 18

kurute gaṅgāsāgaragamanaṁ
vrataparipālanamathavā dānam |
jñānavihinaḥ sarvamatena
muktiṁ na bhajati janmaśatena || 18

One may go to the Ganga, observe fasts, and give away riches in charity! Yet, devoid of jnana, nothing can give mukthi even at the end of a hundred births.

सुर मंदिर तरु मूल निवासः
शय्या भूतल मजिनं वासः .
सर्व परिग्रह भोग त्यागः
कस्य सुखं न करोति विरागः .. १९..

Text 19

sura mandira taru mūla nivāsaḥ
śayyā bhūtala majinaṁ vāsaḥ |
sarva parigraha bhoga tyāgaḥ
kasya sukhaṁ na karoti virāgaḥ || 19

Take your residence in a temple or below a tree, wear the deerskin for the dress, and sleep with mother earth as your bed. Give up all attachments and renounce all comforts. Blessed with such vairagya, could any fail to be content?

योगरतो वाभोगरतोवा
सङ्गरतो वा सङ्गवीहिनः .
यस्य ब्रह्मणि रमते चित्तं
नन्दति नन्दति नन्दत्येव .. २०..

Text 20

yogarato vābhogaratovā
saṇgarato vā saṇgavīhinaḥ |
yasya brahmaṇi ramate cittaṁ
nandati nandati nandatyeva || 20

One may take delight in yoga or bhoga, may have attachment or detachment. But only he whose mind steadily delights in Brahman enjoys bliss, no one else.

भगवद् गीता किञ्चिदधीता
गङ्गा जललव कणिकापीता .
सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा
क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा .. २१..

Text 21

bhagavad gītā kiñcidadhītā
gaṇgā jalalava kaṇikāpītā |
sakṛdapi yena murāri samarcā
kriyate tasya yamena na carcā || 21

Let a man read but a little from the Bhagavad-Gita, drink just a drop of water from the Ganga, worship Murari (Krishna) just once. He then will have no altercation with Yama (the lord of death).

पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं
पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम् .
इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे
कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे .. २२..

Text 22

punarapi jananaṁ punarapi maraṇaṁ
punarapi jananī jaṭhare śayanam |
iha saṁsāre bahudustāre
kṛpayā'pāre pāhi murāre ||22

Born again, death again, birth again to stay in the mother's womb! It is indeed hard to cross this boundless ocean of samsara. Oh Murari! Redeem me through Thy mercy.

रथ्या चर्पट विरचित कन्थः
पुण्यापुण्य विवर्जित पन्थः .
योगी योगनियोजित चित्तो
रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव .. २३..

Text 23

rathyā carpaṭa viracita kanthaḥ
puṇyāpuṇya vivarjita panthaḥ |
yogī yoganiyojita citto
ramate bālonmattavadeva || 23

There is no shortage of clothing for a monk so long as there are rags cast off the road. Freed from vice and virtue, onward he wanders. One who lives in communion with God enjoys bliss, pure and uncontaminated, like a child and as someone intoxicated.

कस्त्वं कोऽहं कुत आयातः
का मे जननी को मे तातः .
इति परिभावय सर्वमसारम्
विश्वं त्यक्त्वा स्वप्न विचारम् .. २४..

Text 24

kastvaṁ ko'haṁ kuta āyātaḥ
kā me jananī ko me tātaḥ |
iti paribhāvaya sarvamasāram
viśvaṁ tyaktvā svapna vicāram || 24

Who are you? Who am I? From where do I come? Who is my mother, who is my father? Ponder thus, look at everything as essence-less and give up the world as an idle dream.

त्वयि मयि चान्यत्रैको विष्णुः
व्यर्थं कुप्यसि मय्यसहिष्णुः .
भव समचित्तः सर्वत्र त्वं
वाञ्छस्यचिराद्यदि विष्णुत्वम् .. २५..

Text 25

tvayi mayi cānyatraiko viṣṇuḥ
vyarthaṁ kupyasi mayyasahiṣṇuḥ |
bhava samacittaḥ sarvatra tvaṁ
vāñchasyacirādyadi viṣṇutvam || 25

In me, in you and in everything, none but the same Vishnu dwells. Your anger and impatience is meaningless. If you wish to attain the quality of Vishnu soon, have Sama Bhaava always.

शत्रौ मित्रे पुत्रे बन्धौ
मा कुरु यत्नं विग्रहसन्धौ .
सर्वस्मिन्नपि पश्यात्मानं
सर्वत्रोत्सृज भेदाज्ञानम् .. २६..

Text 26

śatrau mitre putre bandhau
mā kuru yatnaṁ vigrahasandhau |
sarvasminnapi paśyātmānaṁ
sarvatrotsṛja bhedājñānam || 26

Do not waste your efforts to win the love of or to fight against friend and foe, children and relatives. See yourself in everyone and give up all feelings of duality completely.

कामं क्रोधं लोभं मोहं
त्यक्त्वाऽत्मानं भावय कोऽहम् .
आत्मज्ञान विहीना मूढाः
ते पच्यन्ते नरकनिगूढाः .. २७..

Text 27

kāmaṁ krodhaṁ lobhaṁ mohaṁ
tyaktvā'tmānaṁ bhāvaya ko'ham |
ātmajñāna vihīnā mūḍhāḥ
te pacyante narakanigūḍhāḥ || 27

Give up lust, anger, infatuation, and greed. Ponder over your real nature. Fools are they who are blind to the Self. Cast into hell they suffer there endlessly.

गेयं गीता नाम सहस्रं
ध्येयं श्रीपति रूपमजस्रम् .
नेयं सज्जन सङ्गे चित्तं
देयं दीनजनाय च वित्तम् .. २८..
Text 28

geyaṁ gītā nāma sahasraṁ
dhyeyaṁ śrīpati rūpamajasram |
neyaṁ sajjana saṇge cittaṁ
deyaṁ dīnajanāya ca vittam || 28

Regularly recite from the Bhagavad-Gita, meditate on Vishnu in your heart, and chant His thousand glories. Take delight to be with the noble and the holy. Distribute your wealth in charity to the poor and the needy.

सुखतः क्रियते रामाभोगः
पश्चाद्धन्त शरीरे रोगः .
यद्यपि लोके मरणं शरणं
तदपि न मुञ्चति पापाचरणम् .. २९..
Text 29


sukhataḥ kriyate rāmābhogaḥ
paścāddhanta śarīre rogaḥ |
yadyapi loke maraṇaṁ śaraṇaṁ
tadapi na muñcati pāpācaraṇam || 29

He who yields to lust for pleasure leaves his body a prey to disease. Though death brings an end to everything, man does not give up the sinful path.

अर्थमनर्थं भावय नित्यं
नास्तिततः सुखलेशः सत्यम् .
पुत्रादपि धन भाजां भीतिः
सर्वत्रैषा विहिआ रीतिः .. ३०..

Text 30

arthamanarthaṁ bhāvaya nityaṁ
nāstitataḥ sukhaleśaḥ satyam |
putrādapi dhana bhājāṁ bhītiḥ
sarvatraiṣā vihiā rītiḥ || 30

Wealth is not welfare, truly there is no joy in it. Reflect thus at all times. A rich man fears even his own son. This is the way of wealth everywhere.

प्राणायामं प्रत्याहारं
नित्यानित्य विवेकविचारम् .
जाप्यसमेत समाधिविधानं
कुर्ववधानं महदवधानम् .. ३१..

Text 31

prāṇāyāmaṁ pratyāhāraṁ
nityānitya vivekavicāram |
jāpyasameta samādhividhānaṁ
kurvavadhānaṁ mahadavadhānam || 31

Regulate the pranas (life airs within), remain unaffected by external influences and discriminate between the real and the fleeting. Chant the holy name of God and silence the turbulent mind. Perform these with care, with extreme care.

