Listen as I narrate the actual instructions given by the great god Shiva – that master of all yogis – to the ten grandsons of the ocean, after they had meditated for 10 000 years to attain this very message. All of this is to be found in the Sanskrit Veda, literatures of ancient India regarding the technique of yoga and meditation in order to attain the goal of life and go back to the eternal realm.
Upon seeing Shiva emerge from the water of the lake, the ten grandsons of the ocean bowed to him and he blessed them saying: “I wish all good fortune to you. Anyone who knows and applies the correct process of meditation can go back to the eternal spiritual world and be in the company of the original supreme personality of godhead. For even I myself am actually meditating upon that supreme personality from whom I originate. All who meditate upon him will be blessed by me. Here is one mantra for you to focus upon. Listen as I recite it for you. This is the best mantra for you and it is the focus that I myself use in my meditation.
At this point the greatest of the demigods, Lord Shiva, spoke to them the mantra describing the original supreme personality of godhead from whom both he and Lord Brahma originate, namely the mantra describing Lord Vishnu. Now many of you may have heard of the three primary deities of the Vedic pantheon of ancient and modern India. It consists of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. And although many people worship or meditate on Shiva, the truth is that even Shiva meditates upon Vishnu. According to the Sanskrit Veda, Vishnu is the source of all the demigods or lesser gods, including Brahma and Shiva. And in this pastime from the Bhagavat Purana, Shiva says as such himself.
In the other chapters of this Bhagavat Purana, from which I am retelling this pastime, one can also hear of how the original supreme personality of godhead has always existed, and from him Lord Brahma appeared. And from Brahma we hear that Shiva appeared. They could sometimes be described as expansions of the original source, specifically to perform different functions in the universal affairs. But Vishnu is the source. In fact the Sanskrit texts describe how Mahavishnu, one of the numerous Vishnu expansions, has a lotus flower appearing from his navel, and Brahma appears on the lotus. Therefore another name of Brahma is “lotus-born”. Then in further pastimes, we can read how from the anger of Brahma, Shiva appeared to pop out of his forehead. Make of it what you will, but that is the original description of the appearance of Brahma and Shiva, from Vishnu.
Brahma is the expansion in charge of creation of the entire material cosmos with all of us living entities. Like a manager of behalf of a CEO, Brahma does the work of creation. Shiva is the expansion of the godhead in charge of annihilation or destruction at the end of the cosmos, when it’s time to wind it all up again. And it is Vishnu who is responsible for the maintenance of the entire multiverse of material creation. So although many yogis and meditators focus on Shiva, and many pious religious or spiritual seekers pray to Shiva, the Vedas describe that Shiva meditates upon Vishnu, his source. I am not qualified to comprehend the real purport of all of this, so I simply repeat what I have read in the Vedas, like this pastime from Bhagavat Purana.
Perhaps the metaphors and rich imagery of these descriptions of the gods and their creations are all alluding to something beyond our limited comprehension, and the only way to convey the message to us is via such simplified and colorful language. Nevertheless, here is the mantra or prayer that Shiva gave to the grandsons of the ocean, after they had meditated for 10 000 years. It is a description of his own personal focus of meditation, namely the vision and description of Vishnu.
Shiva prayed to the supreme personality of godhead Vishnu thus: “You are the most exalted. Please be auspicious for me. You are the Supersoul. I offer my obeisance to you, from who creation originates via the lotus flower from your navel.... You are the authority by which the doors to the higher planetary systems and also liberation are opened. You are always within the pure heart of the living entity... You are the topmost bestower of all benedictions, the oldest supreme enjoyer, the supreme cause of all causes... I repeatedly offer my obeisance to you... You have many forms but I wish to see the form especially liked by the devotees. Please be merciful upon me and show me that form which is the only one that can satisfy all the demands of the senses.”
Shiva continued: “The supreme Lord Vishnu’s beauty resembles a dark cloud during the rainy season. He is the sum of all beauty, he has four arms carrying conch, disk, lotus and club, and an exquisitely beautiful face, with eyes like lotus petals...His feet are like blossoming lotus petals, and the toenails emanate such an effulgence that dissipates the darkness of the conditioned souls. He is the spiritual master of everyone... Those who desire to purify their existence must always engage in meditation upon those lotus feet, with love and devotion, or bhakti yoga. He is the ultimate destination of everyone...”
Although I have not described here every single line of the mantra or prayer given by Shiva, you can see the most important points of it. And in this way you can see exactly how the Bhagavat Purana text describes the relationship that Shiva has to his source, the god Vishnu. Still today, if you go to some Vishnu or Krishna temples in India, you will see the deity or statue of Shiva at the gate or entrance to the Vishnu temple. And so, dear reader, this is what Shiva the greatest of all yogis and meditators is meditating upon. This narration is the prayer spoken by Shiva to the ten grandsons of the ocean so that they could make a perfection of their meditation and attain the goal of life, which is to leave this body at the time of death and go back to the eternal spiritual world, the abode of Vishnu, called Vaikuntha, or the place of no anxiety.
I am no expert and merely repeat here what I found in the ancient Sanskrit Veda texts. Make of it what you will for it is deeply significant in its description of that Supersoul in the heart of all living entities, the one known as Vishnu, who has four arms and is very beautiful. That is god in the heart, the original spiritual master, the silent friend who sits beside the soul within the body. Or so the Veda describes. There are many more such pastimes and revelations in the ancient Sanskrit Veda, which I will share with you in time. You can find them yourself online at www.prabhupadabooks.com where the Bhagavat Purana (also called Srimad Bhagavatam) from where I get this tale, is to be found in full.
(image pixabay)
I love your stories but it's impossible for me to keep up with your output, even though I'm an avid and fast reader.
And, in all honesty, this isn't the kind of content that asks for speed reading ;<)
Haha hey there Vincent you are my kindest reader. Of course there are so many posts to read from all the Hive bloggers.
My output is going through a prolific stage, though it's all based upon years of study in my youth, which is all coming out now.
:<)
You're very prolific indeed. I myself am working on creating more of a writing habit, once again, as I felt kind of out of it and I really wish to finish my first book in the not too distant future ;<)
Wishing you all the best!