Tripurasundari Ashtakam...

April 9, 2002

Jaya Jaya Shankara !

Namastripurabhairavyai !

Namo Chandramouleeshwaraaya !

Namo Naarasimhaaya !

Worship of Mahatripurasundari effects a reconciliation of the

paths of work, love and reason. It is in agreement with the findings

of the modern science. While the followers of different creeds

quarrel among themselves, the SAKTA has no quarrel with any of them.

Shankara Bhagavatpada in ancient times and Sri Ramakrishna in modern

times have demonstrated through their lives and teachings which they

have lived through, that such a reconciliation is not only possible

but also necessary. They have proved that all paths pursued with

devotion and a sense of non-duality lead to the same goal, that

Mantras are efficacious, that Devathas and higher powers exist and

that step by step the Divine mother Mahatripurasundari leads the

sadhaka to higher and higher levels of consciousness till he reaches

perfection and becomes one with the supreme reality.

Sri Acharya's Soundaryalahari, Lalitha Trishati Bhashyam,

Prapancha sara Tantra and various stotras give us a deep insight into

the secrets of worship of Chitprasakthi. The TRIPURASUNDARI

ASHTAKAM ,short and sweet in a mellifluous metre, contains, as if in

a nutshell, the entire philosophy of Shakti worship.

Of the thousands and lakhs of epithets of the Devi,

Mahatripurasundari is the most wondrous one, declared unanimously by

all agamas,tantras and Vedas. It means she is the belle of all the

three worlds, the beauty par excellence in the `triad'. The

term `Tripura' can be variously interpreted.

1. Three bodied : Paramashiva is the matrix, as it were, of the

trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra. The Kalika Purana says that by the

will of Pradhana (the first principle) the body of Shiva became

triple : the upper part became Brahma, the middle Vishnu and the

lower Rudra. As these three puras (bodies) are in him, he is called

Tripura (three bodied) and hence his spouse is called Tripurasundari.

In this context it will be of interest to learn about the linga at

Gudimallam, a sacred township, about twenty miles from Sri Kalahasti

in Andhra Pradesh in India. The lingam here, said to have been

installed by Parashurama has its lower part bearing the form of a

Gandharva (a musical demi=god). The middle part resembles

Parashurama, with a turban and the upper part that of shiva lingam.

Under a curse Brahma once became a Gandharva, Chitrasena by name. The

lower pat of the lingam is thus Brahma. Parashurama is an avtar of

Vishnu. Thus the form of Shiva here is of Tripura. [From Upadesham of

Periyaval of Kanchi Kamakoti Mahapeetham].

2. Resident in the triads : The Devi's mantra consists of three

syllables. Her Srividya panchadashi (or sodashi) mantra is composed

of three kutas (peaks) Vagbhava, Kamaraja and Sakthi kutas. She

resides in these which are her very form (Sukshma form- subtle form).

The nadis (psychic nerves) where she resides are three Ida, Sushumna

and Pingala. Her Sakthis are three : Iccha(will), Jnana(knowledge)

and Kriya(action). The Srichakra, her very form again consists of

circles, angles and lines. The worlds which she pervades are three :

Heaven, earth and the nether worlds. Every tabernacle wherein she is

the immanent self is composed of three frames : Sukshma sarira

(subtle body), Sthula sharira(gross body) and Karana Sharira ( causal

body). This again has three states of existence : Jagrat(wakeful),

Swapna(dream) and Sushupti(deep sleep). The whole universe of which

she is the Mulaprakriti (First principle) and which she pervades is a

modification of the three modes of energy, Sattva (rhythm), Rajas

(mobility) and Tamas (inertia).

3. Tripura also means `anterior to the trinity, Brahma-Vishnu-Rudra'.

Abhiyukta says : ` Because the Devi created the three forms

(trimurtis), because she is before all (Purobhava), because she is in

the form of the three(Trayeemayee), because even after after

dissolution of the three worlds she recreates them again, the

Mother's name is appropriately Tripura. [vide commentary of

Natanandanatha on Kamakalavilasa].

Lovability and joy are the inherent qualities of beauty. ` A thing of

beauty is a joy for ever ' (Keats). Ina finite thing there is no

perfect unalloyed joy. What it gives cannot be abiding. Sruthi

says : ` That which is infinite is Bliss- Yo vai Bhoomaa tat sukham;

naalpe sukham asti. Bhoomaiva sukham- Chandogya Upanishad).

Expalining this text, Simadacharya says : ` …in what is finite there

is no bliss. Because the finite or the small always gives rise to

longing for what is more than that. And longing is a source of pain.

And what is a source of pain is never Bliss. Hence it is quite

correct to say that there is no Bliss in what is finite. Hence the

infinite alone is Bliss, specially because in infinite, there is no

possibility of pain like longing and the rest. Beyond the operation

of time, space and causation, infinite is free from mutation. It is,

therefore, Eternal Truth. Limitless Bliss and Beauty Eternal are the

properties of Truth Absolute. This is what Kalidasa says in Kumara

Sambhava : ` That is beauty which never fades but renews its freshnes

at all moments.' When such a blissful beauty takes a form it is

Mahatripurasundari. She is beautiful in every limb…sarvangasundari…

all limbs are in proper proportion having all the qualities of

perfection mentioned in Saamudrikaa Shastra.

