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Nudity in India is also traditionally seen as symbolic of detachment and freedom from material restrictions. Writing in the third century CE, the Christian Saint Hippolytus of Rome informs us that some inhabitants of India abstain from wearing clothes on the ground that the body itself is given by God as a covering for the Soul, no other clothing being necessary (Philosophumena, XXI - The Brahmans). Indeed, since the Supreme Being Himself (or His Emanation) wore only a symbolic tiger skin, it would be unreasonable to impose any restrictions with regard to clothing on humans. We may observe that, in Christianity, Lord Jesus is similarly depicted as wearing only a loincloth on the cross and the Bible describes his ancestor, King David, as dancing naked before the temple altar. Michelangelo's celebrated sculpture of King David and similar representations of human and Divine beings from Ancient Greece are but one of the more salient reminders that nudity constitutes an integral part of the common heritage of both East and West. This, of course, does not mean to say that Yogis or Indians in general observe nudity as a matter of everyday practice. Like people all over the World, they dress according to accepted norms of decency and as required by circumstances. The complete covering of the body and face, on the other hand, is neither popular nor advisable, medically, psychologically and Spiritually speaking. Indeed, the Supreme Lord Himself enjoins the wearing of aesthetically pleasing clothes that enhance a person's natural beauty, in particular at weddings and religious festivals (8:53, 11:65, etc.).

43. Rituals and prayers will not do. If you desire the Highest, a gift of your own selves is the only proper offering: See Chapter 3, verse 2 and Commentary.

51(a). The 3rd watch of the night: Indian time-reckoning divides the day and night into “Watches” (Praharas) of three hours each. Thus the day lasts 4 watches from sunrise to sunset (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and the night 4 watches from sunset to sunrise (6 p.m. to 6 a.m.), midnight falling on the beginning of the 3rd watch of the night

51 (b). And the Great Magician, the Tremendous Three-Eyed Lord of the Three Worlds...

entered a Secret Cave deep into the mountainside: Caves have been recognised as places of great Spiritual power from the beginning of human life on Earth and all traditions speak of caves where encounters with the Divine take place. Thus Shri Ramana Maharshi, the celebrated Sage of South India, relates the following in connection with a cave on Mount Arunachala: "I was wandering about aimlessly when I found at one place a big cave. When I entered the cave, I saw a number of waterfalls, beautiful gardens, water tanks within those gardens, well-lit paths, fine lighting; everywhere there was most pleasing. As I went further and further I saw a Perfected Soul (Siddha Purusha) seated like Lord Dakshina-Murti (Shiva as World Teacher) under a tree on the banks of a water tank. Around him, a number of Saints (Munis) were seated. They were asking something and he was replying to them. That place appeared very familiar to me" (Letters from Sri Ramanasramam, p. 370). The 10th century North-Indian Master, Abhinava Gupta, is said to have entered the Bhairava Cave (near Magam, Kashmir) along with twelve hundred disciples, from where he ascended to the Higher Planes. The 3rd century Persian Prophet, Mani, is also reported to have entered a cave where he remained for one year during which time he ascended to Heaven. Similarly, the great Sage of Ancient Greece, Epimenides (6th century BC), is said to have fallen asleep in a cave as a young man and to have woken up 57 years later with the gift of prophecy. In the language of Spiritual symbolism, a cave situated near the summit of a mountain represents the highest state of consciousness by entering which man becomes Divine.

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The act of entering a cave therefore symbolises the entrance into a Sacred, Divine Space that is not normally accessible to ordinary man. On account of the great silence and stillness prevalent in caves, the word cave also stands for the complete stillness and silence of the thought-free awareness experienced in the higher Spiritual States known to Yogis. See also Chapter 4, verse 56.

67. Those who listen regularly to the Teaching of Shiva or meditate daily upon a verse in their heart, shall attain the Four Goals of Life: The Four Goals are traditionally said to be obtainable by the Four Means or Paths (Chatur Marga), Jnana (Wisdom), Yoga (Spiritual Practice), Kriya (Religious Observances) and Charya (Righteous Living). However, these means in turn depend upon Yoga or Unity with the Divine. The reading of, or listening to, the Teaching of Shiva is itself a Spiritual Practice leading to Unity with the Supreme and, consequently, to the obtainment of the Four Goals. Thus, the reading of the Shiva Rahasya is consonant with Righteous Living, it constitutes Religious Observance as well as Spiritual Practice, and it results in the awakening of Divine Wisdom within oneself whereby anything may be obtained. In the Yoga tradition, Scriptures are not read hurriedly and then put away - as is often common among present-day readers - but read slowly to allow their absorption and assimilation or "digestion" by the reader's mind. Reading or re-reading one verse a day enables the human mind to attune itself to the Universal Consciousness and Its Higher Wisdom as revealed in Scripture and thus harmonise the reader's life with that of the Universe, with all the resultant benefits that such a harmonisation brings. As indicated in verse 77, the learning by heart of the Teaching of Shiva, or at least passages thereof, will enable the Yoga student to recall them from memory at all times and make them the object of his meditation, thereby remaing in constant touch with Higher Wisdom.

71. Untimely Death: See Commentary to Chapter 9, verse 89.

75. During the holy months: The Holy Months are the Four Months (Chatur Masa) of the rainy season: Ashadha (22 June to 22 July), Shravana (23 July to 22 August), Bhadrapada (23 August to 22 September) and Ashvina (23 September - 22 October). It is an ancient custom, already mentioned in Emperor Ashoka's edicts (3rd century BC), for ascetic Yogis and monks (Parivrajakas) who normally wander across the country, to remain in one place during this season. This is an opportunity for the lay community to interact with the Sages (Swamis or Sadhus) and draw inspiration from the latter's teachings and practices and it is a great honour for all householders to accommodate and entertain them. Chaturmasya or in full, Chaturmasya Vrata (also known as Varsha-Vasana), is regarded as a particularly favourable time for the performance of Spiritual practices such as alms-giving, fasting and listening to Spiritual readings and discourses, while certain dietary restrictions are generally observed by all. Although originally observed for the full length of the season, in more recent times it has been reduced to the first two months only, approximately from the Full Moon of Ashadha (June/July) to Full Moon of Bhadrapada (August/September), one fortnight or half month being regarded symbolically as one month.

84 (a). Here ends the Secret of Shiva spoken in verses twelve hundred and thirty: The total number of verses in the Shiva Rahasya amounts to 1230, a number which in Yoga has deep Spiritual meaning. When added up individually, the component numbers (1 + 2 + 3) give the figure 6 which, as intimated earlier, constitutes the basis of the sexagesimal system of numbers employed in Yoga for the transmission of certain Spiritual truths. Furthermore, 12 multiplied by 3 gives the Mystic Number 36 or, if we add the final 0, 360. This stands for the Totality of Being or All-Encompassing Reality Itself. In practice, the number 360 symbolises man's (and the World's) Revolution or Completion of the Circle of Life and return to the original point of

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departure. This Spiritual Revolution is not a return to the past, but a return to the Eternal Truth that nourishes all life. It is a return that must be urgently effectuated by the modern World for the salvation of all Souls and the establishment of Divine Life on Earth. The same message is also conveyed in the number of the current page in which 9 (Nava, in Sanskrit) means New, thus indicating the advent of a New World Order based upon the Eternal Principle of AllEncompassing Unity. See also Chapters 2 and 7, and Commentary.

84 (b). Yogi Soma-Natha has mended and set in order the course of the great stream of Spiritual Instruction known to the wise as Shri Shiva Rahasya: Unlike written Scriptures the transmission of which has involved human agency and which therefore no longer accurately represent the Original Revelation, the Shiva Rahasya is the Word of God directly revealed through His Own Living Apostle, His Divine Holiness Mahaguru Shri Soma-Natha Maharaj Dev for the correction and completion of all other Scriptures which together form the great stream of Spiritual Intelligence that eternally nourishes the World.

End of Chapter 12 and Commentary

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