The name
purana the sanskrit word meaning is “of ancient times' which are
36 texts; that is main Mahapuranas are 18 and Upa-puranas are 18. all
are from Vedas and Upanishats from poetic to pridefully published
in prose style. These texts are praise highly on trinity of god
through stories described consisting of narratives of the history of
the universe creations, destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes,
sages, demigods, and descriptions of cosmology, philosophy, and
geography. as a genre of important religiously moral duties to
man kind.
Puranas
usually give prominence to a particular deity, employing an abundance
of religious and philosophical concepts. They are written in the form
of stories with farsighted way to explained by one sage to another.
Sivarahasya
purana is classified as one of the 18 Upa-puranas a genre of hindu
religious texts consisting of a large number of collections
originated before Mahapuranas. All these texts are extensively
written and very important to read.
This purana
prescribed the detailed explanation of lord Siva and saivite worship
thoughts, rituals and religious myths. It is also considered 'indian
epic poetry' (sanskrit: ithihasam). It is said this ancient epic is
more than 7000 years old. It is one of the first ancient few works of
honored sage Ribhu, who was direct disciple of lord Siva. This book
has twelve parts and one hundred thousand verses.
Sage Ribhu is Brahma's son who
has many disciples, Nidhaga is one of them, he is sage pulaya's son
and he was very brilliant boy so the sage satisfied with him.( Sage
pulasya himself was Ribhu's disciple.) Nidhaga was very disciplined
and studious boy so pleased with his good qualities, Ribhu taught
him fully in the knowledge of the brahman and other Veda scriptures .
Yet Ribhu found that Nidhaga , adept in all the scriptures, but was
not complete in the knowledge of the brahman, because he was not
able to recognize the reality the fundamental fact of universe.
Hence Ribhu wished to teach him elaborately about brhaman. In the
mean time Nidhagha finished his gurukulam and returned his home town
viranagar on the banks of the river 'devika' he married and began
to lead an ideal life and dutiful of a true householder. After a
long time Ribhu went to viranagar to see his disciple Nidagha. At
that time Nidagha was waiting and looking-foreword a guest to have
food after duly performing his daily sacrificial rites. Once he
saw his guru Ribhu very happily welcomed warmly and took him inside
the house. Nidagha duly worshiped the noble guest and humbly
requested him to take food in his home; Ribhu said to him “ O
brahmin! Kindly tell me what kind of food you will serve me?.
Nidagha said humbly, “O guru we have wheat-flour, maize, fruits,
roots we are waiting te hear your wish” Ribhu said, I do not
wish to have all these give me good sweets, rice boiled in milk,
curds, syrup and other deliciously made.' Nidagha said to his wife,
soon make ready a very appetizing and savory meal for our guest
today . According to her husband, she prepared some variety of food
and they served Ribhu. Once Ribhu finished
his food, Nidagha humbly asked him “O swamy! Was the food tasty?
Are you fully satisfied? By the way where do you live? Where are you
proceeding now and where from are you coming?once Heard the set of
questions the sage replied, “O brahmin a hungry man becomes
satisfied when he takes a repast of heavy food but I was not hungry
why do you put me this question? Listen when the constant working of
the digestive fire the digestive organs get tired, so man feels
hungry and when the water in the body system gets exhausted he feels
thirsty. Hunger and thirst are the (dharmas) nature of the body and
not myself. 'I' am always satisfied. Pleasure and satisfaction are
the functions of the mind. I am not the mind too. Now listen to me
about the other questions; 'where do you live? Where do you go? And
from where are you coming?' Atman or the self is all-throughout like
the stable substance; the Atman is true hidden within the body,
blood, flesh and bones, and it is the divine nature one . It is
absolute, pure, peaceful, subtle and eternal. It exists beyond the
darkness of ignorance and beyond the knowledge More understandingly
I tell you Atman is no physical objects, no the bodily frame; no
breath, no mind; neither matter nor non-matter. It is not sound, can
not touch, it has no color and form, no taste, no smell, no ego,
however. Atman is not subject to the cycle of birth and death. Atman
is not the physical world, It is not the earth, water, fire, wind or
sky. For all these pass away like waves on the sea. But the self is
the durable, Changeless, undying,,natural self-existing,
self-supporting,, ocean of consciousness. so these questions are not
applicable and other all questions are baseless. . I do not go
anywhere, come from any place and I do not stay in any place. These
differences of are in matter of the different bodies, not true self.
