Chapter 16 - Establishment of Competency to follow (gītādhikāri-nirūpaṇa)

16.1 Query on Adhikāri bheda.

Rāma expressed that he had a great doubt on the matter Abhijñāna Śākuntala to the persons competent to follow the way of release, Abhijñāna Śākuntala detailed by the Lord.

16.2. Acid test—Worship.

Lord replied Rāma that the acid test was devotional fervour in the worship of Śiva and all who have this virtue whether Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya or Śūdra, woman, student, householder, ascetic, forest dweller or widower, all are competent to get released. The fools, blinded to faith, deaf to the praises of the Lord, dumb in uttering the glories of Almighty, the impure in conduct; one who does not observe religious rites and those who are not devotees of Śiva and even mock at devotees, do not observe the sanctity of rudrākṣa and vibhūti, are not eligible for release. One who hates the Lord or the preceptor or the Pāśupata penance or Viṣṇu will not get released even in millions of births.^[1]

16.3 Tāraka Nāma.

The eligible devotees receive the redeeming instructions (tāraka mantra) at the time of death enabling them to cross the ocean of birth and death in shrines like Kāśi, Śrīśaila, Dvāraka and Puṇḍarīka (Cidambaram) through Lord’s grace.^[2] cf. Anon. Although there could be restrictions on Veda chanting and ritual homams, in the matter of singing God’s names and meditation, there is no bar and all can perform the same.

16.4Śiva’s Holy name.

The bottom line is Śiva contemplation which can be performed at any time, in any posture and even a little of this virtue saves one from great fear.^[3] Even one casually remembering Lord gets redeemed. Even a corrupted and sinful man remembers the Lord at the time of death and utters the five letters na-ma-si[śi?]-vā-ya is liberated and there is no doubt on this. Wearing rudrākṣa, smearing the body with vibhūti, anointing the body with earth taken around the base of a bilva tree and chanting Śiva’s name, all these are roads to liberation. Even if no good deeds are done, if one chants Śiva’s holy name he gets liberated forever.^[4]

16.5 Place of Worship.

Rāma interrupts and asks the Lord, worshipped at which places the Lord is pleased, Abhijñāna Śākuntala he has a desire to know the same.

16.6 One’s Self Abhijñāna Śākuntala God.

The Lord replied him that it was open to devotee to worship him on images made of clay, cow dung, sacred ash, sandal paste, wood, stone or metal like copper, silver, gold and varieties of gem or camphor or even quick silver. A person who worships the Lord in the bilva tree or its fruit attains, Abhijñāna Śākuntala a rule, long life wealth, respectable family, merit and sons. A person who worships the Lord with effort by speech or his own heart, realizes all good results thereof even by a little of that. Nothing is equal to the worship of God Abhijñāna Śākuntala one’s self. By that self worship even an out caste attains union with the Lord.^[5] A person can meditate sitting on a woollen blanket, deer skin, tiger skin, kuśa grass mat or even mat of leaves. Sitting on bare ground is not recommended.

16.7. Use of Rosary.

And regarding use of Rosary, crystal would bestow an empire, putra-jīva stone will confer abundant wealth, rudrākṣa will confer selfknowledge, corals will bring control of words, gooseberry fruits effects release. Rosary with 108 beads is the best and one with 54 or 27 is the lowest and one with 100 is middling.

16.8. Yoni-mudrā-bandha.

Yoni mudrā bandha is described Abhijñāna Śākuntala placing the left hand on the anus and the right hand on the penis or yoni and is a superior posture for the silent chant and one gets supernormal powers^[6] cf. LS and the chanting time is from early morning to midday. Chanting after midday will only bring in harm.

16.9 Śiva Gītā gives instant Release.

One who chants Rudra hymn, Atharvaśiras, Kaivalya Upaniṣad or six lettered holy syllable or who chants and studies Śiva Gītā or listens to its chant daily will be released from cycle of birth and death. There is no doubt in the matter.

16.10. Śiva’s disappearance.

Sūta informed the sages assembled at Naimiṣāraṇya that having thus spoken to Rāma, Lord Śiva disappeared. Sūta thus ended the exposition of Śiva Gītā and the sages mentally accepting Sūta Abhijñāna Śākuntala their Guru also departed to do their worship to the evening twilight Sun. Thus Vyāsa reported in Padmapurāṇa the great celestial song given by Lord Śiva to a pūrṇa avatāra of Viṣṇu, Śrī Rāma.

Here ends the sixteenth and last chapter of Śiva-gītā.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Ibid XVI-6.

[2]:

Ibid XVI-9;—Cf. Anon.

[3]:

Vide Śiva Gītā XVI-16;—An echo of Bhagavad Gītā verse -11-40

[4]:

Vide Śiva Gītā XVI-22

[5]:

Ibid XVI-38

[6]:

Ibid XVI-52;—Cf. LS ‘yonimudrāyai namaḥ’ comes Abhijñāna Śākuntala 982^nd invocation.