Shiva Rahasya Purana

THE ELEVENTH LIGHT (Chapter Eleven) 11 

Wherein The Wheel of The Eternal Law is proclaimed for the Establishment of Righteousness on Earth Om is the Eternal Sound Supreme. Of that all other sounds are born.

Lord Shiva said: 1. I shall now set forth the Law of what is wrong and what is right that It may enlighten the World with Its Glorious Light. Dharma is the World-Protecting Law. He who follows the Eternal Dharma shall be protected against all misfortune and evil Karma.

2. O you who are Princes amongst men! know that the Law whereby Life takes its course is of three kinds. That which has been laid down by the forefathers or decreed by a Ruler and is followed by a whole community of men, is the Law of Man. Being man-made and imperfect, it shall be followed by the wise with wisdom and not blindly. That which is followed naturally by moving and unmoving things, is the Law of Nature. It shall be followed by beast, plant and inanimate thing, each according to its distinctive nature and appropriate place and time.

3. But that which is perfect, self-existing, ever-changeless and followed by those who know the Truth, is the Law of God. It is the Law of Laws whereby the Universal Order (Vishvarta) is perpetually upheld. Being the Eternal Law of the Universe, it shall be followed above all other laws and with great faith, for it is the Law of Life and the direct manifestation of My Supreme Divine Self.

4. It is by the following of My Eternal Law that I may be known and not by any other means. Let all Souls follow My Law for those who follow It not cannot account themselves among the truly living. Even when alive they are as if dead. And being as if dead, they shall be cast out from My Abode of Life into the Abode of Death. Therefore, let those who are true lovers of Life and living seekers of Truth attend and listen to My Law Eternal by the following whereof even the least-Enlightened Souls shall see the Light of Truth.

5. O righteous ones! nothing exists but I. I, the Supreme Being consisting of Consciousness and Bliss, the Ever-Awake, the Dispeller of Darkness, the Guardian of Law Eternal, Am One. And Unity is My Highest Truth. It is by the Power of Unity (Yoga Bala) that I, the Lord of Life, perceive Myself as being One with Myself and with the World. It is by the Power of Unity that Divine Oneness is preserved and the All is held together.

6. It is by the Power of Unity that separate things are joined to make a larger one: Raindrops make a River, Rivers make an Ocean, Bricks make a House, Trees make a Forest, People make a Couple, a Family and a Clan. It is by the Power of Unity that a calf is found in the herd by the mother cow and a hunter tracks down his quarry in the wood. It is by the Power of Unity that an arrow finds its goal and sunlight ripens a fruit.

7. It is by the Power of Unity that perceptions come about as a sense is joined to its respective object. It is by the Power of Unity that separate points of perception are united into a whole. It is by the Power of Unity that knowledge is stored in the mind. It is by the Power of Unity that coherent thoughts and sentences are fashioned and actions are performed.

8. It is by the Power of Unity that Body, Mind and Soul are held together. It is by the Power of Unity that memories of past events are forgathered and brought back to the mind. It is by the Power of Unity that soothsayers foresee things that are yet to come and Prophets (Rishis or God- Seers) know the Truth that is hidden (to others). It is by the Power of Unity that two Souls share the same dream and an Accomplished Yogi can read another man’s thoughts. 

9. It is by the Power of Unity that wounds are healed and an ailing body is made whole. It is by the Power of Unity that a frail man regains his strength. It is by the Power of Unity that the ox is harnessed to the plough. It is by the Power of Unity that seed is sown, sprouts and takes root.

10. It is by the Power of Unity that beauty is perceived by the eye and love arises in the heart. It is by the Power of Unity that humans are attracted to one another and wild beasts find a mate. It is by the Power of Unity that the atoms of life are held together and man finds what he has lost. It is by the Power of Unity that living beings understand each other and men work together for a common cause.

11. It is by the Power of Unity that in waking, man is united with the body and the physical World. It is by the Power of Unity that in dreams, man is united with his mind. It is by the Power of Unity that in deep sleep, man is united with his sleeping Soul. It is by the Power of Unity that in Enlightenment, man is united with his Awakened Self.

12. It is by the Power of Unity that I, the Lord, Am United with My Creation and man is united with the object of his heart’s desire. It is by the Power of Unity that all conflicts are ended and Peace is established in the World. That Power which does make a thing whole, lasting and complete; which brings two, ten, or a thousand things together; and which preserves the life of everything: That is the Power of Unity. That selfsame Power is Yoga. For, Yoga is Unity and Unity is Yoga.

13. By the Power of Yoga, peace is restored to a troubled mind. By the Power of Yoga, thoughts are concentrated in meditation and consciousness is unified in the deep absorption of the Self. By the Power of Yoga, man is united with the Lord. By the Power of Yoga, the Brotherhood of Man and the Unity of Life are preserved. By the Power of Yoga, My Kingdom is established upon Earth. By the Power of Yoga, this My Teaching is imparted unto those who desire to hear the Truth. By the Power of Yoga, Untruth shall be vanquished and Truth shall prevail in the World. There is nothing that cannot be achieved by the Power of Yoga.

14. Verily One World Only exists. Its uppermost region is called Heaven, whilst the nethermost part is called Hell. Heaven is the Realm of Pure Unity with the Divine. Hell is where dis-Unity prevails. For Sin and dis-Unity are one and the same. Earth is where both Unity and dis-Unity, Virtue and Sin are found together. The heavenward Path, that which leads upwards, is the Path to the Divine. The downward Path leads down into Hell.

15. Those who choose Heaven go up to My Abode of Unity. But those who choose dis-Unity, sink into Hell which is the Abode of Discord. The Accomplished Yogis, who are Masters of Unity, live both in Heaven and on Earth. They are free to roam the Universe at will like unto birds sailing over the Wide Sky. At My Behest, they spread abroad My Word of Unity to all quarters of the World.

16. O you who believe in Truth! follow the Supreme Eternal Law, which I, the Lord, teach and proclaim unto you for the benefit of all. By the following thereof, one goes the upward Path which is the Path of Unity with Truth and Freedom, chosen by the righteous ones. Follow the Path of Unity. For Unity is Life and dis-Unity is Death. Unity and the One (Supreme Being) are One and the Same. Of Unity you were born, in Unity you live and to Unity you shall return.

17. Whether in joy or in sorrow, in war or in peace, in victory or in defeat; whether in Life or in Death, in this World or in the next, My devotee should always strive to establish Unity with Me. For Sin and Separation are one and the same. He who goes the way of Separation goes the way of Sin. But he who goes the way of Unity shall be United with Me. The struggle for Unity (Yoga Samgharsha, also Dharma-Yuddha) is the Struggle for the Attainment of the One. This is man’s first and last duty and My Supreme Command.

18. Honour the Sky and the Earth. For in the likeness of Spirit and Matter I made them and out of these I fashioned the World. You yourselves are the children of both and they shall be honoured as a sign of My Creation.

19. Honour the Sun and the Moon. For they are the likeness of My Light Divine and the most clear sign of My Glory. And My Glory shall be honoured by all.

20. Honour the Stars that lighten the Sky at night. For they are signs of My Law Eternal by the following whereof men shall stumble not in the dark but safely reach My Abode of Light.

21. Honour both Spirit and Matter as you honour your own father and mother. For your life depends upon these two: your Spiritual life upon Spirit and your material life upon Matter. To disrespect one’s father and mother is wrong, but to despise or go against them is a great sin. He who despises Spirit or Matter shall go the downward way.

22. Honour and respect one another. For I Myself reside in all living things. He who respects another, respects Me, the All-Creator who live in the heart of all. Do not be too keen to lay blame on others. Know that when pointing one finger at others’ faults, three fingers are pointing back at 151 SHIVA RAHASYA yourself.

23. Do not destroy life, for all life belongs to Me and is part of Me. And it is not right to take what belongs to another. He who takes a breathing creature’s life for his own sustenance shall have a price to pay. But unworthy life may be taken in order that a worthier life may thrive. Verily, I give life unto each man that he may live by My Law and do My Command; he who knowingly does otherwise shall be unworthy of life. He who takes another’s life in defence of his homeland, of his people, of his livelihood, and of his faith, does so lawfully. For he who seeks to take away one’s homeland, one’s people, one’s livelihood, and one’s faith in the Truth, is a man of evil (adharmi) and a follower of the Untruth. Thus I, the Lord, declare, It is one’s duty to defend the Truth against the Untruth. I, the Highest Truth, the Supreme Lord of Justice, Who am ever on the side of the righteous, shall not suffer the followers of Untruth to stretch forth their arms against My devotees who faithfully follow My Law.

24. He who fails to defend his homeland against the enemy, who suffers men to be slain, womenfolk to be violated and children to be carried off into slavery, he is a great sinner. But he who leads or allows fellow devotees to be led, whether by force or by guile, unto other Paths than Mine is the greatest sinner of all. Indeed, and beyond doubt, such an one is a true enemy of men and of God. For separation from Truth is the greatest crime.

25. Be therefore on your guard, for Truth on Earth is corrupt and the Untruth finds easy pray. It is every man’s duty to defend what is true. Let every true man train in the holy art of Righteous Struggle (Dharma-Yuddha) and become skilled in defensive action in thought, word and deed. For in this sinful Age of Darkness human kind cannot live in Peace and in Truth without struggle.

26. If, unprovoked, the followers of Untruth assail you and wage war on you, stand firm and fight back with force. Strike them down one by one till you have crushed the last evil-doer in the land. I Myself, the Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts, shall lead My devotees in their righteous battle. I shall strike down the evil ones with Bolts of Lightning and spear them all with Flaming Arrows of Wrath. For I Am the Great Fiery One. I Am the Avenger of the oppressed and the Destroyer of the oppressors. I put Dread in the heart of the unjust and Death in their Souls. I tear their hearts to pieces and from their heads I fashion a necklace of skulls.

27. O righteous ones! when giving battle in My Cause, My Fiery Might shall descend upon your Soul from On High and instil boundless valour and strength in your heart. As an Elephant in rut crushes all under his foot, as Wild Horses split the Earth with thousand hooves, as the roar of raging Bulls does shake the Sky, as a Thunderstorm lays waste the crop, even thus you shall defeat your foes, when giving battle in My Cause.

28. My devotee shall not accept defeat in battle but fight fearlessly to the death. For it is far better to go to Heaven than live on Earth bound in fetters like a beast. He who turns back in battle shall be punished by the King. When the enemy has been vanquished, compassion shall be shown only to those who understand compassion, who repent, who turn away from evil and who humbly enter upon My Path, but not to any others. Have no compassion for the evil and the undeserving lest they mistake your kindness for weakness and double their resolve to wreak destruction upon you.

29. Think not that those who have chosen the Untruth are real men. They are but mere shadow- like imitations of True Man. True men being by nature Real, will not choose what is un-Real and un-True. Verily, the Soul being ever good and pure, does not mingle with evil but forsakes the evil one, leaving behind a mere shell in the likeness of a man. He who is forsaken by his Soul can only regain his self by being destroyed in the cause of Dharma or by willingly submitting to My Law. Verily, though appearing to be living he is akin to evil Spirits and ghosts. His soulless shell must be removed from among the living even as chaff is removed from corn. Even if some among the evil-doers were real, it would be right to destroy them. For it is not the Will of Shiva, Who Is Pure Goodness, that evil should prevail. If evil were allowed to flourish, the World would be like to the darkest Hell. Therefore, to destroy what is evil is the duty of all righteous men.

30. Evil (Adharma) enters the heart of those who oppose what is right. Having entered therein it rules their life from within. Thus evil is brought into the World. He who allies himself with evil is the enemy of Good. But he who destroys the evil-doers does the Will of Supreme Shiva and treads the Path of Righteousness. He prevents them from doing harm to others and also unto themselves. For they who do evil shall be tormented greatly in this World and the next. But if they be prevented from doing evil they shall be preserved from Hell. Therefore, taking the life of the evil-doer is a true act of compassion, like taking a sharp sword out of a child’s hand. For the human body is but a mere tool: it may be used for good and for evil too. It is better to destroy the body that the Soul may be saved.

31. As a limb that is diseased beyond all cure is cut off to save a man’s life, even so he who is incurably diseased with evil shall be cut down lest he infect the rest. Verily, he who prevents another man from working deeds of evil and from transgressing against My Law, who hates no one but dutifully destroys the evil-doer in obedience to My Command, is a twice-saviour and a Saint: he saves the would-be slayer and the victim too. But he who out of false compassion spares the man of evil is twice a sinner: he lets the slayer go to perdition and the victims too. Therefore, let every man uproot evil and cultivate what is good, that My Law (Dharma Shasana) may be established in all quarters of this Earth.

32. O you People of the Truth! do not ally yourselves with evil. Choose wisely. For this shall be the test of your faith and thereupon shall rest the judgement of your life in this World. As all worldly things have a shadow, so Truth on Earth has a shadow too. Only in My Abode of Light where all is bright and clear there is no shadow, no Untruth and no lie. But on Earth, where light is obscured by shadow, the Untruth finds easy pray. For this reason, on Earth, some must die in order that others may prevail. Let every man strive to overcome the enemies of Truth. But he who conquers both the outward and inward enemies, namely, fear, attachment and the rest, is by far the best. He becomes a Perfect One in this very lifetime.

33. O noble ones! let My followers be without fear in their pursuit of Justice. For, fear is the sign of the lowly. Out of fear lowly folk never start a great work; ordinary men begin a work but give up as soon as obstacles cross their path; but Great Souls never give up – they strive in this life and the next until success is theirs. Verily, it were better to be fearless as a tiger for even one day than to abide for a hundred years in dread like the antelope, the hare and the goat. Thus it has been said, The Flash of Lightning that lights up the World at a stroke is greater than the fire that gives nothing but smoke. Fear not Death, for the righteous are the Children of Truth and eternal life shall ever be theirs.