The devi, the never changing one among the many is therefore

called Mahatripurasundari. It is noteworthy that of all the

manifestations of the supreme that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa had

witnessed,that of Sri Rajarajeshwari was the most beautiful to him.

I will not type the actual Shlokas, which can be obtained

from www.ambaa.org

The first verse:

I seek shelter in Mahatripurasundari, Mater Familias of the

three eyed one, strolling in the Kadamba forest, who is like a bank

of clouds to a galaxy of sages, whose hip excels the mountain, who is

served by celestial damsels, whose eyes rival the new-born lotus, And

swarthy like the nimbus newly formed !

Kadamba is a kind of tree called Nauclea cadamba. It is said

to put forth orange, fragrant buds at the roaring of thunder clouds.

A withered relic of the Kadamba tree is preserved in the precincts of

the Madurai Sri Minakshi temple. It also means multitude. In that

sense, the Kadamba forest stands for the universe that the Devi

permeates completely.

As a bank of clouds quenches the thirst of the earth, so does

Mahatripurasundari slake the spiritual thirsts of infinite number of

sages and divine beings by granting them herself. Muni word means

silent meditator.

Mother is described as having lovely hips, mainly to

facilitate the Saguna Dhyana of the mother by those who cannot

contemplate on her formless aspect in the early stages of spiritual

evolution. This also confirms by the standards prescribed by

Saamudrika Shastra for Sarvaanga Sundari.

Swarthy like the newly formed rain cloud : this indicates the

mother's massive grace, ever ready to rain upon her votaries to

extinguish the fire of their suffering.

Esoterically, the Devi has her abode in the Sahasrara Chakra,

where her mansion is built of Chintamani ( a precious stone credited

with the capability to grant all desires) and surrounded by Kalpa and

Kadamba trees. In the form of Kundalini, the Devi is normally always

in a slumber in the mooladhaara Chakra. The vital energy i.e prana

directed there by the Yogis, practicing Pranayama, generates enormous

heat in Moolaadhaara and it consequently awakens the Kundalini

Shakti. She now courses through the Sushumnaa nadi, piercing all the

six charkas, to the Sahasrara chakra to meet her lord there. In union

with Parabrahman there, she pours down the nectar of Kulamrita,

resembling freshly formed rain clouds, which in turn quenches the

heat in Mooladhaara.

By the word three-eyed one, Paramashiva or Kameshwara is

meant here and not Rudra, Maheshwara or Sadashiva.

The second Shloka :

I seek shelter in Mahatripurasundari, Mater familias of the

three eyed-one, who is habituating the forest of Kadamba trees,

holding a golden Veena, Wearing a necklace of priceless gems, having

a face deeply aglow with ambrosia, bestowing prosperity due to her

infinite mercy, Clear eyed and Wandering.

Habiting the Kadamba forest means that the Devi is not only

transcendent of the universe but also immanent in it. As the soul is

in the body, so is she in the universe.

Vina stands for the universe and its music for the orderly

behavior of all therein. It is the player who generates music, the

instrument in itself is lifeless. In like manner it is Devi who

brings about harmony among all the things in the universe. She is the

moving spirit in all. But for her, there would be only chaos. This

clearly indicates at the mantra from Kathopanishad, ` Tameva

bhaantamanubhaanti etc. `

The stem of the Vina represents the spine or Merudanda and

the Vina's strings represent the nadis that run through the spine.

Also, the very sight of Vina is regarded as a blessing since

it is the queen of musical instruments. The stem is regarded as

Shiva, strings as Uma, shoulder as Vishnu, tailpiece as Lakshmi,

gourd as Brahma, midpoint as Saraswathi and the binding nerve as

Adishesha. So the mother's playing on the Vina reminds us that it is

SHE who gives energy to all the deities to perform their appointed

tasks.

For Mahatripurasundari, the personified universe or

Vishwaroopini, the stars are the gems on her necklace. Being the in-

dwelling self in all bodies, virtually it is she who is wearing the

ornaments of all. Whosoever living beings secure for themselves

objects of enjoyment such as ornaments, food etc, she only is adorned

with all of them for her pleasure. She is the self in every deity;

every ornament offered by the devotees to please their respective

deities, they all really adorn her.

Also, it is the custom of the Samayacharins to offer the

Great mother, jewels set with gems, while meditating on Her in the

manipooraka chakra. This custom has its genesis in the concept that

Sridevi fills the interior of Manipoora with priceless gems of her

own light.

Mother is described by Srimadacharya as having a face deeply

aglow with Vaaruni or ambrosia. Vaaruni literally means the liquor

that issued out during the churning of the milky ocean for nectar.

However, varuni here indicates deep intoxication or bliss brought

about due to the Kulamrita resulting from the union of Shiva and

Shakti in the Sahasrara.

Inebriated with the nectarine flow, she displays signs of

intoxication like blood shot eyes, red cheeks etc. All these signs

may be explained with reference to Vijnaana or the science of descent

of Kundalini back to Mooladhaara after the great communion. The exact

relevance may be learnt from one's own Guru.

