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Part 1: The Divine Union of Śiva and Pārvatī: A Discourse on the Śivapurāṇa Bhakratuṇḍa Mahākāya Sūryakoṭisamaprabha | Nirvighnaṃ kuru me deva sarvakāryeṣu sarvadā || Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Oṁ Śrī Sarasvatī Namaḥ. Sarasvatī Namastubhyaṁ Varade Kāmarūpiṇī | Vidyārambhaṁ kariṣyāmi siddhir bhavatu me sadā || Oṁ Śrī Gurave Namaḥ. Gurur Brahmā, Gurur Viṣṇuḥ, Gurur Devo Maheśvaraḥ | Guruḥ Sākṣāt Paraṁ Brahma, tasmai Śrī Gurave Namaḥ || Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinaḥ, Sarve Santu Nirāmayāḥ, Sarve Bhadrāṇi Paśyantu, Mā Kaścid Duḥkhabhāgbhavet || Om Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ, Śāntiḥ. Hari Om. Ehe Ehe Rambhā Maheśa Putra Samastābhigna Gāvinā Sadakṣa Māṅgalya Pūjā Prathama-pādana Gṛhāṇam Pūjā Bhagavān Namaste. Hari Om. Om Śrī Purāṇa Puruṣāya Namaḥ. Om Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ. Śrī Sarasvatī Namaḥ. Śrī Gurudeva Namo Namaḥ. Jai Bhūliyā Gaṇapati Mahārāj Kī. Jai Bhūliyā Guru Mahārāj. Jai Bhūliyā Satya Sanātana Dharma Kī, Brahmā Viṣṇu Maheśvara Kī, Jai Bhūliyā Mahādeva Umāpati Mahādeva Jī Kī, Jai Har Har, Har Har Mahādeva, Har Har Mahādeva. I would like to welcome all of you to this auspicious Śivapurāṇa session. We are now in the Rudra Saṁhitā, approaching the conclusion. Whether you are listening here or via webcast, please accept my heartfelt blessings. In these concluding chapters, we explore Śiva’s second wedding—how Śiva and Pārvatī reunite, what questions Pārvatī posed to Śiva, and how the answers offer practical guidance for our lives. We recall that after Satī Devī immolated herself in the sacrificial fire of Dakṣa, Śiva withdrew to Kailāsa Parvata alone. Satī’s body was dismembered, and her limbs fell at fifty-one sacred sites around the world, which we revere as Śakti Pīṭhas—visible sources of divine power in Nepal, Gaurikuṇḍa, India, and beyond. Even today, devotees visit these places of pilgrimage. Now, let us understand how Satī Devī received a second life. She was reborn as the daughter of Himālaya Parvata, for the mountain king had performed intense penance to obtain the Divine Mother as his child. As often stated in the Śivapurāṇa, the highest means is meditation—sādhanā that encompasses chanting, yoga, worship, and purity of mind. When Satī Devī’s soul entered Himālaya’s home, a princess of heavenly beauty appeared, and from her very first day she radiated devotion. She began crafting Śivaliṅgas from sand and other materials and constantly chanted Śiva’s name. This is the līlā: past-life saṁskāras draw certain souls towards the eternal truth right from birth, while others awaken later. Pārvatī’s sole focus was to attain Śiva as her husband. Her friends questioned her, saying, “Śiva is not a handsome suitor for a young princess—he has matted hair, wanders in cremation grounds, and lives in an unrefined manner. Why choose him?” But Pārvatī would reply, “I do not wish to hear such words. Śiva is my goal; without him, I cannot be separated. I do not count my bodily births.” In the same way, we see from a young age saints like Śaṅkarācārya mastering scriptures, for the soul is connected across lifetimes. Unkā vahī lakṣya thā, ki Śivajī ko pati ke rūp meṁ pānā hī merā lakṣya hai. This was not infatuation but pure devotion. Pārvatī had been worshipping Śiva ceaselessly since her birth in the Himalayas. Likewise, you too can connect with your past through regression meditation, slowly unraveling the thread of memory. The lives of Mahāpuruṣas show that every human being can realise this if they practise properly. As we just offered our devotion at the altar before commencing the study of the Purāṇa, we understand that one who is linked through previous births cannot deviate from dharma. Pārvatī’s unwavering worship exemplifies this truth. One day Mahādeva decided to test her sincerity. As she sat meditating, “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya,” he disguised himself as Viṣṇu and approached her. He said, “O Pārvatī, I am Viṣṇu. I come because I am concerned for you. Mahādeva is not a suitable match—he smokes bhaṅg, wears matted locks, and roams naked in the cremation ground. You are a beautiful princess; I, Viṣṇu, holding the Śaṅkha, Cakra, and Gadā, am the right husband for you. Do not miss this opportunity.” Pārvatī retorted, “Who are you? I did not call you. If you continue to insult my Lord, I will curse you. I am a devotee of Mahādeva alone.” At that moment, Śiva revealed his true form, saying, “Do not worry; I am the very one you seek. I came only to test you. Ask whatever boon you desire.” Overwhelmed, Pārvatī replied, “My only wish is to have Mahādeva as my husband. From my previous life I have waited for you; we cannot be separated. This is my sole desire.” Śiva granted her wish: “Tathāstu—so be it.” Elated, Pārvatī returned to her father and shared the news. The story illustrates that Prakṛti and Puruṣa can never be truly separated, just as day and night, earth and sky, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres remain eternally paired. Śiva is timeless; in God’s realm, time does not exist. When you meditate or lose yourself in love, time disappears. If you wait for someone, ten minutes feel like hours; if you are with the beloved, hours pass like minutes. This is because time is subordinate to Bhagavān. In divine thought, thousand-year imaginings of Brahmā hold no sway over the consciousness absorbed in bliss. Remember, Śiva wanted to test Pārvatī’s resolve. He came disguised as Viṣṇu and belittled himself, yet Pārvatī stood firm. Ho gaye, aur Śrī Mahādev calā gaye. Jab vah Pārvatī tapasyā kar rahī thī, “Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya,” Śivāya bolke, tab Śrī Mahādev ne parīkṣā ke liye āp ne bheṣ badal diyā, aur bheṣ badal ke Viṣṇu ke rūp meṁ vāpas calā gaye, aur Pārvatī jī ko bolā ki, “He Pārvatī, āp āṅkh kholo, ki āp ko hone vālā var ā gayā.” To phir Pārvatī ne āṅkh kholā. Pārvatī asked, “Who are you?” The disguised Śiva explained, “I am Viṣṇu.” But she countered, “I have never worshipped Viṣṇu; why have you come?” The form of Viṣṇu then said: “Mahādev to jaṭādhārī hai, śmaśān meṁ baithe haiṁ, bhaṅg dhatūr khāte haiṁ, aur āp jaisī sundarī ke liye ve to kabhī suhāte nahīṁ haiṁ. Isliye āp mujhse vivāha kareṁ.” Just as he finished speaking, Pārvatī stood up, ready to curse him, until the truth was unveiled. From this we learn that marriage and death are predestined. You may search for an ideal partner, but the karmic connection from past lives brings two souls together to settle debts. Nothing occurs without a reason; the divine navigator has already mapped our path. Yet we must act—if you simply sit in your room and weep, a partner will not appear. Pārvatī performed severe penance, wandering through jungles and riverbanks, fasting and staying sleepless, all to win Śiva’s grace. Seeing her unwavering tapas, Bhagavān was pleased and blessed her union. So, too, may we understand that Śiva and Pārvatī are eternally one, appearing together in every age—as Satī, as Umā, or in countless forms—and their message to the universe is that devotion, when pure, transcends all appearances and logically binds the seeker to the supreme reality. Part 2: The Divine Union of Śiva and Pārvatī: A Discourse on Devotion, Muhūrta, and the Sacred Marriage Pārvatī refused to listen to even a single word spoken by the disguised Mahādeva, because her heart was fully absorbed in the love of Bhagavān. Every moment, she wished to hear only of that divine love. And so she stood up, ready to cast her curse with water. Seeing this, Mahādeva became afraid and pleaded, "Pārvatī, stop, stop… stop." He then spoke: "Because you have been searching for me, I am Śiva, and I assumed the form of Viṣṇu to test you." The moment Śivajī revealed his true form, Pārvatī began to weep with joy. "O Mahādev! O