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Shiva Sutras: The Supreme Awakening

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For readers seeking self-knowledge, elightenment or, as was the case with me, sobriety, consider the Vedas -- of which this book is just an extension. With their first written samples being dated about 4,000 years ago -- while Moses walked the streets of Egypt, the foundation of the Shiva Sutras were being written for the first time in India. Arguably, this collection of short translated Sanskrit sayings focus on consiousness and its role in reality. A book that can be opened at any time, anywhere, for finding just the right way to think about what's bothering or troubling you. Shiva is one of many names for God and Sutras means 'Thread'. I learned about this book from Deepak Chopra, who I have to say is one of the Rishis -- back in the flesh. If you have the Gita and Mahabarta around your house, add this one -- it will add back in ways you can't imagine.

Gary Poyssick in Tampa, Florida

Once again Swami Lakshmanjoo illustrates his mastery over the little known subject of Kashmir Shaivism. As a direct master of the oral tradition he translates the Sutras and explains Kshemaraja's commentary with ease and sophistication.

Fifteen hundred years ago Lord Shiva appeared in a dream to his devotee Vasugupta. He inspired him to go to a certain place where He would reveal a great secret. Vasugupta trekked to the designated spot and found a huge rock by the side of a small stream at the base of Mahadeva Mountain. By his mere touch the rock miraculously turned revealing the inscribed Sutras on its underside. The rock exists even today, and the Shiva Sutras have long been considered to be Lord Shiva's gift to mankind in this era known as Kali Yuga.

Swami Lakshmanjoo is a master of the oral tradition of Kashmir Shaivism. He breathes life into its teachings in a way that only one who has experienced its reality can do. At an earlier date Lakshmanjoo taught these Shiva Sutras to Lillian Silburn, and Jaideva Singh. Here we have his last translation based on the original audio recordings, minimally edited by John Hughes. Like his previous books "Secret Supreme" and "Self Realization in Kashmir Shaivism" this book reads like the spoken word. It is as if Lakshmanjoo breathes through these pages and instills the essence of Kashmir Shaivism into the reader.

Divided into three chapters ("Awakenings") Lakshmanjoo explains the significance of the Sutras in relation to the advanced, mediocre and ordinary aspirants. For the serious students the original Sanskrit text is appended. It contains numerous corrections as indicated by Lakshmanjoo.

The first pages contain a translation of the Sutras only, followed by a brief "Introduction" to the text by John Hughes. This book is a must for the serious student of Kashmir Shaivism as it covers many aspects of the philosophical system know as Trika.

As with all Kashmir Shiva literature the knowledge is Self revealing. It is the present writers experience that this book "Shiva Sutras, The Supreme Awakening," expands exponentially with each reading.

I adore this book! One to be read many times. The thoughts, ideas, and philosophies to be held within the heart. Swamiji's presence seems to come right through the text into the reader's heart and mind. This book is for those who wish to deepen their practice to Shaivism. People looking for a real and verifiable experience should read this book after reading "Self Realization In Kashmir Shaivism." Then "The Secret Supreme" and finally this one. Although I suppose you could start with this one too. But I read Swamiji's books in that order and can attest to having a real and verifiable experience with Swami Lakshmanjoo. Although, you can only verify this experience with yourself. I doubt you could verify it to others. It's a kind of subjective knowledge. But the objective is there too. And some wierdo in between subjective and objective as well. I don't know. It's hard to put into words. I think Swami Ji says it best. So, just buy the book. And you'll taste what I'm talking about!

This is a book for a person who is interested in Kashmir Shavism. Swami Laxmanjoo Raina was the last known master of Kashmir Shavism and this book is a glimpse into an ancient thought and an amazing view of the world around us.

this is an excellent book.

different, perhaps, to other translations and commentaries on the shiva sutras.

the author is a master of the kashmir shaivism system of philosophy and practice.

for those seeking to practice rather than just studying the philosophy, i consider the book to have a companion piece - the vijnana bhairava tantra. not just any translation and commentary, though. get the one from the same author - swami lakshmanjoo.

on the universal shaiva fellowship website ( www dot universalshaivafellowship dot org ) the book and audio recordings of it can be purchased. i have these and they are superior to any other translation or commentary.

a fairly good one though, in the spirit of kashmir shaivism, is from jaideva singh which can be purchased here from amazon. however he does not give the same practical advise that is given in swami lakshmanjoo's exposition of the practices and in some places his information contradicts with lakshmanjoo's (who taught him the book).

the shiva sutras as presented by swami lakshmanjoo will guide an aspirant to which practices outlined in the vijnana bhairava tantra are most suitable for him or her.

Swami Lakshmanjoo was the last in the Vasugupta, Utpaladeva and Abhinavagupta lineage of Kashmir Shaivite sages. Every Sanskrit scholar who studies and translates the Kashmir Shaivite texts acknowledges his immanence as the source. Without Swami Lakshmanjoo these invaluable texts would have remained incomprehensible to even Indian scholars.