गुरुचरणाम्बुज निर्भर भकतः
संसारादचिराद्भव मुक्तः .
सेन्द्रियमानस नियमादेवं
द्रक्ष्यसि निज हृदयस्थं देवम् .. ३२..
Text 32

gurucaraṇāmbuja nirbhara bhakataḥ
saṁsārādacirādbhava muktaḥ |
sendriyamānasa niyamādevaṁ
drakśyasi nija hṛdayasthaṁ devam || 32

Oh devotee of the lotus feet of the Guru! May thou be soon free from Samsara. Through disciplined senses and controlled mind, thou shalt come to experience the indwelling Lord of your heart!

मूढः कश्चन वैयाकरणो
डुकृञ्करणाध्ययन धुरिणः .
श्रीमच्छम्कर भगवच्छिष्यै
बोधित आसिच्छोधितकरणः .. ३३..

Text 33

mūḍhaḥ kaścana vaiyākaraṇo
ḍukṛñkaraṇādhyayana dhuriṇaḥ |
śrīmacchamkara bhagavacchiṣyai
bodhita āsicchodhitakaraṇaḥ || 33

Thus was a silly grammarian lost in rules cleansed of his narrow vision and shown the Light by Shankara's apostles.

भजगोविन्दं भजगोविन्दं
गोविन्दं भजमूढमते .
नामस्मरणादन्यमुपायं
नहि पश्यामो भवतरणे .. ३४..
Text 34

bhajagovindaṁ bhajagovindaṁ
govindaṁ bhajamūḍhamate |
nāmasmaraṇādanyamupāyaṁ
nahi paśyāmo bhavataraṇe || 34

Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool! Other than chanting the Lord's names, there is no other way to cross the life's ocean.

'Rudra Gita'-The Rudra-Gita is contained in Slokas 16-79 of chapter 24 – Skandha IV of Srimad Bhagavata and chapters 70-72 of Varaha-purana. Of all the blessings a man can receive, the highest is what is got by spiritual enlightenment. With spiritual enlightenment as the boat, man crosses the limitless ocean of samsara.

Hymn of Liberation

Vidura said:

1. Oh holy one! How did the Prachetas happen to meet with Sri Rudra on the way, and what was the precious instruction he imparted to them?
2. Embodied beings cannot contact Sri Rudra. Even rishis practicing renunciation can commune with him only in meditation but not physically.

The Perennial Philosophy considers that pure Consciousness is the true state of the divine Ground or the Godhead and it permeates the whole universe as the pure activity of the Godhead. God is, therefore, Spirit and one can commune and be one with God only in spirit – in consciousness.
3. Even though Sri Rudra is immersed in the bliss of the Self, he, for the proper functioning of the world order, often goes about in a mood and form that strike terror in all.
The pure Infinite Consciousness appears to become whatever forms It takes whenever It manifests Itself. When the Infinite Consciousness in the form of life-breath enters into bodies and begins to vibrate various parts, it is said that those bodies are living. It is a small part of the Infinite Consciousness that becomes the intelligence in these bodies. This intelligence, entering into these bodies, brings into being the different organs like the eyes, hands, legs, etc.
It is this intelligence which is part of the Infinite Consciousness that fancies itself differently in different objects. When it fancies itself to be a human being, it becomes so.
Maitreya said:
4. The noble-minded Prachetas, in obedience to their father’s command, set their mind on practicing austerity and, for this, traveled in a westerly direction.
Austerity does not mean the practice of mortification which does not necessarily lead to a virtuous life. The mortified may practice all the cardinal virtues such as prudence, fortitude, temperance and chastity and yet remain a thoroughly bad man. This is for the reason that his virtues are accompanied by, and connected with, the sins of pride, envy, chronic anger and uncharitableness assuming the proportion of active cruelty. Mistaking the means for the end, the puritan fancies himself holy because he is austere. But austerity is just the exaltation of the ego of the individual. Holiness, on the other hand, is the total denial of the separative self and abandonment of the will to God. To the extent that there is attachment to ‘I’, ‘me’ and ‘mine’, there is no attachment to God and only affirmation of self. It is austerity coupled with holiness that leads to divinity.
5. On nearing the sea coast, they found an extensive lake with water as pure and limpid as the minds of mahatmas.
6-7. Blue lotuses, red lotuses, white lotuses, kalhara, blue water-lilies, etc were blooming on the surface of the lake. Birds like swans, storks, chakravakas and karandavas filled the air with their varied warblings. There were trees and creepers which looked as if they were covered with horripilations on hearing the buzzing of honey-beetles maddened with flower-nectar. The whole atmosphere there was fragrant with the pollen of flowers, with which the place abounded.

8. The Prachetas were astonished to hear notes of heavenly music to the accompaniment of many musical instruments like mridanga and panava.
9-10. They saw coming out of that lake the blue-throated, three-eyed Lord Siva of the complexion of burnished gold, accompanied by his retinue and a host of singing gandharvas and Devas. Seeing him, the thrilled Prachetas made prostrations before him.
11. Lord Siva, who always relieves the sufferings of those who seek his protection and who is fond of those who follow the dharma, was highly pleased with the Prachetas for their virtues and their knowledge of the ways of righteous living. He spoke to them as follows:
Prayer is the most important medium of spiritual practices. Prayer is the petition asking of something for ourselves; and intercession for others.
To acquire his petition answered, a man need not have to know or to love God or even His image. All that he requires is a burning sense of fulfillment of his desires, coupled with firm conviction that there exists, out in the universe, something not himself, which can be dragooned into satisfying these desires. With the necessary degree of faith and persistence, the chances are that, sooner or later, somehow or other, he gets what he wants. It is the experience of human beings through ages that whatever is sought with firm faith and conviction that God delivers. Whether what he gets, in response to his petition, is morally or materially good or not, only time can say. It may, however, be legitimate for us to pray for anything, which is legitimate for us to desire.
Rudra said:
12. You are the sons of Prachinabarhis. I understand what you are after. May good fortune attend on you! It is only to bless you that I have made myself visible to you.
13. Dear to me is that fortunate devotee who has taken shelter whole-heartedly at the feet of Vasudeva, who is subtler than, and transcends, both Prakrti and Purusa.
Vasudeva is the Brahman, considered the Supreme Deity. IT is not one among many. Everything in the world has its being in the Brahman. It is concrete in the sense that IT IS and asserts itself in the form ‘I-AM’. We only know that IT IS. It cannot be a person, as the word is generally understood. IT IS, and yet indeterminate, beyond speech and concept.
The Brahman – the highest Being is the Absolute, Transcendental Self. The three distinctions – Being (Existence), Reality and Truth become one in the Absolute Reality.
14. Those, who have lived adhering to their svadharma for a hundred lives, go to the sphere of Brahma; those, who have done so for a still longer period, come to my sphere. But the greatest devotees of Mahavisnu go directly to His transcendent sphere immediately after the death of the physical body, just as Indra, I and other Kalas (specially commissioned souls) do at the end of our mission.
The Bhagavad-Gita teaches, ‘It is better to perform one’s own svadharma (obligations) poorly than to do another’s well’. Svadharma does not refer to one’s individual or chosen personal obligations. Indeed it connotes an impersonal generic ethical category, which impels one to discharge one’s duties determined by one’s place in society. Svadharma embodies the same ethical values, as does varna-asramadharma.

15. You, the devotees of Bhagawan Visnu, are as dear to me as the Bhagawan Himself. And to the devotees of Bhagawan, there is none as dear as I am.
16. I shall teach you a hymn of praise which takes man to the highest goal of liberation. You have to repeat this holy and auspicious hymn in clear accents. Now listen to it.
Liberation is entering the realm of Freedom – Moksa or salvation. The ways to enter the said realm are self-control, spirit of inquiry, contentment and good company.

