Dancing with Śiva

Contents

Vishayasūchī

विषयसूची

Dedication—Samarpaṇam§

Author’s Introduction—Granthakāra Bhūmikā §

The Master Course—Pradhāna Pāṭhyakramaḥ§

Śiva’s Cosmic Dance—Śivānanda Taṇḍavaḥ §

UPANISHAD ONE
ETERNAL TRUTHS—
Sanātana Dharmaḥ
§

ŚLOKA
Maṇḍala 1: Self Realization—Paramātma Darśanam
1Who Am I? Where Did I Come From?
2 Where Am I Going? What Is My Path?
3 What Is Meant by “Dancing with Śiva”?
4 How Can We Learn to Dance with Śiva?
5 What is the Ultimate Goal of Earthly Life?
Verses from Scripture on Self Realization

Maṇḍala 2: Hinduism—Hindu Dharmaḥ§

6What Are Hinduism’s Principal Sects?
7What Is the Deeply Mystical Śaiva Sect?
8What Is the Magic and Power of Śāktism?
9What Is the Devotional Vaishṇava Sect?
10What Is the Universalist Smārta Sect?
Verses from Scripture on Religion

Maṇḍala 3: Śaivite Hinduism—Śaiva Dharmaḥ§

11What Is the Nature of Śaivite Theology?
12How Do Śaivites Regard Other Faiths?
13How Does Śaivism Stay Contemporary?
14What Is the Nature of Life for Śaivites?
15What Is the Symbolism of Śiva’s Dance?
Verses from Scripture on Śaivism

UPANISHAD TWO
GOD AND THE GODS—
Īśvaraḥ Devatāḥ cha
§

Maṇḍala 4: Our Supreme God—Śivaḥ
16What Is the Nature of Our God Śiva?
17What Is God Śiva’s Unmanifest Reality?
18What Is God Śiva’s Pure Consciousness?
19What Is the Nature of the Primal Soul?
20What Are God Śiva’s Traditional Forms?
Verses from Scripture on Śiva

Maṇḍala 5: Lords of Dharma—Gaṇeśa-Kārttikeyau§

21Do Other Gods Exist Apart from Śiva?
22What Is the Nature of Lord Gaṇeśa?
23What Is Lord Gaṇeśa’s Special Duty?
24What Is the Nature of Lord Kārttikeya?
25What Does Lord Kārttikeya’s Vel Signify?
Verses from Scripture on Lords of Dharma

UPANISHAD THREE
OUR IMMORTAL SOUL—
Amṛitātmā
§

Maṇḍala 6: The Nature of the Soul—Ātmasvarūpam
26What Is Our Individual Soul Nature?
27How Is Our Soul Different from Śiva?
28How Is Our Soul Identical with Śiva?
29Why Are We Not Omniscient Like Śiva?
30How Do Hindus Understand Moksha?
Verses from Scripture on the Soul

Maṇḍala 7: Karma and Rebirth—Saṁsāraḥ§

31How Do Hindus Understand Karma?
32Is There Good Karma and Bad Karma?
33What Is the Process of Reincarnation?
34How Should We View Death and Dying?
35How Does One Best Prepare for Death?
Verses from Scripture on Saṁsāra

Maṇḍala 8: The Way to Liberation—San Mārgaḥ§

36What Are the Four Stages on the Path?
37What Is the Nature of the Charyā Pāda?
38What Is the Nature of the Kriyā Pāda?
39What Is the Nature of the Yoga Pāda?
40What Is the Nature of the Jñāna Pāda?
Verses from Scripture on Liberation

UPANISHAD FOUR
THE WORLD
Śivamayam
§

Maṇḍala 9: The Three Worlds—Trilokam
41Where Did This Universe Come from?
42What Is the Nature of the Physical Plane?
43What Is the Nature of the Subtle Plane?
44What Is the Nature of the Causal Plane?
45Does the Universe Ever End? Is It Real?
Verses from Scripture on Three Worlds

Maṇḍala 10: The Goodness of All—Sarvabhadraḥ §

46Are Souls and World Essentially Good?
47Why Do Some Souls Act in Evil Ways?
48What Is the Source of Good and Evil?
49How Can a Benevolent God Permit Evil?
50Should One Avoid Worldly Involvement?
Verses from Scripture on Goodness

