The Omniscient One

FROM THE SHIVA PURANA, I have been speaking about what Shiva had told Devi. And all of it was being recounted to Krishna by the sage Upamanyu. In this column, I will focus on the Panchakshara mantra, one that all of us are familiar with.

Upamanyu continued, “For the welfare of the universe, the lord Shrikantha, Shiva, the paramatman, stated this substance about the essential meaning of jnana. The Vedas, all the sacred texts, Itihasa, Puranas and extensive explanations about knowledge represent this accumulation of vijnana. This collection speaks about six subjects—jnana, what is to be known, what must be done, who has the right to do it, the sadhana, and the objective. Jnana is whatever has been learnt from the guru. Pasha, Pashu and Pati are what should be known. The worship of the lingam is what must be done. A devotee has the right to do this. Shiva’s mantra is the sadhana. The objective is equality with Shiva. If one knows the meaning of these six subjects, one is said to be omniscient. According to one’s wealth, one must first be devout in pursuing karma yajna. After the external worship of Shiva, one should pursue internal worship. If a great-souled person does not pay any heed to good merits from the external, but has love for the internal, he should not undertake any karma associated with the external. Shiva’s devotee, who has Shiva in his atman, is satisfied with the amrita of jnana. O Krishna! There is nothing for him to do, external or internal. Therefore, he gradually casts aside external and internal tasks. He uses jnana to see what should be known and then casts aside jnana too. If the mind is not single-mindedly focused on Shiva, what is the point of performing karma? If the mind has that single-minded focus, what is the need for karma? Therefore, gradually, one no longer performs external or internal karma. In whatever way possible, one immerses one’s mind in Shiva. Those who have fixed their minds on Shiva are the virtuous ones with steady intelligence. They obtain supreme nivritti, in this world and in the next world. In this world, siddhi can be obtained through the mantra ‘Namah Shivaya’. Therefore, for superior and inferior prosperity, this is what must be grasped.”

Shri Krishna said, “O supreme maharshi! O omniscient one! O great ocean of every kind of jnana! I wish to hear the truth about the greatness of Panchakshara mantra.”

Upamanyu replied, “I am incapable of speaking about the greatness of Panchakshara mantra in detail, even if I speak for one crore years. Therefore, I will narrate it briefly. Listen. Both the Vedas and the Shiva Agama texts speak about the mantra with six aksharas. (Namah Shivaya has five aksharas. With AUM added, there are six aksharas.) For Shiva’s devotees, this is the means to understand every kind of meaning. There are a limited number of aksharas. But it is excellent and captures the essence of the Vedas, conferring emancipation. The expression has Shiva in its atman and obeys his command. There can be no doubt that it ensures siddhi. It is full of many kinds of divine siddhis and delights the minds of people. It is certain that the deep meaning of this expression represents Parameshvara. This mantra can be easily pronounced through the mouth and is famous for capturing every kind of meaning. O omniscient one! All embodied beings should utter ‘Namah Shivaya’. The first mantra, with six aksharas, is the seed of every kind of learning. Its great meaning is extremely subtle and should be known to be like the seed of a banyan tree. In the mantra with one akshara, “AUM”, Shiva, who goes everywhere, is established. The divinity is the one who is beyond the three gunas. He is omniscient and is the lord who does everything. In the due order, the five subtle Brahmanas, Ishana and the others, are established in the mantra ‘Namah Shivaya’, each present in one akshara. Thus, in the mantra with six aksharas, Shiva and the bodies of the five Brahmanas are present in subtle form. Following their natures, the word and the object of the word are both directly present. The object is the immeasurable Shiva and the mantra is said to be the expression that expresses him. The expression and the expressed are both present and neither has a beginning. This is because the function of this terrible ocean of samsara is without a beginning. Shiva, who is without a beginning, is established and he is the one who frees from samsara. A medicine is the antidote to a disease and he is a natural antidote. Shiva is described as the antidote to all the taints of samsara. Had the lord of the universe not existed, everything would have been covered in darkness. Prakriti is insentient and Purusha is ignorant. Pradhana and an atom (the word paramanu has been translated as atom) are also insentient. Without being instructed by intelligence as a cause, they are themselves incapable of creating. Instructions are about dharma and adharma, bondage and liberation, and reflection. Without an omniscient entity, the first creation of beings would not have occurred. Without a physician, a diseased person is miserable and suffers. In that way, Sadashiva is complete, omniscient and without a beginning. He is the lord who saves men from the ocean of samsara. The lord is without a beginning, a middle and an end. His innate nature is sparkling.”

A medicine is the antidote to a disease and he is a natural antidote. Shiva is described as the antidote to all the taints of samsara

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“The Shiva Agama texts know Shiva to be omniscient and complete. Therefore, the mantra expresses him. He is the one who is said to be expressed. If one understands that the mantra represents supreme Shiva, one becomes a siddha. This is said to be the jnana about Shiva, the supreme destination. Shiva is expressed through the mantra with six aksharas, ‘AUM Namah Shivaya’. This is an expression that properly indicates Shiva. It has Shiva in its atman and is not a meaningless statement. He is omniscient and is complete in every possible way. Shiva is naturally sparkling. He is the one who shows his favours to the worlds. Why should be speak something that is false? If a person’s nature is tainted by the gunas, only then will he behave in this way. He is not touched by fruits and is complete. This is the omniscient one who speaks. Falsehoods are uttered by those who are grasped by taints like attachment and ignorance. Such taints do not exist in Ishvara. How can he speak something that is contrary? Shiva is omniscient and is not known to possess any taints. Therefore, there is no doubt that his sparkling words are true. Hence, a learned person must have faith in Ishvara’s words. Depending on good deeds and wicked ones, a person who has no faith in him, proceeds downwards (he goes to hell and is born as inferior species).

There are extremely charming words uttered by excellent and serene sages, for the purpose of obtaining heaven and emancipation. These should be known to be excellent sayings (subhashitam). There are words spoken out of attachment, hatred, falsehood, rage, desire and thirst. When uttered, such expressions are said to be a reason for proceeding to hell. There can be polished, gentle and charming words, driven by attachment and uttered by those who are ignorant. They are a cause for hardship in samsara. However, there are also expressions that are not urged by attachment and similar things. They may not be charming to hear. However, if they lead to welfare, there is no doubt that they should be regarded as extremely beautiful.”

“There are many mantras. But there is none to equal the sparkling mantra uttered by Shiva, the omniscient one. The Vedas, the Vedangas and the sacred texts exist in the mantra with six aksharas. There is no mantra that is equal to it, or superior to it. Seven crore major and minor mantras exist in this single mantra. As if on a thread, the mantra with six aksharas strings them together. There is jnana about Shiva and there are many kinds of learning that capture it. Everything stated in them is briefly enunciated in the mantra with six aksharas, as if on a thread. What is the need for many mantras and many extensive sacred texts, when ‘AUM Namah Shivaya’ is established in one’s heart? Everything studied and heard and every rite performed is firmly established in ‘AUM Namah Shivaya’. Therefore, this mantra must be practised. If ‘Namah’, followed by the three aksharas of ‘Shivaya’, exists on the tip of a person’s tongue, his birth is successful. If a person faithfully performs japa with the Panchakshara mantra, regardless of whether he is antyaja, a worst among men, foolish or learned, he is freed from the cage of sins. When asked by Devi, Paramesha, the wielder of the trident, said this for the welfare of all mortals, especially the Brahmanas.”

There will be more on the Panchakshara mantra in the next column. Shiva told Devi more about it.

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Bibek Debroy

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