34. He who has fallen in the hands of the enemy; whose body has grown frail and a burden on the Path; who lays down his life to save another; or who desires to join a departed one; these four may take their own life. In doing so they shall commit no sin. They shall be reborn in this World or another, each according to his deeds. As for those who lay down their earthly life for My Sake, they shall receive the greatest honours. The Doors of Heaven and all Pathways shall be wide open unto them and they shall go in peace wherever they desire. Verily, they are the greatest among Great Heroes and they shall live ever-untouched by Death. A place of honour they shall take in Heaven’s Feasting-Hall of Bliss!

35. Follow you the Path of Truth. Seek Truth even in your dreams. Do not ally yourselves with Untruth at any time. For Real Life is established upon Truth. Man becomes Real by living in the Real. Otherwise he lives in the Lie and his life becomes a lie. And the life that has become a lie shall go up in smoke even as a dark cloud is burned up by the All-Consuming Sun of Truth. Always speak the Truth. For whatsoever man speaks with his mouth that he believes with his heart. And whatsoever he believes with his heart the same shall come true. But that which the heart knows to be false shall remain a lie. For the heart is the abode of Truth Who is the Most Wise. Verily, Truth is your Refuge and your Shelter. He who forsakes the Abode of Truth shall be captured and devoured by Untruth.

36. Follow the Path of Peace. For Happiness is attained by living in peace with oneself, with the World and with Me, the Great God and Lord of Supreme Peace. It is Peace that brings lasting Happiness to all.

37. Follow the Path of Spirit. For it is from the Great Spirit that you come and to That you shall return. There is no other Path.

38. Follow the Path of Good. Think good, speak good, do good. Firstly, think good thoughts. For even as the plough follows the ox, one’s words and deeds follow one’s thoughts. Verily, man is fashioned by his thoughts: what he thinks that he becomes. His entire life is built upon thoughts. It is for this reason that man is called Manu, the Thinking One. Secondly, speak good words. For through kind words one comes far in life. But he who knows when to speak and also when to remain silent, he comes furthest of all.

39. Thirdly, do good deeds (satkarma). For as the size of a wild beast is known by the tracks, large or small, that it makes as it passes through the forest, so a man’s greatness is known by the deeds he has accomplished in his life. And what a great man does, so do the others too. He is an example to all. Thinking good, speaking good and doing good, My devotee shall work for the good of all. For whatever good is done to the Universe and to the things residing therein, that is done to Me Who Am the One Soul of the Universe and of all things.

40. Whatsoever is thought, spoken or done, whether good or bad, shall return to one like the echo returning from a rock. It shall follow one like a shadow and bring one good or bad fortune according to one’s deeds. Therefore, follow you My Command. Follow not the Path of Separation. Break not the Bond of Unity with Truth. Enter not into the Abode of Separation for Sin and Separation from Truth are one and the same. Know that Good is mightier than Evil. If only a few men amongst a thousand keep to the Right Path (Satpatha), the World shall be saved from destruction. Be you the few amongst the thousand who walk after Truth and not the many who go astray and willingly lose their way.

41. Follow the Path of Perfection. For Happiness is ever found in Perfection. There is no Happiness in imperfection. Verily, you are the Children of the Perfect One and you shall rise above the earthly World to attain Heaven’s Perfection. And the Great Bliss of Heaven shall be yours for all time.

42. I shall now proclaim the Five Holy Duties of Yoga (Pancha-Dharma) whereby the Bond of Unity with Me is established and by the following whereof all mortal men shall find Happiness in this World and the next. They are, Declaration of Faith, Remembrance of the Holy Name, 154 SHIVA RAHASYA Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage.

43. Declaration of Faith: witnessing the Truth of Yoga with the words, Lord Shiva is the Highest God and Yoga is the Path that leads to Him. The uttering of these words five times a day at sunrise, midday, sunset and between is known as Shraddha or declaration of Faith. By the observance thereof one becomes established on the Path. But he who cannot keep this observance five times a day shall perform it at least twice: before sunrise and after sunset.

44. Remembrance of the Holy Name. Remembering My Name while uttering the Great Mantra, Om Namah Shivaya, with great devotion, is called Smarana or Remembrance of the Holy Name. The regular practice thereof will confer to the devotee a Vision of My Divine Self.

45. Charity is the offering of help Spiritual and material, to fellow humans and in particular to one’s fellow devotees. It shall be done to the best of one’s knowledge and ability: kind words, food, shelter, clothing and gold shall be given to those in need with compassion and humility. This is known as Daya or Charity. By this practice one comes closer to My Creation and secures great rewards in this life and the next. Verily, one is always rewarded according to one’s generosity.

46. Fasting. The abstaining from taking food once every month on the dark night that comes before the Moonless Day and the First Crescent of the Moon, is known as Shiva Ratri Upavasa or Fasting on the Holy Night of Shiva. But that Fast (Upavasana) which is observed before the Moonless Night (Amavasya) in the Month of Magha (February – March, see Commentary), is known as Maha Shiva Ratri or the Great Fast of Shiva. It is the most excellent of all Fasts. I bestow all kinds of Blessings upon those who observe My Fast with devotion and remain watchful on that Holy Night. For he who watches for the dawn of the First Moon, watches for the Dawning of My Light Eternal and his name shall be established in the Abode of the Awakened Ones. By the earnest practice of this Watchful Fast My devotee is cleansed of sins and his Soul grows ever brighter even as the New Moon grows in brightness every day.

47. Pilgrimage or Sacred Journey. At least once in a lifetime, My devotee shall visit the Sacred Places of the Holy Land of India. Among these, the most auspicious is Holy Mount Kailasa. It is set in the northernmost part of India, beyond the Abode of Snow (Himalaya). Being a reflection of Mount Mem, My Celestial Abode, it shines like a jewel among all Holy Places. It illumines the Nine Continents on Earth. From the hills round about it four mighty streams flow forth into the World like the Four Rivers of Life and a lake of holy water lies at its feet. The journey undertaken thereto is Yatra or Pilgrimage. Through the observance of this excellent practice one becomes worthy of the Highest Heaven. I Myself whisper the Secret Knowledge that leads to My Abode into the ear of those who with a pure Soul visit this Holiest of holy places.

48. These Five Holy Practices (Pancha-Dharma) are the Pillars of Unity whereby Divine Order is established and maintained in the World. They shall be practised by all My devotees without fail. Indeed, they shall be practised by all of human kind.

49. The following of My Law enables one to know how to act and conduct one’s life always in the right way. For what is done in Unity with Me, whatever that action may be, it shall be lawful, holy and pleasing to Me. But if doubts or disputes were to arise, let them be settled by a Man of Spirit who is devoted to Me and who is a leader (janata-naya) among the Community of Devotees. He shall judge over the matter according to My Law and his word shall be faithfully obeyed as My Divine Command.

50. Let those who have transgressed My Law repent and atone by fasting, praying, making donations and turning their heart to Me. O you who are followers of Truth! think not that I am a vengeful God. For it is not I Who punish the sinner but Sin itself, by My Leave, does so. As a disobedient child who leaves the parents’ house or a beast that leaves the safety of its fold, being without shelter or protection, falls pray to starvation, wild beasts and death, so a man who wilfully leaves My Abode of Unity, goes to the Abode of Separation wherein conflict, disease and death hold sway.

51. Thus the sinner by breaking the Holy Bond of Unity with Me and entering into the Abode of Sin offers his Soul up to the God of Sin. But he who sins not, who acts not in dis-Unity with Me, who ever abides in My Abode of Unity, is never harmed by Sin. Furthermore, know that whensoever a Soul strays from the Path, I Myself send him a warning first. By mending his ways he can avert the punishment he dreads. Do you therefore look out for My Signs (Lakshana). Do not ignore them. Be on your guard. For he who heeds not My signs, shall go to sorrow.

52. Verily, I, the Most Compassionate, the Merciful, the True Friend of all creatures, make My Will known through the words of men of God and through secret signs of warning, visions and dreams. For it is not for Me to speak the words of men but for men to learn and obey My Divine Command. Therefore, follow those who teach My Word, for this shall be the test of your faith and upon this shall rest the judgement of your life on Earth.

53. Let no man harm another but live in peace with men and other creatures. He who lives in caves, in the desert, or under trees, shall be kind to beast and plant as to his own brothers. For, in times of need these shall be his guiding lamp in things of the mountain, of the desert, and of the forest. Likewise, they who are wedded to one another according to the holy rites or who dwell in a great community of devotees, shall be kind to one another in thought, speech and deed.

54. Let no man oppress another nor deprive him of what is rightfully his. But he who is learned in the things of the Spirit shall be a guide and a lamp unto the others in things of the Spirit. And he who is learned in the things of the World shall be a guide and a lamp unto others in things of the World. But he who is learned in both things of the Spirit and things of the World is truly a man of great wisdom. He shall be a guide to all and a great leader of men (manu-naya). He shall be a World Ruler (Loka-Raja) mighty and wise.

55. Verily, as the Sun is the first amongst all things that shine, and the Evening Star the first amongst the Stars, so he who is great of Wisdom shall be the first among men and lead them upon the Path. He shall be followed by all even as the Moon follows the Sun across the Sky and a devoted wife follows her man. For without the wise one’s light of wisdom, man kind will remain in the dark and know not the Path trodden by the wise in life. Verily and without doubt, the wise uphold the Earth with their Insight just as a Wise King upholds the land with his righteous rule.

56. As the Planets orbit the Sun, as swans nest upon a lake and honey-bees swarm round a lotus blossom, so all men and women of the realm take refuge with a Righteous King for protection, help and counsel. The welfare of all depends upon such an holy one who rules his kingdom according to My Command. O you who are the best among the wise! know that without a Holy King a country is like a family without a father, like a herd of cows without a leading bull, like an army without a commander and like a ship without a rudder. Therefore, let the people choose a good King.

57. The King shall be enthroned by the Assembly of Holy Sages in accord with My Command. He shall be of handsome and auspicious features, strong, able and free from any defects in body and in mind. His foremost duty shall be to establish Righteousness on Earth. He shall be a follower of Truth. He shall have no dealings with the people of Untruth. Ever remembering that I am the True Sovereign he shall be a tireless Defender of My Law.

58. The King shall favour peace above war. He shall not start a war without just cause. But if assailed by the enemy, he shall be fearless in defending himself and his realm. He shall be skilled in the use of the thirty-six kinds of weapons and in tactics of war. He shall enter the battlefield like an elephant entering a lotus pond. He shall be brave in battle, magnanimous in victory and unbowed in defeat.

59. The King shall maintain good relations with neighbouring kings and protect all allied kings and their people. He shall be like a father and an elder brother unto his subjects. He shall rule with courage, humility and wisdom. He shall apportion punishment and reward after befittingly enquiring into the matter. He shall always be well-informed in regard to the character, behaviour and intentions of his subjects. He shall be aware that excessive generosity can corrupt and too much censure can give rise to resentment.

60. The King shall be fair and kind to his Queen, wives and female attendants. He shall be courteous and just to ministers and menservants alike. He shall be devoted to the protection and welfare of all his subjects. He shall work for the prosperity of his people, his family and his own person through righteous means. He shall surround himself with trustworthy informers and advisers. He shall himself mingle among the people in disguise in the search for truth.

61. The King shall be moderate in eating, physical exercise and sexual enjoyment. He shall be ever watchful and awake even in sleep. He shall practise self-control and abstain from unnecessary thoughts, words and deeds. He shall not divulge secrets of state. He shall be a speaker of truth in a gentle and clear voice. He shall be a dedicated follower of Shiva, an accomplished practiser of Yoga and a master of the Eight Yogic Powers (Ashtasiddhi).

62. The King shall receive in payment for his service to the nation neither more nor less than the sixth part of the land’s produce. He shall build holy temples, contemplation halls and schools as well as water tanks, wells, parks and shelters, sanctuaries for the poor and the oppressed and abodes of healing for those of ill health. He shall encourage Spiritual study and debate and take part therein so often as his royal duties permit. Self-sacrifice for the good of the people shall be regarded by him as the highest goal. He shall give his daughters in marriage to the best among men and procure virtuous wives for his sons. At the end of his reign on Earth the King shall entrust his kingship unto his first-born son or some other suitable successor. For thus I have declared, A man’s land may be divided but a Kingdom shall ever abide as one.

63. These, O you who are followers of Unity with the Supreme! shall be known as the thirty-six excellent qualities of a Great King. Let all nations on Earth unite under such a King for he is a Divine Ruler indeed. He shall be revered by all as a God and obeyed as an Incarnation of My Supreme Self. Having illumined the Earth with his hallowed presence, upon departure from this World he shall join the Holy Immortals in Heaven. Verily, such a King is a blessing to all in this life and the next. Therefore, let a shrine be erected upon his tomb and his virtues be proclaimed to the World for the good of all.

64. As a King is just, generous and kind, so My devotees shall be kind to all creatures. Let them be kind even to the enemy in battle. Let them not slay one who flees the battlefield with dishevelled hair or apparel, nor one who is unarmed and defenceless, nor one who is injured and begs for mercy. Let no man forsake his father, nor his mother, nor his wife, nor yet his daughter or son unless they be found guilty of a great sin. He who does otherwise is a great sinner himself. Let every man give unto his parents the love and respect that he owes them. Let him be generous in returning the food and the care he received of them. For he who takes and fails to give is never a righteous man but only a thief. Let no man harden his heart against one who is in need of help. For good fortune comes now to one, now to another, turning this way and that way, ever changing like the flames of fire in the wind. One who this day abounds in riches, may to-morrow possess naught but a beggar’s bowl. Therefore, let My devotees give with ample generosity and sympathy to one who lacks. Let gifts be given to the poor, the weak and the afflicted, with fair words.