Maṇḍala 11: Sin and Suffering—Pāpa-Duḥkhe §

51Why Is There Suffering in the World?
52What Is Sin? How Can We Atone for It?
53Does Hell Really Exist? Is There a Satan?
54What Is the Consequence of Sinful Acts?
55Does God Ever Punish Wrongdoers?
Verses from Scripture on Sin and Suffering

UPANISHAD FIVE
RIGHT LIVING
Dharmaḥ
§

Maṇḍala 12: Four Dharmas—Chaturdharmāḥ
56What Is Dharma? What Are Its Forms?
57What Is Signified by Universal Dharma?
58What Is the Nature of Social Dharma?
59What Is the Nature of Human Dharma?
60What Is the Nature of Personal Dharma?
Verses from Scripture on Four Dharmas

Maṇḍala 13: Good Conduct—Sadāchāraḥ§

61What Is the Meaning of Good Conduct?
62What Are Good Conduct’s Four Keys?
63From Whom Is Good Conduct Learned?
64What Are the Ten Classical Restraints?
65What Are the Ten Classical Observances?
Verses from Scripture on Good Conduct

Maṇḍala 14: Noninjury—Ahiṁsā§

66What Is the Great Virtue Called Ahiṁsā?
67What Is the Inner Source of Noninjury?
68What Is the Inner Source of Violence?
69Is Vegetarianism Integral to Noninjury?
70How Can Peace on Earth Be Achieved?
Verses from Scripture on Noninjury

UPANISHAD SIX
FAMILY LIFE
Gṛihastha Dharmaḥ
§

Maṇḍala 15: Husband and Wife—Dampatī
71What Is the Central Purpose of Marriage?
72What Are the Duties of the Husband?
73What Are Special Duties of the Wife?
74What Is the Hindu View of Sexuality?
75What Is the Relation of Sex to Marriage?
Verses from Scripture on Husband and Wife

Maṇḍala 16: Marriage—Vivāhaḥ§

76What Is the Basis for a Happy Marriage?
77Must We Marry Within Our Religion?
78How Are Hindu Marriages Arranged?
79What Is the Hindu Family Structure?
80How Are Marital Problems Reconciled?
Verses from Scripture on Marriage

Maṇḍala 17: Children—Apatyam§

81What Is the Fulfillment of a Marriage?
82What Are the Main Duties of Parents?
83How Strictly Must Children Be Guided?
84Should All Youths Be Urged to Marry?
85How Is Family Harmony Maintained?
Verses from Scripture on Children

UPANISHAD SEVEN
SACRED CULTURE
Maṅgala Kriyā
§

Maṇḍala 18: Ways of Wisdom—Bodhi Tantraḥ
86How Do We Overcome Life’s Obstacles?
87What Are the Hindu’s Daily Yoga Practices?
88How Are Āyurveda and Jyotisha Used?
89How Do Hindus Regard Art and Culture?
90What Is the Hindu Outlook on Giving?
Verses from Scripture on Ways of Wisdom

Maṇḍala 19: Sacraments—Saṁskārāḥ§

91What Are Hinduism’s Rites of Passage?
92What Are the Sacraments of Childhood?
93What Are the Sacraments of Adulthood?
94What Are the Child-bearing Sacraments?
95Are There Rites for the Wisdom Years?
Verses from Scripture on Sacraments

Maṇḍala 20: Festivals—Utsavāḥ §

96What Are the Festival Days of Śaivism?
97What Are the Primary Festivals to Śiva?
98What Are the Major Gaṇeśa Festivals?
99What Are the Main Kārttikeya Festivals?
100What Are Other Important Festivals?
Verses from Scripture on Festivals

UPANISHAD EIGHT
SACRED WORSHIP
Upāsanā
§

Maṇḍala 21: Śiva Temples—Śivālayāḥ
101What Is the Nature of the Śiva Temple?
102How Are Temples Founded and Built?
103When Should One Attend the Temple?
104How Does One Attend a Śiva Temple?
105What Occurs Within the Śiva Temple?
Verses from Scripture on Śiva Temples

Maṇḍala 22: Temple Rites—Pūjā§

106What Is the Inner Importance of Pūjā?
107What Is the Special Rite Called Ārchanā?
108What Is the Nature of Image Worship?
109Who Are the Priests of Śiva Temples?
110What Does the Pujārī Do During Pūjā?
Verses from Scripture on Temples Rites

