Shiva’s Secret

IN THE LAST COLUMN, there was an introduction to Kurma Purana. I also said that despite being named after one of Vishnu’s avatars, Kurma Purana (as the text exists now) is overwhelming about Shiva. Some people don’t know that there are Gitas other than the Bhagavata Gita. I recently did a book on Gitas from the Mahabharata (Sacred Songs, Rupa). There are Gitas in Puranas too. Here is Ishvara Gita from Kurma Purana, narrated by Shiva (Ishvara) to the sages. Those who know the Bhagavata Gita well will immediately identify the similarities.

Ishvara said, “My vijnana is an eternal mystery. It cannot be spoken about. O dvijas! Even though they try, devas do not know. Depending on this jnana, excellent dvijas have become one with the Brahmana. Those who spoke about the Brahmana earlier, no longer had to experience samsara. This is the greatest secret among all secrets. One must make every effort to keep it a secret. Today, I will speak about it to you, since you are full of devotion and speak about the Brahmana. The atman is absolute and clear. It is pure, subtle and eternal. It directly exists inside everything. It is consciousness alone. It is beyond darkness. The shruti texts say that he is Antaryamin (the one who dwells within), Purusha, Prana, Maheshvara and Kala. He is the unmanifest one. He is the one who knows. The universe originated from him and dissolves into him. He is full of maya. Not bound by the maya, he assumes many kinds of bodies. He does not move in samsara. The lord is not identical with samsara. He is not earth, water, fire, wind or space. He is not prana, the mind or the unmanifest [meaning Pradhana]. He is not sound, touch, form, taste or smell. He is not the doer, nor speech. He is not hands, feet, the anus or the genital organs. He is not the one who does, nor the one who enjoys. He is not Prakriti or Purusha. He is not maya, nor the different types of prana. He is not the supreme objective. No connection is possible between illumination and darkness. Like that, there is no union or association between prapancha and the paramatman. In this world, shadow and light exhibit traits that are distinct from each other. In that way, prapancha and Purusha are distinct. That is the supreme meaning. If the nature of the atman is such that it is dirty, created, and subject to transformations, then it cannot be emancipated, even in hundreds of births. Emancipated sages perceive the supreme truth about their own atmans. It is without transformations. It is devoid of the opposite pair of sentiments.”

“The atman is without change and is full of bliss. ‘I am the doer. I am happy. I am miserable. I am thin. I am stout.’ Such views are caused by a sense of ahamkara. People impose these on the atman. Those who know the Vedas speak of the atman as the witness, beyond Prakriti. It enjoys and does not decay. It understands and is established everywhere. Thus, for all those with bodies, the cause behind samsara is ignorance. As a result of ignorance and incorrect understanding about the truth, there is association with Prakriti. Purusha is supreme, always arising in its own luminescence. It goes everywhere. As a result of ahamkara and lack of discrimination, a person thinks, ‘I am the doer.’ Rishis perceive the eternal and the unmanifest, consisting of existence and non-existence. A person takes Pradhana to be Purusha and speaks of the Brahmana as being the cause. But this is an association brought about for the atman, which is deep and without blemish. Thus, he does not understand the truth about his own atman being the imperishable Brahmana. Lacking knowledge about the atman, he takes it to be something else, and thus suffers from grief. All taints like attachment and hatred are bonds brought about through confusion. This has the great taint of karma and good deeds and bad deeds. This is the state for everyone and gives rise to every kind of body. The atman is everywhere and eternal. It is hidden deep and is devoid of taints. It is one. But appears as many because of the strength of maya, not because of its own nature. Therefore, sages say that the supreme truth is that of non-duality. Differences are the nature of the unmanifest [meaning Prakriti], which is dependent on maya. The sky does not become dirty because of its association with smoke. Like that, the atman is not touched by the inner organ of the mind. A sparkling piece of crystal shines because of its own radiance. Like that, the sparkling atman shines, without any defining attribute. Discriminating people say that this universe has the form of jnana. Others, whose vision is warped, consider it as consisting of material objects. The atman is deep and nirguna. Its nature is that of consciousness. But men, with insight warped by ignorance, look at it in the form of a material object. When pure crystal comes into contact with a red gunja seed, people think it is red. In that way, there is an imposition on the supreme Purusha. The atman is imperishable, pure and eternal. It does not decay and goes everywhere. Those who desire liberation should worship it in this way, think about in this way and hear about it in this way. When the consciousness shines everywhere, and all the time, in the mind of a faithful yogi, he achieves success. He sees all beings in his atman and his atman in all beings. He then realises the Brahmana. When he is in a state of samadhi, he does not see other beings. He becomes one with the supreme and the absolute alone exists. He is then freed from all the desires in the heart. Such a learned person then obtains immortal peace. He sees all the separate beings as established in the one and as expanding from the one. He then realises the Brahmana. He sees the supreme truth of the absolute atman. With everything in the universe mere maya, he experiences nivritti.”