In the vama modes of worship, Devi is propitiated with

Panchamakaras namely Madya Maamsa etc. as detailed in raurava tantras

like Kali vilasa tantra. Esoterically, spiritual liquor is indeed the

divine Kulamrita. It is unfortunate that most Vamamarga Sadhakas

indulge in sex and wine without proper understanding of the

underlying esoteric significance. They, thus get more and more

entangled in samsara. This is the very reason why Srimadacharya

banned Vamamarga as not being suitable to all. Tantras themselves

have declared that Vama marga is for Pashu Bhaava sadhakas. Even

Abhinavagupta, though a very great Tantric scholar and a follower of

Vamamarga, was defeated comfortably by Acharya in a debate. His

Abhichara prayoga (some say kritya) on Acharya was reversed back to

him by Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.

By the way of refinement, the poorva kaulas

offer consecrated coconut water as a substitute to liquor. Samayins

have no need for all these external symbolism.

Vaaruni also means the juice extracted from the

dates, said to be a favourite drink of lord Varuna. This is nothing

but a type of wine again. Every variety of wine is called by

distinctive names, Sura is the wine extracted from rice, Kohala from

barley, Madhulika from wheat etc.

Vibhava means both wealth and final beatitude. While

the former is necessary for a comfortable living in the material

world, the latter is the final goal. Mahatripurasundari is one who

bestows enjoyment and liberation as well. Srimadacharya is rightly

full of praise of her grace, for it confers prosperity for the life

here and the final beatitude for the life hereafter. Hence it is

said ` Sri sundari sadhaka pungavaanaam bhogam cha moksham cha

karastha eva'. Different deities grant different boons. However no

other deity, not even any of the other Mahavidya goddesses is

credited with this rare combination of both worldly enjoyment and

liberation. This indeed is the uniqueness of Mahatripurasundari,

which has earned her the epithet, Rajarajeshwari, not applicable to

her any other form.

Mother is said to be clear eyed since she remains as an

unattached spectator. Unruffled by any experience, bitter or

pleasant, she is ever serene with her eyes tranquil.

She is also called wandering since , even though she is the

moving spirit in every being, she has no desire whatsoever. Residing

in all bodies, her moving about is therefore carefree wandering.

Third Shloka :

"Arrayed we be in the panoply, by her Kadamba forest abode,

by the garland gracing her massive bosom, by her bosom rivaling

mountains, by the splendid flow of her surpassing grace in the form

of Guru's grace, by her cheeks ruddied by wine, by her melodious

musical voice, by her cloud-like blue, by her inscrutable play ".

Here, Acharya invokes the Devi's abode, garland, breasts and

dark blue complexion that they shall shield us from every evil. Once

Her grace descends upon us, no evil will befall us.

Once again, Kadamba forest abode signifies the entire

universe in the macrocosm or the sahasraara chakra in the microcosm.

Or it simply means the hearts of the devotees.

Garland is a symbol of auspiciousness. She is hence ever

auspicious. Also mantra is something that protects the chanter. Now

devi's garland is nothing but the varnamaala or the alphabet from

which all sounds and mantras arise. She is thus sarvamantrasvaroopini

and who better can ward off evil than her?

The Devi is the mother of all. In the form of Annapoorna, she

gives food, spiritual as well as physical, to all her children.

Instances are many of her suckling small children and of their

blossoming into spiritual giants. Eg. Tirujnanasambandhar who was fed

by Ambal Abhiraami. Her massive mountain like breasts represent her

cosmic motherhood and her eagerness to nourish the entire creation.

Now, srimadacharya also speaks of her surpassing grace. Of

all kinds of love, the mother's love is so well known to be the best

that any further explanation will be redundant. For the spiritually

less evolved, it is through Her grace that the noumenal incorpo-real

Brahman becomes phenomenal corporeal Ishwara. It is she who shows up

and brings the quality-less Supreme Being within our reach as the

mortal mother shows first her child its father. The great mother

Mahatripurasundari blesses us not only with enjoyments but also with

Moksha. No doubt thus, that her grace is peerless, surpassing. It is

splendid for it dispels our ignorance and brings us enlightenment.

The word Guru here means heavy or abundance. Her grace is heavy and

abundant.

Guru also means spiritual preceptor and gurukripa, his grace.

It is known to samayacharins that through Sadguru's grace ( in the

form of sambhava mahavedha ), Paraamba suddenly appears in the

Manipura from where she has to be lead to the crown. Without the

Gurupaaduka mantra, it is said that srividya gives no results at all,

on the contrary, it leads to Yogini Shaapa. This clearly points to

the absolute necessity of Guru's guidance. However, I would also like

to tell here that in Rudrayamala, Bhagvathi assures that she herself

will be the preceptor to the sincere and devoted sadhaka par

excellence. Since Aatma-Guru-Srichakra-Srividya-Sridevi are all one

without an iota of duality, grace is all the same whether we say

Gurukripa or Devi's grace. In satashloki, the great Acharya brings

out the uniqueness of Guru's grace by drawing a parallel between it

and the philosophers stone. He says ` For the venerable preceptor who

bestows the liberating knowledge, there is no known comparison in the

three worlds. Even the philosopher's stone, can only turn iron into

gold ; it cannot transmute it into another philosophers stone. On the

contrary, the venerable guru makes his disciple who has taken refuge

at his feet, his own equal. Peerless nay, transcendent is He !"

