Translated by Dr. S. Sabharatanam

Chapter 1: Introduction (21 verses)

1.1-2

The sage Ruru, who was the foremost among the celebrated sages, whose crest was adorned with a tuft of three strands symbolizing the three basic principles – siva tattva, vidya tattva and atma tattva, who was exceedingly resplendent like the sun, who, having been vitalized by brilliancy, was incomparable in spiritual vibrancy, who was the store-house of luminosity, who was endowed with the supreme knowledge, who was with settled and pure mind and who was always in a beatific state of composure, was living in a hermitage as the only basic source of Sivajnana.

1.3

The sages Bhargava, Angirasa, Atreya and Paulastya who was the son of sage Pulastya came there along with the sage Marici and bowed down with humility before the Sage Ruru who was with delighted face and requested:

1.4

O, Bhagavan!, the great ocean of the knowledge related to the tattvas!, kindly impart to us the details of various sacrifices, sacraments and yoga in a systematic way.

1.5

On hearing this, Sage Ruru, being horripilated with delight, took the flowers kept collected there, purified them by touching with his hands charged with siva-mantra and holding his hands with full of those purified flowers in the gesture of salutation, uttered these words of prayer:

1.6

Having worshipped Lord Sadasiva, who is the Supreme Lord of all the Deities and the celestial beings, whose crest is adorned with the crescent, who is wearing the garland of skulls, who is effulgent and who playfully performs the cosmic functions, I prostrate before Him.

1.7

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva who is the absolute controller of Time, who Himself becomes the undivided Great Time, who limits Himself within the cosmic time for the sake of cosmic functions regulated by time, who is the creator of time and its divisions and units and who is the knower of time.

1.8

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who is the doer of all and the knower of all, who is the very ability of knowing every thing, who is invincible, who is the indweller of all the objects created by Him and of all the beings embodied by Him.

1.9

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who created the entire range of beings such as Brahma and other Deities, celestial beings (suras) and the mighty and harsh beings (asuras) and who is the creator and controller of all the worlds.

1.10

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who excels the entire range of Gods, who is the most worthy of adoration, who is the giver of choicest benefits, who is the most distinguished, who has mounted on the royal vehicle, who is adorned with the garland of bilva-leaves and who is the source of luminosity.

1.11

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who is abounding in spontaneous bliss, who makes the bliss spring forth within the heart of yogis, who is the perfect state of pure and unconditional love, whose appearance is charming and inspiring to all, who is the beloved of 

1.12

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who presents Himself as the positive aspects (dharma) as well as the negative aspects (adharma) of the worlds, who is self-luminous, who metes out the pleasurable fruits and painful fruits to all the beings according to their karmic stock and who is keeping in His control the orderly phenomenon leading to the state of bondage and that of liberation.

1.13

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who is beyond the reach of mind, intellect (buddhi), the sense of I-ness (ahankara), the five subtle elements and the organs of knowledge and action and who is the Absolute Controller of the inexhaustible cosmic stuff (pradhana) and the embodied beings.

1.14

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, whom the highly perfected Sages, who have successfully completed their vows and austerities, meditate on, who is identical with the supreme syllable OM and who is the subtle one.

1.15

I prostrate before Lord Sadasiva, who is the unmanifest, in whose hold every thing exists, who is eternal, the supreme Lord of Vidyas and Vidyesvaras, who presents Himself in all the tattvas as their energizer and who is the source of enlightenment.

1.16-17

It is in perfect conformity with His desire and will that the earth, water, fire, air, space, the individual soul, moon, sun, mind, intellect, the sense of I-ness (ahankara), the supreme prakruti, all the created objects and all those objects which are yet to be created do their respective function. My salutations to the Supreme Lord of such greatness, who transcends all these and who is the Supreme Self.

1.18

Salutations to You, who are the very embodiment of the knowledge of the event of past. present and future. My salutations to you who put an end to the God of mortal time; to the Presiding Lord of the Time; to You, who set all the divisions of time in their respective movement.

1.19

Salutations to You, who are maintaining the worlds in their respective positions through your own aspects and through the forms which have manifested from You and which have been formed of kala-mantras pertaining to You. Salutations to You. the Lord of the entire universe and the wielder of causal Time.

1.20-21

Salutations to Lord Siva, who is greater than the greatest, who Himself becomes the pure maya, who, while being the possessor of maya, transcends the realm of maya, who is exceedingly subtler than the subtlest, who is of the nature of immeasurable greatness, who is the controller of the organs of knowledge and action and who is the bestower of comforts and bliss. Having worshipped Lord Siva of such excellence along with Vidyas and Vidyesvaras who are His retinue Deities, I now proceed to explain the principles enshrined in the Saivagamas. Listen to these with collected mind and one-pointed attention.

