The Description of Liberation

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.41.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । मुक्तिर्नाम त्वया प्रोक्ता तस्यां किं नु भवेदिह । अवस्था कीदृशी तत्र भवेदिति वदस्व नः ॥ 41.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ muktirnāma tvayā proktā tasyāṁ kiṁ nu bhavediha avasthā kīdṛśī tatra bhavediti vadasva naḥ

The sages said: "You have spoken of what is called liberation — what indeed comes to be in it? Tell us what sort of state exists there."

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.41.2)

सूत उवाच । मुक्तिश्चतुर्विधा प्रोक्ता श्रूयतां कथयामि वः । संसारक्लेशसंहर्त्री परमानन्ददायिनी ॥ 41.2 ॥

sūta uvāca muktiścaturvidhā proktā śrūyatāṁ kathayāmi vaḥ saṁsārakleśasaṁhartrī paramānandadāyinī

Suta said: "Liberation is declared to be of four kinds; listen, I shall tell you — it destroys the afflictions of worldly existence and bestows supreme bliss."

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.41.3)

सारूप्या चैव सालोक्या सान्निध्या च तथा परा । सायुज्या च चतुर्थी सा व्रतेनानेन या भवेत् ॥ 41.3 ॥

sārūpyā caiva sālokyā sānnidhyā ca tathā parā sāyujyā ca caturthī sā vratenānena yā bhavet

"Sarupya [likeness of form], Salokya [dwelling in the same world], and supreme Sannidhya [nearness]; and the fourth, Sayujya [union] — this comes about through this very vow."

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.41.4)

मुक्तेर्दाता मुनिश्रेष्ठाः केवलं शिव उच्यते । ब्रह्माद्या न हि ते ज्ञेयाः केवलं च त्रिवर्गदाः ॥ 41.4 ॥

mukterdātā muniśreṣṭhāḥ kevalaṁ śiva ucyate brahmādyā na hi te jñeyāḥ kevalaṁ ca trivargadāḥ

"O best of sages, only Shiva is said to be the giver of liberation; Brahma and the others are not to be regarded as such — they grant only the three lesser goals of dharma, artha, and kama."

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.41.5)

ब्रह्माद्यास्त्रिगुणाधीशाः शिवस्त्रिगुणतः परः । निर्विकारी परब्रह्म तुर्यः प्रकृतितः परः ॥ 41.5 ॥

brahmādyāstriguṇādhīśāḥ śivastriguṇataḥ paraḥ nirvikārī parabrahma turyaḥ prakṛtitaḥ paraḥ

"Brahma and the others are lords of the three gunas; Shiva is beyond the three gunas — unchanging, the Supreme Brahman, the 'fourth' state, beyond Prakriti."

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.41.6)

ज्ञानरूपोऽव्ययः साक्षी ज्ञानगम्योऽद्वयः स्वयम् । कैवल्यमुक्तिदः सोऽत्र त्रिवर्गस्य प्रदोऽपि हि ॥ 41.6 ॥

jñānarūpo'vyayaḥ sākṣī jñānagamyo'dvayaḥ svayam kaivalyamuktidaḥ so'tra trivargasya prado'pi hi

"Of the nature of knowledge, imperishable, the witness, attainable through knowledge, himself non-dual — he it is who grants the liberation of Kaivalya here, and who also grants the three lesser goals."

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.41.7)

कैवल्याख्या पञ्चमी च दुर्लभा सर्वथा नृणाम् । तल्लक्षणं प्रवक्ष्यामि श्रूयतामृषिसत्तमाः ॥ 41.7 ॥

kaivalyākhyā pañcamī ca durlabhā sarvathā nṛṇām tallakṣaṇaṁ pravakṣyāmi śrūyatāmṛṣisattamāḥ

"The fifth, called Kaivalya, is in every way hard for men to attain. I shall now describe its nature — listen, O best of sages."

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.41.8)

उत्पद्यते यतः सर्वं येनैतत्पाल्यते जगत् । यस्मिंश्च लीयते तद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ॥ 41.8 ॥

utpadyate yataḥ sarvaṁ yenaitatpālyate jagat yasmiṁśca līyate taddhi yena sarvamidaṁ tatam

"That from which everything arises, by which this world is sustained, into which it dissolves, and by which all this is pervaded —"

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.41.9)

तदेव शिवरूपं हि पठ्यते च मुनीश्वराः । सकलं निष्कलं चेति द्विविधं वेदवर्णितम् ॥ 41.9 ॥

tadeva śivarūpaṁ hi paṭhyate ca munīśvarāḥ sakalaṁ niṣkalaṁ ceti dvividhaṁ vedavarṇitam

"— that alone, O lords of sages, is called the very form of Shiva; described in the Vedas as twofold — Sakala, the manifest, and Nishkala, the unmanifest."

