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Western philosophers have searched hard for the elusive entity called consciousness, but nowhere has it been captured better than in the Siva Sutras. These Sutras describe the creative principle behind the universe and how it manifests in human consciousness.
The origin of the Sutras is mysterious; legend has it that the sage Vasugupta discovered them engraved on a large stone tablet on Mount Kailas in Kasmir. Lord Siva, the creator, preserver, and destroyer of the universe, guided Vasugupta to the tablet in a dream, and the Siva Sutras are regarded by some as divine revelation.
The Siva Sutras are unquestionably demanding, containing as they do an exposition of spiritual philosophy in a most compact form. The reader who accepts the challenge will be richly rewarded.
About the Author:
Roger Worthington, Ph.D. has studied Eastern philosophy for nearly thirty years and specilizes in classical Indian philosophy, in particular the philosophy of Yoga. He has a Masters degree from Keele University in England and a doctorate in philosophy from the state University of New York at Buffalo.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
The Spelling and pronunciation of Sanskrit letters and words
Introduction
Book One Sambhavopaya : The realization of Siva
Book Two Saktopaya : The realization of Sakti
Book Three Anavopaya : The realization of the Atmic Energy of the supreme Being
Biblography
Glossary
Index
About the Author
Excerpts:
From Chapter 1:
According to most spiritual traditions the desire for wordly pleasures is incompatible with the spiritual quest. You can have the treasures of this world, they say, or the treasures of the spiritual realm, but not both. This either/or approach sets off an endless internal struggle in those who are drawn to spiritual beliefs and practices but who have at the same time a natural urge to fulfill their worldly desires. This includes most of us. And when there is no way to reconcile these two impulses we fall prey to guilt and self-condemnation, or we repress either our spiritual desires or our worldly desires, or we try to have both, and become hypocrites.
The tantric approach to life avoids this painful and confusing dilemma by taking the whole person into account - our human as well as our spiritual nature. The literal meaning of tantra is "to weave, to expand, to spread," and according to tantric adepts, we can achieve true and everlasting fulfillment only when all the threads of the fabric of life are woven according to the pattern designated by nature. When we are born, ignorance, desire, attachment, fear, and false images of ourselves and others tangle and tear the threads.
Tantra sadhana (practice) reweaves the fabric of life and restores it to its original pattern. No other path of yoga is as systematic or as comprehensive. The profound practices of hatha yoga, pranayama, mudras, rituals, kundalini yoga, nada yoga, mantra, yantra, mandala, visualization of deities, alchemy, ayurveda, astrology, and hundreds of esoteric techniques for engendering wordly and spiritual prosperity blend perfectly within the tantric disciplines.
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