Shiva The Enternal Joy E-Book

Sri Sri Ravishankar

• Herausgeber: Aslan eReads
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Seitenzahl: 228

Beschreibung

"Shiva tattva is total; it is complete. Shiva is where the mind dissolves. He is formless yet sees all. He is the formless core of existence and also the goal. He is the seer, sight and the scene. He is without a beginning or end. He permeates the entire creation. He is never born and is eternal. He is the fourth state of consciousness, the non-dual consciousness that is present everywhere." - H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a spiritual leader and humanitarian, was born in 1956 in southern India. He was often found deep in meditation as a child. At the age of four, he astonished his teachers by reciting the Bhagawad Gita.
To globalise the knowledge of leading a happy, stress-free life, H. H. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar established an international educational and humanitarian NGO - The Art of Living, in 1982. Today, with a presence in over 151 countries, the Art of Living is one of the largest voluntary organizations in the world

Leseprobe

Title

Shiva The Enternal Joy

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Sri Sri Publications Trust, India

 

© Copyrights Sri Sri Publications Trust

This digital edition is published by arrangement with Aslan Business Solutions

Digitally Published By:

 

Aslan Reads -An imprint of Aslan Business Solutions Borivli, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Email: [email protected]: www.aslanbiz.com & www.aslanreads.com

Physical Editions Published by:

 

Sri Sri Publications Trust The Art of Living International Centre 21st KM, Kanakapura Road, Udayapura, Bangalore – 560082 Email: [email protected]: www.sattvastore.comToll Free: 1800-258-8888

© All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher

ISBN: 978-93-85898-17-4

Layout by: Sri Sri Publications Trust

Contents

Title

Preface

Introduction

Shiva-Innocence and Infinity

Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram

Shiva Tattva

Shiva Shakti

Dark Matter

God Particle

Shivaratri

Shivam, Shantam, Advaitam

The Cosmic Connection

Tattva Gyan

Om Namah Shivaya

Three Types of Maya

Higher States of Consciousness

The Mystery of Ganesha

Kartikeya–The Guru Tattva

Prayer

Bhakti–Divine Love

Pooja

Yagnas

Our Traditions and Rituals

God is the very core of your Existence

Divine Surrender

Shiv Pooja

Ganesha Stotram

Guru Stotram

Mrityunjaya Mantra

Shiv Manas Pooja

Aatmashatakam

Shri Rudrashtakam

Dwadasa Jyotirlinga Stotra

Shiva Shadakshara Stotram

Shivoham

Lingashtakam

108 Names of Shiva

Bhajans

The Promise

The Founder Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

The Art of Living

The Art of Living Programs

International Centres

Preface

One of the world’s most inspirational and dynamic leaders, Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is also one of the greatest thinkers of our times. Emphasising practical wisdom, He has transformed millions of lives all over the globe. His talks are a unique blend of knowledge and guidance, delivered with simplicity and humour—a powerful, unbeatable combination that touches lives and hearts wherever heard.

It is with great joy that we offer this deeply absorbing collection of profound yet simple to comprehend talks, given by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, over a period of time. They compel one to delve deeper, ponder further and look beyond the obvious. They give an insight into our rituals and a deeper meaning to our traditions.

Introduction

The image of Lord Shiva has over the centuries been romanticized by historians and devotees alike. A body smeared with ash, a tiger skin encircling his loins, a crescent moon adorning his forehead, matted hair piled high on his head from whence flows the celestial river Ganga, one hand bearing a trident, another set in a classical mudra, sometimes playing the dumroo as he is consumed in the cosmic dance, the third eye between the brows accentuating his bold handsomeness, snakes encircling his azure neck. The imagery in its evocativeness has never failed to attract and arouse the curiosity within.

As much as there have been metaphors to describe the visual appearance of Shiva, there have been many more names to describe the attributes that he has been known to embody. The 1008 names of Shiva only serve to portray his infinite and versatile nature, his unknowable mysteries, a being devoid of polarities, composite and synthesized. Yet, He is beyond description or definition. He can only be experienced and lived through.