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.41.10)

विष्णुना तच्च न ज्ञातं ब्रह्मणा न च तत्तथा । कुमाराद्यैश्च न ज्ञातं न ज्ञातं नारदेन वै ॥ 41.10 ॥

viṣṇunā tacca na jñātaṁ brahmaṇā na ca tattathā kumārādyaiśca na jñātaṁ na jñātaṁ nāradena vai

"That was not known even by Vishnu, nor likewise by Brahma; it was not known by Kumara and the others, nor known by Narada."

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.41.11)

शुकेन व्यासपुत्रेण व्यासेन च मुनीश्वरैः । तत्पूर्वैश्चाखिलैर्देवैर्वेदैः शास्त्रैस्तथा न हि ॥ 41.11 ॥

śukena vyāsaputreṇa vyāsena ca munīśvaraiḥ tatpūrvaiścākhilairdevairvedaiḥ śāstraistathā na hi

"Not by Shuka, the son of Vyasa, nor by Vyasa, nor by the lords of sages; not by all the gods before them, nor by the Vedas, nor by the scriptures."

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.41.12)

सत्यं ज्ञानमनन्तं च सच्चिदानन्दसंज्ञितम् । निर्गुणो निरुपाधिश्चाव्ययः शुद्धो निरञ्जनः ॥ 41.12 ॥

satyaṁ jñānamanantaṁ ca saccidānandasaṁjñitam nirguṇo nirupādhiścāvyayaḥ śuddho nirañjanaḥ

"It is truth, knowledge, infinity, called sat-chit-ananda; without qualities, without limiting adjuncts, imperishable, pure, and stainless."

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.41.13)

न रक्तो नैव पीतश्च न श्वेतो नील एव च । न ह्रस्वो न च दीर्घश्च न स्थूलः सूक्ष्म एव च ॥ 41.13 ॥

na rakto naiva pītaśca na śveto nīla eva ca na hrasvo na ca dīrghaśca na sthūlaḥ sūkṣma eva ca

"Neither red, nor yellow, nor white, nor blue; neither short nor long, neither gross nor even subtle."

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.41.14)

यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते अप्राप्य मनसा सह । तदेव परमं प्रोक्तं ब्रह्मैव शिवसंज्ञकम् ॥ 41.14 ॥

yato vāco nivartante aprāpya manasā saha tadeva paramaṁ proktaṁ brahmaiva śivasaṁjñakam

"That from which words turn back, unable to reach it, together with the mind — that alone is declared to be the Supreme, Brahman itself, called Shiva."

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.41.15)

आकाशं व्यापकं यद्वत्तथैव व्यापकं त्विदम् । मायातीतं परात्मानं द्वन्द्वातीतं विमत्सरम् ॥ 41.15 ॥

ākāśaṁ vyāpakaṁ yadvattathaiva vyāpakaṁ tvidam māyātītaṁ parātmānaṁ dvandvātītaṁ vimatsaram

"As space is all-pervading, so too is this all-pervading; beyond maya, the Supreme Self, beyond all dualities, free of envy."

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.41.16)

तत्प्राप्तिश्च भवेदत्र शिवज्ञानोदयाद् ध्रुवम् । भजनाद्वा शिवस्यैव सूक्ष्ममत्या सतां द्विजाः ॥ 41.16 ॥

tatprāptiśca bhavedatra śivajñānodayād dhruvam bhajanādvā śivasyaiva sūkṣmamatyā satāṁ dvijāḥ

"O brahmins, the attainment of that surely comes about here through the arising of knowledge of Shiva, or through the worship of Shiva alone, by the subtle understanding of the virtuous."

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.41.17)

ज्ञानं तु दुष्करं लोके भजनं सुकरं मतम् । तस्माच्छिवं च भजत मुक्त्यर्थमपि सत्तमाः ॥ 41.17 ॥

jñānaṁ tu duṣkaraṁ loke bhajanaṁ sukaraṁ matam tasmācchivaṁ ca bhajata muktyarthamapi sattamāḥ

"But knowledge is hard to attain in this world; devotion is held to be easy. Therefore, O most excellent ones, worship Shiva even for the sake of liberation."

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.41.18)

शिवो हि भजनाधीनो ज्ञानात्मा मोक्षदः परः । भक्त्यैव बहवः सिद्धा मुक्तिं प्रापुः परां मुदा ॥ 41.18 ॥

śivo hi bhajanādhīno jñānātmā mokṣadaḥ paraḥ bhaktyaiva bahavaḥ siddhā muktiṁ prāpuḥ parāṁ mudā

"For Shiva, whose very nature is knowledge, the supreme giver of liberation, is subject to devotion; through devotion alone, many attained perfection and reached the supreme joy of liberation."