Chapter 2: The Scheme of Siva Tattvas (23 verses)

2.1

The sages who have abstracted themselves from the misleading and unfit path and whose fettering bonds of maya, karma and an.ava have been severed, prostrated before the feet of the Lord who was the Guru of suras and asuras. They stood before Him with humility observing the rules prescribed in the Scriptures. Note: suras – souls devoted to the luminous path asuras – souls addicted to the dark path

2.2

Having approached the Guru, they requested Him to reveal the scheme of tattvas starting from the sivatattva. Thereupon, Lord Brahma, the lotus-born, with his heart and soul full of contentment and purity, stood up and spoke these:

2.3

“Now I will explain the scheme of tattvas which evolve from the sivatattva as it was revealed to me before. The Scripture which enshrines the knowledge of sivatattvas was revealed by Anantesvara to Nandikesvara. As directed by the Supreme Lord Siva, that Scripture was revealed to me by Nandikesvara. This sivatattva is nectarine in nature. It is unexcellable; unchangeable. It is of the nature of reaching the heart of all the souls by virtue of its universal relevancy.

2.4-5

I asked Nandikesvara: “How did this sivatatva, though being essentially one in nature, get differentiated into manifold body of Scripture?” Having been asked in this way, the Great Lord Nandikesvara who is with exceeding resplendence, smiled. With His heart full of bliss and brilliance, being in the same way as he is now rejoicing in my heart, answered:

2.6

“O Brahma!, listen to my instruction with one-pointed mind. The Supreme Knowledge revealed to me by Lord Siva who is the Guru of Gurus and who is inconceivable and immeasurable, is basically only one. But it comes down to us, flourishes and prevails in many different ways.

2.7-8

“This nectarine knowledge was received by me earlier from the Supreme Lord Anantesvara. Now I will reveal this knowledge to you collectively as well as briefly. This sivatattva is the one into which all the categories and evolutes are absorbed back. It is pure, bright and clear. It is identical with the transcendent supreme state. Being free from mutations and modifications, it is of the nature of untainted purity and undisturbed tranquility. It is unborn. Being identical with Siva Himself, it is in eternal existence. It never gets shrouded by the darkness of untruth and ignorance. It is the exalted state of absolute dissolution, representing the nature of supreme bliss and total oneness with Lord Siva. Through the continued transmission, it is flourishing from time immemorial.

2.9-11

From the supreme state of total oneness with Siva, an effulgent column of light, undivided wholeness in nature, appeared associated with eight Saktis. Next, it got variegated again into eight luminous souls as willed and stimulated by Siva`s Iccha Sakti. These eight luminous souls are: Anantesa, Suksma, Sivottama, Ekanetra, Ekarudra, Trimurti who was as resplendent as fire, Srikan.tha and Sikhan.d’i. All of them were with immeasurable brilliance of ten million suns. They were the eight Sivas, the Great Vidyesvaras, who manifested from that luminous column.

2.13-14

These eight Sivas have been performing their authoritative cosmic functions as impelled and enlightened by Siva’s Ichha Sakti from within. Anantesvara is the Supreme Master of eight Vidyesvaras who have been endowed with inexhaustible powers and efficacy for the performance of cosmic functions. Anantesvara is the most Supreme Lord among the eight Vidyesvaras who are the great emperors of the worlds meant for the perfect souls and mantra-deities. Having been invested with the supreme power of all-doing and all-knowing, Anantesvara has been installed in the highest position to execute the cosmic deeds. He has been invested with authoritative lordship over the impure realm of maya. As such, Anantesvara, with the intention of performing the cosmic deeds related to impure maya, induced a slight shaking in the small portion of the upper realm of impure maya. By shaking the field of maya in this way, he created the resplendent kala tattva through his luminous rays.

2.15-16

From the kala tattva, two tattvas – raga and vidya – originated. From the same kala tattva, the tattva known as avyakta came into existence. Through Srikantha, the Vidyesvara next to him (in the group of eight Vidyesvaras), he created gun.a tattva from avyakta tattva. Then, buddhi tattva associated with eight forms of dispositional qualities (bhava) originated from the gun.a tattva. Through the shakings induced by Srikantha as directed by Anantesvara and sustained by the buddhi tattva, ahankara tattva originated from the buddhi tattva.

2.17-18

From the ahankara tattva arose the entire host of evolutes such as the five subtle elements (tanmatras), cognitive organs (jnanendriyas), conative organs (karmendriyas) and the five gross elements (bhutas). In this way, the Supreme Lord Anantesvara, having effected a partial shaking and stimulation in the field of subtle maya, created 31 tattvas in which many worlds exist as woven crosswise and lengthwise, extending in all directions.

