The Distinction Between Saguna and Nirguna Shiva

Verse 1 (shiva.kotirudra.42.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । शिवः को वा हरिः को वा रुद्रः को वा विधिश्च कः । एतेषु निर्गुणः को वा ह्येतं नश्छिन्धि संशयम् ॥ 42.1 ॥

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ śivaḥ ko vā hariḥ ko vā rudraḥ ko vā vidhiśca kaḥ eteṣu nirguṇaḥ ko vā hyetaṁ naśchindhi saṁśayam

The sages said: "Who indeed is Shiva, who is Hari, who is Rudra, and who is Brahma? Among these, who is the one beyond all qualities? Resolve this doubt of ours."

Verse 2 (shiva.kotirudra.42.2)

सूत उवाच । यच्चादौ हि समुत्पन्नं निर्गुणात्परमात्मनः । तदेव शिवसंज्ञं हि वेदवेदान्तिनो विदुः ॥ 42.2 ॥

sūta uvāca yaccādau hi samutpannaṁ nirguṇātparamātmanaḥ tadeva śivasaṁjñaṁ hi vedavedāntino viduḥ

Suta said: "That which first arose from the qualityless Supreme Self — that alone is known by the name Shiva, as the knowers of the Vedas and Vedanta understand."

Verse 3 (shiva.kotirudra.42.3)

तस्मात्प्रकृतिरुत्पन्ना पुरुषेण समन्विता । ताभ्यां तपः कृतं तत्र मूलस्थे च जले सुधीः ॥ 42.3 ॥

tasmātprakṛtirutpannā puruṣeṇa samanvitā tābhyāṁ tapaḥ kṛtaṁ tatra mūlasthe ca jale sudhīḥ

"From that arose Prakriti, joined together with Purusha; by these two, austerity was performed there, O wise one, in the primordial water."

Verse 4 (shiva.kotirudra.42.4)

पञ्चक्रोशीति विख्याता काशी सर्वातिवल्लभा । व्याप्तं च सकलं ह्येतत्तज्जलं विश्वतो गतम् ॥ 42.4 ॥

pañcakrośīti vikhyātā kāśī sarvātivallabhā vyāptaṁ ca sakalaṁ hyetattajjalaṁ viśvato gatam

"There arose Kashi, renowned as the 'five-krosha' region, most beloved of all; and that primordial water pervaded and spread throughout the entire universe."

Verse 5 (shiva.kotirudra.42.5)

सम्भाव्य मायया युक्तस्तत्र सुप्तो हरिः स वै । नारायणेति विख्यातो माया नारायणी मता ॥ 42.5 ॥

sambhāvya māyayā yuktastatra supto hariḥ sa vai nārāyaṇeti vikhyāto māyā nārāyaṇī matā

"Coming into being, joined with maya, Hari lay asleep there, renowned by the name Narayana; that maya is held to be Narayani."

Verse 6 (shiva.kotirudra.42.6)

तन्नाभिकमले यो वै जातः स च पितामहः । तेनैव तपसा दृष्टः स वै विष्णुरुदाहृतः ॥ 42.6 ॥

tannābhikamale yo vai jātaḥ sa ca pitāmahaḥ tenaiva tapasā dṛṣṭaḥ sa vai viṣṇurudāhṛtaḥ

"He who was born from the lotus of his navel is the Grandsire Brahma; and by that very austerity, he was beheld, and was declared to be Vishnu."

Verse 7 (shiva.kotirudra.42.7)

उभयोर्वादशमने यद्रूपं स दर्शितं बुधाः । महादेवेति विख्यातं निर्गुणेन शिवेन हि ॥ 42.7 ॥

ubhayorvādaśamane yadrūpaṁ sa darśitaṁ budhāḥ mahādeveti vikhyātaṁ nirguṇena śivena hi

"O wise ones, in order to settle the dispute between the two, the form that was shown by the qualityless Shiva became renowned as Mahadeva."

Verse 8 (shiva.kotirudra.42.8)

तेन प्रोक्तमहं शम्भुर्भविष्यामि कभालतः । रुद्रो नाम स विख्यातो लोकानुग्रहकारकः ॥ 42.8 ॥

tena proktamahaṁ śambhurbhaviṣyāmi kabhālataḥ rudro nāma sa vikhyāto lokānugrahakārakaḥ

"By him it was declared: 'I shall be born as Shambhu from the forehead of Brahma' — thus he became renowned by the name Rudra, the benefactor of the worlds."