The seeker who rests his mind in the eternal is fully self-controlled and is, therefore, in peace. He sees that pain and pleasure chase and cancel each other. In that wisdom there is self-control and peace. One cannot rest one’s mind in the eternal by rites and rituals, by pilgrimage or by acquisition of life. Such state is attained only by transcending the mind and by the cultivation of wisdom. The transcending of the mind with the resulting self-control is the fruit of wisdom. When the mind is at peace, pure, tranquil, free from delusion or hallucination and free from cravings of sense pleasure, it does not long for anything, nor does it reject anything. This is self-control or transcending the mind. Self-control is the main way to liberation.
Maitreya said:
17. Saying so with a very loving heart, Siva, who was wholly devoted to Narayana, spoke thus to those Prachetas standing before him with hands joined in salutation.
Sri Rudra said:
18-19. Oh Lord! Victory unto Thee! Thy supremacy is for the exaltation of the great knowers of the Atman! May good befall me! Thou art the ever Self-fulfilled. Salutations to Thee who bears the cosmic Lotus in Thy navel, to Thee who art the controller of all the evolute s of Prakrti latent in that Lotus. Salutations to Thee manifest as Vasudeva, the peaceful, the unperturbed, the self-effulgent, and the Lord of chitta (mental stuff).
The self-conscious atman in a human being is the spirit within, ontologically. It seeks realization of itself, meaning to be real with it. It is self-realization. It is an experience for the spirit or the self. It is beingness what it seeks.
The ‘I’ consciousness is the pure being, eternal existence, free from ignorance and thought illusion. If the seeker stays as the ‘I’, his being alone, without thought, the ‘I’ thought for him will disappear. The illusion will vanish for him forever.
The real Self is the infinite ‘I’. The infinite ‘I’ is eternal. It is perfection. It is without a beginning or an end.
When the ‘I’ (ego) merges into the ‘I’ (existence-consciousness – sat-cit), what arises is the infinite ‘I’. This is the true ‘I’ consciousness – the Atman.
20. Salutations to Thee as Sankarshana – the master of the category of ahamkara or the ego-sense, whose nature is subtle and infinite and who consumes the worlds. Salutations to Thee as Pradyumna – the controller of the intellect, the bestow er of consciousness on all beings, and the inner ruler.
21. Salutations to Thee manifest as Aniruddha, the controller of manas (mind), which regulates the senses. Salutations also to Thee manifest as the sun, whose glorious light spreads everywhere and who is ever the same.
22. Salutations to Thee, the gateway to heaven and to salvation, the eternal resident of the pure heart. Salutations to Thee in the form of fire – the accomplish er of the rite of Chaturhotra and the support of all yajnas.
23. Salutations to Thee who assume the form of the food of the pitris and the Devas, who protects the Devas, and who are the soma juice which forms the essence of yajnas. Thou art the essence of water which satisfies the thirst of creatures and keeps them happy and contented.
24. Salutations to Thee who are of the nature of Earth, who are the bodies of all beings, and who abide as the Cosmic Body. Salutations again to Thee who are the ether that holds sway over the whole universe and who are the vitality that supports the minds, the senses and the bodies of all.
The cosmic Being is the omnipresent omniscience. It shines eternally. When a vibration arises in the cosmic Being, creation ensues comprising countless varieties of animate and inanimate, sentient and insentient beings in the universe. The cosmic Being shines in all the beings so created.
The Cosmic Being has two bodies, the superior body that is Pure Consciousness and the other that is the cosmos. All activity that takes place in the cosmos originates in the Pure Consciousness. As a result, the cosmos is seen to be real. The Cosmic Being exists in its Pure Consciousness as a sage exists in his atman in his meditation.

25. Salutations to Thee who are the support of the conceptions of within and without, and who, as the ether, manifest sound by which objects have come to be denoted. Salutations, again, to Thee who are unlimited brilliance and the heavenly region that is attained through great merit.
Space (dik) and ether (akasa) are interrelated. On the basis of the Upanisads, both dik and akasa are associated with the ear and sound. Often it is space that is associated with the ear (srotra). But dik generally means direction. We know by experience that our ears recognize the directions from which sounds come.
Etymologically, akasa (ether) means that which shines in all directions or everywhere. Shining is primary and “from or on all sides” is secondary. The second meaning is that of scope, place, room, etc in the sense that there is no room enough for ten persons here. In the present context, akasa (ether) is what makes the appearance possible on all sides of the object facing one. This is not ether. Nor is it the scientific concept of space that does not have the connotation of appearing or shining. Then, ‘all round and everywhere’ turns out to be not oneself as the subject, but an object for one. As in the case of time and space, we are to bear in mind that dik and akasa are not mere physical substances existing independently and in separation of one’s personality. We have to identify and equate the two. They constitute the basis of one’s personality – one’s I-am.

26. Salutations to Thee who are the meritorious deeds that take one to the worlds of enjoyment, and the holy living that leads one to the realms of spiritual glory – to Thee who are also Death and the inflictor of the suffering which accrues as the result of evil deeds.Dharma is, on one count, the ethical potency or the force or the power of merit and demerit that controls the universe. It is the governing ethical force of the universe. The Mimamsa says that merit and demerit are not qualities (gunas); they constitute the potential force, which are the Extraordinary and the Unseen. This force resides in the atman in the agent and controls and determines the future life of the atman here, hereafter and in the future lives, which it takes through transmigration. Enjoyment or suffering physically arises as a result of the merit or demerit of the actions performed. On the other hand, austerity coupled with holiness leads to liberation. 

27. Salutations to Thee who are the fulfiller of all prayers and the omniscient First Cause. Salutations again to Thee, Krishna, who are infinite intelligence and the teacher of the Universal Gospel – to Thee who are also the ancient Being who revealed the Sankhya and the Yoga.
Sankhya is the science of the spirit. Yoga is the art of spiritual communion.
28. Salutations to Thee who are Rudra, the embodiment of the I-sense and the seat of the triune efficiency of action, instrument of action, and action itself. Salutations to Thee, who are also Brahma, the source of all scriptures and endowed with the power of knowledge and action.
There is no experience that is not the experience of the ego (I-sense). Neither the mind nor the senses work in the absence of the ego such as ‘I see’, ‘I do’, etc. They work only in unison with the ego. If the ego is not present, the mind does not think, nor do the senses perceive. Yet the Ego is a product of Prakrti or Nature.
The ego is of three kinds, depending on which of the three attributes is dominant – the transparent ego, the active ego and the static ego. In fact, the three are aspects or phases of the same ego. All the other non-physical categories such as the mind, the five senses, the five organs of action, the five subtle elements and the five gross elements, all of which constitute the world of experience issue out of the ego. It comprehends and covers the entire world. It is not merely related to any one point of reference.
Shankara says, “Talk as much philosophy as you please, worship as many gods as you like, observe all ceremonies, sing devoted praises to any number of divine beings – liberation never comes, even at the end of a hundred aeons, without realization of the Self. This realization of the Self is within and yet transcendentally other than the individual ego. The realization of the Self is enlightenment of the ignorance and deliverance from the mortal consequences of that ignorance”.
29. Thou who are the Light of Consciousness that reveals all perceptions! Grant unto us, who are praying for it, the vision of that form of Thine which is dear to all devotees and which is worshiped by all bhagavatas.
Shankara says, ‘If you do not have a consciousness, then everything is dark and nothing in the universe exists’. This corresponds to the view of the modern quantum mechanics that unless you can observe a thing, it just does not exist. This is for the reason that there must be an interaction between the observer and the observed to complete a measurement. It is consciousness that fills the bill in the material world in the sense that it determines its existence and makes possible its perception.
30. Grant unto us the vision of Thee, who have the blue complexion of a fresh water-laden rain-cloud and who are endowed with four well-proportioned arms, and a handsome face;
31. who have eyes like lotus petals, attractive eyebrows, nose, teeth, cheeks, face and ears;
32. whose side long-glances overflow with joy; who have handsome locks of hair, ear-ornaments and a wearing-cloth yellow in color like the inside of a lotus flower;
33. who are bedecked with a shining diadem, bracelets, pearl necklaces, anklets, girdles, etc and rendered attractive with hands holding the conch, discus, mace and lotus, besides jewel-chain and the like;
34. who have shoulders powerful like those of a lion and lustrous with various ornaments, a neck beautified with the gem kaustubha¸ and a chest with Sri clinging to it, which thereby eclipses the beauty of a polished stone edged with gold;
35. who have an abdomen broad and indrawn like a banyan leaf and beautified by its three creases, and the slight movement caused by breathing;
36. who wear on Thy comely waist of bluish tinge a bright yellow cloth encircled by a golden waist-band; who have handsome flanks, thighs, knees and feet; and
37. whose feet resemble an autumnal lotus in beauty and remove the darkness of sin overcasting the mind with the spiritual radiance of its nails. Oh Teacher of all! Thou are verily the reveal er of the path to be trodden by all spiritual aspirants, groping in the darkness of ignorance.
38. To those who aspire for self-purification, meditation on this form offers the means. For those who discharge their duties as offerings unto Thee, their devotion provides them with protection.
39. Only men endowed with supreme devotion can attain Thee – the rarest of all attainments for men, the object of the quest even of inhabitants of heavenly regions, and the supreme goal of all endowed with self-knowledge.
40. After having worshiped Thee with single-minded devotion, which is very difficult of attainment and rare even among holy men, who would desire any blessings other than the shelter provided by Thy holy feet!

