About the Book
An attempt has been made, while composing the book, to find out as to how the proto-Siva of Mohenjodaro, through the inner space of Vedic texts, evolved itself into the "God of terror" as bhairava and as an auspicious deity as Siva. The spiritual environment was so developed as would transform, in the Svetdivatara, the conceptuality of Siva into such spiritual heights that would assume, with the passage of time, such a role which would be both philosophical and religious. As a philosophical reality, Śiva would be assigned the role of transcendence, which would mean that it would be representing such a principle that would be transcendent through and through. As a religious reality, Śiva would be conceived as representing the principle of immanence, which would mean that the presence of transcendent principle would be experienced, as the principle of immanence, within the realm of manifestation. In the proto-Śiva of Mohenjodaro would be expressed, on the one hand, the concept of the transcendent principle as being the creator of the world, and thereby it is master and ruler, and, on the other hand, would explain the nature of reality as being identical with cosmic consciousness. Initially the concept of Isa or Śiva expresses itself theistically and in terms of which the immanence of the creator-God would be established logically. Such a theistic conception of Śiva and Iśa leads directly to the emergence of such a sentiment which is clothed in the garments of bhakti, whereas, on the other hand, God as a metaphysical entity expresses itself as consciousness. It is in and through consciousness that the transcendent nature of Śiva is affirmed. In the post-Upaniṣadic period there emerges such a philosophical fragrance that blooms in the form of joyous spirituality, and which ultimately expresses itself in the emergence of a spirituality that exudes the fragrant spirituality of bhoga and mokşa. And this fragrance of spirituality culminates in the affirmative metaphysical spirituality of Kashmir Śaivism. It would be a spirituality in which every kind of differentiation would be made to disappear in the nondual unity of Being.
About the Author
Moti Lal Pandit, though trained as a theologian and linguist, has been engaged in Indological research for more than sixty years. In his search for truth, the author had to go through such ascetical pain as would purify the inner soul, and this ascetical anguish has recently expressed itself in such a fatal illness that all hope for living had sapped in the despair of nothingness. It is in the midst of this despair that I completed the writing of the present book. I, therefore, express my gratitude to my teachers and to all those who have prayed for the restoration of my health. The following are some of the books that I have written in my long journey for truth.
Preface
The religious ethos of India, from its very inception, has expressed itself, broadly speaking, either through such conceptual framework as is enunciated and proclaimed by the Vedic tradition or through such conglomerate schools of thought that stood outside the pale of Vedic tradition. The Vedic tradition has been identified with what has come to be known as Brāhmaņism, whereas the opponent schools of thought have been identified with what is called Śramaņism, or the movement initiated and propounded by the Śramaņas, as opposed to Brahmaņas. The other nomenclature by which the Brahmanic tradition is known is referred to as the Great Tradition. The philosophical or doctrinal content of Brahmanism is mainly expressed in the Vedic texts. The Great Tradition, or what is called Brāhmaņism, has, with the passage of time, so coalesced with the non-Vedic traditions as to constitute what commonly is called Hinduism. Hinduism, thus, is to be viewed as being a broad conglomeration of many traditions that have evolved on the soil of India from ancient times to our own. It is this bewildering diversity of thought and practice that makes it possible for contrary theological concepts and philosophical views to co-exist, without any contradiction, harmoniously. This open-ended religious or philosophical syncretism has made Hinduism both tolerant and absorptive, which is to say that this conglomeration of various strands of thought and practice has eventuated due to the tolerant and absorptive spirit of what has come to be known as Hinduism. This syncretistic spirit of Hinduism explains the historical evolution of the Great Tradition in terms of it being influenced by other emerging or existing traditions in such a manner as would become the part and parcel of it.