You cannot completely know Shiva with just the head or the heart alone. Therefore, in this book, we have compiled a series of commentaries by Sri Sri on aspects related to Shiva and to His worship, which appeals to both the rational and the devotional. Through this offering, we hope to move the reader beyond the limited abstract conceptions of Shiva, and expose the vibrant kaleidoscope of the all-encompassing reality that Shiva is.

Shiva

Shiva-Innocence and Infinity

What is Shiva? It is That which is so benevolent, That consciousness, which is beyond waking, dreaming and sleeping state. Consciousness which is uplifting, which is innocent, and does good to all the beings. In mythology, they say Shiva is in Kailas. Kailas means where there is only celebration, only joy, the abode of celebration. It is a symbol, Shiva is not somebody who lives on Kailas. The meanings of symbols are so deep that you will be amazed that ancient people had such brilliant mind, brilliant consciousness. One form of Shiva is Nataraja. He took this form when the Cosmic Dance happened. The entire universe is the dance of the cosmos, particles dancing with each other. All the atoms, molecules, the seen and the unseen world, the whole creation got formed when they merged and danced together. That is called the cosmic dance of Shiva.

The divine energy or consciousness is always there. It is your own nature, your own consciousness in the form of Shiva. Our consciousness in its height of energy is Shiva. In a lighter, humorous, playful mood, it is Narayana. When it is a little serious, innocent and very strong, it is Shiva. There are some with the motherly quality and in them, the same consciousness manifests as Mother Divine, Devi. Consciousness is present all over. Every particle of the creation is full with divinity. You are floating in an ocean of divinity.

This small identification, “I am the body. I am this mind, I am this life”, restricts the inner real Self. We give too much importance to all these small identities. This name, this form is there. Ok. So what? This name and form is divinity, which is bigger than the garments.

Transformation happens with solid faith, solid understanding, and solid experiences in the Divine. Then, it stays. When you get connected to the Self, to the innocence, then you are connected to the whole universe. All planets, stars, they are so far away, yet they are all connected. The whole thing is connected. This is not the only world.

A person who has not moved out of his small village thinks this is the whole world. They are stuck with limited understanding. When he travels and he sees that the world is big-there is Poland, Switzerland, America, and Australia. The more aware of the globe you are, the more your awareness about the earth dawns. Like that, the more you are in touch with reality, pure consciousness, Shiva within us, the area of your operation increases.

What is Shiva? How big is Shiva?

Brahmananda vyapta deha

The body of Shiva is beyond the galaxies. The whole universe is His body. All the stars and nebulae are his hair. Thousands of suns together form his eyes. Water in the whole universe is his stomach. Such vast expanded body! Till wherever the blueness goes, to that extent body exists. That big is Shiva’s body! The serpent is the mind, it is alert. Different forms of energy form the hair of Shiva. So infinite is the consciousness–it has no end, no beginning. When you say Om Namah Shivaya, you get blown out immediately, beyond all galaxies.

The world is full of millions of vibrations, which are categorized as nine main vibrations. They are also related to the nine planets, mind and to food also. Particular grains are connected to a particular planet. Everything is connected, networked. There is a different time range in the galaxy. Earth has sunrise and sunset once in twenty four hours. If you are on a satellite 200 miles above the Earth, there is sunrise and sunset sixteen times a day. A year here is sixteen years on the satellite. Thirty years on the Earth is equal to one year on Saturn. Twelve years on Earth is just one year in Jupiter. One year on Mars is three years on earth. If you are in Mercury or Venus, the days are much smaller than ours so one year there is only forty or fifty days on Earth.

