In this excerpt from Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains what Malas (Impurities) really are in Kashmir Shaivism.
“This mala is very subtle. . . . Mala is neither formless nor with form.
It is just ignorance . . . It doesn’t allow knowledge to function, knowledge is stopped. Mala is absence of knowledge. Mala is not something substantial.
So this absence of knowledge takes place only by ignorance, and that ignorance is mala. Otherwise there is no mala, mala is not existing...
Chapter Seven
The Three Impurities
Malas
In our Śaiva system, there are three males or impurities. These malas reside in māyā. They do not reside in svātantrya śakti. Even though svātantrya śakti and māyā are one, yet they are different in the sense that svātantrya śakti is that state of energy which can produce the power of going down and coming up again, both at will, whereas māyā will only give you the strength of going down and not the ability of rising up again. Once you have come down, ...
“Lord Shiva is the essence of all beings, His existence is nature, everybody’s nature. Lord Shiva is found in the absence of Lord Shiva also.” ~Swami Lakshmanjoo
This is a continuation of blog posts on the Bodhapañcadaśikā by Abhinavagupta, who wrote the [15 verses of wisdom] for ‘those dear devotees who are not intellectually inclined”. In this final part Swamiji is explaining the 15th and 16th, which are the ending verses.
इत्थमिच्छाकलाज्ञानशक्तिशूलाम्बुजाश्रितः ।
भैरवः सर्वभावानां स्व...
“This is my new commentary on this Bhagavad Gita.” Swami Lakshmanjoo exclaims as he tells us what we should do when eating and while experiencing śabda (sound), sparśa (touch), rupa (form) . . . all of the sensual pleasures.
In sensual pleasures, what should you do?
DVD 6.2 (23:22)
Chapter 6, verse 18
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥१८॥
yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu /
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duhk...
In this unique lecture about “The Sixfold Path of the Universe,” Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the most important points for entering into Kashmir Shaivism.
The combination of all of these six adhvans (paths), the three objective adhvans and the three subjective adhvans is called ṣaḍadhvan, the six fold adhvans (The Sixfold Path of the Universe). This is the explanation of this whole universe, both subjective and objective.
This excerpt is from the book Kashmir Shaivism, The Secret Supreme, chapt...
In this excerpt, Swami Lakshmanjoo exposes to us his trick and secret of Kashmir Shaivism, where “He [Krishna/Lord Shiva] puts forth the reality of His being in each and every object of this world”. This is from the 9th chapter verses 5-7 of the Weekly Sangha – Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism. The Bhagavad Gita in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism is available as online course or as hardcover and softcover book and ebook in our store.
Chapter/DVD 9 (11:42)
न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि...
In this excerpt from The Magical Jewel of Devotion in Kashmir Shaivism – Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa’s Stava Cintamani, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the traditional Gāyatrī mantra very differently.
Stava cintāmaṇi is the work of Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa. Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa is one of the most important Shaivite masters. He was one century elder to Abhinavagupta.
In this blog excerpt from the Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening, Swami Lakshmanjoo explains the definition of our Self in three ways. He says “There is a difference in these three explanations of the Self…
In the first awakening, in the first sūtra of the first awakening, is the definition of your own Self. And in the second awakening, in this first sūtra of the second awakening also he has defined the reality of the Self. And in third also he explains the reality of the Self.”
uccārara...
Abhinavagupta tells us that there is a war going on between our senses. In the senses there is joy, and joy fights with sadness, sadness fights with joy. In this excerpt, we will learn what a yogi must do in this internal battle.
This video snippet is part one of the Essence of the Bhagavad Gītā, as composed by the renowned 10th-century CE philosopher/saint Abhinavagupta. There are eighteen saṅgraha ślokas, which are based on Abhinavagupta’s illuminating and original commentary, known as the Ka...
This talk on shaktipata [grace] was given by Swamiji in July 1978 on Shankarpal Rock, in Dachigam Forest, near the village of Harvan (just a few miles from Swamiji’s Ashram). This is also known as Shiva Rock, where the Sacred Shiva Sutras were revealed to Vasugupta, in the 8th century, AD.
Here, Swamiji explains grace in the Light of Kashmir Shaivism. To learn more about this subject check out our webinar “Grace on the Spiritual Path” which is extensively devoted to this subject.
In this excerpt from the Light on Tantra of Kashmir Shaivism, Abhinavagupta’s Tantraloka Chapter 2-3 third āhnika verse 69, Swami Lakshmanjoo describes The State of Perfect Embrace of Shiva with Shakti – “the state which is to be got, which is to be achieved, by everybody”. The full text with downloadable audio is available as hard and softcover book and ebook.