Verse 9 (shiva.kotirudra.42.9)

ध्यानार्थं चैव सर्वेषामरूपो रूपवानभूत् । स एव च शिवः साक्षाद्भक्तवात्सल्यकारकः ॥ 42.9 ॥

dhyānārthaṁ caiva sarveṣāmarūpo rūpavānabhūt sa eva ca śivaḥ sākṣādbhaktavātsalyakārakaḥ

"For the sake of meditation by all, the formless one took on form; he himself is directly Shiva, ever affectionate toward his devotees."

Verse 10 (shiva.kotirudra.42.10)

शिवे त्रिगुणसम्भिन्ने रुद्रे तु गुणधामनि । वस्तुतो न हि भेदोऽस्ति स्वर्णे तद्भूषणे यथा ॥ 42.10 ॥

śive triguṇasambhinne rudre tu guṇadhāmani vastuto na hi bhedo'sti svarṇe tadbhūṣaṇe yathā

"Between Shiva, who has taken on the three gunas, and Rudra, the very abode of qualities, there is in reality no difference — just as between gold and an ornament made of it."

Verse 11 (shiva.kotirudra.42.11)

समानरूपकर्माणौ समभक्तगतिप्रदौ । समानाखिलसंसेव्यौ नानालीलाविहारिणौ ॥ 42.11 ॥

samānarūpakarmāṇau samabhaktagatipradau samānākhilasaṁsevyau nānālīlāvihāriṇau

"The two are of identical form and action, granting the same goal to devotees, equally to be served by all, though they play in manifold sportive forms."

Verse 12 (shiva.kotirudra.42.12)

सर्वथा शिवरूपो हि रुद्रो रौद्रपराक्रमः । उत्पन्नो भक्तकार्यार्थं हरिब्रह्मसहायकृत् ॥ 42.12 ॥

sarvathā śivarūpo hi rudro raudraparākramaḥ utpanno bhaktakāryārthaṁ haribrahmasahāyakṛt

"Rudra, of fierce valor, is in every way of the very form of Shiva; he arose for the sake of his devotees' work, as the helper of Hari and Brahma."

Verse 13 (shiva.kotirudra.42.13)

अन्ये च ये समुत्पन्ना यथानुक्रमतो लयम् । यान्ति नैव तथा रुद्रः शिवे रुद्रो विलीयते ॥ 42.13 ॥

anye ca ye samutpannā yathānukramato layam yānti naiva tathā rudraḥ śive rudro vilīyate

"Other beings that have arisen dissolve each in their own due order; but Rudra does not dissolve in that way — Rudra dissolves directly into Shiva."

Verse 14 (shiva.kotirudra.42.14)

ते वै रुद्रं मिलित्वा तु प्रयान्ति प्रकृता इमे । इमान् रुद्रो मिलित्वा तु न याति श्रुतिशासनम् ॥ 42.14 ॥

te vai rudraṁ militvā tu prayānti prakṛtā ime imān rudro militvā tu na yāti śrutiśāsanam

"These created beings, merging into Rudra, proceed onward; but Rudra, merging into these, does not proceed onward in the same way — this is the eternal teaching of the Shruti."

Verse 15 (shiva.kotirudra.42.15)

सर्वे रुद्रं भजन्त्येव रुद्रः कञ्चिद्भजेन्न हि । स्वात्मना भक्तवात्सल्याद्भजत्येव कदाचन ॥ 42.15 ॥

sarve rudraṁ bhajantyeva rudraḥ kañcidbhajenna hi svātmanā bhaktavātsalyādbhajatyeva kadācana

"All indeed worship Rudra; Rudra worships no one — yet sometimes, out of his own great affection for his devotees, he himself does worship in return."

Verse 16 (shiva.kotirudra.42.16)

अन्यं भजन्ति ये नित्यं तस्मिंस्ते लीनतां गताः । तेनैव रुद्रं ते प्राप्ताः कालेन महता बुधाः ॥ 42.16 ॥

anyaṁ bhajanti ye nityaṁ tasmiṁste līnatāṁ gatāḥ tenaiva rudraṁ te prāptāḥ kālena mahatā budhāḥ

"O wise ones, those who constantly worship another deity attain dissolution in that very deity; and by that same deity, after a great length of time, they attain Rudra."

