AUM and the Panchakshara Mantra

The rishis said

Great sage, please tell us the greatness of Pranava and the six lingams. Lord, tell us how a devotee of Shiva should do the worship in order.

Suta replied

Stores of austerity, you have asked rightly. Only Mahadeva knows the answer to this question; no one else does. Yet by Shiva's favour I will tell you. May Shiva give you and us much protection. Samsara, this ocean of worldly existence, has evolved out of Prakriti. The learned know that Pranava is a new and excellent boat for crossing it. Pranava is known to mean "there is no world display for you," and also "that which leads to liberation." Some yogis use it for their own japa; some worshippers use it as their own mantra. It gives new, divine knowledge and destroys all karma. It is said to be free of maya and called new. It is new and pure in nature and carries one toward the great-souled one; the learned know it is new in what Pranava does. Pranava is said to be of two kinds, gross and subtle. The subtle is a single syllable, the gross has five. The subtle is not manifest, but the letters of the five-syllable mantra are very clearly manifest. The subtle holds the whole essence and is meant for one freed while living. As one searches for the meaning of the mantra, one's own body dissolves, and when it dissolves one merges completely into Shiva. By doing japa of this mantra alone one achieves that union; thirty-six crore times will certainly do it. The subtle is of two kinds, short and long. There are "A," "U" and "M" in that order, with bindu and nada; time and place are built into it. The long Pranava exists only in yogis' hearts. The short Pranava has the three, "A," "U" and "M," standing for Shiva, Shakti and their union. Those who want all their sins destroyed should do japa of the short one.

There are five elements, earth and the rest, and five objects of the senses, sound and the rest, ten together. The desires that chase these ten are called pravritti. The short version is for those who follow pravritti and the long for those who follow nivritti. The sound of Aumkara is spoken before the vyahritis and other mantras, before the Vedas and at the two sandhyas. A man who does japa of it nine crore times is purified. Another nine crore wins the element of earth, another nine crore water, another fire, another wind, another space. Another nine crore times each win the objects of the senses, smell and the rest, and then another nine crore win the ego. Doing japa of it a thousand times each day makes a person pure. Brahmanas, so japa of this ensures success. A person who does japa of Pranava 108 crore times awakens his understanding and gains pure yoga, and doubtless one with pure yoga is freed while living. One must always do japa and always meditate on Shiva, whose form is Pranava. A great yogi in samadhi is doubtless like Shiva himself. Then one does japa again, placing the rishis, metres and gods on his own body. A person who places the Matrikas on his body with Pranava becomes a rishi. When placement is done with the ten Matrikas this way, one gains success in the six paths. Those who follow pravritti should turn to the gross Pranava.

Shivayogis are of three kinds: those who follow kriya, those who follow austerity and those who follow japa. Those who worship with wealth and other things, doing kriya with limbs of the body and bowing, are called kriyayogis. Those who worship after restraining their outer senses, eat little and do no harm or injury to others are called tapoyogis. Those who have all these and in addition are never angry, free of all desires, calm and always occupied in japa are called japayogis. Shivayogis are those who worship with the sixteen offerings. Such a man gradually gains salokya and pure liberation.

Brahmanas, now I will tell you about japa yoga; listen attentively. A person who observes austerities must also do japa to cleanse himself. The gross form of Pranava is Shiva's five-syllable mantra, which stands for five principles and has Shiva's name preceded by "namah." A man who does japa of the five-syllable mantra gains every kind of success, and it must be done with Pranava before it. A person approaches a guru, takes instructions from him and sits comfortably on the ground. The japa begins in the bright fortnight and ends in the dark fortnight, and Magha and Bhadra are special and the best of times for it. While it goes on he eats only once a day in small amounts, controls speech and restrains his senses. He always serves his master, king and parents. As soon as he has done this japa a thousand times he becomes pure and freed of all debts. The five-syllable japa is to be done five hundred thousand times, remembering Shiva as he sits in the lotus posture, adorned with the Ganga and the crescent moon, with Shakti on his left thigh, radiant among crowds of ganas, clad in an animal's skin, his hands in the gestures of boon-giving and fearlessness, always giving compassion. One remembers Sadashiva, worshipping him first in the mind, placing him in the heart or in the solar disc. Then, after the purification rites, a learned person sits facing east and does japa of the five-syllable mantra. On the morning of the fourteenth of the dark fortnight he first finishes his daily rites, sits in a pure, agreeable spot, controls himself and purifies his mind. He does japa of the five-syllable mantra twelve thousand times. He invites five excellent brahmana devotees of Shiva with their wives. The one who is distinguished as guru stands for the embodied form of Shiva, the Samba form; a second stands for the Ishana form, a third for Aghora, a fourth for Vama and a fifth for Sadyojata. These brahmana devotees represent these five forms of Shiva.

