The Threefold Upasana of Mahadeva: Shravana, Keertana, and Manana

Follow the sacred path of Shravana, Keertana, and Manana to enhance your upasana and devotion, bringing you closer to attaining Shiva pada.

We saw,

साध्यं शिवपदप्राप्तिः साधनं तस्य सेवनम्

The goal is Shiva pada, and the path is his sevanam, his service. This itself is upasana. To serve him itself is his upasana. The servant always moves around his swami, waiting for his call. He never moves away from his swami.

Upasana has many synonyms – seva, paricharya, shushrusha. The essence is to be with him always – physically, mentally - always. To be with him mentally always is very important. You may be living in Kashi or in a Shiva temple. But if your mind is not with him, in him, then it is not upasana. You may be doing Shiva linga puja every day, but at that time, if your mind is engrossed in your day-to-day problems, your promotion, your children's education, your wife’s health – then that is not upasana. You are not mentally with him then.

Mind has to be with him, we saw in Chanchula’s case – her mind filled with the Lord. That’s how she attained Shivaloka.

प्रत्यक्षं चक्षुषा दृष्ट्वा तत्र लोकः प्रवर्तते

Whatever is visible, there is a method to get. That’s common knowledge, that is doable. You see a photograph of some place, say Mansarovar – you want to go there. That is your destination. Your goal. There is a way to do that. Get a visa, book tickets, pack your bag and go. You know where to go and what to do for that.

But what if it is apratyaksha – not visible? You can’t go there. You don’t know where to go. How to go there. The only way is to bring that to you. This is in a way easier. Because you can do it sitting where you are. You don’t have to apply for permission, a visa, book tickets, and go. You can get it sitting where you are.

But then, how do you do that? Where do you keep it? You have to keep it in your mind only. For that, you have to get into your mind first. You can’t go to Mahadeva, because you don’t know where he is. But you can bring him to you. You can bring him to your mind. You have to get him to your mind. You have to provide him space in your mind and he will soon fill your mind.

How do you get him to your mind? The doors to your mind are five. The five sensory organs: ears, eyes, nose, tongue, and skin. You can access your mind only through these five doors. So the Lord has to enter your mind through one of these doors or all these doors.

When you see a Shivalinga or an image, that enters your mind, but it may not make any sense. You show a Shiva linga to a Russian or an Irish villager, he may not even recognize it as a Shiva linga. For him, it may look like just a sculpted piece of rock. We know it as Shivalinga because we have heard about it. Only if you have heard about it, the image conveys any meaning. So the primary source of jnana is hearing or words. Words, as written in a book and entering the mind through the eyes, is also good enough. The primary source of knowledge is words – of description – that enter as sound through the ears or as material read off a book.

So, for being an upasaka of Mahadeva, you have to first hear about him – what he is like, what he does, his greatness. This is how he enters into your mind. Never miss an opportunity to hear his greatness. Make a conscious effort to hear his greatness.

अप्रत्यक्षं हि सर्वत्र ज्ञात्वा श्रोत्रेण चेष्टते तस्माच्छ्रवणमादौ श्रुत्वा गुरुमुखाद् बुधः

Upasana has three parts:

श्रोत्रेण श्रवणं तस्य वचसा कीर्तनं तथा मनसा मननं तस्य महासाधनमुच्यते

Once shravana happens, then there is keertana and manana. These two are natural. Keertana means – you yourself will start speaking about his glory. This is spontaneous, this is natural. This is something unique. If you know something about him, then you will spontaneously feel like sharing it with others. It is very difficult to hold yourself from doing this. You may not be facing an audience and giving a discourse, but you will do this your own way, among your friends, your relatives. This is keertanam. Hearing is shravana and telling it to others is keertana. Every time you do keertana, every time you share, talk about his glory to others, you are strengthening the Lord's presence inside you. His presence inside your mind increases every time you talk about him to others. So, if you are an upasaka, don’t be silent, speak about him, every time you get an opportunity to speak about him. This is for your own benefit, it will benefit you more than it benefits others.

And as you go on hearing and talking about him more and more, manana, meditation, reflecting upon him internally starts happening more and more. After shravana, keertana and manana are natural.

ततः संसाधयेदन्यत् कीर्तनं मननं सुधीः

It says samsadhayet, showing effort from your side, but soon you will realize that it has become spontaneous, natural to you. So, start with shravana – then keertana and manana will happen. This is the threefold upasana of Mahadeva – shravana – keertana – manana.

Knowledge Bank

Who was Adrishyanti?

Shakti was the paternal grandfather of Sage Vyasa. Adrishyanti was Shakti's wife.

What is Abhayam?

Earth is made up of seven continents. One among them is Plakshadvipa. Idhmajihva was a king of Plakshadvipa. He divided it into 7 parts. Abhayam is one among them. The others are - Shivam, Yamasam, Subhadram, Shantam, Kshemam, and Amritam. It was conquered by Bhimasena during Digvijaya yatra before the Rajasuya yaga of the Pandavas.