Sri Lalita Trishati (142. kAlahantrI)

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|| AUM mahAgaNapataye namaH ||

|| AUM shrI shan.karAchAryavaryAya namaH ||

|| AUM shrImAtre namaH ||

 

142. kAlahantrI

She who destroys time.

 

SHE who destroys time. The life span allotted to man is limited.

It is so ordered by the Sun and Moon, as prANa and apAna - incoming

and outgoing breath. This life span runs out in the form of ajapa

which moves 21,600 times a day. Everyone breathes in with the sound

ha and breathes out with the sound sa. This normally happens 21,600

times a day. This happens without any conscious effort. This mantra

which consists of ha and sa, is called the ha.nsa mantra. Since it

is repeated unconsciously, it it is called ajapa. But if the breath

is controlled, life can be prolonged for a long periods of time like

yuga and kalpa. In the perfect state of samAdhi which is attained by

the control of breath and senses, mind becomes functionless. This

results in a state of mind called manonmanI. In that state, the

sense of time disappears. According to the svetAshvatara upaniShad,

"pritvyaptejonilakhe samutthite panchamake yogaguNe pravR^itte na

tasya rogo na jara na mR^ityuH prAptasya yogAgnimayam shariram"

which means, when the five elements, earth, water, fire, air and

space are in a balanced state and in ascendance, that is, when the

five fold fire of yoga is active, the body of yogi is full of fire

and without disease, old age and death [2.12].

 

adhyAtmayogAdhigamena devam matva dhIro harShashokam jahAti

[kaThopaniShad 2-12] which means, "The hero having turned away

from the sense objects, thinks himself as divine having discarded

joy and sorrow. And according to the shruti "tathaH saMvatsaro

ajAyata" which means, "from Him the time (year) was born". When

the time merges back into HER it ceases to exist. Hence, SHE is

called the killer of time.

 

AUM kAlahantryai namaH