When I asked you sweet rice etc.,because simply to know what you
would say. Moreover such a food which is uniformly tasty up to the
tongue beyond the tongue the taste will be
vanished the end? This physical body made of soil just like a
wall built out of clay, to avoid the crackings giving coats over
with the same clay for protection. Similarly,
this body also coating to become strong remains healthy the
atoms of food that we take. Barley, wheat,rice greens, roots lentils,
grains, oil, milk, curds, sugar, fruits, etc., all are mere atoms of
earth only. These things we are calling tasty and non-tasty. Thus
you should learn to perceive the difference between the physical body
and soul inquire and practice to earn serenity which is the most
important qualification for the attainment of realization (moksha).
Hearrd these words of wisdom Nidagha offered of his reverence to
Ribhu and meekly said, O revered swamy! On your gracious visit here
to bless me the true knowledge. to day I become sanctity by thy
blessings, I will follow as you taught me”. Sage Ribhu replied, “O
brahmin! I am your preceptor Ribhu. I came here to give you the
knowledge of the self. This is my time to leave”said and the sage
went. Nidagha paid his respects, worshiped his guru and lived
happily in the true vital principle of the teachings of his guru. An
another occasion sage Ribhu, visited Nidhagha to teach the prime
principal of self knowledge, when he reached the city there was a
kings procession was going on with a big
crowd of elephant, horses and the country men. He found big crowds of
men in everywhere; sage noticed that Nidagha was standing in a
secluded place far away-from the crowds holding some kusa and
samidha in his hands. Nidagha was much stricken by hunger and thirst
but he could not proceed further towards his house due to the huge
crowd obstructing his way. Ribhu went near Nidagha and asked him
dear brahmin! Why are you standing here alone? Nidagha said , today
the kings procession with the elephant too crowd I cannot push my
way through the crowd. So I am waiting here. Ribhu said, “O
brahmin , you have described both the elephant and the king jointly
and of the two I am not understand about your replay . You did not
definitely give me the description of both clearly. That I would
like to know from you. Nidagha said, which is below is the elephant
and one who sits above the elephant he is the king. They have the
connection of the carrier and the carried. I do not think that there
is anyone who cannot understand even the simple word. Ribhu said,
yes,I understood that. But please tell me the words 'below' and
'above' mean. How am I to understand which is up and which is down?
Nidagha became a little anger at once he jumped on the sages
shoulders and exclaimed, “ O brahmin, listen to me. now I stand
'up' on your shoulder like the king and you stand 'down' like the
elephant. This is called up and down I have given you practically to
make you thoroughly understand what is 'up' and what is 'down'.
Ribhu said, o sir I listened you told what is 'up' and 'down'? Now
you perceive; they are relative terms. 'up' becomes 'down' and
'down' becomes 'up' from different angles of vision. You told me now
that you were standing up like the king and that I was standing
down like the elephant. Please tell me 'who are you? Who am I?' I am
very eager to know the truth of this. Hearing these words Nidagha
prostrated at Ribhu's feet and said, O lord! You are none other than
sage Ribhu, my beloved preceptor. No one else can speak like this.
You are very intelligent.. I pray bless me. Ribhu said, Nidagha!
Once you served me with great faith and devotion and welcomed me in
your house. Yes I am Ribhu , have come to you once again to instruct
you in the knowledge of the principal of the self. Listen Always
behold the one reality of the self in all objects of the world. May
you see oneness everywhere and no duality. The same atman in all and
every thing in the world Saying this Ribhu went. Nidagha followed
his guru's words and practiced, in due course elevating himself by
noble thoughts, he becomes as divine. Remembering his preceptor in
the all- source, he and Lord are one he achieved Atma Sakshatkaram
and understood all things come from one prabramam and returning to
him. This is the eternal law (sanatana dharma)
