Abhinavagupta’s Bhairava Stotra is a unique hymn that is a part of the Sacred Verses for Sunday Puja. Swamiji revered these verses, as he did all of the works of Abhinavagupta. He would request his devotees to recite the Bhairava Stotra regularly, and it was always recited at the end of any major spiritual function at his ashram in Kashmir.

These verses encapsulate the entire philosophy and experience of Kashmir Shaivism, so we wanted to share them with everyone, as they are very...

In the summer of 1987, Swamiji 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 eighty-five verses. The following year Swamiji traveled to Nepal where he spent a month with the Hughes family recording his revelation on those verses in the “Special Verses on Practice“.

When asked...

In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, Abhinavagupta shared a important verse he wrote about the supreme Goddess – Para Devi in Kashmir Shaivism, where he explained… Who is the supreme Devi and where does she exist?

Devi Stotra

Tatha ca mayaiva sivasaktyavinabhava stotre [Bhagavad Gita, chapter 15, comm. verse 19]. I, [Abhinavagupta], have also somewhere in the Siva Sakti Avinabhava Stotra, I have penned down slokas for Devi.

Who is Devi?
JOHN: Svatantrya sakti.
SWAMIJI: Sva...

In this lecture from the Manual for Self Realization: 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, verses 24, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals the correct way of meditation on breath with “so‘ham” mantra.

Dhāraṇā 1

शरीभैरव उवाच

ऊरधवे पराणो हयधो जीवो

विसरगातमा परोचचरेत ।

उतपततिदवितयसथाने,

भरणादभरिता सथितिः ॥॥

śrī bhairava uvāca

ūrdhve prāṇo hyadho jīvo

visargātmā paroccaret /

utpattidvitayasthāne, 

bharaṇādbharītā sthitiḥ // 24 //

Ūrdhve is from upwards, movement...

In this excerpt, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals “Why Lord Shiva has created this universe, which is Shakti, His supreme energy?”

This lecture is from the Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom]. You can study the complete text of the Bodhapañcadaśikā in-depth in our online course, “Kashmir Shaivism & The Transformation of Life”, which gives a thorough introduction to Kashmir Shaivism.

Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom]

तसयैवैषा परा देवी...

Swami Lakshmanjoo was very fond of the verses of Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, especially the 13th chapter, and often requested his devotees to sing these sacred hymns. Below is a brief translation revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo of the 13th Chapter. The complete audio/transcription of the Hymns to Shiva, Songs of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali is available with free downloadable audio. Listen to an excerpt from the 13th Chapter (verse 1-4) and read the...

From the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, chapter 16, The Seven States of Turya.

“Between the three states of the individual subjective body, waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, there is a gap.” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo

The Seven States of Turya

The practical theory of the seven states of turya, also known as the seven states of ananda (bliss), which I will now explain to you, was taught to the great Saivite philosopher Abhinavagupta by his master Sambhunatha.

Turya

...

This is an extract from a video of Alice Christensen (Mother Alice) and Swami Lakshmanjoo discussing the correct and incorrect rise and awakening of Kundalini in Kashmir Shaivism.

Alice Christensen: Swamiji, there is so much discussion in the United States about kundalini and the power of kundalini, can you give us some of your personal insight and experiences on this mysterious subject. You must know a lot about it, and we’d really like to hear a little of the truth of the...

Swami Lakshmanjoo explains a śāktopāya¹⁵⁴ practice of supreme awareness of voidness, where one enters in the transcendental void state of Śiva.

This excerpt is from The Manual for Self Realization, 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava (verse 39), by Swami Lakshmanjoo.

Dhāraṇā 16

Now, he will explain another way of process which is āṇavopāya and sentenced to śāmbhavopāya. That is the thirty-ninth śloka.

परणवादिसमुचचारात
पलुतानते शूनयभावनात ।
शूनयया परया शकतया
शूनयतामेति भैरवि ॥॥

...

Swamiji reveals what is the real essence of mantra in Kashmir Shaivism, and how mantras are one with Mother (Kundalini), who is one with Lord Shiva, and how to awaken the divine mother.

In these turbulent times, we feel it is important to share this vital mantra and make it available to all who may desire its benefit. This recording was made as a special lecture during the weekly sangha.

Efficacy of the Aghora mantra...

अघोरेभयोऽथ घोरेभयो घोरघोरतरीभयशच ।

सरवतः शरव सरवेभयो नमसते रुदररूपेभयः ॥

aghorebhyo tha ghorebhyo ghoraghorataribhyasca  /

sarvatah sarva sarvebhyo namaste rudrarupebhyah  //

The following extract on the nature of Svacchandanatha, also known as...