FLOOD OF SHIVA BLISS

1
May this, my most humble submission be,
To that one great auspicious Deity;
Great Lord Shiva of everlasting fame,
Quintessence of all Jnana is His Name!
He sports on His crown, a silver crescent moon,
Ornament for Uma, such a beauteous boon,
The ripe fruit of harsh severe penitence,
Bestowing His bounteous beneficence.
He wills all devotees to be ever blessed,
And enjoy full noble lives of happiness.
He always appears in the surrendered heart,
Once glimpsed His presence never departs.
He showers all three worlds with perfect love,
A merciful blessing, mighty Grace from above.
2
Victory to the powers of Great Lord Shiva!
Which flow from the blessings of His kind
Removal of sorrow from
my
mundane mind;
He frees me from great grief of samsara
To know soul’s lagoon flooded by Nirvana.
Such awakening from hypnotic sleep we find
Are streams that cleanse the soul, they wind
Through dense mud and mire of false ajnana.
They cause destruction of pain and sorrow,
We live in the present, no fear for tomorrow.
We thank Shiva with all our might and main,
Chanting His praises for sacred is His Name.
We read the miracles of His great life story,
And bathe in the light of His effulgent glory.



3*
I worship Lord Shiva with all of my heart,
Unknowable through the Vedas! For a start
He destroyed those tyrannical cities three,
Made of iron, silver and gold; to set free
Causal and subtle bodies. Veda His bow,
Agni His barb, Vishnu His well honed arrow;
His feather, the dreaded Lord Yama,
His faithful charioteer, Great God Brahma.
He’s primordial, sighted by
three
eyes,
He’s majestic and profoundly wise.
His hair’s a profusion of matted locks;
He wears a necklace of snakes, carved from the rocks.
Gracious to every ardent devotee,
He’s the God of souls, Lord of Divinity,
Self of Absolute Consciousness so pure.
With fair Parvati He shall always endure,
To control His three worlds, sagely and sure.

4
Myriads of Gods hold sway over the world,
And grant the prayers of the immature:
Even in dreams at night, I pray to be pure:
To my poor soul, high wisdom He’s unfurled.
What I yearn for, is that He will insure
The worship of His lotus feet, to lure
My mind from grave sin, by senses hurled.
This steady worship of His lotus feet
Is not easy, even for those sitting near
Him, with hearts full of love complete,
Having firm faith and freedom from fear,
Yet fickle mind feels feeble and effete.
It was difficult for Vishnu and Lord
Brahma,
Even,
Sita, Hanuman, and great Prince Rama.

5
I’m not well versed in legalistic codes,
Nor in learned philosophic tomes,
From sciences, my mind always roams.
Neither in art of music and poetic odes,
Nor reading texts, burdened by heavy loads,
Do I ever feel comfortably at home.
I please Kings no more than an impish gnome,
I’m as little use as a sweeper of roads.
Save this wretched soul through Thy mighty grace!
Omniscient, greatly famed, Oh Holy One,
I pray to see my own original face,
Resplendent as Thy bright effulgent Sun.
Only Thee Lord Shiva can save my errant soul,
To know my own Real Self and make me whole!

6
Whether it be a pot or heavy lump of clay,
Or the microcosmic atom in my breath,
Whether it be smoke, fire or mountain way,
Will any serve as a cure for painful death?
I‘m only blocking love by logic chopping,
I must bow to praise great Lord
Shiva’s feet,
But
monkey mind keeps dropping off, hopping,
Instead of abiding in His bliss replete.
The heavy means of reason and causation,
Will never take me to Self Realisation,
Instead they lead to endless frustration,
A kind of morbid mental peturbation.
I must take refuge in Lord Shiva’s grace
Inside my heart, True Saviour of the race.

7

Let me rest at your feet, my Lord Supreme,
Soft as the beautiful blue lotus flower.
Let my speech, with all its might and power,
Be prayer to awaken, from life’s sad dream,
And constantly illuminate my inner scene.
Then uttering your praise, I’ll never cower
With fear, or lose the faith, by which Thou endower
My soul by light from Thine effulgent gleam.
Let my palms be clasped, in worship of Thee,
My hearing tuned to the words of Thy story,
My mind in meditation and ever free,
My eyes resting on Thy formless glory.
So through
which other senses, will I
learn
To become worthy, and Thy grace to earn?

8

Oh Great God Shiva, Lord of many Souls,
As one thinks nacre, looks like silver in a shell,
Or water mixed with flour, looks like milk as well,
A glass bead bauble appears as a crystal bowl,
A mirage we think is just a watering hole;
So the fool, destined for yet another hell,
Worships other than what is Thee; the spell
Of Maya that deceives, Oh Lord of the Whole!
The rope we perceive is a venomous snake,
And the stone dog we imagine to be real.
We mistake a man for a scarecrow’s stake,
And what we touch seems solid when we feel.
The mind is under a constant delusion,
Save us Lord Shiva from such illusion!

9

Lord of Aruna! One swims in a deep tank,
Walks in a fearful, empty jungle wood,
Climbs a mountain peak where fresh air is good,
Pick pretty posies by a river bank,
That fool doesnt know
how to give Thee thanks!
All one needs to do as one truly should,
To worship Thy lotus feet to be understood.
You do not need to be decked with flowers,
You're already the beautifully sublime,
These outer forms waste many precious hours;
The true sacrifice which is really prime,
Is to offer one’s mind to the Self in the heart,
That’s all Shiva asks, from the very start!

10

Let there be birth as a human being,
Or a God in some ethereal sphere,
A high mountain where the clouds float near,
Or forest fox from huntsmen ever fleeing,
Or mosquito blood juice always stealing.
Cow, whose lush green grass is ever dear,
Worm, who through mud does craftily steer,
Or bird who through azure sky flies wheeling.
What is this compared to sporting in bliss
From great Lord Shiva’s benefaction?
Receiving the grace of sweet Parvati’s kiss,
All for poor jiva’s endless satisfaction.
If we
offer
our mind, each night and morn,
Does it matter into which body we’re reborn?

11

Let me be a student, humble as can be,
Or the proud house holder of a home,
An ascetic, plastic as a garden gnome,
Or any other form, as it pleases Thee.
What use is this on the path to liberty?
Oh Sambhu, when the Heart- lotus is Thine
I become yours, no longer ‘me’ or ‘mine’;
One’s burden of life is Thy responsibility.
Whether I dwell in town or mountain cave,
My mind will always wander with me;
The solution Lord Shiva gives to save
And rest at peace, to be eternally free,
Is to surrender ego mind to my own dear Self,
And slay that demonic self-centred elf.

12

Let one live in damp jungle or in fire,
Or on Himalayan mountain peak,
Or whatever place a man may seek.
In a palace, to which great Kings aspire,
Or fabled lands of which the pilgrims speak
Of Vedic Indian, or
Platonic
Greek;
Of endless speculation we soon tire.
Of what use is such wasteful living?
Instead prostrate at mighty Shiva’s feet,
Endlessly renouncing, and freely giving
Back our minds in full surrender complete.
That’s the only way to make us content,
Ego’s false ignorance we need to relent.

13

Oh Saviour of wretched afflicted souls,
It is Thy duty to protect and guard me,
Thou whom art all compassion and mercy:
I’m blind, roasted over life’s blazing coals,
I boast, foolishly hosting madcap goals,
Who’s the weakest in mental strength Thou sees?
Pray grant me safe refuge and set me free!
Like a poor dove trapped in a gilded cage,
My soul pines to fly and roost at Thy feet;
Remove all my sins of anger and rage,
Help me renounce foul mind and rest complete.
Who’s a better expert in the saving grace?
Lead me to the vision of my original face.

14

Oh Lord
of Souls!
art Thou not also Lord
And firm friend of the impoverished poor?
In earnest we pray, open wide Thy door
To the music of that merciful chord,
Which Thou can graciously well afford,
To heal our wounded hearts, so sore.
Aid us in practice to move closer toward
Thy Lotus feet and then walk on forward,
To Realisation of the Self for ever more.
All my sins should be forgiven by Thee,
This is the true duty of a loving father,
Willing to help his child, strive for liberty!
Or grant me protection, and play Thy part
Against those thieves, breaking into my Heart.

15

Lord, as Thou are not indifferent to my lot,
Why not destroy that grave decree of fate,
Before death comes, and alas it is too late,
That which makes me wilt. Hast Thou forgot
That unless you save me, there’s a vile plot
Of desires set to invade me? pray don’t forsake,
Your child before I reach Lord Yama’s
Gate,
And you’ve failed to sever my ganglion knot.
If you’re powerless, how was Taraka's head,
Which cannot be plucked by a finger nail,
Cut by Thee as Skanda with nail tip instead?
I pray, Great Ramana, please don’t fail.
Your child who tries so hard in this barren place,
Lies powerless without thy boundless grace!

16
Oh Shiva, purest one, may Brahma live long!
Protect and guard his remaining four heads,
He’s ordained the poverty to which I’m led
In this false dream world of right and wrong.
What fear is left for me when I sing this song
And Thy gaze of love, to me has said,
“Have faith, in me , my child, you do belong?
A son is lost and from home does stray,
His father looks for him every where,
Then on one marvellous miraculous day
He’s found and delivered safely there,
Back to his land at blissful peace at last,
Clasped in Lord Shiva’s arms, tight
and
fast.

17

Oh Master, whom art all pervading,
Either because of my merited deeds,
Or through compassion for my earthly needs;
Thou art immanently present, invading
Each fibre of my soul, not evading
But helping me, when my sad heart bleeds;
For you’ve truly sown salvation’s seeds
The fruits of which are now parading.
How am I to reach Thy sweet lotus feet?
The whole galaxy of Gods press forward
In their eagerness to respect and greet
Thy gracious Self, paying obeisance toward
Thee, with the splendour of Thy golden crown,
Preventing poor me alas, from bending down.

18

Oh Shiva! Thou art the boon giver supreme,
Vishnu and the lesser Gods call upon Thee,
They hold their place through Thy generosity;
How great is Thy grace, and yet we scheme
With increased desires in this crazy dream.
When will you destroy pernicious petty ‘me’,
Through thy gaze of
peaceful
clemency?
From your dazzling light cast me a single beam.
The Gods pray for you to uphold their gains,
Blessed benefactor of all sentient Beings,
Strengthen and fasten my slack mental reins,
Unite see-er, and seen with all my seeings.
I depend on Thee Lord Shiva for Thy grace,
Accept me, and my false ego pray efface.

19

Is it to benefit great Great Lord Brahma
That you won’t remove my anguish and pain?
Full of despicable desires and shame,
This endless suffering in dark samsara
Even leads to the doors of some crooked Rajah,
An endless storm of troubles, all in vain,
Without virtue, for my poor soul to gain.
Oh what a wretched wicked palaver!
Inform me, oh great Lord Shiva, I pray
If all this grief is only for Thy pleasure,
We shall be gracefully blessed, I say.
I beg for justice as you shall measure,
None of the dark decrees of fate for ill,
Have any true validity
before Thy
will.

20

Oh Shiva, with bare skull as begging bowl,
Thou art an all pervading, mendicant!
My mind roams the desert of discontent,
Dances on the breast hills of female souls,
Leaps wildly on many mad strange goals,
Branch to branch, where desire will soon torment.
Inconstant is this monkey mind Thou sent
To fight against, and learn firm sense control.
Taking this mind as an offering of alms,
Bind it tightly with Thy cord of devotion,
And tie it well, beneath your loving arms,
As I sail across life’s stormy ocean.
Lord Shiva save me from the terror of my mind!
Thou art the Truest Guru I could ever find!

21

Oh, Slayer of Demons, like Manmatha,
Thou art worshiped by divine devotees.
All pervading One, please enter with these,
And Thy Goddess consort, beauteous Uma,
Into the bright tent of my mental maya,
That boasts free will; a central pole to seize
The
ropes of heroic
virtues that please,
And can be eased through this dread samsara.
That shining tent is multi toned and hued,
Painted with lotuses, pink, blue and white,
They glow like beacons in the black of night,
Moved daily through highways, and imbued
With prayer for Thy great victory, Jai!
That enlivens me throughout my day.

22
Oh Shankara! Oh skilful master thief!,
Magnificent ever pervading One!
This arch villain of my mind speeds along,
Having fallen prey, beyond all belief,
To amassing great wealth without relief
From greedy desire , committing much wrong,
Rifling homes, to which the rich belong.
All this crime causes me remorse and grief.
How can I bear this unscrupulous knave?
Having brought him under Thy firm control,
Grant me thy Grace, my impure soul pray save,
Oh blessed Lord, please make me Thine, and Whole!
Accept that I my pure Self is innocent,
Oh merciful Lord
Shiva, I repent,
repent!

