The disciple
asked: 1. In the
indivisible Satchidananda whose nature is only unconditioned,
and which is also the non-dual state, how is worship prescribed?
2. Where is the invocation (avahana)
of the Fullness, and the seat (asana) of the All-supporting How
is there washing of the feet (padya), offering of water (arghya)
and sipping (achamana) for the limpid and Pure One?
3. How is there bathing (snana)
for the Immaculate, and clothing (vasa) for the womb of the
universe? How is there a sacred thread (upavita) for Him who is
without lineage and caste?
4. How is there sandal paste (gandha)
for the Unattached, and flowers (pushpa) for the Odorless? What
is the jewel (bhusha) of the Undifferentiated? What ornament (alamkara)
for the Formless?
5. What use of incense (dhupa)
for the Spotless, or of lamps (dipa) for the Witness of
everything? What is here the food-offering (naivedyam) for Him
who is satiated only with His own bliss?
6-7. How does one prepare betel
(tambula) for the Rejoicer of the universe? He whose nature is
self-luminous consciousness, that Illuminator of the sun and
other stars, who is sung by `shrutis', how is there for Him the
light- waving ceremony (nirajana) What circumambulation (pradakshina)
for the Infinite? What prostration (pranama) for the non-dual
Reality?
8. For Him who is unknowable by
the words of the Vedas, what praise (stotra) is prescribed? How
is there the ceremony of dismissal (udavasana) for Him who is
established inside and outside?
The Guru said:
9. I worship the symbol of the
Self (atmalinga) shining like a jewel and situated in the
heart-lotus within the city of illusion, with the ablutions
(abhisheka) of the unsullied mind from the river of faith,
always, with the flowers of samadhi, for the sake of
non-rebirth.
10. `I am the One, the
Ultimate'. Thus one should invoke (avahayet) Lord Siva. Then one
should prepare the seat (asana) , that is thinking of the
self-established Self.
11. `I have no contact with the
dust of virtue and sin.' Thus should the wise one offer washing
of the fet (padya), that is such knowledge destroying all sins.
12. One should pour forth tha
handful of water which is the root- ignorance held from time
without beginning. This is verily the water- offering (arghya)
of the symbol of the Self.
13. `Indra and other beings
drink only the tiny fraction of a drop from the waves of the
bliss ocean of Brahman.' That meditation is considered as the
sipping (achamana).
14. `All the worlds are bathed
verily by the water of Brahma's bliss which is indivisible.'
That meditation is the ablution (abhishechana) of the Self.
15. `I am the light of
Consciousness without any veil'. This thinking is the holy cloth
(sad vastram) of the symbol of the Self. Thus should think the
wise one.
16. `I am the thread of the
garland of all the worlds which are in the nature of the three
gunas'. This conviction is verily considered here as the highest
sacred thread (upavIta).
17. `This manifold world
mingled with numerous impressions is supported by me, and by no
other'. This meditation is the sandal paste (chandana) of the
Self.
18. With the sesamum-flowers in
the form of renunciation of the activity of sattva, rajas, and
tamas, one should always worship (yajet) the symbol of the Self,
for attaing liberation while living.
19. With the non-dual Bel
leaves devoid of the triple distinction between the Lord, the
guru, and the Self, one should worship (yajet) Lord Siva that is
symbol of the Self.
20. One should think of His
incense (dhupa) as the giving up of all impressions. The wise
one should show the lamp (dipa) that is the realization of the
luminous Self.
21. The food-offering (naivedyam)
of the symbol of the Self is the big rice pudding known as the
egg-universe of Brahma. Do drink the sweet nectar of bliss that
is the delightful beverage (upasechana) of Mrityu or Lord Siva.
22. One should remember that
cleansing the remnants of ignorance with the water of knowledge,
is the washing of hands (hasta prakshalana) of the pure symbol
of the Self.
23. Giving up the use of the
objects of passion, this is the chewing of betel (tambula) of
Lord Siva, the supreme Self who is devoid of the attributes
beginning with passion.
24. Knowledge on one's own
nature of Brahman, most shining, and burning to destruction the
darkness of ignorance, that is here the waving of lights
(nirajana) of the Self.
25. The vision of the manifold
Brahman is the ornament (alamkritam) with garlands. Then one
should remember the vision of the all- blissful nature of the
Self, as the handful of flowers. (pushpanjali).
26. `Thousands of Brahma's
mundane eggs revolve in me, the Lord, whose nature is immovable
and steady like a heap.' This meditation is the circumambulation
(pradakshina).
27. `I am verily worthy of a
universal salutation. Apart from my true Self, none is so worthy
of salutation.' This reflection is verily here the salutation
(vandana) of the symbol of one's own Self.
28. The idea of the unreality
of duties is termed as the saintly act (sat kriya) of the Self.
Thinking of the Self as being beyond names and forms, this is
the praise of his name (nama kirtana).
29. The hearing (shravana) of
that God is the thought of the unreality of things to be heard
of. The reflection (manana) of the symbol of the Self is the
thought of the unreality of things to be reflected on.
30-31. Knowledge of the
unreality of things to be contemplated upon, is the deep
meditation (nididhyasana) of the Self. Devotedness to the Self
by the absence of all delusion and distraction, is named the
perfect steadiness (samadhi) of the Self; and not delusion of
one whose mind rests on something else. This is called the
eternal reposeof the mind (chitta vishranti) in Brahman itself.
32-33. Thus performing till
death or even for a moment this worship of the symbols of one's
own Self, which is expounded according to Vedanta, one who is
well concentrated should give up the illusion of all bad
impressions, as dust from the feet. Having shaken off the mass
of ignorance and pain, one attains the bliss of liberation |