This is a lecture of Swamiji given in Kashmiri, translated into English. You can also listen and read more about the Systems and Schools of Shaivism by visiting this blog excerpt from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Chapter 19, where Swamiji explains the four sub-systems of this philosophy in English.
Long after Sage Durvasa was first initiated into Shaivism by Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash, the Lord felt the need to explain it in greater detail to make it easily understandable to ...
This is verse 9 of the Bodhapañcadaśikā by Abhinavagupta, who wrote the [15 verses of wisdom] for ‘those dear devotees who are not intellectually inclined”. The Bodhapañcadaśikā, Abhinavagupta’s “Fifteen Verses of Wisdom” is available as part of the "Self Realization in Kashmir Shaivism" by Swami Lakshmanjoo.
In this excerpt Swami Lakshmanjoo answers the question “Why our masters have explained to meditate.”
Excerpt from the 10th chapter [Grace] from Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. In this lecture, Swamiji explains how Lord Shiva creates masters and disciples in the kingdom of spirituality.
(The text below is the transcript of the original audio and not the text of the book)
SWAMIJI: And I have to explain to you now how Lord Shiva creates masters and disciples in the kingdom of spirituality. But this creation is functioned by his fifth act, anugraha.
Fift...
In this excerpt from the devotional Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Chapter 13 verse 8, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains why Utpaladeva (the author of the Shivastotravali) wants to get drunk, what is the wine, and what are those wine glasses…
Chapter 13 (19:28)
तत्तदिन्द्रियमुखेन सन्ततं
युष्मदर्चनरसायनासवम् ।
सर्वभावचसकेषु पूरिते-
ष्वापिबन्नपि भवेयमुन्मदः ॥८॥
tattadindriyamukhena santataṁ
yuṣmadarcanarasāyanāsavam /
sarvabhāvacasakeṣu pūrite-
ṣvāpibannapi bhaveyamunm...
Swami Lakshmanjoo was very fond of Sacred Hymns of Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, especially the verses below, and often requested his devotees to sing these.
You can listen to Swamiji and devotees chanting the 13th Chapter here. The complete audio/transcription of the Hymns to Shiva, Songs of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali is available with free downloadable audio.
Below is an excerpt from the 13th Chapter (verse 1-4) revealed by Swamiji…
“He who is attached to
...
Thirty-Six Elements
This is an excerpt from the transcript of the audio that was the basis of the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, book with free audio.
We offer an in-depth study of the “Tattvas (Elements); The Building Blocks of Creation according to Kashmir Shaivism” as an online course on our website, which includes Q&A and discussions by John, Denise Hughes and George Barselaar, who studied and lived for many years with Swami Lakshmanjoo.
Swamiji with John Hughes and fam
...
This is part two of an excerpt from the transcript of the audio that was the basis of the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, book with free audio.
We offer an in-depth study of the “Tattvas (Elements); The Building Blocks of Creation according to Kashmir Shaivism” as an online course on our website, which includes Q&A and discussions by John, Denise Hughes and George Barselaar, who studied and lived for many years with Swami Lakshmanjoo.
“These thirty-six elements are the most import...
This is part two of an excerpt from the transcript of the audio that was the basis of the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, book with free audio.
We offer an in-depth study of the “Tattvas (Elements); The Building Blocks of Creation according to Kashmir Shaivism” as an online course on our website, which includes Q&A and discussions by John, Denise Hughes and George Barselaar, who studied and lived for many years with Swami Lakshmanjoo.
“These thirty-six elements are the most importan...
Excerpt from the Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening, Third Awakening, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. We are studying the Shiva Sutras in our weekly Sangha. Find out more here.
2. jñānaṁ bandhaḥ //
(For this limited individual),
all knowledge is bondage.
Whatever knowledge this individual possesses is bondage for him. The meaning of the present sūtra is different from the meaning given for the second sūtrā of the First Awakening which is also jñānaṁ bandhaḥ. We’ve seen that this second...
Today’s lecture is an excerpt from the Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom] as revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. Here he explains the most important points of Kashmir Shaivism, beginning with the explanation of what “that One Being” is like.
These are fifteen ślokas, which were composed by Abhinavagupta, giving a brief exposition of the doctrine of Kashmir Śaivism.
Track 01b (01:40)
ॐ अनस्तमितभारूपस्तेजसां तमसामपि ।
य एकोऽन्तर्यदन्तश्च तेजांसि च तमांसि च ॥१
oṁ anastamita-bhārūpas tejasā...
In 1990, while commenting on Abhinavagupta’s rendering of the Bhagavad Gita, Swami Lakshmanjoo made a statement regarding initiation. At that time he was asked how will people be initiated after he was gone from this world? "Through viewing this!" he replied, and he pointed at the camera.
It is well known that the great masters of Kashmir Shaivism were not restricted to their bodies. Like the masters before him, Swamiji was a Universal Being existing everywhere, free from any limitation of spac...
In this excerpt from Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains what Malas (Impurities) really are in Kashmir Shaivism.
“This mala is very subtle. . . . Mala is neither formless nor with form.
It is just ignorance . . . It doesn’t allow knowledge to function, knowledge is stopped. Mala is absence of knowledge. Mala is not something substantial.
So this absence of knowledge takes place only by ignorance, and that ignorance is mala. Otherwise there is no mala, mala is not existing...
