Chandika Parameshwari Murthi Vaibhavam

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

This being the period of Navaratri, i thought of presenting a small article on

the

swarupa of the Chandika Devi that presides over " Devi Mahatmya " of Markandeya

Purana which is chanted by most of the devi worshippers during Navaratri

Festival. 

 

Shri Kavyakanta Ganapati Muni and Shri Kapala Sastry have wonderfully

interpreted the episode of slaying of Madhu/ Kaitabha, Mahishasura,

Dhumralochana, Chanda / Mundra, Rakthabija, Shumbha / Nishumbha from tantric

view. 

 

Shri Bhaskarananda Saraswati, hailing from the lineage of Shri Vasudevananda

Saraswati (Tembe Swamigal who authored Guru Charitra in Sanskrit) wrote

beautiful commentary on Devi Mahatmya whose manuscripts i possess which is

pregnant with Advaita Siddhanta. 

This i would present when i get free time. 

 

CHANDIKA PARAMESHWARI MURTHI RAHASYA

 

The Devi Mahatmyam or Sri Chandi Sapthasathi, which forms the core text in

Markandeya Purana which is revered by most of the Shaktas or Worshippers of

Divine Mother as Durga. Essentially Sri Chandi reflects on 3 cycles.  It

represents the evolution of spiritual aspirant towards the self realization, an

internal struggle for the communion with his Soul, the Mother Divine. During

this process of perfection, he encounters several barriers and bottlenecks in

the form of his Vasanas (mental tendencies) that come his way and make the path

obscure and quite difficult. Falling prey to these pleasures, he gets snared and

entangled in the phenomenal and mundane existence. He gets tired, dejected and

depressed. And during this hard times, that Mother comes in the form of Guru and

imparts the supreme knowledge and makes him aware of his divine self, and

infuses him with revitalized energy, stays beside him in his hardships, holds

his hand in the tortuous, thorny path and makes him realize his true Self which

is non-different from Her.

 

The three charitas of this Chandi Sapthasathi represent the gross, subtle,

causal bodies or the physical, mental and psychic bodies of the individual

aspirant who accompany him till he reaches the supreme goal. The Chandika

Parameshwari, who is non different from Supreme Brahman, is also the Maha Maya /

Adya Sakti/ Agni / Vaak that manifests itself in 3 forms as 3 Vyahritis. They

are Bhu, Bhuvah and Suvah which represent Prathama, Madhyama and Uttama

Charitras respectively. Agni, Vaayu and Surya are the deities that

represent these 3 cycles. The Chandi Sapthasathi, otherwise called “The Battle

of Life†is a chronicle of the battles fought between the Devi and the Divine

Forces on one side and Asuric, Anti-Divine Forces on the other. It is a great

sadhana shastra. Chandi denotes the sovereign queen of the supreme Brahman. The

word is derived from the root ‘ChaD’ means anger, which actually denote a

sense of extra-ordinary quality not limited by any standard or measure; “whom

even the Gods fear when he gets angry in battlesâ€, “through the fear of him

the wind blows, the sun rises, Indra, Agni, Death hasten their coursesâ€. So,

the

command of this Sovereign Queen instills fear in all the Gods and makes them

perform their respective duties. It is in this sense that the root ‘Cad’ is

used. Hence, the sruti says “Mahat Bhayam Vajramudyatam..â€. Here “Vajraâ€

denotes Brahma.

 

The word “Sapthasati†denotes the parable of 7 satis or matrikas. The

Prathama

Charitra extols 1) Kali 2) Tara 3) Chinnamasta 4) Sumukhi 5) Bhuvaneshwari 6)

Bala 7) Kubja respectively. The Madhyama Charitra extols 1) Lakshmi 2) Lalitha

3) Kali 4) Durga 5) Gayatri 6) Arundhati 7) Saraswati respectively. The Uttama

Charitra extols 1) Brahmi 2) Maheshwari 3) Kaumari 4) Vaishnavi 5) Varahi 6)

Mahendri 7) Chamunda respectively. If we take these 21 devi as a whole in

samasti rupa, 1) Nanda 2) Satakshi 3) Sakambari 4) Bhima 5) Rakthadantika 6)

Durga 7) Brahamari Devis are euologized respectively.  These 7 samasti devis

are called Saptha-Sathis.