65. My devotees shall keep themselves clean. They shall walk upright, with a pure heart and kindly mien. They shall cover or bare their physical frame as befits the occasion, and wear apparel that is pure, pleasing to the body and pleasant to behold. Their garments shall not conceal their faces, nor their feet or hands. They shall greet each other courteously with the threefold salutation. They shall eat and cause others to eat food that is lawful, wholesome, and pleasing to the taste. But the best food shall be offered to the King, a Priest, a Holy Man and a Guest. A guest shall be looked upon as a God and all his needs shall be duly attended to by the host. Likewise, the guest shall obey the laws of the house with gratitude and respect and repay the hospitality received according to his means. Guests, small children, pregnant women, the elders and those that are ill shall be fed first. Honour shall ever be shown to those of many years: they shall be greeted with palms joined together; they shall be bowed down to, offered a seat and all their requests shall be attended to by the younger. Verily their feet shall be clasped in adoration and their wise words shall be paid heed.

66. Furthermore, know that love and kindness are manifestations of the Holy Unity of Souls. Therefore let My devotees show loving kindness to one another. For he who loves another loves Me, the One God and the True Self of all. Love is a feeling of immeasurable Joy that arises from the awareness of Unity with the loved one. It is sweet in the beginning, in the middle and also in the end. If it tastes bitter, it is not ripe. Verily, Love is the highest mark of Unity. It is the most beautiful expression of Truth and the sweetest fruit of Yoga. Happiness is a house built upon Love and Love is the Power that holds things together. By that Power two Trees blossom together in Spring; by that Power two Eagles sail towards the Sun; and two Souls, like two Clouds, blend into one.

67. Gentleness is an expression of Love. Let no man utter harsh words against another. As a wise man craves not a bitter fruit when a sweet fruit is at hand, so My devotee shall not speak unkind words when kind ones will likewise convey the truth. Humility is the antidote to vanity. A tree laden with fruit bends low but a barren one holds its branches high. Greatness is at once seen in a humble man. Therefore know that humility is a sign of greatness. Thus seeing God in each other, helping and edifying one another, My devotees shall be whole, happy and strong. They shall be a Light unto the World in this life and the next and their Community shall prosper and grow. Verily, they who abide by My Law shall find guidance and protection in the Light of Unity which is the well-spring of all life. They shall not stumble in the dark nor fall into the ditch of discord. But having drawn strength from that Light and having grown in radiance and might, they shall themselves be a Lamp unto the World. This is My Divine Command.

68. O noble ones! let every man live his life according to his Spiritual attainment. Let no man waste his life with idle preoccupations. For life is precious: I gave it to man that he may put it to good use. At the end of this life every man shall be called to account for his deeds on Earth, each according to his merits and sins. Ordinary men live sixty years. Those who are advanced upon the Path live one hundred and twenty years. Enlightened Yogis live three hundred and sixty years on Earth or more if they desire. But howsoever long one lives, life seems always short: it is over 158 SHIVA RAHASYA before long, even as a dream ends when the Sun rises at dawn.

69. Therefore let the thinking man make good use of his life. In the first portion thereof, up to twenty years, let him apply himself to the study of all that is needful to know for the living of a righteous life. In the second part of his life, up to the age of forty, let him become a good householder, a husband and a father. But in the third part of his life, up to the age of sixty and beyond, let him devote himself to the search for Truth.

70. Having acquired from a good teacher the knowledge that is needful for a virtuous life, let the young man obtain for himself a bride. Let him choose a maiden endowed with auspicious marks; who has handsome features, a pleasant voice and a graceful gait; who has a well-boding name, a virtuous character and is a devout follower of My Law. With such a wife an upright man will bring light into the World and establish Heaven on Earth. As the Moon grows for fifteen days and then is round and full, so manhood is attained in the sixteenth year and so is womanhood. Thereafter it shall be lawful for man and woman to wed but not afore. But if a maiden be with child and wished to marry the father, let her join herself to him and let them be accounted husband and wife. I am Compassionate and Just and so shall be My devotees. Every man shall find a soulmate according to My Will and to his Karma. But they that cannot marry shall set their heart on Me and live according to the Holy Dharma. This is My Eternal Law.

71. Nine kinds of marriage shall be known to my devotee: three lawful and six unlawful. The lawful ones are the following three. Firstly, that wherein a daughter, having been decked with costly garments, jewellery and gifts is given by her father unto a virtuous man of his own choice, but never to one of evil character, nor to one who is not a follower of My Law. Secondly, that wherein the bridegroom, having chosen a bride, of his own will gives as much wealth to her parents, her kinsfolk and to herself as he can afford. And thirdly, that wherein a maiden and her sweetheart meet in secret out of mutual desire, in which case they shall reveal their intention to the girl’s parents, the village elders or the King within a year. These three shall be known as lawful to all my devotees. But amongst these three, that union which springs from love is the most pleasing to Me.

72. Of the forbidden kinds, the first three are those done by stealth, deception or force. They who take or give a person in marriage by any of these three means, are committing a great sin for which they shall be severely punished by the King. Nor shall a bride be given to a man after being promised to another. Nor a bride or bridegroom substituted with another (after being shown to the suitor). Nor yet shall a follower of Dharma wed one who follows laws other than Mine. He who intends to marry an unbeliever should consider that love for the whole of Mankind is greater than love for a single man and that Love of My Truth is the greatest of all. Thinking thus, he shall be preserved from temptation and shall not commit a sin. But if the would-be spouse embrace My Law, let the two be wedded and live together in peace.

73. Listen you now to the most excellent rite whereby a devoted couple becomes husband and wife. Let the bride and the groom kindle a fire and cast some incense into it. Then with their mind addressed to Me, let them chant the following prayer: O Lord of Immeasurable Glory! from Delusion lead us unto Truth; from Darkness lead us unto Light; from Death lead us unto Eternal Life. They shall then pledge allegiance to each other and swear that they will abide in unity as one. Having done this, let the groom take the bride’s hand and step three times round the fire according to the course of the Sun (that is, from East to South and so forth) and with that, the holy wedding-rite shall be accomplished. Thereafter they shall be accounted husband and wife.

74. The priest, the parents and the guests shall be the earthly witness. But the fire shall be the witness divine. For I Myself reside in all things that shine. Hence the fire shall be a token of My Supreme Light. But if no fire be obtainable, let a lamp be kindled or even some incense be burnt. If that too be not at hand, let the wedding take place by a tree, a lake or a running stream and let their union be witnessed by the Sun, the Moon or the North Star. For I reside in all things that shine. I am the All-Seeing, the All-Wise.

75. O foremost among the righteous! man and woman were made for the establishment of My Law on Earth and for the good of each other. They are the earthly likeness of the First Beings Divine and the twofold Manifestation of the One. Therefore, they shall know each other to be Divine, honour each other, elevate each other and work together for the welfare of all. Moreover, know that when the Water of Heaven is joined to the Fire of Earth then the excellent fruit of Unity is conceived whereby Spirit spreads forth into the World.

76. Verily and without doubt, the Union of man and woman is like unto that of Heaven and Earth. It has been rightly said by those who are wise, That which is Above is like as that which is below and that which is below is like as That which is Above. For in the Abode of Shiva, Heaven and Earth, Soul and Matter, Male and Female, are forever One. Therefore, down on Earth, man and woman shall unite that Spirit may grow in Wisdom and Might. For Unity is the Power whereby Spirit comes alive but Disunity is that by which it dies.

77. I created man for woman and woman for man. A married couple is not two but one. The purpose of marriage is to make what was separated into one. Those who are joined in the marriage of Shiva are one Spirit, even as I Myself am One. Therefore let them keep that unity of Spirit and fall not into the Abode of Discord. Let harmony and friendship prevail in a married couple. For the couple who is happy, healthy and virtuous will have offspring endowed with the same qualities. Likewise, they that are unhappy, devoid of good health and given to sin will bear offspring like themselves. Let man and woman ever avoid unrighteous deeds. Let them ever strive to do works that are agreeable and beneficial to each other and to the Community of the Righteous (Dharma Sangham), that My Law may prevail on Earth.

78. Man and woman were made to enjoy unity with each other in body, mind and Soul. For the bliss of Unity is the Soul’s true sustenance. Unity is of three kinds, of body, of mind and of Soul. In those who are attached to the things of the World, Unity is incomplete and imperfect for it is in body only. In those who have left the blindness of ignorance behind and are about to enter upon the Path of Spirit, it is mixed, for it is both in body and in mind. But in those who are well- established on the Road to Perfection, it is perfect and complete, being of the Soul. They who attain Unity of Soul are the highest among the human race. They alone are worthy to enter through Heaven’s Gates. The others must stay outside.

79. Know that a wife is a husband’s most cherished possession. He shall protect, nourish and cultivate her even as a farmer cultivates the Earth. As a farmer at sowing-time sows seed in his field so the husband shall sow his seed in his wife’s womb and make her fertile like the fruit- bearing land. As oil or some other substance cast as an offering into the sacred fire goes up to the Sun wherefrom comes rain and thence food upon which living creatures subsist, even thus from the seed offered unto the fire in the womb, there springs a fruit (the child) which is the support of Mankind.

80. Let the man who desires to have a fruitful marriage lie down with his wife on an auspicious day which shall be neither during her monthly courses, nor fall upon a New-Moon or Full-Moon day, for these are holy. But let them enjoy conjugal union on the sixteenth day from the  beginning of her courses or when the First Crescent is seen in the Sky, or on the first day of each fortnight. A married couple shall ever endeavour to procreate. For thus I have declared, Like as the thousand-rayed Sun who is the Offspring of Heaven and Earth (i.e., Spirit and Matter), the fruit of Union between woman and man is a new-born Star that gladdens the World. It is every man’s duty to bring Light into the World, each one according to his means.

81. Let man and woman ever abide as one. From Unity spring all things that are right and good but from Discord comes only what is evil and wrong. Let righteous men ever protect their womenfolk. Let the father protect the daughter and the brother protect the sister. Let the husband protect the wife and the son protect the mother. Let all men protect the Queen. Let a man not lust after the wife of another nor meet women (other than his wife) in secret. He who has sworn an oath of loyalty and is unfaithful to his word commits a sin.

82. Likewise, let women ever be loyal to their menfolk. Let the daughter be loyal to the father and the sister to the brother. Let the wife be loyal to the husband and the mother to the son. Let all women be loyal to the King. The women who through unrighteous conduct put themselves and their men to shame are little better than wild beasts. But if they be loyal, virtuous and endowed with knowledge of the Spirit, they bring honour to all. From knowledge springs virtue and from virtue springs happiness lasting and true. Virtuous women bring happiness to all. They are like radiant Goddesses and the Jewels of Mankind. Even the Sun, the Moon and the Stars bow down before them in adoration.

83. But if they ask you, My Lord, which of the two shall have dominion over the other, the husband or the wife? answer in this way: the male being bodily stronger, he is a better worker and a better fighter; he provides for and protects the female. Verily, in this Age of Darkness, there will be many a war. When evil-doers invade the land seeking to injure and destroy her people, shall infants and womenfolk protect the men? Perish the thought! Therefore, it were better for woman to follow the man. It were wrong for the weaker to rule over the stronger. Thus it has been said: The country where the stronger is led by the weaker is quickly attacked and easily defeated.

84. But whosoever of the two is the wiser and the better leader, the same shall assume leadership in their daily chores. And the leader shall always listen to the wisdom of the other in those things wherein he is less wise. Verily, the couple that ever wrangle with each other for authority shall better part. For they are like two oxen that draw a cart in opposite quarters. Their union yields more harm than good and their works will come to naught. If a couple cannot live in peace as one, let them each go his own way rather than bring ill fate upon themselves and their children through much quarrelling and fighting. Children shall be protected from harm like young animals and plants and not be made to suffer for their parents’ sins. Nor should any parent suffer for the child. But the man who raises a child in ways that are contrary to Dharma shall accrue much evil Karma. A just punishment shall be his fate both in this life and in the next.

85. Men will say that the child belongs to the father and womenfolk will say that he belongs to the mother. But it is only their proud and stubborn heart who makes them speak so. The father cannot claim that the child belongs to him, for he neither bears the child in his womb nor gives he birth to him. And the mother cannot claim that the child is hers alone, for she willingly gave herself to the man in marriage, in full knowledge that a child that springs from their union will belong to both. The truth is that the child belongs to both parents in equal measure, being born by means of the bodily fluids of the two who are one through the bond of marriage. Therefore, let it be known that man, woman and child are one Spirit even as I Myself am One. Let there ever be unity between parents and child.

86. If a child is begotten upon his wife by a man who has several wives, he shall belong equally to all. But if one of the parents either before or after the birth waives his rights to the child by a special agreement, then the child shall belong to the other parent alone. If a man being without children appoints his wife to bear a son by another man, the child thus conceived shall belong to the adoptive father and his wife, and not to the blood father. For the produce of the seed sown on another’s field belongs to the owner of the field and not to the sower. The merit or sin that springs from a deed done by the command of the King falls upon the King and not upon him who obeyed the King’s command. And the merit resulting from a priest’s chanting prayers on behalf of another man, goes alone to the man who appointed him.

87. The same shall apply to the woman whose husband passes away without sons and who for the sake of preserving the husband’s line bears a child by another man. And if both parents are appointed by a childless man to bear a son on his behalf then the child shall belong to the man who appointed them. Likewise, a child wilfully abandoned by his parents shall belong to those who foster him. The child that springs from the union of a man with an unwilling woman shall belong to the mother alone if she desires to keep him. But it were better for her not to bring him into the World. For the fruit of such an union is a poisoned fruit that spreads evil upon Earth for seven generations and more. Let there be no doubt about this.

88. Let husband and wife be ever true to each other. The husband or wife who is unfaithful to the other shall atone for his or her transgression by fasting for three days, giving unto the other gifts of livestock, jewellery or other valuables, and vowing not to transgress again. If the vow is broken once, the fast and the amount of gifts shall be doubled. But if the vow be broken twice, the bond of marriage shall be regarded as severed and the couple shall either marry again after one year or go separate ways. But it were better for them to make up and stay faithful to each other. Such ones are true followers of Unity and an example unto all.