Six months for a human is one night for the angels in the subtle plane. The day of devas begins on 15th of January. The next six months i.e., after July; are night for devas and they go back to sleep. So, all auspicious things like celebrating festivals are done in the six months the devas are awake. Also for people on the spiritual path, January 15th is a very significant day for meditation. It is the New Year for spiritual seekers. The middle of sadhakas year comes on Guru Purnima. Guru Purnima is the sunset for devas. January 15th is the sunrise.

When you are on the path, when you are doing meditation, everything comes to your door. All the blessings come to your door, you don’t have to go seeking anything anywhere. It is the fullness of the path. All your love, your meditation is drawing the people who have never been out of their province, out of their country to come here and give their blessings. Have a deep sense of reverence for this moment, and every moment because every moment has a mind of its own. If we have a deep sense of reverence for this moment, then you come to Divinity, then you come to a deep sense of acceptance within you.

Peace is nothing but a deep sense of acceptance. Shiva is called Mahakala, Maha is grand and kaal is time. Shiva is the field of energy that dissolves in it the effect of time. Time follows some rules. It has its own rhythm. Sometimes, something desirable happens and at some other times, something undesirable. Time continues to teach us that opposite values are complementary. When we transcend time, we experience joy. Whenever you are happy, we don’t feel the time passing. When you are miserable, every moment appears to be long. If you have to wait in the airport for half an hour all alone, you will look at the watch every two minutes. That half hour seems like half a year. But when you are happy, engaged in something beautiful, you don’t feel the time at all. When you transcend time, then you experience joy. When you go beyond joy, then you experience the great time, grand time, that is Shiva-beyond time, beyond space, in the depth of our being. So, Shiva is not sitting somewhere.

The scriptures say that Shiva has two forms, Linga and Jangama. Every symbol, every object, every living being represents the Divine. Especially those who have dedicated themselves to the Divine 100%, are embodiments of the Divine.

What does Vasudeva mean? Deva means one who loves to play. Demon means one who loves to fight. Divi means Divine. The English word Divine comes from Sanskrit root Divi. Divine means that is which is full of light, full of love, wisdom and playfulness. Vasudeva means one who is the Lord of life, a life which is full of playfulness, joy, wisdom and light. The light we invoke deep us, is invoking Vasudeva. It is manifest in every cell of your body.

Mana means mind. The reverse of mana is nama. Mind moves outward but when it moves inward, it becomes nama. Om Namah Shivaya means that mind goes to Shiva, the divinity deep within us, the innocence, beauty, light that is in our core of existence, there are so many meanings in it. This is just a capsule form of it.

A seed is a whole tree. Like that a lot is contained in sound. Meaning restricts sound. You say a sound and your whole body can feel it. Meaning is something that only a little part that your intellect can grasp. That’s why they call it nadabrahma, meaning sound is Brahman, infinity. The sound is more important. Narayana means the Divinity which is housed in the nervous system. In India there is a tradition that when you meet a person or an enlightened saint, they say Om Namo Narayana, it means-I bow down to the God in you. Divinity has manifested in your nervous system, I honour that. So everyone is Narayana, because everyone’s nervous system is expressing Its consciousness.

Similarly, NamahShivaya means earth, water, air, ether and fire. This divinity which is in all five elements is NamahShivaya. And that Divinity which is so innocent, is the source of your mind, the source of consciousness. So whenever you are meditating, you are in touch with the innocent level of consciousness, which is non-dual. That which is so calm and still and that still consciousness is called Shiva.

Feel at home in silence. Some are always in silence, and some always listen to the music. Life is complete when you can switch between the spectrum. That is the Shiva element, Shiva dance. When Shiva dances, the world shakes, it is so powerful, such a dynamic dance. And yet Shiva can be absolutely still. These two aspects are expressed: one that is very innocent, and in the highest knowledge at the same time. There are people who are ignorant, yet innocent. Shiva is wise, and innocent. The complete range of life, consciousness, so alive.

Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram

Satyam-we are truth, Shivam-we are transcendental and Sundaram-we are beauty.