2.19-21

Bhagavan Anantesvara also created many kinds of worlds which differ from one another in nature and substance, which are with different shapes and forms and which serve as the play-fields replete with pleasurable objects befitting the souls living there. Commissioned by Lord Siva, many deities exist there as their regulating and protecting authorities. These protectors (patayah) are of different kinds, such as those who have transcended the veil of impurity called an.ava mala and those who are having the intense desire of wielding authority over the worlds and souls (adhikara mala). They are highly proficient in mantras and tantras. With the intense desire to achieve the exalted power of all-knowing and all-doing (sarvajnatva and sarva kartrutva) and with the intention of doing the fivefold cosmic function – creation, sustenance, dissolution, obscuration and bestowal of grace – they are worshipping Lord Siva through the performance of concerned yajnas.

2.22-23

They have known well the deep import of the much exalted and great Tantras (Agamas) and they exist there with their fettering bonds severed completely. They have attained the supreme state to be considered on par with the state of Mahesvara. Being authorized by the Supreme Lord, they liberate the embodied souls who have become helpless because of their fettered state. Moreover, they create countless worlds and planes of existence associated with different forms and structures to benefit the devas, danavas, gandharvas, raksasas, yaksas, uragas and such other beings.

Chapter 3: The Transmission of Scriptures (28 verses)

3.1-2

Sivatattva is an ever existing principle. It is never created afresh. It is in identical existence with Isvara. It is the causal source for the origin, sustenance and dissolution of all other tattvas. Having heard the exact nature of such siva tattva, the sages, being desirous of attaining oneness with the Eternal Existence (Siva), bowed down before Ruru, the son of Bhrgu and spoke these words:

3.3-4

O, the most celebrated Sage among the knowers of the Agamas!, how was this Agama brought down to us through continued transmission? In this Agama, many Gurus have been mentioned. What is the total number of such Gurus? How many mantras and how many mandalas have been enumerated? How many tattvas and worlds are there? Kindly instruct on these details as they really are.

3.5-6

The most supreme Guru, Anantesa, who is the creator-lord of the worlds of impure maya, who manifested from the fire of Siva and who presents himself in the form of resplendent fire bereft of smoke exists in Isvara tattva.

3.7-8

This Agama which is the embodiment of supreme knowledge was transmitted by Anantesa, the supreme Guru, to Srikantha, the Guru of virtuous and non-virtuous beings (suras and asuras). Subsequently, this Agama was transmitted by Srikantha to Uma (a form of Sivasakti). Then, Umadevi revealed the secret and supreme science embodied in this Agama to Nandisa and Skanda. Afterwards, Brahma and Indra received instructions on this Agama from Nandisa.

3.9-10

And from Indra, the sage Uru received instructions on this Agama. From Uru, Rciha received. From Rciha, Rama received. I received this Agama from Rama. O, the twice-born Sages!, the lineage of gurus has been told by me very succinctly. For Indra, the great Deity, there were five hundred disciples.

3.11-12

In this Agama related to the Supreme Lord Siva, all others are considered to be theteachers and exponents of the Agamas. These teachers are ten in number. They are well known for the power of self-restraint and they are endowed with great vigor and splendor. Others, from Virabhadra down to Brahma, are also considered as Gurus. Apart from these, there are eighteen teachers (gurus) who are highly proficient in the Agamas and who are with great effulgence and vigor.

3.13-14

All of them are the knowers of mantras and tantras; knowers of the exact nature of the Ultimate and Primal Reality. They are perfectly skilled in the performance of cosmic functions. They are with undisturbed and firm resolute in cutting asunder the bonds of the embodied souls. These gurus have already been mentioned in the Svayambhuva Agama. Even for these gurus, there were thousands of disciples.

3.15-16

This Agama, reduced to one hundred thousand verses, was briefly revealed to these disciples. In order to bestow the complete knowledge related to the mandalas, the presiding deities of such mandalas, yajnas and the specific rules for the performance of such yajnas and mandala worship and the knowledge related to specific rituals authoritatively set forth in the Saiva Tantra, this Agama was transmitted earlier by Brahma to Bhargava. The characteristics of mantras have been revealed to him through 12,000 verses.

3.17-18

The characteristics of ritualistic hand-gestures (mudras), the details of austere duties (samaya), the significant meaning and function of tattvas, features of various mandalas, rituals related to yajnas and such other details have been enshrined and explained in the latter part of this Agama (Rauravottara Agama). Mantras, which are seventy millions in number, streamed forth from the mouth of Siva. These mantras serve as effective instruments for the aspirants (sadhakas) in cutting asunder the bonds evolving from the great maya.

