Sunday 31 July 2011

Shiva's name is the nectar, Chapter 23 (continued)

शिवनामामृतं पेयं पापदावानलार्दितैः |
पापदावाग्नितप्तानां शांतिस्तेन विना न हि || 31 ||

 

When the huge fire of sins torment, the nectar in the form of the name of Shiva should be drunk. For those burning in the huge fire of sins, there is really no peace without it.

Importance of Shiva's Name, Chapter 23 (continued)

शिवेति नामदावाग्नेर्महापातकपर्वताः |
भस्मीभवंत्यनायासात्सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः || 23 ||

 

Large mountains of sin become (burnt to) ash with little effort by the huge fire in the form of the name of Shiva. No doubt, this is true. 


Friday 29 July 2011

Importance of Shiva's Name, Chapter 23

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखंडे शिवनाममाहात्म्यवर्णनोनाम त्रयोविंशोऽध्यायः

 

Importance of Shiva's name Chapter 23

 

सूत उवाच ॥

 

Suta Goswami said

शिवनामविभूतिश्च तथा रुद्राक्ष एव च |
एतत्त्रयं महापुण्यं त्रिवेणीसदृशं स्मृतम् || 10 ||

 

Shiva's name, Vibhuti (holy ash) and Rudraksha seed – these three of high merit (holiness) are considered to be similar to the Triveni (confluence of three rivers at Prayag).

Thursday 28 July 2011

Worship of Shivalinga - Chapter 21

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखण्डे पार्थिवपूजनवर्णनं नामैकविंशोऽध्यायः

 

Clay Shivalinga worship description Chapter 21

 

सूत उवाच ॥

 

Suta Goswami said

 

विना भस्मत्रिपुंड्रेण विना रुद्राक्षमालया |
बिल्वपत्रं विना नैव पूजयेच्छंकरं बुधः || 55 ||

 

A wise person does not worship Shiva without a Tripundra of ash, Rudraksha seed and Bilva leaf.

The best Shivalinga - Chapter 19

यथा देवीषु सर्वासु शैवीशक्तिः परा स्मृता ॥ 15ab
तथा सर्वेषु लिंगेषु पार्थिवं श्रेष्ठमुच्यते ॥ 15cd

 

Just as among Goddesses, Uma (Shakti of Shiva) is considered to be the highest, among all Shivalingas, one made of clay is said to be the best.

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Shivalinga made of Clay for Kaliyug - Chapter 19

विद्येश्वरसंहितायां साध्यसाधनखंडे पार्थिवशिवलिंगपूजनमाहात्म्यवर्णनं नामैकोनविंशोऽध्यायः

 

Clay Shivalinga worship's importance Chapter 19

 

सूत उवाच ॥

 

Suta Goswami said

 

कृते रत्नमयं लिंगं त्रेतायां हेमसंभवम् |
द्वापरे पारदं श्रेष्ठं पार्थिवं तु कलौ युगे || 7 ||

A jewel (precious stone) Shivalinga in Kritayuga, made of gold in Tretayuga, mercury is the best in Dwaparayuga, but of clay in Kaliyuga.

 

Tuesday 26 July 2011

अध्याय 18: Body types

अध्याय 18

 

सूत उवाच ॥

 

Suta Goswami said

 

शरीरं त्रिविधं ज्ञेयं स्थूलं सूक्ष्मं च कारणम् |
स्थूलं व्यापारदं प्रोक्तं सूक्ष्ममिंद्रियभोगदम् || 6 ||
कारणं त्वात्मभोगार्थं जीवकर्मानुरूपतः | 7

 

Know the body to be of three kinds: gross, subtle and causal. The gross body is said to be able to allow (people) to deal with (others), the subtle allows sense enjoyments. The causal body, according to one's karma, allows one to enjoy (realise) the soul (self).

सप्तदशोऽध्यायः Pranav chanting, Shiv Puran Chapter 17: continued

पंचाक्षरजपेनैव सर्वसिद्धिं लभेन्नरः |
प्रणवेनादिसंयुक्तं सदा पंचाक्षरं जपेत् || 34 ||

 

By simply chanting the five-lettered (mantra Namah Shivaya), one obtains all siddhis (achievements). With Pranava (Om) in the beginning should the five-lettered (mantra) always be chanted.


Saturday 23 July 2011

सप्तदशोऽध्यायः Types of Pranav (Aum, OM), Shiv Puran Chapter 17: continued

दीर्घप्रणवमेवं हि योगिनामेव हृद्गतम् |
मकारं तंत्रितत्त्वं हि ह्रस्वप्रणव उच्यते || 14 ||

 

Only the long Pranava (Om) has gone into the hearts of Yogis. The M-sound (of the Om) independently is called the short Pranava.

Wednesday 20 July 2011

सप्तदशोऽध्यायः Types of Pranav (Aum, OM), Shiv Puran Chapter 17

सप्तदशोऽध्यायः

 

Chapter 17

 

सूत उवाच ॥

Suta Goswami said

 

प्रणवं द्विविधं प्रोक्तं सूक्ष्मस्थूलविभेदतः || 8 ||
सूक्ष्ममेकाक्षरं विद्यात्स्थूलं पंचाक्षरं विदुः | 9

The Pranava (Om) is said to be distinguished in two types: subtle and gross. Know the subtle one as one-lettered (Om); the gross one as five-lettered.

 

Panchakshara (five-lettered) in this Purana and generally is a synonym of Namah Shivaya.

