Rāma Navami

On the auspicious occasion of Rāma Navami, let’s try to know SHIVA GITA, one of the 64 major Gitas available in our scriptures. This is the dialog between Shree Rāma and Shiva before He sets out to get back Sita-ji and conquer Rāvaṇa’s ego.

WHAT IS SHIVA GITA?

Shri Rāma was extremely disheartened when he came to know about Sita-ji’s abduction. That’s when Sage Agastya prescribes to Rāma that he should observe a special vow called the Pasupata vrata. It is mentioned in the scripture that the sage also taught him Shiva Sahatra nama. Upon which Shree Rama has a vision of Lord Siva, and receives the Pasupata-astra (weapon) without which Ravana cannot be defeated. And with great power comes great responsibility. And this dialog between Lord Shiva and Shree Rama is Shiva Gita.

• Shiva Gita is mentioned in the Uttara -khanda of Padma Purana.
• Shiva Gita gives essence of major Upanishads in general and Saivopanishad in particular.
• Siva Gita is divided into sixteen chapters and contains 768 verses.
• Since it took place in an earlier yuga, Treta yuga it is much older than Bhagavad Geeta which took place in Dvapara yuga.

Shiva Gita chapters

Chapter 1 – Pre-eminence of Śiva devotion (śivabhakti-utkarṣa-nirūpaṇa)

Chapter 2 – The Teaching of Dispassion (vairāgya-upadeśa)

Chapter 3 – Declaration of Virāja Dīkṣā (virājadīkṣā-nirūpaṇa)

Chapter 4 – Theophany of Śiva (śiva-prādurbhāva-ākhya)

Chapter 5 – Bestowal of Boon to Rāma (rāmāya-varapradāna)

Chapter 6 – Glory of God (vibhūti-yoga)

Chapter 7 – Vision of the Cosmic Form (viśvarūpa-darśana)

Chapter 8 – Origin and Development of Foetus or Embryo (piṇḍotpatti-kathana)

Chapter 9 – Description of the Body (deha-svarūpa-nirṇaya)

Chapter 10 – Description of the True Nature of the Soul (jīva-svarūpa-kathana)

Chapter 11 – Establishment of the nature of the soul (jīvagatyādi-nirūpaṇa)

Chapter 12 – Yoga of Instruction in Meditation (upāsanā-jñāna-phala)

Chapter 13 – Yoga of Release (mokṣa-nirūpaṇa)

Chapter 14 – Five Bodily Vestures or Sheaths (pañcakośa-upapādana)

Chapter 15 – Yoga of Devotion (bhakti-yoga)

Chapter 16 – Establishment of Competency to follow (gītādhikāri-nirūpaṇa)