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.
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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)
तततदिनदरियमुखेन सनततं
युषमदरचनरसायनासवम ।
सरवभावचसकेषु पूरिते-
षवापिबननपि भवेयमुनमदः ॥॥
tattadindriyamukhena santatam
yusmadarcanarasayanasavam /
sarvabhavacasakesu purite-
svapibannapi...
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…
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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. jñanam bandhah //
(For this limited individual),
all knowledge is bondage.
Whatever knowledge this individual possesses is bondage for him. The meaning of the present sutra is different from the meaning given for the second sutra of the First Awakening which is also jñanam bandhah....
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)...
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...
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...
Chapter Seven
The Three Impurities
Malas
In our Saiva system, there are three males or impurities. These malas reside in maya. They do not reside in svatantrya sakti. Even though svatantrya sakti and maya are one, yet they are different in the sense that svatantrya sakti is that state of energy which can produce the power of going down and coming up again, both at will, whereas maya will only give you the strength of going down and not the ability of rising up again. Once you have come down,...