Monday 18 July 2011

अध्याय 15: Which rivers are equivalent to Gangaji? (Chapter 15)

अध्याय 15

 

सूत उवाच ॥

 

Suta Goswami said

 

गंगा गोदावरी चैव कावेरी ताम्रपर्णिका || 4 ||
सिंधुश्च सरयू रेवा सप्तगंगाः प्रकीर्तिताः | 5

Ganga, Godavari, Kaveri, Tamraparni, Sindhu, Saryu and Narmada are considered (equivalent to) seven Gangas.


नवमोऽध्यायः Sage question description Chapter 9 (continued)

यत्फलं मम पूजायां वर्षमेकं निरंतरम् |
तत्फलं लभते सद्यः शिवरात्रौ मदर्चनात् || 13 ||

The fruit one obtains by my continuous worship for one year does one get immediately by my prayer/worship at Shivaratri.


Saturday 16 July 2011

नवमोऽध्यायः Sage question description Chapter 9

नवमोऽध्यायः

 

Chapter 9

 

ईश्वर उवाच ॥

 

God said

 

दिनमेतत्ततः पुण्यं भविष्यति महत्तरम् |
शिवरात्रिरिति ख्याता तिथिरेषा मम प्रिया || 10 ||

 

This day's punya (merit) will become superior. It is known as Shivaratri, a date which is dear to me.


Thursday 14 July 2011

साध्यसाधनखण्डे, Sage question description Chapter 3 (continued)

ब्रह्मोवाच ॥

 

Brahma said

साध्यं शिवपदप्राप्तिः साधनं तस्य सेवनम् |
साधकस्तत्प्रसादाद्योऽनित्यादिफलनिःस्पृहः || 18 ||

The highest objective is to attain the level of Shiva. The means is his service. The candidate, thanks to it, is one who does not desire the non-permanent (of the material world) fruits.

Wednesday 13 July 2011

साध्यसाधनखण्डे, Sage question description Chapter 3 (continued)

मुनय ऊचुः ॥

 

The sages said

अथ किं परमं साध्यं किंवा तत्साधनं परम् |
साधकः कीदृशस्तत्र तदिदं ब्रूहि तत्त्वतः || 17 ||

And what is the highest objective (that which is most worth obtaining) or what is that best means? What kind of candidate (the one who tries to obtain) there, tell that in detail.


Tuesday 12 July 2011

साध्यसाधनखण्डे, Sage question description Chapter 3

साध्यसाधनखण्डे तृतीयोऽध्यायः

 

Chapter 3, Objective-means block

 

ब्रह्मोवाच ॥

 

Brahma said

 

एष देवो महादेवः सर्वज्ञो जगदीश्वरः |
अयं तु परया भक्त्या दृश्यते नाऽन्यथा क्वचित् || 12 ||

 

This (is the) deity, the Great Deity (God, Shiva), the omniscient God of the world. This (God is) but visible by high devotion, not by any other means.

Monday 11 July 2011

Suta specifies the highest Dharma, Chapter 1 (Continued)

सूत उवाच ॥

Suta Goswami, the son of Romaharshana, and a disciple of Vyasa said

परोपकारसदृशो नास्ति धर्मो परः खलु || ३६ ||

There is really no similar or higher Dharma than doing good to others.

Compare परहित बस जिनके मन माही | तिन्ह कंहू जग दुर्लभ कछु नाही || and परहित सरिस धर्म नहीं भाई | परपीड़ा सम नही अधमाई || from Ramayana.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Sage question description Chapter 1 (Continued)

मुनय ऊचुः ॥


The sages said

प्राप्ते कलियुगे घोरे नराः पुण्यविवर्जिताः |

दुराचाररताः सर्वे सत्यवार्तापराङ्गमुखाः || १२ ||


Once Kaliyuga started, people (are) without punya (merits), immersed in bad behaviour, all averse to truth.
 

Saturday 9 July 2011

Vidyeshwar Samhita, Sage question description Chapter 1

विद्येश्वर संहिता मुनिप्रश्नवर्णनोनाम प्रथमोऽध्यायः

व्यास उवाच ||
Vyasa said

धर्मक्षेत्रे महाक्षेत्रे गङ्गाकालिन्दिसंगमे |
प्रयागे परमे पुण्ये ब्रह्मलोकस्य वर्त्मनि || ||
At the place of Dharma, a great place at the confluence of Ganga and Kalindi (Yamuna), at the supremely holy Prayag (is) the way to Brahmaloka.
This is the first verse of Shiva Purana. Compare with the first verse of Bhagvad Gita.

Friday 8 July 2011

माहात्म्य Importance (continued)

 

ये शृण्वन्ति मुने शैवं पुराणं शास्त्रमुत्तमम् |

ते मनुष्या न मन्तव्या रुद्रा एव न संशयः || १५ ||


Sage, those who listen to Shiva's Purana, the best scripture, should not be considered human beings; undoubtedly they are like Rudras (the main Shiva element).



Thursday 7 July 2011

माहात्म्य Importance

सूत उवाच ॥

Suta Goswami said


कलिव्यालमहात्रासविध्वन्सकरमुत्तमम् |

शैवं पुराणं परमं शिवेनोक्तं पुरा मुने || ||


Sage, to destroy the large troubles of the snake like Kaliyuga, the best and supreme (is) Shiva's Purana, as spoken by Shiva in ancient times.

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Shiva Purana - Introduction to this blog

Not everyone interested in Shiva Purana will easily start reading 24000 shlokas. This selection of shlokas will make it easier to get an idea of the contents of Shiva Purana.

 

Shlokas, half of shlokas or a couple of shlokas will be quoted. Instead of stories which cannot be conveyed in a shloka or two, shlokas containing something to know or learn from will be preferred. Thus one who reads this series will feel that much of the essence of the Shiva Purana has been picked up.