A collection of teachings from the Soundarya Lahari of Adi Shankaracharya.
Shiva is capable of action only when He is united with Shakti. Otherwise He is not capable of any movement. How can anyone, who has not accumulated enough punya, sing your praises or prostrate before you who is the object of worship even for the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva? (Verse 1)
Shiva is capable of action only when He is united with Shakti. Otherwise He is not capable of any movement. How can anyone, who has not accumulated enough punya, sing your praises or prostrate before you who is the object of worship even for the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva? (Verse 1)
Brahma collects the fine dust from your lotus feet and performs
the act of creation. Vishnu supports all the worlds thus created with his
thousand heads (in the form of Adi Sesha) with great effort. During the
dissolution, Shiva converts the universe into fine ash and smears his body with
it. (Verse 2)
You are the sun that illumines the inner darkness. To the
ignorant, you are a blossoming flower, oozing streams of honey. To the
poor, you are the jewel that grants everything one desires. And to those
drowning in the ocean of death and rebirth, you are the tusk of the wild
boar. (Verse 3)
O Devi! All the other gods, except you, show the
‘abhaya’ (palm raised up to indicate ‘no-fear’) and ‘varada’ (palm pointing
down to indicate ‘granting wish’) signs by their hands. You alone do not
show these signs since your lotus feet, the refuge of all the worlds,
are themselves capable of protecting all from fear and granting all
wishes. (Verse 4)
Soundarya Lahari