The Self is beauty, truth and benevolence. Beauty is divinity, and the divine is the truth. So wherever you see beauty, behind that there is a consciousness from which the whole universe is coming into existence. This is a very unique aspect of the Hindu culture. God or divinity is referred as beauty also. Divine as beauty is not emphasized so much in any other scripture or culture as much as it is in the Hindu culture. Of course, every culture has the same truth and talk about beauty, but that beauty is divinity is emphasised on more in this culture.

One basic thing to understand is that your body was made from one cell. One cell became your whole body. That cell knew exactly where to make the eyes, where to make ears, where the kidney should be, where the heart should be and one cell multiplied itself into many different ways-nails, hair, tongue, muscle, bone and everything. Have you ever thought about it? One cell multiplied and made so many organs of the human body. Human body is one, yet it is so different, diverse in its nature and texture.

This unity in diversity is the same in the whole creation. The entire creation-sun, moon, stars, air, cloud, water, earth is made up of one substance. Everything is made up of One thing. That One thing is called Shiva.

Sarvam Shivamayam Jagat

The whole world is just a manifestation of Shiva. You can call it by any name, it doesn’t matter. That is the basic thing behind the whole creation. Our consciousness, our mind is also made up of the Shiva principle.

What is the Shiva principle? It is not like what you see in the Shiva images. Pictures show a blue figure of Shiva sitting in meditation. Shiva is depicted blue because, He is infinite like the sky. Our consciousness is transparent like the sky, so empty, and so full like the ocean. Shiva is infinite consciousness, it is very alert. It is not an inert object. It is very lively, full of life and it is beautiful.

Any beauty that you see is the moment you are consciously or unconsciously in touch with the source. You come here and say, “It is so beautiful here.” Ask people who are living here. They may like a city like Bombay with high rise buildings and a busy pace of life. During this transition, the change from one to another, the mind gets in touch with the aspect inside your Self and you say “Ha…..! So beautiful!” That “Ha…..!” comes when the mind has just touched the Self. But then instead of seeing the Self as source of beauty you attribute it to the place and say, “Ok, I want to live here.” If you come and live here you will get bored. If you go on repeating something, you get bored, you find no joy in repetition.

Only one thing when done repeatedly gives bliss and that is meditation. That is getting in touch with the Self, Shiva-SatyamShivam and Sundaram.

Shiva Tattva

Shiva tattva is something that is total; complete. Shiva is seen sitting immersed in meditation and doing tandav (dance) too. You won’t find this completeness in any other form of gods and goddesses. There is innocence as well as the knowledge of three lokas (realms) in Him. He is a beggar as well as Eshwar-Lord of everyone. Is it possible that one can be both–the Lord of everybody and a beggar at the same time? We can find this only in Shiva tattva (principle, element). That’s why He is called Har. Har means everything.

jo har ek mein hai, har jagah hota hai, woh har hai

One who pervades every place, everything and everyone, in all forms. Shiva is not a person sitting on some Kailas hill. He is not that. What does Kailas mean? Kailas–‘Las’ means, where there is happiness; a festive atmosphere; where there is fun, frolic and intoxication; where there is celebration and only celebration. Narayana resides in Vaikunth. Kunth is shortage and Vaikunth is where there is nothing short. So, Shiva is seated in Kailas. Atma is Shiva.

It is said in the Upanishad:

Shivam shantam, advaitam, chaturtam, mannyante sa aatma sa vigyeya.

Shiva is shanta-which is quiet; advait-which is non-dual, there is no other; chaturth–which is the fourth state. It’s not sleep, not dream nor the awakened state. That which is beyond these three is called ‘Shiva avastha’. When you are in meditation, what state are you in? Are you awake? You are not sleeping and you are not dreaming but there is something pleasant. That fourth state is called Shiva avastha; Shiva tattva.

