Shiva Consciousness
This is a discourse delivered on Shivaratri day of 2008 at Bidadi in Tamil as part of a series by The SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM
Shiva answers Devi's doubts. She has lost herself in him and is one with Shiva in the deep state of the being. There is neither need for any questions or answers nor do they occur in this state. In order to internalize this state so that we too will attain the Shiva Consciousness, Shiva himself has shared these techniques with all of us.
Shiva's state is a pure state and the highest being oriented state. There is a possibility for this state to happen within each one of us. We can realize the truth of this state. Shiva shares with us the techniques to makes this state happen within us. Shiva himself expresses it to us.
On this auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri let us enter in to the Shiva Sutras.
On this pleasant day Shiva has blessed the earth. It is a day that the whole world celebrates in honor of Shiva. On this auspicious day let us enter into the very special Shiva Sutras. The words that came out from Shiva are like the divine nectar amruta that lead not only Devi but also have the power to lead the whole world into his Consciousness. Let us enter into the Sutras that have the power to make the whole world experience the truth.
I am not merely commenting on the sutras. Understand well that I am delivering them once again.
The S*utras* are being given again. Let them raise your being. Let them fulfill your being. Let them fulfill your Self with the truth. Before entering in to the Sutras deeply internalize the energy of Shiva present here. Close your eyes and feel the energy that moves the whole universe. Feel the energy of Shiva in your body that is in the form of prana. The movement of the universe itself is deep within you as prana movement. Let yourself become this flow. Close your eyes, fill your self with the energy of prana and become one with it.
Immerse into the prana movement in your muladhara, the root chakra*,* deep within each one of you. Fill your body and mind with the overflowing presence of Shiva. Dedicate your prayers and thoughts whole-heartedly to Shiva's energy. Surrender your whole being to Shiva's energy. Cooperate with the changes and experiences that happen within you.
Om Namah Shivaya
Open your eyes. Before we enter into the Sutras internalize these few things. The Sutras are in a very clear and simple form that no other enlightened master can deliver. This is because the first guru Shiva has not only revealed the Sutras of realization for the first time but with their wholeness. This is a book that leads to enlightenment of not just one person but provides the entire world with traditional research methodology to become enlightened. This book provides 112 meditation techniques. Each meditation technique has got the quality and energy to give rise to a religion or a tradition. Whenever a master like him happens on this planet earth, the traditions that are going to happen after him will definitely have his strong perspective creating a very big wave. His deep and clear revelations are techniques that have neither happened before nor will never happen in the future.
Whoever follows him to create another wave will only be a smaller wave in the wake of that original wave created by Shiva. His was not merely another wave, a larger one, but a huge ocean into which all these other waves merge. The enlightened masters, siddhas and rishis who happen again and again just do the job of giving life to one of the techniques that has already been revealed by Shiva. They cannot add anything new. What all could be told and what all could be given have been said and given in these Sutras. After this all the energies that happened on this planet earth were only able to comment on these Sutras or use these sutras to fulfill their life. No one can give or do anything beyond them, as these Sutras were so complete. The Shiva Sutras have very clearly laid the path for the Shiva Consciousness, for the fulfillment of this Consciousness laying the boundaries for the scientific technology of enlightenment.
This one single book has created such a great impact in the consciousness of the universe that no other book could ever do. Some books could have had some impact on the society. Some books could have had some impact in the field on psychology. Some books could have had some impact in the field of engineering. However, this book has had its impact in all the fields. Because, any impact that happens in the being level of a human being will be definitely reflected in all the other fields. This book has created a great impact in the being of the human race. This book very clearly, very simply allows one to experience the being at the very moment.
With these 112 meditation techniques Shiva has given the keys to enlightenment to all humans, those who have happened in the past, happening now and those yet to happen. Shiva has revealed his wholeness. There is nothing more to be added or nothing else to be subtracted from it. The enlightened masters who came after Shiva have learnt from this experience and shared this with their followers. The entire base for the Sutras had been very clearly identified and classified by Shiva himself. People who have the opportunity of hearing it directly again now are the blessed ones. People who have the opportunity of internalizing it in their being are the blessed ones.
