Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates 鈥楤hasma compared to fire and moon鈥� of the study on the Shaiva Upanishads in English, comparing them with other texts dealing with the Shiva cult (besides the Agamas and Puranas). The 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲s are ancient philosophical and theological treatises. Out of the 108 Upanishads mentioned in the Muktikopanishad, 15 are classified as Saiva-Upanisads.
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9. Bhasma compared to fire and moon
Bhusu峁囜笉a approached 碍腻濒腻驳苍颈谤耻诲谤补 and asked him to relate unto him the rule relating to ablution with Bhasma (ashes) of the character of Fire and the Moon (soma). 鈥淪imilar to the fact that 鈥榝ire鈥� takes several forms depending on the form of the object, 鈥榓sh鈥� which is like the soul for all objects, assumes the form according to the shape of the being and also beyond it. Fire is told as becoming the world of fire and moon.
Fire is very hot and is terrible. It is cruel.
[...] B峁沨ajj膩b膩la 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 II.4
The power of moon is nectar like. Even though it has the basis in nectar, it also is the hot aspect of knowledge. Among the big and tiny things, it is the only one which is nectar like in taste and light and also very hot鈥�, he told. 鈥淭he shining aspect of strength is of two types鈥攖he sun aspect and the fire aspect. Similarly the nectar like strength also is full of light and heat鈥�, he told. Light resides in aspects like lightning. Sweetness pervades in tastes of extracts. And the average world works within light and taste. Nectar is a part of fire. Due to nectar, the fire grows. That is why, the world which is of the form of fire and moon, is like the fire made with the fire-offering (havis-offering). The moon power is above.The fire power is down below. It is because that they join together that this world is functioning continuously.[1]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ibid II. 1-7.