The song that was sung in Sanskrit at the end of the meditation, or at least part of it was sung, was from a poem by the great sage Sri Abhinavagupta, who was the founder and extraordinary explicator of the supreme wisdom of the Anuttara Trika Wisdom School of Kashmir, in the 10th century AD. And it’s a poem that sums up some of the core principles of what has come to be known as Kashmir nondual Shaivism, but is a philosophy that calls itself by two names.
One is Paramadvaia, or Paramadvaita, which means supreme nonduality, a kind of nonduality that goes beyond the Buddhist nonduality, or the Advaita Vedanta nonduality, and has a nonduality that is even more radical, that, of course, requires Realization, not simply belief or faith—but he explains also how that ultimate state of God-Consciousness is to be attained, and how it can be attained instantaneously by anyone who has a sufficient yearning to do so, and willingness to make the sacrifice internally, mentally, emotionally, required to encounter the face of God and live, but live no longer in the way one lived before that encounter.
So, I want to read, this is a translation of the song, or the poem, which is entitled The Bhairava Stotra, but it’s a translation that I’m not entirely happy with. I think I’ll try to make a poetic translation and Hanuman can set it to music, and maybe we can sing it in a kirtan, but I’ll read you how it is written. I think it was translated by Mark Dyczkowski, who is a good translator, so it’s not inaccurate, but I think it’s simply not fully elaborated. In any case, here it goes.
“I, Abhinavagupta, with one-pointed devotion and praying to that Supreme all-pervading Lord, Lord Shiva, who is Himself present in each and everything that exists,” and I would even add and including things that do not exist, or that exist on the other levels of reality than the phenomenal plane, “and who, through realization, our realization, reveals himself as the one limitless Bhairavanatha,” meaning Lord Bhairava, and this is the final name of Shiva.
Shiva, of course, means Zero, the Zero Point of Absolute Consciousness, but Bhairava is the name of Shiva in the final stages of the cycle of time, when he performs his last functions of, on the one hand destroyer, on the other hand, savior. But here what Abhinava emphasizes is Bhairava is the protector of the helpless—that’s the function of God in this time when masses of people are being helplessly killed in wars and other depopulation programs. And this Presence of God as one who doesn’t protect one from one’s karma, but protects one from both the suffering of that karma, by taking the soul immediately after it leaves the body into the peaceful Light, to be free of all of its fear and suffering, and also brings it to that state in which it is realized, the deathlessness of consciousness.
“By the energy of your grace, it has been revealed to me that this vibrating universe,” I would even say this universe made of vibrational waves, “is your own Being, your own manifestation. Thus, O Lord Shiva, this realization has come to me that you are my own Self, my own soul, and as such, this universe is my own expression and manifestation.” Shivo Hum, in other words, our central mantra, is entailed by the Kashmiri philosophy, and it is a recognition Shiva is all-pervading and all-encompassing, and Shiva is the Self of every being, including you. And therefore, you are a holon or a microcosm of the whole. You are a drop that contains the ocean, to use another famous metaphor.
“O possessor of every thing, though your devotees are bound by karma and mental conditioning, and are caught in the net of destiny that arouses troubles and bondage, still they are not afraid of the fret and fever of this world. Having realized this universe as your own manifestation, they are not afraid of worldly difficulties,” because fear exists only when there is someone else to inflict pain. “But where there is none other than you, who is I, how can fear arise? O angel of death, do not look toward me with any wrathful and frightening eyes, as I am always absorbed in the worship of the Supreme Lord. Through constant devotion, meditation, and reflection, I have become steadfast and courageous. I have become one with the energy of the terrifying Bhairava. Thus, your dreadful and frightening looks can do me no harm.”
So, Bhairava is terrifying. He’s the most fearsome form of God, but he’s terrifying only to demons. He protects humans, especially those who pray for help and for healing, but no dark forces can come near him. So:
“O Lord Bhairava, I offer salutations to you who have awakened me to the realization that everything in existence is You alone. And as a result of this awakening, the darkness of my mind has been destroyed, and I am neither afraid of the evil family of demons, nor am I afraid of Yama, the fearsome Lord of Death.”
So, Bhairava is the death of death, and the bringer of Eternal Life.
“O Lord Shiva, it is through your Being revealed to me by direct knowledge that I realize all attachments that I have and all that exists in this universe, all are activated by you alone. It is by this awakening that my mind becomes saturated with eternal devotion, and I experience supreme Bliss.”
So, realizing—what gives bliss? Realizing, that all of what you think are your own attachments, habits, fixations, behaviors, etc., that you are in control of them—no, you have no free will unless you realize that your Self is Shiva. And then, yes, you have total freedom. But if you believe you are the character who is channeling that energy but not realizing it is yourself, and there is still a separation of duality, that too is the Will of God. All is the Will of God. And Grace will come at the moment when it is destined by that supreme Intelligence. So in other words, surrender and accept. Don’t fight your destiny, but love it. And by loving the power that grants Grace, that power will assist in your fulfillment. And then he goes on:
“O Lord, sometimes I feel misery which arouses torment in my mind.”
He’s very honest.
“But at the same moment, blessed by the shower of your Grace, a clean and clear vision of my oneness with you arises, the impact of which makes my mind peaceful once more.”
So there might be a moment in which the old sanskaras or tendencies to suffer, to identify with the being who has no freedom, and in that moment, the grace will come that will free you from that false idea that has put you in momentary illusion of bondage.
“O Lord Shiva, it is said by religious people that through charity, ritual baths, and the practices of penance, that the troubles of worldly existence subside. But even more than this, it is by remembrance of Shiva, and of Shiva’s words and the sacred writings dictated by Shiva for the world, it is by that remembrance that the current of Shakti brings Immortality and flows like a stream of peace through my heart.”
“O Lord Bhairava, through my utmost faith I have perceived you in the unique sacrifice of oneness, which otherwise is not possible, through performing mountains of rituals. Being filled with your Presence, my consciousness intensely dances and sings, enjoying its own ecstasy.”
“O compassionate Lord, under the influence of your glory and for the benefit of your worshipers, I, Abhinavagupta, have composed this hymn, by meditation and recitation of this within a moment that merciful Lord Bhairava destroys the torments and sufferings springing from this wilderness of samsara, the world of multiplicity.”