Raise your self to the state of Devi and internalize the Sutras as she did. Let yourself melt in the deep devotional state. Let your being be filled with the great devotion. At this deep devotional state let your self be once again be filled with the truth of Shiva sutras. Once again realize the being and let the being be filled with the energy of the Existence and let it be one with Shiva himself.
Words are not enough to say, words are not enough to explain the power of these Sutras. The wholeness of the Sutras cannot be explained with words as they are beyond words.
Shiva takes you to a state that is beyond words by using words, as if we are trying to see the sun by looking at his finger pointing to the sun. It is up to our intelligence to ignore the finger to look beyond and see the sun in the same way as it is our work to attain a state that is beyond words and not to be moved by the words.
Shiva has given us the S*utras* so that the athmapramanam is changed into apthapramanam. Athmapramanam refers to our individual experience, whereas apthapramanam refers to the experience of an enlightened master. To recreate the same experience in each one of you that was experienced by the enlightened master let us now enter into the Sutras.
Shiva straight away enters in to the direct truth showing us the state of eternity. This is the only spiritual book where the truth does not have any introduction. Shiva enters into the job of directly showing the truth. This is a book with no introduction. He does not even waste the time by explaining the consequences of the deed. He enters just like that into the direct truth that takes you to the state of eternity.
Devi asks a very beautiful question. Her question is, 'How can one realize the truth that which is beyond place, boundary, time and explanation? How to attain the true state? How to internalize the state of eternity?'
Shiva directly delivers the truth. He directly gives the technique to internalize it in the being level. Shiva delivers the truth in such a simple, clear and direct form that no one has delivered earlier or will ever deliver in future. Shiva asks Devi to focus on the neutral space between breaths to experience Shiva Consciousness.
Existence always acts within us through our breath. Breath acts as a bridge between Existence and us. The only bridge that exists between Existence and us is breath. At one end of the breath we have the physical body on the other end of the breath we have the subtle being.
Fire stays as a bridge between the five elements of nature. Out of the five elements that are earth, water, fire, air and ether, water and earth have a form. Ether and air do not have a form. Fire has neither a form nor no form. It is beyond form. It can be seen but does not have a form. Earth and water are the elements with form. If they are fused with fire they too will become formless elements like air and ether. Fire acts as a bridge in converting the form to formless.
The day when Shiva revealed himself as lingothbava, expression in the form of a linga, in the form of fire at Thiruvannamalai, is said to be the day of Shivaratri. Shiva happened on Shivaratri day in the formless form of fire in order to liberate the souls by taking them from form to formlessness. Shiva appears in the form of fire as a bridge amongst the other elements of nature to take us beyond form. Shiva in the form of Lingothbava takes us from a state of form to formlessness through this first S*utra*. He gives an understanding through the Sutra that he will reveal himself in the midst of the breath.
If you look deeply into yourself you will for a moment forget the feeling that 'I am body, I am mind'. You will experience the essence of Existence at least for a moment in the neutral space of each breath. The breath that goes in touches your being and then it comes out. The breath that comes out touches the being of your existence and then it goes into you. At each neutral space of your breath you are touching and coming in contact with and taking in the being of Existence.
There is no need to believe anything, there is no need to think of anything and there is no need to do anything except to just focus on the breath that goes in and the breath that comes out and the breath that goes in again. If you are able to internalize and just focus on theses two gaps that will do. Enlightenment and quality of Shiva will then radiate in you.
We need a deep understanding here. If any other enlightened master had delivered these words then these would have become one more set of meditation techniques. Here Shiva himself has delivered these Sutras, so they become satya pramanas, promises of truth.
Shiva reveals himself as Lingothbava to Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma represents an ego of superiority complex. Vishnu represents an ego of inferiority complex. The mind of Brahma always shows more than what it actually has. On the other hand the mind of Vishnu always shows less to what he actually has. Money is like the state of Vishnu. How much ever you have it is seen to be less. Knowledge is like the state of Brahma. Whatever little you have is shown as if you know more. Brahma is an expression of Saraswati, an expression of knowledge, and ego of superiority. Vishnu is an expression of Lakshmi, and ego of inferiority. Neither can see nor realize the truth. It is only when they understand that they cannot see or realize the truth and surrender themselves to Shiva that Existence reveals itself to them.