23
Ever all-pervading One, oh Shankara!
I perform Thy worship, pray grant poor me,
Realisation now, immediately!
Should Thou grant me the throne of Lord Brahma,
Or God Vishnu as fruit of my Puja,
I would bear more pain of taking the body
Of bird or beast, for sake of being free
And bathing in bliss of blest Nirvana.
How can I bear this agony and pain,
My auspicious beloved Guru Lord?
I beg you over and over again,
With all the strength and might I can afford,
Save me, immortal Shiva, I pray, I pray!
I love you like my own dear Self, every way.

24

When will I dwell in Kailasa, Thy home?
In Thy hall of emeralds, rubies and gold,
Where precious pearls and jewels unfold,
In the company of Thy votaries who roam
With Thee dear Sambhu, beneath Thy sapphire dome,
Who art auspicious wisdom born of old.
My hands I fold, raised on my head, so bold
I
salute Thee noble one
with this poem.
Oh protect me Lord Shiva, God Supreme,
Let me spend happiness in aeons of time
As if they were seconds, then it would seem
All would be bliss beneath your protection,
So cleanse me, grant me Thy rod of correction.

25

Oh Great Shiva, when shall I behold Thee,
Who boasts a throat of precious peacock blue,
A body that’s embraced by Uma too.
You hold in your hand a cutting axe, so free
To chop down demon ego’s creeping tree.
You own a deer, seated on the mighty thew
Of a powerful Bull so very loyal to You,
And Thy faithful sadhus cry out, hail, hail!
And the wicked demons all fail and wail.
Thy divine attendants dance all around,
Stamping on cosmic time, never to fail
To sanctify Mount Kailasa’s sacred ground.
Oh great Lord Shiva, what more can one say,
I love you more and more every day!

26

Oh dweller on a sacred mountain
high,
Beholding Thee and
falling at Thy feet,
Pressing them against my head, I am replete
With love for Thee; I wish my ego so to die
Fully surrendered in obeisance to Thy
Holy will, which I once again entreat.
My perverted mind, pray now defeat.
Free me from wilful weeping and mournful cry!
I wish to enjoy that heavenly bliss
Which does not even come to Brahma;
Seal my lips with Parvati’s fragrant kiss,
So I can breath the perfume and aroma
From her blue full blown lotus flowers,
And bathe in blessed grace throughout all hours.

27

Lord Shiva, Mountain Dweller is Thy name,
When gold Mount Meru is in Thy hands as bow,
When Lord of wealth Kubera, of great fame
Stays near Thee as they slave, it is the same
As when the heavenly trees bow down low
And cow Nandini kneels in obesaince, so
I wish granting gems on Thy head to glow,
Rubies, pearls, sapphires, diamonds so
bright,
Topaz, garnet, all reflecting Thy
light,
When at Thy feet in worship, all devotees came,
Full of devotion their sacred souls complete.
What tribute can I hand Thee, mighty Lord?
May my mind be surrendered at thy feet,
I give you all the love I can afford.
May my heart and mind be always sworn to Thee,
Oh mighty Lord who swears to set me free!

28

Shiva! beautiful Parvati’s faithful consor,
Adores Thee, yet same and equal is Her form,
Near Thee, as chanting praises, is Her norm,
She shares Thy mountain home, takes careful thought,
In satsang with devotees who’ve bravely fought
The hard war with ego-mind and have worn
Thy breast plate of Sadhana, no longer forlorn,
Filled with love and devotion as they ought.
They meditate on Thy auspicious Name,
Comprising all sentient, conscious Beings,
Moving and still, while disdainful of fame,
Uniting all seers, scenes and their
seeings.
Here, indeed my Master I’ve reached
my end,
With thanks, I bow before Thee, prostrate and bend.

29
All pervading One, I worship at Thy feet,
Sacred and holy as the lotus blue,
I meditate on Thee by day all through;
I take refuge in Thee, that art my Lord complete.
Oh holy Sambhu! blessed Paraclete,
With power of words I pray to Thee, so true,
Cast Thy mighty glance of grace on me too.
That gaze which even Gods pray they shall meet.
Instruct my mind and make it ever cling to Thee,
Make me worthy of Thy beneficial Grace,
I prostrate myself, and fall to bend my knee,
Grant me the glory of the vision of Thy face!
Instruct in happy peace my wayward mind,
Thou art the greatest God one could ever find!

30

Oh Shiva, the One, who sports the new Moon
As Thy crest jewel! Oh Lord of all souls,
O Master Guru of three worldly wholes;
If there be in my Self, light of the
Sun, soon
By its thousand beams I
will dress you in tunes
Of song, decked by flowers in golden bowls,
That I may render Thee worship as my goal.
Like Visnu, Vayu, Agni, Indra, with their boons.
I shall offer to you as tasty fitting food
My ego, well cooked in the blazing fire
Of Thy Jnana, well spiced by my gratitude;
To this consummation, I ardently aspire.
Thou art infinity, I can only praise Thee
Rising to the height of Gods in liberty.

31

Oh Shiva! Is not this single supreme deed
Of aid enough to praise Thy compassion?
Residing inside Thy mountain mansion,
With a view to protecting Thy Beings’ seed
Moving and unmoving, yet conscious indeed.
In Thy throat Thou swallows in Thy fashion,
That fearful poison of unbridled passion,
And save us from our sins of lust and greed.
Thus Thy throat is tinted bright peacock blue,
As a sign to all Thy children young and
old,
That thy mercy extends to all that Thou
do.
This is Thy sworn promise, so we are told,
To save earnest devotees when ripe, in time.
Oh mighty Shiva, Thy compassion is sublime!

32

Sambhu! how did vile poison catch alight,
Causing fear to all the Gods known by Thee?
How was it borne in thy palm so craftily?
Like a ripe, red rose apple; a wondrous sight
Which thrills, blushing like dawn, after darkest night?
Or like a strong medicine used skilfully
By Siddhas? was it held mightily tight
In Thy throat? Was it a gem, blue and bright
As the sapphire sky, our dome of beauty?
Tell me my Loved One! The ways of your duty
Surpasses my mortal understanding.
So my Lord, I am humbly demanding,
Please tell me Sambhu if it’s really true,
World poison stained your throat, a vibrant peacock blue?

33

Oh my Master! Is it not sufficient
For folk to serve Thee withou frustration,
By chanting praise and making prostration,
Worship, meditation, are all most efficient,
Self Enquiry, surrender, are they not sufficient?
Hearing your story with horripilation,
Having sight of Thee in my imagination;
How is release possible for one so nescient?
What’s the use of following gods who are all
Impermanent? and to whom should we pray?
With all my hear, Lord Ramana hear my call,
I yearn for Thy blessed Grace every day!
“The answer my friend”, Sri Bhagavan said,
“Is in your own Self and by me thou art led!”

34

Shiva? What more can we say about Thy story?
Who else possesses such courage and power?
How can we find the strength to endower
Ourselves with such splendid might and glory?
World destruction, which is always so gory
When even Gods fall, might come at any hour,
Ascetics are seized with fear, and glower
At such an end to their lives
and history.
Yet, Thou does revel fearless,
all alone,
In felicity blissfully dance and stamp,
All we can do for our grave sins is to atone,
Seeking the bright light of Thy Jnana lamp.
Pray don’t leave us in our time of great need,
We yearn for grace, mercy and help indeed!

35 ****

Shiva! Thou takes care of all Thy Beings,
For their welfare and spiritual advance,
Intent on good giving; that is Thy stance!
Thou teaches the way of divine seeing,
All pervading, determined on freeing
Devotees from sad samsara’s wild prance,
Stamping, whirling; such is Thy dance ,
All pervading inside and out; ever revealing
Thou art my inmost pure conscious Self,
That I always keep in my sacred heart.
Thou will conquer my vile demonic elf
Before I die, and from life must depart.
Oh Lord Shiva! Majestic King of Kings,
Of your great glory my soul ever sings

36

Entwine me with the cord of
devotion,
Fill me with the sacred waters of
joy,
The shining vessel of monkey mind’s toy.
I whom am a devotee still in motion,
Place two tender leaves as a notion
Of obeisance at Thy feet, never to cloy.
The ripe cocoanut of wisdom will alloy
Me with Thy holy words of fervent emotion.
Purify the house of my bodily frame,
Thus do I perform this most sacred rite,
Occasioning the bounty of Thy Name!
This is the purification of that place,
Preparing me to receive Thy boundless grace!

37

Intelligence is our churning rod,
Firmly attached to ardent devotion.
Those of good heart churn the green-blue ocean
Of scripture, searching for the hidden pod
Of subtle meaning leading them to God;
Gaining from the Moon in ceaseless motion
The wish fulfilling tree, a happy notion
Leading to the cow of plenty, however odd.
The wish yielding magical ruby gem,
The sweet ambrosia of eternal
bliss,
Goddess Parvati’s blessed garment
hem.
All pertain to Her perennial wisdom kiss,
Churning is the essence of Self investigation
Into our True Nature, by hard interrogation.

38

When the clear auspicious silver Moon,
Bearing the figure of the white form deer,
Seen through eastern mountains very near
To twinkling light of stars, so bright in June;
Yet never, ever glimpsed at mid-day noon,
Releasing worlds from darkness and grave fear
Casting her reflection in blue lake so clear.
The churned ocean swells up and very soon,
Living becomes possible for the very good
Diligent in sadhana, intelligent at heart.
We offer ‘ego’ to Lord Shiva as tasty food,
In love and surrender ‘till death do us part.
Then pure Brahman-bliss becomes manifest,
All sins are forgiven, being well confessed.

39

When the merciful Lord of protection,
Who wears a full Moon jewel as his
crest,
Is crowned in the celestial city, to be
blest
As King of my mind-lotus, choice election
To show Dharma is supreme perfection.
Sin is slain! Passions to which I’ve confessed;
Lust, anger, pride, are successfully suppressed.
Happiness rules as my prime predilection!
The golden apples of wisdom and Jnana,
Grow richly ripe, prolifically abundant.
All is due to the profound power of Shiva,
Evil veiling Self, is now made redundant!

40

Almighty King of the whole universe,
With Thy wondrous legends I take my fill.
Subtle intellect is Thy water mill,
Speech is Thy vessel, poetry Thy verse,
Always a blessing and never a curse
That flows through Thy channels up to the sill,
Always auspicious and never for ill;
Feeding crops of devotion like a kind nurse.
How can there be fear of spiritual thirst
When you feed us with the cup of Thy grace?
Thou, all compassionate are truly the
first;
Grant me a glimpse of my original
face!

41

Shiva! Almighty conqueror of death,
I am entreated by my wagging tongue,
Monkey mind, head, feet, hands, eyes, ears, and breath,
Which all participate in action, beneath
Thy rule of Selfhood, of which I’ve sung
As Shiva in my heart. Beneath my lung
On the right side of the chest, in the sheath
Of bliss, compassion and perfect peace.
We climb heaven’s ladder by another rung,
Those instruments of flesh all worship Thee,
Full of praise, imploring their full release
From bitter bondage and onto liberty!
I pray, show me the way again and again
To find my Self, in Her grace always to remain.

42

Lord Shiva! Thou art fond of sturdy forts,
Pray remain in the fortress of my mind,
Whose moats are most magnificent. I find
Its ramparts show the courage of thought
To conquer my sins with which I am wrought.
My royal
armies are equipped with kind
Sensory
gateways far from being blind.
My troops have always bravely fought.
They’re provisioned with the food of Jnana,
And are fully armed and feel complete.
Yet I still wilt in this dungeon of samsara,
Inspite of grace, I their General feel effete.
I beg Thee dear Lord, teach me devotion,
I am drowning in life’s tempestuous ocean.

43

Primeval hunter, dweller in a mountain,
You wander here and there in search of game,
I plead, reside and hunt in me the same.
Within the jungle of my mind’s plantation,
Dwell wild beasts that cause me aggravation!
Such as lechery and desire for fame.
By slaying them, you’ll effectively tame
These disturbances of mental infatuation.
So relish the sport of hunting such wild beasts,
Have the pleasure of a sport well performed,
These creature’s egos are fit game for your feasts,
Their brutality is speedily
reformed.
Lord Shiva, great hunter with Thy
spear of gold,
Stalk these monsters as Thou did in days of old!