41. Even Yama, who destroys the whole world with a slight but energetic and threatening movement of his brows, considers devotees who have taken shelter at Thy feet as beyond his sway.
42. I consider not the attainment of heaven, or even of liberation, not to speak of worldly attainments, as comparable with the blessing of contacting a real devotee of the Lord even for a moment.The highest devotion to God transcends the three qualities – tamasic, rajasic and sattvic. It is a spontaneous and uninterrupted inclination of the soul towards God. Such devotion springs up spontaneously in the heart of a true devotee, as soon as he hears the mention of God or His attributes. A devotee possessing love of God of this nature desires nothing even if he is offered the happiness of Heaven in whatever way it is conceived. The devotee’s desire is only to love God under all conditions – in pleasure and pain, honour and dishonour, prosperity and privation.

43. Therefore, may we have the company of holy men who have attained to purification of their minds and bodies by Thy holy communion – of the mind by hearing about the sin–destroying accounts of Thy excellence s and of the body by bathing in the holy Ganga, which is the ablution of Thy feet. Such holy men are full of love, benevolence and straightforwardness, and there is no place in their heart for any low passion.

44. By the practice of devotion of Thee, the sages attain to a state where the mind is neither drawn to, nor agitated by, external objects; nor is it overcome by dullness and sleep but stays in itself perfectly still and awake. In such a state of mind, the sage intuits the Truth.
The fictitious moment of energy in consciousness is known as mind. The expressions of the mind are thoughts and ideas. Consciousness minus conceptualization is the eternal Brahman. Consciousness plus conceptualization is thought.
The mind is free of delusion when it becomes devoid of all attachment, when the pairs of opposites do not sway it, when it is not attracted to objects and when it is totally independent of all supports.
The transcendence of the mind where even the form vanishes pertains to the disembodied sage. In the case of such a mind, no trace is left. In it there are neither qualities nor their absence, neither virtues nor their absence, neither light nor darkness, neither existence nor non-existence, neither conditioning nor notions, etc. It is a state of supreme quiescence and equilibrium. This is the state of nirvana, the state of supreme peace where the sage intuits the Truth.
45. Thou are that Light of lights, expansive and all-pervading like the sky, the Brahman whose consciousness is the reveal er and sustain er of the universe, and whose glory everything in it proclaims.In the Infinite Consciousness, there is an inherent non-recognition of its infinite nature that appears to manifest as ‘I’ and the ‘world’. Just as there is an image in a marble slab even if it has not been carved, the notions of ‘I’ and the ‘world’ exist in the Infinite Consciousness. This is its creation. The word ‘creation’ has no other connotation. No creation takes place in the Supreme Being or the Infinite Consciousness. The Infinite Consciousness is not involved in the creation. They do not stand in a divided relationship to each other.It may be said that the world appearance is real so far as it is the manifestation of consciousness and because of direct experience. It may be said that it is unreal when it is grasped by the intellect. This is similar to wind being perceived real in its motion while non-existent when there is no motion. The mirage-like appearance of the cosmos exists as not different from the Absolute Brahman.
46. Thou, Oh Lord, are the free and unaffected Being, although Thy power Maya, giving rise to myriad forms (the multiplicity), creates, preserves and destroys this universe, and leads one to wrongly feel that this multiplicity has an existence apart from Thee.The verbal root of Maya is ma, meaning to measure. The etymological root of the word Maya makes it clear that it is something that makes the object we experience determinate through spatial, temporal and causal laws.
The Svetasvatara Upanisad gives an idea that Maya is a kind of net thrown on Being, making it look like the world fixed by some laws, constituting the structure of the net. This idea makes it clear that Maya is not mere illusion. The object of any illusion, like that of dream, disappears later, whatever fright it may have created in the person experiencing it. The idea of the Brahman creating the world, which does not exist on its own, through His will, involves something like the idea of illusion. Salvation as the ultimate goal is freedom from determinateness whether it is the life of pain or pleasure, happiness or sorrow, good or bad, knowledge or ignorance. It is the same as freedom from Maya.
P. Sriramachandrudu explains succinctly that Maya is indescribable. It is neither existent, nor non-existent, nor both. It is not existent, for the Brahman alone is the existent (sat). It is not non-existent, for it is responsible for the appearance of the world. It cannot be both existent and non-existent as such a statement is self-contradictory. It is thus neither real, nor unreal; it is Mithya. But it is not a non-entity or a figment of imagination like the son of a barren woman. In the example of a rope mistaken for a snake, the rope is the ground on which the illusion of snake is super-imposed. When right knowledge dawns, the illusion disappears. The relation between the rope and the snake is neither that of identity nor of difference, nor of both. It is unique and known as non-difference (tadatmya). Similarly, the Brahman is the ground, the substratum on which the world appears through Its potency – Maya. When right knowledge dawns, the real nature of the world is realized as Maya disappears.
47. With various rituals and kindred supports, the yogis worship Thee in several forms of spiritual glory, with faith in the rituals and hope in their success. Only those who understand all these forms to be Thyself can be considered knower of the Veda and other scriptures. 

48. Prior to creation, Thou alone did exist, with Maya, Thy creative power, abiding in Thee latent. Then Maya manifested itself as Prakrti, with its constituents of sattva, rajas and tamas, and out of these have come all the categories, and the worlds formed out of them and all beings such as the celestial s, rishis and men inhabiting them.
The Supreme Being (Purusa) carries in IT all of Prakrti, sometimes keeping its forces latent and other times patent, and identifying IT with its manifestations.
For the Supreme Being to throw reflection into Prakrti, Its consciousness must have a direction towards Prakrti into which Its reflection is to be thrown. The Supreme Being is, therefore, to hold Prakrti as Its innate part. This is best explained in the Svetasvatara Upanisad that Prakrti is an ingredient of the Supreme I-am. This directionality or intentionality has its orientations within Existence itself, in which a split is introduced. We may not know why it has been introduced, but it is a matter of experience of its being. This experience cannot be explained without assuming transcendental implications pointing to the ultimate unity of Existence or Being.