 

THE MURTHI RAHASYA OF CHANDI

 

MULAPRAKRITI / CHANDI

 

This Chandi is the Mula Prakriti having 4 hands with weapons 1) Matulinga

fruit (a kind of sweet lime with seeds inside) 2) Gada (Mace) 3) Khetaka

(shield) 4) Pana / Madhu Patra. She wear a crown having Naga, Linga and Yoni

over it. Matulinga denotes that she is karma phala pradatri, Gada denotes her

Kriya rupa Vikshepa Sakti, Khetaka denotes Jnana sakti and Pana Patra denotes

her Turiya Vritti. She is also called “Maha Lakshmi†(not the 18-handed

Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita). Linga is Purusha, Yoni is Prakrit and Naga

denotes the Time (Kala). This implies that she is beyond Prakrit, Purusha and

Time. She is the Parasakti that transcends the 3 dimensions. This is the

Avyakta Swarupa of Brahma which is without any Nama, Rupa. This Chandi is the

Upaasya Devata of the entire Sapthasathi. This is the Samasti Rupa of Mahakali

of Prathama Charita, Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita and Mahasaraswathi of

Uttama Charita.

 

The Dhyana sloka for this Mula Prakriti / Chandi is :

 

“Sarvaadhyaam Agunaam Alakshya Vapusham Vyaapyakhilam Samsthithaam

Lakshyaam Cha Trigunaatmikaam Kanakaabham Hemaadibhushaanvitaam

Bijapura Gade Cha Khetaka Suraapaatre Karaih Bhibhratim

Yonim Lingamahim cha murdhni dadhatim Chandim Bhaje Chinamayeemâ€

 

The above dhyana sloka exactly fits the murthi dhyana of Mahalakshmi of

Kolhapur at Maharashtra.  Kolhapur Mahalakshmi in Her 4 hands holds Matulinga,

Gada, Khetaka & Pana Patra and on her crown holds Naga, Linga & Yoni.

 

MAHAKALI

 

When, this Avyakta Brahma rupa Mahalakshmi which is Triguna (of three qualities

in saamya avastha) decides to become many ie, “Bahusyaam Prajayeya..â€, then

comes her Tamo Guna Pradhana form of Maha Kali with 4 arms. She has 4 arms

holding 1) Khadga (sword) 2) Pana Patra 3) Severed Head 4) Shield. The dhyana

sloka is “Sa bhinnanjana sankaasa damstramkita varaanana, vishala lochana

naari babhuva tanumandhyama, khadga paatra sirah khetaih alamkrita chaturbhuja,

kabandhahaaram sirasa bhibhrana hi sirah srajamâ€. 

 

This 4-armed Mahakali is the Source of the 10-armed Mahakali which is the

presiding deity of prathama charitra (1st episode).  It is this 10-armed Kali

that kills the demons Madhu & Kaitabha.  It is this 10-armed Kali whom the

Brahma extolls as Yoganidra and Mahamaya.

 

From the tantric view point, the hands of the devatas denote their respective

functions that philosphically represent their functional aspects. The functions

of the 10-handed Mahakali (Presiding Deity of Prathama Charitra) as described in

the *Pradhanika Rahasya* of Chandi Sapthasathi:

 

1) To delude the devatas 2) To help Mahakala at the time of Pralaya 3) To

Dissolve Brahma at the time of Mahapralaya 4) To create Hunger 5) To create

Thirst 6) To create Sleep 7) To create Desire 8) To perform Dushta Sikshana 9)

To make the Mahavishnu sleep at the time of Mahapralaya before the start of new

creation 10) Not letting the devatas to know Her *True Nature* and hence

duratyayA.

 

MAHASARASWATHI

 

Now, from the above mentioned 4-armed Mahalakshmi, with Sattva Guna Pradhana,

4-armed Mahasaraswathi came forth. She holds 1) Aksha Mala 2) Ankusa 3) Vina 4)

Pushtaka in her 4 arms. The dhyana sloka is “Akshamaala Amkusa Dhara Vina

Pushtakadharini….â€. This 4-armed Sattva Guna Pradhana Mahasaraswathi is the

source of origin the 8-handed Mahasaraswathi which is presiding deity for the

Uttama Charita.

