5. VASITVA: The Khadgamala Devis Series

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The fifth Devi of the Khadgamala is called VASITVA. Vasitva Siddhe

(the recitation in the Khadgamala) means, "O Siddhi named Vasitva"

(literally, the power of ENCHANTING COMMAND). She is the fifth stop

on our journey to the center of Srichakra.

 

[To review our presentations on the previous four Siddhis, simply

click on:

 

http://www.shaktisadhana.org/Photo%20Gallery/khadgamalamain.html

 

This page is a work in progress in which we are in the process of

compiling the all Khadgamala Devis. Series posts for easy reference.

Please contribute your thoughts, experiences, impressions, knowledge

and questions on the series to enhance its usefulness to others!]

 

Again, the power represented by Vasitva is ENCHANTING COMMAND, which

gives the sadhak the ability to control the elemental forces of

nature. This ability is the very basis of Mantra Yoga; i.e. the use

of sound or of the creative word to transform oneself and the nature

of the Reality within which one moves, including persons and other

living entities.

 

Please note, however, that Vasitva does not denote the kind of

command enabled by coercive authority; rather, it is command enabled

by love and enchantment. This idea, incidentally, suggests a very

important lesson, and one that many do not sufficiently heed: That

bhakti – the power of love and devotion toward Devi – is the power

that truly activates Her mantras.

 

However, we must remember that Vasitva is a Siddhi, a Power; only

one preliminary component of Devi's infinite totality. We must not

fall in love with Her, or with any Siddhi, as an object outside

ourselves. Instead we must absorb Her; we must become Her. That way

we become infused ourselves with Her love and enchantment; and we

control it and employ it for the betterment of the world, rather

than merely falling under its spell and being controlled by it. When

we absorb Vasitva, She ceases to be an enchanting obstacle to our

sadhana, and becomes instead our internal guide, leading us yet

another step closer to Devi's essence at the center of Srichakra.

 

As noted in previous posts of this series, each Devi of the

Khadgamala – each Devi of the Srichakra – merges into the next as we

progress in slow, methodical, counterclockwise circles toward the

center. Each Devi is internalized from Her place, and carried with

us to the next Devi, and merged with Her. So when we reach Isitva,

we are actually worshiping Her together with the powers of Her

predecessors, Anima, Laghima and Mahima and Isitva. Thus we have, in

essence, destroyed or overcome these four siddhis by

merging Them into Vasitva; and it will continue thus, through the

Siddhis and other Devis of the Khadgamala.

 

Before we proceed, however, let us pause for a moment to examine the

relationship and interplay between the fourth Siddhi, Isitva, and

the fifth, Vasitva. Isitva, as explained in our last installment,

denoted the Creative Power – that is, the ability of the sadhak to

manipulate the elements in their five forms to produce objective

realities -- thus creating on the physical plane. Vasitva, the fifth

Siddhi, is the power of the Word to drive those elements into

coherent activity so that forms are produced. Likewise, we may say

that absorbing Isitva enables us to become godly; whereas Vasitva

enables us to employ that godliness to command, by enchantment, the

texture and nature of all of the world around us.

 

Now let us review the locations of the Khadgamala Devis as we

continue to circumambulate the SriChakra:

 

1. ANIMA - Looking at Srichakra, Anima sits to the right side of the

gate closest to you on the square, outermost enclosure wall (i.e.,

the white line).

 

2. LAGHIMA - As you circumambulate counterclockwise around the

outermost square enclosure, Laghima sits to the right side of the

gate on the next wall.

 

3. MAHIMA - Continuing to circumambulate counterclockwise around the

corner, Mahima sits to the right side of the gate on the next wall.

 

4. ISITVA - Continuing to circumambulate counterclockwise around the

corner, Isitva sits to the right side of the gate on the next wall.

 

5. VASITVA – Continuing to circumambulate counterclockwise around the

corner, you return to the first wall (the one closest to you), move

past the gate, and find Vasitva sitting at the next corner (on a

flat yantra, that would be the lower left corner of the enclosing

wall).

 

Vasitva's mantra is:

 

aIM hrIM shrIM vashitvA siddhi shrI pAdukAM poojayaami

 

But again, please note that the beauty of the Khadgamala Stotram is

that NOTHING is required for its recitation except for your time,

attention and concentration: You need simply sit and recite the

Stotram. The mantra given just above is not part of the stotram; it

is offered merely for informational purposes. The entire stotram is

self-contained, as explained in earlier posts. The full text is

located here: http://www.chinmudra.com/SKS.htm

 

OTHER NOTES:

 

Again, the full pooja of these Devis takes hours, because at each

point we pause and do smaller, detailed poojas. Hence the sages of

yore created an ALTERNATIVE, SHORT-FORM recitation known as the

Khadgamala Stotram more suitable for the demands of modern life.

 

According to Sri Bhasurananda Natha, an accomplished Srividya upasak

as well as a member of and advisor to this group: "All of the

sadhana of Srividya can be achieved by the recitation of the

Khadgamala. Hours of long ritual compressed to less than half an

hour of intense meditation that will give you a ticket on the same

plane as the great Srividya Upasakas. Whatever your developmental

stage, this is IT." Even those who have not been initiated into

Srividya can benefit from the Khadgamala, which is why we chose to

offer it to our members here.

 

Once again, it is important to note that the Devis representing the

Siddhis are *outside* the Sriyantra proper (i.e. the RED area in

this graphic: http://www.chinmudra.com/s9.gif ). Metaphorically,

this teaches that we must get past the Siddhis (powerful and/or

attractive side effects of Srividya sadhana) before we can enter the

Sriyantra (the higher benefits of sadhana) and reach Devi (the goal

of Sadhana; even though each of these Siddhis are themselves aspects

of Devi).

 

[With sincere thanks and appreciation to Sri Amritananda Natha and

Sri Bhasurananda Natha, who kindly provided detailed and substantive

content for this commentary.]

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe