Shiva's Tattva

Upamanyu said

No bond binds Shiva, whether from atoms, action, maya, Prakriti, intelligence or ego, from mind or senses, or from the tanmatras and elements. Kaala, Kalaa and Vidya do not hold him. The boundlessly energetic Shambhu has neither liking nor dislike and no work to do. Skill and clumsiness do not apply to him, nor do the bad effects of karma or the fruits of joy and sorrow. He has no hopes, no ties, no rites of preparation and no karma. For him, pleasures and contact with pleasures mean nothing. The three times do not enclose him. Nothing causes him and nothing drives him. He has neither beginning, middle nor end, and no act, cause, tool or effect. He is not without kin, nor does he have kin. None urges or governs him; he has no lord, guru or guardian, and nobody is above or equal to him. He is not born and does not die. He wants nothing, yet is not without desire, and no rule or restraint binds him. He has neither release nor bondage. Nothing inauspicious comes from him; being Shiva, the supreme self, all that is auspicious is in him. By his own Shaktis he presides over everything and never departs from his own nature, which is why he is called Sthanu. He presides over the moving and the still and is remembered as the one with every form. Whoever knows Sharva is not deluded. Sharva, Rudra, I bow to you.

He is the great being beyond existence, golden-armed Bhagavan, Ishvara the lord of gold, Ishana the consort of Ambika, bearer of the Pinaka, rider of the bull. Rudra is one, and he is the highest brahman, the dark and tawny being to be sought within the body and the heart, fine as a hair's tip, golden-haired, lotus-eyed, copper-red. He is the god who goes about, blue-throated and gold all over, mild and pleasing and a blend of both. He is imperishable, immortal, ageless, the special supreme being, Bhagavan who defeated death. He stands free of the notions of sentient, insentient and world display, greater than the greatest. With matchless knowledge and prosperity, Shiva watches over all. The learned say he stands above all the lords of the worlds. When the lesser cycle of creation came, he taught Brahma all the sacred texts in full. He is the first teacher, who taught thus, untouched by passing time, called the guru of gurus. He is everything, Sarvesha, not divided by time. All his Shaktis are naturally flawless, and his knowledge is unmatched. He makes his eternal body. His prosperity has no rival, and neither have his joy and strength. His energy, power, courage, patience and compassion are without equal. He is complete, so he does not need to create for himself. The fruits of everything he does are for the benefit of others.

When Pranava is sounded, it names Shiva, the supreme self. Pranava and other supreme words name Shiva, Rudra and the rest. Whoever uses it to do japa on Bhava gains supreme siddhi; there is no doubt. So those learned in the agamas say that the god is named by a single syllable, for the learned know word and meaning to be one. The Upanishads speak of four parts: A, U, M and nada. A is the Rig Veda, U the Yajur Veda, M the Sama Veda, and nada is said to stand for the Atharva Veda. A is the great seed, rajas, and the four-faced maker. U is Prakriti, the womb, and Hari who guards through sattva. M is Purusha the seed, tamas, and Hara the destroyer. Nada is the supreme being Isha Shiva, without qualities and without action. Everything is known through the three parts in three ways, and through the half-part one should understand Shiva's self. Nothing is greater or smaller than he. Still as a tree, he stands in heaven, complete in himself in every way.