Siva Gita – Chapter 16 – Dhyāna Yoga – Slokas 1 – Slokas 69, Uttara Khanda, Padma Purana

Prabhu Shri Rama uvācha, “O Lord! You have explained the path to moksha. Please tell me those who are competent to follow that path. There is a great doubt in me regarding this matter.”

 

Shri Bhagawan uvācha, “The Brahmanas, kshatriyas, vaishyas, sudras and women are eligible. The Brahmachari, grihastha and the uninitiated too, if he were a Brahmana.

 

Even a forest-dweller, a widower, an ascetic or one who observes the Pāsupata vrat are also competent. One in whom the fervour, devotion and sincerity in the worship of Shiva exists is competent to get mukti.

 

He alone is eligible for liberation, not anyone else whose mind is otherwise engaged. The foolish, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, those with impure conduct, one who does not perform the prescribed religious rites, those who do not have devotion in Lord Shiva, ignorant persons who mock the devotees wearing the sacred ash, Rudraksha and the Linga and hate them are not eligible for liberation.

 

O, Ruler of Mankind! One who hates Me or the Preceptor or the Pāsupata vrat or Lord Vishnu will not get released even in millions of birth.

 

Though one is engaged in performing his assigned duties, if devoid of Shivajnāna and Shiva bhakti, then he does not get liberated and will be eternally involved in birth and death.

 

Those who are attached to the fruits of the actions and inactions, perform actions that are not prescribed in the scriptures and who only look at the discernible benefits of every action and inaction are not eligible for mukti.

 

The competent devotees receive the all-important taraka mantra at the time of shedding the mortal coil thus, enabling them to cross the ocean of birth and death in sacred shrines like Kashi, Dwaraka, Srisailam and Pundarika through My grace.

 

Those whose hands, feet and mind are well under control get the fruits of vidhya, tapas and keerti as benefit accruing from the shrines.

 

For the Brahmana who has not yet been initiated into the sacred Gayatri mantra and study of the Vedas, the following rule has been laid down. Let him not utter the mantras of the Vedas except to make the offering to the ancestors with the utterance of svadhā.

 

Those uninitiated into the Vedic study or the Gayatri or upanayana is equal to the low caste as he is not dwija. However, all are eligible to sing My name and meditate on Me.

 

The devout is liberated from bondage by the contemplation of his identity with Lord Shiva. Charity, penance, study of scripture and other actions performed as prescribed in the scriptures are not fit to be even one thousandth part of the act of contemplation as mentioned above.

 

Contemplation on Lord Shiva is free from restriction of caste, stage of life, the rites and rituals of worship, place, time and posture. 

 

Moving about, standing, walking or lying down or while engaged in any other act, one is liberated only through contemplation even if he is tainted by heinous crimes. 

 

There is no loss of effort in this due to incompleteness and no untoward adversity will happen. Even a little virtue saves one from great peril and fear.

 

The mortal man who in a state of surprise or fear or sorrow or even in the act of sneezing remembers My name even for his own purpose attains the Supreme Goal. 

 

One who even though sullied by the mortal sins thinks of Me at the time of shedding the mortal coil or remembers the sacred panchakshari is liberated; there is no doubt. 

 

One who see the world as pervaded by Shiva and sees the Self by his own Self, what is there to be done by him in holy places or holy waters or any such acts?

 

Every devotee desiring to attain Shiva bhakti should wear the Rudraksha and apply the sacred ash always whether it is as per as the rules or not.

 

One who wears the Rudraksha and adorns the body with sacred ash is liberated even if he happens to be tainted by mortal sins. There is no doubt in this matter.

 

Whether one carries out religious acts deemed to be Shaiva or not, if he constantly recites the names of Shiva, then he is liberated.

 

One who wears the Rudraksha and the sacred ash at the time of shedding the mortal coil will remain untouched by the messengers of Yama Dharmaraja even if he is the worst of mankind corrupted by mortal and minor sins.

 

One who at the time of shedding his mortal coil anoints his body with earth got from around the base of the bilva tree is kept at a distance by the messengers of Yama Dharmaraja.”

 

Prabhu Shri Rama uvācha, “O Lord! Where should one worship You for You to become pleased? O All-pervasive One! Please tell me. A great desire to know this exists in me.”

 

Shri Bhagawan uvācha, “Let one worship Me by making My Linga with any of these materials namely earth, cow dung, sacred ash, sandal paste, sand, wood, stone, metal, ranga, any other metal, copper or silver or gold, varieties of gems, quick silver and camphor to attain the benefits exceeding millions.

 

A grihastha should make an image of Mine with earth or wood or bronze or metal or stone if he wants the grace of Shiva always.

 

A person who worships Me in the bilva tree or its fruit attains long life, wealth, respectable family, merit and sons.

 

One who repeats the sacred mantras according to the rules under the bilva tree attains glories in My world after enjoying great prosperity here in this world.

 

The worship through recitation of the holy names and mantras of the Lord can be completed even in one day by a person if he lived in the woods of the bilva tree permanently building a house for himself there.

