Category: Bhagavatpada

Shivarahasyam is rightly called an itihasa ratnam and it imparts Shiva bhakti. It begins with Skanda expounding the efficacy of Shivabhakti to Jaigishavya muni.

This voluminous text has 18 parvas and around 1,00,000 slokas making it longer than the Mahabharata. The work is divided into 12 amsas and 1000 adhyayas/chapters. This voluminous work though existing in manuscript form was not printed by the Sarasvati Mahal until 1932 and Shri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati Mahaswamigal expressed anguish that the chances of this rare itihasa getting lost is inevitable. Then the Saraswati Mahal took efforts and printing the Shivarahasyam manuscript which was procured from Varanasi by the Maharaja of Tanjore.

• The seventh amsha begins with the first chapter that contains a Shivasahasranama taught by Shiva Himself to Parvati. Subsequent adhayas in this amsha elaborate on the efficacy and greatness of Kashi. Bhagavan Shiva Himself says that Devendra and other devatas leave swarga with all its bhoga and come to Kashi seeking Mukti.
  
  स्वर्गभोगमपि त्यक्त्वा देवेन्द्राद्यमराः सदा ।
  काशीवासमपेक्षन्ते मुक्त्यर्थं सर्वसाधनैः ॥
• Shiva then describes the layout of Kashi covering Panchakrosha – an area equivalent to five kroshas (equivalent to approximately 6.5 miles).
• The third adhyaya details the importance of antargrha yatra / inner circuit of Vishvesha and the rules to be followed during antargrhayatra.
• The fifth adhyaya talks of the qualifications to reside in Kashi and the vihitachara prescribed for those living in Kashi
• The sixth adhyaya speaks of the greatness of Gnanavapi
• The seventh chapter describes the grandeur of Muktimandapa
• The eighth adhyaya describes the charitam of the five-year old balaka Dandapani and his intense tapas
• The ninth adhyaya describes the stories of the Shivadvija in Kashi as told by Shiva and Vireshvara Charitam as described by Brahma.
• The tenth adhya has a varnanam of the Pashupatakunda
• The eleventh chapter describes the Vishnu doing Shiva Puja and aradhana in Omkareshvara Kshetra in the middle of Kashi, following the Shivastuti and Vishnu’s receiving the Sudarshana Chakra.
• The twelfth adhyaya describes the Kedareshvara lingavaibhavam in Kashi.
• The thirteenth chapter begins with the sages asking Suta Pauranika the qualifications for a person who resides in Kashi and Suta Pauranika detailing them.
• The fourteenth chapter of the Shivarahasya consists of Shiva sending Nandikeshvara to see Skanda who is immersed in Shivayoga. Nandikeshvara then visits Kashi does abhisheka of Vishveshvara with water from the Manikarnika with water and milk. He then proceeds to see Skanda in Shrishailam and this chapter contains the greatness of Shrishailam and the charitam of Atri muni.
• The fifteenth chapter talks of the procedure to do Shivapuja and the comparative benefits of doing Shivapuja in Vrddhachalam, Kanchi, Shrishailam, Kashi and the antargrha in Kashi.
• The sixteenth,seventeenth and eighteenth, ninteenth chapters outline the shiva nama mahima and the things that are needed for Shiva Puja and the greatness of Shivabhakti. (1/3)