Swamiji explains why:

“Yogis understand that it is only a trick, there is no time.” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo

This is the 12th and 13th verse of the Bodhapañcadaśikā by Abhinavagupta, who wrote the [15 Verses of Wisdom] for ‘those dear devotees who are not intellectually inclined”. We are offering a more in-depth study of the whole text in this Online Course. You can also listen to the previous verse on this blog.

तत्प्रासादरसादेव गुर्वागमत एव वा ।

शास्त्राद्वा परमेशस्य यस्मात्कस्मादुपागतम् ॥१२

tat-prāsāda-rasādeva gurvāgamata eva vā  /

śāstrādvā parameśasya yasmāt kasmad-upāgatam  // 12 //

Tat prāsāda, now what happens to some people who know afterwards, i.e. who come to this understanding that it is only just a trick. Yogis understand that it is only a trick, there is no time, actually there is no span of time. If this was true, that there was time . . . why [is there] difference? This [lifespan] would have been only equal to all.

ERNIE: Twenty four hours for a mosquito, same for a human, same for Śiva.

SWAMIJI: Yes, but it is not.

BRUCE P: Is he speaking specifically of time, or just all varieties of creation?

SWAMIJI: All varieties of creation [who are] in the grip of time. They have been entangled in the grip of time, kāla. That is kāla, kāla is time. And time is controlled by the Lord of death. When there is time there is death, when there is time there is birth. When there is the kingdom of time there is everything – there is pain, there is pleasure, there is sadness, there is happiness, there is joy, there is pleasure, there is sex, there is not sex, there is detachment, there is attachment – when you are caught in the grip of time, according to your own capacity.

Now, tatprāsāda rasā deva gurvāgamata eva vā, śāstrādvā parameśasya yasmāt kasmad upāgatam, now sometimes, in some places, on some occasions, it happens that grace is showered on some person – the grace of Lord Śiva. When the grace of Lord Śiva is showered on some particular person, or guru āgamata eva vā, or by the teachings, or vibrating force of your master.

BRUCE P: What force?

SWAMIJI: Vibrating force. Your master vibrates his God Consciousness in you, and you come to this understanding that there is no time. You understand what this is, what trick this is [being] played by Lord Śiva.

Otherwise you don’t understand that you are a football. You understand [you feel] that you are playing yourself, you are player, and that is a false notion. You are not player, you are played.

And then when, by the grace of Lord Śiva, or by the grace of your master, or by understanding the important points of śāstras²⁰. Śāstrādvā parameśasya yasmāt kasmāt upāgatam. Śāstras which are concerned with Paramaśiva [supreme Śiva]; not Vedānta, not Buddhism, not Naiyyāyika, and all other systems.

भुयत्तत्त्वस परिज्ञानं स मोक्षः परमेश्वतः ।

तत्पूर्णत्वं प्रबुद्धानां जीवन्मुक्तिश्च सा स्मृता ॥१३

yat-tattvasa parijñānaṁ sa mokṣaḥ parameśvarah /

tatpūrṇatvaṁ prabuddhānāṁ jīvan-muktiśca sā smṛitā  // 13 //

Yattattvasa parijñānaṁ, when you come to know the reality of what has happened. The reality what has happened in this cycle of 118 worlds. Yat . . . the existent state of Lord Śiva, that is liberation. Sa mokṣaḥ parameśatā, that is the existent state of Lord Śiva, and that is liberation, final liberation i.e. when you come to know. When you come to know this is a trick, that it is nothing. When [you know] this is a trick you have nothing to do.

ERNIE: But, when you mean come to know, you mean when you live that?

SWAMIJI: How you come to know . . . how you come to know?

You come to know by the grace of Lord Śiva, you come to know by the grace of your master, you come to know by the grace of śāstras.

ERNIE: But I’ve come to know, just from lectures and from being here with you, but I don’t know . . .

SWAMIJI: No it is attached knowledge.

ERNIE: It’s what?

SWAMIJI: It is attached knowledge. It is not real knowledge

ERNIE: Yes, so real knowledge is, when you?

SWAMIJI: When you know yourself exactly.

ERNIE: When you live that.

SWAMIJI: Yes.

Tat pūrṇatvaṁ prabuddhānām jīvan muktiśca sā smṛitā, and that is fullness in elevated souls. That is called fullness achieved by elevated souls and jīvan muktiśca sā, and that is called jīvan mukti (liberation).

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20  “The Shaiva śāstras (sacred texts) emphasize the importance of threefold knowledge, i.e., knowledge from the master, knowledge from the śāstras, and knowledge from one’s own experience. For removing ignorance and realizing God consciousness a disciple has to first go to the master. Then the master will guide him and select which śāstras he should read. And by that śāstra he will come to his own experience. Once he has got that experience, he will again see if that experience is quoted in śāstras, and finally he will have that experience confirmed by his master. This is the way of thinking in Kashmir Shaivism.” Swami Lakshmanjoo, Tantrāloka 13, USF archives.

Source: The Bodhapañcadaśikā, Abhinavagupta’s “Fifteen Verses of Wisdom” featuring Swami Lakshmanjoo’s revelation is available as a six part online study series: “Kashmir Shaivism and the Transformation of Life“. Includes 127 page transcript in PDF format, with downloadable video and audio material. Total audio time 8 hours.

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