For everyone, the veryfirst Guru is one's own mother. The

Devi , the mother of infinite number of worlds is indeed the foremost

Guru. In the form Uma, she cleansed Indra of his pride and arrogance

and taught him the knowledge of the Absolute as explained by Kena

Upanishad. The tantras define Nigama as the tantra which emanated

from the mouth of Girija, which was listened to by Maheshwara and

approved by Vasudeva. From this it follows that she has been guru to

even her cosmic consort Kameshwara. It is this great Vimarsha shakti

that gives a sense of "I" ness or identity to the attributeless

Paramashiva. He sees himself only through Her and hence she is

undoubtedly the Guru of the best of the Gurus. Bhattanaarayana

comments on the name "Nijaagnaaroopanigamaa' in the Lalita

Sahasranama

that the Nigamas (by which he means the Vedas since generally agamas

mean tantra and nigamas refer to sruthi ) are the expressions of her

eternal command. Here guru's grace, may also mean Srividya mantra

itself which is obtainable only by the highest grace of the divine

mother ( this interpretation was by H.H.Sri Srimad chandrashekhara

Bharathi Mahaswamigal, of Sringeri sarada peetham, the greatest of

yogis in the recent times). Srividya means as much the path to the

Divine knowledge as the Divine Knowledge itself. She is not only the

Divine Knowledge but also the great path of srividya leading up to it

i.e herself.

Further, Mahatripurasundari is also the spouse of world

Guru Dakshinamurthy and due to the fivefold identity that exist

between her and

The lord ( explained in the commentary to the last verse of

Anandalahari, the first half of Saundaryalahari and also in

Agamachandrika), Guru epithet is naturally applicable to Her.

Why is her grace like flow? For like water it flows down from

a higher level to a lower level. Even a tiny crack in the devotee's

heart will do for Her grace to rush in. This word kripaa is very

significant. Love for equals is Maitri, love for superiors is Bhakti

and love for inferiors is Kripa. Grace is absolutely necessary for

the less evolved to get rid of all earthy shackles and to embrace the

magnificent infinite.

Melodious voice – Needless to say a mother talks to her

children sweetly. Towards their little ones even the ferocious

animals give up the ferocity. What to say of Bhagavathi who is the

highest water-mark of grace. Moreover bliss or ananda is her very

nature. As Shyamala, she is the mother of all fine arts including

music. Shyamala is of various forms like Saahitya shyamala, venu

shyamala, shuka shyamala, shaarikaa shyamala etc. it is said by

Narayana in TripuraBhairavi stotra in Jayadrathayamala that goddesses

Saraswathi gets all her poetic and musical capabilities by drinking

the water that is used to wash the Sri Paadukaas of

Mahatripurasundari.

Anything vast partakes the color of blue e.g. the sky, the

ocean etc. The Devi is vast in as much as she is pervasive of the

entire universe. She is therefore described as Blue. She is also a

bank of clouds to the parched world. She is called blue ( though the

traditional Dhyana on Mahatripurasundari prescribes a ruddy

complexion (arunaa) to her) to indicate that she is the nectarine

cloud that showers the Kulamrita.

Her inscrutable play is the act of projecting-sustaining-

withdrawing the universe. As Taittareya sruthi says ` Yato bhootani

jaayanthe etc. `, the entire phenomenal world has its genesis in,

stays on and dissolutes into Brahman. How the finite arises from out

of the infinite is an incomprehensible mystery, called Maya. It is

absolutely wrong to say that Brahman has transformed into universe.

For Brahman is infinite and infinite is devoid of parts. Also

immutability is the essential quality of the infinite. This

completely refutes the nonsensical theories of Gaudiyas and other

sects with concepts like sukshmanu paramanu etc. the phenomen of the

universe is therefore past reasoning. It is Devi's play or Lila.

For the ordinary mortals it is well nigh impossible to

meditate upon and realize the supreme Parabrahman. For them this maya

of Devi is of immense help in bringing the formless attributeless

Brahman within their reach by investing it with a form and

attributes, which does cause limitation, but the mother's divine

grace helps one to evolve spiritually so as to transcend it.

Karanaagama says " for helping ascetics, ritualistic worshippers,

yogis, to do meditation and Puja, the supreme Brahman assumes a form

playfully' . Thus it would indeed be foolish to argue whether Kali is

better than Lalita or Tara is the best among the two. It is very sad

to see that the so-called illumined saints of the various dualistic

Vaishnavite sects have argued (and continue to argue) that Krishna is

the best and the only from of the great lord. Now, any form with

attributes can never ever be without limitations. One has to, at some

point of time cross over to the formless supreme, which indeed

happens by divine grace.

Beyond the operation of Maya, the ways in which the Devi

bestows Her grace upon and blesses her devotees are mysterious. To

quote some of the innumerable instances :

1. The moment Devi scribed Bijaksharas on the tongue, Kalidasa, the

dunce, was transformed into Kalidasa , the great poet.

