This is part two of an excerpt from the transcript of the audio that was the basis of the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, book with free audio.
We offer an in-depth study of the “Tattvas (Elements); The Building Blocks of Creation according to Kashmir Shaivism” as an online course on our website, which includes Q&A and discussions by John, Denise Hughes and George Barselaar, who studied and lived for many years with Swami Lakshmanjoo.
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Excerpt from the Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening, Third Awakening, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. We are studying the Shiva Sutras in our weekly Sangha. Find out more here.
2. jñanam bandhah //
(For this limited individual),
all knowledge is bondage.
Whatever knowledge this individual possesses is bondage for him. The meaning of the present sutra is different from the meaning given for the second sutra of the First Awakening which is also jñanam bandhah....
Today’s lecture is an excerpt from the Bodhapañcadaśikā [15 verses of wisdom] as revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. Here he explains the most important points of Kashmir Shaivism, beginning with the explanation of what “that One Being” is like.
These are fifteen ślokas, which were composed by Abhinavagupta, giving a brief exposition of the doctrine of Kashmir Śaivism.
Track 01b (01:40)...
In 1990, while commenting on Abhinavagupta’s rendering of the Bhagavad Gita, Swami Lakshmanjoo made a statement regarding initiation. At that time he was asked how will people be initiated after he was gone from this world? "Through viewing this!" he replied, and he pointed at the camera.
It is well known that the great masters of Kashmir Shaivism were not restricted to their bodies. Like the masters before him, Swamiji was a Universal Being existing everywhere, free from any limitation...
In this excerpt from Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains what Malas (Impurities) really are in Kashmir Shaivism.
“This mala is very subtle. . . . Mala is neither formless nor with form.
It is just ignorance . . . It doesn’t allow knowledge to function, knowledge is stopped. Mala is absence of knowledge. Mala is not something substantial.
So this absence of knowledge takes place only by ignorance, and that...
Chapter Seven
The Three Impurities
Malas
In our Saiva system, there are three males or impurities. These malas reside in maya. They do not reside in svatantrya sakti. Even though svatantrya sakti and maya are one, yet they are different in the sense that svatantrya sakti is that state of energy which can produce the power of going down and coming up again, both at will, whereas maya will only give you the strength of going down and not the ability of rising up again. Once you have come down,...
Abhinavagupta tells us that there is a war going on between our senses. In the senses there is joy, and joy fights with sadness, sadness fights with joy. In this excerpt, we will learn what a yogi must do in this internal battle.
This video snippet is part one of the Essence of the Bhagavad Gita, as composed by the renowned 10th-century CE philosopher/saint Abhinavagupta. There are eighteen sangraha slokas, which are based on Abhinavagupta’s illuminating and original commentary, known...
This talk on shaktipata [grace] was given by Swamiji in July 1978 on Shankarpal Rock, in Dachigam Forest, near the village of Harvan (just a few miles from Swamiji’s Ashram). This is also known as Shiva Rock, where the Sacred Shiva Sutras were revealed to Vasugupta, in the 8th century, AD.
Here, Swamiji explains grace in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism. To learn more about this subject check out our webinar “Grace on the Spiritual Path” which is extensively...
In Kashmir Shaivism, there are three states of awareness which Swami Lakshmanjoo explains here: first from the ordinary person's point of view, and then from the yogic point of view.
This is an excerpt from the Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening, by Swami Lakshmanjoo, first awakening verses 8-10.
Now he explains this jagrat (wakefulness), svapna (dreaming), and susupti (dreamless sleep) in three sutras…
8. jñanam jagrat //
External organic knowledge...
In this beautiful excerpt from the Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali (Chapter 14 verse 15) Swami Lakshmanjoo explains how Lord Shiva bestows grace to people – a very different Shaktipata – in Kashmir Shaivism, and why.
To learn more about grace also check out our online course “Grace on the Spiritual Path”.
Without qualifications, You bestow grace to people! That is saktipata. ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
Chapter 14a (40:37)
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In this excerpt, Swamiji explains what meditation really is.
This is from Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka 9th Ahnika, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo, from the audio archives of the Lakshmanjoo Academy Copyright © John Hughes
QUESTION: What kind of action is meditating?
SWAMIJI: It is not action, it is knowledge, it is cognition. Meditating is recitation of breath, it is just knowledge.
JOHN: That rest in jnanendriya or where? Or in manas [mind], buddhi [intellect] and ahamkara...
Here are two excerpts from the unpublished manuscript of the Parātrīśikā Vivarana by Swami Lakshmanjoo, from the Audio Archives of the Lakshmanjoo Academy.
Copyright @ John Hughes, all rights reserved.
mayiyakarmamalamulamusanti tavad
ajnananamamalamanavameva bhadrah /
bijam tadeva bhavajirnataroh parasmin
samvinnisatadahane dahate ksanena //
Mayiya-ka...