The atman is imperishable, pure and eternal. It does not decay. Those who desire liberation should worship it in this way. When the consciousness shines all the time, in the mind of a faithful yogi, he achieves success

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“The medication for birth, old age, misery and ailment is vijnana about the Brahmana alone. When this happens, he becomes Shiva. All major and minor rivers in this world proceed towards the ocean and become one. In that way, one proceeds towards unity with the imperishable and the nishkala. Therefore, vijnana alone exists. Prapancha has no base. In this world, vijnana is enveloped by ignorance. That is the reason for delusion. Vijnana is sparkling and subtle. It does not change and is without an alternative. This is held to be vijnana. Everything else is ignorance. The excellent jnana spoken about in samkhya has been described. This is the essence of the Vedanta and yoga is single-minded focus on this. Jnana results from yoga. From jnana, yoga functions. For a person who possesses both yoga and jnana, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Yogis proceed to the same destination that the followers of samkhya go to. A person who seeks Samkhya and yoga as one, is a person who knows the truth. There are other yogis whose minds are attached to prosperity. They are submerged because of this, and their intelligence suffers. There is the divine, sparkling and great prosperity, spoken about by everyone. When they give up their bodies, those with jnana and yoga obtain this. I am the unmanifest atman. I am Parameshvara, full of maya. I am described in all the Vedas. I am in all atmans and face every direction. I am every kind of form, every kind of taste and every kind of smell. I do not suffer from old age or death. My hands and feet are everywhere. I am the eternal Antaryamin. Even without hands and feet, I grasp swiftly. I am established in the heart. I have no eyes, but I see. I have no ears, but I hear. I know everything. But no one ever knows me. Those who possess insight about the truth speak of me as the one great Purusha. Rishis, subtle in insight, see the cause behind the atman. They see the excellent glory of the nirguna form, which is without blemish. Deluded by my maya, devas do not know this. I will tell you about it. Control yourselves and listen. Since my nature transcends maya, no one is able to praise me. But the wise ones know me as the cause that urges the restrictions. Those who possess insight about the truth know my mysterious body as one that goes everywhere. Such yogis enter and obtain sayujya with the imperishable. They cross over my maya, which has the universe as form. Along with me, they achieve the supreme and pure nirvana. As a result of my favours, they do not return, even in hundreds of crores of kalpas. These are the instructions of the Vedas. This knowledge should be given to sons, shishyas and yogis who speak about the Brahmana. I have spoken about the vijnana that is based on samkhya and yoga.”

Prasthanatrayi (the three sources) of Vedanta are described as Upanishads, Bhagavata Gita and Brahma Sutras. As you can see, Ishvara Gita from Kurma Purana is part of that strand.

About The Author

Bibek Debroy

Bibek Debroy has translated the Mahabharata and the Valmiki Ramayana into English. He is the Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister

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