Shiva Mahimna Stotra

Shloka 9

Meaning:  O Puramathana (the destroyer of Pura – Lord Shiva)! Someone says that this universe is eternal. Another person says that this universe is not eternal. While someone else says that this universe is eternal and not eternal, having a contradictory characteristic.  By listening to all this, I am shocked and now, I am not ashamed to sing your glories. Truly, verbosity is shameless.    

Reflections: Shri Pushpadanta tells us how people have different views about the universe. There are various philosophies like Sankhya, Patanjali, Vaisheshika, Naiyayika, Charvaka, Bauddha, Jain’s, and others.  They have their own views about the universe.

Some say that this universe is eternal. The soul (Jiva), universe (Jagat), and God (Ishwara) are eternal. The things of the universe don’t die but are recycled.  

A group of materialists say that this universe is not eternal. When a person dies, that is the end of the person. Similarly, one day this universe will come to an end. There is nothing permanent here.                                

Some people say that in this universe, there are a few things that are permanent and other things are impermanent. Thus, both contradictory things exist in the universe. 

The followers of Buddha say that the universe is constantly changing. Thus, there is nothing permanent. If we tie a light at the end of a small string and we move that string around then it creates a circle of light. In reality, there is no circle of light. The constantly moving thing creates an illusion of a continuous circle. Similarly, this constantly changing world creates an illusion of a continuous eternal world.

Advaita Vedanta says that this universe is an illusion. Just as in the dark, we see a rope as a snake, similarly, due to the darkness of ignorance we see Brahman, the Ultimate Reality, as a universe with names and forms.

Then, many scientists have different views about the universe.  

People live according to their philosophy or views about their lives and the universe. Such philosophy or view develops a faith in those ideas.

Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita (17.3) says:

“O Bharata (Arjuna): The faith of each person is in accordance with his/her disposition. A person is made of his/her faith. As is the faith, so is the person.”

As long as a philosophy is not harmful to oneself and the people and a person sincerely thinks that it is a convincing philosophy to the person, then we cannot say that it is a wrong philosophy. People have different viewpoints according to their mental capacity, surroundings, and time. With mental development, acquiring more knowledge, and a change of surroundings or situations, their view of life and the universe changes. Generally, a person has a different view of oneself, other people, and the universe at the age of five and at the age of fifty. We cannot say that the view of a five-year-old person is wrong. 

These different philosophies or comprehensions of the Truth are like taking photos of a house from various angles and levels. The photos taken from the front, from the sides, from the back, or from the drone look different. We cannot say any photo is wrong. If this happens regarding a small house, what to talk about the view of the universe.

In Bhagavad Gita (15.3), Shri Krishna says,

“Its (Universe’s) true form is not comprehended here, nor its end, nor its origin, and nor even its existence.”

When we read or hear all these views of the universe, we get overwhelmed. Pushpadanta said that he was overwhelmed by people’s various views about the universe and now, he does not feel bad composing this hymn and expressing his feelings.

Scriptures say that when a person gets full comprehension of the Ultimate Truth, then he/she becomes quiet. Sri Ramakrishna gave a wonderful example explaining this fact. He said when a person is fetching water from a well, the pot makes a sound when it is being filled with the water. When the pot gets completely filled with water, it does not make a sound. At that time the person pulls the pot with the rope and brings the pot to the ground. Then, he/she pours it into another pot. At that time the water makes a sound.  Similarly, when one does not have complete knowledge of Brahman, one talks about it a lot. It is like the pot is getting filled with water. When one gets complete knowledge of Brahman one becomes quiet because the words cannot express the infinite bliss and the experience of the Truth. But then that knowledgeable person teaches his/her students. At that time, he/she talks about it. This is similar to pouring water from one pot to the other.

Shri Pushpadanta says, ‘Truly, verbosity is shameless.’  In a way, everyone is expressing their feeling about the Infinite according to one’s own understanding. Those who say, ‘God does not exist.’, they are also expressing their understanding of God. They have some idea of God, and they don’t see it in existence. 

Note: When I was searching for something on the Internet, I found Swami Sarvapriyananda’s talk on Shiva Mahimna, given on February 18, 2023. The following is the link. You may like it.