In his commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, Abhinavagupta shared a important verse he wrote about the supreme Goddess – Para Devi in Kashmir Shaivism, where he explained… Who is the supreme Devi and where does she exist?
Devi Stotra
Tatha ca mayaiva sivasaktyavinabhava stotre [Bhagavad Gita, chapter 15, comm. verse 19]. I, [Abhinavagupta], have also somewhere in the Siva Sakti Avinabhava Stotra, I have penned down slokas for Devi.
Who is Devi?
JOHN: Svatantrya sakti.
SWAMIJI: Sva...
In this lecture from the Manual for Self Realization: 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, verses 24, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals the correct way of meditation on breath with “so‘ham” mantra.
Dhāraṇā 1
शरीभैरव उवाच
ऊरधवे पराणो हयधो जीवो
विसरगातमा परोचचरेत ।
उतपततिदवितयसथाने,
भरणादभरिता सथितिः ॥॥
śrī bhairava uvāca
ūrdhve prāṇo hyadho jīvo
visargātmā paroccaret /
utpattidvitayasthāne,
bharaṇādbharītā sthitiḥ // 24 //
Ūrdhve is from upwards, movement...
In this excerpt, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals “Why Lord Shiva has created this universe, which is Shakti, His supreme energy?”
This lecture is from the Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom], verse 5.
Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom]
तसयैवैषा परा देवी सवरूपामरशनोतसुका ।
पूरणतवं सरवभावेषु यसया नालपं नचाधिकम ॥
tasyaivaisa para devi svarup-amarsanotsuka /
purnatvam sarva-bhavesu yasya nalpam na cadhikam // 5 //
Tasyaiva para devi, this...
Swami Lakshmanjoo was very fond of the verses of Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, especially the 13th chapter, and often requested his devotees to sing these sacred hymns. Below is a brief translation revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo of the 13th Chapter. The complete audio/transcription of the Hymns to Shiva, Songs of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali is available with free downloadable audio. Listen to an excerpt from the 13th Chapter (verse 1-4) and read the...
From the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, chapter 16, The Seven States of Turya.
“Between the three states of the individual subjective body, waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, there is a gap.” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
The Seven States of Turya
The practical theory of the seven states of turya, also known as the seven states of ananda (bliss), which I will now explain to you, was taught to the great Saivite philosopher Abhinavagupta by his master Sambhunatha.
Turya
...
This is an extract from a video of Alice Christensen (Mother Alice) and Swami Lakshmanjoo discussing the correct and incorrect rise and awakening of Kundalini in Kashmir Shaivism.
Alice Christensen: Swamiji, there is so much discussion in the United States about kundalini and the power of kundalini, can you give us some of your personal insight and experiences on this mysterious subject. You must know a lot about it, and we’d really like to hear a little of the truth of the...
Swami Lakshmanjoo explains a śāktopāya154 practice of supreme awareness of voidness, where one enters in the transcendental void state of Śiva.
This excerpt is from The Manual for Self Realization, 112 Meditations of the Vijnana Bhairava (verse 39), by Swami Lakshmanjoo.
Dhāraṇā 16
Now, he will explain another way of process which is āṇavopāya and sentenced to śāmbhavopāya. That is the thirty-ninth śloka.
परणवादिसमुचचारात
पलुतानते शूनयभावनात ।
शूनयया परया शकतया
शूनयतामेति भैरवि ॥॥
...
Swamiji reveals what is the real essence of mantra in Kashmir Shaivism, and how mantras are one with Mother (Kundalini), who is one with Lord Shiva, and how to awaken the divine mother.
3. vidyāśarīrasattā mantrarahasyam //
The secret essence...
This is a lecture that explains the Aghora Mantra in detail. In the summer of 1989, John Hughes received a letter from Swami Lakshmanjoo writing to him about the Aghora Mantra and its importance, after having the darshan of Svachanda Bhairava. In the following excerpt from the Weekly Sangha, you will learn more about this mantra and its significance for Kashmir Shaivism and your own practice, and the whole world.
This is the first part in a two-part series. In part two we go...
In this excerpt, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the difference between Kashmir Shaivism and Advaita Vedanta, from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme. Now also available in Spanish: (Shaivismo de Cachemira, el Supremo secreto). If you enjoyed the book please leave a review on Amazon.
"Pure Yoga is one-pointedness"
~Swami Lakshmanjoo
Chapter Fifteen: Kashmir Shaivism and Advaita Vedanta
Although the main principle of both Kashmir Saivism and Vedanta is monism (advaita), pure...
Kashmir Shaivism is known as the Pure Trika System. The word trika means “the threefold science of man and his world.”
"Trika system is meant for any human being, without the restriction of caste, creed or color." ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
In this excerpt from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Chapter 19, Swamiji explains the four sub-systems of this philosophy.
The Schools of Kashmir Shaivism
Kashmir Shaivism is known as the Pure Trika System. The word ...
A central theme of the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism is the highly esoteric principle known as spanda which means vibrationless/vibration or established stable movement. In our Shaivism there are two texts that deal specifically with the spanda principle. The Spanda Karika (precise philosophical statements) on the Spanda theory and the Spanda Sandoha (exposition) of the spanda principle. The complete text is available as The Mystery of Vibrationless-Vibration in Kashmir Shaivism:...
