Regarding Durga Suktam

[Guest guest]

Dear Ravi shankar,

 

The secret of upasana is to correlate the Veda, Tantra and Purana.

 

The monosyllabic word “OM” which is Pranava Nada occupies a prominent position

in Veda, Tantra and Purana. This word though available in Yajurveda is however

not clearly traceable in Rig Veda.

 

Yaska in his Nirukta says that this OM traces out its origin in a popular

mantra in Rig Veda which is denoted by “Akshara Parame Vyoman”. Akshara denotes

the state of imperishability. “Akshare Parame Vyoman” denotes imperishable

highest heaven.

 

Yaska says that OM which is denoted by “Akshare Parame Vyoman” in Rig Veda is

none other than the “Vak”.

 

It is this Vak which is extolled in Veda as Agni / Brahmanaspati / Rudra /

Indra. The Word ‘Durga’ is also worshipped as the Vak rupa Agni. And hence, he

is called Jatavedas. The Agni when worshipped as Feminine Gender is Durga. When

worshipped as Masculine Gender is Indra / Rudra. In Rig Veda, the Agni is none

other than Indra, the resplendent and effulgent one. This Indra shines as both

Avyakta and Vyakta Agni. It is this Avykta Agni in the form of Vak becomes the

Nada (the primordial sound) and expresses itself as Vyakta Agni. The first stage

of Nada is Para, the second is Pashyanti, the third stage is Madhyama and the

forth stage is Vaikhari. Thus, the entire cosmos is vomited from this Nada

which is OM.

 

It is this OM which is called Tara that takes us across the ocean of Samsara.

It is this Avykta Agni which is Durga that is extolled in Durga Sukta which is

Vak. And this Vak is none other than the Nada OM.

 

Now, the Goddess Tara is the feminine form of OM ie., Tara is the

personification of OM. She is the Unmanifested Nada that exists in Ether of

Consciousness and hence denoted by “Akshare Parame Vyoman”. Tara is the

Jatavedas of Veda which makes us cross the ocean like a boat. And hence, she is

described as the “Nava”. Vasishta Ganapati Muni in his Mahavidya Sutras

mentions that this Tara is the Deity of the 1st Rik of Durga Sukta that takes us

across.

 

It is this Tara which is equaled to the status of Rudra. Since, Rudra is of

bluish tinge, the Tara is also described to have bluish in colour and hence she

is called “Nila Tara”. Since, Rudra has both Ghora and Aghora forms, this Tara

in her Ghora form is “Ugra Tara”. Since, Nada is of the form of Tara which has

for stages ie., Para, Pashyanti, Madhyama, Vaikhari, these are described as her

Matted Hair spread in 4 directions. She cuts the samsara bandhana with her

scissors, bestows the knowledge to her upasaka which is denoted by Lotus. She

is the Prana in the Ether without which Cosmos is lifeless and this is described

as Tara dancing on the Corpse.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, Chinnamasta is the Prachanda Chandi / Maha Vyudyutagni Shakti that sports

with Indra (the Indra which I mentioned above). It is this Indra which spreads

across the Prithvi, Middle Air, Heaven as Agni, Vydyutagni, Souragni.

 

Indra shining in the Middle Air is Vydyutagni along with Vidyut (lightening).

It is this Mahavydyuta Agni along with Vidhyut which is extolled in Shata

Rudriya. For eg., Namo Meghyaya Cha, Vidyutyaya Cha. Indra in the form of Rudra

shines in Clouds and Lightening. In the form of Tunderbolt it strikes the

Ground. This is described in the mantra “Uchhair Ghoshayaakrandayate Pattinaam

Pataye….”.

 

It is this Rudra rupa Indra that sports with Prachanda Chandi / Durga /

Chinnamasta. The Vajra weapon which Indra holds is the symbolic representation

of Direct Perception, Pure Seeing which cuts through everything and reveals the

infinite beyond all forms.

