Shiva Sutras

[jonesboy]

I thought it might be interesting to discuss the Shiva sutras and what they state and imply relative to approach and what is possible. The sutras are sort of naturally broken into three sections and paths relative to one's "potential". I thought we might start with the "highest" one and see what everyone thought...



3.1. ātmā cittam

Individual being is the mind entangled in the wheel of repeated birth and death.

3.2. jñānaṁ bandhaḥ

(For this limited individual), all knowledge is bondage.

3.3. kalādīnāṁ tattvānāmaviveko māyā

Being unable to possess the undifferentiated knowledge of the thirty-one elements, you live in those elements, from kalā to pṛithvī (earth), which are the expansion of the energy of illusion (māyā śakti).

3.4. śarīre saṁhāraḥ kalānām

You must make all the circles (kalās) in your body enter one into the other from gross to subtle.

3.5. nāḍīsaṁhāra-bhūtajaya-bhūtakaivalya-
 bhūtapṛithaktvāni

The merging of the movements of breathing, controlling the gross elements, diverting attention from all objective senses and directing it towards the center of the movement of the breath, and removing your consciousness from the grip of the elementary field, …

3.6. mohāvaraṇātsiddhih

… these powers are brought into existence when a yogi’s consciousness is covered by the energy of illusion (māyā).

3.7. mohajayād anantābhogāt sahajavidyājayaḥ

After conquering the field of illusion (māyā) by destroying its many impressions, one attains the victory of the pure knowledge of consciousness.

3.8. jāgratdvitīyakarah

The waking state is another formation of his real nature of consciousness.

3.9. nartaka ātmā

The dancer in this field of universal dance is his self of universal consciousness.

3.10. raṅgo’ntarātmā

The player is the internal soul.

3.11. prekṣakāṇīndriyāṇi

His own organs are spectators.

3.12. dhīvaśātsattvasiddhiḥ

By means of a supreme intellect filled with awareness of the self, this yogī experiences that he is actually acting.

3.13. siddhaḥ svatantrabhāvaḥ

The state of absolute independence is already achieved.

3.14. yathā tatra tathānyatra

This (absolute independence) is the same in the external world as it was in samādhi.

3.15. bījāvadhānam

Maintain breakless awareness on that supreme energy which is the seed of the universe.

3.16. āsanasthaḥ sukhaṁ hrade nimajjati

Seated in that real posture, he effortlessly dives in the ocean of nectar.

3.17. svamātrānirmāṇamāpādayati

Experiencing that this objective world is the product of his subjective consciousness, he can create anything he desires.

3.18. vidyā ‘vināśe janmavināśaḥ

When his knowledge of the Self is permanently established, then birth (and death) are gone forever.

3.19. kavargādiṣu māheśvaryādyāḥ paśumātaraḥ

In the world of letters, words and sentences, the eight energies of the Lord, who are the mothers of beasts (take control and hold him).

3.20. triṣu caturthaṁ tailavadāsecyam

The fourth state (turya) must be expanded like oil so that it pervades the other three: waking, dreaming and deep sleep.

3.21. magnaḥ svacittena praviśet

The yogī who is merged in his self must enter completely with his mind filled with great awareness.

3.22. prāṇasamācāre samadarśanam

When his breath begins to slowly move out toward the external state, then he also experiences the pervasion of God consciousness there.

3.23. madhye ‘varaprasavaḥ

He does not experience the state of God consciousness in the center of these three states.

3.24. mātrāsvapratyayasaṁdhāne naṣṭasya punarutthānam

When a yogī, in coming out from samādhi, also attempts to maintain awareness of God consciousness in the objective world, then, even though his real nature of self is destroyed by the inferior generation of self-consciousness, he again rises in that supreme nature of the self.

3.25. śivatulyo jāyate

He becomes just like Śiva.

3.26. śarīravṛittirvratam

His virtuous behavior is the maintenance of his body.

3.27. kathā japaḥ

Ordinary talk of life is the recitation of mantra.

3.28. dānamātmajñānam

His only purpose for remaining in his body is to impart knowledge to others.