44

Deep down in the mountain cave of my heart
Dwells the Great God with different faces five,
Wielding a wild deer in His hand alive.
Thou who has slain the elephant demon! Start
With the tiger devil, bind him in a cart
And drag him through the busy city’s streets
So all may admire Thine astounding feats,
Let all see how well Thou played the hero’s part.
Thou art a great hunter, so where is fear for me?
I have firm faith that you will always slay
Demons that enter my mind and terrorise
My better self which strives each hour and day,
To love, adore and be fit to Self Realise.,
That Self Awareness for which we toil and pray,
To serve the Self, which is Shiva, in every way!

45

Oh proud, preening parrot ego-bird,
Rest always in the nest of the lotus feet
Of
Shiva, where shrewd scholars all compete
To hearken
to his every sagacious word,
Which is eternal, and only truly heard
By those devotees who are fully replete
In Jnana Knowledge, wise and complete;
Shiva’s great teaching is by them preferred.
His soothing words remove all sad sorrow
And shine with the bright light of felicity.
So end stupid wandering off tomorrow,
And enjoy the bliss of His perspicacity.
I am sick and weary of futile pursuit,
I love the truth of Shiva’s wisdom’s fruit.

46

Oh mind, when focused, you’re a regal swan;
Nest in His magic mountain residence,
At Parvati’s feet, where Her sacred incense
Curls up to heaven. Its fragrance falls upon
All who worship Shiva, mighty as the Sun.
Rubies and pearls encrust the golden fence
Which hides the wives of holy saints who sense
The wonder of Shiva, the glorious One.
It’s at His feet that the Sages
prostrate,
Surrendering mind in fear and awe,
Anxious to avert
that terrible fate
Of rebirth in samsara again once more.
All pray and plead for Lord Shiva’s grace,
And catch a glimpse of his auspicious face.

47

In the radiant rose garden of my heart,
In my sunny summertime of meditation,
A hymnal chant I sing in adoration.
The white lilies of devotion impart
Their scent, welcoming an earnest start
To prune the growths of grievous dissipation,
Heralding the task of mental regulation,
Then worship blooms to form a sacred part.
The sweet apple of Self Knowledge and bliss,
Pure Awareness, is a joyful juicy fruit
Sealed with Divine Parvartis’ blessed kiss.
She fulfils the magic of my Self pursuit.
Bold beauty adorns my silent bower of peace
In the ardent arbour of my Soul’s release.

48

In the nest of mind, the best of swans,
Cruise to the calm lake of God
recollection,
A reservoir of infinite satisfaction,
Blossoming with water
lilies, whose Sun
Kissed blooms, welcome the Enlightened One,
Set in the hearts of Saints, making prostration
At Shiva’s feet of supreme domination:
To seek His safe refuge they always run.
His sacred waters will cleanse my sin,
So why pollute myself in muddy pools,
Slaving to the vile desires of stupid fools;
A maddening pastime one can never win.
Better to bathe in Shiva’s Godlike grace
The effects of such folly he will soon efface.

49

May the rose flower of firm devotion
Yield me fruitful hips that I always desire,
A bud well fed by love to which I aspire;
An endless flow of heartfelt emotion,
Deeper and wider than the sea-green ocean.
The rose climbed from Shiva’s feet, I so admire,
Rich with shoots that wind round my inward byre
Of constancy and faithful affirmation.
The crimson blooms cover my
mental porch,
They are without blemish and full of fire,
Any sins and
failing they quickly scorch,
Raising my vile mind from its muddy mire.
Why am I always in such a hurry
Scurrying in mind’s cow sheds of slurry?

50

I praise the Arjuna tree, a linga
At Sri Saila, with white jasmine entwined
On that beautiful mountain, on which we find
Parvati embracing her Great Lord Shiva;
Auspicious, like His teaching of Vedanta.
Around His neck writhing serpents wind,
Yet Shiva is all merciful and most kind,
Are not his sons Ganesha and Skanda?
Eager humming bees gather around,
Buzzing with their truly glorious sound
Of Om, most sacred primordial word,
That this vast universe has ever heard.
All join in chanting Great Lord Shiva’s praise,
He guards and protects us throughout our days.

51

Bhramarambika, all pervading Lord of ease,
The Bee whose hive sits on Sri Saila
hill,
Dancing to the tune of Sage Bhrngin’s will,
Who follows the lead of
the Queen of Bees,
And quelled the pride of a demon, Her to please.
An Elephant which drank rut up to his fill,
He wallowed in the time of spring until,
He willed to stay at rest, at last in peace.
The very memory of this sacred linga,
Bestows on devotees special merit,
For such is the grace of Great Lord Shiva,
That with certain faith they will inherit
The auspicious gift of Brahman Nirvana!
That bee is a friend of the God of love,
And sips sweet nectar from flowers above.

52
Oh Shiva! Lord with peacock blue throat,
I adore Thee! Thou sports snakes to boast
And show me Thy greatness; yet divine love
Is Lord Shiva’s chief virtue! From above
He reigns supreme to pilot our boat
Steering us across life’s ocean afloat
To reach Liberation, free as a dove!
That cosmic peacock has a crest of sky,
Parvati
is his precious pea hen,
His teaching’s the pyre on which false me shall
die,
Om is His primordial sound emblem.

54

I love that peacock blue throated wonder
Whose scintillating dance of prancing feet
In summer’s heat, sends rolls of drumming beats,
Tapped by Vishnu’s rumbling clouds of thunder.
His forked lightning frightens folk asunder,
Clouds shed tears of grace as rain complete;
Uma as Peahen Goddess gets from Her seat,
Such beauty to share, joys without number.
I sing in praise of our sage Lord Shiva
Whom with gracious Uma as his wife,
Upholds the righteous path of Dharma
And ordains the Karma of earthly life.
Such is the power of His divinity
A guide for humanity for all infinity.

55

May my humble obeisance be to Thee
Oh Sambhu, Lord with many matted locks
Thou art the primal cause; Thou scoffs and mocks
At sceptics of Thy great Divinity,
Limitless light
that shines to infinity,
Thou art recognised by red mountain rocks,
Oh
mover of psychic obstacles and blocks.
With Thee in our hearts, we find affinity,
Thou art sole subject of our meditation.
The lesser Gods all praise Thy Holy Name,
In Jnana Knowledge Thou art the summation,
In the hearts of Devotees Thou art the flame.
Thou art the weaver of the veil of Maya,
Skilled dancer of the cosmos, blessed Shiva!

56

Matted haired Shiva! Thou art eternal!
Embodied in the Gunas, qualities three;
Raw activity, dull passivity,
And neutral clarity supernal.
Thou art both paternal and maternal!
The true nature of pure consciousness; free
To create three worlds by Maya magically,
Ending them after each era dies, terminal!
Thou art directly perceived by Sages,
Thou inspires each hallowed Advaitic text,
Thou art the refuge and rock of ages,
Oh Great Lord Shiva what follows next?
Thou art
engaged in prancing a cosmic dance,
Freedom for devotees, is their happy
chance.

57

Lord of all souls, perfect pervading One!
I flatter rich folk in my zest for wealth,
I stuff my belly, bad for mental health,
I wander in vain seeking futile fun,
Avoiding right effort I run and run,
Evading your grace by devious stealth,
I fail to benefit the commonwealth.
All is such vanity under the Sun,
Yet through Thy compassion in spite of all
Sins, through merit earned in a former life,
As my Guru within, you prevent my fall,
Saving me from tense trouble and strife.
I am ever thankful for your protection,
I prostrate to thee in grateful subjection.

58

Oh Great Lord of Souls, dearest dazzling Light
To vanquish my jet black darkness and its shades,
Help me before my ardour fades
Become visible, blaze with all Thy might!
Illuminate me from Thy commanding height.
Aid me before my
ardent ardour fades.
Sense thieves continue brazen burgling raids:
Oh
Great Lord Shiva take pity on my plight!
Thine effulgence exceeds a crore of Suns,
Why then cloud Thy brilliant Self from me?
Destroy base ignorance, make vile demons run
Away; permit my Soul freedom to dwell in Thee.
Pray destroy my egotism and make me whole,
Let Self Realisation be my destined goal!

59

Oh Lord of Souls! Vast all pervading One,
Worthy consort of Parvati divine;
As Cartaka birds always moan and whine
For heavy clouds of rain, which veil the Sun,
And lotus tanks are yearned for by the swan,
And Cakora birds for Moon beams; so I pine
To touch Thy holy lotus feet sublime.
Which will be reached by that path on which we run;
Thy great teaching of the Jnana Marga,
That yields the bliss of sheer perfection.
That’s Thy blessed gift for me, Oh Shiva,
To Thee I surrender humbly in
subjection.
By the fine example of these fabulous birds,
Accept my sonnet’s feelings,
if not their words.

60

A man dragged by the current seeks the shore,
The weary walker, the cool shade of a tree,
The soul afraid of sin finds refuge in Thee.
The steel magnet attracts metallic ore,
The faithful wife to her Lord, flies in awe,
Creepers cling to the tree, that’s strong and free,
The river races to its source the sea;
So I yearn for Thee Lord Shiva, more and more!
Oh mind, reach the Lotus feet of the Lord!
Ever stay there; that is real devotion.
Let restless mind be held by Bhakti’s cord,
To know the bliss of Lord Shiva’s ocean.
Pray bless me with Thy Grace of Constancy,

61

Seeds of Ankola trees stick to the tree,
The one afraid of rain shelters under a roof,
Guests rest with the householder unaloof.
The poor receive from generous charity,
Those fearful of
night will light their lamps brightly,
The cold take warmth from fire; all brings proof
How Thy
protection is beyond reproof,
As these similes illustrate quite rightly.
Oh mind, reach the feet of Shiva with ease,
This will drive away all its needless fear
And gain Thy blessing of blissful peace,
Such is Thy boundless Grace, I hold so dear.
Oh Great Shiva grant me Thy protection,
And relieve me from direst dereliction.

62

As a mother’s devotion guards her child,
The roar of Shiva’s conch, all sin will efface;
By smearing sacred ash upon one’s face
And cladding oneself in purity mild,
Freed from the world, by which soul was defiled.
I’ll be cleansed of guilt without any trace!
Such is the power of Lord Shiva’s grace,
Formidable God so fierce and so wild.
He gives rest in prayer and contemplation,
The mantra of his sacred name will keep
Away thieves which besiege
meditation.
Oh Lord Shiva I plead for just one peep
Of they magnificent effulgent glory,
To end the shame
of my personal story.

63

Kannappars sandals worn out on forest ways,
Became his mark between the eye brows,
Of the blessed body of the Lord of Hours.
The libation of water held in place
In his mouth became a bath of grace
For the Victor of Cities whose powers
Showed how Great Lord Shiva towers
Overall. That huntsman took first place
Of Shiva’s devotees; Kannappar the saint,
Who gave Him an eye so he could rest
In His fair breast, never prone to faint
From weariness or fade away distressed.
Kannappar was His servant beyond compare,
Beloved by Shiva for such Devotion so rare!

64

Oh Sambhu! Kicking at Lord Yama’s chest,
Destroyer of ignorant Apasmara,
Hovering around on Mount Kailasa;
Ruffling the crowns of Gods, at Thy behest
Worn on shaven heads for Thee to
bless.
Such is the task of Thy path of Jnana
But is this proper, I ask Thee, Lord Shiva?
Please wear the
sandals of my mind, confessed.
Oh dear Lord Shiva, I am now convinced,
The fruit of ‘moksha’ is easily reaped
Through Devotion, as Thou has evinced
By the wealth of grace, which Thou hast heaped
On Devotees, struggling for liberation:
Great Shiva frees me from my consternation.

65

Consort of beloved Uma, Goddess of Love,
Nothing’s impossible for Thee, whose mind
Worships Thy illustrious feet. We find
Seeing Thee, Yama flees, afraid of a shove
Which will send him flying high up above.
The lesser Gods all wave their lamps behind
Thee; while the gentle Mukti Bride, so kind,
Embraces them wherever they may rove.
The place of Devotees is above the Gods,
Because of your loving and gracious care,
Although that may appear to be most odd,
It is the experience of all who
dare
To attain deliverance from dread samsara;
Such is Thy greatness my dear Lord Shiva!

66

Oh
Sambhu! Thou creates Thy worlds in play,
Thy inhabitants are Thy sportive game,
Every gracious deed performed in Thy Name,
Is for Thy pleasure alone, the Sages say,
It’s certain, that my deeds everyday,
Are only to exalt Thy righteous fame;
Thy protection is all I rightfully claim,
Oh Lord, for Thy mercy I pray, I pray and pray!
I enquire, what’s the nature of Thy sport?
Is it a game of love or shuttlecock?
My reason tells me in the last resort,
Your aim is to untie my bondage knot
With fingers of compassionate grace,
That one day I may view Thy eternal face.