Manyante sa atma sa vigyeya–that is aatma and you are that. We have to get to know it. It’s the only thing to be known. After knowing that, you say–‘Shivoham Shivoham’. A person who says ‘aham aham’ that is ‘me, me’, melts after going inside. Then he stops saying ‘I, I’ and says ‘Shivoham Shivoham’-I am Shiva, Shiva is me. Shiv Satta is the ever new existence of the consciousness. You start experiencing it. After experiencing it too, you should sit still.

Once you experience Shiva tattva, do not start roaming with a trishul (trident). If you start saying Shivoham Shivoham, put on bhasma (holy ash) and start roaming around with a snake around your neck, holding a trishul, then you have some mental problem. Keep the experience in your heart.

The significance of the snake is that it symbolises the wakeful state. Shiva is sitting with eyes closed. One may feel He is sleeping. But how is He inside–like a snake, wakeful. The consciousness is wakeful; fully awake. The snake indicates wakeful consciousness.

On some special days, the experience of Shiva tattva is very easy like on purnima (full moon)and amavasya (no moon). The mood of the mind fluctuates as the moon waxes or wanes. It is observed that symptoms in patients increase during purnima and amavsya in mental hospitals.

In the same way, on pradosh, or Mondays the wakeful state of Shiva tattva is more. It’s a recognition. If you meditate on Shivaratri then the power of meditation is 100 times more. It is okay if you don’t do it on other days. But you should at meditate on Shivaratri. That which is always (nitya) and which is eternal (shashwat), is Shiva tattva. It is explained beautifully in the shloka:

Namami shamishaan nirvana rupam, vibhum vyapakam brahma veda swaroopam.

That which is in the form of Veda, in form of knowledge; vibhum vyapakam–that is all pervading. It is said that It is nija, nirgun and sagun as well. All gunas are there in it. After this, the verses say, “You can’t describe it, now keep quiet. How much will you talk? How much will you describe?”

‘Chidakasham akasha vasi…’ How is ‘chid’ chaitanya? It’s neither a flame nor an object. It’s the chidakash; it’s the sky. It’s pervading all the chidakash. It’s the form of chidakash. Akashvat. That’s why Shiva is always painted blue in pictures. It’s not that He was blue in colour. It means blue like the sky; and moon on the head. The jata is like the whole digambar; all the digmandal (sky)is the jata. The moon is also inside Him. Everything is inside Him. So all the ghosts, dead, devil, everything was included in His gana. Nothing was left out of Him. It is not possible.

They say that in Shiva’s procession, there are all types of people. In this world, there are all types of people. All belong to that Supreme Soul. There is no one else here. It’s said Sarvam Shivamayam Jagat. This whole world is Shivamaya (pervaded by Shiva).

The soul of Krishna is Shiva. When Shiva tattva took the form of body it became Krishna. That’s why it is said that, Shiva gave the Gita. It means that Krishna had given the message of Gita being in Shiva tattva. He didn’t give Gita while doing raas-leela. He didn’t give it while playing. At the time of giving the Gita, He was in his own self, in his vishwa rupa (form). So there’s no difference between Shiva and Krishna. The difference is imaginary. Krishna was a historical personality. He came, stayed and then went. Shiva tattva–Shiva never came on this Earth. That’s the difference. In Krishna, Shiva tattva took a physical body and in Shiva tattva there is no body.

Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are called vibhutis, so if there is no person here, then what is the relation? Shakti hai vyakti nahin. These are three aspects of Omkar. That’s why it is said ‘Ek Omkar’. Everything comes in one Omkar. Three different qualities of one Parmatma are called Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. In our body, the region of Brahma is below the abdomen, that of Vishnu is the middle portion, and Mahesh is in the head region. Brahma is the creator. So the reproductive organs are situated in the stomach and below-it is the region of creation. From the navel to throat is the region of Vishnu. All organs sustaining the body are in this region. Shiva tattva is in the head. Any devastation, destruction happens by the head only. Transformation also happens by the head. The strength (shakti) of Shiva is called as Devi Shakti. Shiva tattva can’t stay without Shakti.