2. There is a township, Kadiramangalam by name in TamilNadu. On a

certain day there was a heavy downpour in this place. In the

rainstorm a good number of leaves flew from the thatch of the hut

occupied by Kamban, the Tamil poet. The roof started leaking and the

poet became worried that his poetical works would be destroyed. He

however fell asleep. When he woke up in the morning, he noticed to

his surprise, that the roof of his hut had been newly thatched with

the eyes of the paddy. He was filled with devotion towards his

beloved deity Durga. After this event, the entire township was called

Kadirveyndamangalam, kadir meaning the eyes of paddy and veynda

woven. He is the author of the masterpiece Kambaramayanam.

3. Rous Peter, a Briton, was the collector of Madurai in 1812. it was

his routine to go round the Minakshi temple every day on horseback

before setting about his daily duties. One night, it was raining very

heavily, accompanied by thunder and lightening. Rous Peter was fast

asleep in his apartment. He was suddenly woken up by a small girl,

unseen before, and beckoned by her to get out. So he did implicitly.

Hardly had he left his chamber, before the entire structure came

down, struck by lightening. The girl vanished right before his eyes.

He realizes that his escape was providential- due to the grace of the

supreme mother Minakshi.

The fourth verse :

"Seek I shelter in Mahatripurasundari , mater familias of the

three-eyed lord, who is in the middle of Kadamba forest, seated on

the golden disc, who resides in six lotuses, who is like a constant

lightening to the siddhas, splendorously mocking scarlet Hibiscus,

with cloudless moon for her crest jewel " .

As the spider remains in the center of the web ejected out of

its own person, Mahatripurasundari stays as the pivot of the universe

(Kadamba forest ) projected from her own person.

In this line there is an allusion to Kanchi Kamakshi who is

none other than Mahatripurasundari. Among the four major shakti

peethams, the supreme-most is the oddiyana peetham or the Bhuvah

puram which is situated in Kanchipuram. It is the bindu sthana of

srichakra. Lalitha Mahatripurasundari has gross-subtlle-more subtle-

and most subtle forms which are respectively Lalitha

Mahatripurasundari as kamakshi in kanchipuram, srichkara, srividya

and as Paraakundalini ( refer subhagodaya stuti and kanchi mahatmya

varnam for more reading on this topic ). Thus, Mahatripurasundari

Rajarajeshwari exists in stoola roopa only in Kanchi kamakshi

temple, which has no separate shrine for Paramashiva indicating that

Kamakshi, unlike deities in various shakti peethams, is not Shakti

but Shiva-Shakti ONE, non-dual Parabrahman. The kanchimaahaatmya and

Kamakalavilasa speak of kanchi as the navel of the world. Just as the

navel is the center of the body from which all the 72000 nerves

proceed full-fledged fashion, so kanchi, the seat of Kamakshi, the

only gross prototype of Parabrahman, is the navel of the world from

where her grace radiates.

Of all the manifested sources of energy, the sun is the most

potent. With his rising, the entire world becomes active. It follows

that Mahatripurasundari reveals herself through the living God, Sun.

This also refers to the form of the goddess residing in the solar

disc namely Gayathri. Indeed srividya is the third and the most

secretive form of gayathri. Bhasuranandanatha proves this beyond

doubt in Varivasyarahasya. This is also explained in Tripuratapini

Upanishad and also in texts like Yoginihridaya.

This also refers to the Devi radiating in the Anahata

chakra , a twelve-petalled lotus in the region of heart.as fire

shines in Muladhara, moon in sahasrara, so the sun shines in Anahata.

As kundalini, she abides in the six lotuses on the way to

Sahasraara. As swami shivananda says, kundalini can be aroused from

any Chakra, though the simplest is to do so from Muladhara. The great

occultist Swami Punyananda meditated on the Devi directly in

Sahasraara and achieved Siddhi. However this may not be possible to

all. So lets stick to Moolaadhaara, for which the place of

concentration is actually the sthanam or kshetram of Aajnaa.

Saudaamini means lightening. On her way to Sahasraara, the

Devi stays for a while at Aajnaa Chakra, manifesting herself in the

form of a streak of lightening whereby the Yogi's eyes close to all

outer dualities and the inner eyes open up to the greater truths,

making him eligible to enter the higher realms of Lalaata and other

Chakras.

Also, in Manipuraka chakra, sadashiva manifests as a winter

cloud, in company with his spouse in the guise of lightening. They

are called Megheshwara and Saudamini. Mahattarayonitantra names the

cosmic couple differently as Amriteshwara and Amriteshwari.

She is also like a lightening to the Siddhas who are

accomplished beings. Now, the siddhis are ten namely :

anima,laghima,mahima,ishitva,vashitva,praakaamya,bhukti,icchaa,prapti

and sarvakaamasiddhi. (Some include garima siddhi also, but none of

the Classic tantras explain as to how this extra siddhi can be

accomadated in Trailokyamohana Chakra. Chatuhsshati shastra clearly

objects the use of Garimaasiddhi. Some versions that I have seen on

the net have included Garima siddhi in the Khadgamala mantra, which I

think is a mistake. Rudra yamala's mala mantroddhaara chapter,

Vamakeshwara tantra, Tripurarnava Tantra, Prapancha saara saara

samgraha, all these granthas have omitted Garimasiddhi. Though a

scholar tried to argue about its correctness saying some sampradayas

do include garimaa, he was unable to justify his stand. If any one

has an explanation, please go ahead. I think, the version in

ambaa.org or sambhavi.org also has this mistake).

