Swamiji explains to us how and why Lord Shiva disconnects Himself from His energy and yet is never disconnected from it at the same time.
This is from the Bodhapañcadaśikā by Abhinavagupta, who wrote the “15 verses of wisdom” for ‘those dear devotees who are not intellectually inclined”.
This part starts with verses 6 - 8.
एष देवोऽनया देव्या नित्यं क्रीडारसोत्सुकः ।
विचित्रान् सृष्टिसंहारान् विधत्ते युगपद्विभुः ॥६
eṣa devo’nayā devyā nityaṁ krīḍāras-otsukaḥ /
vici...
Swami Lakshmanjoo explains what is initiation and what is its most important feature. This excerpt is from the book, Kashmir Shaivism The Secret Supreme by Swami Lakshmanjoo, Chapter Twelve.
The Fivefold Contacts of Masters and Disciples
In this universe from time immemorial, the initiation of masters has taken place from Lord Śiva up to the mortal beings. This contact of the master with the disciple takes place in five different ways. The highest contact of the master with the disciple is c...
“Triple awareness carries one to God Consciousness!” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
Shiva Sutras 3.35
35. mohapratisaṁhatastu karmātmā //
The yogī whose God consciousness is destroyed by this state of illusion
is dependen...
In this excerpt from the Manual for Self Realization: 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, Dharana 28, verse 51, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals how "one is born anew in days, not in months." His advice is one of the major practices of Kashmir Shaivism.
Dhāraṇā 28
यथा तथा यत्र तत्र
द्वादशान्ते मनः क्षिपेत् ।
प्रतिक्षणं क्षीणवृत्ते-
र्वैलक्षण्यं दिनैर्भवेत् ॥५१॥
yathā tathā yatra tatra
dvādaśānte manaḥ kṣipet /
pratikṣaṇaṁ kṣīṇavṛtter-
vailakṣaṇyaṁ dinairb...
In this excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism Swami Lakshmanjoo elaborates on the question “What gives you liberation and what gives you enjoyment of the world”.
DVD 3.1 (26:07)
सहयज्ञाः प्रजाः सृष्ट्वा पुरोवाच प्रजापतिः ।
अनेन प्रसविष्यध्वमेष वोऽस्त्विष्टकामधुक् ॥१०॥
sahayajñāḥ prajāḥ sṛṣṭvā purovāca prajāpatiḥ /
anena prasaviṣyadhvameṣa vo‘stviṣṭakāmadhuk //10//
Prajāpati means Brahmā. It is translated by all commentators of the Bhagavad Gī...
In this excerpt from the Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism, chapter 16, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains that there are two kinds of glories in Kashmir Shaivism:
“Now, Lord Śiva (Lord Kṛṣṇa) says that there are two kinds of glories: one is divine glory, one is not divine glory. Divine glory shines in those who are blessed and the symptoms of divine glory are what He says now.”
Chapter 16
DVD 16 (00:01)
अभयः सत्त्वसंशुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थितिः ।
दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्याय...
This is Swami Lakshmanjoo’s translation of chapter 6, verses 21 to 24, of Abhinavagupta’s commentary of the Bhagavad Gita explaining the stages of mind and the joy of an appeased mind in Kashmir Shaivism.
In the summer of 1987 Swami Lakshmanjoo began compiling important verses from the various scriptures he had studied throughout his life. Each Sunday he would distribute one or two slokas to devotees, at the same time giving in brief their essential meaning. In all Swamiji revealed a total of e...
In this excerpt from his book Kashmir Shaivism – The Secret Supreme, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the Seven States of the Seven Perceivers (pramātṛis), and their respective energies (pramātṛi śaktis), a subject unique to Kashmir Shaivism.
Chapter Eight
The Seven States of the Seven Perceivers (Pramātṛin)
Now, let us discuss the seven states of the seven pramātṛins (perceivers) and their importance. The first state is called sakala. The sakala state is that state where perception takes place i...
A clear and unique explanation of the much-discussed term “maya” (illusion) in the light of Kashmir Shaivism as Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals to us how we have become limited being.
This is an excerpt from Abhinavagupta’s Paramarthasara: The Essence of the Highest Reality.
View on YouTube or listen to the audio below…
PS DVD 1 (00:55:10)
मायापरिग्रहवशाद्
बोधो मलिनः पुमान् पशुर्भवति ।
काल-कला-नियतिवशाद्
रागाविद्यावशेन संबद्धः ॥१६॥
māyāparigrahavaśād
bodho malinaḥ pum...
In this excerpt from the Essence of the Supreme Reality, Abhinavagupta’s Paramarthasara Swami Lakshmanjoo explains why in order to attain Moksha (Liberation) the starting point of the journey is the ending point.
PS DVD 3 (00:52:47)
मोक्षस्य नैव किंचिद्
धामास्ति, न चापिगमनमन्यत्र ।
अज्ञानग्रन्थिभिदा
स्वशक्त्यभिव्यक्तता मोक्षः ॥६०॥
mokṣasya naiva kiṁcid
dhāmāsti, na cāpi-gamanam-anyatra /
ajñāna-granthi-bhidā
sva-śakty-abhivyaktatā mokṣaḥ //60//
...
In this important excerpt from The Magical Jewel of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism – Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa’s Stava Cintamani, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains why, in Kashmir Shaivism, māyā (illusion) is really svātantrya (freedom).
Audio 4 (45:26)
यस्याः प्राप्येत पर्यन्त-विशेषः कैर्मनोरथैः ।
मायामेकनिमेषेण मुष्णंस्तां पातु नः शिवः ॥७३॥
yasyāḥ prāpyeta paryanta-viśeṣaḥ kairmanorathaiḥ /
māyāmekanimeṣeṇa muṣṇaṁstāṁ pātu naḥ śivaḥ //73//
Let that Lord Śiva prote
...
An excerpt from Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka, 8th Āhnika, about the highest point—bindu—and it’s meaning in Kashmir Shaivism. The contents of this blog post are copyright protect and may not be used without the written permission of the owner.
Painting by Claudia Dose, used with permission of the artist.
ūrdhve bindvāvṛitirdīptā
tatra padmaṁ śaśiprabham /
śāntyatītaḥ śivastatra
tacchaktyutsaṅgabhūṣitaḥ // 377 //
Ūrdhve bindvāvṛitirdīptā, above Sadāśiva, above the element of Sadāśiva there
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