Devādidev! You have shown me great grace by coming here; my wish is fulfilled." Then Śiva said, "Wherever I go, I bless you. Now, ask for whatever you desire." Hearing these words of Parvatījī, Mahādeva repeated, "Ask for a boon." Parvatī replied, "Mahādevjī, in my life there is only one goal: that you become my husband, that you come to me as my lord. I desire this alone. I ask for this boon alone." Then Mahādeva declared, "Tathāstu, jaisā āpne pūchā, vaisī ho jāyegā." (So be it; as you have asked, so shall it be.) Upon hearing this, Pārvatī was overjoyed, and Mahādeva, becoming inwardly absorbed, departed for Kailāśa. Pārvatī, full of happiness, went home to share the glad news with her father and mother. Such is the account from the Śiva Purāṇa. Ye thā Śiva Purāṇa kā eka kathā. Ye amṛtamayī kathā hai. Āp sunte rahiye, isme bahut rahasya-mayī bāt hai. Ye nayī kathā, jaise kisī ne kahānī kahāvat lekhā aisā nahīṁ hai, svatah sī bhagavān ne prakaṭ kiyā huā, ye amṛt bānī hai. Ye amṛt bānī mein bahut rahasya hai. (This is a story from the Śiva Purāṇa. It is a nectar-filled tale. Keep listening—it contains many secret matters. This is not a story merely framed as a saying or fable; it has been manifested by the Lord Himself. These are nectar words, and within this nectar speech lie profound mysteries.) Ki abhī ke kisī ko bhī bhakti se kabhi vairāgya utpann ho gayā, kabhi bhakti mein man nahīṁ lag rahā hai, to āpke liye ek uttam udāharaṇ hai. (If at any time someone develops renunciation from devotion, or if the mind does not feel engaged in bhakti, then this is an excellent example for you.) Koī bhī nirantar kisī cīz kī bhī upāsanā karte rahoge, to āpko saphalatā jarūr milegī, bhāī. (If you continuously worship anything with steadiness, brother, you will certainly attain success.) Sometimes, while you are on the path, you should not take a long detour, because making a good beginning is already half the success. Keeping progress forward is itself a good sign. This is why Lord Śiva came here—to honor women, to respect a woman’s devotion. He himself came to grant darśana. For this reason, it is said in Sanskrit: "yatra nāryastu pūjyante, ramante tatra devatā." (Where women are honored, there the gods rejoice.) Thus, wherever a woman is worshipped, God becomes happy. If there is honor, if a woman is respected in a home or in any place, God is pleased there. If you honor or respect any woman, you can appease God. And that is why it is said that Mahādeva himself honored Pārvatī’s devotion. At that time, the many Nāradas, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and all the goddesses and deities, worshipped Mahādeva. They entreated him: "O Mahādeva, Pārvatī is performing very difficult tapas. You must go and bless her. Otherwise, she might be distressed, or she may give up her life." And so it was that Mahādeva appeared there in disguise, in a different form. As the story continues, Mahādeva was worshipped by the many deities, gods and goddesses, and they all said, "O Mahādeva, the right time has come. Now we must proceed; we must organize the bridal party. We must go as the bridal procession to arrange the wedding with Pārvatī. This is the high moment, and the auspicious muhūrta is at hand." The Devādideva all together determined the auspicious time. You know that everything must be done at a good time. If the timing is not proper, it is not good—even something positive may turn out badly. That is why it is said that everything should be performed according to muhūrta. Do you know about muhūrta? Yes, yes. A muhūrta is made up of the five limbs of the Pañcāṅga. Pañcāṅga: Tithi, Vāra, Yoga, Karaṇa. That’s a five-segment. Tithī is the lunar day. Vār is the solar day. Tithi, Vār, Yog, Nakshatra is the combination of the planet. Nakṣatra is the constellation which resides in the belt of this earth—the constellation. And Karaṇa is the combination of the energy. Thus, when the five segments, the five energies, are balanced, on that day you can perform anything. That is why, in our astrology and in our muhūrta calculation, there exists an auspicious time calculation theory and its methods as well. Nowadays, people are unhappy because they do not check compatibility. They do not perform the proper steps before marriage or any undertaking according to the Vedic muhūrta. If you follow all the rules, it is definitely a science that yields results. In modern society, many people go dating first. They fall in love, and when they are already emotionally attached, they then go to an astrologer and ask, "Oh, how is our compatibility?" By that time, they are already attached and have created a problem for the astrologer. If the astrologer says this marriage is not favorable, they may plead, "Do you have any remedy, please?" They always want to hear good things. Therefore, the Vedic tradition advises that before dating, you should first compare your charts, and if your energies match, then you may proceed further. This is the Vedic way, so that you may enjoy a happy conjugal life forever. Similarly, Śiva and Pārvatī also checked the compatibility and found the right time, the muhūrta. Of course, there is a karmic connection, but it is still something that can be aligned and connected through muhūrta. In the Vedic era, the Vedic scriptures also give a calculation for the optimal baby. They ask: what sort of baby do you wish to bring forth? What kind of children, what kind of generation do you want to introduce to this earth? This too is a Vedic calculation. The muhūrta has also provided the auspicious time for conceiving a child. If we definitely follow it, a good time will naturally result. If you plant paddy in summer, it will not grow properly. If you plant paddy in the rainy season, it flourishes. Everything has its season. Similarly, on this planet there is a favorable season, a good weather of cosmic energy. If you align with that energy, it is wonderful and fruitful. Parāśara Ṛṣi, the father of Vedavyāsa who wrote all the scriptures, also determined a good muhūrta for conception, and as a result the brilliant Vyāsa took birth. In the same way, there are muhūrtas, and nothing happens without them. If we look back at the marriage of Rāma and Sītā: when the svayaṃvara finished—Rāma and Sītā’s svayaṃvara finished—afterwards a jyotiṣī, an astrologer, declared that Rāma was maṅgalika. Māṅgalik means that he would not enjoy conjugal pleasure, the happiness of married life. He was destined to live separately from his wife. This message from the jyotiṣī reached Sītā’s mother. Naturally, the mother became very worried and said, "The svayaṃvara is over, but I do not wish to marry Rāma. I do not want to give my daughter’s hand to Rāma, because Rāma will not have a beautiful and pleasurable conjugal life. Why should I ruin my daughter’s life? Better not to marry." She wanted to stop the marriage even though the svayaṃvara had already concluded. The Śiva dhanu had already been broken by Rāma. But how could the marriage now not take place? Then they approached Vasiṣṭha Ṛṣi. They approached the sage Viśvāmitra to find a solution. And they saw that in the Vedas, there is always a solution. Where there is a problem, a solution also exists. The sages said, "Well, then you must choose a special muhūrta." A muhūrta can heal; it is also auspicious. They made calculations, and according to Jyotiṣa or muhūrta, they determined that Uttara Nakṣatra is the best constellation for marriage. Rāma and Sītā decided to marry under Uttara Nakṣatra. All arrangements were made; they waited for that moment. But there was confusion stirred by divine energy. If Rāma married at the most auspicious time, he would be happy with his wife, and then who would go to kill Rāma, the demon? That would not serve the greater purpose. Rāma did not incarnate merely to marry Sītā; he came with a great purpose into this universe. Mahāprabhujī Karatā