In the course of yoga practice, when kundalini courses up to

sahasrara, the yogi acquires these supernormal powers. Being latent

in the body, these siddhis are instantly brought to light by

kundalini like a flash of lightening. Also the place of meditation

for Chinnamastaa is Aajnaa chakra. Chinnamastaa is actually the

goddess of the siddhamandala. Sadhakas of chinnamasta experience the

opening of their consciousness to various lokas of siddhas and other

higher beings to a large extent. Hence among the Mahavidyas, ( which

are all present in the Aavarana of Mahatripurasundari's Srichakra )

Chinna is placed as the Anuttara samayaambaa or the attendant to

Srimata in the Anuttara quarter referring to Aajnaa Chakra again.

There could be yet another interpretation. She reveals to

those who are in persuit of the Siddhis that compared with the

ultimate realization of the self as Mahatripurasundari, these siddhis

are as ephemeral as a lightnening. However, a second's foolish

indulgence in these may cause irreparable damage just like blinding

after being struck by lightening.

Mother is also described as having a red complexion that puts

Hibiscus flower to shame. Red signifies activity. It is the color of

Rajo guna. Here Mahatripurasundari is described as reddish to speak

of her kriya shakti and to indicate that she is the source of the

entire dynamic quality of the universe. Furthermore, she is that

primordial power which activated the qualitiless unmanifest Brahman,

resulting in the appearance of this universe. Also scarlet Hibiscus

flower is considered very sacred to the Devi in Agamas and Tantras.

She also has a cloudless moon as her crest jewel. Moon is the

sign of immortality or Amrita in tantric terminology. In the middle

of Sahasraara there is the lunar disc from which Amrita, the elixir

of life flows. Devi is not only immortal herself, but also the source

of deathlessness for others. The serene moon represents that especial

prerogative of hers. Now, does not this make mother much superior to

a philosopher's stone that we spoke about in the previous verse?

The fifth Shloka :

"Seek I shelter in sage Matanga's daughter, Mellifluously

conversing, vina gracing the bosom, adorned with curly tresses,

residing in the lotus, scorning the evil-minded, Reddish-eyed due to

nectar and captivating Cupid's enemy".

Matanga was a great sage and a maestro of music. In deference

to his prayer Mahatripurasundari took birth as his daughter. This is

what earns her the title `Matangi `. Rajamatangi or Shyamala is the

minister to Mahatripurasundari and she shines as Minakshi in Madurai.

Bliss is her nature, so her speaking is soft, sweet and

pleasant. That is why she is called Kalaalaapaa in the

Sarvasampoortikarii stava i.e the Trishati. Acharya comments on this

name as follows : ` Kalaa means purposeful and indescribably sweet.

Aalaapaaa means conversation. According to the saying, " Avyakta

bhaaratee tathaa ", it is the mark of the great to have exquisitely

sweet speech.

Music has the irresistible force to spellbind every

being. "Music is " says Longfellow, "The universal language of

mankind. " Vina is symbolic of the cosmic harmony she brings about,

both in the micro and macrocosms.

Mother has lovely curly tresses. Graying or falling of hair

is the sign of senescence. For parashakti, the embodiment of cosmic

energy, there is no aging. She is ever youthful and free of senility.

This is mentioned as Nithyayouvanashaalini and

Vayaovasthaavivarjitaa. The totality of cosmic energy remains

constant. In it there is no increase or decrease at any time.

She resides in lotus. Esoterically it means the heart where

the Devi resides. Same thing is said by Shri Ramana , " it is the

center of the self. The self is the physical center ".

It also means Sahasraara where Mahatripurasundari has her

abode and also the Moolaadhaara Chakra where she resides as

Tripurabhairavi.

Popularly the epithet `Lotus resident ` refers to Lakshmi,

the goddess of wealth who is one of the many emnations of the

primordial Shakti. This is why Parashakti is called Ramaa in

Rahasyanaamasaahasra. I have tried to explain the significance of the

Srisukta in light of Srividya in a previous post.

Skanda purana narrates two versions of the birth of Devi in a

lotus.

1. Shiva had given a boon to Daksha that Devi would be born to him.

In its fulfillment, the Devi came down to river Yamuna, assumed the

form of a white conch, settled herself on a lotus in the river and

commenced doing penance.in the course of time, on a certain day

Daksha came to the river for his morning ablution. Espying the pretty

conch, he took it in his hands, and it directly became a girl.

2. Devi wanted to get rid of the body fostered by Daksha, for he had

turned Shiva-hater. To do so, she got permission from Shiva and came

down to a lotus tank called Padmaa and took the form of a child.

Himavan, who was doing a penance nearby chanced upon it and took her

home happily.

