Mahānirvāṇa Tantra 1.1–Set & Setting
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 2019-09-13

This series is classified Viśiṣṭādvaita-vāda | Bhakti-yoga | Svapna | Anāhata-cakra
Chapter 1: Questions About the Liberation of Beings
The enchanting summit of the Lord of Mountains, resplendent with all its various jewels, clad with many a tree and many a creeper, melodious with the song of many birds, scented with the fragrance of all the season’s flowers, most beautiful, fanned by soft, cool, and perfumed breezes, shadowed by the still shade of stately trees; where cool groves resound with the sweet-voiced songs of troops of Apsarā, and in the forest depths flocks of kokila maddened with passion sing; where Spring, the Lord of the Seasons with his followers ever abide (the Lord of Mountains, Kailāśa); peopled by (troops of) Siddha, Charana, Gandharva, and Ganapatya (1-5). 
It was there that Pārvatī, finding Śiva, Her gracious Lord, in serene mood, bent low with obeisance. For the benefit of all the worlds She questioned Him, the Silent Deva, Lord of all things movable and immovable, the ever-Beneficent and ever-Blissful One, the nectar of Whose mercy abounds as a great ocean, Whose very essence is the pure sattva-guṇa, He Who is white as camphor and the Jasmine flower, the Omnipresent One, Whose raiment is space itself, Lord of the poor and the beloved Master of all yogīs, Whose coiled and matted hair is wet with the spray of Gaṅgā and (of Whose naked body) ashes are the only adornment; the passionless One, Whose neck is garlanded with snakes and skulls of men, the three-eyed One, Lord of the three worlds, one hand wielding the trident and with the other bestowing blessings; easily appeased, Whose very substance is unconditioned Knowledge; the Bestower of eternal emancipation, the Ever-existent, Fearless, Changeless, Stainless One without defect, the Benefactor of all, and the Deva of all Devas (5-10).
Śrī Pārvatī said:
O Deva of the Devas, Lord of the world, Jewel of Mercy, my Husband, Thou art my Lord, on Whom I am ever dependent and to Whom I am ever obedient. Nor can I say ought without Thy word. If Thou hast affection for me, I crave to lay before Thee that which passeth in my mind. Who else but Thee, O Great Lord, in the three worlds is able to solve these doubts of mine, Thou Who knowest all, and all the Scriptures (11-13).
Śrī Sadāśiva said:
What is that Thou sayest, O Thou Great Wise One and Beloved of My heart? I will tell Thee anything, be it ever so bound in mystery—even that which should not be spoken of before Ganeṣa and Skanda Commander of the Hosts of Heaven. What is there in all the three worlds which should be concealed from Thee? For Thou, O Devī, art My very Self. There is no difference between Me and Thee. Thou too art omnipresent. What is it then that Thou knowest not, that Thou questionest like unto one who knoweth nothing? (14-16) 
The pure Pārvatī, gladdened at hearing the words of the Deva, bending low made obeisance and thus questioned Śaṅkara.
Śrī Ādya said:
O Bhagavān! Lord of all, Greatest among those who are versed in dharma, Thou in former ages in Thy mercy didst through Brahmā reveal the four Vedas which are the propagators of all dharma, and which ordain the rules of life for all the various castes of men and for the different stages of their lives (18-19). 
In the First Age, men by the practice of yāga and yajña prescribed by Thee were virtuous and pleasing to Devas and Pitṛs (20). 
By the study of the Vedas, dhyāna and tapas, and the conquest of the senses, by acts of mercy and charity men were of exceeding power and courage, strength and vigor, adherents of the true dharma, wise and truthful and of firm resolve, and, mortals though they were, they were yet like Devas and went to the abode of the Devas (21, 22). 
Kings then were faithful to their engagements and were ever concerned with the protection of their people, upon whose wives they were wont to look as if upon their mothers, and whose children they regarded as their very own (23). 
The people, too, did then look upon a neighbor’s property as if it were mere lumps of clay, and, with devotion to their dharma, kept to the path of righteousness (24). 
There were then no liars, none who were selfish, thievish, malicious, foolish, none who were evil-minded, envious, wrathful, gluttonous or lustful, but all were good of heart and of ever-blissful mind. Land then yielded in plenty all kinds of grain, clouds showered seasonal rains, cows gave abundant milk, and trees were weighted with fruits (25-27). 

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