After the articles for worship are collected, the worship begins. By the norms of Shiva worship, oblations are offered into the fire; before offering, he places his sacred thread below his mouth. The oblations are offered ten, a hundred or a thousand times, with ghee from the milk of a tawny cow. A learned person may offer them himself or have Shiva's devotees offer 108. When they are over, a fee is given; the guru receives a bull and a cow. Ishana and the others are also honoured, and the guru, Samba in form, is honoured. He bathes his own body with the water that washed their feet, which at once gives the fruits of bathing in thirty-six crore holy places. Full of devotion he offers them cooked food with the ten accompaniments. The guru's wife is thought of as Paraa. She and the wives of Ishana and the others are worshipped and given rudraksha and garments. As his wealth allows, they are fed supreme food, with cakes and sweet cakes. Once offerings and gifts are made, they are fed sumptuously. The japa ceremony is concluded with prayers to the lord of the gods. When a man accomplishes purashcharana this way, it is as if he now possesses a mantra. If he does japa five hundred thousand times again, he is freed of all sins. For each set of five hundred thousand, he gains the prosperity of all the worlds, Atala and the others, rising progressively to Satyaloka. If he dies midway, after enjoying pleasures, he returns to earth and goes on with japa. If he again does five hundred thousand, he gains samipya with Brahma. Again, he gains the fortune of sarupya. If he completes ten million, he becomes Brahma's equal, gains sayujya, and his tasks are like Brahma's. He enjoys pleasures until Brahma brings about dissolution. In the next kalpa he is born as Brahma's son, again blazes in austerities and is gradually liberated.

Earth and the other worlds were fashioned in order out of the elements. From Patala to Satyaloka there are fourteen worlds of Brahma. Above Satyaloka are fourteen worlds of Vishnu, ending with Kshama. In the world of Kshama, Vishnu is engaged in his tasks, resting in the supreme dwelling of Vaikuntha, and Lakshmi is established there with him, protecting those who enjoy great pleasures. Above this are twenty-eight more worlds ending with Shuchi. Rudra, the destroyer of beings, is established in Kailasa in Shuchiloka. Above this are fifty-six worlds ending with Ahimsa. The city of Jnana-Kailasa is in Ahimsa-loka. Having done everything, Karyeshvara is established there in his form of disappearance. Kalachakra is established at the end of this. Beyond it is the region Kalatita. Shiva, lord of Kalachakra, is established there. He takes the form of a buffalo as Dharma and unites everyone with Kala. The buffalo's four legs are falsehood, impurity, violence and lack of compassion. He can take any form he wishes, and he is these four feet. In the form of that dark, large buffalo he is also other things: lack of belief, lack of prosperity, wicked company, constant utterance of words outside the Vedas, and addiction to anger. That is why he is called Maheshvara. The region of disappearance goes up to this spot. Below it are those who enjoy karma, above it those who enjoy knowledge. Below is the maya of karma and above the maya of knowledge. The word maya is explained thus: "Ma" stands for Lakshmi and "ya" makes one go toward the enjoyment of karma; and likewise "ma" for Lakshmi and "ya" making one go toward the enjoyment of knowledge. Above all this is the region of perpetual enjoyment; below it the region of temporary enjoyment. Disappearance is below, with none above. Bondage by nooses is below, with none above. Those who follow kamya karma circle below this region; those who pursue karma without desire enjoy above it. Those devoted to worshipping bindu circle below; those who worship the lingam without desire advance above. Those who worship gods other than Shiva circle below; those devoted to Shiva alone advance above. There are a crore of jivas below and another crore above. Those in samsara are below; the freed are above. Those who worship natural objects circle below; those who worship objects connected with Purusha go upward. The Shakti-lingam is below and the Shiva-lingam above. The covered lingam is below and the uncovered above. The lingam thought of is below, the one not thought of above. The outer lingam is below and the inner above. There are 112 Shaktilokas below. The bindu form is below and the nada form above. The world of karma is below and the world of knowledge above. Bowing is above and destroys ego. The word jnana means this: whatever is the result of birth is janija, and "na" is a negation; whatever counters the temporary is jnana. Those who worship elements circle below; those who worship the inner self go above. In that great world, the vedi part extends only up to the self-lingam, and the eight bonds of Prakriti extend only up to this vedi. In the Vedas and in popular belief that is how it is.

