SEEK THE ETERNAL

Sivarathri Lecture by Swami Paramarthananda

Transcribed by Sri VLN Prasad

NOTE: Swami Paramarthananda has not verified the transcription of talks.

The transcriptions have been done with Swamiji’s blessings by his disciple.

Published by :

Arsha Avinash Foundation

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General Talks Seek the Eternal

Seek the Eternal

sadāsiva samārambhām sankarāchārya madhyamām
asmad āchārya paryantām vande guru paramparām
In our scriptures, it is clearly pointed out that the primary goal of human
life is only spiritual fulfillment, which is known by different names as
Mōksha or Ēshwara Prāptihi etc. The other material goals that we
accomplish are not considered to be the primary goal. They are only
subsidiary or secondary ones.
It is because all the other pursuits like providing for food, clothing and
shelter, not only we do, but the animals also accomplish them
successfully. They also procure food for themselves and for their family
also. They also have a family, raise children and they even train their
children to procure food.
Therefore, mere earning money, having shelter, rising families
successfully can never become the human goal. No doubt, we have to
pursue them, but we cannot spend our entire life just for these material
pursuits alone. Spiritual accomplishment is the top priority. We do not
know this spiritual goal by ourselves, but this has to be told to us by the
scriptures.
As far as material pursuits are concerned, the scriptures need not come
and tell. Instinctively, we will look for food, we will look for security
and we will propagate our species. Scriptures need not come and tell.
But as far as spiritual goal is concerned, they have to come and tell that
the human life is meant for something far greater.
Scriptures not only have to tell us about this, but they have to remind
this repeatedly because we are either ignorant or even if we know the
spiritual goal, often our problem is we are so much preoccupied with the
material pursuits that we don’t have time or we keep on postponing. As
Shankarāchārya says -
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bālastāvat krīdāsaktaha tarunastāvat tarunī saktaha

vruddhastāvat chintāsaktaha paramē brahmani kōpinasaktaha
When we are boys, we thought that spirituality is not to be started now a
it is too early. So, people think of postponing it. By the time we are old,
our mind is full of worries and our faculties are totally gone so that even
if we want, we cannot pursue. Therefore, the problem is that we are so
preoccupied that the spiritual goal gets eternally postponed.
Therefore, our scriptures are worried. Therefore, they keep so many
festivals and Vratams. These are exclusively meant to remind us of our
primary goal. We also should have some introspection - I have lived so
long. Has spiritual pursuit become my predominant goal? Our festivals
are two types.
There are some festivals which are primarily for enjoyment such as
Deepavali etc. We enjoy buying new dress, ornaments, visiting people
etc. They are all gaiety, enjoyment. But there are certain festivals known
as Vratams which are not meant for any enjoyment but are meant
primarily to remind us of the spiritual goal.
Shivarātri is not a festival for enjoyment, but it is meant for withdrawal
and asking the question - What am I doing? Is my life predominately
spiritual? If you see the four Āshramās (Brahmacharya, Grihastha,
Vānaprastha and Sanyāsa) - in the Grihastha Āshrama, material pursuit
may be predominant, spiritual pursuit may be lesser.
But scriptures aim is - gradually the material pursuits should become
lesser and lesser and spiritual pursuit should become more and more.
That is, the time that I spend, both qualitatively and quantitatively,
should be more for spirituality and less and less for material pursuits.
This percentage should gradually change.
Initially, it may be 75% for family, company, money, running to bank,
and working for children and 25% may be for spirituality. Gradually,
this percentage should change. 25% should become for family, the
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others should take care. And 75% or more should be for spirituality.
Ultimately, Sanyāsa is 100% for spirituality.
We need not think of that. You may be frightened if I talk about
Sanyāsa. Even if you are in the family, the percentage tilt should
happen. Therefore, I should ask the question - is there a change in the
predominance? That is why, in most of these Vratam type of festivals,
they emphasize two things.
One thing is Upavāsaha. Upavāsaha means fasting so that I give up all
types of enjoyments. Upavāsa serves as a Prāyaschittam also. It will not
only purify the physical body, but Upavāsa is supposed to purify my
mind also. Therefore, I do Upavāsa as a Prāyaschittam when the
Vratams come.
The second equally important thing is Sath Kathā Shravanam, reading
the scriptures. We may do Pūja mechanically, but if we have to do
introspection, it is possible only through listening to some scriptures.
This is not only done during every Shivarātri, but according to our
scriptures, we are supposed to do these two things every Ēkādasi.
ēkādashyām tu sarvēshām kartavyam bhōjana dvayam - ēkādashyām,
for every Ēkādasi, sarvēshām - for everyone, kartavyam bhōjana
dvayam. When we hear bhōjana dvayam, it is not referring to food. It is
bhō jana dvayam kartavyam. bhō is Sambōdhana. It means - O human
being.
dvayam kartavyam - Every Ēkādasi, you have to do two things. What
are those two things? shuddhōpavāsaha prathamam. shuddhōpavāsaha
means total Upavāsa (if health permits). If health problems are there,
that is a different issue. If a person can afford health wise, the first thing
is Shuddha Upavāsa.
What do you mean by Shuddha Upavāsaha? It means total Upavāsaha.
Otherwise, we have got other type of Upavāsa where you don’t eat
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normal food. When you eat something different from what you
normally eat, then they think it is Upavāsa. Therefore, every Ēkādasi,
one should do total Upavāsa, if health permits.
If that is not possible, one should do it at-least, on Vaikuntha Ēkādasi or
on Shivarātri. Upavāsa is considered to be im
portant Tapas. The second thing is - shuddhōpavāsaha prathamam sath
kathā shravanam tatha. sath kathā shravanam - listening to the scriptures
which will remind that my goal is something different. As
Shankarāchārya tells elsewhere -
kim vānēna dhanēna vāji karibhih prāptēna rājyēna kim
kimvā putra kalatra mitra pashubhir dēhēna gēhēna kim
gnyātvai tat kshana bhanguram sapadirē tyājyam manō dūrataha
swātmārtham guru vākyatō bhaja bhaja shrī pārvatī vallabham
kim vā anēna dhanēna - you have accomplished lot of wealth. So what?
vāji karibhihi prāptēna rājyēna kim - you might have got a kingdom,
you may have got vehicles. kimvā putra kalatra mitra pashubhihi - you
might have friends, wife and children. dēhēna gēhēna kim - you might
have a palatial house. What is the use of all these things?
gnyātvai tat kshana bhanguram - All these things are only perishable.
They are not going to be Shāshwatam. Even if they are going to be
Shāshwatam, you are not going to be Shāshwatam. Therefore, why are
you spending your whole life upon something which is going to away
any way? Therefore your life is meant for something else.
Therefore, tyājyam manō dūrataha - please take your mind away from
all of them. You spend whatever minimum is required for Yōga
Kshēmārtham. But turn your mind swātmārtham, ātma gnyānārtham,
shrī pārvatī vallabham bhaja - may you worship Lord Shiva for attaining
Mōksha with the help of Guru Vākyataha.
Go to Satpurushās who have dedicated their life for spiritual pursuits.
Have Satsanga and then you will understand that real happiness can
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come even without any possession. Then we will say that - I know that
spiritual goal in the real goal, but I have decided to start it from 2000
onwards. He has always got ingenious method of postponement.
Therefore, Shankarāchārya warns -
āyur nashyati pashyatām pratidinam yāti kshayam yavvanam
pratyāyānti gatāh punar na javasāh kālō jagat bhakshakaha
lakshmi stōya taranga bhanga chapalā vidyut chalam jīvitam
tasmān mām sharanāgatam charanada tvam raksha rakshādhunā
Your life - nashyati pratidinam; before we complete, another Shivarātri
comes. Therefore, you are growing older and older every day and you
are assuming that you are going to live hundred years. Who knows, how
long you are going to live! Therefore, never postpone good things. Start
spiritual pursuits from today. Shivarātri is a good day.
Therefore, turn more and more towards the primary goal of life. As a
remainder for this alone, we have got various functions. Of these
functions, Shivarātri is one of the most important functions, especially
for the pursuit of spirituality. On the Shivarātri day, we chant prayers on
Lord Shiva. Especially, Sri Rudram is chanted in all temples.
They chant it eleven times or hundred and twenty one times. We also
have chanted Rudram which is supposed to be very auspicious. It will
remove all the Pāpams that we have done. ya shata rudriyam adhīyatē
sōgni pūtō bhavati, surāpānāt pūtō bhavati, krutyākrutyāt pūtō bhavati,
suwarna stēyāt pūtō bhavati.
They enlist so many Pāpams and say that all the Pāpams will go once
we chant Rudram. Why do we remove Pāpam? We cleanse ourselves so
that - anēna gnyānamāpnōti samsānārnava nāshanam, tasmādēvam
viditvainam kaivalyam padamashnutē. Having removed the Pāpās, one
has to start the study of scriptures.
So, we consider study of scriptures as one of the very important spiritual
Sādhanās. We may do three hours Shiva Pūja, we may do Pilgrimage.
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All those things are important. But many people do not consider the
study of scriptures as an important thing. In one of the Upanishads -
rutam cha swādhyāya pravachanē cha, satyam cha swādhyāya
pravachanē cha, tapas cha swādhyāya pravachanē cha, damas cha
swādhyāya pravachanē cha, shamas cha swādhyāya pravachanē cha ….
Along with the every religious discipline, swādhyāya pravachanē cha is
repeated several times. In the end, it is said swādhyāya pravachanē ēvēti
nākō mouddalyaha taddhi tapas taddhi tapaha. We should allot some
time regularly for the study of scriptures. For half an hour or one hour
we either read books or we go to someone and read the scriptures.
We should adopt some method or the other. Nowadays, discourses have
started even on TV, but people see everything else other than these
things. Many Upanyāsās are there on TV and in audio cassettes also.
We have to allot some qualitative time for the study of scriptures.
If not Vēdānta, one has to study books like Bhāgavatam because that is
one thing which will constantly remind us and ultimately, that alone
gives us the knowledge also. Therefore, we have chanted Rudram which
is very auspicious. Today, I thought I will just give you the meaning of
the Dhyāna Slōkās that we chanted for Rudram. They are so beautiful.
Here, in all the Dhyāna Slōkās, we can find certain peculiarities,
something beautiful. In all these prayer verses, the Lord will be
described in three different forms which indirectly tell the essence of
Vedic teaching. In all the Dhyāna Slōkās, Lord will be described in
three different forms, but all mixed together.
One is the description of God as a person. Personal god description will
be there, because in the initial stages, a person can appreciate God only
as a person. An abstract God cannot be appreciated by all. Therefore,
our religion presents God as Vishnu or Krishna or Ganesha. He or she is
a clean person with all features as we have. This is personal God with a
particular form which is called Ēka Rūpa Ēshwaraha.
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Then, we will find another form of description where Lord is not with
one form but Lord is in all forms. All forms means it includes all God
forms also. Not only all God forms in one form, but all animals, all
human beings, inert things are also included. This is called Vishwa
Rūpa Ēshwara or Anēka Rūpa Ēshwara.
Personal God is Ēka Rūpa Ēshwaraha, Universal God is Anēka Rūpa
Ēshwara. It indirectly says that we should also expand our mind to see
the Lord in all forms. Initially, you will find a Shiva Bhakta will not
worship Vishnu. He is a staunch Shaivaite. When he cannot appreciate
Vishnu himself, where is the question of respecting the creation!
There is no such thing at all. And a staunch Vaishnava will worship
Vishnu alone. He does not even want to hear Shiva’s name. So, we have
to expand. I should see the Lord in Shiva also - sa bramha sa shiva sa
harisēndra sōkshara parama swarād. In all forms, not only Hinduism, let
it be Christian Lord, Islam Lord or in any form, I should learn to see the
Lord.
It includes other human beings also. This is Aneka Rūpa. We have to
expand. Finally, we have to go to the formless Arūpa Ēshwaraha, the
one who does not have any form, the absolute, infinite reality. Ēka
Rūpa, Anēka Rūpa and Arūpa, you can find in all Dhyāna Slōkās. Here
also, you find that all the descriptions are there.
We will just quickly go through. We can easily understand as it is in
simple Sanskrit only. shuddha spatika samkāsham - Lord Shiva is like a
pure crystal. Crystal is known for its clarity and purity. That is why, if
anything is clear, we say it is crystal clear. Similarly, the Lord also is
ever pure.
trinētram pancha vaktrakam - the one who has got three eyes. Two
regular eyes and one is the Gnyāna Chakshuhu. Pancha Vaktrakam - the
Lord has got five heads representing Srushti, Sthiti, Laya, Nigraha and
Anugraha or Sirōdhanam - Pancha Krutyās, the fivefold function, are
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indicated by the five heads. gangādharam - having Ganga Devi on his