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.41.19)

ज्ञानमाता शम्भुभक्तिर्मुक्तिभुक्तिप्रदा सदा । सुलभा यत्प्रसादाद्धि सत्प्रेमाङ्कुरलक्षणा ॥ 41.19 ॥

jñānamātā śambhubhaktirmuktibhuktipradā sadā sulabhā yatprasādāddhi satpremāṅkuralakṣaṇā

"Devotion to Shambhu, the very mother of knowledge, ever grants both liberation and enjoyment; through his grace it is easily attained, and its mark is the sprouting of true love."

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.41.20)

सा भक्तिर्विविधा ज्ञेया सगुणा निर्गुणा द्विजाः । वैधी स्वाभाविकी या या वरा सा सा स्मृता परा ॥ 41.20 ॥

sā bhaktirvividhā jñeyā saguṇā nirguṇā dvijāḥ vaidhī svābhāvikī yā yā varā sā sā smṛtā parā

"O brahmins, that devotion is to be known as manifold: with attributes and without attributes, formal and spontaneous — whichever of these is more excellent, that is held to be the higher."

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.41.21)

नैष्ठिक्यनैष्ठिकीभेदाद् द्विविधैव हि कीर्तिता । षड्विधा नैष्ठिकी ज्ञेया द्वितीयैकविधा स्मृता ॥ 41.21 ॥

naiṣṭhikyanaiṣṭhikībhedād dvividhaiva hi kīrtitā ṣaḍvidhā naiṣṭhikī jñeyā dvitīyaikavidhā smṛtā

"By the distinction of steadfast and non-steadfast, it is proclaimed to be twofold; the steadfast kind is to be known as sixfold, while the second is held to be of a single kind."

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.41.22)

विहिताविहिताभेदात्तामनेकां विदुर्बुधाः । तयोर्बहुविधत्वाच्च विस्तारो न हि वर्ण्यते ॥ 41.22 ॥

vihitāvihitābhedāttāmanekāṁ vidurbudhāḥ tayorbahuvidhatvācca vistāro na hi varṇyate

"By the distinction of enjoined and non-enjoined, the wise know it to be manifold; and because of the great variety of both, its full extent is not here described."

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.41.23)

ते नवाङ्गे उभे ज्ञेये श्रवणादिकभेदतः । सुदुष्करे तत्प्रसादं विना च सुकरे ततः ॥ 41.23 ॥

te navāṅge ubhe jñeye śravaṇādikabhedataḥ suduṣkare tatprasādaṁ vinā ca sukare tataḥ

"Both of these are to be known through their nine limbs, distinguished as hearing and the rest; devotion is very hard without his grace, but easy through it."

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.41.24)

भक्तिज्ञाने न भिन्ने हि शम्भुना वर्णिते द्विजाः । तस्माद्भेदो न कर्तव्यः तत्कर्तुः सर्वदा सुखम् ॥ 41.24 ॥

bhaktijñāne na bhinne hi śambhunā varṇite dvijāḥ tasmādbhedo na kartavyaḥ tatkartuḥ sarvadā sukham

"O brahmins, devotion and knowledge, as described by Shambhu, are not different; therefore no distinction should be made between them — for one who does not distinguish them, there is happiness always."

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.41.25)

विज्ञानं न भवत्येव द्विजा भक्तिविरोधिनः । शम्भुभक्तिकरस्यैव भवेज्ज्ञानोदयो द्रुतम् ॥ 41.25 ॥

vijñānaṁ na bhavatyeva dvijā bhaktivirodhinaḥ śambhubhaktikarasyaiva bhavejjñānodayo drutam

"O brahmins, true realization never comes to those who oppose devotion; but for one who performs devotion to Shambhu alone, the arising of knowledge comes swiftly."

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.41.26)

तस्माद्भक्तिर्महेशस्य साधनीया मुनीश्वराः । तयैव निखिलं सिद्धं भविष्यति न संशयः ॥ 41.26 ॥

tasmādbhaktirmaheśasya sādhanīyā munīśvarāḥ tayaiva nikhilaṁ siddhaṁ bhaviṣyati na saṁśayaḥ

"Therefore, O lords of sages, devotion to Mahesha should be cultivated; through that alone everything shall be accomplished — of this there is no doubt."

Verse 27 (shiva.kotirudra.41.27)

इति पृष्टं भवद्भिर्यत्तदेव कथितं मया । तच्छुत्वा सर्वपापेभ्यो मुच्यते नात्र संशयः ॥ 41.27 ॥

iti pṛṣṭaṁ bhavadbhiryattadeva kathitaṁ mayā tacchutvā sarvapāpebhyo mucyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

"Thus have I told what you asked; hearing this, one is freed from all sins — of this there is no doubt."