Siva Sutras are considered to be a revealed book of Yoga: the supreme identity of the individual self with the Divine. Here an English translation of the Siva Sutras has been provided, together with an abstract of each sutra, which throws a flood of light on the entire system of Saiva Yoga. A glossary of technical terms and index are appended for the convenience of the reader. Four commentaries on Siva Sutras are available at present, the Vimarsini commentary of Ksemaraja in prose, the Siva-sutra-vrtti by some anonymous author in prose, the Siva-sutra-varttikam by Varadaraja in verse. The Siva-Sutra-vrtti is so close to Vimarsini that it appears to be either a preliminary draft or a later abstract of the Vimarsini. There is a strong presumption that the author of the Vrtti was Ksemaraja himself. For more information, please head to www.mlbd.co.in

The Shiva Sutra was revealed to and written down by Vasugupta (ca 875--925 CE). The Sutra is considered mystical and of divine origin. For Kashmir Shaivism, it is one of the most important key sources. It outlines the teachings of Shaiva non-dualism, where the focus is on attaining the Ultimate Reality in which everything is created and dissolved. This ultimate state is called Param Shiva and is beyond description. For attaining this state of Shiva for those who remember to reside in their own inherent-self-nature, which is of the nature of Shiva, no effort or no way is needed. For everyone else there are three ways for the attainment of Param Shiva described in the Shiva Sutra. There is no strict order given for meditating on the Sutra. It depends on one's stage of evolution. Translation from the original Sanskrit with notes.

A kite needs a string in order to fly through the sky. In a similar way, the Shiva Sutras offers threads to uplift our mind and let it soar to new heights. The Shiva Sutras describes the goal of life as: life radiating the light of inner joy. The Magic of the Shiva sutras is that each sutra is complete, offering us a way to go deeper into our own nature, which is joy. Step by step, with inimitable humor and wisdom, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar takes examples from everyday life to guide readers on this journey of innocence and love

Description: This book is the distillation of over 16 hours of tape recorded audio lectures. It was Swami Lakshmanjoo's intent, in giving these lecture translations, to disclose in English the esoteric meaning of these 'Siva Sutras of Vasugupta as well as that of the commentary, called Vimarsini, by Ksemaraja, both of which were originally composed in Sanskrit. In attending these lectures it became obvious to this editor that Swami Lakshmanjoo was completely in command of his subject matter. Infact, his command of Sanskrit was superior to that of English, a condition he declared many times during his discourses. So, although absolutely fluent in Sanskrit many times he had to search for the appropriate word in English to clearly elucidate the Sanskrit texts. In fact on occasion he would tell us that he was not looking to translate the Sanskrit closely, but rather to give us the essential meaning of the text.

Ability is an important tool in life. Ability without commitment and awareness is like a vehicle without the engine. The Shiva Sutra enhances one’s awareness in a way one sees an opportunity in a difficulty and not a difficulty in an opportunity. There is an ‘outside reality’ and an ‘inside reality’ of one’s mind. There is also another dimension called ‘spiritual reality’. To harmonize all of them is a great awakening. Ordinary being loves one’s own ‘psycho dramas’ of justification, proving one’s point of view, blaming, being helpless... and this leads one to a state of inner poverty. To free oneself from these lower states of poverty and see them as ‘errors in one’s thinking’ is part of being effective and experiencing inner prosperity. The profound teaching of Lord Shiva introduces us to A Bigger Container where one learns to be charitable to one’s own self. This practice of making A Bigger Container is essentially spiritual. Dive deep into these mystic teachings. —Swami Sukhabodhananda

The Saiva system of Philosophy and Yoga is generally known as Agama. The world Agama means a traditional doctrine or system which commands faith. The Saiva system, in general, is known a Siva-sasana or Sivagama. The non-dualistic Saiva system of Kashmir is known as Trika-Sasana or Trika-sastra or Rahasya-sarnpradaya. The world sasana and sastra are very significant. Both contain the root sasa which means discipline. A Sastra or Sasana in India never meant merely an intellectual exposition of a particular system.

Panini's Ashtadhyayi represents the first attempt in the history of the world to describe and analyse the components of a language on scientific lines. It has not only been universally acclaimed as the first and foremost specimen of Descriptive Grammar but has also been the chief source of inspiration for the linguist engaged in describing languages of different regions. To understand Sanskrit language, and especially that part of it which embodies the highest aspirations of ancient Aryan people, viz., the Brahmanas, Samhitas, Upanisads, it is absolutely necessary to have a complete knowledge of the grammar elaborated by Panini. Being a masterpiece of reasoning and artistic arrangement its study is bound to cultivate intellectual powers. Western scholars have described it as a wonderful specimen or a notable manifestation of Indian intelligence. This book is an English translation of Ashtadhyayi in two volumes and has won a unique position in the world of scholarship.

The Spandakarikas are a number of verses that serve as a sort of commentary on the Siva-sutras. According to Saivagama, the divine consciousness is not simply cold, inert intellection. It is rather spanda, active, dynamic, throbbing with life, creative pulsation. In Siva-sutras, it is the prakasa aspect of the divine that is emphasized; in Spandakarikas, it is the vimarsa aspect that is emphasized. Together, these two books give us an integral view of Saiva philosophy. Ksemaraja has written a commentary on Spandakarikas, titled Spanda-nirnaya. He is fond of sesquipedalian compounds, long and windy sentences, but he is very profound in the comprehension of the subject and so cannot be ignored. The author tried to provide a readable translation of both the karikas and the Spanda-nirnaya commentary. Each karika (verse) is given both in Devanagari and Roman script, followed by its translation in English. This is followed by Ksemaraja's commentary in Sanskrit. Then follows an English translation of the commentary. After this, copious notes are added on important and technical words. Finally, a running exposition of each karika in the author's own words is given.

Cutting across distinctions of schools and types, the author explains the central feature of Kashmir Saivism: the creative pulse of the all-pervasive Consciousness called Siva. This is also the central theme of the Hindu Tantras, and Dyczkowski provides new insight into the most literate and extensive interpretations of the Tantras. This book is significant from four points of view. First, it breaks new ground in Indian philosophy. According to the Spanda Doctrine, the self is not simply witnessing consciousness as maintained by Sankhya and Vedanta, but is an active force. Second, the ultimate reality is not simply a logical system of abstract categories, but is living, pulsating energy, the source of all manifestation. Third, the work elaborates the dynamic aspect of consciousness. It supplies an excellent introduction to the texts and scriptures of Kashmir Saivism. Fourth, it suggests a Yoga for the realization of self.