Sixth Edition§
Copyright © 2004
Himalayan Academy§
Merging with Śiva, Hinduism’s Contemporary Metaphysics was first published by Himalayan Academy in 1998. All rights are reserved. This book may be used to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the spiritual path, but reproduced only with the prior written consent of the publisher. Designed, typeset and illustrated by the sannyāsin swāmīs of the Saiva Siddhanta Yoga Order and published by Himalayan Academy, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746–9304 USA. www.himalayanacademy.com§
PRINTED IN THE USA BY QUAD GRAPHICS§
Library of Congress Control Number 2002-103632§
ISBN: 978-0-945497-99-8 (HARDCOVER)
978-1-934145-26-5 (EBOOK)§
Art Descriptions§
Cover Art: Artist S. Rajam depicts the soul’s merger with the divine, a vision in which Lord Śiva, in His loving grace, unites with a purified yogī seated on a tiger skin in a temple compound, right hand in the gesture of consciousness, chinmudrā, left arm resting on a yoga daṇḍa.§
Gaṇeśa Dancing: Famed Indian artist Indra Sharma paints a gleefully dancing Lord Gaṇeśa accompanied by two temple drummers to bless the book’s opening, mimicking in earth tones the stone carved images found on temple walls throughout India.§
Half Title Page: S. Rajam takes us high into the Himalayas, where Lord Śiva performs tapas, covered by frozen ice, with Parvatī and sons Gaṇeśa and Murugan. Devas, humans and various creatures have climbed to Śiva’s feet to worship, dance, sing, offer music and seek His grace.§