Verse 17 (shiva.kotirudra.42.17)

रुद्रभक्तास्तु ये केचित्तत्क्षणं शिवतां गताः । अन्यापेक्षा न वै तेषां श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी ॥ 42.17 ॥

rudrabhaktāstu ye kecittatkṣaṇaṁ śivatāṁ gatāḥ anyāpekṣā na vai teṣāṁ śrutireṣā sanātanī

"But whoever are devotees of Rudra attain the state of Shiva in that very moment; for them there is no dependence on anything else — this is the eternal teaching of the Shruti."

Verse 18 (shiva.kotirudra.42.18)

अज्ञानं विविधं ह्येतद्विज्ञानं विविधं न हि । तत्प्रकारमहं वक्ष्ये शृणुतादरतो द्विजाः ॥ 42.18 ॥

ajñānaṁ vividhaṁ hyetadvijñānaṁ vividhaṁ na hi tatprakāramahaṁ vakṣye śaṛṇutādarato dvijāḥ

"This ignorance is indeed of many kinds, but true realization is not manifold. I shall describe its nature — listen with reverence, O brahmins."

Verse 19 (shiva.kotirudra.42.19)

ब्रह्मादितृणपर्यन्तं यत्किञ्चिद् दृश्यते त्विह । तत्सर्वं शिव एवास्ति मिथ्या नानात्वकल्पना ॥ 42.19 ॥

brahmāditṛṇaparyantaṁ yatkiñcid dṛśyate tviha tatsarvaṁ śiva evāsti mithyā nānātvakalpanā

"Whatever is seen here, from Brahma down to a blade of grass — all that is Shiva alone; the notion of multiplicity is false."

Verse 20 (shiva.kotirudra.42.20)

सृष्टेः पूर्वं शिवः प्रोक्तः सृष्टेर्मध्ये शिवस्तथा । सृष्टेरन्ते शिवः प्रोक्तः सर्वशून्ये सदाशिवः ॥ 42.20 ॥

sṛṣṭeḥ pūrvaṁ śivaḥ proktaḥ sṛṣṭermadhye śivastathā sṛṣṭerante śivaḥ proktaḥ sarvaśūnye sadāśivaḥ

"Before creation, Shiva alone is declared to be; in the midst of creation, likewise Shiva; at the end of creation, Shiva is declared to be; and in the total void, Sadashiva alone."

Verse 21 (shiva.kotirudra.42.21)

तस्माच्चतुर्गुणः प्रोक्तः शिव एव मुनीश्वराः । स एव सगुणो ज्ञेयः शक्तिमत्त्वाद् द्विधापि सः ॥ 42.21 ॥

tasmāccaturguṇaḥ proktaḥ śiva eva munīśvarāḥ sa eva saguṇo jñeyaḥ śaktimattvād dvidhāpi saḥ

"Therefore, O lords of sages, Shiva alone is declared to be endowed with the four states; he alone is to be known as possessing attributes, on account of possessing Shakti — and thus he is twofold."

Verse 22 (shiva.kotirudra.42.22)

येनैव विष्णवे दत्ताः सर्वे वेदाः सनातनाः । वर्णा मात्रा ह्यनेकाश्च ध्यानं स्वस्य च पूजनम् ॥ 42.22 ॥

yenaiva viṣṇave dattāḥ sarve vedāḥ sanātanāḥ varṇā mātrā hyanekāśca dhyānaṁ svasya ca pūjanam

"By him alone all the eternal Vedas were given to Vishnu — the letters, their many metrical units, meditation, and the worship of his own self."

Verse 23 (shiva.kotirudra.42.23)

ईशानः सर्वविद्यानां श्रुतिरेषा सनातनी । वेदकर्ता वेदपतिस्तस्माच्छम्भुरुदाहृतः ॥ 42.23 ॥

īśānaḥ sarvavidyānāṁ śrutireṣā sanātanī vedakartā vedapatistasmācchambhurudāhṛtaḥ

"He is the lord of all forms of knowledge — this is the eternal teaching of the Shruti; the maker of the Vedas and the lord of the Vedas, therefore he is declared to be Shambhu."

Verse 24 (shiva.kotirudra.42.24)

स एव शङ्करः साक्षात्सर्वानुग्रहकारकः । कर्ता भर्ता च हर्ता च साक्षी निर्गुण एव सः ॥ 42.24 ॥

sa eva śaṅkaraḥ sākṣātsarvānugrahakārakaḥ kartā bhartā ca hartā ca sākṣī nirguṇa eva saḥ

"He himself is Shankara directly, the one who bestows grace on all — the creator, the sustainer, and the destroyer, the witness; he indeed is beyond all qualities."