From the point of view of ontology, Prakrti may be the process of the energy emanating from the Being, forming into objects all around. The split in the Being may be due to Becoming issuing out of Being, which the transcendental I-AM is. There is no Becoming without Being. The activity of Becoming has to occur in a field, sub-consciously stable in order to be recognized as the activity of Becoming. There can be no Becoming without a force behind. This force is to be operative in the Being Itself. There can be no other source for it.
Prakrti (Unmanifest) is the world of change in its unmanifest state. For this reason it is called the Unmanifest (Avyakta). It is also called the Primary (Pradhana) as it is the source, the origin of everything therein.
Prakrti has three attributes – Sattva (serenity, tendency to manifestation), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (inertia, obstruction to manifestation). Everything in the world is the product of these three attributes.
49. Into the four kinds of bodies created by Thy sakti, Thou do enter with an aspect of Thine. A reflection of Thyself in the body is the Jiva, who enjoys the world of objects with the senses as the bee does the nectar in flowers.
The Upanisads proclaim that the living beings on earth are born in four ways – born from the womb (garbhaja), born from an egg (andaja), generated from sweat or warm vapour (svedaja) and sprouted out of seeds (udbhijja). These four ways of creation cover all living beings on earth from the Creator to a blade of grass.

The Infinite Consciousness abandons, as it were, its supreme state, to limit itself as the Jiva. This happens merely by the creative thought inherent in the Cosmic Being, not as real transformation of the Infinite Brahman.
From the vibration in the Infinite Consciousness, the Jiva becomes manifest. The mind becomes manifest from the Jiva as the Jiva thinks. The mind itself entertains the notions of the five elements and it transforms itself into those elements. Whatever the mind thinks of, it sees. Thereafter, the Jiva acquires the sense organs one after the other. In this there is no causal connection between the mind and the senses, but there is the coincidence of the thought and of the manifestation of the sense organs. This is how the cosmic Jiva comes into being. The intelligence that identifies itself with certain movements of life force in the Self is known as the Jiva or the living soul.
50. Thy presence behind Nature cannot be seen but can be inferred. It is Thou as Time, imperceptible but irresistibly fast in movement that drives, with terrific speed, all manifested beings along their course like a terrific wind blowing away the massed clouds, and ultimately brings them to their destruction by the interaction of elements.
The true ontological Being – the Supreme I-AM is the God (aham asmi) of the Upanisads. It is also called the Brahman. The word Brahman is derived from the Sanskrit verbal root brh, meaning to grow, to expand. The Brahman is the ever growing, the ever expanding and the infinite dynamic being without limits or bounds. This dynamism involves infinite energy, force or power. The Brahman is thus not understood as mere abstract being, but as the root of the cosmos itself.
Time wears everything out in the cosmos. There is nothing in creation, which is beyond its reach. Time alone creates innumerable universes and destroys everything, too.
Time allows a glimpse of itself through its partial manifestation as the moment, the year, the age, the epoch, etc. There is essentially no difference between a moment and an epoch, both being measures of time. But its essential nature is inexorable. It overpowers everything. It cannot be analyzed. However much it is divided, it still survives, indestructible. It has an insatiable appetite for everything. It is indeed this Time that successively creates and dissolves the universe (s) again and again. As a mighty mountain is rooted in earth, the Time is established only in the Brahman – the Absolute Being may be identical with it. No one really knows what this Time is as no one really knows what the Brahman is.
There are two more aspects of Time. One relates to the phenomenon of birth and death. In this aspect we refer to it as the deity presiding over death. The second aspect of Time is Krtanta – the end of action, its inevitable result or fruition. Every action in Time has its own inevitable result. On account of this Krtanta, everything in this world is ever in change. There is no permanency in the world. For this reason, this world is considered unreal, not non-existent. This is the mysterious power that governs the creation and is innate in all. Its individualized aspect is regarded as egotism. Egotism is what destroys creation. The entire universe is under its control; its will alone prevails.

51. All the creatures of the world, steeped in lust and greed, and engrossed in thoughts on the ways and means of securing their worldly ambitions, are quickly consumed by Thee, the UN-winking and watchful spirit of Time, as a hungry serpent might swallow a rat that it comes upon. In all the experiences of happiness and unhappiness, as also in all the hallucinations and imaginations, it is mind that does everything and experiences everything. It is the performer of all actions. The seed of this world-appearance is ignorance. Man acquires this ignorance or mental conditioning effortlessly. It seems to promote pleasure though, in truth, it is the source of grief. It creates a delusion of pleasure only by the veiling of self-knowledge. When one becomes aware of the unreality of this mental conditioning, one’s mind ceases to be. As long as there is no natural yearning for self-knowledge, so long ignorance or mental conditioning throws up an endless stream of world-appearance. This ignorance perishes when it turns towards self-knowledge.

52. Even Brahma, the supreme teacher of us all, worships Thee, conscious of the limits of his own existence. All the fourteen Manus, the Lords of the world, adore Thee in absolute faith without any intrusion by the questioning of the intellect. Under the circumstances, which intelligent man would forsake Thy feet, knowing that his life has no meaning and is spent in vain if it has not been utilized for Thy worship?
53. Oh Supreme Lord! The whole world is gripped with the fear of death; but to us who know Thee, Thou are a haven free of fear.
Renunciation of everything puts an end to all sorrow. By renunciation, everything is gained. Renunciation of the ego-sense leads to realization of the Absolute. There is total renunciation when the mind – citta with the ego-sense is abandoned. When one abandons the mind, one is no more afflicted by fear of old age, death and such other events in life. That alone is supreme bliss. All else is terrible sorrow.
54. Oh princes! Pure in life and performing your svadharma, you should repeat this prayer hymn.
55. Ever meditating on Him and praising Him, adore Him who pervades everything and resides in you as the Atman.
56. Hear and repeat this hymn known as ‘Yoga-adesa’ again and again with concentration, to the exclusion of all other thoughts.
57. In days of yore, Brahma imparted this hymn to Bhrigu and the other offspring of His who were desirous of multiplying the species.
58. All those Prajapatis, so commissioned, are engaged in bringing forth various beings, with their ignorance dispelled by the repetition of this stotra.

Rudra said:
12. Listen to me, all of you, Devas, devarishis, brahmarishis, and you intelligent Agastya in particular.
13-14. He for whom sacrifices are to be performed is the great and omnipresent Lord Narayana from whom the entire universe has arisen and in whom it is dissolved along with Devas.
The Brahman is ontologically prior to everything. IT is, therefore, to be regarded as the origin of everything. The Vedanta Aphorisms define the Brahman as that to which the birth, maintenance and destruction of the world have to be attributed. The Brahman is, therefore, considered the creator, the sustain er and the destroyer of the world. The world-appearance is said to have the Absolute Brahman as its cause, in the same way as the sky (space) is the cause of the growth of the tree, for the sky does not obstruct its growth. In fact, the Brahman is not an active causative factor.