67

I seek the placid peaceful contemplation
Of Great Lord Shiva, in the joyful land
Of silent auspicious meditation,
Freed from painful mental consternation,
Where I can join that glorious band
Of ardent loving
devotees, and
Rejoice in festive jubilation;
Praising Thee in endless glorification,
Knowing Thou holds us in
Thy gracious hand.
We enjoy the tears and precious thrills
Engendered by many heartfelt delights
Which protect us from all bodily ills,
As Thou leads us from darkness into light.
Reciting Thy Name is a fruitful field
To force ego’s surrender and to Thee yield!

68

Oh Lord of Souls; Oh compassionate One!
Protect this beauteous cow of mine, Devotion.
From Thy luscious grass, she strays in motion;
Make her yield the delight, second to none,
Milk of Jnana, the best beneath the Sun.
Pardon her ignorant arrogation,
Loving the ‘I am the body’ notion,
Lead her to Thy feet when all is said and done,
Devotion is the precious fruit of deeds
Well performed in an earlier life;
On her merit my cow earnestly feeds,
Free her from all trouble, sorrow and strife.
Let me churn
her good milk of devotion,
To the cream of Jnana, a potent potion!

69

I’m not inert like some slovenly
sloth,
Nor impure like some smelling cess pool drain,
Nor am I crooked like a burglar’s brain,
Even if I be either, none, all or both,
Oh Great Lord Shiva I’m indeed loath
To claim, “am I not fit just the same,
To always worship Thy sacred name
And serve Thee as an ornamental broach?
Oh Lord Shiva Thou sport a crescent moon;
In spite of all my defects great and small,
Your everlasting mercy, will surely soon
Regard my sins as nothing much at all.
Thou art all compassion, beyond compare,
In Thy bountiful largesse, I wish to share!

70

Whether in the open, beneath the sky,
Or in the cloister of my closeted room,
Thou art easy to live with: bye and bye
Thou shall save me from false sense of ‘me’ and ‘my’.
You weave time with space, on Thy cosmic
loom,
And create a world of illusion, soon
To be destroyed, when only Thou knows why,
When this insentient body will end and
die.
But Thy merciful grace will avert such doom,
For your devotees brought to Realisation
Who practice Self Enquiry and Surrender
Finally reach enlightened liberation,
And to Thee their roasted ego’s render.
Oh dear Lord Shiva, Thou art beyond all praise,
Thou brings supreme joy, into mournful days!

71
Great Lord Shiva’s unfailing sharp arrows,
Fixed to the bow of deepest meditation,
Bent with the string of firmest devotion;
For devotees with purified mind, He throws
Enemy sinners some powerful blows:
Gaining the balm of a soothing lotion,
Death of the ‘I am the body notion’,
Lord Shiva knows, he knows, he surely knows!
We are urged to be like skilful archers
And strike target-ego’s black bull’s eye;
Then like resolute and doughty marchers,
We
reach the goal of moksha before we die.
Gain a good bowman’s skilled ability,
Shiva grants the gift of great
stability!

72

There are many friends who have gained their end
And reached they beloved holy lotus feet;
Even for Gods they’re the safest retreat.
They wear serpents as ornaments and bend
Their knees in obeisance to Thee, to fend
Off demonic tendencies they may meet
On their way to Self Realisation so complete.
Oh Shiva, to Thee my love I now do send.,
We find clear vision through Thy ointment
Of meditation, breaking through the black
Dark Ignorance,and make an appointment
With Thee, to remedy all that I lack
In virtue, grace, knowledge and devotion
For Thee; who steers my craft across life’s ocean!

73

Oh good mind! learn to love the lotus feet
Of Supreme Lord Shiva; field for the growth
Of that medicinal herb, which is both
Release and blissful happiness
complete;
Desired by all who aren’t weak or effete.
Oh Lord Shiva, I have sworn a mighty oath
To obey Thy
gracious rule, and ever clothe
Thee in praise. These poems attempt this feat!
How can I ever thank Thee for such Grace,
Bestowed on one, unmerited and bad;
But that single glance from Thine effulgent face,
Has made me ever grateful and so glad!
I salute Thee, magnificent Lord Shiva,
Who’s willed to help and save this poor Jiva!

74

May the lotus feet of the Lord who sent,
Virtues that are north, south, east and west
Of space, make my Heart’s sacred casket,
Perfumed by that powerful God-like scent,
That overwhelms the bad smell of nescience:
Desire, greed, delusion, lust and the rest
Of those sins, which undermine the best
Virtues of heaven that for Man are meant.
Pilgrim advancing on the mountain trail
Passed a wayside flower, a bramble rose,
He bowed and breathed
its fragrance; without fail
It cleansed his polluted mind of all those
Vile impurities which besmirched his
state;
He thanked the Lord for such a blessed fate.

75
Oh great destroyer of passionate lust,
Commander of all the different worlds
Into which the suffering soul is hurled,
Rider of the Bull kicking up the dust,
Restrain my mental horse as Thou must!
Which is auspicious and is well impearled
Without blemish like a summer rose unfurled.
A skilled rider mounted the steed of my mind,
And rode him swiftly to salvation’s goal.
There, deep silence in the heart did find,
He saved that poor perverted erring soul.
All praise great Lord Shiva rider of the bull
All is perfection in his sight, all is full.

76

Devotion’s like a cloud sailing in the sky,
An image of the all powerful Lord,
Who showers love and bliss with every word,
Removing from the mind all wail and cry;
A
lake whose mind is filled, bye and bye,
With a white swan, a celestial bird,
Whose song of adoration shall be
heard
By the ears of almighty God on high.
By devotion the whole crop of life is reaped,
Harvested by toilers in the field of life;
The rain of grace, into the soil has seeped,
The overwhelming flood of love is rife,
On which the raft of liberation floats;
The hymn of victory issues from our throats.

77

Like a husband separated from his wife,
The mind attached to His petalled lotus feet,
Constantly remembers in to be complete
In firmness, grasping for his dearest life,
Walking the razor’s edge, sharp as a knife,
Charmed by His Mantra which he does repeat,
Om namah shivaya to a rhythmic beat,
His heart swells with devotional praise so rife.
Like a priest chanting sacred hymns of praise,
He meditates on good and noble thought,
Fond memories, sights and sounds, all his
days,
And the famous stories he has been taught.
Lord Shiva is great in every way,
We think on his glories
throughout each day.

78
I pray Lord Shiva every night and day,
Uplift this turgid intellect of mine,
As one would dress a bride in all that’s fine.
Endow her with excellence in such a way,
That brings it to noble service, and a ray
That makes the light of true humility shine
Bright, warm, compassionate and sublime,
Fostering Good as its aim in life’s great play.
At a wedding the pure chaste minded bride,
Swears her allegiance to the husband in love;
So can intellect wed the Self to confide
In the God of power inside and above.
This is the mystical marriage of the Sage,
That maintains world righteousness for this age.

79

Oh Shiva! Thy rosey feet ever gently tread
On the pink lotus petals of Thy lover’s minds;
But Thou kicked at the hard chest-door of
dread
Yama, Lord of Death, who strikes each heart and head,,
In this dream of the weary deaf and blind.
My mind ponders on
Thy ways, yet to find
An answer to which my errant soul be led.
Bring Thy feet within my sight, and unwind
Thy maze, before alas I too must die,
And be born once more in wretched ignorance,
To fight again in this vale of tears to sigh.
I pray, before I leave, grant another chance
To take hold of your precious blessed feet,
When Self Realised, I shall be complete!

80

"This soul's to be reborn, his mind is hard;
On his egotism I have need to dance,
On his vasanas I shall stamp and prance"!
Thinking how to protect me and safeguard,
You trampled on my ego's house of cards,
As inside your house divine where chances
Are secure, you blest me with your glances,
Oh Great Lord Shiva you're the King of Bards!

Shiva chose a fine mountain high in sky
So his lotus
feet would harden well,
Then his dance on hard minds of those who lie
Prostrate at his feet will be saved from hell.
That's his
promise and ever boundless grace
To all those who yearn to glimpse his sacred face.


81

Consort of beautiful Uma Divine,
While worshiping your sweet, soft lotus feet
Offering obeisance ever complete,,
Sometimes in deep meditation I pine,
Immersed in concentration ever sublime,
Reflecting on your deeds when you defeat
My demons of mind that are so replete.

Mature Devotion leads to Liberation,
It's meant to be enjoyed, here and now;
Surrendered minds reach Self Realisation,
Lord Shiva's guidance does tell us how.
The mind binds soul and the same mind frees,
For mind bonded to Shiva, Self surely sees!

82

Consort of Devi! Hari took many forms,
That of an arrow, bull, a wife, a boar,
A friend beating a drum as you dance! for
He
offered you an eye, beyond all norms
Of sacrifice, braving grave earthly storms.
That one who's part of your body's core,
Who can
excell him, for ever more?
Visnu, the Great God sure to perform

He took the shape of ravishing Mohini,
She gave to the Gods sweet ambrosia,
Destroying demons like a strong Yogini,
Ever to help you, oh Great Lord Shiva!
Hari is beyond doubt nearest to Hara,
Combining to free us from sad samsara!

83

In praising Gods who're slaves to death and birth,
There's no happiness or everlasting bliss.
Parvati's Lord, who's crowned by her kiss,
Has no birth, and is of eternal worth.
We're blest and never suffer any dearth
Of boundless Grace, or shall ever miss
Chance of Realisation, or be amiss
From joy,warmed by fire from Shiva's hearth.

There's no point in praising minor Godlings,
They cannot help in gaining our final goal
Of Liberation. Let us combine
in singing
The praises of He who'll make us whole!
Lord Shiva is our God who reigns Supreme,
He'll wake us up from life's
tormenting dream.

84

Oh Shiva, Bhava, friend of all the worlds,
Deep blue ocean of sat chit ananda,
Your sons were Great Ganesha and Lord Skanda.
Oh compasionate one whose love unfurled
Worlds, before into destruction they were hurled.
To be with Gauri engaged in sadhana,
I offer my mind steeped in samasara,
No more in birth or death shall I be whirled.

This errant daughter Mind I dedicate
To your service oh my dearest Lord,
Let her be with Parvati and replicate
Her Love for you, a boundless cord
Of Devotion, ever more to dwell with you
Oh Lord Shiva my God, who is ever true.,

85

Oh crescent crested jewel of the Moon,
I'm unskilled in deep blue ocean churning,
My love for you is a fire ever burning,
I pray that you'll reward my efforts
soon,
As towards my Self I'm ever turning.
For you dearest Lord I'm always yearning,
Make me dance and stamp to your wildest
tune,
Grant me Liberation, your greatest boon!

I'm not a hunter skilled in killing game,
How can I offer gifts to you in praise,
When I bow to worship your sacred Name?
What shall I give you when I try to raise
Adornments for your holy neck to wear?
Ego's the gift you wish to really bear.

86

Oh consort of Parvati, Uma divine,
All things for puja are well gathered up,
But how shall I perform worship sublime?
I haven't gained the state of even a pup.
Such attainment is very hard to meet,
Oh all pervading glorious One,
I don't see thy crown or lotus feet,
Even by Brahm or Vishnu they weren't won.
So how am I to worship thee my Lord?
The God ansered with a mighty roar,
Give love devotion and care my child,
Approach me humbly, truly meek and
mild,
THat is all I can say, and what is more,
Dive deep inside and you can open my door!

87

Oh beloved Sambu, Shiva-ji- my
Lord,
The food you devour is worlds poison vile,
Your ornament is a wild serpent, while
For transport you ride a bullock abroad.
May you ever grace and grant us to afford,
Liberation from this rank earthly pile
Of trouble;surely that's not your blessed style?
Slay my vile ego with your mighty sword!

Grant me devotion to thy soft lotus feet,
This is my praise not meant as any blame,
That's all I need, to make life my complete,
Save me from all hypocrisy and shame,
May my ego be fine food as a special treat,
Roast it well so its tasty and so sweet!

88

Oh mighty Lord Shiva my undying love,
It's only when I become like Lord Rama,
Or He who pressed down a mount, Agastya,
That I'll be able to worship thee above,
Lord Shiva sweeter than a turtle
dove,
Exceeding even white lotus born Brahma,
Or in modern times like great Sri Ramana,
Whom on Arunachala loved to rove.

It's not
possible for me to worship Thee,
To do so I must be like one of these,
Then I'd be fit to praise Ye and then be,
Worthy My Lord, and Thou able to please.
Thou the greatest God reigning above,
I surrender at Thy feet with all my love!