Those who worship Shiva, riding the buffalo that is adharma, and are devoted to the dharma of truth, cross Kalachakra and go beyond. Above it is the bull of dharma, in its form of brahmacharya. Truth and the others are its legs and it stands before Shivaloka. Its horns are forgiveness, its ears peace, its eyes belief, and its heavy breathing stands for intellect and mind. This bull is adorned with Vedic chants and should always be known as the cause behind the various rites. This bull of dharma and rites stands beyond Kalatita. The lifespans of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesha are said to be a day each, but above this there is neither night nor day, birth nor death. There is only the truth that is the cause, only the brahman that is the cause. Smell and the subtle objects of the senses, made of the subtle elements, are always above. The nature of subtle smell is such that it exists in the fourteen worlds. The fourteen worlds where Vishnu is the cause are also there. It is also held that there are twenty-eight worlds where Rudra is the cause, and above these fifty-six where Isha is the cause. Beyond is the world called brahmacharya, revered by Shiva. Jnana-Kailasa is there, covered in five sheaths, with five circles and five components of the brahman. With Adi-Shakti is the Adi-lingam. Shiva is the supreme self and this is called Shiva's abode. With Para-Shakti is Parameshvara, skilled in the five tasks of creation, preservation, destruction, disappearance and showing favour. His body is being, consciousness and bliss. He is always engaged in the dharma of meditation and in showing favours, seated in samadhi, radiant in his own self. One can gradually see him by doing the sandhya rites and meditating. One should regard daily karma and worship as Shiva's tasks; all rites are Shiva's tasks, and this extends knowledge of Shiva. Doubtless all who come within his sight are liberated. Understanding the nature of one's self and finding happiness within one's own self are liberation. This rests on rites, austerities, japa, knowledge, meditation and dharma. When one sees Shiva, one finds happiness within one's own self. As the sun spreads its own rays, one is quickly purified. Shambhu is skilled in bestowing compassion, and one gains knowledge. Ignorance is dispelled and one gains knowledge of Shiva. The nature of knowledge of Shiva is such that one finds happiness within one's own self, and a man who finds happiness within his own self succeeds in all his aims.

By doing another ten million japas, he gains Brahma's world; another ten million, Vishnu's world; another, Rudra's world; another, Ishvara's world. After that, if he controls himself and does many kinds of japa, he reaches Kalachakra, the start of Shivaloka. Kalachakra has five wheels, each enclosing the one before. Delusion about creation is Brahma's wheel; delusion about objects of enjoyment is Vishnu's wheel; delusion about anger is Rudra's wheel; circling round is Ishvara's wheel; delusion about knowledge is Shiva's wheel. So the learned speak of the five wheels. By another ten crore japas he reaches the abode of Brahma, who is the cause. By another ten crore he gains prosperity there. In this way a very energetic one gradually reaches Vishnu's region. Progressively such a great-souled one gains prosperity. With fixed attention, a person who does 105 crore japas gains Shivaloka, outside the fifth sheath. There is a silver pavilion there and an excellent riverbed. In the form of austerities a bull can be seen there. This is the place of Sadyojata, the supreme fifth sheath. There is the place of Vamadeva, the fourth sheath. After it is the abode of Aghora, the third sheath. There is the auspicious second sheath, that of Samba Purusha. Beyond is Ishana, the first sheath. Five pavilions are there, the abode of the dharma of meditation. The fifth pavilion belongs to Balinatha, who gives a full measure of amrita. Beyond it, the fourth pavilion holds an image of Chandrashekhara. The third pavilion is the abode of Somaskanda. Believers say the second pavilion is the dance hall. The very beautiful first pavilion is the abode of Mulamaya. Beyond it is the inner chamber, the supreme auspicious place for the lingam. Shiva's glory is known to lie beyond Nandi's region. Nandishvara stands outside, worshipping the five-syllable mantra. This knowledge has come down through a line of gurus, and I received it from Nandishvara. What lies beyond is known only to Shiva and cannot be experienced. Only by Shiva's favour can one experience the glory of Shivaloka. Believers say no one can know it otherwise. So brahmanas who control their senses are gradually liberated.