3.19-20

After observing that the creation done by Pitamaha (Brahma) is associated with the ever-going phenomenon of birth and death, these mantras assumed the distinct forms energized by the rays of Isvari (Sivasakti). With these forms assumed by them, the mantras are guiding and guarding the aspirants. In these mantras, the supreme Lord called Mantra Rajesvara, who is eternally free from the limiting bonds, presents himself in a concealed way. Wishing for the welfare of all the worlds, Lord Siva formulated these mantras and revealed them.

3.21-22

For the welfare of the worlds, the Supreme Lord brought into existence the everlasting benefits to be accomplished through mantras and yajnas. For the benefit of pure souls (gurus) who are intent on attaining total identity with the mantras, the systematic process of mandala-worship was formulated by Him. These mandalas which belong to the system of secret science, are primarily eight in number. They are navanabha, anantavijaya, isa and others. Apart from these, there are hundreds of mandalas, the details of which have been set forth well in this Agama.

3.23-24

In the rituals performed with mandalas, Lord Siva becomes known as Mandali in view of the fact that He occupies these mandalas and presents Himself there eternally. These mandalas of such greatness are worshipped by the sages, celestial beings, asuras, human beings and by all those who are desirous of attaining the final liberation and bliss. The king of Vidyesvaras and Mandalesas and those who have manifested with elegance and greatness as the unfailing associates of Mantresvaras and Mandalesas present themselves in these mandalas through the appropriate mantras. Verily, they are of the nature of these mantras. They are the souls of these mantras. Even for the highly enlightened sages, it is not possible to give the exact number of such mantras.

3.25-26

There are as many mantras as there are Rudras, Devas, Rakshasas, Yakshas and Mahesvaras. Their exact number cannot be known. They have been designed and composed in a language suitable to each division of the Earth and other worlds. They have been associated with relevant seed letters and words which are divine, effulgent and vibrant. These Mantras have the power of knowing all. They have the power of reaching all the places and all the divisions of time. They are pure. They are in identical existence with those who have attained the power of knowing all.

3.27-28

They are not to be analyzed and examined either with the doctrines of mimamsa or by those who are with insignificant and erroneous knowledge. Keeping the Agama as the most authoritative text for the unfailing validity of these facts, the mantras should be treated with utmost diligence and sincerity by those who contemplate on the goodness and welfare of all beings.

Chapter 8: Significance of Various Kinds of Initiation (13 verses)

8.1-2

The exalted Sages, foremost among the mendicants, heard the instructions from Ruru, the great Sage. Folding their hands in the mode of supplication, they asked: O, Bhagavan!, you are the knower of all systems and practices. How are the embodied souls relieved from the bonds through initiation (diksa)? How do they attain the essential nature of Lord Siva (sivatva), having severed the mighty bonds of maya?

8.3.4

Sage Ruru said: At the very occurrence of rising of the sun, the darkness is dispelled completely and instantaneously. Likewise, upon the performance of relevant diksa, the constricting bonds of the sadhakas considered in terms of merit and demerit (dharma and adharma) get removed totally. Just as the sun illumines all these worlds through his radiant rays, even so Lord Siva illumines the consciousness of the initiated souls through His host of Saktis functioning in the divine path of mantras and diksa.

8.5-6

Just as the fiery and tiny sparks shoot up abundantly in all directions from the well enkindled sacrificial fire, even so the multitudes of Saktis arise from Lord Siva. These Saktis exist pervading the body of the sadhakas who have been blessed with diksa. Just as the sun destroys through his rays the impurities accumulated in the ground, even so Lord Siva destroys the seeds of karmic effects and of other bonds of the initiated sadhakas through His perfectly maintained union with Saktis which are His own rays.

8.7

Just as the water poured into water, milk into milk mingles into one and become inseparable from each other, even so the knowers of the nature of mantras attain oneness with the Supreme Being through the power of mantras related to the diksa.

8.8-9

The heap of dry grass thrown into the blazing fire gets incinerated completely and it never again attains its original state of being dry grass. In the same way, the diligent sadhaka, supreme among the human beings, who is blessed with relevant diksa, reaches the adorable and worthy realm of siva man.d’ala effected through diksa and mantra. Thereafter, he never gets embodied again.