89


































THE FLOOD OF SHIVA BLISS

1
May this, my most humble submission be,
To that one great auspicious Deity;
Great Lord Shiva of everlasting fame,
Quintessence of all Jnana is His Name!
He sports on His crown, a silver crescent moon,
Ornament for Uma, such a beauteous boon,
The ripe fruit of harsh severe penitence,
Bestowing His bounteous beneficence.
He wills all devotees to be ever blessed,
And enjoy full noble lives of happiness.
He always appears in the surrendered heart,
Once glimpsed His presence never departs.
He showers all three worlds with perfect love,
A merciful blessing, mighty Grace from above.
2
Victory to the powers of Great Lord Shiva!
Which flow from the blessings of His kind
Removal of sorrow from
my
mundane mind;
He frees me from great grief of samsara
To know soul’s lagoon flooded by Nirvana.
Such awakening from hypnotic sleep we find
Are streams that cleanse the soul, they wind
Through dense mud and mire of false ajnana.
They cause destruction of pain and sorrow,
We live in the present, no fear for tomorrow.
We thank Shiva with all our might and main,
Chanting His praises for sacred is His Name.
We read the miracles of His great life story,
And bathe in the light of His effulgent glory.



3*
I worship Lord Shiva with all of my heart,
Unknowable through the Vedas! For a start
He destroyed those tyrannical cities three,
Made of iron, silver and gold; to set free
Causal and subtle bodies. Veda His bow,
Agni His barb, Vishnu His well honed arrow;
His feather, the dreaded Lord Yama,
His faithful charioteer, Great God Brahma.
He’s primordial, sighted by
three
eyes,
He’s majestic and profoundly wise.
His hair’s a profusion of matted locks;
He wears a necklace of snakes, carved from the rocks.
Gracious to every ardent devotee,
He’s the God of souls, Lord of Divinity,
Self of Absolute Consciousness so pure.
With fair Parvati He shall always endure,
To control His three worlds, sagely and sure.

4
Myriads of Gods hold sway over the world,
And grant the prayers of the immature:
Even in dreams at night, I pray to be pure:
To my poor soul, high wisdom He’s unfurled.
What I yearn for, is that He will insure
The worship of His lotus feet, to lure
My mind from grave sin, by senses hurled.
This steady worship of His lotus feet
Is not easy, even for those sitting near
Him, with hearts full of love complete,
Having firm faith and freedom from fear,
Yet fickle mind feels feeble and effete.
It was difficult for Vishnu and Lord
Brahma,
Even,
Sita, Hanuman, and great Prince Rama.

5
I’m not well versed in legalistic codes,
Nor in learned philosophic tomes,
From sciences, my mind always roams.
Neither in art of music and poetic odes,
Nor reading texts, burdened by heavy loads,
Do I ever feel comfortably at home.
I please Kings no more than an impish gnome,
I’m as little use as a sweeper of roads.
Save this wretched soul through Thy mighty grace!
Omniscient, greatly famed, Oh Holy One,
I pray to see my own original face,
Resplendent as Thy bright effulgent Sun.
Only Thee Lord Shiva can save my errant soul,
To know my own Real Self and make me whole!

6
Whether it be a pot or heavy lump of clay,
Or the microcosmic atom in my breath,
Whether it be smoke, fire or mountain way,
Will any serve as a cure for painful death?
I‘m only blocking love by logic chopping,
I must bow to praise great Lord
Shiva’s feet,
But
monkey mind keeps dropping off, hopping,
Instead of abiding in His bliss replete.
The heavy means of reason and causation,
Will never take me to Self Realisation,
Instead they lead to endless frustration,
A kind of morbid mental peturbation.
I must take refuge in Lord Shiva’s grace
Inside my heart, True Saviour of the race.

7

Let me rest at your feet, my Lord Supreme,
Soft as the beautiful blue lotus flower.
Let my speech, with all its might and power,
Be prayer to awaken, from life’s sad dream,
And constantly illuminate my inner scene.
Then uttering your praise, I’ll never cower
With fear, or lose the faith, by which Thou endower
My soul by light from Thine effulgent gleam.
Let my palms be clasped, in worship of Thee,
My hearing tuned to the words of Thy story,
My mind in meditation and ever free,
My eyes resting on Thy formless glory.
So through
which other senses, will I
learn
To become worthy, and Thy grace to earn?

8

Oh Great God Shiva, Lord of many Souls,
As one thinks nacre, looks like silver in a shell,
Or water mixed with flour, looks like milk as well,
A glass bead bauble appears as a crystal bowl,
A mirage we think is just a watering hole;
So the fool, destined for yet another hell,
Worships other than what is Thee; the spell
Of Maya that deceives, Oh Lord of the Whole!
The rope we perceive is a venomous snake,
And the stone dog we imagine to be real.
We mistake a man for a scarecrow’s stake,
And what we touch seems solid when we feel.
The mind is under a constant delusion,
Save us Lord Shiva from such illusion!

9

Lord of Aruna! One swims in a deep tank,
Walks in a fearful, empty jungle wood,
Climbs a mountain peak where fresh air is good,
Pick pretty posies by a river bank,
That fool doesnt know
how to give Thee thanks!
All one needs to do as one truly should,
To worship Thy lotus feet to be understood.
You do not need to be decked with flowers,
You're already the beautifully sublime,
These outer forms waste many precious hours;
The true sacrifice which is really prime,
Is to offer one’s mind to the Self in the heart,
That’s all Shiva asks, from the very start!

10

Let there be birth as a human being,
Or a God in some ethereal sphere,
A high mountain where the clouds float near,
Or forest fox from huntsmen ever fleeing,
Or mosquito blood juice always stealing.
Cow, whose lush green grass is ever dear,
Worm, who through mud does craftily steer,
Or bird who through azure sky flies wheeling.
What is this compared to sporting in bliss
From great Lord Shiva’s benefaction?
Receiving the grace of sweet Parvati’s kiss,
All for poor jiva’s endless satisfaction.
If we
offer
our mind, each night and morn,
Does it matter into which body we’re reborn?

11

Let me be a student, humble as can be,
Or the proud house holder of a home,
An ascetic, plastic as a garden gnome,
Or any other form, as it pleases Thee.
What use is this on the path to liberty?
Oh Sambhu, when the Heart- lotus is Thine
I become yours, no longer ‘me’ or ‘mine’;
One’s burden of life is Thy responsibility.
Whether I dwell in town or mountain cave,
My mind will always wander with me;
The solution Lord Shiva gives to save
And rest at peace, to be eternally free,
Is to surrender ego mind to my own dear Self,
And slay that demonic self-centred elf.

12

Let one live in damp jungle or in fire,
Or on Himalayan mountain peak,
Or whatever place a man may seek.
In a palace, to which great Kings aspire,
Or fabled lands of which the pilgrims speak
Of Vedic Indian, or
Platonic
Greek;
Of endless speculation we soon tire.
Of what use is such wasteful living?
Instead prostrate at mighty Shiva’s feet,
Endlessly renouncing, and freely giving
Back our minds in full surrender complete.
That’s the only way to make us content,
Ego’s false ignorance we need to relent.

13

Oh Saviour of wretched afflicted souls,
It is Thy duty to protect and guard me,
Thou whom art all compassion and mercy:
I’m blind, roasted over life’s blazing coals,
I boast, foolishly hosting madcap goals,
Who’s the weakest in mental strength Thou sees?
Pray grant me safe refuge and set me free!
Like a poor dove trapped in a gilded cage,
My soul pines to fly and roost at Thy feet;
Remove all my sins of anger and rage,
Help me renounce foul mind and rest complete.
Who’s a better expert in the saving grace?
Lead me to the vision of my original face.

14

Oh Lord
of Souls!
art Thou not also Lord
And firm friend of the impoverished poor?
In earnest we pray, open wide Thy door
To the music of that merciful chord,
Which Thou can graciously well afford,
To heal our wounded hearts, so sore.
Aid us in practice to move closer toward
Thy Lotus feet and then walk on forward,
To Realisation of the Self for ever more.
All my sins should be forgiven by Thee,
This is the true duty of a loving father,
Willing to help his child, strive for liberty!
Or grant me protection, and play Thy part
Against those thieves, breaking into my Heart.

15

Lord, as Thou are not indifferent to my lot,
Why not destroy that grave decree of fate,
Before death comes, and alas it is too late,
That which makes me wilt. Hast Thou forgot
That unless you save me, there’s a vile plot
Of desires set to invade me? pray don’t forsake,
Your child before I reach Lord Yama’s
Gate,
And you’ve failed to sever my ganglion knot.
If you’re powerless, how was Taraka's head,
Which cannot be plucked by a finger nail,
Cut by Thee as Skanda with nail tip instead?
I pray, Great Ramana, please don’t fail.
Your child who tries so hard in this barren place,
Lies powerless without thy boundless grace!

16
Oh Shiva, purest one, may Brahma live long!
Protect and guard his remaining four heads,
He’s ordained the poverty to which I’m led
In this false dream world of right and wrong.
What fear is left for me when I sing this song
And Thy gaze of love, to me has said,
“Have faith, in me , my child, you do belong?
A son is lost and from home does stray,
His father looks for him every where,
Then on one marvellous miraculous day
He’s found and delivered safely there,
Back to his land at blissful peace at last,
Clasped in Lord Shiva’s arms, tight
and
fast.

17

Oh Master, whom art all pervading,
Either because of my merited deeds,
Or through compassion for my earthly needs;
Thou art immanently present, invading
Each fibre of my soul, not evading
But helping me, when my sad heart bleeds;
For you’ve truly sown salvation’s seeds
The fruits of which are now parading.
How am I to reach Thy sweet lotus feet?
The whole galaxy of Gods press forward
In their eagerness to respect and greet
Thy gracious Self, paying obeisance toward
Thee, with the splendour of Thy golden crown,
Preventing poor me alas, from bending down.

18

Oh Shiva! Thou art the boon giver supreme,
Vishnu and the lesser Gods call upon Thee,
They hold their place through Thy generosity;
How great is Thy grace, and yet we scheme
With increased desires in this crazy dream.
When will you destroy pernicious petty ‘me’,
Through thy gaze of
peaceful
clemency?
From your dazzling light cast me a single beam.
The Gods pray for you to uphold their gains,
Blessed benefactor of all sentient Beings,
Strengthen and fasten my slack mental reins,
Unite see-er, and seen with all my seeings.
I depend on Thee Lord Shiva for Thy grace,
Accept me, and my false ego pray efface.

19

Is it to benefit great Great Lord Brahma
That you won’t remove my anguish and pain?
Full of despicable desires and shame,
This endless suffering in dark samsara
Even leads to the doors of some crooked Rajah,
An endless storm of troubles, all in vain,
Without virtue, for my poor soul to gain.
Oh what a wretched wicked palaver!
Inform me, oh great Lord Shiva, I pray
If all this grief is only for Thy pleasure,
We shall be gracefully blessed, I say.
I beg for justice as you shall measure,
None of the dark decrees of fate for ill,
Have any true validity
before Thy
will.

20

Oh Shiva, with bare skull as begging bowl,
Thou art an all pervading, mendicant!
My mind roams the desert of discontent,
Dances on the breast hills of female souls,
Leaps wildly on many mad strange goals,
Branch to branch, where desire will soon torment.
Inconstant is this monkey mind Thou sent
To fight against, and learn firm sense control.
Taking this mind as an offering of alms,
Bind it tightly with Thy cord of devotion,
And tie it well, beneath your loving arms,
As I sail across life’s stormy ocean.
Lord Shiva save me from the terror of my mind!
Thou art the Truest Guru I could ever find!

21

Oh, Slayer of Demons, like Manmatha,
Thou art worshiped by divine devotees.
All pervading One, please enter with these,
And Thy Goddess consort, beauteous Uma,
Into the bright tent of my mental maya,
That boasts free will; a central pole to seize
The
ropes of heroic
virtues that please,
And can be eased through this dread samsara.
That shining tent is multi toned and hued,
Painted with lotuses, pink, blue and white,
They glow like beacons in the black of night,
Moved daily through highways, and imbued
With prayer for Thy great victory, Jai!
That enlivens me throughout my day.

22
Oh Shankara! Oh skilful master thief!,
Magnificent ever pervading One!
This arch villain of my mind speeds along,
Having fallen prey, beyond all belief,
To amassing great wealth without relief
From greedy desire , committing much wrong,
Rifling homes, to which the rich belong.
All this crime causes me remorse and grief.
How can I bear this unscrupulous knave?
Having brought him under Thy firm control,
Grant me thy Grace, my impure soul pray save,
Oh blessed Lord, please make me Thine, and Whole!
Accept that I my pure Self is innocent,
Oh merciful Lord
Shiva, I repent,
repent!