3.29. yo’vipastho jñāhetuśca

The one who rules the wheel of energies becomes the cause of inserting knowledge in others.

3.30. śvaśaktipracayo’sya viśvam

For him, this universe is the embodiment of his collective energies.

3.31. sthitilayau

This universe is the expansion of his energy in objective impressions and in the dissolution of those impressions.

3.32. tatpravṛittāvapyanirāsaḥ saṁvettṛibhāvāt

Although he is determined in creating, protecting and destroying the universe, even then he is not separated from the real state of his subjectivity.

3.33. sukhaduḥkhayorbahirmananam

He experiences his joy and his sadness just like an object, with “this-consciousness” separate from his being.

3.34. tadvimuktastu kevalī

Separated from pleasure and pain, he is established in real seclusion.

3.35. mohapratisaṁhatastu karmātmā

The yogī whose God consciousness is destroyed by this state of illusion is dependent on his action.

3.36. bhedatiraskāre sargāntarakarmatvam

He drives away the field of differentiated perceptions and enters into a new world of God consciousness.

3.37. karaṇa śaktiḥ svato’nubhavāt

The power of creation is the experience of every individual.

3.38. tripadādyanuprāṇanam

Emerging from turya, insert the absolute bliss of that state into the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states and they will become one with that state of turya.

3.39. citta sthitivaccharīra karaṇabāhyeṣu

This awareness of God consciousness should not only be infused in that state where one’s mind is established in one-pointedness but it should also be infused in the establishment of his body, in his organic actions and in the external objective world.

3.40. abhilāṣādbahirgatiḥ saṁvāhyasya

Due to the insatiable and insistent desire to fill the gap (in his nature), his flow and movement are toward the objective world, not subjective consciousness, and so he is carried from one birth to another.

3.41. tadārūḍhapramitestatkṣayājjīva saṁkṣayaḥ

All desire vanishes in that fortunate person whose consciousness is established in his own real nature. For him the state of being a limited individual has ended.

3.42. bhūtakañcukī tadā vimukto bhūyaḥ patisamaḥ paraḥ

For him, the five elements are only coverings. At that very moment, he is absolutely liberated, supreme and just like Śiva.



The text raises many interesting thoughts and ramifications. Implying in 3.29 that one can "insert knowledge" in others. And things like the universe is his energies in 3.31. Also, he becomes just like God/Siva in 3.25.

Any thoughts?

[Bindu*]

Thanks for posting a portion of the Shiva sutras.

I have often had problems with discerning Shiva sutra's. But recent years with some increasing understanding and maturity I have embraced the text more.

Simpler text with same essence is Pratyabhijnahirdayam
"The secret of Self-recognition written by Kshemaraja, the foremost disciple of Abhininvagupta. That text have 20 sutra's. I am more inclined to study this text with commentaries as it is simpler to grasp.
http://www.abhidharma.ru/A/Simvol/In...Singh/0003.pdf

The sutras are sort of naturally broken into three sections and paths relative to one's "potential". I thought we might start with the "highest" one and see what everyone thought...

It seems to me that you posted here the 3rd section of Shiva sutras.
This is generally the "lowest" part of shiva sutras, which is related to the simplest means of practice...Anavopaya. The practice with support.
Practice with object..such as mantra, breath, prana et.c

I actually contemplated a sutra from this 3rd part of the sutras some days ago. A beautiful sutra nr 3:16
"3.16. āsanasthaḥ sukhaṁ hrade nimajjati

Seated in that real posture, he effortlessly dives in the ocean of nectar.

The physical asana's of hatha yoga is not what is meant here.
Here the contemplation is the posture (asana) of being fixed in the awareness of Consciousness. Taking the posture of atma consciousness.
This is a powerful contemplation I think. Asana seems to imply a firm stance.
The stance of being Shiva. Being Consiousness. Being bliss. Yeah....


I like your posts here....

[jonesboy]

Thank you very much for the link to that book.

If you have any more please let me know. I would love to read them.

[Bindu*]

Glad you found it interesting.

It was just a chance googling, and the book appeared.

I have the version in print. Nice one. By Jaideva Sing.
Author of commentaries to many KS texts.