Excerpt from the 10th chapter [Grace] from Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo. In this lecture, Swamiji explains how Lord Shiva creates masters and disciples in the kingdom of spirituality.
(The text below is the transcript of the original audio and not the text of the book)
SWAMIJI: And I have to explain to you now how Lord Shiva creates masters and disciples in the kingdom of spirituality. But this creation is functioned by his fifth act, anugraha.
Fifth act anugraha. And that anugraha is nine fold. It takes place in nine ways.
First is tivrativra; tivrativra shaktipata means super supreme anugraha, super supreme grace.
JOHN: The highest grace.
SWAMIJI: Yes. When super supreme grace is functioned the one becomes perfectly self-recognized. He recognizes his real nature completely, in perfect sense. And at the same time this kind of grace cannot be resisted by his body. So he throws away his body also and he is dead. This person becomes master but he functions the act of his mastery secretly in deserved hearts of disciples. He is not visible in this world.
JOHN: He is dead. But now, for one to become supremely self-recognized, perfectly self recognized and the body falls away isn’t he in a sense no more? I mean he has . . . his mortal coil . . .
SWAMIJI: He exists in this world.
JOHN: He still exists in this world?
SWAMIJI: He exists in this world to uplift mankind secretly.
JOHN: In such a way as the Bodhisattva.
SWAMIJI: Yes.
JOHN: So he is not completely merged with Shiva so that he loses all personal identity. He still has some . . .
SWAMIJI: Not exactly, quite that.
JOHN: He has some, still some personal identity.
SWAMIJI: But that personal identity that cannot be perceived by ordinary people. Only those who deserve, they experience his existence.
JOHN: He would be in sense almost a god or something.
SWAMIJI: Subtle body.
JOHN: A subtle body.
SWAMIJI: He has got some subtle body.
JOHN: He would be almost a deva.
SWAMIJI: He moves just like a deva.
JOHN: Just like devata. Is he always in that condition or? In other words . . .
SWAMIJI: It is his will.
JOHN: It is his will.
SWAMIJI: If he is satisfied with his work he will be no more. He becomes merged in Lord Shiva. And that takes place according to his will.
JOHN: So he can stay or go as he wishes?
SWAMIJI: Yes.
SWAMIJI: I see now, because I was wondering whether there wasn’t some imperfection there, if he was forced to stay in the subtle body.
SWAMIJI: There is no imperfection.
JOHN: He is not forced though, he has free svatantrya, freedom to be, or to stay or go.
SWAMIJI: So this master is supreme master.
Continued with the remaining levels of grace (see chart below) in this blog post...
Source: Chapter 10 [Grace] Kashmir Shaivism: The Secret Supreme, revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo
You can find out more about "GRACE ON THE SPIRITUAL PATH" in this 4-part online course consisting of an in-depth study of the concept of grace in Kashmir Shaivism with many audio examples of lectures given by Swami Lakshmanjoo to John and Denise Hughes. Together with George Barselaar, a close disciple of Swami Lakshmanjoo, they elaborate and discuss the subject of grace on the spiritual path.
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