The Heart of Shiva

My deep and obsessive fascination with Shiva began as a young child, as the mythology of Shiva addressed the archetype I have always identified with most: the primal ascetic. As psychological growth led me to a more rational understanding of reality, I came to understand Shiva as a primitive archetype corresponding to entropy - hence the appellative mahakala. Shiva came to represent to me the arrow of time, the creative as well as destructive dimension of space-time. Cosmologically speaking, Creation then corresponds metaphorically with the Dance of Shiva, where at every level of complexity, beauty and salience are supported by comparatively large quanta of random permutations at lower levels. Much of my scientific motivation and interest in information-theoretic aspects of physics and biology stems from this metaphysical lemma.

A breakthrough in my understanding of both Shiva and reality was set in motion by my chancing upon an interesting definition of Shiva about nine months ago. Shiva, in some Vedantic tradition the name of which escapes my memory now (UPDATE: Its originally drawn from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad), is defined as `that which is not'.

Shiva is defined as that which is not.

This thought, while innocuously koan-like in its statement, led to much thought and meditation for me, culminating in a post-rational cathartic experience this summer. It has led me very deep into questions concerning the relationship between the Physical and the Spiritual worlds, the one characterized by the passage of Time and the other by the increase in fullness of Joy. It has also brought together the intellectual and Sufi strands of my thought into a rather interesting synthesis of understanding, where Shiva is now the source of the undifferentiated Consciousness that, in turn, is the source of all reality. Not to put too fine a point to it, I now believe that the story of existence can best be told as being a meditative thought in the heart-mind of Shiva. All insights that we obtain into Nature and our internal selves are reflections of the heart-mind of Shiva; the very possibility of comprehensibility arises only because that which comprehends (awareness) is an instantiation of the heart-mind of Shiva.

I raise these autobiographical details to provide context for what follows here. The Shiva Rudrashtakam is a piece composed by Tulsi Das, one of the greatest and least respected intellectual giants of the Indian Middle Ages. It is written in Sanskrit and contains eight couplets in praise of Shiva. I must confess that my Shaivite tendencies caused me to be rather dismissive of Tulsi Das and his typically Vaishnava (dualistic) compositions when I was younger. The Rudrashtakam changed my views. In the course of eight couplets, Tulsi gradually traverses the philosophical spectrum from definitive non-duality to definitive duality in a shockingly elegant manner.

Here, I translate the Rudrashtakam from a completely non-dualistic viewpoint, thereby thwarting, in a sense, Tulsi's noble intent. I contend, however, that it is of some value to regard the Rudrashtakam as a non-dualistic characterization of the nature of Shiva rather than as an explanation of the essential unity of the dualistic and non-dualistic understandings of Shiva. While the latter is more intellectually salient and deep, the former is more emotionally charged and potent as a meditative aid.

Lastly, I am sure some grammarians might take offense at what they might consider liberties I have taken with the language in my translation and metaphysical innovations that I have sought fit to introduce. I therefore emphasize that this is a subjective translation by a scientist in the 21st century, not an objective one by a Vedic scholar. Without further ado, let us delve into it. Most lines are translated individually, making two notes per couplet. The seventh couplet is translated in one place.

Shiva Rudrashtakam

namami shami shana nirvana rupam vibhum vyapakam brahma veda swarupam

We sing of Consciousness: the ontological fundament of the physical Universe, the contemplation of whose nature is the source of inexhaustible Joy. We sing of that which is all-powerful for those who meditate upon energy (latent motion), all-encompassing for those who meditate upon motion (activated energy) and the primal cause for those who meditate upon causation (source of motion-energy).

nijam nirgunam nirvikalpam niriham chidakasha makasha vasam bhajeham

We know that to be Shiva which is the devourer of the interior perception; that which is beyond categories, beyond qualities, beyond causality and differentiation. We know that to be Shiva which is the devourer of the exterior perception, the deconstructor of all narratives of external reality, who exists beyond the physical universe.

nirakaramonkara moolam turiyam gira gyana gotitamisham girisham

We know that to be Shiva that is formless yet forms the substrate for all levels of Consciousness, the generator of Turiya, undifferentiated Consciousness. We know that to be Shiva that transcends all these levels, beyond individuated comprehension.

karalam mahakala kalam kripalam gunagara samsara param natoham

Shiva is that which unfolds both the involution and evolution of the Universe. Shiva exists beyond the realm of physical reality.

tusharadri samkasha gauram gambheeram manobhuta koti prabha shri shariraram

Shiva manifests in external awareness as the perilous, blinding radiance of the mightiest snow covered mountains. Shiva manifests in internal awareness as a formless form verily defined by the reflections of countless rays of light.

sphuranmauli kallolini charu ganga lasaddhalabalendu kanthe bhujanga

From the creativity of Shiva springs the sustenance of all that lives. From the will of Shiva spring all mysteries and death.

chalat kundalam bhru sunetram vishalam prasannanam nilakantham dayalam

All archetypes of physical beauty stem from Shiva, all aestheticism is but the comparison of the percept of the object to the percept of Shiva. All archetypes of morality stem from Shiva, all virtues are judged relative to the anthropomorphized nature of Shiva.

mrigadhisha charmambaram mundamalam priyam shankaram sarvanatham bhajami

All asceticism finds its root in Shiva, all practices of yoga and meditation stem from the desire to perceive Shiva. We sing, therefore, of Shiva, the universally beloved.

prachandam prakrashtham pragalbham paresham akhandam ajam bhanukoti prakasham

The ferocity of storms, the luminosity of stars, the indivisibility of unity are all pale reflections of the potency of Shiva. Shiva sows the Seed for all of Creation, and appears in the perception of all that is created as the brilliance of a billion suns.

trayah shool nirmoolanam shool panim bhajeham bhavani patim bhavagamyam

The thought of Shiva heals suffering through alienation from the Source in the physical, subtle and causal realms. The thought of Shiva is accessible only when thought of the self dissipates through the arousal of Divine Love.

kalatita kalyana kalpanta kari sadasajjananda data purari

The thought of Shiva suspends awareness of Time, it generates deep insights and transformative catharses. The thought of Shiva always rejoices those who seek it sincerely.

chidananda sandoha mohapahari prasida prasida prabho manmathari

The interior representation of Shiva takes the form of supreme awareness and bliss, dispelling delusion. Therefore, we sing and embrace the thought of Shiva.

na yavad umanath padarvindam bhajantiha loke pare va naranam

na tavatsukham shanti santapa nasham prasida prabho sarva bhutadhivasam

A fascination with external categories and causalities associated with them inevitably leads to uncertainty, alienation and unhappiness which manifest themselves as deleterious transactions with the external environment. We sing and remain mindful of Consciousness that moves all thoughts and action so that they may always remain useful.

na janami yogam japam naiva pujam natoham sada sarvada shambhu tubhyam

Self-awareness requires no denominational practices or rituals. The only requirement is a continual and persistent mindfulness of the interior representations of Shiva.

jara janma dukhaugha tatapyamanam prabho pahi apannamamisha shambhu

It is miraculous that finite instantiations of the Infinite can hope to merge with it. We sing, therefore, in the hope of perceiving the heart of Shiva.

Thus concludes the Rudrashtakam, a metaphorical device that always helps me in my meditation and mood. As a matter of fact, during a period of ecstasy in summer, I recorded a musical version that continues to give me joy every time I listen to it. Among other things, it reminds me of the paltry few coins that I earned busking with this in my repertoire at the Vondelpark in Amsterdam.