ŚIVA SŪTRAS
Section II. Śāktopāya - The Method of Śakti
1. Mind is mantra.
Here mind refers to the yogi’s full mental capacity. When the yogi meditates on the syllable Oṁ, he should become completely absorbed in that mantra, understanding that it is the sound form of Brahman and is, therefore, identical with his Self. The renowned Trika scholar Kṣemarāja says this in his commentary of this sūtra:
“It is the mind of the devotee, which has attained unity with That by awareness of the mantra’s deity, which is the mantra and not a mere collection of various letters.”
2. Persevering effort brings fulfillment.
The key to success in this method is devotion. In the previous method, Śāmbhavopāya the yogi is at an advanced stage and effort is no longer needed. At that stage he knows realization is close. But, prior to reaching that stage, one must give full effort to the practice in order to achieve results. This may seem counterintuitive, since we are what we seek, but the distractions of the world and our habitual behaviors are only overcome by focus and perseverance.
3. The secret of mantra is Being, which is the essence of knowledge.
Like consciousness, being is one. The essence of knowledge is the realization of that Non-Dual Being. Yoga practice can be likened to an equilateral triangle: the two ends of the base are bliss and awareness and at the apex is Pure Being. One can follow either way, bliss or awareness to reach the apex. So, the secret of mantra is that it leads one to Pure Being, either through the bliss of samādhi or the awareness of self (I-consciousness).
4. Mental satisfaction while in the belly of Māyā is the dream of ignorance.
The yogi who is satisfied in the world, who has acquired mystic abilities or is enjoying his status as a “holy man” is as deluded as the ignorant person who cares nothing about Brahman.
5. Upon the spontaneous emergence of true knowledge, one moves into the space of the heart and attains the state of Śiva.
When, from the practice of mantra and the grace of God, one attains enlightenment, his consciousness moves into the space in the heart and the yogi attains the state of oneness with the Supreme. This is also mentioned in Section I sūtras 5 and 15.
6. The guru is the means...
7. to enlightenment through the group of letters and words.
The guru guides the seeker in the practice of mantra, which leads to Self-realization. A true guru is one who is enlightened and, having attained the goal, is able to show others the way. The Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad states that the yogi should be as devoted to his guru as he is to God (VI.23).
8. His body is an oblation.
For the enlightened yogi who no longer identifies the body as self, maintaining that body becomes a sacrifice to the Supreme. This sentiment is also expressed in the Bhagavad Gītā (IV.25-27) and the Vijñāna Bhairava (149).
9. Knowledge is his food.
The knowledge referred to here is the state of enlightenment mentioned in sūtra II.5. That state of God-consciousness is nourishment to the yogi.
10. On the decline of that knowledge, there is the appearance of the dream state.
When the state of Self-awareness declines, the world of objective consciousness appears. It is dream-like because of its being fleeting and dependent on the mind.
Section II presents the method of Śakti, the manifestation of Śiva. That method focuses on the practice of mantra. In that practice the yogi should understand that the mantra, the deity, and the devotee are not separate entities, but one. Practiced in this manner, mantra develops Self-awareness, which leads to enlightenment.
As in Section I, the last sūtra is an introduction to the next section, which is the method of aṇu, the human being.
Here mind refers to the yogi’s full mental capacity. When the yogi meditates on the syllable Oṁ, he should become completely absorbed in that mantra, understanding that it is the sound form of Brahman and is, therefore, identical with his Self. The renowned Trika scholar Kṣemarāja says this in his commentary of this sūtra:
“It is the mind of the devotee, which has attained unity with That by awareness of the mantra’s deity, which is the mantra and not a mere collection of various letters.”
2. Persevering effort brings fulfillment.
The key to success in this method is devotion. In the previous method, Śāmbhavopāya the yogi is at an advanced stage and effort is no longer needed. At that stage he knows realization is close. But, prior to reaching that stage, one must give full effort to the practice in order to achieve results. This may seem counterintuitive, since we are what we seek, but the distractions of the world and our habitual behaviors are only overcome by focus and perseverance.
3. The secret of mantra is Being, which is the essence of knowledge.
Like consciousness, being is one. The essence of knowledge is the realization of that Non-Dual Being. Yoga practice can be likened to an equilateral triangle: the two ends of the base are bliss and awareness and at the apex is Pure Being. One can follow either way, bliss or awareness to reach the apex. So, the secret of mantra is that it leads one to Pure Being, either through the bliss of samādhi or the awareness of self (I-consciousness).
4. Mental satisfaction while in the belly of Māyā is the dream of ignorance.
The yogi who is satisfied in the world, who has acquired mystic abilities or is enjoying his status as a “holy man” is as deluded as the ignorant person who cares nothing about Brahman.
5. Upon the spontaneous emergence of true knowledge, one moves into the space of the heart and attains the state of Śiva.
When, from the practice of mantra and the grace of God, one attains enlightenment, his consciousness moves into the space in the heart and the yogi attains the state of oneness with the Supreme. This is also mentioned in Section I sūtras 5 and 15.
6. The guru is the means...
7. to enlightenment through the group of letters and words.
The guru guides the seeker in the practice of mantra, which leads to Self-realization. A true guru is one who is enlightened and, having attained the goal, is able to show others the way. The Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad states that the yogi should be as devoted to his guru as he is to God (VI.23).
8. His body is an oblation.
For the enlightened yogi who no longer identifies the body as self, maintaining that body becomes a sacrifice to the Supreme. This sentiment is also expressed in the Bhagavad Gītā (IV.25-27) and the Vijñāna Bhairava (149).
9. Knowledge is his food.
The knowledge referred to here is the state of enlightenment mentioned in sūtra II.5. That state of God-consciousness is nourishment to the yogi.
10. On the decline of that knowledge, there is the appearance of the dream state.
When the state of Self-awareness declines, the world of objective consciousness appears. It is dream-like because of its being fleeting and dependent on the mind.
Section II presents the method of Śakti, the manifestation of Śiva. That method focuses on the practice of mantra. In that practice the yogi should understand that the mantra, the deity, and the devotee are not separate entities, but one. Practiced in this manner, mantra develops Self-awareness, which leads to enlightenment.
As in Section I, the last sūtra is an introduction to the next section, which is the method of aṇu, the human being.
Go To Section III