Shaiva Upanishads (A Critical Study)
by Arpita Chakraborty | 2013 | 33,902 words
This page relates 鈥楪enesis of 鈥楻udraksha鈥欌�� 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.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
1. Genesis of 鈥樃槌芑灏灏灬梗a鈥�
[叠丑耻艣耻峁囜笉补鈥檚 Query about 鈥�搁耻诲谤腻办峁鈥橾鈥擮nce, (the crow) sage 叠丑耻艣耻峁囜笉补 asked K膩l膩gni Rudra,
鈥淥 Lord! How did the 鈥�搁耻诲谤腻办峁鈥�[1] come into being in this world, and what are the benefits of wearing it?鈥�
碍腻濒腻驳苍颈谤耻诲谤补 replied,
鈥淲hen I had sat in meditation with eyes closed prior to the slaying of the demon 鈥楾ripur膩sura鈥� , drops of water (tears) from my eyes fell to the ground. These drops transformed themselves into 鈥�搁耻诲谤腻办峁鈥�. That is,the tear drops from my eyes formed the beads, in the form of the fruits, of the 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 tree. I proclaim, for the benefit of all, that anyone who devotedly utters even the name of 搁耻诲谤腻办峁, he is blessed with a reward equivalent to the one obtained by donating ten cows. By touching it or seeing it, the reward or benefit becomes double. What more can be said about its potentials.
The following slokas (stanzas or couplets of the scriptures) have been said about it:-Where is it located? What is its name? How should a man wear it? How many types are there? Which Mantra should be said while wearing them?
[...] 搁耻诲谤腻办峁j膩b膩la 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 4.
碍腻濒腻驳苍颈谤耻诲谤补 replied-When a thousand glorious years had passed while I had been meditating, I finally opened my eyes. At that moment, drops of water (here meaning tears) fell down from my eyes onto the ground. There on the ground, those tear drops metamorphosed into huge 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 trees.
These trees became stable, perennial and permanent for the larger benefit and well being of my devotees.
[...] 搁耻诲谤腻办峁j膩b膩la 鲍辫补苍颈峁诲 5
It absorbs or eliminates or removes or soaks all the sins done during the day as well as during the night by a devotee who wears the 搁耻诲谤腻办峁 beads along with the bad effects of those sins. If the reward or benefit of seeing it (with reverence and faith) is lakhs (hundred thousand) of times, then that of actually wearing it is millions of time greater than merely seeing it.2\
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Ru.j膩.up.verse 1 [...]