Greatness of Shiva : Mahimnastava of Pushpadanta with commentary

6 MAHIMNASTAVA.

8 Oh Giver of Boons ! A great bull, a wooden staff,’ an axe, a tiger skin and ashes? These be Thy chief possessions and adornments® Varied is the wealth of other Devas+ But Thou careth not for these Which Thou might’st have with but a turn of Thine eye. The mirage of worldly things does not delude those Whose enjoyment is with the Self?.

1 The bull is His carrier. The wooden staff is the support of the Yogi on which he rests his hands at the time of meditation.

The colour of Shiva as well as that of the Bull is generally white. His throat is dark blue encircled by a serpent ; His hair of a light reddish colour thickly matted together and gathered over his head in the manner of ascetics.

2 With which he is covered. “Of whose naked body ashes are the adornment only.’ Mahanirvaza Tantra ch. I.

3 Having praised the Formless the hymnist now chants Him with form, saving “you look but a poor being with all these simple and common things. But this is Thy wish. But Thou could’st have whatever Thou wisheth” namely such wealth as other Devas have. Simplicity is the mark of the truly great.

4 Azddhi such as the Kaustubha gem, Chakra, Shangkha, Padma and Gada of Vishnu: the crown of Brahma; the aerial car (Vimana); the city Amaravati; the garden Nandana, the elephant Airavata, the horse Uchchaifshrava of Indra and so forth.

5 Not the limited self (Jiva) that is Chaitanyariipa with the Upadhi Ajzana but the Brahman who exists in and as the substance of and moves all things as Antaryamin Yah sarvveshu bhiteshu tiskthan Yak sarvvani bhutani antaro yamayati. Brzhad. Up 3-7. The Jiva exists as such because he identifies himself with the forms which are produced by the Maya Shakti of the Brahman. The knower of the Self is not so deluded “knowing which oh Pandava thou wilt not again be deluded” Yad jwatva na punar moham evam yasyasi Pandava—Bhagavadgita LV. 35.

—E—E——E