Jata. dasha bhujam - ten hands are there.
sarva ābharana bhūshitam - he has got varieties of ornaments. This is the
Lord in the first variety, personal god. nīlagrīvam shashānkānkam nāga
yagnyōpavītinam - nīlagrīvam means the blue necked one because he
has taken poison. shashānka ankam - having Chandra, the digit of the
Moon on his head.
nāga yagnyōpavītinam - snake is his yagnyōpavītinam. vyāghra
charmōttarīyam cha varēnya abhaya pradham - his dress is vyāghra
charma. vyāghra charma means Tiger skin. varēnyam - the primary
goal. That is a remainder to us. abhaya pradam - the one who gives
shelter to all people.
kamandal aksha sūtrābhyām anvitam shūla pāninam - he has got
Kamadalu and also the Aksha Sūtra, the Māla for doing Japa. shūla
pāninam - he has got a Shūlam in his hand. jwalantam pingala jatā
shikhā madhyōda dhārinam - he has got Jata and within the Jata, there is
uda dhārinam. Udakam means water. Ganga Devi is in the Jata.
Here, you can see another aspect also. Shiva is described both as Bhōga
Swami as well as Yōga Swami. Bhōga Swami means the one who puts
on all the ornaments, silk and garments. All those things are there. Yōga
Swami means the one who is a Sanyāsi, who has renounced everything,
and who doesn’t care about anything. He is only dedicated to
Meditation. Shiva as a Dhyāna Rūpi Shivaha;
That is why he doesn’t even comb his hair. That is why there is Jata. All
those things indicate he is as a Yōgi. If you love Sanyāsa, you can
meditate upon Shiva as a Sanyāsi. But if you love ornaments and dress,
you can have Shiva with ornaments and dress. Both Shivas are
available. You can meditate on which ever Shiva you like. amrutē
nāplutam hrushtam uma dēhārdha dhārinam - He is a Grihastha Shiva
and Sanyāsi Shiva also. He plays both roles.
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amrutē nāplutam - he is soaked in Amrutam. Amrutam means

