Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates 鈥楾he Supreme God鈥擳he Brahman鈥� of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲s are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1.10. The Supreme God鈥擳he Brahman
It is the self-same One who exists alone at the time of creation and dissolution of the universe, that assumes manifold powers and appears as the Divine Lord by virtue of His inscrutable power of 惭腻测腻. He, it is that protects all the worlds and controls all the various forces working therein. Those who realize this Being becomes immortal. He who protects and controls the worlds by His own powers, He鈥�Rudra鈥搃s indeed one only. There is no one beside Him who can make Him the second. He is present inside the hearts of all beings. After projecting and maintaining all the worlds, He finally withdraws them into Himself.
Though God, the creator of heaven and earth, is one only, yet Heaven is
[...] 艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤补 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 III.3
the real owner of all the eyes, faces, hands and feet in this universe. It is Heaven who inspires them all to do their respective duties in accordance with the knowledge, past actions and tendencies of the various beings (with whom they appear to be associated). May Heaven, who created the gods and supports them; who is the origin also of the cosmic soul; who confers bliss and wisdom on the devotes, destroying their sins and sorrows, and punishing all breaches of law鈥搈ay Heaven, the great seer and the lord of all, endow us with good thoughts. O Lord, who blesses all creatures by revealing the Vedas, design to make us happy by your calm and blissful self, which roots out terror as well as sin. O revealer of the Vedic truths, deign to make propitious that arrow which you holdest in your hand for shooting at somebody.
O protector of devotees, do not destroy that benign personal form of yours which has manifested as the universe.
[...] 艢惫别迟腻艣惫补迟补谤补 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 III.7
Higher than this Personal Brahman is the infinite Supreme Brahman, who is concealed in all beings according to their bodies, and who, though remaining single, envelops the whole universe. Knowing him to be the Lord, one becomes immortal. I have realized this Great Being who shines effulgent like the sun beyond all darkness. One passes beyond death only on realizing Him. There is no other way of escape from the circle of births and deaths. There is nothing higher than or different from Him; nothing greater or more minute than Him. Rooted in His own glory He stands like a tree, one without a second and immovable. By that Being the whole universe is filled. That Being is far beyond this world, is formless and free from misery. They who know this become immortal. But all others have indeed to suffer misery alone.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Sv.up.II.16,17, III. 1-10 [...]