This week’s lecture is very practical and important, as we all occasionally have to deal with anger and desire and it disturbs our peace and meditation. Here Swamiji explains what do to and how to overcome desire and anger.
This is an excerpt from the third chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, In the Light of Kashmir Shaivism by Swami Lakshmanjoo. The video below has been recorded during the Weekly Sangha #26 where we have been studying the Bhagavad Gita in depth. You can watch and...
We are excited to announce the publishing of "The Wisdom of Kashmir Shaivism".
In the summer of 1987, Swami Lakshmanjoo began compiling what he considered to be the most important verses (slokas) from the various scriptures (sastras) that he had studied throughout his life. Although these verses are primarily from Kashmir Shaivite sources, Swamiji also included verses from Vedantic texts such as the Yoga Vasistha and the Ramayana. Swamiji tells us: “They are for your daily recitation....
In this week’s excerpt, from the book Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali as revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo, Utpaladeva explains to us why Lord Shiva destroys this universe. He also talks about why Shaivite yogi dances in the graveyard, and why “everything is divine to them”.
Chapter 20 (34:28)
सतोविनाशसमबनधानमतपरं निखिलं मृषा
एवमेवोदयते नाथ तवया संहारलीलया ॥॥
satovinasasambandhanmatparam nikhilam mrsa /
evamevodyate natha tvaya samharalilaya...
DVD 3.1 (1:00:58)
यशचातमरतिरेव सयादातमतृपतशच मानवः ।
आतमनयेव च सनतुषटसतसय कारयं न विदयते ॥॥
yascatmaratireva syadatmatrptasca manavah /
atmanyeva ca santustastasya karyam na vidyate //17//
And that person who is, on the contrary, atma ratireva, who is focused in his...
This is an excerpt from “The Mystery of Vibrationless-Vibration in Kashmir Shaivism: Vasugupta’s Spanda Kārikā & Kṣemarāja’s Spanda Sandoha" revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo, which addresses the question…
What do you do when you have slipped from that one-pointed-ness, and you have slipped down?
A central theme of the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism is the highly esoteric principle known as spanda. Swami Lakshmanjoo tells us that the word ‘spanda...
Swami Lakshmanjoo talks to Alice Christensen about the final goal in Kashmir Shaivism and what it is like to reach it.
Now with transcript. For Spanish translation scroll down…
This excerpt contains a very rare glimpse into the perceptions of a true yogi, Swami Lakshmanjoo, as he reveals the real goal of Kashmir Shaivism and talks about kundalini.
Alice: Swamiji, and in the Shaivite philosophy you are the greatest living authority in Shaivism. The Yamas and Niyamas are an...
In this excerpt from the Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains Utpaladeva’s wonder about being a “slave” to Lord Shiva without seeing his master.
Chapter 12 (58:58)
भगवनभवदिचछयैव दास –
सतव जातोऽसमि परसय नातर शकतिः ।
कथमेष तथापि वकतरबिमबं
तव पशयामि न जातु चितरमेतत ॥॥
bhagavanbhavadicchayaiva dasa-
stava jato’smi parasya natra saktih /
kathamesa tathapi vaktrabimbam
tava pasyami na jatu citrametat //26//
...In these two excerpts, Swami Lakshmanjoo answers the question of how to know which is the true path. The first excerpt is from the Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva's Shivastotravali, the second is from the Magical Jewel of Devotion, Stavacintamani by Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa, as revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo.
Download and listen to the audio here.
Chapter 2 (1:01:24)
सरवाशङकाशनिं सरवा-
लकषमीकालानलं तथा ।
सरवामङगलयकलपानतं
मारगं माहेशवरं नुमः ॥॥
sarvasankasanim...
This is a lecture of Swamiji given in Kashmiri translated into English. You can also listen and read more about the Systems and Schools of Shaivism by visiting this blog excerpt from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, Chapter 19, where Swamiji explains the four sub-systems of this philosophy in English.
Long after Sage Durvasa was first initiated into Shaivism by Lord Shiva on Mount Kailash, the Lord felt the need of explaining it in still greater detail...
Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the different ways of (sattvic, rajasic, tamasic) acting in this universal drama, as revealed in the Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening, by Swami Lakshmanjoo. (The transcript below is different than the book text)
[Intro for sutra 10.]
Now in his theatrical dress evamvidhasya asya jagat natya nartakasya, while he steps in the play of drama, acting, his way of acting is explained in next sutra, the 3rd chapter, 10th sutra.
rango ‘ntaratma // 10 //
Ranga means...
This is an excerpt from Swami Lakshmanjoo’s publication: Light on Tantra in Kashmir Shaivism – Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka Volume 2 Chapters Two & Three.
Tantrāloka is the voluminous masterwork of the 10th-century philosopher-saint Abhinavagupta. It is a veritable encyclopedia of non-dual Shaivism, a spiritual treasure trove containing a glorious synthesis of all the schools that make up Kashmir Shaivism.
This second volume includes chapters two and three,...
This is the continuation of the Bodhapañcadaśikā by Abhinavagupta, who wrote the [15 verses of wisdom] ‘those dear devotees who are not intellectually inclined”. See previous verse 10 here.
यदेतसयापरिजञानं ततसवातनतरयं हि वरणितम ।
स एव खलु संसारो जडानां यो विभीषकः ॥
yadetasya-parijñanam tat-svatantryam hi varnitam /
sa eva khalu samsaro jadanam yo vibhisakah // 11 //
Yadetasya apari-jñanam, now if we don’t understand like...