The devi scorns the evil minded. She is not accessible to the evil-

minded, dishonest and the like. The Prashna Upanishad says : " For

them is that taintless world of Brahman, in whom there is no

crookedness, no falsehood, and no dissimulation. Mundaka upanisd also

says: " The self is attainable through truth ". The way to spiritual

realization is through ethical purity. The evil-minded have a

tendency to bring about disharmony in public life and damage the

moral fabric of the society. Whenever such demons gain upper hand,

the Devi embodies Herself and destroys them.

Captivating Cupids enemy alludes to the legend that when

Kama, the god of love , at the behest of Indra, shot an arrow of

desire at Shiva, Shiva opened his third eye, the eye of wisdom and

reduced kama to ashes by a mere glance. The self-same Shiva was,

however charmed into matrimony by the Devi.

The nativity of Kama or Manmatha is narrated in the

Rudrasamhita of Shiva Purana. After Brahma had created Marichi, Atri,

Pulaha, Pulastya, Angirasa, Kratu, Vasistha, Narada, Daksha and

Bhrigu, his mental sons of lordly stature, a beautiful woman of

comely features was born of his mind. She was called Sandhya. On

beholding her, Brahma and others involuntarily got up, impelled by

passion. Just then, Brahma noticed another son much more beautiful,

handsome and comely had appeared as his mental creation. His very

appearance was enough to set his heart aflame with love for Sandhya.

Hence when Kaama asked of Brahma about his function the latter

assigned to him the same work , to arouse passion in the hearts of

beings. To test how far he could succeed in this task, Kaama at once

aimed his flower-arrow at Brahma, his father himself. Lo ! The poor

Brahma could not control his passion. Ever since, kama has been

setting the hearths of beings aflame with love.

Kaama means desire and love. Kaama is only a personification

of desire. He is portrayed as carrying a sugarcane bow, representing

the mind, and five flower arrows representing the five sense

perceptions. The external world becomes knowledgeable to us only when

the mind is conjoined to the sense organs and directed to the sense

objects.

Manas (mind) is so called since its function is manana or thinking.

The nativity of Kaama from Brahma's mind illustrates that all desires

have their origin in the mind. The whole world is nothing but a

projection of mind. As one in dream experiences many things in his

dreamworld and all such things appear to be real during the dream, so

one in Maya experiences many things in the world and all such things

appear to be real as long as he is under the spell of Maya. But the

moment the dreamer wakes up he realizes whatever he has experienced

in his dreamworld are false as compared with the things that he

experiences when awake. Even so, the moment he wakes from Maya into

Brahman consciousness, he realizes that the falsehood of the external

world. As the dream world is projected by the mind when it stays in

Manomaya Kosha (psychological sheath ), so the material world about

us is projected by the mind when it stays at Annamaya kosha (

anatomical sheath). It, therefore follows that all the objects around

that are experienced are mere products of mind. Kaama is only a

personification of these objects born of mind.

The sixth Shloka :

" Seek I shelter in Mahatripurasundari, Mater familias

of the three eyed-one, who bears the first flower of Manmatha, clad

in blue garments, spotted sanguine, holding a liquor bowl, with eyes

inebriated languishing at the ends, close set bosoms heavy and high,

the swarthy one with locks disheveled! "

Manmatha the god of love carries sugarcane for bow and five

different flowers for arrows. Of them, the first is the lotus.

Mahatripurasundari in one of her meditation forms holds a lotus in

her hand. According to tantras like Rahasya Agama, the lotus is

emblematic of the universe. Pushpa means flower as well as menstrual

flow, and a woman in her period is called pushpini. " Prathama

pushpini" means a woman in her first periods. Of the pancha makaras,

the last is maithuna or sexual coupling. Esoterically, it means the

union of Kundalini with Shiva or the individual consciousness with

the universal consciousness, and that is the culmination of the

entire Tantric practice.

Muladhara, where Devi is ever in slumber, is a region of

total darkness. Awakening her, yogi leads her up to her spouse Siva's

abode in the Sahasrara. As the mortal parents give their nubile

daughter in marriage to a worthy groom and leave her in his charge,

so the yogi leads the ever youthful Kundalini to Paramashiva, her

groom and leaves her with him in the bridal chamber in Sahasrara.

Physical union is possible only after one has attained puberty. So,

endeavoring to rouse the sleeping Kundalini in him for leading her to

lord, the yogi meditates upon and worships her as if she has just

attained puberty and become fit for congress. The divine mother in

first periods is the personification of the Red bindu that I have

spoken about in my post Srichakra.

The Devi is described as being habited in a blue sari with

red spots. As the first menstrual flow shows itself when a woman is

ready to bear, so on the blue welkin, the Devi's raiment, signs

appear, heralding creation. In a Bhagavathi temple in kerala as well

as in the Kaamaakhyaa temple, red spots appear once a year in the

robes of the goddess to this day.

Mother also carries a bowl of wine of Maya. Madhu not only

means liquor but also honey and spring season. It is a common

experience that passion gains in strength in spring. Being of a

similar quality, liquor also whets ones passion.

The intoxicated eyes of Devi are an external sign, which

shows the depth of the divine bliss the Devi has had from the company

of her lord in Sahasrara. As wine makes the drinker oblivious of his

environs, so does the divine ecstasy. God-intoxicated, a Yogi

develops irresistible craving for the divine bliss of the Brahman,

just as a drunkard is ever after his liquor bowl.