89. If a man wishes to divorce his wife, he shall not keep the dowry, nor demand (the return of) the gifts he has given her, nor shall he keep what she has given him. The same shall apply to the woman who seeks to divorce her husband and to those that are not married but live together (as if married). But he who divorces his wife shall provide for her and their child until such time as they find other means of sustenance except when the wife is able to support herself. If the man becomes unable at any time to provide for himself, his wife or their children, their needs shall be met by their kinsfolk, neighbours, the village elders or the King.

90. If a couple become divided, the child shall go to that parent who is better able to provide for him. If neither is found to be able, he shall go to the next of kin, the village elders or the King or to such person or persons as be appointed by these. But if the child be born to parents of whom one is a follower of My Law and the other not, then he shall go to the first-named parent without fail. And if that parent though being a follower of My Law be unable to provide for the child, then he shall be fostered by the Community of Devotees. Let all disputes be settled amicably for quarrelling brings harm to an innocent child and harming the innocent is a great sin. This is My Eternal Law.

91. O noble ones! let the King be a righteous leader and a good father unto the followers of My Law. He shall look after those who cannot find shelter elsewhere such as orphans, the destitute, the aged, widows, the feeble-minded, the afflicted, the persecuted and the oppressed. He shall ever be a good example and a source of guidance and support to all. Let the King appoint eight trustworthy ministers who shall assist him in the governing of the land.

92. Each village shall be ruled by a council of five elders chosen by the villagers themselves. The King shall appoint a headman over each village and a band of warriors to protect the righteous. Other headmen shall be appointed over groups of ten, twenty, sixty, one hundred and twenty villages and one or more towns as the case may be. The village elders shall inform the headman of any wrongdoings done in their village, the headman of one village shall inform the headman of ten, and the higher headmen in due order shall inform the King. The King shall then act for the protection of the Kingdom and for the upholding of the Law. In this way Dharma shall prevail.

93. Grain, wood, cloth, livestock, fuel and other such things as the villagers owe to the King shall be obtained by the headman of each village and duly brought to the King. The King in return shall lead and protect the people and be ever vigilant as to their welfare and prosperity.

94. Let the wise King rule the country according to the Four Means of Peaceful Persuasion, Enticement, Sowing Dissension and Punishment. Firstly, he shall persuade his opponents by peaceful means such as reasoned argumentation, the invocation of My Eternal Law, and so forth. Secondly, if he be unable to achieve the desired end, let him bestow gifts of land, gold, or give his offspring in marriage to those powerful rulers with whom he wishes to make peace for the good of the people. Thirdly, if that were to be in vain, let him sow dissension among his foes that they may be divided by discord and become easier to conquer. And fourthly, if that also fail, let him impose his will by means of force. Let him diligently apply these four in his dealings with powerful men, be they strangers or of his own race, ever seeking to do good for his people.

95. But for restraining the evil-doers in his own land let him employ the Six Means known to the Wise, each according to the crime and the perpetrator of the crime: verbal admonition, imposition of a fine, inflicting corporal punishment, binding in fetters (i.e., imprisonment or enslavement), banishing and death. Of these, the first five shall be permitted to village elders and headmen alike. But the sixth shall only be given by the King and by his men in accordance with his command. For the taking of another’s life is lawful for a man beside the King only in self- defence, in protecting the life of the innocent, and in defending his own property. He who unprovoked assails another or enters another man’s house with the intention of committing a crime shall himself be struck down with a club.

96. Thus the King, ever remembering that I am the True Sovereign, shall keep his people on the Road of Righteousness according to My Law. He shall restrain the thieves, the robbers, the murderers, the oppressors of the upright, and the godless who seek to corrupt the righteous. The King who restrains not the sinners shall take their sins upon himself. Therefore let him ever exert himself to punish the wrongdoers and reward the virtuous. Evil shall be banished by him like weeds and Righteousness cultivated like flowers and fruit-bearing trees. Verily, towards such a King the hearts of the people will turn like rivers towards the Sea.

97. Punishment shall be meted out in proportion to the crime. He who having been punished by the Righteous King, lets evil take root in his heart, will be punished even more in his next life. But he who willingly accepts his just punishment and thereafter casts off all evil from his heart, will go to the Abode of the Righteous without fail. Therefore let no man hold a grudge against those who punish him, for he who does so sins against himself. But he who punishes the unrighteous does so at My Behest. Just punishment is inflicted upon the sinner for the perfecting of his Soul. Say to the sinners: O people! not for nothing were you born in this World but that you might purify your Souls and grow in wisdom and might. This is how Perfection is attained. I am All- Wise and Ever Just.

98. O foremost among the best! know that other sins may be absolved. But killing a holy man; harming the innocent; betraying the People of Truth, their King, or a good friend; desecrating a holy place; and abandoning My Law: these shall be known as the Five Capital Sins for which there is no redemption. The perpetrators of these five shall be given the highest punishment by the King. Verily, they shall be punished in this life and the next. The property of the worst evil- doers shall be taken by the King and given to the poor.

99. Let no man ever speak falsely when called to give evidence before the village elders or the King but pledge to declare the plain truth with the following words: May Earth give in under my feet and swallow me alive; may Water drown me with a flood; may Fire strike me with a lightning-bolt; may Air take away my breath; may Sky no longer shelter me; may the Moon and Sun no longer shine for me; may the Lord of Life Himself forsake me if I should speak anything else but the truth. Those who wilfully speak falsely shall commit a great sin. But those who unwittingly do so or who are forced by others to bear false witness shall not be punished by the King. For I am Ever Compassionate and Just.

100. The King shall learn of all wrongdoings in his Kingdom by three means: by his power of second-sight; by information given him by trusted ministers, spies and common men; and by the confession of the wrongdoers themselves. Having acquired detailed knowledge of each deed, as well as of the perpetrator’s motives, character and wealth, let him make justice according to My Law in all matters of importance to the Kingdom. But in lesser cases let him appoint a righteous judge or leave the matter in the village elders’ hands. As for the jungle tribes and mountain- dwellers that live in far-off corners of the land, let them make justice according to their ancestral laws. The King shall give them guidance and protection only. But he may reward them if they follow his guidance and intervene if the Kingdom be threatened.

101. If any tribes in the land whether living far off or near stray from the path and ally themselves with evil, the King shall subdue them with force and make firm the Rule of Dharma in the realm. For the King who cares not to keep his subjects on the right path (satpatha) soon finds his Kingdom unravelling like the seams of a worn-out cloth. But he who ever restrains the unrighteous shall increase his dominion upon Earth and also in the next World. If the King be perceived to steer the land away from the right course, the people shall rise up and do away with him at once. For it is My Wish and My Command that every man should do what is in his power to uphold Righteousness on Earth. The Assembly of Sages shall then be called together and a new King appointed to rule over the land. Therefore, let the King ever impart justice according to My Law if he wishes to avoid an evil fate. Let him not act with his own interests in mind but for the good of the people. For it is to serve the people that he is made a King and given special powers. If the people perish, he shall perish too. But if the people prosper, so shall he.

102. As a King rules over his Kingdom, so a householder shall keep his home in order. A man may punish his wife, his son, his servant, his disciple and his younger brother who have done wrong, after giving them a forewarning. If his warning go unheeded, he may punish them by smiting them on the back part of their body. Let him not strike them on the head or other parts. Nor should he strike them with his fist as to cause bruises, nor with a club as to break a limb, nor yet with a sharp object as to draw blood. But he may strike them with his hand, a rope or a split bamboo cane so as to cause only a colouring (or redness) of the skin. He who disregards this rule shall make atonement for his sin by fasting for three days, feeding and clothing the poor and paying a fine to the King.

103. He who transgresses twice shall be treated as a thief. For he deprives the unjustly punished of their freedom, dignity and health. Therefore let the righteous man not punish anyone without a good cause. And let the others not provoke him into punishing them. Let the justly punished not strike back nor ever complain if the punishment is just. For just punishment is for the perfecting of the Soul and is given in obedience to Divine Law. Beware! an even greater affliction awaits him who seeks to evade just retribution: he shall be punished by Myself. Do not trade a lesser punishment for a greater. But if the punishment be unjust, they may report the matter to the village elders, the headman or the King and accept their judgement.

104. O righteous ones! it is good if men are restrained by the elders or the King. But it were better by far for them to restrain themselves. Let no man do unto others what he himself knows to be wrong. Let no man take or even crave in his heart what belongs to another. For to do so is a sin. But the traveller who has run out of provisions may take, in order to evade starvation, a small amount of grain or other plant-born fruit from a stranger’s field and drink from his well. Likewise he who in times of distress seeks to feed or water his livestock. But it were good to ask for permission first and even better if leave to do so be granted by the owner (of the field).

105. A thing borrowed from another shall be returned as given. Tools for tilling the land; beasts of burden such as oxen, elephants and camels; fishing boats and rafts; corn for sowing the field; bulls for impregnating cows; gold, silver, copper and precious stones. Whatsoever has been borrowed shall be returned to the lender at the agreed time, undamaged and in good condition. If a borrowed thing such as an amount of gold or gemstones has been exchanged for other goods, it shall be returned in kind unless otherwise agreed. If a thing has been damaged whilst in the borrower’s keeping, he shall either repair it or return an undamaged one in its stead, or pay such price as the lender rightfully demands.

106. For the lending of goods the lender shall be entitled to charge a price which shall be only a small part of the total worth. Let no man enrich himself to the detriment of others nor take advantage of the needy. Let the lender have patience with the debtor and let the debtor return what he owes lest he make himself guilty of theft. Let the just worth of all trade goods be settled by the King once every fortnight and all weights and measures examined once in six months, or more often if need be. Let the upright inform the King of all wrongdoings in the land and let the King restrain all wrongdoers. But it were better by far if people restrained themselves and desisted from deceiving their fellow men. Verily, the wrongdoers sin against their own Souls even though they may not know it. But in their heart of hearts they know this to be true. And so do I, the Lord of Justice Who see all from above. A just reward awaits them all!

107. The Farmer, the Merchant, the Warrior, the Priest and the Yogi in their midst: these five are supporting My Law. They are the five fingers of My Divine Hand whereby I establish the Holy Dharma on Earth. Know that Yoga and Dharma are one and the same. He who sees the two as one, sees things as they are and does not go astray. Let every man keep within his own fold and not overstep his lawful boundaries. Let him ever keep to the path of his duty according to My Command. The Farmer shall till and tend the earth; the Merchant shall trade in the fruits of the Farmer’s labour; the Warrior shall protect the land; the Priest shall conduct the holy prayers; and the Yogi shall spread My Word of Truth. This is My Eternal Law.

108. Those who say that the servant is another Caste, are ignorant folk whose knowledge springs from other men and not from Myself. And some speak thus to keep other men in servitude and bondage. In so doing they are committing a sin. Therefore, listen you to the plain Truth. A servant shall be one who through lowly birth, misfortune or his own deeds is destitute of possessions and forced to earn his daily sustenance by serving another man. Since a servant is defined by his work, he who hires himself out to another man and does the other’s work shall be deemed to belong to that Caste the work of which he does. If he does a Farmer’s work such as tilling the land, gleaning corn, threshing, cutting wood, tending the cattle, fishing, weaving and so forth, he shall be deemed a Farmer even if he himself be landless; if he does a Merchant’s work such as carrying, keeping account of, selling, buying, or lending, goods, he shall be deemed a Merchant even if himself does not own the merchandise; if he does a Warrior’s work such as carrying weapons, guarding houses or fields, protecting a person’s life, or collecting taxes for the King, he shall be deemed a Warrior even if himself possesses no weapons and is no accomplished master in the art of war; if he be employed in the maintenance of a holy place, procuring materials for the holy rites and aiding the Priest in conducting the prayers, he shall be deemed a Priest even if he knows not the Scriptures by heart; and if he does work in the service of a Yogi, be it gathering food, fetching water, cooking, protecting his master’s possessions or acting as his messenger, he shall be deemed as belonging to the Yogis even though he is not an Awakened One.

109. Verily, as you account a child born into a Caste to belong to that Caste even though he cannot yet perform all that is required of him according to his station, even thus a servant shall be accounted to belong to the Caste whose work he does even though he may not be a full-blood Farmer, Merchant and so forth. A man who, though born into the Priestly Caste, has no knowledge of the Scriptures and does a Farmer’s work, cannot be accounted a Priest but only a Farmer. Verily, Caste is determined by the kind of work a man does. And a servant is a man who does another’s work; he has no work of his own. Therefore he belongs to that Caste the work of which he does and not to any other. This shall be a settled matter. He who says otherwise sins against My Law.

110. The servant shall ever show obedience and respect to his master, for it is to him that he owes his livelihood. Likewise, let no man look down upon a servant or treat him with contempt. For on Earth, all men are My servants: they were sent down into this World to serve Me and each other. For thus I have declared, He who would be a Master shall be a servant first. But every man shall be treated according to his works. It is his work that makes a man and not his birth. A righteous servant is better than an evil King. Even those that on account of some abominable deed were enslaved by a righteous King, shall be freed when their sentence has been served. And their offspring shall likewise be free. For no child shall be made to pay for his parents’ sins. This is My Eternal Law.

111. The Five Castes are like unto one man. The Yogi is the head; the Priest is the mouth; the Warrior is the arms; the Merchant is the thighs; and the Farmer is the feet. Together they are like unto one body that forms the whole of Humankind. Therefore let every man conduct himself according to his duty as established at the beginning of time. And let living in unity with one another be the duty of them all. He who lives in unity with Mankind lives in unity with Me. And he alone who lives in Unity with Me is a Yogi and a True Man. Let no part of the whole swerve from its duty. Let the five parts of Mankind ever work in unity for the welfare of the whole. And let the whole work for the good of each part. This is My Divine Command.

112. As to whether it becomes a man to have one wife or many, the farmer, the labourer and the servant shall take one wife each. The merchant may take two wives if he can provide for both. The warrior can have three spouses. For should he be slain in battle he will soon be replaced by his many sons. The priest may wed four women that Righteousness may spread to the four corners of the Earth. But a great leader of men may take three times as many (that is, twelve) even as the stag, the lion and the bull who are leading among their own kind. And a King may take three times that (i.e., thirty-six). For the King is the greatest of all: he is like unto the Ocean to which many rivers flow. There shall be no compulsion in this. Let My devotees do what is right for themselves and for others, each according to his means, status and power, and providing that they all treat each other with equity and respect. The fool who does otherwise will go to sorrow and has only himself to blame.