I will now tell you of the others in order; listen lovingly. Brahmana women must take instruction from gurus and do japa, ending with the word "namah." For long life they do japa of the five-syllable mantra five hundred thousand times. To counter the state of being women, they again do five hundred thousand. Having become a man, a learned person is gradually liberated. To counter the state of being a kshatriya, a person does five hundred thousand; after another five hundred thousand he becomes a brahmana, and when this man becomes a brahmana who has the mantra, he is gradually liberated. A vaishya does five hundred thousand to remove being a vaishya; after another, he becomes a kshatriya who has the mantra; after another he removes being a kshatriya; and after another he is said to become a brahmana who has the mantra. When a shudra does japa 2,500,000 times, ending with "namah," he becomes a brahmana who has the mantra, and only after this a pure brahmana. Whether a woman, a man, a brahmana or of another varna, whether already afflicted or afflicted in any way, one must always do japa, with "namah" at the beginning or the end. For women, it is said that the guru will instruct properly.

After finishing five hundred thousand japas, a practitioner does a great bathing of the lingam and offers a great food offering. To please Shiva he honours Shiva's devotees. When Shiva's devotees are worshipped, Shiva is greatly pleased; there is no difference between Shiva and Shiva's devotee. He is Shiva. The mantra is Shiva's own form, this is the conception of Shiva. Using it, Shiva's devotee becomes like supreme Shiva in his own body. It is known that the rites of Shiva's devotees represent all the rites of the Vedas. The more a devotee does japa of Shiva's mantra, the greater Shiva's presence in his body, doubtless. For women who are Shiva's devotees, Devi is the form of the lingam; as long as japa of the mantra is done, Devi is present. An intelligent person who worships Shiva takes his name and form. Yet even after becoming Shiva he should worship Para Shakti, in the symbol of the lingam, or her maya in a painting. Taking Shiva's lingam to be a form of Shiva, he can think of himself in the form of Shakti; or taking the lingam to be a form of Devi Shakti, he can think of himself as Shiva. Shiva's lingam is the form of nada and Shakti the form of bindu. Either can be regarded as more important, or both thought of united in the lingam. When Shiva and Shakti are worshipped, the fundamental conception is Shiva. Shiva's devotee takes the mantra as a form of Shiva and himself as a form of Shiva. He worships with the sixteen offerings and accomplishes his desires. This service to the lingam by Shiva's devotee gives Shiva happiness and delights him even more. So a devotee should worship the god with his wife. After this, without deceit, he should worship five, ten or a hundred of Shiva's devotees with their wives, feeding them and giving them wealth, with or without mantras. He and his wife then take the form of Shiva and Shakti and are not born on earth again.

The part below the navel is Brahma's region and the part up to the throat is Vishnu's. For Shiva's devotee, in the body, the face is called the lingam. When someone dies, a cremation is done. After it, one should worship Shiva, the primordial father, then the primordial mother, and honour Shiva's devotees. The dead person then goes to the world of the ancestors and is gradually liberated. A person with austerity is superior to ten with kriyas. A person with japa is superior to a hundred with austerity. A person with knowledge of Shiva is superior to a thousand with japa. A person with meditation is superior to a hundred thousand with knowledge of Shiva. A person in samadhi is superior to a crore in meditation. Since each succeeding one is superior to the one before, those are the ones to choose for honour. The exact nature of the resulting fruit is hard even for the learned to grasp, so an ordinary person cannot understand the greatness of Shiva's devotee. Worshipping Shiva's devotee equals worshipping Shiva and Shakti together. So one who devoutly does this worship attains Shiva and becomes like Shiva. If a brahmana reads this chapter, which agrees with the Atharva Veda, he gains knowledge of Shiva and rejoices with Shiva. Lords among sages, a person with specific knowledge of this must let Shiva's devotees hear it. Learned ones, by Shiva's favour he will succeed and Shiva will show him compassion.