Nature of Jnana

Suta said

Rishis, listen. I will describe knowledge of Shiva as I have heard it. It is a great secret, and its nature is supreme liberation. In Brahma's assembly Narada, the Kumaras, Vyasa and Kapila discussed this and reached this conclusion. This knowledge should always be known. The whole universe is full of Shiva. Shiva is in everything. The learned who know everything must know this. From Brahma to a blade of grass, all that is seen in the universe is Shiva. That divinity is called Shiva. Whatever he wishes, he acts so as to create. He knows everything, but no one knows him. He himself creates, yet having entered his creation he remains far from it. Though he enters, he is not attached, and his own form is consciousness. It is like a star reflected in water. Shiva seems to enter things, but that is not what really happens. In truth his auspicious form illuminates everything. The view that the two are different comes from ignorance. Views of duality and difference appear in every school of thought, but those supreme in Vedanta speak of him as eternal and non-dual. The jivatman is a part of him but is deluded by ignorance and thinks itself different. Freed from that idea, it becomes Shiva. Shiva himself pervades everything, all beings, and is lord of the sentient and insentient. Shankara is everywhere. A discriminating person who finds the means in his own school takes the path of Vedanta and gains the fruit of that school. It is like the all-pervading fire latent in wood. It is in the wood, but only one who churns the wood can truly see it. A discerning person uses devotion as his means and surely sees Shiva. Shiva is Shiva; there is nothing other than Shiva. It is because of our confusion that Shankara is always manifest in many forms. The ocean, a lump of clay or a piece of gold can be shaped and called by different names, and Shankara is many in that way. In any material thing, there is no difference between cause and effect. The difference arises only from confusion of understanding, and when the confusion is gone, the difference disappears. A sprout from a seed shows itself in many ways, but in the end it becomes a seed and the sprout is gone. A person with knowledge is like the seed, and confusion of understanding is like the sprout. When the confusion goes, one gains knowledge. There is no need to reflect on this. Everything is Shiva and Shiva is everything. There is no difference between the two. How then is he seen as many? How does one perceive unity again? The sun is one, yet people see that single luminary in water and other things in different forms and call it by different names. He is like that. The sky pervades everything, and though it touches things it is not bound. The divinity is like that: he pervades but is bound by nothing. The jivatman is touched by ego, but Shiva is free of it. The jivatman is small and enjoys karma, while Shankara is unattached and great. When gold is mixed with silver and other metals its value falls, as happens when the jivatman is tinged with ego. When gold is treated with acid or another agent it is purified, becomes auspicious and regains its original worth, and exactly so when the jivatman is cleansed.

With devotion one should first find a virtuous guru. Taking him to be Shiva, one worships him and practises remembrance and the rest. Thinking of him so, all sins and other impurities leave the body, ignorance is destroyed and knowledge arises. Freed from ego, the jivatman's understanding becomes bright. By Shankara's favour he gains the state of Shankara. As one sees one's own image in a mirror, he can see Shambhu everywhere in his body. He becomes jivanmukta, and when the body falls away, he unites with Shiva. The body is gained through prarabdha karma, and those with knowledge know that they are distinct from the body. A person who is not glad at gaining something good nor angry at gaining something bad, who is even-minded between opposites, is said to have knowledge. When one practises yoga, one develops discrimination about the truth and nature of the body, longs to be free of the body, and is no longer separate. Wasted, he merges into Sadashiva. Devotion to Shiva is the base for the knowledge of the self, and that is the base for knowledge. A devotee is full of love and loves hearing and the other practices. From hearing and the rest one gains the company of the virtuous, and from that company a learned guru. When knowledge is gained, mukti is certain. So whoever wants knowledge must always worship Shambhu, and should never part from devotion and worship of Shambhu. At the end there will be liberation, without doubt. In granting liberation no god is above Shankara. One who takes refuge in him does not return to samsara. Brahmanas, after weighing the words of many rishis I have determined what I have told you. Make an effort to hold it in your minds. Shambhu first told Vishnu this in front of his lingam. Vishnu gave this knowledge to Brahma, Brahma to Sanaka and the others, and Sanaka and the others to Narada. Narada told Vyasa, and out of his compassion Vyasa recounted it to me. For your welfare and the welfare of the worlds I have told you; make every effort to establish it. Through this Shiva can be reached. Lords among sages, I have told you all you asked. Make an effort to keep this secret. What else do you wish to hear?

Vyasa continued

Hearing this, the rishis were filled with great joy. Their words faltering with delight, they bowed and praised him repeatedly.

The rishis said

Disciple of Vyasa, we bow to you. You are blessed and supreme among Shiva's devotees. You have made us hear something supreme, excellent knowledge of Shiva. By your compassion the confusion has left our minds. We are satisfied to have gained knowledge of Shiva, the truth that grants liberation.

Suta concluded

Brahmanas, this should not be spoken to a nonbeliever, a person without faith or a deceitful person. It should not be revealed to one who is not devoted to Shiva or who does not wish to hear. Vyasa reflected on the Itihasa, the Puranas, the Vedas and the sacred texts several times, extracted the essence and told it to me. Even hearing it once reduces sins to ashes. It brings devotion to those who lack it and strengthens it in those who have it. Hearing it again, virtuous devotion develops, and hearing it again, there is liberation. So those who want pleasure and liberation should hear it repeatedly. To gain the supreme fruits, one should recite it five times, and one will gain what is desired. These are Vyasa's words. For one who listens to this excellent account, nothing is unattainable. One who recites it five times can see Shiva. With fixed minds, in earlier times, kings, brahmanas and excellent vaishyas listened to it five times and gained supreme success. A man who listens with supreme devotion gains vijnana of the one called Shiva, and pleasure and liberation.