Maṇḍala 23: Love of God—Bhaktiḥ§

111Is Temple Worship Only for Beginners?
112How Do Devotees Prepare for Worship?
113How Do Our Prayers Reach the Gods?
114Do Śaivites Worship Only in Temples?
115What Is the Home Shrine’s Significance?
Verses from Scripture on Love of God

UPANISHAD NINE
HOLY MEN AND WOMEN
Mahātmā
§

Maṇḍala 24: Monastic Life—Sannyāsa Dharmaḥ
116What Is the Hindu Monastic Tradition?
117What Are the Goals of Renunciate Life?
118What Is the Sannyāsin’s Kuṇḍalinī Path?
119What Is the Sannyāsin’s Initiation Rite?
120What Are the Holy Orders of Sannyāsa?
Verses from Scripture on Monastic Life

Maṇḍala 25: Knowers of God—Jñānī§

121Who Are Hinduism’s Spiritual Leaders?
122What Is a Saint, a Sage and a Satguru?
123Are There Other Terms for Holy Ones?
124What Is the Nature of Guru Protocol?
125What Is the Satguru’s Special Function?
Verses from Scripture on Knowers of God

UPANISHAD TEN
SACRED SCRIPTURE
Śāstram
§

Maṇḍala 26: Revealed Scripture—Śrutiḥ
126What Are Hindu Revealed Scriptures?
127What Is the Nature of the Veda Texts?
128How Are the Vedas Significant Today?
129What Is the Nature of the Holy Āgamas?
130How Are the Āgamas Significant Today?
Verses from Scripture on Śruti

Maṇḍala 27: Secondary Scripture—Smṛitiḥ§

131Do Smṛiti and Sacred Literature Differ?
132What Texts Amplify Vedas and Āgamas?
133Does Hinduism Have Epics and Myths?
134Are there Other Types of Sacred Texts?
135What Is the Source of This Catechism?
Verses from Scripture on Smṛiti

Maṇḍala 28: Affirmations of Faith—Mantraḥ §

136What Is the Holy Namaḥ Śivāya Mantra?
137How Is Namaḥ Śivāya Properly Chanted?
138Is Initiation Necessary to Perform Japa?
139What Is Śaivism’s Affirmation of Faith?
140How Is the Affirmation of Faith Used?
Verses from Scripture on Affirmation

UPANISHAD ELEVEN
MONISTIC THEISM
Advaita Īśvaravādaḥ
§

Maṇḍala 29: Monism and Dualism–Advaita-Dvaitau
141What Are the Many Hindu Philosophies?
142How Do Monism and Dualism Differ?
143Are Monism and Dualism Reconcilable?
144What Is the View of Monistic Theism?
145Is Monistic Theism Found in the Vedas?
Verses from Scripture on One and Two

Maṇḍala 30: Views of Reality—Śaiva Siddhāntaḥ §

146What Are Śaiva Siddhānta’s Two Schools?
147What Are the Two Views on Creation?
148What Are the Views on God and Soul?
149What Are the Differing Views on Evil?
150What Are the Views on Mahāpralaya?
Verses from Scripture on Siddhānta

UPANISHAD TWELVE
PASSING ON THE POWER
Sampradāyaḥ
§

Maṇḍala 31: Himalayan Lineage—Kailāsa Paramparā
151What Is Hinduism’s Nātha Sampradāya?
152What Is the Lofty Kailāsa Paramparā?
153Who Were the Early Kailāsa Preceptors?
154Who Were Kadaitswami and Chellappan?
155Who Are the Most Recent Kailāsa Gurus?
Verses from Scripture on Paramparā

RESOURCESUpagranthāḥ§

I.     A Śaivite Creed
II.Six Schools of Śaivism
III.The Tradition of Masters
IV.Monism and Pluralism in Śaiva Siddhānta
V.Truth Is One, Paths Are Many
VI.Hindu Timeline
VII.A Children’s Primer
VIII.Charts


Conclusion—Samāpaṇam
§

Glossary—Śabda Kośaḥ: A-G§

Glossary—Śabda Kośaḥ: H-M§

Glossary—Śabda Kośaḥ: N-S§

Glossary—Śabda Kośaḥ: T-Z§

Sanskrit Pronunciation—Uçchāraṇam Saṁskṛita §

Index of Scriptural Verses—Śāstra Udharaṇasūchī §

Supplementary Reading—Granthavidyā §

Colophon—Antyavachanam §

About the Author§

Reviews and Comments§