Bhagwaan Sadaashiv – The Eternal Guru
By H H Maa Purnananda
“Brahm Muraari Suraarchit Lingam Nirmal Bhaasit Shobhit Lingam;
Janmaja Dukkh Vinaashak Lingam Tat Pranamaami Sadaashiv Lingam.”- (Lingaashtakam)
For a True seeker of Truth who sincerely pursues the Sacred Path of Spiritual Learnings, the great Rishi-s of yore such as Muni Vasishth, Rishi Vishwaamitra, Rishi Kashyap, Maharshi Kapil, Rishi Bharadwaaj, Maharshi Vedvyas and so on, followed by the great Guru-s such as Adi Shankaracharya, Sree Ramana Maharshi, Sree Ramakrishna Paramhansa, Swami Vivekananda, Sree Tapovan Maharaj, Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda, to name a few, are most hallowed and venerated Sadguru-s. Essentially, this glorious Guru Parampara is the flow of Pure Knowledge, which flows Eternally from Its Source addressed in Sanaatan Dharm as Lord Sadaashiv. In spite of It being manifest through aeons in numerous Sacred Forms and Entities addressed by different names by the pursuers of Spirituality, to signify the singularity, homogeneity and formlessness of the auspicious Spiritual Knowledge, It is worshipped as a ‘Lingam’.
Even though an individual could be a seeker of formless, Absolute Reality, but, due to his close association with and cognition of pluralistic world of forms and names, he would need some form representing the Formless as well. To deliver the seeker from the plight of incapability to keep himself free from the dependence on cognisable tangent forms, the great Guru-s introduced the Auspicious Eternal Self, the Essential Guru, as a ‘Linga’. To indicate the True Self to be Eternal, infinite, non-dual, taintless auspiciousness, it is named as ‘Sadaashiv Lingam’.
In the given verse from “Lingaashtakam”, another sublime composition of Sadguru Sree Adi Shankaracharya, Sree Guru says – “Prostrations to Sree Sadaashiv Lingam, Who is worshipped by Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and the Devta-s; Who is pure, resplendent and gracious and Who is the destroyer of sorrowful cycle of transmigration.” This one of the eight verses in praise of Lord Sadaashiv in Linga-form, says it all!
1. Q. What is the purpose of Spiritual practices? A. To break oneself free from the sorrowful cycle of transmigration.
2. Q. Why does one need to do so? A. Because all multiple forms are Essentially non-dual Self only.
3. Q. Then what is the formless Self like? A. The Self is pure, splendid and gracious.
4. Q. What is the way to Realize the Self? A. By engaging all of one’s creative and sustaining powers along with the abilities of perceptions and actions, for worship of the ‘Lingam’ which is reverentially adored as the Form-representative of the Absolute Reality, the Self.
5. Q. Why prostrate at the Holy Altar? A. So that one takes refuge of Sree Guru Parampara to comprehend the right purport of the Shaastra-s and enable oneself to properly implement Spiritual practices in day-to-day activities by Their grace.
On the Auspicious day of Maha Shivratri, falling on the night of 1st March’22, offer Shodashopchaar Puja and Sree Rudraabhishekam to Sree Shivlingam, chant Lingaashtakam and mediate upon Sree Sadaashiv, and rededicate yourself at the Holy Altar of Sree Guru Parampara that begins with Sree Sadaashiv, for your steady and continuous Spiritual progress. Aum Namah Shivaaya!