 

By repetition of the sacred mantras on the peak of the mountain, river banks, under the bilva tree and Shiva Temple, bountiful fruits are produced.

 

The demons, the devils and goblins do not create obstacles for one who repeats the sacred mantras in the place of an Agnihotra or in the presence of Lord Vishnu in the temple.

 

Sins do not touch one who recites Shiva mantras in the places of sacrifice, water, fire, air and sky. He attains sāyujaya with Lord Shiva.

 

O Raghava! A person who worships Me with effort by speech or in his own heart realizes all the good results thereof even by a little of that.

 

O, noble one of the Raghu family! There is no worship equal to that done to the Self as one’s Self. By that Self-worship, even an outcaste attains union with Me. 

 

A person gets all his desires fulfilled when he meditates sitting on a woollen rug. If seated on deer skin or tiger skin, then he gets the merit of mukti  and moksha.

 

If he meditates seated on the kusa grass, he gets knowledge, if on a mat of leaves, he gets health, if on stone, he experiences pain; if on a piece of rough wood, he undergoes various ailments.

 

If one meditates on a piece of cloth, he gets wealth; if on bare ground, the sacred mantra does not bear fruit. One should recite the mantras and face north or east.

 

O King! I will tell you the rules governing the sacrosanct rosary. Listen carefully. If the rosary is made of sphatika, it will bestow an empire; if it were made of putra jeeva, then it will bestow abundant wealth.

 

The rudrakshas of the rosary will confer ātmajnāna and grant all the boons if they are strung together by kusa grass. If the rosary is made of corals, then it will endow one to control all the worlds.

 

If the rosary is made of gooseberry fruits, it effects moksha. The rosary made of pearls is the bestower of all knowledge.

 

The rosary made of ruby will bring all the three worlds under one’s control. The rosary made of blue or green stone strikes fear in the enemies.

 

The rosary made of gold will bestow great wealth and prosperity. Likewise, the rosary made of silver will allow the woman to get all she desires.

 

The rosary made of quick silver will yield all one’s desires. The rosary consisting of 108 beads is the best among all.

 

The rosary of 100 beads is the next best one; one with 50 beads is average or middle; one having 54 or 27 is the lowest.

 

25 beads is the lowest in value. If a rosary has 100 beads, then the mantra must be recited with 50 aksharas in the anuloma and pratiloma order.

 

This is how it has been ordained. This matter is not to be revealed to anyone.

 

One who recites in the order of the 50 aksharas at one go should consider the worship accomplished.

 

Placing the left hand on the anus and the right on the penis in what is called the yoni mudrā bandha is deemed to be the best position for this mantra recitation.

 

One who does the recitation settled in the posture of yoni mudrā with an attentive mind gets supernormal powers.

 

The mantras which have been forgotten or changed or mixed or recited when asleep or intoxicated or when weak or that which have been shared with enemies must be repeatedly recited mentally along with those taught at a young age while seated in the posture of yoni mudrā.

 

These mantras give fruits only to such a person and not to anyone else. One should chant these mantras from the brāhmamuhurta till midday.

 

If the mantras are recited after midday, then they will cause harm. This is the rule of worship.

 

In all the nitya karma and naimittika karma and in the conduct of tapas, mantra recitation should be done always. There is no defect in all this.

 

One who recites the mantras on Rudra while meditating on My form daily or the shadakshara or pranava with no personal profit and with the senses under control or the Atharvasirsas and the Kaivalya Upanishad will attain union with Me with the same body of his, O, most excellent of the Raghu family!

 

One who chants and studies this sacred Siva Gita or listens to it daily will be released from the cycle of birth and death. There is no doubt in this matter.”

 

Sūta Maharshi uvācha, “Having said thus, Mahadeva disappeared from there and Rama, too in the same way considered himself as having achieved his desired goal.

 

Thus, has been stated the Siva Gita by Me. One who repeats it daily or listens to it with a controlled mind or listens with a one-pointed mind is assured of mukti. Therefore, O sages! Listen to this Siva Gita daily with a peaceful mind.

 

If you do that, then mukti is attained with ease. There is no doubt. Torment of the body, disturbance of the mind and loss of wealth will not affect one,

 

By listening to Siva Gita, there will be no misery. By mere listening, mukti can be attained. O most exemplary Sages! Listen, therefore, to Siva Gita daily.”

 

Rishyah uvācha, “O Sūta! From today, You are our teacher, father and Preceptor. You have enabled us to cross ignorance and go to the supreme shore.

 

The Preceptor who bestows the knowledge of Brahman is greater than the grandsire Brahma, the Creator. Therefore, O, the son of Sūta! There is no other Preceptor for us than Yourself.”

 

Vyāsa Maharshi uvācha, “Having said thus, all of them went away to offer prayers to the evening twilight sun. Praising the son of Sūta, they retired to the banks of the Gomati River in joy.”

 

[Siva Gita – Chapter 16 – Dhyāna Yoga – Slokas 1 – Slokas 69, Uttara Khanda, Padma Purana]