SHIVA PURANA

Siva Gyan � Its Import and the Course

Ishanah Sarva Vidyanam Srutiresha Sanathani /
Veda kartha Veda pathih Tasmaccambhurudahtritha /
Sa evam Shankarah Saakshaat sarva anugraha karakah/
Kartha Bhartha cha Harthaacha Sakshi Nirguna eva Sah /

(Siva is the Master of all ‘Vidyas’ or Knowledge, the Origin of Vedas and their Chief; He is the epitome of mercy, the Evidence of Creation, Preservation and destruction and the Unique ‘Nirguna’). He is the Cause of Causes; the Act, the Action and the Actor; the Sarva Swarup or The Multiple Images and ‘Eka Swarup’ or the One and Only Figure.

Like a Seed becomes a fruit and the fruit yields seeds, Siva is the Seed and the Fruit too. From Parabrahma to a piece of grass, it is all Siva only. But, invariably human beings consider Him as entirely different from themselves. One tends to address Him as ‘You’ as separate from ‘Me’, little realising that both are not detached Entities. It is the understanding of this simple truth that Siva Gyan is all about. The reason of this disconnect is due to the interplay of Illusion and the Self.  Be it Earth, or Ocean or Ether there are countless forms of Siva in dissimilar dimensions, yet there is an infinite diversity in a unique unity. It is one Sun on the Sky but the reflections in various water bodies assume myriad forms. The Sky is spreadout covering the entire Universe, but no object in Creation could ever ever touch it despite the greatest human effort. While human beings are subject to the ‘Arishadvargas’  or Six Enemies of Desire, Anger, Avarice, Obsession, Ego and Jealousy, Siva is of Pure Form of All-Pervading, Never Ending, All Knowing  and Permanent Nature. Human beings need to be purified and polished with ‘Samskaras’ as in respect of Gold  with Acid and Fire and more significantly the deftness of a Guru.When ‘Jeevatma’ of Human Beings gets freed from life, it gets absorbed in Siva Swarup.

 As a new life is initiated again as per preordained decisions of Fate, the superior beings or Jnanis neither get elated with their possessions nor feel dejected with disappointments but practise equanimity. Once the Ego or Ahamkara is washed off and ignorance is uprooted, the Bhakta (Devotee) could take the route of full consciouness to Bhagavan Siva and then he is ripe to resort to worship by boldly reciting Siva Sthotras in loud voice and pave the way for assuming Siva Gyan or Siva Tatva. As the Bhakta qualifies for Siva Gyan and is well set on the route to Siva Tatva, the pulls and pressures of ‘Samsara’ or the Earthly issues keep fading away and Adhyatmika Gyan gains priortity. Siva Bhakti having paramount importance, Pure Bhakti paves the way to Prem or Love to all co-existent beings; from Prem to ‘Shravan’ (hearing) or the unending aptitude to learn; from the learning process the next step is ‘Satsang’ or companionship of Virtuous Persons or Vidwans or Experts; then emerges a Guru who would ship-shape the process of ‘Upasana’ or the penultimate step before ‘Mukti’