15-16. That great Lord put himself to a three-fold transformation. With sattva predominating in Him, He associated Himself with rajas and tamas, and created out of His navel Brahma seated in the lotus. Brahma, associated himself with rajas and tamas, created me.
Prakrti has three attributes – Sattva (serenity, tendency to manifestation), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (inertia, obstruction to manifestation). Everything in the world is the product of these three attributes.
17-18. Lord Hari is sattva and He is the ultimate. Brahma, the four-faced god who arose from the lotus, is sattva and rajas. That, which is both rajas and tamas is, no doubt, me.
When the mind is transcended or ceases to be, purity and noble qualities arise. The existence of such purity in a liberated sage is known as sattva. This state of the mind is called ‘death of the mind where form remains’. Lord Hari is sattva embodied as He is Pure Consciousness.
19. There is the trio constituted of sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is of the nature of Narayana and all living beings are liberated by it.
20. By rajas associated with sattva arises this creation which has got rajas predominating. This is well known as the creation of Brahma.
Prakrti is considered to be in a state of dormancy when its three attributes are in perfect equilibrium. This is said to be the original state of Prakrti when there is no world of forms and names – objects. The Sankhya philosophy states that when the reflection of the Supreme Being (Purusa) is thrown in Prakrti, the latter is disturbed. This disturbance upsets the original equilibrium of the three attributes. As a result, any one attribute dominates the other two. Evolution ensues into the world of forms.
Ontologically, the attributes constituting Prakrti are ever active. But the stability of Prakrti like any other object or any society means that the forces inherent in it are in a state of equilibrium, none becoming dominant over the others, all being equally active and the activities of each force being harmonious with the activities of the others. Stability, then, does not mean inactivity, lethargy but harmony in activity. What is essentially and by nature force cannot but be active. What we call its in-activity may really be its pulsations of activity under the same conditions and in the same circumstances and pattern. In such an event, the change is not observable, though it always exists.
21. The actions not laid down in the Veda but are, however, based on Sastras are called Raudra (pertaining to Rudra) and it is not commended to people.
22. Actions not out of rajas, but purely out of tamas, lead people to ruin both in the present world and in the world beyond.
One who does not do actions out of ignorance is under the influence of the attribute of the Darkness (tamas). One who gives them up because of the difficulties they involve is under the influence of the attribute of the Active (rajas ). Either is wrong. The one who performs actions without any self-interest is under the influence of the attribute of the Transparent (sattva). He is the true renouncer of action, the true knower and the truly wise.
23. Sattva pertains to Narayana, and living beings have sattva as the means of liberation. And Narayana is considered as of the nature of sacrifice.

59. Those devotees who study this hymn everyday with faith and concentration will surely attain to the highest goal.
60. Of all the blessings a man can receive, the highest is what is got by spiritual enlightenment. With spiritual enlightenment as the boat, man crosses the limitless ocean of samsara.
The ocean of the world is the cycle of birth-death-rebirth syndrome, without end, known as samsara. He who falls into an ocean is tossed about hither and thither by the waves and the currents of the ocean. He finds it very hard to reach the shore. He suffers in the process. Similarly, in samsara, in the cycle of birth and death, desires and sensual actions toss us about hither and thither. We suffer in the process and cannot attain the goal of Self Knowledge. A seeker is able to overcome the samsara only if he has no attachment to or aversion from any objects of the world. This arises when he realizes the Self and is free from ignorance and the resultant desires, and karma.
61. Whoever recites, with faith and devotion, this hymn imparted by me is able to please Sri Hari, whom it is difficult to please with other forms of worship.
62. Man attains, whatever he seeks, from Him when He is propitiated with the steady repetition of the hymn imparted by me.
63. Whoever, getting up early in the morning, hears or recites this hymn with faith and devotion, will be able to break the bonds of all karma.
64. Oh princes! Perform tapas by way of concentrated repetition of this hymn addressed to the Paramatman. In the end, you will obtain the highest that can be achieved by man.
Bhadrasva said:
1. Oh sage, what vrata, tapas or dharma was done by you to get at that world again?
Agastya said:
2. No one can think of getting at those worlds without worshiping Visnu with devotion. When once He is worshiped, all of them are easily attainable.
3. Thinking, thus, oh king, I worshipped the eternal Visnu with sacrifices in which daksina was liberally given.
Daksina is an offering to the brahmanas for participation in the vaidika karmakanda strictly according to the scriptures.
4. As I was worshiping Him in His form as Sacrifice for a long time, Devas who were invoked in the sacrifice came there together with Indra.
5-6. When Indra and the other gods were remaining in their positions in the sky, the great god Rudra arrived there. He, too, stood in his position.
7-9. Seeing all the gods, sages and great serpents arrive there, the sage Sanatkumar, son of Brahma, came there in a very minute aerial car resembling the sun and he, a great yogi who could know the past, present and future, prostrated before Rudra.
10-11. At the sight of these Devas, sages like Narada, and Sanatkumar and Rudra, I asked who among them was the greatest to whom sacrifices could be offered. Then, in the presence of gods, Rudra told me thus:

Rudra said:
12. Listen to me, all of you, Devas, devarishis, brahmarishis, and you intelligent Agastya in particular.
13-14. He for whom sacrifices are to be performed is the great and omnipresent Lord Narayana from whom the entire universe has arisen and in whom it is dissolved along with Devas.
The Brahman is ontologically prior to everything. IT is, therefore, to be regarded as the origin of everything. The Vedanta Aphorisms define the Brahman as that to which the birth, maintenance and destruction of the world have to be attributed. The Brahman is, therefore, considered the creator, the sustainer and the destroyer of the world.
The world-appearance is said to have the Absolute Brahman as its cause, in the same way as the sky (space) is the cause of the growth of the tree, for the sky does not obstruct its growth. In fact, the Brahman is not an active causative factor.

15-16. That great Lord put himself to a three-fold transformation. With sattva predominating in Him, He associated Himself with rajas and tamas, and created out of His navel Brahma seated in the lotus. Brahma, associated himself with rajas and tamas, created me. Prakrti has three attributes – Sattva (serenity, tendency to manifestation), Rajas (activity) and Tamas (inertia, obstruction to manifestation). Everything in the world is the product of these three attributes.
17-18. Lord Hari is sattva and He is the ultimate. Brahma, the four-faced god who arose from the lotus, is sattva and rajas. That, which is both rajas and tamas is, no doubt, me.
When the mind is transcended or ceases to be, purity and noble qualities arise. The existence of such purity in a liberated sage is known as sattva. This state of the mind is called ‘death of the mind where form remains’. Lord Hari is sattva embodied as He is Pure Consciousness.
19. There is the trio constituted of sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is of the nature of Narayana and all living beings are liberated by it.
20. By rajas associated with sattva arises this creation which has got rajas predominating. This is well known as the creation of Brahma.
Prakrti is considered to be in a state of dormancy when its three attributes are in perfect equilibrium. This is said to be the original state of Prakrti when there is no world of forms and names – objects. The Sankhya philosophy states that when the reflection of the Supreme Being (Purusa) is thrown in Prakrti, the latter is disturbed. This disturbance upsets the original equilibrium of the three attributes. As a result, any one attribute dominates the other two. Evolution ensues into the world of forms.
Ontologically, the attributes constituting Prakrti are ever active. But the stability of Prakrti like any other object or any society means that the forces inherent in it are in a state of equilibrium, none becoming dominant over the others, all being equally active and the activities of each force being harmonious with the activities of the others. Stability, then, does not mean inactivity, lethargy but harmony in activity. What is essentially and by nature force cannot but be active. What we call its in-activity may really be its pulsations of activity under the same conditions and in the same circumstances and pattern. In such an event, the change is not observable, though it always exists.
21. The actions not laid down in the Veda but are, however, based on Sastras are called Raudra (pertaining to Rudra) and it is not commended to people.
22. Actions not out of rajas, but purely out of tamas, lead people to ruin both in the present world and in the world beyond.
One who does not do actions out of ignorance is under the influence of the attribute of the Darkness (tamas). One who gives them up because of the difficulties they involve is under the influence of the attribute of the Active(rajas). Either is wrong. The one who performs actions without any self-interest is under the influence of the attribute of the Transparent (sattva). He is the true renouncer of action, the true knower and the truly wise.
23. Sattva pertains to Narayana, and living beings have sattva as the means of liberation. And Narayana is considered as of the nature of sacrifice.
24. In the Krtayuga, Narayana is worshiped in His pure and minute form. In the Tretayuga, He is worshiped in the form of sacrifice and in the Dvaparayuga, according to pancaratra.
Three things prevent man from knowing that God is Spirit. The first is time, the second is corporeality and the third is multiplicity. These things must go out that God may come in. As long as God is thought of as being wholly in time, there is a tendency to regard Him as a numinous Being rather than a moral Being. The tendency is to treat Him as mere unmitigated Power rather than the Being of Power, Wisdom and Love. This leads to propitiating Him by sacrifices for temporal power rather than worshiping Him as Spirit in spirit.
Pancaratra is a system of worship of the Vaisnavas mainly practiced for attaining various things like health, wealth, progeny, peace, regaining lost possessions, etc. The pancaratra system is claimed by the Vaisnavas as equal to the vaidika, and eulogized. The Vaisnavas claim that the follower of the pancaratra system is superior to all others.
25. In the Kaliyuga, Narayana is worshipped in the manner laid down by me in various tamasic forms, and with the motive of gain and animosity.
The Isvara form of God, which Arjuna witnesses in Bhagavad-Gita, which Krishna makes him, behold, is the terrible form of God of Time. God in time is normally worshiped by material means. The objective is to achieve temporal ends. God in time is manifestly the destroyer as well as the creator. Because of this nature, it has seemed proper to man to worship God by methods, which are as terrible as the destruction s he himself inflicts. This accounts for the offer of sacrifices in the worship of deities for temporal gains. In all such cases, the divinity addressed is always a god in time or a personification of Nature. The deity is nothing but Time itself, the devourer of its own offspring. In all these cases, the purpose of the rite is to obtain a future benefit or to avoid an evil, which Time and Nature hold in store forever. History is replete with instances that where religions and philosophies take Time too seriously are correlated with political theories that inculcate and justify the use of large-scale violence.

