Sivarahasyam and Krityaratnakara

Kashmir has been a centre for Vedic culture and tradition, birth place of Kashyap Mahamuni and abode of Goddess Saraswathi Devi.

Maharaja Ranbir Singh of Kashmir was a visionary king and seeker of knowledge. He collected many rare manuscripts . “Kritya-Ratnakara,” a 2000-page book was authored under the orders of the Maharaja.

This informative work enlightens us about the significance of each day of the year and provides guidance on observing various Vratas daily for leading a purposeful life. The Krityaratnakara manuscript is preserved in the Raghunath Temple Library, in Jammu. We come to know that “Kritya-Ratnakara” is also kept in the library of the Tunga Sringeri matha.

It is also interesting to note here that in the Krityaratnakara book, a specific reference to Shivarahasyam is found as part of the Uma Maheshvara Puja (vrata).

It is this same Shivarahasyam that talks of the life history of Shankaracharya bringing back the five sphatika lingas from Kailash and establishing them in various places and attaining Siddhi in Kanchipuram, the only Mokshapuri in Southern India.

Maharaja Ranbir Singh also established dharamshalas in Rameshvaram. It is to be mentioned that his charity in the Rameshwara Kshetra clearly was not under the influence of any Acharya in the South but purely as a reflection of the Dharma of the land- the same dharma that the Mahratta Kings of Tanjore and Nattukkottai chettiyars established their chatrams and other Charities in Varanashi.

Image: Paper Manuscript of Krityaratnakara- Quote from Sivarahasyam-Umamaheshvara Vrata