Mahāprabhujī Karatā… He Kevalam. As a result, although Sītā and Rāma were married, they did not experience great conjugal pleasure in their married life. Rāvaṇa kidnapped her; Rāma had to go into exile; he had to descend inside the earth. They hardly stayed together for a long time. Such is the story and the connection between muhūrta and the moment of marriage. Here also, I would like to explain that the Devādideva and all the others determined an auspicious muhūrta when Pārvatī and Mahādeva were to be married. In the Śiva Purāṇa, it is described what all the Devādideva did. They began to search for an auspicious time, an excellent moment, for the manifestation of Śiva Bhagavān’s wedding. Without an auspicious time, any work remains incomplete. For the wedding of Pārvatī, the daughter of the Himālayas, extensive preparations were made for the most auspicious moment. At that time, all the astrologers and great sages calculated and identified the most favorable and perfect auspicious times. "To hamāre Vedic śāstra batātā hai ki koī bhī kām āp acche samay meṁ karo" (Thus our Vedic scriptures tell us that any work should be done at a good time). Consider Śrī Rām and Sītā’s marriage. It was arranged for marriage in Uttara Nakṣatra, but when the Devādideva decided to marry in that nakṣatra, Śrī Rāma would have stayed happily with his wife in Sukṣaila. How then would he go to kill Rāvaṇa? So the Devādideva sent a very good dancer from heaven to postpone that time. When the moment of marriage under Uttara Nakṣatra arrived, that dancer began to dance extremely well, and all of them—Vasiṣṭha Muni, Viśvāmitra, Rām, Janaka, and Daśaratha—became absorbed in the dance and forgot the muhūrta. "Nāste, nāste, kyā ho gayā? Kī sāre Vasiṣṭha Muni, Viśvāmitra, Rām, sāre Janaka aur Daśaratha bhūl gaye nāc meṁ, aur muhūrta chal gayā." (Nāste, nāste, what happened? All—Vasiṣṭha Muni, Viśvāmitra, Rāma, Janaka, Daśaratha—became engrossed in the dance, and the muhūrta passed.) Muhūrta chal padā, uske bād meṁ kyā hai, ki Śrī Rām kā śādī Uttara Nakṣatra meṁ na ho pāyā, aur bād meṁ kyā ho gayā ki jaisī hai, jaisī agar Īśvar kī ye kṛpā hai to hum koī bhī samay meṁ śādī karnā cāhiye, tab kyā kyā Viśvāmitra ke ādeś se Uttarā. Nakṣatra talne ke bād meṁ śādī kyā thā? (The muhūrta passed by; afterwards, Śrī Rāma’s marriage could not take place in Uttara Nakṣatra. And later, as it happened, as if Īśvara’s grace was such that one must marry at whatever time; then, by Viśvāmitra’s order, after the shift of the nakṣatra, how did the marriage proceed?) This is why you can understand that Sītā and Rāma could not sit together. Sometimes Sītā had to suffer separation, sometimes she had to descend into the earth, sometimes Śrī Rāmajī had to send her away. He had to remove Sītā during the period when it was time to protect dharma, when it was time to uphold righteousness. So this is but a brief instance of time. Therefore it is said: "Ki nārī ko pūjan se, nārī ko sammān se kyā ho jātā hai? Ki ghar ke devatā nahīṁ, sansār ke devatā bhī khuśh ho jāte haiṁ. Ki agar hamāre samāj meṁ bhī, society meṁ bhī, agar ham hī jān lie ki samāj meṁ kabhī bhī dahej prathā… Bhṛūṇ hatyā aur sāre cīz jo tiraskār hai, vo nahī̃ ho patā hai. Isī liye ham ye śāstra aur Qur’ān sirf kathā ke liye nahī̃ sunte hai." (What comes from worshipping woman, from honoring woman? Not only the household deities, but even the deities of the universe become pleased. If in our society, too, we were to understand that the dowry system, female feticide, and all forms of disrespect do not occur, that is why we do not listen to these scriptures and the Qur’an merely as stories.) These teachings are given not just for hearing tales, but to bring a new thought, a new web of understanding, into society. If we all collectively examine this point by point in various aspects, it becomes very good. Jai Bholē Bholē Bābā kī, Jai Jai Bholē Śiv Bhagavān kī, Jai. At this very moment, for the wedding of Śiva and Pārvatī, extensive preparations were underway. Dono ne kyā kiyā, ki Devādī Dev sabne ek acche muhūrta nikāl ke, sādī ke samay ho gayā aur sāre Saptarṣiyoṁ ko sāth hāthī, ghoṛā, rath, Śiva gaṇa sāre ke sāth meṁ kyā hai, Himālaya putrī ko hāth maṅgane ke liye Himālaya ke ghar meṁ chale gayā. (What did both do? The Devādideva found an excellent muhūrta, the marriage time was set, and with elephants, horses, chariots, and all the Śiva gaṇas, they went to the house of the Himalayas to ask for the hand of the mountain’s daughter.) All of them went to the Himālayas. What did the Himālaya mountain do? He welcomed them. After welcoming them, he welcomed Śiva, saying, "We are blessed to have a master like you. You have earned this merit, and therefore we will be happy to give her in marriage to you." They brought excellent sweets, and the engagement was completed. Thus, in that auspicious setting, Śiva and the Devādideva again went to the house of Pārvatī’s mother. In this way, the narrative tells how Śiva and Pārvatī were united in Śiva’s second avatāra. At the time of the meeting, the principle of Atithi Devo Bhava was honored. The Himālaya mountain invoked Śiva with the words, "Atithi Devo Bhava." Jai Bhule Bhule Bābā Kī Jai. Now, let us perform a bhajan. Śiva can be appeased; it is an energy, a channeling energy, and we can worship the Śivaliṅga. Wherever you are, simply close your eyes, remember the Śivaliṅga, and worship with full devotion. Place your hands on your heart, on the heart chakra, and remember the Śivaliṅga as we chant this. Even if you are not following, just listen—the vibration will definitely give you an amazing experience. Close your eyes and remember this sound for the Śivaliṅga Stuti. Brahma Murārī Śrī-arcita Liṅgaṁ Nirmala Bhāṣita Śobhita Liṅgaṁ Deva Muni Pravarārchita Liṅgaṁ Kāmadahana Karuṇākara Liṅgaṁ Tat Praṇām Ame Sadāśiva Liṅgam, Tat Praṇām Ame Sadāśiva Liṅgam. Sarva Sugandhi Sulapita Liṅgam, Buddhi Vibhārdana Kāraṇa Liṅgam. Siddha Surāsura Surabandita Liṅgam, Tat Praṇām Ame Sadāśiva Liṅgam. Kanaka Mahāmaṇi Bhūṣita Liṅgam, Phaṇi Pari Veṣṭita Śobhita Liṅgam, Dakṣasūrya Vināśa Kāliṅgam, Dakṣa Yajña Vināśa Kāliṅgam, Tat Praṇāmāmi Sadāśiva Liṅgam, Tat Praṇāmāmi Sadāśiva Liṅgam. Jai Bholi Bholi Baba Ki. Very energetic. This is the praise of the Śiva Liṅga—the Liṅgāṣṭakam, 108 names of the Śiva Liṅga. When you chant 108 times, that is the purification. You may already know why 108 times, why not 109, why not only 100? Because 108 is an auspicious number. You can see the names of many Swāmīs or Siddha Puruṣas with titles like 1008 Śrī Śrī… Mahārāj, or a mālā of 108. Why is that? If you add the digits numerically, 1 plus 0 plus 0 plus 8 equals 9. Nine is a complete number. How is it complete? If you multiply 9 by 2, the result is 18, and 8 plus 1 equals 9. 