113. Let every man keep to the path of his duty according to the Holy Dharma. Let no man deprive another of his livelihood, nor steal, nor deceive, nor yet speak an untruth. For he who keeps to the straight path shall not perish. Remember that the World is my Own Creation and ever abides by My Command. I shall not suffer My faithful devotees to meet an evil fate. I, the Lord of Truth am ever faithful to My Promise. What I speak shall come to pass.

114. 1 created the Day, that man might wake and Night that he might rest. I created fruit-bearing trees and rich fields of golden grain. I created milk-yielding cows and cool waters full of fish. I made forests and caves for shelter, the Moon that man might measure time, the Great Stars for direction and the light-bestowing Sun. And I gave him the Law whereby he might live in abundance and peace. I gave man a World of things that he too might give. Giving in the Cause of Dharma (Charity, Daya) is the highest duty of all. Let every man give according to his means.

115. O Sages! know that gifts (Dana) are of three kinds according to the reason for which they are made: gifts born of fear, born of desire and born of selfless duty. A gift given for the purpose of warding off harm to oneself or another is a gift given out of fear (Bhayadana). A gift given for the purpose of obtaining a desired thing is a gift of desire (Kamadana). But a gift given out of a sense of duty towards one’s Creator and fellow men, and without thought of reward, is a gift of righteous duty (or thing given in the cause of Dharma, Dharmadana). Of these three, the last- mentioned is the best.

116. Righteous men shall not make charitable donations to one who is wealthy, nor to a squanderer, nor yet to an evil-doer. For the gift given to one who accumulates wealth brings no Spiritual merit; likewise, that which is given to a squanderer shall be accounted to be lost; whilst that which is given to the evil-doer only increases evil on Earth. But to one who is in need, who is a man of virtue and who employs the received gift in a good cause, to such an one the donor should give according to his capacity of giving (dana shakti) and at the right time and place (desha-kala). For there is a time and a place for everything. Such a gift, given with a glad heart and after the needs of one’s own family have been fulfilled, shall be known as a righteous gift (Dharmadana or Daya) from which Spiritual merit flows like water from a pure well.

117. Let My devotees ever abide by My Law and observe the Fivefold Duty (Pancha-Dharma) of Declaring the Faith, Remembering the Holy Name, Giving for Charity, Fasting and Pilgrimage (see above, verses 44-48). These five are the Pillars of Unity whereby Divine Order is established and maintained in the World. They shall be practised by all Mankind without fail. But of these five, Charity is the most dear to Me. My devotees shall always give something to orphans, to widows, to the destitute and the afflicted, even if it be a small thing. For what is given with a pure heart to others is like unto the seed of a great tree: though small as a mustard seed at first, it shall grow and bear abundant fruit in due course.

118. My devotee shall be kind to all creatures and honour all created things. Do not deprive other creatures of their livelihood. Harm not those that harm you not. Do not slay a living being without good cause. The eating of meat shall be lawful to My devotees when no others sustenance is to be found, but not otherwise. In this World life is sustained by taking the life of others. With every step, with every breath, with every move, a World of living creatures is destroyed. The creature that is stronger and more agile eats that which is weaker and more docile. And that which is not eaten by man will be eaten by another (of its own kind) if that be its Karma. Therefore flesh may be taken provided that it is lawfully obtained and the thriving of no kind of creature is in any way put at stake.

119. My devotee may eat the flesh of airborne creatures that feed upon seeds, berries and fruit, such as the jungle-fowl, the partridge and the dove. But let him not eat those that feed on other creatures like the eagle, the vulture, the owl and the hawk. Nor the village-fowl, nor the cuckoo, nor the crow, nor the heron, nor the crane, nor the parrot, nor the duck, nor the goose, nor yet the swan. Of land-living creatures the flesh of grass-eating beasts may be taken such as the buffalo, the goat, the sheep, the antelope, the deer, the wild boar and the hare. Likewise the hedgehog, the porcupine, the tortoise and the Godha lizard. But let him not eat flesh-eating beasts like the lion, the tiger and the leopard. Nor the dog, the cat, the village-hog, the elephant, the cow, the camel, nor the horse. Nor shall men eat the flesh of other men, nor that of man-like creatures (such as monkeys and apes). Of waterborne things he may eat the turtle and all kinds of fish that are wholesome to eat, but not the dolphin, the whale, the alligator, nor the shark.

120. Let My devotees eat what they deem best for themselves and their family to eat. But to an infant no other food than breast-milk shall be given for one or two years or until his first teeth appear. If the mother be lacking in milk, the child shall be nursed by another wife or an appointed nurse. If a wet-nurse be not obtainable, he shall be given the milk of the cow or the goat, or even the milk (extracted) from the ripe coco-nut. At the end of his first two years the child shall be weaned on fruit, vegetables, pulses and (unleavened) bread. In his twelfth year or when his milk teeth have fallen out and new teeth begin to grow, he may eat some fish or meat if need be. But the parents who raise their offspring on pure food are the best of My devotees.

121. Verily, let no man eat meat if he can avoid it. For meat cannot be obtained without inflicting suffering on sentient things and depriving them of their lives. Harming the innocent and the defenceless is a deed most abhorrent to the righteous. Seeking to increase one’s own flesh by the taking of flesh from others is assuredly on a par with theft or worse. Wild beasts may eat the flesh of other creatures, but man ought to know better and abstain. And My devotees even more so. Therefore, let righteous men abstain from flesh and subsist on grains, beans, nuts, fruit and milk. These five may be eaten without taking the life even of plants. For plants too are living things. But leaves, stalks and roots may still be eaten in preference to meat. For a cut- down plant gives green offshoots again but a moving thing cannot be brought back to life once it has been slain.

122. He who on failure of other means of sustenance eats meat, does not commit a sin if the same be obtained and eaten according to My Law. Let an offering of choice grass, grain or fruit be made to the slain beast and the following words be addressed to its Soul: O brother Deer (or other creature)! forgive me if I have sinned against you. Pray accept my offering and may your path to Heaven be an easy one! May this meat be for the sake of Dharma! My devotee shall then consecrate the meat with the words: To the Lord of all Creatures, to the Fathers and to all hungry Souls, Svaha! Having thus offered the meat up unto Myself, his Ancestors and all who are afflicted with hunger, and having resolved to employ the sustenance drawn therefrom in the upholding of My Law, he may proceed to eating it.

123. The fool who does otherwise commits a great sin and shall be accounted little better than a thief and a murderer of men. In his next life he shall be tormented by the Soul of the beast he slew or by the Lord of its kind. For every living creature has an Overlord from whom it springs and to whom it belongs. My devotee shall atone for the sin of eating meat by propitiating the Lord of the eaten beast, by fasting on New and Full-Moon days and by feeding as many wild creatures as he is able to feed. At the time of harvesting the grain, a corner of the field shall be set aside and left untouched till sowing time that it may afford sustenance and shelter to the creatures of the field. One who has fed himself and his kin, shall leave some food and water on the roof of the house, in a forest-clearing or in some other open place where birds and other living things may come to feed. Likewise, when forest-trees and other plants are hewn down for the use of men, new ones shall be planted in their stead. For both plants and moving things were here on Earth first. Man came afterwards and took the fields, the rivers, the mountains and the woods all to himself. Therefore, let him give something to those that came before him. Otherwise he will commit a sin.

124. O noble ones! from birth to death man subsists on food. What he eats with his mouth is food for the body; what he eats with his senses is food for the mind; but what he eats with his heart is food for his Soul. What he eats with his mouth, senses and heart, that he becomes. It is good to eat food that sustains the body; it is good to eat food that nourishes the mind. But that food which gives strength to the Soul is the best food of all.

125. The body delights in physical food; the mind delights in beautiful sensations, beautiful feelings and beautiful thoughts. But the Soul delights in Truth. All things that are true, beautiful and good shall be deemed to be the Soul’s own food. But the Bliss of Heaven is the highest delight of all. As an infant drinks the mother’s milk even so the Soul drinks the bliss-bestowing Milk of Heaven whereby one is endowed with illustrious wisdom and power. That Bliss is not attained through worldly food but through detachment from the World. My devotee shall not be too attached to possessions, kinsfolk and other worldly things for they tie him down to the World. And a bound Soul knows not the Joys of Heaven even as the captive elephant knows not the joys of his free-roaming kin.

126. Verily, it is detachment from the objects of the senses that relieves man from the burdens of this World. Therefore, detachment shall be cultivated at all times. He who masters the art of detachment evades the troubles of the World even as the wise Heron evaded the Crows. A Heron while fishing in the river made a big catch. Two voracious Crows at once descended upon him, wishing to snatch away the fish. The Heron flew this way and that way seeking to escape the Crows. Perceiving that he was no match for them, the Heron at last let go of the fish and alighted upon a tree where he could repose in peace. A Yogi who was sitting on the riverbank saw this and with great wonder exclaimed: Adoration be to Shiva! to Him, Who this day in the form of a wise Heron has taught me the art of letting-go.

127. The World wherein man lives is like unto a great Tree and man’s body like unto a bird’s nest. Through detachment from both body and the World, the Soul who is like a bird rises up into the Sky and joins himself to the Most High. He unites himself with the One and becomes equal to the Radiant Gods in this very lifetime. Verily, of all things the Unmeasured alone lives on for all times; but that which is measured is born and in due course dies. He who abides upon the lofty Peak of Unity with the Immeasurable One falls not over the stumbling-block of limitation. He is not hunted by the hounds of Discord. His eye is not blinded by the Cloud of Delusion. His heart is not pierced by the arrows of Death. He is above Limitation, above Delusion, above Discord and above Death, who ever abides in the sunlight of Unity with Truth.

128. Therefore, do not be attached to the things of this World, for this World is a mere wave in the Ocean of Life and a passing reflection of My Everlasting Light. What is a passing wave like as a wave shall pass; but That Which is Abiding shall stand for all time: even when the World has come to an end. Verily, in this World, some laugh and others cry. But the follower of Dharma is ever serene and content. For he knows things which men who are devoid of knowledge fail to understand. As the Moon is not attached to mountains, forests and the Sea as she travels on her path across the Sky, so the wise Yogi abides ever unattached to the things of worldly life. Detachment is of two kinds. Firstly, observing all things calmly and as if from afar. And secondly, seeing all things for what they are, namely, emanations of the Most High. Through detachment from the things of the World, the veil of delusion falls off from the Yogi’s eyes and he at once begins to see My Signs. O noble ones! I did not create the World for nothing but that it might be an example and a guidance to all Souls. All things in this World have a meaning and are a Sign from On High: a message to be understood and followed.

129. My Signs are of two kinds, those that endure and those that pass away. The enduring ones are the Sky, the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Mountains and the Sea. The passing ones are of three kinds. Things that come to pass in daily life, visions and dreams. Some are a guidance to be followed, some are a good tiding and some are an ill omen or a warning. A human form of handsome features, a Radiant One (a God), a holy man, a King or Queen; the Sun’s or one’s own clear reflection in water, a bright cloud, a rainbow or a sky-blue light; riding upon a horse, white bull or elephant; women, children and wild beasts being kind towards each other and to oneself; dwelling in a sheltered place or a well-kept house; eating pure food, wearing pure apparel in the day and resting in a pure bed at night; flying into the bright Sky, being in beautiful surroundings, being in the company of good friends or Gods; lying down with the head towards the South; casting a clear, unbroken and unshaken shadow; a growing plant; a running stream or lotus pond; a pleasant scent. These are auspicious Signs (Sulakshana) to be sought whilst waking, dreaming or seeing a vision. For they all are boding well.

130. But a hideous form, an evil Spirit, an unrighteous man, one afflicted by his own sins or a lifeless corpse; the Sun’s or one’s own hazy reflection in water, a dark cloud, an ill-shaped lightning or a blood-red light; riding upon a dog, a black bull or a donkey; women, children and wild beasts being hostile to each other or to oneself; dwelling in a wind-swept place or a dilapidated house; eating impure food, wearing polluted clothes in the day or sleeping in a polluted bed at night; falling into a dark pit, being in a repugnant place, being in the company of enemies or demons; sleeping with the head towards other directions than South; casting a fading, broken and shaking shadow; a withering plant; a stagnant pool; a foul smell. These are Signs that bode no good (Durlakshana), whether seen while awake, in a dream or perceived in a vision; whether seen from afar or from anear.

131. Know that if a single ill-boding Sign is seen, it is a warning. If it be accompanied by others of its kind, the time has come for him who has seen them to depart from this World. But if good and bad omens are seen together, there shall be a loss and a gain to him who has perceived them. Having perceived ill-boding omens, the wise Yogi shall at once immerse himself in contemplation and abide in that state with one-pointed concentration upon My Supreme Self. If then he should desire to live on, his wish shall be assuredly granted. If he should desire to forsake his mortal body, he shall exit the same by the crown of the head and rise heavenwards without delay.

132. Having perceived the signs of Death, before departing from this World, let the righteous man make a will before trusted witnesses and bequeath his possessions to those he leaves behind. For thus it has been said: When the time has come to depart, possessions are best left behind. When Death does draw near, let the wise one bid farewell to all who are dear. My devotee may either wait for Death in his own home; or having made over his possessions to his wife or eldest son, he may depart in a northward direction living on nothing but water and air until his journey in this life comes to an end; or he may depart from this World by gradually reducing the amount of food he eats; or by lighting a pyre upon which he has seated himself; or by going into water; or  by willingly forsaking his body. These five are the most excellent ways of ending one’s life on Earth and passing to the Otherworld.