23
Ever all-pervading One, oh Shankara!
I perform Thy worship, pray grant poor me,
Realisation now, immediately!
Should Thou grant me the throne of Lord Brahma,
Or God Vishnu as fruit of my Puja,
I would bear more pain of taking the body
Of bird or beast, for sake of being free
And bathing in bliss of blest Nirvana.
How can I bear this agony and pain,
My auspicious beloved Guru Lord?
I beg you over and over again,
With all the strength and might I can afford,
Save me, immortal Shiva, I pray, I pray!
I love you like my own dear Self, every way.

24

When will I dwell in Kailasa, Thy home?
In Thy hall of emeralds, rubies and gold,
Where precious pearls and jewels unfold,
In the company of Thy votaries who roam
With Thee dear Sambhu, beneath Thy sapphire dome,
Who art auspicious wisdom born of old.
My hands I fold, raised on my head, so bold
I
salute Thee noble one
with this poem.
Oh protect me Lord Shiva, God Supreme,
Let me spend happiness in aeons of time
As if they were seconds, then it would seem
All would be bliss beneath your protection,
So cleanse me, grant me Thy rod of correction.

25

Oh Great Shiva, when shall I behold Thee,
Who boasts a throat of precious peacock blue,
A body that’s embraced by Uma too.
You hold in your hand a cutting axe, so free
To chop down demon ego’s creeping tree.
You own a deer, seated on the mighty thew
Of a powerful Bull so very loyal to You,
And Thy faithful sadhus cry out, hail, hail!
And the wicked demons all fail and wail.
Thy divine attendants dance all around,
Stamping on cosmic time, never to fail
To sanctify Mount Kailasa’s sacred ground.
Oh great Lord Shiva, what more can one say,
I love you more and more every day!

26

Oh dweller on a sacred mountain
high,
Beholding Thee and
falling at Thy feet,
Pressing them against my head, I am replete
With love for Thee; I wish my ego so to die
Fully surrendered in obeisance to Thy
Holy will, which I once again entreat.
My perverted mind, pray now defeat.
Free me from wilful weeping and mournful cry!
I wish to enjoy that heavenly bliss
Which does not even come to Brahma;
Seal my lips with Parvati’s fragrant kiss,
So I can breath the perfume and aroma
From her blue full blown lotus flowers,
And bathe in blessed grace throughout all hours.

27

Lord Shiva, Mountain Dweller is Thy name,
When gold Mount Meru is in Thy hands as bow,
When Lord of wealth Kubera, of great fame
Stays near Thee as they slave, it is the same
As when the heavenly trees bow down low
And cow Nandini kneels in obesaince, so
I wish granting gems on Thy head to glow,
Rubies, pearls, sapphires, diamonds so
bright,
Topaz, garnet, all reflecting Thy
light,
When at Thy feet in worship, all devotees came,
Full of devotion their sacred souls complete.
What tribute can I hand Thee, mighty Lord?
May my mind be surrendered at thy feet,
I give you all the love I can afford.
May my heart and mind be always sworn to Thee,
Oh mighty Lord who swears to set me free!

28

Shiva! beautiful Parvati’s faithful consor,
Adores Thee, yet same and equal is Her form,
Near Thee, as chanting praises, is Her norm,
She shares Thy mountain home, takes careful thought,
In satsang with devotees who’ve bravely fought
The hard war with ego-mind and have worn
Thy breast plate of Sadhana, no longer forlorn,
Filled with love and devotion as they ought.
They meditate on Thy auspicious Name,
Comprising all sentient, conscious Beings,
Moving and still, while disdainful of fame,
Uniting all seers, scenes and their
seeings.
Here, indeed my Master I’ve reached
my end,
With thanks, I bow before Thee, prostrate and bend.

29
All pervading One, I worship at Thy feet,
Sacred and holy as the lotus blue,
I meditate on Thee by day all through;
I take refuge in Thee, that art my Lord complete.
Oh holy Sambhu! blessed Paraclete,
With power of words I pray to Thee, so true,
Cast Thy mighty glance of grace on me too.
That gaze which even Gods pray they shall meet.
Instruct my mind and make it ever cling to Thee,
Make me worthy of Thy beneficial Grace,
I prostrate myself, and fall to bend my knee,
Grant me the glory of the vision of Thy face!
Instruct in happy peace my wayward mind,
Thou art the greatest God one could ever find!

30

Oh Shiva, the One, who sports the new Moon
As Thy crest jewel! Oh Lord of all souls,
O Master Guru of three worldly wholes;
If there be in my Self, light of the
Sun, soon
By its thousand beams I
will dress you in tunes
Of song, decked by flowers in golden bowls,
That I may render Thee worship as my goal.
Like Visnu, Vayu, Agni, Indra, with their boons.
I shall offer to you as tasty fitting food
My ego, well cooked in the blazing fire
Of Thy Jnana, well spiced by my gratitude;
To this consummation, I ardently aspire.
Thou art infinity, I can only praise Thee
Rising to the height of Gods in liberty.

31

Oh Shiva! Is not this single supreme deed
Of aid enough to praise Thy compassion?
Residing inside Thy mountain mansion,
With a view to protecting Thy Beings’ seed
Moving and unmoving, yet conscious indeed.
In Thy throat Thou swallows in Thy fashion,
That fearful poison of unbridled passion,
And save us from our sins of lust and greed.
Thus Thy throat is tinted bright peacock blue,
As a sign to all Thy children young and
old,
That thy mercy extends to all that Thou
do.
This is Thy sworn promise, so we are told,
To save earnest devotees when ripe, in time.
Oh mighty Shiva, Thy compassion is sublime!

32

Sambhu! how did vile poison catch alight,
Causing fear to all the Gods known by Thee?
How was it borne in thy palm so craftily?
Like a ripe, red rose apple; a wondrous sight
Which thrills, blushing like dawn, after darkest night?
Or like a strong medicine used skilfully
By Siddhas? was it held mightily tight
In Thy throat? Was it a gem, blue and bright
As the sapphire sky, our dome of beauty?
Tell me my Loved One! The ways of your duty
Surpasses my mortal understanding.
So my Lord, I am humbly demanding,
Please tell me Sambhu if it’s really true,
World poison stained your throat, a vibrant peacock blue?

33

Oh my Master! Is it not sufficient
For folk to serve Thee withou frustration,
By chanting praise and making prostration,
Worship, meditation, are all most efficient,
Self Enquiry, surrender, are they not sufficient?
Hearing your story with horripilation,
Having sight of Thee in my imagination;
How is release possible for one so nescient?
What’s the use of following gods who are all
Impermanent? and to whom should we pray?
With all my hear, Lord Ramana hear my call,
I yearn for Thy blessed Grace every day!
“The answer my friend”, Sri Bhagavan said,
“Is in your own Self and by me thou art led!”

34

Shiva? What more can we say about Thy story?
Who else possesses such courage and power?
How can we find the strength to endower
Ourselves with such splendid might and glory?
World destruction, which is always so gory
When even Gods fall, might come at any hour,
Ascetics are seized with fear, and glower
At such an end to their lives
and history.
Yet, Thou does revel fearless,
all alone,
In felicity blissfully dance and stamp,
All we can do for our grave sins is to atone,
Seeking the bright light of Thy Jnana lamp.
Pray don’t leave us in our time of great need,
We yearn for grace, mercy and help indeed!

35 ****

Shiva! Thou takes care of all Thy Beings,
For their welfare and spiritual advance,
Intent on good giving; that is Thy stance!
Thou teaches the way of divine seeing,
All pervading, determined on freeing
Devotees from sad samsara’s wild prance,
Stamping, whirling; such is Thy dance ,
All pervading inside and out; ever revealing
Thou art my inmost pure conscious Self,
That I always keep in my sacred heart.
Thou will conquer my vile demonic elf
Before I die, and from life must depart.
Oh Lord Shiva! Majestic King of Kings,
Of your great glory my soul ever sings

36

Entwine me with the cord of
devotion,
Fill me with the sacred waters of
joy,
The shining vessel of monkey mind’s toy.
I whom am a devotee still in motion,
Place two tender leaves as a notion
Of obeisance at Thy feet, never to cloy.
The ripe cocoanut of wisdom will alloy
Me with Thy holy words of fervent emotion.
Purify the house of my bodily frame,
Thus do I perform this most sacred rite,
Occasioning the bounty of Thy Name!
This is the purification of that place,
Preparing me to receive Thy boundless grace!

37

Intelligence is our churning rod,
Firmly attached to ardent devotion.
Those of good heart churn the green-blue ocean
Of scripture, searching for the hidden pod
Of subtle meaning leading them to God;
Gaining from the Moon in ceaseless motion
The wish fulfilling tree, a happy notion
Leading to the cow of plenty, however odd.
The wish yielding magical ruby gem,
The sweet ambrosia of eternal
bliss,
Goddess Parvati’s blessed garment
hem.
All pertain to Her perennial wisdom kiss,
Churning is the essence of Self investigation
Into our True Nature, by hard interrogation.

38

When the clear auspicious silver Moon,
Bearing the figure of the white form deer,
Seen through eastern mountains very near
To twinkling light of stars, so bright in June;
Yet never, ever glimpsed at mid-day noon,
Releasing worlds from darkness and grave fear
Casting her reflection in blue lake so clear.
The churned ocean swells up and very soon,
Living becomes possible for the very good
Diligent in sadhana, intelligent at heart.
We offer ‘ego’ to Lord Shiva as tasty food,
In love and surrender ‘till death do us part.
Then pure Brahman-bliss becomes manifest,
All sins are forgiven, being well confessed.

39

When the merciful Lord of protection,
Who wears a full Moon jewel as his
crest,
Is crowned in the celestial city, to be
blest
As King of my mind-lotus, choice election
To show Dharma is supreme perfection.
Sin is slain! Passions to which I’ve confessed;
Lust, anger, pride, are successfully suppressed.
Happiness rules as my prime predilection!
The golden apples of wisdom and Jnana,
Grow richly ripe, prolifically abundant.
All is due to the profound power of Shiva,
Evil veiling Self, is now made redundant!

40

Almighty King of the whole universe,
With Thy wondrous legends I take my fill.
Subtle intellect is Thy water mill,
Speech is Thy vessel, poetry Thy verse,
Always a blessing and never a curse
That flows through Thy channels up to the sill,
Always auspicious and never for ill;
Feeding crops of devotion like a kind nurse.
How can there be fear of spiritual thirst
When you feed us with the cup of Thy grace?
Thou, all compassionate are truly the
first;
Grant me a glimpse of my original
face!

41

Shiva! Almighty conqueror of death,
I am entreated by my wagging tongue,
Monkey mind, head, feet, hands, eyes, ears, and breath,
Which all participate in action, beneath
Thy rule of Selfhood, of which I’ve sung
As Shiva in my heart. Beneath my lung
On the right side of the chest, in the sheath
Of bliss, compassion and perfect peace.
We climb heaven’s ladder by another rung,
Those instruments of flesh all worship Thee,
Full of praise, imploring their full release
From bitter bondage and onto liberty!
I pray, show me the way again and again
To find my Self, in Her grace always to remain.

42

Lord Shiva! Thou art fond of sturdy forts,
Pray remain in the fortress of my mind,
Whose moats are most magnificent. I find
Its ramparts show the courage of thought
To conquer my sins with which I am wrought.
My royal
armies are equipped with kind
Sensory
gateways far from being blind.
My troops have always bravely fought.
They’re provisioned with the food of Jnana,
And are fully armed and feel complete.
Yet I still wilt in this dungeon of samsara,
Inspite of grace, I their General feel effete.
I beg Thee dear Lord, teach me devotion,
I am drowning in life’s tempestuous ocean.

43

Primeval hunter, dweller in a mountain,
You wander here and there in search of game,
I plead, reside and hunt in me the same.
Within the jungle of my mind’s plantation,
Dwell wild beasts that cause me aggravation!
Such as lechery and desire for fame.
By slaying them, you’ll effectively tame
These disturbances of mental infatuation.
So relish the sport of hunting such wild beasts,
Have the pleasure of a sport well performed,
These creature’s egos are fit game for your feasts,
Their brutality is speedily
reformed.
Lord Shiva, great hunter with Thy
spear of gold,
Stalk these monsters as Thou did in days of old!