8.10-13

At the cessation of his bodily existence, he becomes Siva Himself, being endowed with the essential features and aspects of Siva. Having gained all the qualities of Siva, he is inseparably united with Siva. The river which flows with sweet and pleasant water reaches deeply into the ocean and attains the qualities of salty water of the same ocean. At the very instant of complete mingling with ocean-water, it attains such nature of salty water owing to the mighty power of the ocean. In the same way, the initiated sadhaka who has shed off his bodily existence attains oneness with Sivatattva. There does not occur any disunion between them.

Chapter 9: Departure and Absorption of the Soul (17 verses)

9.1

A perfect sadhaka is one who has known well the significance of sivastra related to the science of Sivayoga. He should be systematically worshipping Lord Siva, Sivagni, and Guru. He should be with firm and unassailed resolute. He should have thoroughly studied and contemplated the concepts set forth in the Agamas. Such a sadhaka, having seen inauspicious ominous visions (in his dream) such as elephant, horse, chariot and such others, unfavorable weapons and other bad omens repeatedly, should understand that a proper time for the departure of his soul is fast approaching.

9.2-3

The sadhaka may be a householder or a king . Whatever be his order of life, the physical body of the sadhaka has become resplendent with full growth and sound health. It is of the nature of five cosmic elements (earth, water, fire, air and space). It is well refined with the disciplines of yoga and mantra. On knowing that the departure of his soul is imminent, he should perform fire-ritual making oblations related to the five cosmic elements in the fire of consciousness created by astra mantra.

9.4-5

Having selected a proper place, he should purify himself well, his consciousness being charged with specific mantras. Having strewed sara-grass and darbha-grass over the selected ground and seated there, he should meditate on Rudra whose form is designed with astra mantra, who is the creator and destroyer of the worlds, who is holding brahma-astra in his hand and who is invincible. The sadhaka who is well trained in meditation and well-skilled in the techniques of yoga should contemplate the form of astra through the yoga of supreme consciousness.

9.6

He should assume a fitting and comfortable posture, either svastika or padma. He should keep the upper part of his body erect and keep his neck upright. He should hold his hands below in such a way as to display a specific yoga mudra known as kurma mudra.

9.7-8

Let him not press his rows of teeth together and let him keep his eyes half-closed. Having subdued the snake of deep attachment to worldly pleasures (snake which personifies deep attachment), he should restrain his five organs which are the vehicles for the senses related to the five elements. He should regulate the movement of inbreath and outbreath. Six inches above the navel, the heart-lotus shines forth with the brightness of the rising young sun.

9.9-10

At the center of the heart-lotus, there is the solar region (surya mandala) and at the center of the solar region there is lunar realm (soma mandala). At the center of the lunar realm, there is fiery region (vahni mandala) with its innate purity. At the center of the fiery mandala, the Great Lord Isvara is present. He presents Himself there with a luster comparable to pure crystal.

9.11

The sadhaka should install his consciousness, perfected and illumined by such specific discipline and astra mantra, at the center of the heart of Isvara. There within that heart-cave it assumes by its own force a form of astra burnt with the pure fire of Siva. This astra-form assumed by the consciousness of the sadhaka raises to the head and then to the crest (brahma randhra). Breaking open the crest, it reaches the solar realm of Sivaloka within fraction of a second.

9.12-13

Upon the head of the sadhaka who is the knower of Supreme Mantra, a motionless luminous light gets formed. At this moment the sadhaka should draw out his soul in the form of astra, contemplating Ekavira Rudra and His Sakti and unite it with the brahma randhra through the process of dharana yoga. The soul drawn out in this way departs from his body.

9.14-15

All other aspects of the soul depart from various parts of his body such as legs and others and accumulate again in the plane of brahma-randhra. Having departed from the brahma-randhra, the soul associated with all of its essential aspects swiftly passes through the outer region of the brahmanda (vast universe) known as loka-aloka (region of visible and invisible worlds). Getting itself separated from this region and from the dual state of prakrti and purusha, the exalted and great soul assumes a resplendent subtle form and becomes identical with all the worlds and existents by means of its pervasiveness. Finally, it enters into the Great Lord, Siva, who is very subtle.

9.16

At this stage, the attending sadhaka (who is an associate of the liberated sadhaka) should keep the body from which the soul has departed upon the stretch of darbha-grass and sara-grass designed in the form of astra and cover it with clothes and offer perfumes. He should touch the head of the body with the accompaniment of mantra “ samharaya bhutani hiran.ya”

9.17

Then the attending sadhaka should offer oblations into the fire with the mantras pertaining to the Lord of Vidyas and contemplate the departed soul as identical with the Supreme Lord, in a systematic way as ordained in the Agama. In this way, the soul gets liberated from the bonds through the process of astra-samayoga. There is no doubt about this.