133. Having been decked with flowers and other such offerings, the body of one who has departed from this World may be left like unto a log in the forest, buried under earth, cremated or cast into the water according to each Soul’s Spiritual attainment. But the body of one who is a righteous leader of men or one endowed with great power shall be buried in an upright posture (that is, seated cross-legged) and facing the North and a mound of earth shall be raised upon it that his Soul may be remembered and honoured by all. My devotees shall not grieve for the departed, for all Souls spring from Me and unto Me they all return: this is the Eternal Law. But let them make their departure light and not heavy. A heavy heart holds a Soul down and lets him not rise up. Therefore, break not the departed one’s peace with the din of lamentation. Do not trouble his heart with downcast mien. Make the departure easy with prayers, chants and festive songs, and honour his memory with a joyous feast. This is My Divine Command.

134. Upon the burial of his mortal frame, a man’s property shall be made over to his heirs. In the case of a householder, the first heir shall be his wife. When the wife too has departed from this World, the property shall be equally divided among the children or taken by the eldest son or daughter who shall be like a father or mother unto the younger ones till they come of age. If there be more than one wife, the property shall be equally shared by all and upon their death by their children. If a child be begotten upon the deceased man’s wife by another man for the purpose of preserving the line, he shall be accounted his blood son and rightful heir.

135. If there be no offspring, the property shall go to the parents, brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces or such person or persons as appointed by the deceased before trusted witnesses. Let the property be equally and justly divided among all lawful heirs. He who is wealthy shall be content with less but he who is poor shall be given more. And if any of them be an evil-doer, he shall receive the least. Upon failure of all aforementioned heirs, the property such as land, livestock or gold shall be taken by the King for safekeeping and for good works (satkarma). For the King is like as a father unto all men and protects the destitute and the afflicted. But food and clothing shall be given to the poor.

136. O righteous ones! man’s life depends upon his actions, his knowledge, his will-power and the Will of the Great One. And so do the Four Goals of life. Righteousness springs from man’s actions. For, whether he leads a righteous or unrighteous life depends upon his deeds. Prosperity springs from his knowledge. For whether he acquires wealth or not depends upon whether he knows the means whereby to acquire it. Even one who is well-born may either lose his possessions through lack of knowledge or not know how to enjoy what is his by birth. Love springs from his desire which is a form of will-power. But Spiritual Perfection flows from My Own Will. This is the Eternal Dharma.

137. Dharma is the World-Protecting Law. He who is without Dharma is like unto one who dwells in a house without a roof: to him misfortune comes like rain unto the roof-less house. But he who takes refuge in the Holy Dharma is well-sheltered and protected against evil karma. From him misfortunes stand aloof like rain from the house with a well-thatched roof.

138. Those who follow the Path of Dharma act in accordance with my Will. For such ones there is nothing that cannot be attained. Verily, those who follow the right path (satpatha) easily achieve what they desire even as a man in a boat is quickly carried downstream. But those who follow other paths are like the man who goes against the stream: hard is his life and uncertain his achievements. This is My Eternal Law. He who knows not My Law nor follows it, shall go the downward way in life. But he who knowing My Law acts in other ways, shall go deeper still. Indeed, he shall sink into Hell. Verily, I say unto you, it would be better to have one’s head cut off than follow another Path.

139. Having earned merit through good deeds (satkarma), one enjoys the fruit thereof. When merit comes to an end, one suffers the pain of sin. For in this Dark Age of Sin, there is not one man on Earth whose deeds are wholly good. Thus one’s own actions endlessly throw the Soul from one of Life’s extremes to the other, life after life. But when through My Grace man enters upon the Path of Yoga and acts in Unity with Me, he goes beyond both merit and sin. Verily, the deeds of an accomplished Yogi, being done in perfect Unity with Me, are all perfectly lawful and holy. Let Freedom, Unity and Justice prevail amongst My devotees. For these three make up the Trident of Truth Which is the best weapon against the Untruth.

140. Verily, as the Sun drives away the dark shadows of night with his beams of light, so Truth with Its three-pronged Bolt of Freedom, Unity and Justice repels the shadows of Untruth. As Lightning pierces the rain-bearing clouds with flaming darts of fire, so the Trident of Truth cuts through the darkness of Untruth and reveals the Truth.

141. Armed with My Threefold Bolt of Truth, My devotees shall vanquish all things that are evil and false and Victory shall be theirs for all time. Their names shall be established in the Abode of Truth and in Radiance they shall equal the Mighty Gods.

142. Having called upon Me with the Prayer, Om Namah Shivaya, with a mind fully concentrated upon Me, Who Am the Innermost Soul of the Universe and the Highest Truth, let the Yogi utter the following words with conviction and without fear in his heart.

143. Come not against Me! you Cloud of Obscuration (i.e., Death) who live on the life-breath of the ignorant. Your magic cannot grip My Heart for I am full of the Power of the Lord of Gods.

144. Retreat! you Thought of Separation who beset the confused and gnaw at their heart. My mind shall not be lost in your Forest of Delusion for I am the Son (or Daughter) of the Lord of Light.

145. Begone from Me! you Evil Spirit who devour the life-blood of the weak. Your fiendish deeds shall not corrupt My Soul for I am the Lord of Gods Himself.

146. I am the Lord of Life Eternal, the True Illuminator, the Light of all lights. I am the Voice of the Past and the Future, and Master of all that passes now. I am the Threefold Light of Fire, Sun and Moon. I am the All-Enclosing Mighty Sky.

147. The Universe is My Own Reflection. All this has risen out of Me. I am the One Source of all Life. I am the Living Light of all Souls, the Breath of everything that breathes, the Power of all the Gods worshipped by men.

148. I pervade the All with My Light of Truth. Nothing can stand in My Way. For I am One with Lord Shiva, the Wielder of the Bolt of Light, the Sun of Reality Whose Essence is Pure Consciousness and Bliss.

149. Verily, by the power of this Mighty Spell the Yogi falls not into the dark recesses of the Otherworld. He goes beyond Life and Death and enters into My Supreme Abode where Discord and Separation hold not sway, where everything follows My Law, where all is Happy, One, and ever at Peace. This is the Eternal Dharma. Let all Souls follow My Path for it is the Eternal Road of Heaven trodden by the righteous Souls from the beginning of all Time. Let them not follow other paths.

150. O righteous ones! I have given My Law to Mankind that It might be a guidance to all. But of all nations some will reject It, some will corrupt It and some will invent their own laws. Therefore, follow the True Law that I have given you. Follow not those laws that are invented and followed by others. Beware of strangers and their laws.

151. In the Holy Land of India I have established a Community of the Righteous that it might be a guiding light unto the World. Therefore strange faiths shall not be suffered in My Abode of Truth. For strangers are a quarrelsome lot. They bear fair words and evil deeds. They will bring nothing but Discord to the Holy Land and misery to the People of Truth. Blinded by ignorance and pride they will say that their manner of worship is the better way. When through blandishments or threats they have enticed you to go astray, others will come who will declare that their way is better still. Thus, little by little you will be led astray and will never again find the right way.

152. Therefore, be forewarned! Forget not that I created the World that it might abide in unity with My Truth. Disunity is a disease that takes root in the heart of those who are unfaithful to Me (i.e., untrue to the One Supreme Being). Verily, disunity is the greatest Sin. If the People of Unity suffered disunity in their midst, Unity would be wiped out from the face of the Earth and Mankind would sink into Disunity and Discord.

153. Verily, I created Mankind as one, but some among nations chose the Path of Discord. They quarrelled with each other and worshipped vain phantasms and False Gods. In those dark places upon Earth that are devoid of Dharma, the deluded will outnumber and rise above the righteous. And the more deluded still will rise above the former. In their delusion they will turn against My Law and invent their own laws. Little do they know that My Law cannot be changed but only followed!

154. Having rejected My Law, they will be overcome by madness. They will say with their mouths, You shall not kill. But no sooner will they utter these words than they will fall upon their fellow men and murder them without remorse. Thousands upon thousands of innocents will be slaughtered like sheep. Let every man judge for himself: are these the works of righteous men? By no means. Just wait and see. A terrible punishment awaits them, verily, indeed.

155. Others will say, Behold, this is the son of God; he will redeem the World from Sin. Know this to be a lie. No man can remove another man’s sins but only his own. And even that, only at such time as I Myself appoint him. For I Alone Am the Saviour of all. Verily of Sin there will be not less but more. Salvation is not obtained by the belief in fables but only by the following of My Law.

156. Others will follow one who takes his pleasure of virgins as young as six and of a multitude of female slaves. Moreover, having slain many innocents he will say, This is the Will of God. O you who are righteous amongst men, just think! Can unrighteousness ever be My Will? If this were so, I would be an evil Spirit and not God. Verily, he who thinks that I approve of evil commits a heinous sin. He follows the Path of Evil and sinks into the deepest Hell. He and his followers will one day know what My Divine Will Is. The curse of their own deeds shall fall upon their heads. So long as the World endures they shall find neither happiness nor peace. A dreadful punishment awaits those who transgress My Law. I am All-Seeing and Ever Just. I bring destruction and death to every evil-doer according to his sins. But some I shall save from destruction to be a guidance and a warning unto others, even as I saved the unbeliever who sought to try My devotee.

157. Once, an unbeliever from across the Western Sea, who was a leader amongst the unfaithful nations, came to the Holy Land (of India) to preach the wrong path to the righteous. Having arrived on these hallowed shores, he chanced upon a pious devotee who resided upon a hill outside an ancient city. He saluted the Yogi and, full of self-pride declared, O Yogi! I have come to test your powers. Make ready to meet your doom! The Yogi graciously glanced at him and said: My friend, since I have never claimed to possess powers, do you show your powers first that we may all know what you mean.

158. The stranger muttered a prayer to his God and at once went up to the clouds. But beyond the clouds he could not go. Therefore he hid himself within a cloud and tarried there for a while, scheming what to do next. At long last he descended back to Earth claiming to have been to Heaven. Thinking victory to be already his, he spoke with a haughty grin: Now, Yogi, it is your turn. But the Yogi directed his thought to My Supreme Eternal Truth and by the Power Thereof, instantly rose up into the Sky, driving all the clouds away. Thence he flew to the place where the Sun rises and to that where the Sun sets. He flew to that place where the Sun shines at midday and to that wherein he rests at night. He flew all the way to Holy Mount Kailasa, circled it three times and went to the various heavens whose inhabitants honoured him even as they honour a great king. The very Hosts of Heaven were his harbingers and even inanimate things worshipped him by laying down their shadows at his feet.

159. Thereupon the stranger seeing that he was utterly defeated and sorely fearing for his life, threw himself down before the Yogi and pleaded to be accepted as his obedient slave. But the Yogi replied: O you whose heart was infected with pride! know that in all the Three Worlds, which are, Heaven, Earth and that which lies between, there is One Master only – the Lord of Immeasurable Glory and Master of all living Souls. You were unfaithful to Him and were heading for destruction. Seeking to destroy others you very nearly met your own doom. But since you have lost your pride and wish to be a servant, I command you by the Will of Shiva to serve the orphans, the destitute and the afflicted. This is the Lord’s Command to which until now, due to the din created by your evil thoughts, you were unable to give ear. At the Yogi’s words of Mercy, a veil fell from the stranger’s eyes and he believed in the Holy Dharma. He at once departed to do the Command of his Master, praising the Name of Shiva as he went.

160. After him, another stranger came seeking to corrupt the heart of upright men. He cast a staff upon the ground which took the likeness of a snake. He then commanded My People to worship his God. Little did he know who the Greatest God Is! But the Lord of Serpents himself, My Own Emanation, descended from his dwelling-place above and swallowed the unbeliever alive. Needless to say, neither the man himself nor his staff were ever seen again here, nor in other parts.

161. Therefore, beware! Follow not into the footsteps of the unfaithful. For when their time has come they shall go to destruction. Only a few shall be saved to be an example. Walk not in the path of foreign faiths. For had they been true, I Myself would have guided you to them. But I have given you a True Religion (Sat-Dharma) and not one invented by men. I have given you a Guiding Light that your Soul might be nourished and grow in wisdom and might. I have made you a Community of Righteous Souls and the most numerous nation on Earth that you might be a light unto the World.

162. Verily at the beginning of Time I established One Law for all of Mankind. But of all nations upon Earth, the People of India alone have stayed faithful to My Law. The others have changed their faith many times over, like a woman who gives herself to many men. Don’t they know that I have eyes everywhere and ever watch them from close by? Let them do as they please, the day of reckoning is never far! But of you I have made a nation of righteous men that you might lead the others to the True Faith.

163. The Holy Land of India, the Abode of Light (Bharat) which shines like unto a jewel on this Earth was given by Me to My devotees that they might lovingly tend her like a precious garden and make her an example and a guidance unto others. Those who neglect My Holy Gift shall not only lose their possession but suffer a dreadful fate as a reward for their sin. Verily, I say unto you, I did not create the Earth for her to be ruled by miscreants but by righteous men who abide in Unity with Me. If the unfaithful prevail, it is not because I Myself will thus, but because the righteous having become weak and corrupt, neglect their holy duty: which is to uphold Righteousness upon Earth.

164. Therefore, desist from suffering unbelievers in your midst. For they are a devious lot. They will rob you of your possessions and drive you out of your own homes. They will defile your womenfolk and take your children as slaves. They will brand the mark of servitude upon the brow of free men. Verily, strangers are not to be trusted. Do not make friends with them. It were far better to live alone than join oneself to the enemies of My Law. But those amongst the sons and daughters of the Holy Land who stray from the Path of Dharma are the worst by far. For they betray their own people and are the greatest sinners of all. An evil fate awaits them all.

165. He who without good reason causes disunity between two people such as husband and wife, brother and sister or father and daughter, shall abide in Hell for sixty years. He who causes disunity between a righteous King and his people shall earn a place in Hell for six hundred years. He who brings disunity to a nation shall dwell in Hell for six thousand years. But he who brings disunity to the Abode of My People (India) shall abide in Hell till the end of time. Verily, there is no redemption for those who sin against the Holy Law of Unity. They shall be justly punished in this life and the next.

