> Pāṇini, during his twelve-year-long tapas (fervour, ardour) to Śiva, hears the ḍamaru beat fourteen times. Fourteen classes of syllables drop, resonant, into his fervent ears.
a i u ṇ
ṛ ḷ k
e o ṅ
ai au c
ha ya va ra ṭ
la ṇ
ña ma ṅa ṇa na m
jha bha ñ
gha ḍha dha ṣ
ja ba ga ḍa da ś
kha pha cha ṭha tha ca ṭa ta v
ka pa y
śa ṣa sa r
ha l
> It is famous because it is a perfect pangram, containing each character of the Japanese syllabary exactly once. Because of this, it is also used as an ordering for the syllabary, in the same way as the A, B, C, D... sequence of the Latin alphabet.
This article [0] proves that the Pāṇinian Shiva Sutras are optimal in some mathematical sense. I'm just learning to get into this, learning Sanskrit grammar, etc. and get a sense of the Asthadyaayi [1] so that I can approach it later in more detail. There are various ways to approach it and some online sites make an attempt, but as per an acquaintance who has been taught under a teacher, it [1] is almost impossible to understand without a teacher. Still, this document [2], seems to give a good understandable overview with pointers for further study.
I could be wrong but from what I understand, the Shiva Sutras are just the ordering of letters (like, an alphabet), while Iroha is supposed to be poetry.
I thoroghly enjoyed the anime "Record of Ragnarok" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Record_of_Ragnarok). Shiva loved dancing (along with his brother Rudra). He is reimagined very well. Buddha is imagined a bit more cooler though :D. In a sister comment, someone has pointed out stark similarity in Shiva Sutra and Jap Iroha (TIL, Thanks!).
PS: I hope some over jealous Sanghi does not start filing police report that it is somehow hurting religious sentiments of Hindus and takes it down.
I remember not being satisfied with the depiction while watching it; if I remember correctly, the anime created a very different origin story for Shiva and made him evil (I think).
It seemed very inventive, rather than respecting the origin material of Indian mythology. I'm comparing this to the depiction of the Greek/Norse gods, which elevated their mythology rather than rewriting it.
I've finally worked out how to awaken kundalini. I'm holding back for now, but plan to practice a lot from October until it happens. It's going to be a wild autumn.
I want to hit the bliss states :). I mean, people talk about so much bliss and ecstasy you almost can't bear any more, and nearly pass out with the pleasure. All the major lineages I've researched talk about meditation leading you to states of unparalleled bliss, and freedom.
I'm incredibly privileged to live in this place and time. Right now, practices that used to be secret across multiple traditions and cultures are available to study openly, without spending a lifetime at a guru's feet. This also helps see patterns, to separate the genuinely useful practices from superstitious dogma. My basic needs are met and I have sufficient time to practice.
As I see it, there are two possibilities:
a) all the spiritual stuff is real
b) it's just an illusion of the mind
Either way, I'll gain greater knowledge of myself and subconscious, and hope to enter bliss states which, by many accounts, are actually deeply satisfying (unlike the majority of experiences I normally have).
So then, if there's a choice between aiding the process to get there faster, or allowing it to blossom in its own time, I'd be foolish to risk it never blossoming and throwing away this golden opportunity.
The other thing with just allowing it to blossom, is how do you know it will? I've been practising for over 20 years and have only had glimpses of deeper states, never previously being able to repeat them. If you're doing the right practice I'm sure deeper states will blossom. But unless you have some way of measuring whether your practice will be productive, you just risk getting nowhere fast.
Yes, 100%. That's why I liked Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond where the author is clear about that. But I need to start from where I am. He says you hit these states and initially love them, but eventually become dissatisfied with them too, so you keep going deeper into pure consciousness, tranquility, etc. That seems like a healthy approach, not denying them but rather realising they aren't the ultimate end. But as I'm not there right now, I use them to fuel my enthusiasm, but don't expect them to be an end in themselves.
Thanks for your detailed response and to read your perspective.
I can see why you would go for this and experience it, especially if you practiced for 20 years. It seems you thought about it well.
On b) I would entertain the idea that the mindstuff is always an illusion and what the mind is, is a pointer to Conciousness (Cit)
I studied for over 10 years now, but I did have superlative experiences that helped me inform my life choices and outlook in a positive way once you get beyond dogma and so on.
Since past few years, I am able to trigger a sensation at my will which is so pleasant that it's addictive. I looked for some medical phenomena and found ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response). My experience differs from ASMR as mine begins in the opposite direction of ASMR and is like a continuous flow.
The KAP has very similar description of Kundalini. At this point I am confused.