 

Indra with her power of Vajra Vairochani / Prachanda Chandi / Chinnamasta cuts

a subtle knot that is between the skull and the head and ensures the free flow

of Kundalini through Sushumna. This cutting of the knot of skull and head is

represented in the figure of Chinnamasta which has severed head, and her two

powers Varnini and Dakini on either side. They are Ida and Pingala. When the

Head and Skull are cut asunder, the ascent of Kundalini is spontaneous through

Sushumna. This is called Kapala Bhedana.

 

Veda says it is this Indra along with Vajra Vairochani that moves in the Ether

making the sound “IM”. Indra is represented as “H”. Vajra Vairochani is Agni

which is represented as R. Both shine together is represented by “HR”. They

make the sound IM in the ether implies that they are of the form of HRIM in

Parama Akasa / Dahara Akasa.

 

It is this Maha Vajravairochani / Chinnamasta / Prachanda Chandi that is

symbolically represented in 2nd Rik of Durga Sukta. The Vairochani in this rik

is this Chinnamasta which is luminous and effulgent which is also the bestoyer

of the fruits of action.

 

There is a popular story of struggle of Indra and Vritrasura in purana.

Vritrasura denotes the obscure cloud that does not allow the light (knowledge)

to pass through. Indra slayes this Vritrasura through this Vajra (a weapon).

This Vajra is Vajra Vairochani that bestows the knowledge by slaying the

Vritrasura rupa Obscurity. This is the interpretation of Yaska Mahamuni and

Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni.

 

 

For further reference please see “Dasa Maha Vidyas Sutras” of Ganapati Muni.

 

This interpretation may not taste well to the traditional scholars of Advaita

Vedanta as they go by the pramana of Vidyaranya. Vidyaranya in making

interpretation of Durga Sukta took the pramana of " Vanadurga Kalpa " which he

refers in his commentary on this sukta.

 

With regards,

Sriram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save all your chat conversations. Find them online.

 

 

[Guest guest]

A quick note, though it is a little bit off the list's focus. Pranava

might not come explicitly in a Sukta in RV, but it is always there in

the prayoga forms of Rigveda mantras in Shrautakarm. They begin with

OM SHOM and end with making the last syllable OM. This is what the

Krishna Yajur Siksha call " OM SHOM iti shastrANI shamsanti "

 

I am not any expert in all this, I am only stating what I heard from

experts.

 

......

The ChinnamastA aShTottara has the names:

" vajravairochanI vajrA vajrakalpA cha DAkinI "

the name vairochani is most commonly used for ChinnamastA devI

 

RR

[Guest guest]

My humble half-or-less-educated observation:

 

The recognition of Pranva for what it stands for, or

more specifically, recognition one has indeed

navigated to the realms of Pranava level of

Consciousness came after Rg Vedic times. If Rg Vedic

times were considered to be exploration and scaling

the heights and swaths of

Consciousness, the post Rg Vedic periods can be

considered to be stablizing and assimilatory. In that

sense, use and application of Pranava was later to Rg

Veda.

 

Here, on one side Sri Sriram is talking about the

heights and swaths of Consciousness with respect to

Pranava (Rg Vedic) while Sri Rajvasishth is talking

about recognition, yoking (in a perceptible Mantra

form) of the assoiciated Power and application of that

Mantra (post-Rg Vedic).

 

I believe recognizing these two is very vital in

understanding more abstract explanations being given

by Sri Sriram, Sri Sangaranarayanan on one hand and

by the others on the other hand.

 

I would like to be corrected on this.

 

-gopal

 

 

--- rajita_rajvasishth

<rajita_rajvasishth wrote:

 

> A quick note, though it is a little bit off the

> list's focus. Pranava

> might not come explicitly in a Sukta in RV, but it

> is always there in

> the prayoga forms of Rigveda mantras in Shrautakarm.

> They begin with

[Guest guest]

namaste Sriram,

 

A) In your messages, when you make a reference to vidyAraNya's bhaashhya,

do you mean sAyana?

 

B) What is the full reference for the dasha mahaavidya work?

 

I thank you for taking your time to explain your understanding.

 

Ravi