In this excerpt from the book Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Swami Lakshmanjoo reveals who Lord Shiva is meditating on.
Chapter 3 (35:56)
मत्परं नास्ति तत्रापि जापकोऽस्मि तदैक्यतः ।
तत्त्वेन जप इत्यक्षमालया दिशसि क्वचित् ॥१७॥
matparaṁ nāsti tatrāpi jāpako’smi tadaikyataḥ /
tattvena japa ityakṣamālayā diśasi kvacit //17//
O Lord, there is one painting of Your form available in the market.
You have seen that [image] where the Lord is seated with crossed legs, ...
In this excerpt, from the Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Swamiji takes us to the heart of Utpaladeva, as the author gives Lord Shiva the choice to bless him now or have it done automatically because “I will be blessed because I am craving for that (blessing)!” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
Chapter 4 (13:07)
शिव शिव शम्भो शङ्कर
शरणागतवत्सलाशु कुरु करुणाम्।
तव चरणकमलयुगल-
स्मरणपरस्य हि सम्पदोऽदूरे ॥४॥
śiva śiva śambho śaṅkara
śaraṇāgatavatsalāśu kuru karuṇām /
tava c...
This is an excerpt from devotional Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Chapter 13 verse 5, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains what Utpaladeva (the author of the Shivastotravali) means when he says, “worshipping Your feet”.
Chapter 13 (10:07)
देवदेव भवदद्वयामृता-
ख्यातिसंहरण लब्धजन्मना ।
तद्यथास्थितपदार्थसंविदा
मां कुरुष्व चरणार्चनोचितम् ॥५॥
devadeva bhavadadvayāmṛtā-
khyātisaṁharaṇa labdhajanmanā /
tadyathāsthitapadārthasaṁvidā
māṁ kuruṣva caraṇārcanocitam ...
In this excerpt from the Hymns to Shiva, Upaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Swami Lakshmanjoo tells of the “great story of my torture in this universe” as he relates Utpaladeva’s devotional plea to Shiva: “O Lord, keep the avenues always open, just for the time being, as long as I would pass through them and reach at Your feet“.
Chapter 4 (07:26)
उल्लङ्घ्य विविधदैवत-
सोपानक्रममुपेयशिवचरणान् ।
आश्रित्याप्यधरतरां भूमिं
नाद्यापि चित्रमुज्झामि ॥२॥
ullaṅghya vividhadaivata-
sopānakramamupeyaśi...
In this excerpt from the devotional Hymns to Shiva, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, Chapter 13 verse 8, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains why Utpaladeva (the author of the Shivastotravali) wants to get drunk, what is the wine, and what are those wine glasses…
Chapter 13 (19:28)
तत्तदिन्द्रियमुखेन सन्ततं
युष्मदर्चनरसायनासवम् ।
सर्वभावचसकेषु पूरिते-
ष्वापिबन्नपि भवेयमुन्मदः ॥८॥
tattadindriyamukhena santataṁ
yuṣmadarcanarasāyanāsavam /
sarvabhāvacasakeṣu pūrite-
ṣvāpibannapi bh...
Swami Lakshmanjoo was very fond of Sacred Hymns of Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali, especially the verses below, and often requested his devotees to sing these.
You can listen to Swamiji and devotees chanting the 13th Chapter here. The complete audio/transcription of the Hymns to Shiva, Songs of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism, Utpaladeva’s Shivastotravali is available with free downloadable audio.
Below is an excerpt from the 13th Chapter (verse 1-4) revealed by Swamiji…
“He who is attached to
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