If there's a strong sexual or electrical feeling to the sensation, if it emanates from the base of the spine, moves within (or just in front of) the spine, or in the centre of your head you may want to look into yogic and meditative practices (including KAP).
Perhaps the descriptions in this AYP lesson [1] will resonate with you. I've found their forum very helpful for answering questions.
That and the details in link indeed resonate with me. This practice helps me focus and relax so that's good enough for me. It goes away when my brain is clogged with thoughts and comes back when I clear everything. I'll have a look at these practices to learn more. Thanks
If you don't mind my asking - why do it? From my very limited understanding of vedant, moksh is the only "true" goal. Is awakening the kundalini more of a "fun" exercise or is it helpful for say meditation?
* some subjective 'proof' that there's more than just this material existence
* the impermanence of all things in life seems pointless and makes me sad
* personal growth emotionally and spiritually
* to aid meditation. It's supposed to allow you to enter deeper absorptive states quickly - which is where you can do the real work of gaining insight - without having to adopt a 24/7 monastic lifestyle. Hopefully that will allow me to carry on living a relatively normal life, or at least make those states more accessible.
It also carries a fair share of risks (intense energy surges, intense heat, hallucinations, heightened senses, sensitivity to food, the environment, unbalanced emotions, depression to name a few I've heard of), but, well, I'm as prepared as I can be. I'm probably wrong on some or most of the above. But nothing in life is without risks, and I'd rather regret what I have done in this respect instead of being too afraid to step through that doorway.
Probably above my pay grade, but as I see it the issue is how we typically relate to the world that causes this kind of sadness, rather than the fact itself. It's like, even though I consciously understand nothing lasts forever, I can't help being sad by it. Some deep structure of my mind won't accept it. The aim of Buddhist insight meditation is, as I understand it, to get to a deep enough level of your mind that you finally accept this at your core. This brings about freedom/liberation, as from then on you're able to just go with the flow without the slightest desire for permanence (or anything really). At least, that's the sales pitch.
There are multiple resources that teach how to do it:
* https://kundaliniawakeningprocess.com/blog/ (aka KAP) - the most comprehensive course and incorporates lots of safety features to help you deal with the strong energy currents that arise
* https://aypsite.com/ - also thorough and non-sectarian, but doesn't go into as much detail on the safety side
* Dharana darshan by Saraswati - a good book (used to be on kindle). Chakra Shuddhi is my main practice now. I combine it with the deep pelvic floor breathing taught in the KAP course in a deep hip opener asana which I can maintain for hours. This is the technique that I will use to awaken it. I know this because at night I've been getting some precursor Kundalini activity as energy wriggles out of my root chakra and up shushumna.
* https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mindfulness-Bliss-Beyond-Meditators... - the Buddhist perspective. This doesn't mention Kundalini, but shows what's possible by simply focussing your concentration. A yogi would instead aim to awaken Shushumna and Ajna chakra in order to enter the breathless state that is the gateway to the inner world (and I assume, see the nimita Buddhists talk about). Researching the jhanas helped me understand an experience I had 20 years ago but could never reproduce.
I think with all the techniques you need to spend enough time making them your own, and understanding the principles they're based on. Once you see that you can then tweak them instead of treating them as gospel, and tailor them for your own personality, body, etc.
Shiva plunged in deep dhyana on Kailasha while Devi watched him patiently with contentment. She had not known the feelings of lack, discontent or aggression. She did not miss the comforts of Chintamani griha. The snowy mountains or the icy cave meant nothing. Like the blowing wind is not careworn about its destination, like rain that falls cares not where it lands, Devi just existed in the present moment. Moment by moment, six hundred thousand years passed at the end of which, Shiva rose from his seat.
“The time has come, Varanane,” he spoke somberly.
Devi saw a slight but momentary smile on Shiva’s pink lips. In his all-knowing long eyes, she saw a blinding flash and then utter darkness before they returned to being normal. His forehead showed a hue of soft red. The sun dimmed as if shrunk and in the middle of the day, it became twilight. For the first time, she experienced an unknown feeling in her heart. She could not express it but it was anxiety, a sort of paranoia. Of what, she knew not at this stage.
“I can’t explain, Nath,” she said, “but I’m feeling something I’ve never felt before.”
Without answering, Shiva held her in his yogi’s arms. Billions of new planets were birthed in that moment of embrace. Devi’s anxiety didn’t die down though.
“You are about to see what no one has ever seen before, O Devi,” he spoke solemnly. “And you’ll be the only one to see it every time, once every eleven trillion years that I do this. Till now, you’ve been my own creation. Now, you’ll merge in me. Bound by dharma, henceforth, you’ll be born separately and will have to win me back every time. Some elements will re-manifest and some new will form in the new creation. I’ll create the element of fire. You’ll need it to end your life in a future incarnation. Many worlds will need it for sustenance.”