9 multiplied by 3 is 27, and 2 plus 7 equals 9. Whatever you multiply by 9, the sum of the digits always comes back to 9. That is why it is a complete, perfect number. Multiply 9 by 10, it is 90, and 9 plus 0 is 9. Nine is always complete. Therefore, 108 repetitions of "Om Namaḥ Śivāya" or any mantra find their fulfillment in this numerical perfection. In the Liṅgāṣṭakam, too, the names of the Śiva Liṅga are chanted 108 times. Why 108 times? Why not 9, why not 100? It is written that whatever you do, do it 1, 0, 0, 8—that is, 9 times; 108 times means numerically you arrive at 9. Śivājī ke liye bahut pyārā hai, bahut nyārā hai, isī lie sansār meṁ hum rahte haiṁ. Lekin dharm karke raho, gṛhasthī bhī ho, sādhu bhī ho, sant bhī ho, mahant bhī ho, koī bhī ho. Āpne āpko dinacaryā karte raho, lekin bhakti se dūr na ho jāye. Jab bhakti se dūr ho jāyeṁge, tab to kyā hai? Ki jab hurī meṁ, badal meṁ, jo Atithi Devo Bhava. To hamāre liye to yah saubhāgya kab ā jāye kā? (Śivajī is very dear, very special; that is why we dwell in this world. But keep to your dharma, whether you be a householder, a sādhu, a saint, a mahant, whoever you are. Continue with your daily routine, but do not stray from devotion. If you go far from bhakti, then what? In that moment, in that change, the guest becomes God. When will this good fortune come to us?) Phir is karke uttam muhūrta meṁ, Jai Bholē Bābā Kī Jai. Uske bād meṁ, Pārvatī aur Śiva sukh se Kailāśa Parvata meṁ vāpas ā gaye. (Then, performing an excellent muhūrta, Jai Bholē Bābā Kī Jai. After that, Pārvatī and Śiva returned happily to Mount Kailāśa.) Having arrived at Kailāśa Parvata, Śivajī and Pārvatī settled there. Pārvatī said, "He Śiva, please tell me: what do you have? I have many questions in my mind; you explain them to me." So at that time, whenever such questions are asked—and this happens after receiving knowledge—the divine Bhagavān, to meditate on Pārvatī and to instruct her, began to explain. Śivajī revealed how, in our everyday life, within 24 hours, approximately 60,000 thoughts arise in the mind, and out of those 60,000, most are negative thoughts. When you remember God, negative thoughts do not get the time to enter. That is why we must continually apply positive thoughts. The scientist Lorde has written that you have to define yourself; otherwise, the world will define you. Thus unfolds the story when Mahādeva went to the house of the Himālaya mountain. Himālaya Parvata was overjoyed, and they arranged a grand wedding. It was not a modest affair—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, the Tri-Deva, were present, and all the Śivagaṇas were there. They did not travel in limousines or Mercedes; they went with Nandī, the bull. All the Devīs, the divine goddesses, accompanied them. And so, with great joy, they were married. The Gandharvas danced, and Nandī danced and sang, "Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya, Hara Hara Bholā," and every name of the Lord. Śivajī kā śādī ho gayā—Śivajī’s wedding took place. That is why, in commemoration of the marriage of Śiva and Pārvatī, we always celebrate Śiva Rātri. Śiva Rātri marks the wedding of Himālaya Parvata’s daughter Pārvatī with Śiva, and on that day we remember this sacred union. Many girls fast and await their auspicious husband on this day. The fasting rituals, the offering of bilvapatra leaves, and the worship rituals are all performed on that day. Such was the wedding of Śiva and Pārvatī. When the wedding ceremony was completed, Śivajī, together with his Nandī, Bhṛṅgī, Cācu Ṣaṣṭī, Yoginī, and all the Devādideva, returned to Kailāśa. Kailāśa is the highest abode, the supreme mountain, and Śiva resides there eternally. I think this is an auspicious moment, and now we come to a pause in our session. Because of the weather, I think we should take a break for 10 to 15 minutes, and we will return soon. During this interval, you can stretch, you can go to the toilet, and we will be back soon. "Abhī hum sab ke liye 15 minute ke liye chhuṭṭī dete haiṁ, aur phir hum yahāṁ pe joṛte haiṁ 15 minute ke bād. Is samay meṁ āpkā samay śubh rahe. Jai Bholē Bābā Kī, Jai Brahmā Viṣṇu Maheśvara Kī, Jai Hari Om." (Now we give everyone a break for 15 minutes, and then we will join again here after 15 minutes. May your time during this interval be auspicious. Jai Bholē Bābā Kī, Jai Brahmā Viṣṇu Maheśvara Kī, Jai Hari Om.) And wherever you are, wherever you are hearing this voice, you are surrendering to the Sikh Bhagavān, and with the grace of God and Guru, I would like to invite you to continue this Śivapurāṇa. I bow to all of you, Ācārya Rajan Sharma. We are in the Rudra Saṁhitā of the Śivapurāṇa. And in the Rudra Saṁhitā, we are in the section where Śiva and Pārvatī have been married. This is a divine marriage. After that, what do Śiva and Pārvatī do? And how does Pārvatī think? We will talk about this. Now, I would like to welcome all of you back. And in this second session of the Śiva Purāṇa, we are, as we know, in the Rudra Saṁhitā. In the Rudra Saṁhitā, we are in the last part, and it was the blessings before stopping the session from the God and Gurus, and we just took the break. It was Śivājī’s marriage, that is why everywhere was shaking, and the welcoming came from everywhere—from the air god, the wind god, the earth, Mother Earth, everywhere. And now, welcome back, and I’d like to thank you for sitting and attentively participating in this Śiva Purāṇa. This is, as I mentioned already, a wonderful opportunity. It is not due to a connection of just this one life; it is a connection of many lives, for we may have had some spiritual opportunity in a previous life. Part 3: Teachings from the Śiva Purāṇa: Contentment, Dharma, and the Power of Divine Connection When Śiva and Pārvatī arrived at Mount Kailāśa, they began their new life there, but not before an unusual welcome. After bidding farewell to those who had attended their wedding, Mahādeva led Pārvatī to their home—a tiny, humble hut. “This is our house,” he told her. “You can go inside and prepare some snacks or food for me.” Pārvatī, who had been raised in the grand royal palace of the Himālaya, stepped into the small dwelling. She saw no food, not even a single piece of bread—only cobwebs clinging to the corners. Yet she felt no complaint. She simply smiled and came back outside, where Mahādeva was smoking bhaṅg. In moments the intoxication overtook him, and he fell unconscious. Pārvatī waited patiently. When Mahādeva awoke a couple of hours later, he asked, “Oh Pārvatī, you are here? Why didn’t you prepare food for me? You were supposed to bring me something. I just woke up. Where are my snacks? Where is my food?” She only smiled. “Did you eat?” she asked gently. “Yes, I ate,” he replied. Still she smiled, tasting the sweetness of Śiva’s presence, and still she was happy, without complaint—the daughter of a king who found no reason to complain in a cobweb-filled hut. She considered it her divine blessing. Then Śiva stood up and kicked the wall of the little hut. The wall broke away, and the magnificent Kailāśa Darbār appeared. “Jai Boliya Śiva Bhagavān Kī, Kailāśa Parvata Kī.” And Pārvatī said, “I know that whether it is a great palace, a small hut, or a tiny cave, I am happy with you, my dear.” This is happiness. If we entertain high expectations, we will never be content. Expectation is the chief cause of suffering. In your own home, if there is conflict, it is better not to expect, or to expect very little, from your husband or wife. Consider this: before marriage you were alone, and now you still feel alone; you have to prepare your own meal, iron your own clothes, cook for yourself. When you feel that way, even a little help from your partner fills you with gratitude—“Oh, you helped me!”—and you are very happy. But if you carry the expectation “you are supposed to cook, you have to iron, you must do this,” and those expectations are not met, conflict begins. This is why the Śiva Purāṇa presents Pārvatī as an exemplary person, an ideal morality. The ideal of human life is that, however we can remain, whatever situation comes, we can remain happily. That is the central moral of this story. “Prabhu Dīp Karatā Mahāprabhujī Dīp Karatā, aur ye unkī sahansīlatā aur maryādā, aur jo bhī mile usse khush rahane kā ye śobhā dekhe.” Mahādevjī ne us jhopṛī ko lāṭ mār ke dīvār toṛ dī, to Kailāśa parvata dikhāī diyā. “Jai Bhole Bhole Baba Ki Jai.” In this age, we must learn to honor whatever we have, and also honor time. Time is profoundly important. It is said that if you forget the value of time, just ask the person what a single year is worth. If you wish to know the value of one year, ask the student who failed the exam and must now wait an entire year to try again. Ask the value of one month from a mother who miscarried in the eighth month; had that event occurred just one month later, a baby would have been born. If you want to understand the value of one week, ask the editor of a weekly paper who misses a single edition—advertisements