166. Therefore, be ever on your guard against those who would infect your heart with disunity and discord. Do not suffer unbelievers in your midst save if they accept My Truth. If they embrace My Revelation receive them into the unity of Shiva with all your heart. But if they reject the Dharma, let them go elsewhere and keep yourselves away from them. If they rise up in arms against you, I shall grant you victory over them all. For the righteous shall be victorious even as I Myself am Ever Victorious. Verily, foreign kingdoms will rise and fall but the Land of Glory (India) shall ever remain the Holy Bastion of Truth and the Refuge of the Righteous upon Earth.

167. O People of Truth! a glorious reward awaits those who follow My Law. Those who reject the Dharma shall go to their own destruction and their works shall come to naught. But My devotees shall never perish, they shall go to Everlasting Life. Verily, I say unto you, I have raised you up among all people and made you leaders of men that you might proclaim to them My Revelation and lead them unto Salvation. They who accept My Law shall attain Supreme Perfection. I am ever faithful to My Promise. Therefore, when the time has come, let My Word be made known to all quarters of the Earth.

168. I have set forth My Law in plain language that it might be understood by all. But those that understand not shall at least believe. For belief is the light of those that lack knowledge and wisdom. Therefore believe and follow those who understand. Do not look left, do not look right, and never look down. Always look up. This is how you hold fast to the Right Path (Satpatha). Follow you a straight course like the Sun. Do not follow a crooked path. Be strong in the following of Dharma like unto a Mountain, constant like unto a River and patient like unto the Ocean. Do not give in to temptation. Do not trade the Kingdom of Heaven for a bowl of stale food, for he who does so commits a mortal sin.

169. As archery has two parts, firstly the laying of the arrow upon the bow and secondly the shooting thereof, even so learning has two parts: the acquisition of knowledge and the application thereof. It is through the application of the acquired knowledge that learning is tested. Man’s life is nothing but learning. And learning requires testing. For the knowledge that is acquired but not tested is like unto food that is prepared but never tasted. Many a test has been prepared for every Soul that he might see for himself what his knowledge is worth. Verily, in this life every man shall be tested, each in his own time. Therefore, do not fail the test of life. Do not give in to temptation, for temptation is the stumbling-block of your life.

170. Nor shall you be weak and disheartened in the face of misfortunes. For they too are but a trial for testing your strength and fitness for a Higher World. Pay no heed to those who seek to turn you away from My Truth for in so doing you will have failed. He who falls from the Right Path (Satpatha) falls into Hell and can account himself among the lost. It were better not to know the Truth than, having known It, to follow another path. He who having heard My Truth follows another Path is like the fool who digs a well on a riverbank and like one who trades gold for dirt. Verily, hard is the Path of Righteousness for the weak-hearted and few have the strength to travel it to the end. But he who having been shown the right way turns to another path, shall commit a great sin. But they who are strong of heart shall not perish. They shall be raised above the others and a great reward shall be theirs: Heaven Itself shall be their eternal abode.

171. Those who follow My Law are rightly guided and shall never fail. For My Law is the manifestation of the Supreme Light of Knowledge and the essence of all True Scriptures which are known to the wise. It abides forever in the Highest Heaven as the Eternal Sound Supreme Which is plainly heard by Yogis but only faintly by other men. From the Heart of the Heavenly Sphere, My Divine Word in its Unspoken Form constantly shines in all directions illumining the way for those who wish to reach My Abode of Peace across the troubled waters of the Ocean of Existence. I Am the Dispeller of Darkness, the Eternal Enlightener of Whom all true Teachers are manifestations even as rays are emanations of the Sun. My Revelation is the Light that reveals the Road to Heaven.

172. For the well-being of the World, I, the Most Benevolent, the Most Merciful God, the Lord of Yoga, the Lord of Unity, at the beginning of each World-Age Reveal the Truth unto human kind by means of Five Mighty Streams of Light. They are manifestations of My Five Powers Divine: Infinite Awareness, Bliss, Will, Knowledge and Action.

173. By way of these Mighty Streams of Perfect Intelligence I manifest My Eternal Truth in the Form of Divine Word and broadcast It to all Quarters of the World.

174. Assuming the Form of the Middlemost Stream of Awareness that passes down, I descend into the World of men illuminating it with My Pure Light of Perfect Awareness. Thence, from that Self -Luminous Middlemost Point, I spread forth to the Four Quarters of the Firmament.

175. Assuming the Form of the Eastwards-flowing Stream of Bliss, I illuminate the Sky of the Rising Sun with My Pure Light of Perfect Bliss.

176. Assuming the Form of the Southwards-flowing Stream of Will, I illuminate the Sky of the Midday Sun with My Pure Light of Perfect Will.

177. Assuming the Form of the Westwards-flowing Stream of Knowledge, I illuminate the Sky of the Setting Sun with My Pure Light of Perfect Knowledge.

178. Assuming the Form of the Northwards-flowing Stream of Action, I illuminate the Sky of the Midnight Sun with My Pure Light of Perfect Action.

179. By way of these Five Luminous Streams which pervade the Five States of Waking, Dreaming, Deep Sleep, Enlightenment and Universal Consciousness I, the Lord, the Non-Sound become Sound, Constantly Enlighten all the Worlds till the end of Time.

180. Yet though I Eternally Shine equally upon all, unenlightened Souls receive My Light variously, according to each one’s capacity of perception. Those that cannot perceive My Divine Light directly, have to resort to a Master, Human, Superhuman or Divine.

181. Because of this, I Graciously Assume the Form of Four Divine World-Gurus, one to each Quarter, whilst I Myself abide amongst them as their Middlemost Overlord.

182. Having imparted My Divine Knowledge unto them, they transmit My Word to Four Superhuman Gurus, these reveal It to Four Human Masters and the last-named impart It to their human disciples. Having accomplished their task according to My Command, the Four Divine Masters return to My Heavenly Abode.

183. Whensoever My Divine Teaching is being imparted in this World or in Heaven, I Myself abide in the midst of the congregation of devotees as the Eternal, Unseen Teacher of the Universe. For the Heart of all things is My Eternal Abode Wherein I may be found at all times and in all places.

184. Thus My Word is forever delivered unto the World for the welfare of all. He who accepting My Word, hears it, thinks and acts upon it, and becomes absorbed in It by means of the Yogic Practices called Shravana, Manana and Bhavana, that one attains Union with Me (Shiva- Samyoga). He rises heavenwards to My Supreme Abode by the same Mighty Stream of Self- Effulgent Light whereby I Myself descend into the World of men.

185. That middlemost, Heavenward Stream that leads to the Heart of all things and is difficult to attain, is the Sacred World Pole, the Self-Luminous Axis of the All. Standing like an Infinite Pillar of Light in the secret Heart of the World Circle (Loka Mandala), It stretches from the nethermost World to the Highest. Rising upwards through It, By the Power of My Grace, one goes to the Highest Heaven.

186. It is only seen by Enlightened Yogis. Nevertheless, all My devotees can find It, who, through the practice of Yoga, develop the power of Inward Vision. For, he who knows the Truth in himself, knows Me, the Supreme Lord. And he who knows the Supreme Lord, knows the Holy Stambha, the All-Supporting Pillar of the Universe.

187. Verily, the World is constructed with Love and is Ever-Illumined with the Lamp of My Infinite Compassion. There is nothing that cannot be attained by the Power of Yoga. Yoga is the Path, the Goal and the Guiding Light. Yoga is the beginning and the end of all things. O immortal Masters! Life in the Physical World begins with the First of the Four World Ages, known as the Golden Age of Truth and Enlightenment (Satya Yuga), in which Earth is ruled by Myself.

188. In this Age, being free from Impurity and Sin, the Earth-dwellers live in the Shining Light of Truth. For their minds and hearts are not sealed but are vibrant and free. They are endowed with radiant bodies of light and know not hunger, thirst nor pain. They live in perfect Harmony (Samvada) and Unity (Samyoga) with each other, with Nature, with the Gods, and My Supreme Self.

189. In truth, they are themselves Divine and follow Heaven’s Eternal Path of Light. In this Age, Earth is a true Abode of Unity. Through constant contact with the Divine, Higher Knowledge and Heavenly Bliss are easily available to all. This Luminous Age of Enlightenment and Bliss lasts forty-eight hundred Divine Years, of three hundred and sixty human years each. When these many years have passed, the Glorious Age of Light comes to an end.

190. The Second World Age, known as the Silver Age of Sleep (Treta Yuga) dawns upon Earth. I then assume the Form of a new Group of Four World Teachers, one to each Quarter, with My Eternal Self in their midst. Due to contact with the physical World, the Spiritual Impurity of Imperfection begins to take root in the Souls’ heart, causing them to deem themselves and the World limited and imperfect.

191. Unity and Harmony with My Divine Self is perfect no more. Earth is ruled by the Gods and Earth-dwellers live as if in deep sleep. For they are no longer perfectly awake to the Reality of Heaven but even more asleep to the World. My Light of Truth is seen by them like the distant Stars shimmering in the dark Night Sky. Mind and body being less pure, Knowledge and Happiness can only be attained through meditation upon Me, the Supreme Self. It is the Age of Sleep also in another sense, in that the Souls have yet no will of their own, living mostly in Unity with My Divine Will.

192. Thirty-six hundred Divine Years having passed, there now dawns upon Earth the Third World Age, the Copper Age of Dream (Dvapara Yuga). At the beginning of this Age, I Manifest Myself anew as the Eternal World Teacher. Surrounded by four others, one to each Quarter, I bring My Word into the World.

193. In this Age, as due to contact with the physical World the influence of Imperfection grows, the second Impurity, that of Delusion, takes root in Earth-dwellers’ heart. The Impurity of Delusion causes them to perceive separation and distinction among themselves and other things. They now begin to develop a will of their own and acquire knowledge of worldly things.

194. Yet because their knowledge of Heaven is not completely obscured, nor their knowledge of the World fully awakened, but the two kinds of knowledge are equally weak, the Earth-dwelling Souls abide in an intermediate state like that of Dream which is neither Waking nor yet Sleep.

195. Unity with Me, with the Gods, with Nature and each other, being perceived less even than before, selfishness begins to spread. Earth is then ruled by divinely appointed Kings who are the offspring of the Sons of Heaven and the Daughters of Earth. Human kind’s Vision of My Divine Self having grown dim, Knowledge and Happiness can only be obtained through prayer and sacrifices.

196. Twenty-four hundred Divine Years having thus passed, the Fourth and Last World Age now begins. It is known as the Iron Age of Waking (Kali Yuga). It is called of Iron, being even less bright and shiny than the previous three. Indeed, it is the darkest of all. And it is called the Age of Waking because herein Earth-dwellers, though fully asleep to the World of Spirit, are now wide awake to worldly life.

197. In this Age too, I descend into the World amidst Four Wisdom Masters, each unto one Quarter as before. Yet due to the limitations of physical life and the influence of Imperfection and Delusion, the third Impurity, that of Limited Action, takes root in men’s heart. The powers of will, knowledge and action are now exercised only with a view to obtaining material things. The more mortal men are engrossed in material things, the less awareness they possess of things of the Spirit. Earth is ruled by self-appointed human Kings.

198. Forgetting that I, Lord Shiva, am the Highest Truth, men resort to praying and sacrificing to lesser Gods. The more they pray to lesser Gods, the less capable they become of having a Vision of Myself. Without a Vision of Me, the Lord of Unity, Unity itself disappears and conflict prevails upon Earth. Verily, in this Dark Age, Earth is a true Abode of Separation and Discord. In addition to Imperfection and Delusion, the Impurity of imperfect, deluded Action leads to suffering by force of the Law of Karma. For conflict, disease and death are the result of dis-Unity with Me. Disunity is the only cause of suffering.

199. Divine Light is then perceived no more. People’s sight having grown dimmer than ever, houses of prayer are built to this or that God and man-made lamps installed therein as a replacement for the Light of Truth. Truth being no longer seen let alone practised, the Gods themselves are before long replaced by statues, books, and other things even as they flee in horror. Sacred places that once shined bright with Spiritual Power and were delightful to behold, are forsaken and forgotten in the blind darkness of delusion.

200. Neither prayer nor sacrifices are now of any avail. New Gods, of whom no one has ever heard before, are introduced and bowed down to. But as they exist nowhere save in the deluded mind of mortals, there is little good that they can do. With mind and heart sealed, with Soul poisoned by bitterness and hatred, man becomes the enemy of man, of the World, of God. True Knowledge and Happiness are no longer obtainable in the World save by a few righteous Souls who in answer to the call of Spirit start upon the Royal Path of Yoga that leads to Unity with Me.

201. This, O Sages who know the Truth! is the state of the World even to-day, as the Age of Darkness (Kali Yuga) has now come and the same shall last not more nor less than twelve hundred Years of the Gods. Throughout this time, there will be some Souls who, having had their full of worldly existence, having learned life’s cruel lessons, go up to My Heavenly Abode by the Eternal Path of Yoga. Verily they who go to Everlasting Life by the Yogic Path of Unity, suffer no more. Having become immortal and living in a state of Absolute Unity with Me, even if they choose to remain in the World, they are not affected thereby.

202. But the others, who are still unripe, unfit for Heaven, must all die. After a brief sojourn in the Otherworld, they are reborn on Earth, life after life. Indeed, I Myself, as Lord of Time and King of the Dead, shall gather all Dwellers upon Earth and reward them each according to his merits or sins.

203. This being done, a new Golden Age commences, followed by the other Three. They (Four Ages) last forty-eight hundred, thirty-six hundred, twenty-four hundred and, finally, twelve hundred Years Divine. Together, they constitute a Cosmic Cycle known as a Great World Age of twelve thousand Divine Years (or 4,320,000 human years).