Devi felt a churning in her stomach. She broke out in sweat. Her heart raced. She had never experienced or known any of these emotions ever before.
“What is happening, Lord?” she asked with trembling lips. It was fear she felt but she knew not what it was.
Shiva, the detached yogi, separated her from the embrace and touched Devi on her radiant forehead granting her divine vision to behold his real form. The Mahakala undid his damaru tied to the trident. In two giant strides, he stood far away from Devi, fifteen light years away. Devi felt as if Shiva was still close.
Dimi-dimi-dum-dum-tadik-dimi-dimi-tadik-dum-dum, he began playing his damaru at a slow tempo. With every strike, at a great distance, Devi would hear sounds of rumbling, roaring and loud explosions. These were not the gurgling skies, thunders or lightning, she knew. These explosions were crumbling planets like one kicks at a sand castle. Before any of the lifeforms could take shelter, the planets were shrinking and disappearing like bursting balloons.
Shiva’s body began to expand beyond proportions anyone could fathom. Countless planets went right into his growing form as he continued to grow. He became the Universal body. Trillions of planets settled on his body like pollen in a valley of flowers. Devi trembled. She had no knowledge that her tapasvin Shiva was not just Maharetas, the greatest seed, but the universe itself. The damaru was playing at a faster pace now. Many planets with all their life-forms, oceans, rivers and trees, were being sucked right into him. She saw her own planet along with her palace, nityas, yoginis and yakshinis merging into Shiva. One million human years passed and there was no end to Shiva’s vistara, expansion or his samhara, dissolution. Raising his right hand up in the air, vigorously playing damaru, he lifted his left leg.
Shiva, the Nataraja, was performing his cosmic dance, Mahatandava.
Devi found herself being pulled towards Shiva’s gigantic form. She was no more than the size of a grain of sand in front of the Mount Everest. Before she knew it, she merged right into Shiva.
From Shiva’s body, she saw the dissolution of the entire universe that went on for four million years more. Shiva stayed in his form of Nataraja, the sovereign dancer, the universal body for ages. Over the next few million human years, countless planets released from his body like arrows from a bow. Transformed, new planets. Creation was taking place again. All this while, Devi lived in Shiva bearing witness to what all had transpired.
maheśvara-mahākalpa-mahātāṇḍava-sākṣiṇī
Devi, Shiva’s own feminine and kinetic aspect was the only witness of mahatandava. For, sound is kinetic energy. Sound cannot be static. The vigorous play of damaru created many sounds that lay scattered in the universe for eons. Seventy million different sounds manifested that covered the entire spectrum of all mantras to be ever created.
At the end of the first cycle of dissolution, the new creation took sixteen billion years before the first lifeform appeared. At the end of nearly eleven trillion years from Shiva’s Mahatandava, earth was created in the universe. This was when Devi was born to Daksha Prajapati and Queen Prasuti and married Shiva, she remembered what all she had been through and how long she had waited.
Born from the union of Daksha and Prasuti, made up of the five elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether, Devi was now well aware of suffering, sadness, sorrow and all the other emotions.
“O Virupaksha, the ruler of all energies,” Devi humbly addressed Shiva, recalling the time when all she knew was bliss in her abode, “when I lived in Chintamani griha, I did not know jealousy, envy or any of the negative emotions. I did not know what was suffering. But now I do, and it is very painful.”
Shiva kept his yogic gaze fixed and lowered it a bit more to indicate that Devi could continue talking, his gentle smile on his chiseled face as if carved by the perfect sculptor.
“I have you,” she continued. “I see you and I only feel bliss. But, what about the rest of the creation? I saw infinite planets shooting out of you and billions of such planets have lifeforms. Why do they have to go through suffering?”
“The various elements are in play, Gaure,” The Mahayogi spoke like clouds gathering in the sky. “There’s no suffering, only ignorance. What people call suffering is merely their perspective born out of ignorance.”
“It may well be, Nath, but it’s extremely painful. It makes everything feel worthless. It causes fear and anxiety. People don’t know they are ignorant. What can they do?”
“They must remain connected to the source, the universal energy,” Shiva replied. “For, the source has all the wisdom anyone ever seeks.”
“And, how can they do that?”
“The easiest would be to pick any sound my damaru created. Everything in its current form originated from those sounds.”
One tip for anyone interested to check out such names, is to look at the Vishnu Sahasranama, the 1000 names of Vishnu, and Lalita Sahasranama, the 1000 names of Lalita.
> It is famous because it is a perfect pangram, containing each character of the Japanese syllabary exactly once. Because of this, it is also used as an ordering for the syllabary, in the same way as the A, B, C, D... sequence of the Latin alphabet.