The meaning of Sanskrit words in Kashmir Shaivite texts is often very distinct from their meaning in the texts of other schools. This is quite natural, for Kashmir Shaivism considers the other schools incomplete in their understanding of the eternal Wisdom that is the substratum of this universe.

Jaideva Singh has acknowledged his indebtedness to Swami Lakshmanjoo in the dedications of his various translations of Kashmir Shaivite texts. Boris Marjanovic mentions Swami Lakshmanjoo in his introduction to his translation of the Bhagavad Gita.

Mark Dyczkowski, an Oxford don, is reported to have said, "Somehow he [Swami Lakshmanjoo] sees much more in them than could ever be grasped through mere bookish knowledge and we could feel that behind his words lay another dimension beyond them in which he lived and from which he beckoned us to join him."

I first discovered and began reading Swami Lakshmanjoo's Shiva Sutras in 2005 and I have been reading, listening to the CDs, and studying his revelations ever since. For me one word from Swami Lakshmanjoo is often worth a 1000 from others. This has been my experience with him, because Swami Lakshmanjoo was in fact an enlightened Master - the real thing.

I had previously read Jaideva Singh's wonderful translation many times since 1997 and thus I did have a background familiarity of these verses. But as always, Swami Lakshmanjoo takes them to a new deeper-higher level. His words carry the frequency of his state of consciousness, PARABHAIRAVA.

In Kashmir Shaivism the final state is termed ParaBhairava. This is an acrostic word: para - the highest; bha - maintenance of the world; ra - withdrawal of the world; and va - projection of the world. This state is where Swami Lakshmanjoo resides, even though he may appear as an ordinary old man to those without understanding.

The Shiva Sutras are like the Bhagavad Gita in the sense that every time you read these verses, a more profound insight into their meaning will be revealed to you. The knowledge transmitted to you will vary, of course, and depend what you can receive, meaning on your own consciousness at the time you read and listen.

For example, Sutra 1.2: Knowing differentiatedly is bondage and not knowing undifferentiatedly is bondage. From the point of western academia, all knowledge is to be sought and revered. But this verse tells us that the deeper we sink into differentiated knowledge, our bondage to the temporal hologram increases. And `not knowing' is that state of not knowing your own undifferentiated Self within. If you remain unconscious and ignorant of the God-within you, the Self, you remain bound to the wheels of endless birth and death, Samsara.

It is true that with Kashmir Shaivsm you are going to want to learn at least a few Sanskrit terms. But these words carry a higher consciousness in their vibratory frequency and they will give you far more than the time it takes to assimilate them. These waveforms as words formed by the sound of the Sanskrit letters, contain the essence of timeless eternal spiritual experiences, which unfortunately have not been prevalent in our western culture and thus are arduous to describe in English, a language of commerce. This is why Sanskrit is a sacred language.

For those of you who are dedicated and sincerely long to return Home, to be Liberated in this life, the Shiva Sutras as revealed by Swami Lakshmanjoo are priceless gems that will move you into an ever deepening consciousness and bring you far greater lasting Joy than anything in the external, now from all appearances, dissolving world. And once you come to understand him a bit, Swami Lakshmanjoo's sense of cosmic humor is fun! We really are involved in our own Time/Space playfulness here.

I am fortunate to have come with some preparation to read this publication of the Shiva Sutras by having read Dr. Jaideva Singh's translation of the same scripture, along with some of Swami Muktananda's works.

Dr. Singh credits Swami Lakshmanjoo with a lot of help in his translation. Dr. Singh also includes a blessing of his work from Swami Muktananda. In Swami Lakshmanjoo/Hughes' book "Self Realization in Kashmir Shaivism" there is a photograph of Swami Muktananda and Swami Lakshmanjoo in a half embrace smiling at the camera. These three great beings went to great effort to triangulate the meaning of Kashmir Shaivism for us and posterity.

From Swami Muktananda's works I came to recognize that Kashmir Shaivism influenced his answers to questions and spiritual obstacles alot. In his perennially optimistic, encouraging manner, Swami Muktananda applies Kashmir Shaivism in a way that is easy for even a child or "portress of water" to understand. Quoting Swami Muktananda: "Whatever happens, happens for your spiritual growth. It is only that you are not aware of it".

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This book adds nothing over the pedantic and technical translation of Mark SG Dyczkowski. The discussion of Shivaism is unclear, meditation methods are hinted and not discussed, too much time is spent attacking Buddhist techniques, and the final comment is always "throw yourself at the feet of the master". Also translating the Ocean of Emptiness as virgin is misogynistic in his development. He comes across as a sad, intellectualizing man, self-deluded and clinging to personal glory. Very poor exposition of this important material.