are lost, continuity is broken. To know the value of one minute, ask the person who arrives at the railway station one minute late and watches the train leave. What will happen? The next train may come in another hour, and by then the meeting will already be over. And if you wish to grasp the value of one second, ask the person who could not avoid the accident. Had they avoided it by a single second, they would have survived, but because of that one second, the accident occurred. To appreciate a single moment, ask the Olympic athlete who lost the medal by a fraction of a moment—someone else won. Time is exceedingly important. Every moment is powerful, deeply connected, and vital to our life. Our scriptures everywhere teach through stories, because in this Kaliyuga, people do not want mere theory or dry knowledge. They learn more readily through narrative. Stories are easy to remember. You can recall how Śiva and Pārvatī were married and all the details, but if we continuously speak only of moral principles, they are easily forgotten, are they not? That is why the Purāṇas use stories so extensively. “Jai Bhāliyā Śrī Bhagavān Kī Jai.” Pārvatī was so happy that with Kailāśa and with Mahādev, whether she lived in a palace or a tiny hut, in a poor or rich place, it did not matter. When love and companionship are present, you can enjoy life no matter the external conditions. Unfortunately, in many modern relationships, what we see is a transaction—a give-and-take business. “If you give this much, I’ll give that much. If you buy something for my birthday, I’ll take you out on yours. If you give a gift, I’ll give one back.” Always there is a condition. Where condition prevails, love cannot survive, nor can relationship. Unconditional love alone flourishes and deepens. Here, Pārvatī is completely happy without any conditions, without complaint even upon entering a small hut. That is the ideal morality the Śiva Purāṇa offers—a way to maintain peace in society. Pārvatī, without wealth, without assets, remained joyful. Happiness does not come from possessions, property, or material things like gold. The Śiva Purāṇa continually emphasizes this, directly and indirectly. Now hear another story. One day Pārvatī asked Mahādeva, “Can you explain to me the Līlā of Nārāyaṇa?” Mahādeva answered, “You can witness it instantly. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are wandering in the forest because Rāvaṇa has kidnapped Sītā. Rāma is the very form of Nārāyaṇa.” Pārvatī did not believe it. “How can Nārāyaṇa not protect His own wife? How can He be filled with tension and stress, and why is He roaming the jungle? I cannot believe it, my Lord.” She decided to cross the river and go into the jungle to test for herself. She disguised herself and went there. At that time Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were searching for Sītā, crying “Oh Sītā, where are you?” Pārvatī, intent on putting Nārāyaṇa’s apparent helplessness to the test, drew near. “Jangal me chalī gayī, jai boliye Siyāvara Rāmacandra jī kī jai, Pavanāsuta Hanumāna jī kī, Umāpati Mahādeva jī kī, Rādhe vara Kṛṣṇa Candra jī kī, Hari Om.” Then, from a distance, Rāma recognized her: “Dur se hī jān liyā, O Pārvatī Mātā, āp yahā̃ pe kyōṁ, kyā kar rahī? Śivjī Kedār hai, O Pārvatī Mātā, āp yahā̃ pe kyōṁ, kyā kar rahī? Śivjī Kedār hai… O Pārvatī Mātā, āp yahā̃ pe kyōṁ, kyā kar rahī? Śivjī Kedār hai… Śivjī Kedār kī śikī gatī bidī dekh kar, kabhī kīśī ko mat bolnā.” Rāma had noticed her instantly, and Pārvatī felt ashamed. Embarrassed, she realized, “Rāma noticed me. He is indeed the true incarnation of Nārāyaṇa.” She saluted Rāma and returned to Kailāśa Parvata. “Jai Bholī Śivagwan Kī Jai.” From this episode, you can see the unfolding of karma. Do you remember Nārada’s curse to Nārāyaṇa? Earlier, Nārada had been cursed, and in turn he cursed Nārāyaṇa. Nārada, whose face had been made into that of a monkey, said, “You disguised me; you betrayed me. Because of this, I am suffering on account of a woman; I could not obtain the wife I desired. So I also curse you: one day you too will suffer because of your wife.” Thus, when Rāma felt the agony of separation from Sītā and wandered the forest, that curse had come to fruition. And remember the other part of Nārada’s words: when you are in trouble, when you are in a critical situation, you will receive assistance from the monkey god. That is why Hanumān appeared, and to empower that assistance, Mahādeva himself was present, helping Rāma. So it is said that even the Lord is not free from karma. How, then, can a human being be free from karma? Therefore, before you step anywhere, before you take any action, you must consider whether it is aligned with dharma. In ancient times, people would first reflect: is there dharma in this? Does it have purity? Will I gain the fruit of righteousness? Today, before making a plan or launching a project, people consider only whether they will receive a commission or personal benefit, regardless of dharma. That is why bad karma arrives. The teaching here is clear: before any step, calculate your dharma. If what you contemplate is not dharma, it is better to leave it aside. Trouble, it is said, comes twice in human life. If you follow truth, trouble may come first, but later you will be happy. If you follow falsehood, you may enjoy initially, but later suffering will find you. The choice is yours: do you want your trouble first, or later? Moreover, when you pray to God, when you beseech Him, He does not simply remove your karma. As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad Gītā to Arjuna, “I cannot help him in that way.” When devotees asked Kṛṣṇa, “If you are God, why did you not protect Draupadī when she was in distress in the royal assembly? Why did you not save Abhimanyu when he was in trouble?” Kṛṣṇa replied that everyone must go through their karma. He can advise how to remain strong at that time, but no one is free from karma. You must go through it. Even God does not exempt Himself. “He banāṛv ne āpko sāhab ke liye kām ke liye ā jāye, jaisā unne batāyā thā, to vaisāī ke liye Bhagavān bhī vahāṁ pe chale gaye the.” Jai boliye Viṣṇu Bhagavān kī, Śiv Bhagavān kī jai. Isī liye hum jo bhī kām kare, pahle soche ki usme dharma hai ki nahīṁ. In earlier times, people would undertake any work only after considering whether it was righteous. But now, before acting, they calculate how much benefit and financial profit they will gain, and only then do they proceed. That is why we suffer in sorrow. Sorrow comes twice: either before or after. “Āp satya ke rāste meṅ cale, bād meṅ sukh hotā hai, lekin āp adharma ke rāste meṅ cale, to pahle to sukh ho saktā hai, jhūṭh-mūṭh bol ke, dhan badh tā hai, aur fame nām badh saktā hai, lekin bād meṅ parda phāś hone ke kāraṇ, āpko phir dukh ā jāyegā.” Therefore, always support dharma and walk the path of satya. On the path of truth, the road is not crowded, because in every action we must proceed taking the name of truth. This is the teaching of the Śiva Purāṇa. “Ādarś se śikṣā hai. Jai boliye Sītāvara Rāmacandra jī kī jai.” Now we will have a small bhajan, and afterwards we will continue the Purāṇa. Let us also chant the Śiva Pañcākṣarī Stotram, which activates your energy centers and grants amazing energy. Place your hands on your anāhata center, listen attentively, and visualize the energy of Śiva striking your eyebrows. Feel the energy you will receive right now, practically. “Āp jahāṁ bhī hai, to āp ne āṁkh band kar ke, chātī me anāhat cakra me hāth rakhe, Śivjī ke dono āṁkh ke andar unko yād kare, aur ye mantra ko ispraṇ kare—to humko energy kaisā prāpt ho jātā hai.” Nityāya Śuddhāya Digambarāya, Tasmai Nakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya, Tasmai Nakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya. Mandākinī Salila Candana Carcitāya Nandīśvara Pramathanātha Maheśvarāya, Tasmai Makārāya Namaḥ Śivāya, Tasmai Makārāya Namaḥ Śivāya. Dabha Gautam Ārya Munīndra Devār Cittasekhar Āyā, Munīndra Devār Cittasekhar Āyā. Chandarka Vaiśvānar Locanāya, Chandarka Vaiśvānar Locanāya. Tasmai Vakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya, Tasmai Vakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya. Ekarūpāya Jaṭādharāya, Divyāya Divyāya Digambarāya, Divyāya Divyāya Digambarāya, Tasmai Yakārāya Namaḥ Śivāya. Pañcākṣaram idaṁ puṇyaṁ yaḥ paṭhe Śivasannidhau, Śivalokaṁ vāpnoti Śivena saha modate. Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya. Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya… Jaya Jaya Bhole Jaya Śivāya. Once, Śiva was meditating, and Viṣṇu arrived with his vehicle Garuḍa, the king of birds. Around Śiva’s neck was another king—the cobra, king of snakes. Garuḍa, the natural enemy of snakes, stood near Śiva. The snake, emboldened by its position, asked, “O Garuḍa, how is your health? How are you nowadays?” Garuḍa, furious, replied, “I could tell you about my health if you were not around Lord Śiva’s neck.” The meaning is clear: no matter where you are, if you are close to Śiva, no one can harm you. No matter how weak or poor you may feel, if you are protected by Śiva, what matters is the place you occupy and the blessings you receive, not the people around you. “To isliye kyā hai ki, hameśā mat socho ki tum akele ho, mat socho ki tum kamzor ho. Jab tum Bhagavān ko yād karte ho, jab tum Bhagavān aur Guru ke āśīrvād se juṛe ho, tum hameśā surakṣit rahoge.” Jai Boleśī Bhagavān Kī Jai. The spiritual world is amazing and unpredictable. Many miracles happen. Sometimes you feel that the moment you remember someone, that person calls you—what a coincidence! Sometimes the person you think of appears before you. And when you are not meant to do something, some reason emerges to stop you. At the time you may feel frustrated, but later you see the real reason why it did not happen. Therefore, always remain connected and trusting. Life is simple. Our Sanātana Dharma is very simple; it is not complex, though many explain it as such. It is extremely simple. Once, a man went to a Guru’s āśram and asked, “O Guru, can you teach me some dharma?” As he entered the room, he kicked off his shoes carelessly and banged the door loudly. Coming before the Guru, he repeated his request. The Guru said, “If you really want to know dharma, go back and ask forgiveness from your shoes.” The man was astonished. “Because you did not honor your shoes by placing them properly,” the Guru explained. “That is dharma—the first dharma. And when you entered, you banged the door, which is the end of dharma. So you must also go and ask forgiveness from the door.” The man went back and did so. Later, the Guru was drinking water, and as the man set a glass down without care, water spilled. The Guru said, “Putting the glass down carelessly—this too is adharma.” Thus, the simplest actions teach us the way of righteousness. Part 4: The Art of Living: Dharma, Divine Līlā, and Karmic Wisdom from the Śiva Purāṇa If you push this nicely without making any noise, that is dharma. Now you understand? So the Guru says that it is simple. Whatever is in nature, you just follow the natural rules; that is dharma. That is nothing. And if you are following those things, slowly, slowly, you will become used to them. That is the Bhāgavata Dharma, our main dharma. In the Śiva Purāṇa also, it says this. And always Śiva is giving some lessons to everyone, not only to one person. Whoever has a great ego, Śiva goes and corrects it. In the same way, you can see this with Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa. When Śivagaṇa got the curse from Nārada, they became Kumbhakarṇa and Rākṣasas, the demons—Rāvaṇa. But before going into that evil life of Rāvaṇa, they asked Viṣṇu, “Oh Viṣṇu, without any reason we had to be demons. So, can you give us an idea of how we can be liberated, how we can come out of the demon’s life?” And Viṣṇu told them, “Well, you have innocence, but after three generations, three incarnations, then you will have liberation. And in the last, the demon’s role, you will have liberation. I will come to liberate you.” That was the word from Viṣṇu. That is why, when Nārada cursed Nandi and the Śivagaṇas, the Śivagaṇas said, “You people must always be demons, and you must remain in the form of demons. In this world, if everyone blames you…” Then, when the Śivagaṇas asked for forgiveness and went to Lord Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu said, “You should go with them to the Śilnidhi assembly.” But when they went, Nārada created a disturbance. We are simple and innocent; we made no mistake. What can we do? So, what promise did Lord Viṣṇu give to them? What was the promise? He promised, “You will become a demon for three births: Madhu, Kaiṭabha, the demon Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa, Kumbhakarṇa. Rāma, liberation. For three births, a demon. Rāma, Rāma… Rām Rām… Rām Rām… Jai.” So the moral of the story is that even a demon cannot attain liberation. [Note: later the speaker indicates Rāvaṇa does attain liberation, so this appears to be a slip.] I already mentioned that Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa were originally Śivagaṇas. Before becoming Rāvaṇa and Kumbhakarṇa, they went to Viṣṇu’s path. Viṣṇu told them, “Well, you just need to take three incarnations as a demon. After that, I’ll come to rescue you. I’ll give you shelter.” And then what happened is, when Viṣṇu gave them instruction, they came to the universe, took incarnation as Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa, and when that struggle, that conflict happened with Rāma and the Rākṣasa Rāvaṇa, at the last point, as you know, Rāma sent Lakṣmaṇa. “Lakṣmaṇa, go and learn something from Rāvaṇa. Even though Rāvaṇa is a sinner, he has great devotion to Śiva, and he is a great political person. Can you go and learn something about politics, the education of politics, from him?” And Lakṣmaṇa went and then asked, “Oh Rāvaṇa, can you teach me? My brother sent me. So, do you have some idea about politics?” He stood near his head, and Rāvaṇa asked, “Who are you? You are Lakṣmaṇa, you want to know something from me? If you want to know something, you have to sit towards my feet, not towards my head.” So, if you want to learn, that is why it is said that if you want to learn something, you always have to become polite. If you say, “I know that I know; can you tell if you know more?” — no one is going to tell you. So, if you say, “Oh, I would like to know something, can you tell me, can you please explain?” — definitely, they will tell you. So, the same thing happened. Lakṣmaṇa asked Rāvaṇa, “Can you tell me?” And Rāvaṇa relayed some lessons you might have heard already. If not, it is a very notable blessing that Rāvaṇa spoke at the end of his life. He said, like, “Oh, Lakṣmaṇa, you should never offend your guru. Never offend your cook, your chef. If you offend him, he might put some poison or something might happen. So that is why you should always respect your chef. Always maintain a distance from the guru. And never conflict with your doctor. At that time, Vaidehī, Dhanvantari—so never conflict with the doctor. If the doctor is upset, what will happen? Instead of antibiotics, he will give you another poison, those tablets or something like that. So then, always, never conflict with your brother. Your brother or your family member knows all your secrets. So that is why you should never conflict. Even though you have conflict, it is better to put some distance, but never come to war. And similarly,” he said, “never ever conflict with a woman, the wonderful woman. If they want, they can destroy. If they want, they can build a wall. If they want, they can destroy the wall.” So Rāvaṇa said that. And Lakṣmaṇa said, “Well, if you are such a knowledgeable