 26. There is no god above Him in the past, present or future. He who is Visnu is Brahma and he who is Brahma is Maheswara, too.

The Brahman is considered the Supreme Deity. IT is not one among many. Everything in the world has its being in the Brahman. IT is concrete in the sense that IT IS and asserts itself in the form ‘I-AM’. We only know that IT IS. It cannot be a person, as the word is generally understood. IT IS, and yet indeterminate, beyond speech and concept.
27. Men who are learned in the three Vedas and adept in sacrifices have declared that he, who draws a distinction among us three, is sinful and wicked, and faces downfall.

28. Oh Agastya! Listen. I shall tell you about the early times when people were not having devotion to Hari.
29-30. In olden times, the people of the Bhuloka (earth) performed sacrifice to Janardana, and went to the Bhuvarloka. There they worshiped Him and attained heaven, being liberated gradually.
31. Even after liberation, everyone began to meditate on Hari, and He, being present everywhere, appeared before them.
The Brahman – the highest Being is the Absolute, Transcendental Self. The three distinctions – Being (Existence), Reality and Truth become one in the Absolute Reality.
32. He asked them all as to what He might do for them. They then bowed to Him and said:
33. ‘Oh great God! All people have now been liberated. How then will creation proceed and who will go to hell?’
34. Thus asked by Devas, Lord Janardana told them: ‘During the first three yugas, most people reach Me.
35. But in the last yuga (Kali), those who attain me will be a few. I then create the force of stupefaction which deludes people.
36. Oh you Rudra! You produce the Mohasastra (the science of stupefaction). With a little effort, you produce delusion’.
When the Infinite Consciousness vibrates, the worlds appear to emerge. When IT does not vibrate, they appear to submerge. Vibrating or not vibrating, IT is the same everywhere and ever. Not realizing it, one is subject to delusion. The delusion of the world-existence attains expansion by its repeated affirmation. When it is realized, all cravings and anxieties vanish.
The delusion that veils self-knowledge is seven-fold – seed state of wakefulness, wakefulness, great wakefulness, wakeful dream, dream, dream wakefulness and sleep. These seven states have their own innumerable subdivisions according to Yogavasistha.
One is wise not to desire those experiences, which one does not effortlessly obtain, and to experience those that have already arrived. One who has realized one’s oneness with the entire universe, and has thus arisen above both desire ‘for’ and desire ‘against’, is never deluded.
37. So saying, the great Lord concealed Himself, and I was made very manifest.
38. From then onwards people became more interested in the Sastras which I promulgated.
39. Following the Vedic path, worshiping Lord Narayana and finding unity in all the three gods, people get liberation.
To remain established in self-knowledge is liberation. The state of self-knowledge is that in which there is no mental agitation, distraction and dullness of mind, egotism or perception of diversity.
Liberation arises when ignorance ceases through self-inquiry.
Liberation or realization of the Infinite is attained when one arrives at the state of supreme peace after intelligent inquiry into the nature of the Self, and, after this, has brought about an inner awakening. Kaivalya or total freedom is the attainment of ‘pure being’ after all mental conditioning is transcended consciously, after thorough investigation, in the company and with the help of enlightened sages.

Liberation is but a synonym for pure mind, correct self-knowledge and a truly awakened state. The attainment of inner peace by total non-attachment to anything in the world is liberation.
Liberation is the Absolute Itself, which alone is. As one sees only gold in ornaments, water in waves, emptiness in space, heat in mirage and nothing else, the liberated yogi sees only the Brahman everywhere, not the world.
40. Those who consider me as different from Visnu or Brahma are driven to do sinful deeds and reach hell.
41. It is for the delusion of those who are outside the Vedic fold that I introduced the Sastras called Naya, Siddhanta, etc.
42. This is the rope (pasa) that binds men (pasu), and that should be snapped. Therefore, it is the Pasupata-sastra which is Vaidic.
43. Oh sage! My body is of the Veda. This truth is not known by those who propound other Sastras.
44. I am to be known through the Veda and particularly by the brahmanas. I am the three yugas and also Brahma and Visnu.
The Brahman is the Supreme Being, permeating and pervading everything in the world. IT is the Supreme Consciousness. IT is also considered the Supreme Spirit or the Atman. By Its very nature, IT is all-encompassing and all-pervading.
45. I am the three gunas – sattva, rajas and tamas, the three Vedas, the three fires, the three worlds, the three sandhyas and the three varnas.
46. I am the three savannas, the three bonds in the world. 

Agastya said:
1. Said thus by Rudra, all the gods and sages bowed to him; I too did the same.
2. After bowing thus, when I looked at him, I saw in his body Brahma.
3. I also saw in his heart Lord Narayana in an extremely minute form glowing like the sun.
4. Seeing this, all the sacrificing sages were wonder-struck and hailed him uttering the Sama, Rig and Yajur Vedas.

5. Then they asked Paramesvara (Rudra) how in one and the same god all the three gods are seen.
Rudra said:
6. Oh learned men! Whatever is offered in the sacrifice for me is shared by all the three of us.
7. Oh great sages! There is no diversity among us, and discerning people do not find any such thing.
8. Thus said by Rudra, Oh king! All the sages asked him about the purpose of Mohasastra (which deludes people).
The sages said:
9. You have produced a separate Sastra to stupefy the world. Be pleased to tell us why you have done this.
Rudra said:
10. There is in Bharatavarsa a forest called Dandaka. There a brahmana named Gautama was performing severe penance.
11. Brahma was very much pleased at this, and he asked the ascetic to seek a boon for him.
12. Thus asked by Brahma, the creator of the worlds, Gautama requested, ‘Give me abundance of crops and grain’. And Brahma granted it.
13-14. Getting this boon, the ascetic built a large hermitage at Satasrnga, and there he used to reap every morning the ripe grain and cook it at noon and offer sumptuous food to brahmanas.
15. He was doing this for a long time. Once a severe drought occurred which lasted twelve years.