The breath that goes in is Brahma, the ego of superiority and the breath that goes out is Vishnu, the ego of inferiority. When you focus your whole being in between the two breathe and surrender yourself you will see Shiva revealing himself.
Brahma and Vishnu cannot see or realize themselves because of the ego of superiority and the ego of inferiority. In order to make them understand Shiva revealed himself in between and beyond the state of ego. The day Shiva revealed himself as Lingothbava is the day of Shivaratri. He reveals the same truth in this S*utra*.
Inhalation is the ego of superiority and the exhalation is the ego of inferiority. Establishing the being beyond the state of Brahma and Vishnu, beyond knowledge and material is called as Shiva Shakti, Shiva energy or Shiva Consciousness or Bhairava. Shiva says that if you just focus yourself on the very small gap that is in between inhalation and exhalation you will be able to experience the state of eternity, the true state of the being, the state of enlightenment and the state of Shiva. This is a promise that he gives.
Understand deeply that till you have oscillation in your breath you will have oscillation in your mind. As long as you have oscillations in your mind you will be seeing this world. There is no oscillation in between the breath that goes in and the breath that comes out, the tranquil gap that is in between these breaths. Stay in that serene state and focus yourself in it so that the existence that is beyond name and form will infuse the same experience in you too.
Your attention will be always directed towards things for which you have a deep liking. The amount of time that you take for each breath is the same amount of time that is taken for the neutral space in between each breath. However, we don't show that much of interest in the neutral space. Since we are not deeply connected to them these gaps start to reduce. As the gaps diminish, our body becomes prone to diseases. When the breathing period is equal to the gaps or neutral spaces our life span increases. When the neutral spaces increase enlightenment dawns.
We all definitely have this neutral space within us. The breath that goes in comes out and once again goes in. If you focus on the neutral space between the breaths you will go beyond your form and your name. You will experience the state of eternity. There is no need to give any sort of explanation for this. You will need explanation only when you have any doubts. Shiva does not even give a chance for any explanation. There is no necessity or a possibility for any explanation.
In order to avoid the misconception or mistakes by the people who write commentaries Shiva has already given the S*utras* completely. It's been revealed in its complete form. People who come forward to write commentaries may add wrong words and make it impossible for the next generation to imbibe Shiva the way he meant. There is no place for any doubt here. Just focus your being in the gap that exists between each inhalation and exhalation.
Shiva sutras can be classified in to three different ways. Nithya sutras are meant to experience the Sutra and living with it for 24 hours a day. Dhyana sutras are meant to experience the Sutra and following the sutra in a specified time, on a regular basis. Dhyana sutras are meditation techniques that you need to sit down and meditate either in the morning or in the evening or during any specified time. The third type comprises Ananda sutras. The moment one hears them they reveal bliss and enlightenment in the being.
This S*utra* is a Nithya sutra. Once you hear it, you internalize it and it becomes a part of your life. You can follow this Sutra throughout 24 hours, because throughout day and night the only thing that you do without stopping is to breathe. That is one thing that you never miss to do. Focus your self on this one thing. The ego of superiority is inhalation and the ego of inferiority is exhalation. Just focus on the neutral spaces of breaths and you will see Shiva as Lingothbava.
The period Shiva expresses himself to everyone is the neutral space, so just focus your being in it. The mind that goes out is breath and the breath that goes in is mind. There is a deep connection between the two. When you stop breathing your mind ceases to act. When your mind ceases to act your breath stops. Shiva does not even ask you to stop the breath, or to control your breathing. He doesn't ask you to stop the breath but to just focus yourself on the neutral space. Stopping the breath is like applying the brakes in a moving vehicle. Shiva does not ask you to stop the breath by braking. He merely asks you to unclutch from it. He asks you to become aware and unclutch. It is only when you focus your whole being on the neutral spaces of your breaths is when you become unclutched from you mind and body.
Let us focus on the truth of this S*utra* in the forthcoming discourses. I have started the S*utras* on this auspicious Shivaratri day so that the words of Shiva will keep on ringing in your mind. Shiva has revealed the truth of Shiva Consciousness through these sutras. Let your being be filled and let your senses flower. It is through these Sutras that Shiva wants to fill your being, your body and your mind and make them flower with the eternal bliss. I bless you all become one with, express and radiate eternal bliss, nithyananda.