immortality, Mōksha. divya simhāsanāsīnam divya bhōga samanvitam -
He is on a throne, with all the pleasures (Bhōga). But in another place, it
was said vyāghra charmōttarīyam cha. Shiva is there for both Pravrutti
Mārga and Nivrutti Mārga.
digdēvatā samāyuktam surāsura namaskrutam. digdēvatā samāyuktam -
he is surrounded by all the Ashta Digdēvatās. surāsura namaskrutam -
he is worshipped by both Surās and Asurās because Shiva is known as
Āshutōshi. Therefore, even Asurās worship Lord Shiva as he gives
whatever boon anyone asks for.
nityam cha shāswatam shuddham dhruvamakshara mavyayam sarva
vyāpinamīshānam rudram vai vishwa rūpinam. Previously, Shiva as a
person was described and at the end, vishwa rūpinam. The word vishwa
rūpinam indicates that Lord Shiva is not a person sitting in Kailas. That
is all for a beginner, LKG religion.
Once you graduate, Shiva is not in Kailas or in one place alone. Shiva is
in Kailas also and Shiva is in Bhū Lōka also. Shiva is here also. Thus,
Vishwa Rūpa is described. Then, beyond the Vishwa Rūpa, the formless
Shiva is also described. nityam cha shāswatam shuddham dhruvam
aksharam avyayam.
All these words indicate that he is Nirguna Brahma Swarūpa which is
eternal and which is Apakshaya Rahitaha. Shāswatam means without
old age etc. Shuddham - who is Nirgunaha, free from all kinds of
properties. From Vēdāntic angle, good properties (Guna) are also called
Dōshās. guna dōsha atītaha is indicated by the word Shuddham.
dhruvam aksharam avyayam - all these words indicate that he is Dēsha
Kāla Atīta Nirgunam Brahma. sarva vyāpinamīshānam - sarva vyāpi
means formless. The moment he has got a form, he cannot be Sarva
Vyāpi. If the Lord has to be Sarva Vyāpi, he must be formless a
principle.
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Thus, according to our temperament, on a Shivarātri day, we can

worship Shiva as a person, we can worship Shiva as the very Vishwa
Rūpam, and we can worship Shiva as the infinite Brahman which is the
very Ātma. We start on a Shivarātri day and then we have to continue it
throughout also. Thus, we have started this today and we should
continue this regularly.
Pūrnmadah Pūrnamidam Pūrnāth Pūrnamudachyatē.
Pūrnasya Pūrnamādāya Pūrnamēvāvasishyatē..

Om shānti shānti shāntihi

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