person, why did you kidnap my sister-in-law, Sītā Mātā?” And Rāvaṇa replied, “Well, even though I kidnapped her, you know that I am going to Vaikuṇṭha before you. Still, I am winning. And also, you know that while I was alive, I never allowed you to touch this kingdom. When I died, then you arrived. Before that, my duty was Rāja Dharma. Rājā ke dharma kyā hai, ki apne jagah meṁ, apne usmeṁ, koī bhī śatru ko ānā nahīṁ denā hai, merā dharma hai.” [What is the dharma of a king? That in his own place, in his own domain, he must not allow any enemy to enter; that is my dharma.] And then what happened is, Rāvaṇa finally asked Lakṣmaṇa, “Lakṣmaṇa, look, you challenge me that you are in hell, but you know that your brother is the king of Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha ke rājā kaun hai? Viṣṇu hai. Viṣṇu to Rām to vahīṁ khaḍā hai. [Who is the king of Vaikuṇṭha? It is Viṣṇu. And Viṣṇu, in the form of Rāma, is standing right there.] But what did Rāvaṇa do? Vishnu, wahan hote hue bhi, main Vaikuṇṭha jātā hoon. [Even while Viṣṇu is there, I go to Vaikuṇṭha.]” And Rāma challenged, Lakṣmaṇa challenged, “How come you will go to Vaikuṇṭha? You are the sinner.” Look, here I will go. And he grabbed Rāma’s feet, lotus feet, and put his head there. And Rām, chama karo. Please forgive me. And I will surrender to you. I am going to surrender to you. And Rāma is merciful. Rāma said, “Well, tathāstu.” So Rāma never—even though it was said that even a śatru, even your enemy, you should never take revenge if he surrenders to you. If he surrendered, saraṇa ko maraṇa kabhī nahīṁ karo. [Never kill one who has taken refuge.] To isī le kyā hai, ki vo śaraṇ mein ā gayā, vaikuṇṭha mein Rāvaṇa chale gaye. [Therefore, because he took refuge, Rāvaṇa went to Vaikuṇṭha.] So why this is connected is because when Nārada gave a curse to the Śivagaṇas, at that time Viṣṇu gave his word that one day I will come to rescue and liberate. In the same way, Rāma liberated Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa. That was the moral. In Hindi, it is said that when all this happened, Nārada had cursed the Śiva Gaṇas. Now the Śiva Gaṇas went to Viṣṇu and asked him, “Viṣṇu Bhagavān, we have been cursed. We had made no mistake, but Nārada cursed us that we had to become demons.” Vishṇubhagavān ne phir bolā, "Nārada, calo, āpne to galī lelī, lekin kyā hai, ki āpko tīn janma tak śrīp danav honā paḍegā, uske bād hi muktī milegī." [Then Lord Viṣṇu said, “Nārada, all right, you have cursed them, but the fact is that you will have to be a demon for three births, and only after that will you attain liberation.”] To usī samay meṁ, usī vajah se kyā hai, ki danav ban gaye, Kumbhakarṇa aur Rāvaṇa, aur jab Rāvaṇa kā badalā... [So at that time, for that reason, they became demons, Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa, and when Rāvaṇa’s turn came...] There was a time when Rāvaṇa’s time of death had come, Rāma sent Lakṣmaṇa to learn from him. And during that sending, Lakṣmaṇa went with Rāvaṇa, went near him, and asked Rāvaṇa to teach him the knowledge of politics. And Rāvaṇa said, “You should never quarrel with the cook, you should never quarrel with your guru, you should never have a quarrel with your brother, and you should never have a quarrel with a woman.” If you do this, you will become a successful rājanītik [politician]. So when he said this, Lakṣmaṇa said, “You are talking like a scholar, but you are a sinner. If you are such a scholar, then why did you commit the crime against Sītā?” So then Rāvaṇa said, “I am the real king. Till the time I was alive, I did not let you enter my kingdom. When I was about to die, then I accepted you all.” To ab phir bhi dekh, Lakṣmaṇ, sabse pahle abhī meṅ jītā hūṁ, abhī meṅ vijayī hūṁ, meṅ harā nahīṁ hūṁ. Ab sabse pahle Vaikuṇṭha pahuṅcā hūṁ, aur Rām aur Lakṣmaṇ se pahle. [“So now still see, Lakṣmaṇa, first of all, even now I am winning, even now I am victorious, I am not defeated. And before anyone else, I have arrived at Vaikuṇṭha, ahead of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.”] Lakṣmaṇ ne bolā, "Kaise jāoge? Dekhāo, dekhāo." Toh usne kyā kiyā? Śrī Rām ke caraṇ pakar liye, āpne mastak rakhe hai. Rām, tum śaraṇam. [Lakṣmaṇa said, “How will you go? Show us, show us.” So what did he do? He grabbed Śrī Rāma’s feet, placed his head there. “Rāma, you are my refuge.”] To Rām, to kyā hai? Dayā ke sāgar hai, dayā sindhu. Hamne Rāmāyaṇ bhi paḍhā hai. [So Rāma, what is he? He is an ocean of compassion, an ocean of mercy. We have read the Rāmāyaṇa also.] What is the point? Rāvaṇa went to Vaikuṇṭha. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were still there, they were in Laṅkā, but Rāvaṇa went to Vaikuṇṭha by Rāma’s blessing. Therefore, what is it? Even at the final moment, if we go to the Lord’s feet, however atheistic one may be, if they come with faith, then they will be liberated. Jai Bolī Bhagavān Kī, Jai. So, in this way, Kumbhakarṇa and Rāvaṇa get liberated. In the same way, if you read the Bhagavad Gītā, there also you can see amazing, amazing wisdom. This is not just a story. We cannot merely take this as a story. This is an amazing, divine, godly written story. On the last day, Kṛṣṇa told two words, and those were amazing, miraculous words. You might have already heard that. What were the two blessings, the two knowledges, the two wisdoms that were given in the Dvāpara Yuga? That was the last preaching of Kṛṣṇa. So, have you heard about this? Any of you? Yes? That was when Kṛṣṇa was there under the banyan tree. From far away, somebody came and he shot an arrow. The hunter thought that Kṛṣṇa’s leg was a deer’s ear, an animal’s ear. So he thought, “This is an animal,” and shot the arrow, and the arrow went from the feet, up through the body, to the head. And Kṛṣṇa finished his bodily life, his human life. And when Kṛṣṇa received that arrow, the hunter came and he was scared, “Oh my God, what happened? Oh, what happened?” “Sorry, sorry, Kṛṣṇa, I mistakenly shot the arrow. I thought it was an animal. You are my Lord, please, can you forgive me?” He was in a panic and greatly panicked. He started to regret. And at that time, Kṛṣṇa said two things: “Don’t say sorry for what happened in the past. Don’t worry about what will happen in the future. Just be in the present, and I am not doing anything to you. That was supposed to happen. That means it was meant to happen; that is why you shot me. Don’t worry.” So Kṛṣṇa ne aisā batā diyā ki bhaviṣya ke liye cintā nahī̃ karnā, aur jo huā, pahle ho gayā hai. Kabhī yād nahī̃ karnā. Bhaviṣya to āyā hī nahī̃. To abhī ke liye yād karo, abhī jo honā thā vohī ho rahā hai. Isle, enjoy the present. [Thus Kṛṣṇa taught: do not worry about the future, and what has happened, has already happened. Never remember the past. The future has not yet come. So focus on the present; right now whatever was to happen is happening. Therefore, enjoy the present.] So the two words you can write in your hands, diary, wallet, everywhere. Don’t say sorry for the past, whatever happened, and don’t worry about the future. That is meant to happen, that is going to happen because of māyā, the līlā of God, and that is a wonderful thing. Why did it happen? Why could Kṛṣṇa not protect himself from the hunter? These might be the questions if we do not go into a deeper meaning. But it says that while Rāma was fighting with Vāli, Rāma was hiding and he shot the arrow to kill Vāli. And that was really unjust. At that time, Vāli’s son Aṅgada asked Rāma, “O Rāma, can you give me blessings? And what are the blessings? Can I take revenge on my father’s enemy?” And Rāma said, “Well, yes.” And Vāli’s enemy was Rāma, and Aṅgada received the blessings. And Aṅgada said, “Well, not this era, not this age, but in Dvāpara Yuga.” Not this Yuga, not in Tretā Yuga. In Dvāparayuga, you will take revenge. And that was the līlā in Dvāpara Yuga. The hunter