Verse 25 (shiva.kotirudra.42.25)

अन्येषां कालमानं च कालस्य कलना न हि । महाकालः स्वयं साक्षान्महाकालीसमाश्रितः ॥ 42.25 ॥

anyeṣāṁ kālamānaṁ ca kālasya kalanā na hi mahākālaḥ svayaṁ sākṣānmahākālīsamāśritaḥ

"Others are measured by time, but there is no measuring of time that applies to him; he himself is directly Mahakala, dwelling together with Mahakali."

Verse 26 (shiva.kotirudra.42.26)

तथा च ब्राह्मणा रुद्रं तथा कालीं प्रचक्षते । सर्वं ताभ्यां ततः प्राप्तमिच्छया सत्यलीलया ॥ 42.26 ॥

tathā ca brāhmaṇā rudraṁ tathā kālīṁ pracakṣate sarvaṁ tābhyāṁ tataḥ prāptamicchayā satyalīlayā

"And thus the brahmins declare him as Rudra, and likewise as Kali; everything has thence been obtained from these two, through their will and true play."

Verse 27 (shiva.kotirudra.42.27)

न तस्योत्पादकः कश्चिद्भर्ता हर्ता न तस्य हि । स्वयं सर्वस्य हेतुस्ते कार्यभूताच्युतादयः ॥ 42.27 ॥

na tasyotpādakaḥ kaścidbhartā hartā na tasya hi svayaṁ sarvasya hetuste kāryabhūtācyutādayaḥ

"No one is his begetter, nor his sustainer, nor his destroyer; he himself is the cause of everything, while Achyuta and the others are but his effects."

Verse 28 (shiva.kotirudra.42.28)

स्वयं च कारणं कार्यं स्वस्य नैव कदाचन । एकोऽप्यनेकतां यातोऽप्यनेकोऽप्येकतां व्रजेत् ॥ 42.28 ॥

svayaṁ ca kāraṇaṁ kāryaṁ svasya naiva kadācana eko'pyanekatāṁ yāto'pyaneko'pyekatāṁ vrajet

"He himself is the cause, but he is never the effect of himself; though one, he attains multiplicity; and though multiple, he attains oneness."

Verse 29 (shiva.kotirudra.42.29)

एकं बीजं बहिर्भूत्वा पुनर्बीजं च जायते । बहुत्वे च स्वयं सर्वं शिवरूपी महेश्वरः ॥ 42.29 ॥

ekaṁ bījaṁ bahirbhūtvā punarbījaṁ ca jāyate bahutve ca svayaṁ sarvaṁ śivarūpī maheśvaraḥ

"A single seed, having sprouted outward, again becomes seed; and in that same multiplicity, Maheshvara, of the very form of Shiva, is himself everything."

Verse 30 (shiva.kotirudra.42.30)

एतत्परं शिवज्ञानं तत्त्वतस्तदुदाहृतम् । जानाति ज्ञानवानेव नान्यः कश्चिदृषीश्वराः ॥ 42.30 ॥

etatparaṁ śivajñānaṁ tattvatastadudāhṛtam jānāti jñānavāneva nānyaḥ kaścidṛṣīśvarāḥ

"O lords of sages, this is the supreme knowledge of Shiva, thus declared in its true essence; only one possessed of true knowledge knows it, no one else."

Verse 31 (shiva.kotirudra.42.31)

मुनय ऊचुः । ज्ञानं सलक्षणं ब्रूहि यज्ज्ञात्वा शिवतां व्रजेत् । कथं शिवश्च तत्सर्वं सर्वं वा शिव एव च ॥ 42.31 ॥

munaya ūcuḥ jñānaṁ salakṣaṇaṁ brūhi yajjñātvā śivatāṁ vrajet kathaṁ śivaśca tatsarvaṁ sarvaṁ vā śiva eva ca

The sages said: "Tell us the nature of that knowledge, knowing which one attains the state of Shiva; how is Shiva all this, and how is all this Shiva alone?"

Verse 32 (shiva.kotirudra.42.32)

व्यास उवाच । एतदाकर्ण्य वचनं सूतः पौराणिकोत्तमः । स्मृत्वा शिवपदाम्भोजं मुनींस्तानब्रवीद्वचः ॥ 42.32 ॥

vyāsa uvāca etadākarṇya vacanaṁ sūtaḥ paurāṇikottamaḥ smṛtvā śivapadāmbhojaṁ munīṁstānabravīdvacaḥ

Vyasa said: Hearing these words, Suta, the foremost of Purana-tellers, calling to mind the lotus-feet of Shiva, spoke these words to those sages.