44

Deep down in the mountain cave of my heart
Dwells the Great God with different faces five,
Wielding a wild deer in His hand alive.
Thou who has slain the elephant demon! Start
With the tiger devil, bind him in a cart
And drag him through the busy city’s streets
So all may admire Thine astounding feats,
Let all see how well Thou played the hero’s part.
Thou art a great hunter, so where is fear for me?
I have firm faith that you will always slay
Demons that enter my mind and terrorise
My better self which strives each hour and day,
To love, adore and be fit to Self Realise.,
That Self Awareness for which we toil and pray,
To serve the Self, which is Shiva, in every way!

45

Oh proud, preening parrot ego-bird,
Rest always in the nest of the lotus feet
Of
Shiva, where shrewd scholars all compete
To hearken
to his every sagacious word,
Which is eternal, and only truly heard
By those devotees who are fully replete
In Jnana Knowledge, wise and complete;
Shiva’s great teaching is by them preferred.
His soothing words remove all sad sorrow
And shine with the bright light of felicity.
So end stupid wandering off tomorrow,
And enjoy the bliss of His perspicacity.
I am sick and weary of futile pursuit,
I love the truth of Shiva’s wisdom’s fruit.

46

Oh mind, when focused, you’re a regal swan;
Nest in His magic mountain residence,
At Parvati’s feet, where Her sacred incense
Curls up to heaven. Its fragrance falls upon
All who worship Shiva, mighty as the Sun.
Rubies and pearls encrust the golden fence
Which hides the wives of holy saints who sense
The wonder of Shiva, the glorious One.
It’s at His feet that the Sages
prostrate,
Surrendering mind in fear and awe,
Anxious to avert
that terrible fate
Of rebirth in samsara again once more.
All pray and plead for Lord Shiva’s grace,
And catch a glimpse of his auspicious face.

47

In the radiant rose garden of my heart,
In my sunny summertime of meditation,
A hymnal chant I sing in adoration.
The white lilies of devotion impart
Their scent, welcoming an earnest start
To prune the growths of grievous dissipation,
Heralding the task of mental regulation,
Then worship blooms to form a sacred part.
The sweet apple of Self Knowledge and bliss,
Pure Awareness, is a joyful juicy fruit
Sealed with Divine Parvartis’ blessed kiss.
She fulfils the magic of my Self pursuit.
Bold beauty adorns my silent bower of peace
In the ardent arbour of my Soul’s release.

48

In the nest of mind, the best of swans,
Cruise to the calm lake of God
recollection,
A reservoir of infinite satisfaction,
Blossoming with water
lilies, whose Sun
Kissed blooms, welcome the Enlightened One,
Set in the hearts of Saints, making prostration
At Shiva’s feet of supreme domination:
To seek His safe refuge they always run.
His sacred waters will cleanse my sin,
So why pollute myself in muddy pools,
Slaving to the vile desires of stupid fools;
A maddening pastime one can never win.
Better to bathe in Shiva’s Godlike grace
The effects of such folly he will soon efface.

49

May the rose flower of firm devotion
Yield me fruitful hips that I always desire,
A bud well fed by love to which I aspire;
An endless flow of heartfelt emotion,
Deeper and wider than the sea-green ocean.
The rose climbed from Shiva’s feet, I so admire,
Rich with shoots that wind round my inward byre
Of constancy and faithful affirmation.
The crimson blooms cover my
mental porch,
They are without blemish and full of fire,
Any sins and
failing they quickly scorch,
Raising my vile mind from its muddy mire.
Why am I always in such a hurry
Scurrying in mind’s cow sheds of slurry?

50

I praise the Arjuna tree, a linga
At Sri Saila, with white jasmine entwined
On that beautiful mountain, on which we find
Parvati embracing her Great Lord Shiva;
Auspicious, like His teaching of Vedanta.
Around His neck writhing serpents wind,
Yet Shiva is all merciful and most kind,
Are not his sons Ganesha and Skanda?
Eager humming bees gather around,
Buzzing with their truly glorious sound
Of Om, most sacred primordial word,
That this vast universe has ever heard.
All join in chanting Great Lord Shiva’s praise,
He guards and protects us throughout our days.

51

Bhramarambika, all pervading Lord of ease,
The Bee whose hive sits on Sri Saila
hill,
Dancing to the tune of Sage Bhrngin’s will,
Who follows the lead of
the Queen of Bees,
And quelled the pride of a demon, Her to please.
An Elephant which drank rut up to his fill,
He wallowed in the time of spring until,
He willed to stay at rest, at last in peace.
The very memory of this sacred linga,
Bestows on devotees special merit,
For such is the grace of Great Lord Shiva,
That with certain faith they will inherit
The auspicious gift of Brahman Nirvana!
That bee is a friend of the God of love,
And sips sweet nectar from flowers above.

52
Oh Shiva! Lord with peacock blue throat,
I adore Thee! Thou sports snakes to boast
And show me Thy greatness; yet divine love
Is Lord Shiva’s chief virtue! From above
He reigns supreme to pilot our boat
Steering us across life’s ocean afloat
To reach Liberation, free as a dove!
That cosmic peacock has a crest of sky,
Parvati
is his precious pea hen,
His teaching’s the pyre on which false me shall
die,
Om is His primordial sound emblem.

54

I love that peacock blue throated wonder
Whose scintillating dance of prancing feet
In summer’s heat, sends rolls of drumming beats,
Tapped by Vishnu’s rumbling clouds of thunder.
His forked lightning frightens folk asunder,
Clouds shed tears of grace as rain complete;
Uma as Peahen Goddess gets from Her seat,
Such beauty to share, joys without number.
I sing in praise of our sage Lord Shiva
Whom with gracious Uma as his wife,
Upholds the righteous path of Dharma
And ordains the Karma of earthly life.
Such is the power of His divinity
A guide for humanity for all infinity.

55

May my humble obeisance be to Thee
Oh Sambhu, Lord with many matted locks
Thou art the primal cause; Thou scoffs and mocks
At sceptics of Thy great Divinity,
Limitless light
that shines to infinity,
Thou art recognised by red mountain rocks,
Oh
mover of psychic obstacles and blocks.
With Thee in our hearts, we find affinity,
Thou art sole subject of our meditation.
The lesser Gods all praise Thy Holy Name,
In Jnana Knowledge Thou art the summation,
In the hearts of Devotees Thou art the flame.
Thou art the weaver of the veil of Maya,
Skilled dancer of the cosmos, blessed Shiva!

56

Matted haired Shiva! Thou art eternal!
Embodied in the Gunas, qualities three;
Raw activity, dull passivity,
And neutral clarity supernal.
Thou art both paternal and maternal!
The true nature of pure consciousness; free
To create three worlds by Maya magically,
Ending them after each era dies, terminal!
Thou art directly perceived by Sages,
Thou inspires each hallowed Advaitic text,
Thou art the refuge and rock of ages,
Oh Great Lord Shiva what follows next?
Thou art
engaged in prancing a cosmic dance,
Freedom for devotees, is their happy
chance.

57

Lord of all souls, perfect pervading One!
I flatter rich folk in my zest for wealth,
I stuff my belly, bad for mental health,
I wander in vain seeking futile fun,
Avoiding right effort I run and run,
Evading your grace by devious stealth,
I fail to benefit the commonwealth.
All is such vanity under the Sun,
Yet through Thy compassion in spite of all
Sins, through merit earned in a former life,
As my Guru within, you prevent my fall,
Saving me from tense trouble and strife.
I am ever thankful for your protection,
I prostrate to thee in grateful subjection.

58

Oh Great Lord of Souls, dearest dazzling Light
To vanquish my jet black darkness and its shades,
Help me before my ardour fades
Become visible, blaze with all Thy might!
Illuminate me from Thy commanding height.
Aid me before my
ardent ardour fades.
Sense thieves continue brazen burgling raids:
Oh
Great Lord Shiva take pity on my plight!
Thine effulgence exceeds a crore of Suns,
Why then cloud Thy brilliant Self from me?
Destroy base ignorance, make vile demons run
Away; permit my Soul freedom to dwell in Thee.
Pray destroy my egotism and make me whole,
Let Self Realisation be my destined goal!

59

Oh Lord of Souls! Vast all pervading One,
Worthy consort of Parvati divine;
As Cartaka birds always moan and whine
For heavy clouds of rain, which veil the Sun,
And lotus tanks are yearned for by the swan,
And Cakora birds for Moon beams; so I pine
To touch Thy holy lotus feet sublime.
Which will be reached by that path on which we run;
Thy great teaching of the Jnana Marga,
That yields the bliss of sheer perfection.
That’s Thy blessed gift for me, Oh Shiva,
To Thee I surrender humbly in
subjection.
By the fine example of these fabulous birds,
Accept my sonnet’s feelings,
if not their words.

60

A man dragged by the current seeks the shore,
The weary walker, the cool shade of a tree,
The soul afraid of sin finds refuge in Thee.
The steel magnet attracts metallic ore,
The faithful wife to her Lord, flies in awe,
Creepers cling to the tree, that’s strong and free,
The river races to its source the sea;
So I yearn for Thee Lord Shiva, more and more!
Oh mind, reach the Lotus feet of the Lord!
Ever stay there; that is real devotion.
Let restless mind be held by Bhakti’s cord,
To know the bliss of Lord Shiva’s ocean.
Pray bless me with Thy Grace of Constancy,

61

Seeds of Ankola trees stick to the tree,
The one afraid of rain shelters under a roof,
Guests rest with the householder unaloof.
The poor receive from generous charity,
Those fearful of
night will light their lamps brightly,
The cold take warmth from fire; all brings proof
How Thy
protection is beyond reproof,
As these similes illustrate quite rightly.
Oh mind, reach the feet of Shiva with ease,
This will drive away all its needless fear
And gain Thy blessing of blissful peace,
Such is Thy boundless Grace, I hold so dear.
Oh Great Shiva grant me Thy protection,
And relieve me from direst dereliction.

62

As a mother’s devotion guards her child,
The roar of Shiva’s conch, all sin will efface;
By smearing sacred ash upon one’s face
And cladding oneself in purity mild,
Freed from the world, by which soul was defiled.
I’ll be cleansed of guilt without any trace!
Such is the power of Lord Shiva’s grace,
Formidable God so fierce and so wild.
He gives rest in prayer and contemplation,
The mantra of his sacred name will keep
Away thieves which besiege
meditation.
Oh Lord Shiva I plead for just one peep
Of they magnificent effulgent glory,
To end the shame
of my personal story.

63

Kannappars sandals worn out on forest ways,
Became his mark between the eye brows,
Of the blessed body of the Lord of Hours.
The libation of water held in place
In his mouth became a bath of grace
For the Victor of Cities whose powers
Showed how Great Lord Shiva towers
Overall. That huntsman took first place
Of Shiva’s devotees; Kannappar the saint,
Who gave Him an eye so he could rest
In His fair breast, never prone to faint
From weariness or fade away distressed.
Kannappar was His servant beyond compare,
Beloved by Shiva for such Devotion so rare!

64

Oh Sambhu! Kicking at Lord Yama’s chest,
Destroyer of ignorant Apasmara,
Hovering around on Mount Kailasa;
Ruffling the crowns of Gods, at Thy behest
Worn on shaven heads for Thee to
bless.
Such is the task of Thy path of Jnana
But is this proper, I ask Thee, Lord Shiva?
Please wear the
sandals of my mind, confessed.
Oh dear Lord Shiva, I am now convinced,
The fruit of ‘moksha’ is easily reaped
Through Devotion, as Thou has evinced
By the wealth of grace, which Thou hast heaped
On Devotees, struggling for liberation:
Great Shiva frees me from my consternation.

65

Consort of beloved Uma, Goddess of Love,
Nothing’s impossible for Thee, whose mind
Worships Thy illustrious feet. We find
Seeing Thee, Yama flees, afraid of a shove
Which will send him flying high up above.
The lesser Gods all wave their lamps behind
Thee; while the gentle Mukti Bride, so kind,
Embraces them wherever they may rove.
The place of Devotees is above the Gods,
Because of your loving and gracious care,
Although that may appear to be most odd,
It is the experience of all who
dare
To attain deliverance from dread samsara;
Such is Thy greatness my dear Lord Shiva!

66

Oh
Sambhu! Thou creates Thy worlds in play,
Thy inhabitants are Thy sportive game,
Every gracious deed performed in Thy Name,
Is for Thy pleasure alone, the Sages say,
It’s certain, that my deeds everyday,
Are only to exalt Thy righteous fame;
Thy protection is all I rightfully claim,
Oh Lord, for Thy mercy I pray, I pray and pray!
I enquire, what’s the nature of Thy sport?
Is it a game of love or shuttlecock?
My reason tells me in the last resort,
Your aim is to untie my bondage knot
With fingers of compassionate grace,
That one day I may view Thy eternal face.