was Aṅgada. He was Aṅgada. And through māyā, through līlā, he came and shot Kṛṣṇa. So that was amazing, the līlā. So what is the story of God? No one can know. So whatever is happening in the world, first of all, it is a story that you must accept. Increase the acceptance. When Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān was sitting under the banyan tree, then someone came in the form of a hunter, and he hit him with an arrow, thinking it was a fish, thinking it was a deer, hit him with the arrow, then he fell at the feet of Kṛṣṇa Jī. He ke pau me pad gaya, and Krishna jī kā kyā hai ki akhīrī jo Dvāpar Yuga akhīrī din thā, to Krishna Bhagavān ne kī byādā, "Āp mat daro ki bigat me jo huā, huā, bhavishya me jo hogā, achā hogā, isī liye mat daro. Ye to māyā kā khel hai, kyūnki mene hī. In the Tretā Yuga, Aṅgada was given the blessing, he who was the son of Bali. Isi liye, maine, I have given you this blessing. Today I am enjoying the fruits of my karma. If I don’t enjoy it, then what happens? It will be like my debt.” [He fell at his feet, and what did Kṛṣṇa say? On the very last day of the Dvāpara Yuga, Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān gave a teaching: “Don’t be afraid: what happened in the past, happened; what will happen in the future will be good, therefore do not fear. This is the play of māyā, because I myself— in the Tretā Yuga, Aṅgada was given the blessing, he was the son of Vāli. Therefore, I gave you that blessing. Today I am enjoying the fruits of my karma. If I don’t enjoy it, then what? It will remain like my debt.”] That’s why whatever pain there is in the world, you should understand that if any of your bad karma is going, that day you should be happy, very happy. Jai Bholī Bhagavān Kī Jai. So that means whenever you have pain in your life, whenever you have an uncomfortable situation, whenever you have difficulties, just feel that you are paying off your bad karmas. So, just be happy: if you have a loan or a mortgage on your home, and when you are paying it off, on that day you don’t feel sad about paying; you feel happy because you are reducing your loan. In the same way, we have many karmic loans, knowingly or unknowingly, accumulating from many lives. So if you have problems, if you have difficulties, if you have tragedy, if you have unjust times, just feel that, oh, that’s an opportunity—I just paid off some bad karmas. Oh my God, such wonderful things. That’s why one saint had cancer. And during his cancer, everyone asks, “Oh saint, you are a great yogī, you are supposed to enjoy your life. But how come you are suffering from cancer and you are crying? So it looks like you are not a real, pure saint and Swāmī.” And the Swāmī said, “Well, this is me paying off karma. So many of you will not get this chance, but I’m enjoying this. I am paying off my karma, and after this, I’ll be free.” So those were the things. And one time, the saint had to go to the hospital. In the hospital, the doctor said, “Oh, you have cancer in your hand.” And everyone suggested that if there were any way to heal without cutting off the hand, we could do it. But the doctor said there is no choice. And the doctor said, “Well, you have to remove your right hand.” And everyone was crying that day. “O my God, O my Guru, O my Saint, you are going to be one-handed, disabled. So, how can we tolerate these things?” But the sant smiled. “Well, don’t worry about that; I am still happy.” And the doctors removed the right hand, and he was smiling and dancing. Oh my God, and everyone is surprised because all are crying, but the sant is laughing and smiling. What’s the reason behind it? And the saint smiled and told, “Well, I still have got another hand. There are so many people in this world who do not have two hands. But still, I have—God at least gave me one hand. He is so merciful. Thank God, at least I have one hand,” and he is happy. So that’s why whenever you have a problem, just feel that. Don’t see the glass as a half-empty glass. Just say, that’s a half-full glass. And when you see the flower, don’t see the thorn of it; just see the flower, and that is the beautiful thing in your vision, and you are always happy. And there is no more. For a spiritual person, there is no sorrow and no pain there. You will convert every pain toward pleasure, every difficult situation toward a possible and easy situation. That’s why you always see the positive things. Siddha Paramparā, Siddha Karatā Prabhu Dīp Karatā He Kevalam. It is always a silver line in the dark cloud, so it is saying that. Ki āp dukh mein kabhī naī ghabrānā, jaisā ki ek sant ko cancer hoke hospital lekar gayā thā. [So do not ever panic in sorrow. Just as one saint was taken to the hospital because of cancer.] But all the people were crying, but he was laughing, and all the people asked, “O saint, O mahātma, your hand is being cut off, why are you laughing? All your devotees are crying because you are becoming disabled.” So then the saint smiled a lot and said, “So what is the miracle of God? God should be thanked because he has still kept the other hand, isn’t it? So what is it? It is his grace. There are so many people in the world who live without hands. At least he keeps one hand for me. Thank you, Lord, Bhagavān.” That’s why he laughed. That’s why we should also learn the art of living. So this is the art of life. Spirituality teaches us the art of life: how to live, how to motivate, how to inspire, and how to cross our pain. That is spirituality. And it is not that you will achieve something, but you will make your life heaven here. Simply, you can smile; you can tackle every situation happily. Jai Bholē Bholē Bābā Kī Jai. So at this time, we just chant one song. And we just need to clap for our singers, as they are putting in really good efforts. One good time we can clap. When you clap, you can create energy and you can do acupuncture. You’re helping yourself, and you’re helping other people as well. Jai Bholē Bholē Bābā Kī Jai. Hari Om. Jai Bhule Bhule Bhavakī. Jai. Jai. Hari Om. So this is the time. For today, we need to take rest, and tomorrow we’ll continue. Tomorrow morning, we have a special thing that we will talk about: not only the Śivapurāṇa, but that connected with some other granthas as well, and that is the first word of the Sanskrit language, the first formula of the Sanskrit language. Mahāprabhujī kī karatā, Mahāprabhujī kī karatā he kevalam. For today, it is time to take rest for this morning’s Purāṇa. Tomorrow morning’s Purāṇa, we will discuss more about the sūtra of Pāṇini and the Līlā of Lord Śiva. And in today’s life, how can we learn the art of living with happiness and success from the Purāṇa? For that, we will discuss tomorrow morning at 8 o’clock. So, wherever you are, you can come with your friends, brothers, and everyone. Welcome, everyone. Today, I would like to bid farewell to this session. With the blessings of Saraswatī Mātā, the blessings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the blessings of our Guru and God, I give rest to today’s session. Everyone, please accept this invitation of Ācārya Rajan Sharma. And now we will give rest to this session by reciting the full verse. Oṁ Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam Pūrṇāt Pūrṇamudacyate Pūrṇasya Pūrṇamādāya Pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate Oṁ Sarvavai Pūrṇaha Svāhā Sarvavai Pūrṇaha Svāhā Oṁ Yanmayā Bhakti Yuktena Patraṁ Puṣpaṁ Phalaṁ Jalam Niveditaṁ Cha Naivedyaṁ Tad Gṛhāṇukampayā Avaṇaṁ Najānāmī Najānāmī Tavārchanam Pūjā Chai Vinajānāmī Khyāmascha Parameśvarī Aniṭhā śaraṇaṁ nāsti tvevaṁ śaraṇaṁ mama, tasmāt kāruṇya-bhāvena rakṣiṣyāmi parameśvaraḥ. Karacaraṇakṛtaṁ vā karmajāṁ vā śravaṇanayanajāṁ vā mānasāṁ vā aparādhaṁ, vihitaṁ vihitaṁ vā sarvaṁ tat kṣamyatām aśeṣataḥ. Jai Jai Karuṇāvde Śrī Mahādev Sambho, Har Har Mahādev, Har Har Mahādev,... Hari Om Dāsa, Hari Om Dāsa.