Only a little can be known about Shiva tattva. The intellect has to be content and finer feelings awakened. Both scientific understanding and spiritual wisdom are necessary to bring this contentment that is holistic and complete. There is no need to go to on long pilgrimages to find the Divine. If you don’t find God here, where you are, then it is not possible anywhere else.

Where the mind dissolves, Shiva is there. Be established wherever you are. The moment you are established, centred, you see that there is Divinity present everywhere. This is meditation. One of the names of Lord Shiva is Virupaksha-meaning one who is formless yet sees all. We know that there is air all around us and we can feel the air as well. But what if the air also starts feeling you? Space is all around us, we identify space. But what if space also recognizes and feels your presence? This happens. Only we don’t know it. Scientists know this and they call it the theory of relativity. The one who sees and that which is seen are both affected when seen. The Divine is all around you and is seeing you. He doesn’t have a form. He is the formless core of existence and the goal. He is the seer, sight and the scene. This formless Divinity is Shiva.

Ajam Sasvatham Karanam Karananam, Shivam Kevalam Bhasakam Bhasakanam, Thureeyam Thama Paramadyantha Heenam, Prapadhye Param Pavanam Dwaitha Heenam. Namaste Namaste, Vibho Viswamurthe, Namaste, Namaste Tapo Yoga Gamya, Namaste, Namaste Chidananda Murthe, Namaste, Namaste Sruthi Gnana Gamya.

Shiva is the One without a beginning or end. He is Bholenath (innocent ruler of all) who is present everywhere all the time. We think Shiva is somewhere else sitting with a snake around his neck. Shiva is one in whom everything has taken birth, who encompasses everything right this moment, and in whom everything in creation dissolves. Every form you see in this creation is all His form.

He permeates the entire creation. He is never born and has no end. He is eternal. He is the fourth state of consciousness, the turiya avastha, the meditative state, that is beyond the waking, deep sleep and dream states.

He is the non-dual consciousness that is present everywhere. That’s why to do Shiva pooja, you have to dissolve in Shiva yourself. Only Shiva can worship Shiva . Chidananda rupa-He is the consciousness that is pure bliss.

Tapo yoga gamya-One who can be known through tapa and yoga. The Shiva tattva can be experienced in the knowledge of the Vedas. The state of Shivoham (I am Shiva), Shiva kevalam (there is only Shiva) is attained. Without yoga, Shiva can’t be experienced. Yoga doesn’t mean only asanas (physical postures) but that experience of Shiva tattva which happens with meditation, pranayam, when that ‘Wow’ happens from within.

Shiva is the cause of all causes. Because of which everything is there–the tree growing, the sun rising, the wind blowing... The reason for everything happening is Shiva-because of whom everything happens and without whom, nothing happens.

Panchmukha, Panchtattva. There are five faces to Shiva-Water, Air, Earth, Fire and Space. Understanding these five elements is tattva gyana (knowledge of the five elements). And then Shiva is worshipped as Ashtamurti (eight forms)–Mind, Memory, Ego are also included. This is both the form and formless aspect of Shiva. Worshipping Shiva is dissolving in the Shiva tattva and then wishing for something good. We also worship nature. Divinity permeates everything in this Earth. Pooja is not complete without honouring the trees, mountains, rivers, Earth and the people living on the Earth. Honouring everyone is Dakshina. Da means to give and Dakshina means giving something that will cleanse us of all impurities, offering with which all your sins vanish. No pooja is complete without Dakshina. When we act in society with skill and free from the distortions of the mind, all negative tendencies like anger, worries, sorrow are destroyed. I will say give your tensions, worries and sorrows as Dakshina. And how does that happen? With Sadhana (spiritual practices), Seva (service) and Satsang (company of the truth) ride the boat of the intellect to dissolve in the ocean of finer feelings and faith.