204. This, multiplied a thousandfold, is known to the wise as an Aeon which is a Universal Day, that is, a day in the life of the Physical Universe. When this Day passes away, there dawns the Dissolution of the Physical Universe which is merged into the Higher Worlds. Therein, all Earth- dwelling Souls that have failed to rise to Higher Planes while on Earth, abide in a sleep-like, disembodied state. They remain in that state for the duration of one Aeon which is of equal length to the Universal Day. However, being of a dark, sleep-like nature, it is called Universal Night. When this comes to an end, there dawns another Universal Day, in which the Physical Universe emerges anew and the unenlightened Souls, waking from their Universal Slumber, re- enter the drama of earthly life like toys out of a box, every one in the role allotted them by Karmic Law.

205. At the end of three hundred and sixty such Universal Days and Nights, multiplied a thousandfold, the Physical Universe is permanently absorbed into the Higher Worlds. In due course these are themselves merged into the next-higher Worlds, one after another, in ascending order till the very last.

206. At the time of the final Great Universal Dissolution, all Worlds, whether Physical, Astral or Spiritual, that are seen or unseen, along with the Souls, subhuman, human and superhuman, are dissolved in My Infinite Universal Consciousness.

207. O you who are knowers of My Secret! these great spans of time which are difficult to grasp even by the wise, are but the twinkling of an eye, for Me, the Lord of Eternity. The Worlds beginning with the Physical Universe are to be conceived of as immeasurably vast concentric Spheres and increasingly greater in size, duration as well as Spiritual Purity and Perfection, up to My Infinite and Ever-Living Self Wherein they all rest. Thus they are perceived by Enlightened Yogis who have attained Unity with Me.

208. Verily, behind every created thing there lies a greater truth. And behind that, a greater one still. Yet at the beginning and end of all, I the Great Life, Lord of Unmeasured Greatness, Eternally Abide for ever. For there is nothing greater than I.

209. When I, the Supreme Reality, look outwards, as it were, I Project the World Dream consisting of innumerable Universes down to the smallest atom. When I look inwards, all this vanishes in the Infinite Light of My Own Self like a dewdrop in the light of the rising Sun. This is Life’s Great Mystery which is a Feat of Magic and a Play.

210. I have thus described to you the Great Cycle of World Ages that repeats itself from Age to Age and from Aeon to Aeon, like a Great Wheel revolving upon the Self-Luminous Hub of the Universe till the end of Time.

211. He who has listened to my Word with great devotion, shall rise by the power thereof above Past and Future, and enter into My Eternal Now. To him the Ever-Living Reality of Being shall appear from behind the Veil of Becoming and shine upon him like the Sun from behind the clouds. Verily, for him the present moment is the Door to Eternity.

212. Let no one be deceived! Twelve hundred long Divine Years lasting three hundred and sixty earth-years each, shall pass before I Manifest again and bring to the World a New Cosmic Cycle and a New Golden Age. Meanwhile, I shall appear only to My devotees. Verily, know this to be a matter a million times true: to My faithful devotees I shall appear any time they sincerely call upon Me, but not to the others. For, the others even if they saw Me, would fail to recognise Me – as even now they see Me but know Me not.

213. Therefore, henceforward twelve Great Souls shall uphold My Law upon Earth. Their noble names which are forever established among the Stars are: Duravasa, Dharmakunda, Satyapati, Mahakala, Adinatha (Vrishabhanatha), Ramanatha (the Buddha’s Guru), Jaleshvara, Svacchanda, Shambhunatha, Guptanatha, Soma-Natha, and Siddhanatha. They are Rays of My Own Light. Shining from the Land of Glory they illumine the World. Verily, for five hundred years each they shall proclaim My Word in this World and beyond. Thus six thousand years shall pass; and when they have passed away, twelve more Masters shall descend into the World. When seventy- two such cycles (of 6,000 years each) have passed, I Myself shall return to Earth, but not before.

214. Let all living Souls take heed of My Word. Consider that worldly pleasures have a beginning and an end. They bring joy while they last and pain when they pass away. But the Bliss of Heaven Which is all Souls’ True Home has neither beginning nor end. Do not reject the Shining Lamp of My Knowledge! For worldly knowledge is soon forgotten. But the knowledge which is of the Spirit, is the light of one’s own eyes. It abides with the Soul and illumines his Path in this life and the next. It is one’s Guiding Light from birth to birth.

215. Do not miss the Divine Ark that has been sent to take you to My Abode of Peace! For many are the boats but few indeed are the worthy helmsmen that can steer you through life’s unpredictable storms. Do not turn away from My Path! For this is the Glorious Path to Liberation which all the True Masters have trodden from the beginning of the World, which is eternal, unchanging and open to all. Do not turn away from the Path of Truth! Follow it with wisdom and faith. For the day shall come when some will go astray. Indeed, before long, the day shall come when many will go astray.

216. Having become wilful and wayward, they will abandon the Path and lead each other to perdition. Blundering in darkness like lost travellers on a moonless night, they will see not My Light. Without Light to illumine and guide them, they will work evil deeds and commit heinous sins which only they will know in their heart, and God Who Sees all things.

217. Verily, as a result of their actions, the Wheel of the Eternal Law upon whose rim the World revolves shall lie shattered by the wayside. The Sun shall no longer travel on his daily course. The Moon shall no longer shed her light upon Earth at night. The Stars shall revolve not in the Firmament. Men rising against the World, the World shall rise against men. Forests and fields of grain shall turn to dust. Mighty rivers shall change course or dry out. Mountains shall sink to Earth and great floods shall drown the land. Verily what I speak shall come to pass.

218. Even I shall find it difficult to recognise My Creation. For the Earth will be inhabited by creatures that are deceitful, greedy, vain and spiteful. Selfish, slothful, loathsome to behold, dull and utterly oblivious of their Heavenly Birth. People will feed on foul food and utter foul words. Their mind will be averse to things of the Spirit and turned to ways that are evil and false.

219. Teachers of Truth will withdraw to caves, forests and other secret places. Only the most fortunate among Earth-dwellers will find Guidance in the way of Truth. Priests will no more perform holy rites. Warriors will harass people instead of protecting them. Merchants will deceive their patrons with unworthy goods. Farmers will no more produce wholesome food, and servants will become masters through deceit.

220. Deluded Kings will lead their subjects astray. Ignorant noblemen will act like the lowest of the low and the lowly will imitate those who are high-born. Thieves will become Kings and murderers will appoint themselves Great Kings. Husbands and wives will no more look upon one another as Divine. Sons and daughters will no more heed the wise words of their fathers. All will vie with each other in finding evil ways of obtaining material gains. Sacred customs like building temples, water tanks and lotus-ponds, keeping parks and pleasure gardens, maintaining guest-houses for pilgrims and feeding the poor, will be observed no more.

221. Impostors, falsely wearing sacred robes, will pose as holy men. Others, masquerading as Gods, oblivious of their mortal sin, will profess to be Incarnations of My Truth Supreme. Taking My Name in vain, they will propagate the Untruth and poison the Souls of the unsuspecting multitude with cunning words of guile. Thus, fake, man-made religions will come to be passed for Truth and imposed upon the World through deception and brute force. Many a Soul shall be led astray by one who is mad with delusion.

222. O seers of Truth! know that when highwaymen, pirates and their sons become princes, the end shall not be far. The Holy Land of India, the Abode of Truth on Earth, will be ruled by evil kings from foreign parts. Her children will be enslaved by the people of Untruth. Hailing from the Lands of Darkness where the Sun (of Truth) sets instead of rising, the evil ones will spread Untruth in the World. They will pray upon the righteous like vultures, hyenas and wild dogs. They will ensnare and deceive the people through repugnant and abominable works. They will make slaves out of free men and poison their hearts with blandishments and false faiths.

223. Verily, having lost their senses, the sons and daughters of the Holy Land will fight one another for their evil masters’ favour even as dogs fight over a morsel from their master’s meal. Evil-doers will roam the Earth at will whilst the virtuous will suffer. Innocent blood will be shed everywhere. Living beings of all kinds will be slaughtered in their hundreds of thousands. Even unborn babes will be slain in their mothers’ womb.

224. Nourished by innocent blood and sin, evil Spirits will prosper and spread far and wide like poisoned weeds. They will seize the Souls of men who deviate from the Yoga Path of Unity with the Supreme and bring them down into the Abode of Darkness where all is dark and Light shines not. Verily, the deviators having fallen pray to the Sin of Separation shall see not My Light Divine though It shine brighter than the Midday- Sun.

225. O righteous ones! even wild beasts, birds and insects are kindly to each other and take care not to harm the forest they live in or befoul their own nests. But man, who deems himself greater than beasts, wilfully acts in sinful ways. Let no one be deceived by false beliefs. Man having become a slave of disunity and Untruth, having turned his heart away from Me, he shall before long reap the bitter fruits of his sinful deeds.

226. When human kind loses the protection and guidance of Gods and Divine Kings, when men become their own foes, then even the Elements of Nature shall turn against them. Troubled by people’s deluded actions, the aggravated Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Sky will bring Great Suffering to all. Earthquakes, Floods, Fires, Storms and a vitiated Sky, crime, disease and war, shall be a warning of things to come.

227. This being so, let them not injure or destroy the Earth, for the Earth is holy. And they who destroy what is holy shall themselves be destroyed. Let them not destroy the Water, let them not destroy the Fire, let them not destroy the Air, let them not destroy the Sky, for these are holy. And they who destroy what is holy shall themselves be destroyed.

228. But they who corrupt the mind of men are a thousandfold worse than even the worst. For the right mind, being a mirror of the Soul, is what makes man truly human and is a bridge to the Divine. It leads one to My Abode of Unity. But when corrupt it leads one to the Abode of 182 SHIVA RAHASYA Discord. Therefore, let them not corrupt the mind, for the mind of man is holy and a spark of Divine Light. They who corrupt it shall be tormented greatly. They shall find no peace in this World nor in the next. For thus I have declared, Men rising against the World, the World shall rise against men. The Wheel of the Eternal Law shall be restored and crush those who sought to crush it. This is My Divine Command.

229. Therefore, let them not injure, nor harm nor destroy the Elements, for they are holy and deserving of honour even as I, the Creator am honoured. Let them love My Creation, for it was out of Love that I Created it. And My Creation manifests what is Holy and True. Let them love each other and Me, for he who loves what is Holy shall himself become Holy and attain to everlasting life in My Highest Glory.

230. Let all Souls follow My Path. Let them not turn away from My Word. Let them not close their eyes, their ears and their heart to My Truth. Let them not go astray. For having gone astray, the evil ones shall lie in wait for them, and ambush them, and enslave them, and lead them unto destruction. I am the Supreme Goal of all and all paths in the end lead unto Myself. But some paths go first to hell. Verily, even down on Earth, when seeking to ascend a Mountain, some paths are found not to lead to the Top. And of those that do, some pass through perilous ravines and recesses full of wild beasts, robbers or fierce hillmen. Therefore, I say unto you, One Path Only is straight, free from perils and easy to follow. That Path is the Path of Truth, the Path of all Paths. It is the Path which I revealed unto the Ancient Masters at the beginning of Time and which has been trodden by the righteous ever since.

231. O Jewels of the human race! O Immortal Stars in the firmament of Sages! I, the Lord, the Beloved of My Devotees and the Saviour of Mankind, have declared My Eternal Law for the benefit of all. Do you now impart My Secret Teaching to those who have a pure heart, who are yearning for Higher Knowledge, and who are ready for the Truth. For Truth is the only antidote to ignorance, delusion and sorrow. The World shall know not Peace, nor Happiness, nor Truth, until the day My Word prevails. But if My Word prevail, Truth shall return without fail. This is My Divine Command (Shiva-Shasana). What I speak must come to pass.

232. To this, the Sages raised their voices in praise and spoke: Eternal Adoration to Shiva, the Kindly, the Gracious, the Most Merciful! Adoration to Him Who Is Supreme Truth Incarnate, Who Is the Soul of the Universe and Who Is Our Higher Self! O Merciful Lord of Life! wonderful indeed is Your Eternal Teaching. Owing to Your Holy Word, our ears can now hear the Pure Sound of Truth, our eyes can see the Clear Light of Your Immeasurable Glory and our hearts overflow with Your Heavenly Bliss. Hard and rough is the stem of the sugar cane but pleasantly sweet and uplifting its juice. Even thus, life is hard and painful for the ignorant but sweet for those who have heard Your Truth, while for those who follow Your Word it is Pure Bliss.

233. Wheresoever we turn our gaze, It is Only You we behold for You Are Everything: You Are the Soul of the Universe, all things are manifestations of Your Glory and the All is ever pulsing with the beat of Your Infinite Heart. You Are the Sky and the Earth, and the Sun that keeps them apart. You Are the bird traversing the Sky, the beast roaming the wood, the fish swimming in the sea and the corn growing in the field. Verily, You Are the Lord stationed in the heart of all things: what choice does the World have but to joyfully perform the Dance of Life, dancing like drops in Your Ocean of Delight. We therefore declare that there is no other God but Shiva and that we, the Immortal Masters, are His Eternal Messengers by His Divine Command.

234. We bow down to Him, the Highest God, Who out of His Free Will assumes an infinite 183 SHIVA RAHASYA multitude of forms, and Who for His Own Pleasure continuously Creates, Maintains and Dissolves all the Worlds along with everything that exists within them.

235. We bow to Him, the Highest God, Who delights in Creation, Who rests in the pleasure of Permanence, and Who relishes the exquisite flavour of the essence of all the Worlds.

236. We bow to Him, the Highest God, Who for His Own Pleasure conceals from us His Real Identity and then, moved by compassion, assumes the Form of the Highest Teacher, Who opens our eyes and brings Light into our hearts and guides us upon the Secret Inward Path leading to Himself.

237. We bow to Him, the Highest God, without Whom no life is possible and Who is an Infinite Ocean of Ever-Shining Consciousness, Who is Our Real Self and Who Alone deserves to be worshipped by all. 238. We bow to Him, the Highest God, of Whom the wise have rightly said that He can be truly worshipped only by becoming One with Him. 239. We bow to Him, Who Alone Exists, Whose Path is Unity and Who Is Worshiped by means of Knowledge of one’s Self. 240. We declare that Shiva Alone Exists and Yoga is the Path that leads to Him. This is the Eternal Truth.