 

It is to be noted that the devata " Kausiki " mentioned in 5th chapter of Uttama

Charita that emanated from Gauri / Parvati is non-different from 8-handed

Mahasaraswati which presides over the Uttama Charita.  This Kausiki is also

called " Kalika " . From this “Kalika†shakti, “Kali†shakti

originated.  This “Kali†in 7th chapter, kills the two demons Chanda and

Munda.   Chanda & Mundra denote mulAvidya & tUlAidya that are annihilated by

chamunda.  Many scholars have interpreted Chanda & Munda differently as per

their own sampradaya.

 

So, Mahakali, Kalika and Kali all three are different aspects. Mahakali is the

presiding deity of Prathama charita; Kalika is the Kausiki Devi that manifested

from Parvathi and Kali, which gets manifested from the anger of Kausiki (Kalika)

does the chanda-munda samhara.

 

The functions of the 8-handed Mahasaraswathi (Presiding Deity of Uttama

Charitra) As per the Tantra, there are 8 bondages / chains which bind the soul.

 

These 8 bondages arise from Asmita (I-ness) and Mamakara (Possessiveness). These

bondages are 1) Ghrina (Hate) 2) Lajja (Shame) 3) Bhaya (Fear) 4) Shankaa

(Doubt) 5) Jugupsaa (Reproach) 6) Kula Abhimana (Caste) 7) Jaati (Creed) 8)

Sheela (Modesty).

 

Any consciousness which is bound by these 8 bondages is called

Jiva and the Consciousness that is free from all these chains is called Sadasiva

(Universal consciousness). The Chapter 8 of Sapthasathi describes allegorically

these 8 types of bondages. They are given below: 1) Hatred is depicted by Asura

Udayudha 2) Shame is depicted by Asura Kambu 3) Fear is depicted by Asura

Kotivirya 4) Doubt is depicted by Asura Dhaumra 5) Reproach is depicted by

Kalaka 6) Caste is depicted by Asura Dauhadri 7) Creed is depicted by the Asura

Kalkeya 8) Modesty is depicted by the Asura Maurya.

 

These 8 types of demons are under the control of Shumbha and Nishumbha that

are Asmitha (I-ness) and Mamakara (Possessiveness).

 

Mahasaraswathi severs these 8 pasas / bondages with the help of her 8 aspects

of Vidya Vrittis of Ashta (8) Matrikas and grants the swa-swarupa jnana. She

manifests these 8 vidya vrittis, each vidya vritti severing each of the Pasa /

bondage.

 

Thus, Her 8 hands and the weapons she holds are meant to sever the 8 bondages.

Her 8 vidya murtis or 8 matrikas are: 1) Brahmi 2) Maheshwari 3) Kaumari 4)

Vaishnavi 5) Varahi 6) Narasimhi 7) Indrani 8) Chamunda

 

Unless, these 8 bonds are severed, the sense of I-ness and My-ness that are

Shumbha and Nishumbha (these qualities are the two sides of same coin and hence

they are brothers) would be conquered, which is a barrier to become Siva

Swarupa.

 

MAHALAKSHMI

 

Now, it is to be noted that this 4-armed Mahalakshmi herself with her own Rajo

Guna remains as Mahalakshmi. The 18-handed Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita which

is the Rajo Guna Swarupa contains in her both the aspects of Tamogunaatmika

Mahakali of 10 hands and Sattvagunaatmika Mahasaraswathi of 8 hands.

 

The Functions of 18-handed Mahalakshmi (Presiding Deity of Madhyama Charitra)

 

The 18 hands of the Mahalakshmi denotes that She presides over these 18 chitta

vrittis ie.,  1) Buddhi 2) Nidra 3) Kshudha 4) Chaaya 5) Sakthi 6) Trishna 7)

Kshanti 8) Jaati 9) Lajja 10) Shanti 11) Sraddha 12) Kaanti 13) Lakshmi 14)

Vritti 15) Smriti 16) Daya 17) Tushti 18) Bhranti respectively..

 

These 18 manifestations are the 18 chitta vrittis of the Jiva. The detailed

reference of these manifestations are reflected in 5th chapter of Uttama

Charita. 

 

These also form the avarana devatas in the ShaTkoNa ChanDi Yantra and are duly

worshipped as a part of chanDi navAvaraNa archana.

 

Wishing you a happy & blissful navaratri....

 

With regards,

Sriram

 

 

Now, send attachments up to 25MB with India Mail. Learn how.

http://in.overview.mail./photos