16. Distressed at this drought and very much famished, all the sages in the forest went to Gautama.
17. Seeing them all in his hermitage, Gautama bowed to them and asked them to stay there.
18. They remained there eating a variety of food till the drought was over.
19. Then those sages felt a desire to undertake a pilgrimage.
20. Knowing this, a great sage Marica spoke to the sage Sandilya.
Marica said:
21. ‘Oh Sandilya! Sage Gautama is like our father. Without telling him, we should not leave this place, for penance (elsewhere)’.
22. When told thus, the sages laughed and said, ‘Have we sold ourselves to him by taking his food’?
23. Again they discussed of leaving the place and decided to do so. They also created a magical cow and left it at the hermitage.
24. Seeing that cow wandering in the hermitage, Gautama took some water in his hand and splashed it on its body.
25. Then that magical cow fell down like a drop of water.
26. Seeing it thus hurt, he turned to the sages starting to leave and asked them with reverence:
27. ‘Oh brahmanas! Please tell me why you are going to leave me, your devotee’.
The sages said:
28. ‘Oh sage! So long as the sin of killing the cow remains in you, we shall not eat your food’.
29. Told thus, Gautama, who knew what was righteous, asked them to tell him what the atonement was for the sin of having killed the cow.
The sages said:
30. ‘This cow is not dead but has only become unconscious. Bathed in the water of Ganga, it will doubtless rise up.
31. The atonement is only with regard to one that is killed. For this sin, only penance may be performed. Please do not be angry’. So saying they all left.
32. When they were gone, Gautama went to the great mountain Himalaya to perform severe penance.
33. For one hundred and one years I was worshiped, and, being pleased by that, I asked him to seek a boon.
34. He sought that the river Ganga in my matted hair be made to follow him.
35. I then let off the river from one part of my head and Gautama let it to the place where the cow was lying.
36. Washed by that water the cow rose up, and the river became great with holy water, and passing through sacred places.
37. Seeing that great wonder, the seven sages came there in aerial cars saying ‘Well done, well done.
38. Blessed are you, oh Gautama! Who is there equal to you in that you have brought this Ganga to this Dandaka forest?’
39. Then Gautama wondered as to how he had become the cause of hurting the animal.
40. He realized that it was all the result of the magic adopted by the sages (who had lived in his hermitage), and cursed them who were sages only in appearance. 

41. ‘You will all be outside the three Vedas and ineligible to perform Vedic rites’.
42. Hearing the curse of Gautama thus pronounced on those sages, the seven sages told him, ‘although your words will have due effect, you should not mean it for all time.
43. In the Kali age, let the brahmanas become such as to be ungrateful to those who do them good.

44. Burnt by the fire of your curse, let them, in the Kali age, become devotees of the Lord.
45. Let them be outside the fold of Vedic rites. Let this river also have the second name as Godavari.
46. In Kaliyuga, those, who come to this river and give gifts of cows and other materials according to their capacity, will delight themselves with the gods.
47-48. If, at the time when Jupiter is in Leo, one takes bath there and propitiates the manes according to the scriptures, they (the manes) will go to heaven even if they have fallen in hell, and those who are already in heaven will attain liberation.
49. You will attain great fame, and gain eternal liberation’.
50. Then the seven sages came to Kailasa where I was with Parvati, and told me:
51. ‘In the Kali age, many will have your form with crown of matted hair, assuming ghostly forms and wearing lingas.
52. For their sake, give a Sastra to redeem them from the influence of Kali’.
53. Requested by them thus, I produced a Samhita which contained rules for Vedic rites as well.
54. This Samhita is named Nissvasa; and Babhravya and Sandila are absorbed in it.
55. Deluded by me, people, out of selfish motives, will promulgate their own Sastras in Kaliyuga.
56. The Nissavasasamhita with a lakh of verses alone is authoritative, and that gives the discipline regarding Pasupata.
57. This follows the path of the Veda, and whatever is outside its scope should be considered as impure.
58. The Vedantins in Kaliyuga resort to Rudra. Fickle-minded people frame their own Sastras, but I do not remain with them.
59-60. In yore, I assumed the fierce Bhairava form for the sake of the gods and for the annihilation of the wicked demons, and laughed terribly.
61. Out of my tears, which fell then on the earth, raised innumerable terrible beings.
62. They were fond of flesh, wine and physical pleasure, and were out to create terror in the world.
63. The brahmanas cursed by Gautama will be born in their clan. Among them, those, who follow the rules I have laid down and are of good conduct, will attain heaven and get liberation.
64. Those, who doubt the doctrine I have laid down, ridicule my followers and go to hell.
65. Formerly burnt by the curse of Gautama and now by my words, they go to hell and we need not doubt this.
Rudra continued:
66. Told thus by me, the sons of Brahma (the seven sages) went away. Gautama too returned to his abode.
67. I have thus told you what dharma is. He, who is averse to this naturally, is prone to do only wicked things.
Varaha said:
1. Agastya asked the omniscient Rudra, ‘Who is the most ancient one and the creator of everything?’
Agastya said:
2. You, Brahma and Visnu constitute the Trio and the three Vedas. Like the flame of the lamp, you illumine everything and permeate all Sastras.
3. Oh God! Tell me at which time you are Rudra, at which time Brahma and at which time Visnu.

Rudra said:
4. Visnu is the Supreme Brahman in Veda and Sastras. He is spoken of as having three forms. But this is not known to the ignorant.
5. From the root vis meaning ‘to enter’, with the nominative singular suffix we get the word ‘Visnu’. He is the eternal and the supreme among all gods.
6. This Visnu who is spoken of as having a ten-fold form as well as of a single form is the Aditya with all yogic powers.
The ten-fold form refers to the generally held view of ten incarnations of Mahavisnu.
7. The great God, for the sake of Devas, assumes human form in every yuga and praises me.
Mythological epics refer to Divine Incarnations. They represent the actual descent of the Brahman in various mundane forms into the world, when evil prevails and good is about to be destroyed. The Immanent dwells in all souls and accompanies them in life and death. It is the Brahman residing in the spirit (atman) of man like lightning in a cloud. The Incarnate as worshiped is the idol of God in various forms acceptable to devotees.
The Saguna Brahman is meant for devotees. In other words, a devotee believes that God has attributes and reveals Himself to the devotee as a Person assuming the form he believes in. It is He who listens to the prayers of the devotee. The prayers are directed to Him alone.
A devotee, therefore, accepts Divine Incarnation in human form for worship. It provides an object of meditation and prayer resulting in mahabhava and prema.
Those who follow the path of devotion seek an Incarnation of God, to enjoy the sweetness of devotion.
8. For the sake of the world as well as gods, I worship these two forms of the Lord (divine as well as human) in the Swetadvipa (White Island) in Krtayuga.
9. At the time of creation, I extol the four-faced Brahma and become Time. And in Krtayuga, Brahma, Devas and asuras extol me always.
10. People who seek pleasures sacrifice to me in my form as linga (phallus); and those who seek liberation sacrifice to me mentally in my form as the thousand-headed. It is to this form that the universal God Narayana Himself offers sacrifices.
11. Those that perform Brahma-yajna daily propitiate Brahma, because the Veda is Brahma.
12. The Supreme Brahman is enshrined in the names Narayana, Siva, Visnu, Sankara and Purusottama.
13. For those who perform Vedic rites, we, Brahma, Visnu and Maheshwara are the spirits of the mantras. There need be no doubt in this matter.
There are said to be three levels before reaching the Brahman. They are the Virat (Cosmic Person), Hiranyagarbha (the soul of the Cosmic Person) and Isvara (the personal God). All the three are higher forms than the finite ‘I’ consciousness, but are continuous with it and the Supreme Brahman. These three are the three levels of the Cosmic Person or the Logos. All may be considered cosmic personalities. The Logos is a kind of unity in Trinity.
14. I am Visnu as well as Brahma with the eternal Veda. The three gods are really one, and wise men should not consider them as different.
15. He who considers otherwise is a sinner and he goes to the terrible hell.
16. I am Brahma and Visnu, and the Veda – Rig, Yajur and Sama. The difference is only in name.