67

I seek the placid peaceful contemplation
Of Great Lord Shiva, in the joyful land
Of silent auspicious meditation,
Freed from painful mental consternation,
Where I can join that glorious band
Of ardent loving
devotees, and
Rejoice in festive jubilation;
Praising Thee in endless glorification,
Knowing Thou holds us in
Thy gracious hand.
We enjoy the tears and precious thrills
Engendered by many heartfelt delights
Which protect us from all bodily ills,
As Thou leads us from darkness into light.
Reciting Thy Name is a fruitful field
To force ego’s surrender and to Thee yield!

68

Oh Lord of Souls; Oh compassionate One!
Protect this beauteous cow of mine, Devotion.
From Thy luscious grass, she strays in motion;
Make her yield the delight, second to none,
Milk of Jnana, the best beneath the Sun.
Pardon her ignorant arrogation,
Loving the ‘I am the body’ notion,
Lead her to Thy feet when all is said and done,
Devotion is the precious fruit of deeds
Well performed in an earlier life;
On her merit my cow earnestly feeds,
Free her from all trouble, sorrow and strife.
Let me churn
her good milk of devotion,
To the cream of Jnana, a potent potion!

69

I’m not inert like some slovenly
sloth,
Nor impure like some smelling cess pool drain,
Nor am I crooked like a burglar’s brain,
Even if I be either, none, all or both,
Oh Great Lord Shiva I’m indeed loath
To claim, “am I not fit just the same,
To always worship Thy sacred name
And serve Thee as an ornamental broach?
Oh Lord Shiva Thou sport a crescent moon;
In spite of all my defects great and small,
Your everlasting mercy, will surely soon
Regard my sins as nothing much at all.
Thou art all compassion, beyond compare,
In Thy bountiful largesse, I wish to share!

70

Whether in the open, beneath the sky,
Or in the cloister of my closeted room,
Thou art easy to live with: bye and bye
Thou shall save me from false sense of ‘me’ and ‘my’.
You weave time with space, on Thy cosmic
loom,
And create a world of illusion, soon
To be destroyed, when only Thou knows why,
When this insentient body will end and
die.
But Thy merciful grace will avert such doom,
For your devotees brought to Realisation
Who practice Self Enquiry and Surrender
Finally reach enlightened liberation,
And to Thee their roasted ego’s render.
Oh dear Lord Shiva, Thou art beyond all praise,
Thou brings supreme joy, into mournful days!

71
Great Lord Shiva’s unfailing sharp arrows,
Fixed to the bow of deepest meditation,
Bent with the string of firmest devotion;
For devotees with purified mind, He throws
Enemy sinners some powerful blows:
Gaining the balm of a soothing lotion,
Death of the ‘I am the body notion’,
Lord Shiva knows, he knows, he surely knows!
We are urged to be like skilful archers
And strike target-ego’s black bull’s eye;
Then like resolute and doughty marchers,
We
reach the goal of moksha before we die.
Gain a good bowman’s skilled ability,
Shiva grants the gift of great
stability!

72

There are many friends who have gained their end
And reached they beloved holy lotus feet;
Even for Gods they’re the safest retreat.
They wear serpents as ornaments and bend
Their knees in obeisance to Thee, to fend
Off demonic tendencies they may meet
On their way to Self Realisation so complete.
Oh Shiva, to Thee my love I now do send.,
We find clear vision through Thy ointment
Of meditation, breaking through the black
Dark Ignorance,and make an appointment
With Thee, to remedy all that I lack
In virtue, grace, knowledge and devotion
For Thee; who steers my craft across life’s ocean!

73

Oh good mind! learn to love the lotus feet
Of Supreme Lord Shiva; field for the growth
Of that medicinal herb, which is both
Release and blissful happiness
complete;
Desired by all who aren’t weak or effete.
Oh Lord Shiva, I have sworn a mighty oath
To obey Thy
gracious rule, and ever clothe
Thee in praise. These poems attempt this feat!
How can I ever thank Thee for such Grace,
Bestowed on one, unmerited and bad;
But that single glance from Thine effulgent face,
Has made me ever grateful and so glad!
I salute Thee, magnificent Lord Shiva,
Who’s willed to help and save this poor Jiva!

74

May the lotus feet of the Lord who sent,
Virtues that are north, south, east and west
Of space, make my Heart’s sacred casket,
Perfumed by that powerful God-like scent,
That overwhelms the bad smell of nescience:
Desire, greed, delusion, lust and the rest
Of those sins, which undermine the best
Virtues of heaven that for Man are meant.
Pilgrim advancing on the mountain trail
Passed a wayside flower, a bramble rose,
He bowed and breathed
its fragrance; without fail
It cleansed his polluted mind of all those
Vile impurities which besmirched his
state;
He thanked the Lord for such a blessed fate.

75
Oh great destroyer of passionate lust,
Commander of all the different worlds
Into which the suffering soul is hurled,
Rider of the Bull kicking up the dust,
Restrain my mental horse as Thou must!
Which is auspicious and is well impearled
Without blemish like a summer rose unfurled.
A skilled rider mounted the steed of my mind,
And rode him swiftly to salvation’s goal.
There, deep silence in the heart did find,
He saved that poor perverted erring soul.
All praise great Lord Shiva rider of the bull
All is perfection in his sight, all is full.

76

Devotion’s like a cloud sailing in the sky,
An image of the all powerful Lord,
Who showers love and bliss with every word,
Removing from the mind all wail and cry;
A
lake whose mind is filled, bye and bye,
With a white swan, a celestial bird,
Whose song of adoration shall be
heard
By the ears of almighty God on high.
By devotion the whole crop of life is reaped,
Harvested by toilers in the field of life;
The rain of grace, into the soil has seeped,
The overwhelming flood of love is rife,
On which the raft of liberation floats;
The hymn of victory issues from our throats.

77

Like a husband separated from his wife,
The mind attached to His petalled lotus feet,
Constantly remembers in to be complete
In firmness, grasping for his dearest life,
Walking the razor’s edge, sharp as a knife,
Charmed by His Mantra which he does repeat,
Om namah shivaya to a rhythmic beat,
His heart swells with devotional praise so rife.
Like a priest chanting sacred hymns of praise,
He meditates on good and noble thought,
Fond memories, sights and sounds, all his
days,
And the famous stories he has been taught.
Lord Shiva is great in every way,
We think on his glories
throughout each day.

78
I pray Lord Shiva every night and day,
Uplift this turgid intellect of mine,
As one would dress a bride in all that’s fine.
Endow her with excellence in such a way,
That brings it to noble service, and a ray
That makes the light of true humility shine
Bright, warm, compassionate and sublime,
Fostering Good as its aim in life’s great play.
At a wedding the pure chaste minded bride,
Swears her allegiance to the husband in love;
So can intellect wed the Self to confide
In the God of power inside and above.
This is the mystical marriage of the Sage,
That maintains world righteousness for this age.

79

Oh Shiva! Thy rosey feet ever gently tread
On the pink lotus petals of Thy lover’s minds;
But Thou kicked at the hard chest-door of
dread
Yama, Lord of Death, who strikes each heart and head,,
In this dream of the weary deaf and blind.
My mind ponders on
Thy ways, yet to find
An answer to which my errant soul be led.
Bring Thy feet within my sight, and unwind
Thy maze, before alas I too must die,
And be born once more in wretched ignorance,
To fight again in this vale of tears to sigh.
I pray, before I leave, grant another chance
To take hold of your precious blessed feet,
When Self Realised, I shall be complete!

80

"This soul's to be reborn, his mind is hard;
On his egotism I have need to dance,
On his vasanas I shall stamp and prance"!
Thinking how to protect me and safeguard,
You trampled on my ego's house of cards,
As inside your house divine where chances
Are secure, you blest me with your glances,
Oh Great Lord Shiva you're the King of Bards!

Shiva chose a fine mountain high in sky
So his lotus
feet would harden well,
Then his dance on hard minds of those who lie
Prostrate at his feet will be saved from hell.
That's his
promise and ever boundless grace
To all those who yearn to glimpse his sacred face.


81

Consort of beautiful Uma Divine,
While worshiping your sweet, soft lotus feet
Offering obeisance ever complete,,
Sometimes in deep meditation I pine,
Immersed in concentration ever sublime,
Reflecting on your deeds when you defeat
My demons of mind that are so replete.

Mature Devotion leads to Liberation,
It's meant to be enjoyed, here and now;
Surrendered minds reach Self Realisation,
Lord Shiva's guidance does tell us how.
The mind binds soul and the same mind frees,
For mind bonded to Shiva, Self surely sees!

82

Consort of Devi! Hari took many forms,
That of an arrow, bull, a wife, a boar,
A friend beating a drum as you dance! for
He
offered you an eye, beyond all norms
Of sacrifice, braving grave earthly storms.
That one who's part of your body's core,
Who can
excell him, for ever more?
Visnu, the Great God sure to perform

He took the shape of ravishing Mohini,
She gave to the Gods sweet ambrosia,
Destroying demons like a strong Yogini,
Ever to help you, oh Great Lord Shiva!
Hari is beyond doubt nearest to Hara,
Combining to free us from sad samsara!

83

In praising Gods who're slaves to death and birth,
There's no happiness or everlasting bliss.
Parvati's Lord, who's crowned by her kiss,
Has no birth, and is of eternal worth.
We're blest and never suffer any dearth
Of boundless Grace, or shall ever miss
Chance of Realisation, or be amiss
From joy,warmed by fire from Shiva's hearth.

There's no point in praising minor Godlings,
They cannot help in gaining our final goal
Of Liberation. Let us combine
in singing
The praises of He who'll make us whole!
Lord Shiva is our God who reigns Supreme,
He'll wake us up from life's
tormenting dream.

84

Oh Shiva, Bhava, friend of all the worlds,
Deep blue ocean of sat chit ananda,
Your sons were Great Ganesha and Lord Skanda.
Oh compasionate one whose love unfurled
Worlds, before into destruction they were hurled.
To be with Gauri engaged in sadhana,
I offer my mind steeped in samasara,
No more in birth or death shall I be whirled.

This errant daughter Mind I dedicate
To your service oh my dearest Lord,
Let her be with Parvati and replicate
Her Love for you, a boundless cord
Of Devotion, ever more to dwell with you
Oh Lord Shiva my God, who is ever true.,

85

Oh crescent crested jewel of the Moon,
I'm unskilled in deep blue ocean churning,
My love for you is a fire ever burning,
I pray that you'll reward my efforts
soon,
As towards my Self I'm ever turning.
For you dearest Lord I'm always yearning,
Make me dance and stamp to your wildest
tune,
Grant me Liberation, your greatest boon!

I'm not a hunter skilled in killing game,
How can I offer gifts to you in praise,
When I bow to worship your sacred Name?
What shall I give you when I try to raise
Adornments for your holy neck to wear?
Ego's the gift you wish to really bear.

86

Oh consort of Parvati, Uma divine,
All things for puja are well gathered up,
But how shall I perform worship sublime?
I haven't gained the state of even a pup.
Such attainment is very hard to meet,
Oh all pervading glorious One,
I don't see thy crown or lotus feet,
Even by Brahm or Vishnu they weren't won.
So how am I to worship thee my Lord?
The God ansered with a mighty roar,
Give love devotion and care my child,
Approach me humbly, truly meek and
mild,
THat is all I can say, and what is more,
Dive deep inside and you can open my door!

87

Oh beloved Sambu, Shiva-ji- my
Lord,
The food you devour is worlds poison vile,
Your ornament is a wild serpent, while
For transport you ride a bullock abroad.
May you ever grace and grant us to afford,
Liberation from this rank earthly pile
Of trouble;surely that's not your blessed style?
Slay my vile ego with your mighty sword!

Grant me devotion to thy soft lotus feet,
This is my praise not meant as any blame,
That's all I need, to make life my complete,
Save me from all hypocrisy and shame,
May my ego be fine food as a special treat,
Roast it well so its tasty and so sweet!

88

Oh mighty Lord Shiva my undying love,
It's only when I become like Lord Rama,
Or He who pressed down a mount, Agastya,
That I'll be able to worship thee above,
Lord Shiva sweeter than a turtle dove,
Exceeding even white lotus born Brahma,
Or in modern times like great Sri Ramana,
Whom on Arunachala loved to rove.

It's not possible for me to worship Thee,
To do so I must be like one of these,
Then I'd be fit to praise Ye and then be,
Worthy My Lord, and Thou able to please.
Thou the greatest God reigning above,
I surrender at Thy feet with all my love!

*A FREE VERSIFICATION IN SONNET FORM OF ADI SHANKARA'S SIVANANANDALAHARI FIRST 88 VERSES