The disheveled locks of Sridevi indicate that she is ever

free from formalities such as arranging the hair etc. this hints at

the vishwottheerna form of Parabrahman.

The seventh shloka :

" In Japa I remember the mother, smeared with vermilion,

forelocks grazing the dot of musk, looks soft and smiling, bearing

arrows, bow, snare and goad, deluding all people, in red garland,

apparel and jewels, having the splendor of scarlet Hibiscus".

Here Mahatripurasundari is described as red. She is the prime desire

of the supreme Brahman to multiply into many. Red is also the color

of dawn indicating the light that dispels darkness. She is at one

point of time causing Maya (Mohini ) and lyet again she is the one

who destroys Maya (Mohanashini). Moha means delusion of mind which

prevents one from discerning the truth and makes one believe in the

reality of worldly objects and to be addicted to the gratification of

sensual pleasures.

Sridevi wields in her four hands five-flower arrows, the

sugarcane bow, the snare and the goad. The five flower arrows –

lotus, Asoka, mango blossom, jasmine and blue lotus are the five

rudimentary subtle elements viz. sound, touch, form, taste and smell.

The sugarcane bow is the mind. The snare is the desire and attachment

and goad is wrath.

ATTRACTION AND REPULSION ARE THE REACTIONS OF THE MIND TO THE SENSE

OBJECTS. The whole universe is an expression of the compound of the

five rudimentary subtle elements. Mind is the force that activates

the sense organs. And the sense objects are experienced. The Vedas

say, from the Brahman first arose Mahat, and it was followed by the

five subtle cosmic elements. Combination of these elements has given

birth to the universe. The Devi wielding the cosmic mind in the form

of the sugarcane bow and the five subtle rudimentary elements in the

form of five flower arrows symbolizes this. She is manipulating these

and bringing the universe into being. Being the only empress of the

entire cosmos, Rajarajeshwari, she has to have the well being of

people at heart. The Paasha, love, by which she binds the subjects to

her, represents this. She also upholds justice, which is represented

by the goad of wrath indicating policing. In short she brings

universe into existence and reigns over it. Yogini Hridaya identifies

snare, goad and arrows with Icchaa, Jnana and Kriya shaktis

respectively. The bow makes these effulgent.

The last shloka:

" I salute the mother of the world entire, who has

the celestial queen for plaiting the tresses, Brahma's consort for

anointing sandal paste, Vishnu's spouse for adorning with lustrous

gems, and heavenly damsels for servant maids ".

The Brahmanda Mahapurana has it that the goddess Lalita

Mahatripurasundari rules over the entire universe from Sripura or

Srinagara. She is the supreme empress and Brahma-Vishnu-Rudra are

mere functionaries in her empire. The Rahasyanaamasaahasra portrays

that Lakshmi and Saraswathi attend the Devi on either sides bearing

flywhisks or Chaamaras.

According to Mantra shastra, Kameshwara who transcends the

Trinity Brahma-Vishnu-Rudra, is action less and unattached. His form

is that of a pure colorless crystal which becomes invisible when

immersed in water. Vishnu and Parvathi, both dark blue, are twin

manifestations, as also Shiva and Saraswathi, both white and Brahma

and Lakshmi, both golden yellow. Daylight is colorless, yet it

contains all the colors. If one of the colors is separated from the

colorless light, the rest of the colors reveal themselves. Under the

influence of the Red Paraamba, the colorless Parabrahman Kameshwara

manifests himself as the trinity and their consorts.

Srimadacharya says in his divine composition Saundaryalahari

(which has no comparison whatsoever whether in lyrical beauty,

grammatical aspects or from the point of view of Yoga or Mantra

shastra), "these three divinities Brahma – Vishnu –Rudra, start their

cosmic process when the Supreme Mother knits her brow for a fraction

of a second. She stands beyond them all and her red splendor

stimulates them all to perform their respective functions, by here

very presence ".

The lesson we have to draw from the foregoing is that the

same Supreme Being appears in diverse forms as we conceive. It is to

shower its grace in the manner whereby we invoke it. Now what can be

said of fools who argue that Krishna is much superior to Shiva

whereas the rest are demigods and vice versa. I feel this is what

earns Srimadacharya the tile of "Jagadguru " since he was not a

cultist and his teachings are universal beyond space and time. How

can any other sectist guru be termed a Jagadguru for all they did was

to advocate a cult practice, be it the Gaudiyas or the southern

Shaivaites, shunning the other forms of lord as inferior to their own

chosen deity. Sad !!!!!!

It follows that the energies manifested for the purpose of

creation, maintenance and destruction are lower than and subservient

to the primordial total unmanifested cosmic energy. This idea is

expressed here poetically portraying the total cosmic energy as the

Supreme Empress Rajarajeshwari and the manifested energies as maids.

All are, however, different of the one and the same Paramount

Parashakti.

NAMO NAMASTE SHIVA KAMAKOTI !!!

April 11, 2002

I will again pass this on to . Perhaps Sri Harshanandaji (what

a lovely name!), you can give some background on yourself.

Love

Harsha

/join

harshanand_16 [harshanand_16]

Tuesday, April 09, 2002 2:09 AM

advaitin