to All: Chandi Kavach question

[Guest guest]

Namaste all: in verses 9 and 10 the buffalo, bull, elephant, and

peacock are mentioned. Please explain the significance of each

animal, and how they relate to human evolution. I am especially

puzzled by the buffalo since the ego later changes into a buffalo.

 

Jai Ma Jai Swami

 

vishweshwar

[Guest guest]

Hi Vish,

 

I look forward to Swamiji's response (I assume he will be giving

one...), but in the meantime, I have been giving a lot of thought to

this first section of the kavach, which seems to me to be filled with

hints of deeper meanings.

 

In relation to the Mother's and their vahanas the animals are always

paired with a divine quality, which is paired with a Mother exhibiting

a specific divine quality as well, and these, as you know, represent

stages in our trek toward divinity. I think the vahanas represent the

manifestation of the corresponding Mother's divine quality in the

material world, specifically in the individual sadhaka. Just as the

Devi and Her vahana are in relationship, I see the relationship

between the two qualities as a circular one where the quality paired

with the vahana both sustains and is sustained by the quality

personified by the Mother.

 

Take the example you mentioned, the Buffalo of Perseverance and She

who is The Most Excellent Desire of Union. If you insert the words " is

manifested by " between the quality of the Mother and the quality of

the vahana, it is easy to see the relationship: The Most Excellent

Desire of Union " is manifested by " Perseverance (and visa versa). The

animal, I think is intended to represent qualities most congruent with

the primary quality, ie. the buffalo is strong and patient and gentle,

able to plod along under great loads forever.

 

I think in terms of the stages of attainment, it is the qualities of

the Mothers that are significant as attainments, and the qualities of

the vahanas, as carriers, support and sustain them (though as I said

before I think the relationship is more circular than that).

 

There are ten of these Mothers paired with a vahana, in all, but

something about the two in verse 11 makes me think they are to be

considered separately. First is that the Goddess of Supreme Energy's

vahana is the same as the vahana of the Energy of the Great Seer of

All (vs. 10). This suggests to me that the Mothers are also the same,

or that the text is describing two different sets of Mothers/qualities

(I'll clarify in a minute). Also, this is the only verse that provides

a description of a Mother, as if saying, " This is how you visualize

Her " . Then there is the Creative Energy, which is paired with a method

of sadhana and " displaying all ornaments " .

 

This grouping of the Mothers is not entirely clear to me, and probably

won't be until I encompass all of the stages, but it is clear that

they are different than the Nine Durgas, though I'm not entirely clear

about just how they are different. Anyway, this is the direction I'm

tending right now. The Nine Durgas describe the stages of sadhana, or

practice (actually the removal of difficulties in stages of sadhana).

The Mothers and their vahanas describe the progress of kundalini

shakti, the Supreme Energy, as stages of accomplishment, or

attainments, described by the various qualities.

 

Looked at this way, the first Mother, Chamunda, the Slayer of Passion

and Anger represents the first almost violent awakening of kundalini,

standing on the corpse of Inert Consciousness, representing the almost

complete loss of reason resulting from the mind being overwhelmed by

the power of Her shakti, and representing the lower chakras.

 

The second, we have already discussed, except that it could represent

the lower-middle chakras. The third, the Energy of the Rule of the

Pure " manifested by " the elephant of Universal Love, relates to the

heart level. The Energy which Pervades All, carried by the bird of

brilliant luster, I think corresponds to the beauties of akasha, which

is, as I understand, the finest form of " matter " , the ground upon

which the universe exists, the medium in which all of creation

vibrates with life. Akasha is the element of vishuddha chakra (the

throat center). The fifth, the Energy of the Great Seer of All could

refer to the ajna chakra, the " third eye " , which represents the

boundary between the manifest and the unmanifest - the level at which

savikalpa samadhi happens. The sixth, the Ever Pure One, carried by

the peacock of beauty, represents, I think, the purity samadhi leaves

behind it. The experience of divine consciousness purifies the mind

heart and senses so that the beauty of divinity characterizes

everything. The seventh, the Goddess of Wealth, abides in peace,

desiring nothing.

 

Somewhere in here is the crossing from savikalpa samadhi to the

ultimate purity and wealth of nirvikalpa samadhi. The Goddess Beloved

of Consciousness (the eighth), I think, represents this latter state.

She holds a lotus in Her hand representing the ultimate attainment,

the totality of the path, fulfilled.

 

Now we come to the final two, the ninth and tenth, or, as I'm tending

to think, two separate examples meant to place the previous eight into

a certain context.

 

" Pure white is the form of the Goddess, Supreme Energy, carried by the

bull of discipline.. " Kundalini is sometimes referred to as the

supreme energy, or shakti, and often described as being a white light

as brilliant as lightening, or a thousand suns. Her rising requires

disciplined sadhana - even if She is awakened by the guru (as I

understand).

 

Then we are told that by controlling the breath we can attain even the

creative shakti of Brahma, as well as " all ornaments " , which could

refer to all the previous qualities of the other Mothers. Breath

control, as far as I know, is the primary means of awakening and

raising kundalini shakti.

 

I don't know, I may be wrong about all this. After all, the text does

say, " ...all connected in succession in the path of union... " I'm

uncertain of the traditional relationship of Ishvara/Ishvari to

Kundalini, or why She should be " above " Lakshmi and the Goddess

beloved of Consciousness, if it is strictly linear.

 

Well, anyway, that's my thinking about this important section so far.

I know it's a lot of verbiage. I hope I didn't bore you too badly!

 

Jai Maa!

Chris

 

 

 

 

 

, " inspectionconnection108 "

<inspectionconnection108 wrote:

>

> Namaste all: in verses 9 and 10 the buffalo, bull, elephant, and

> peacock are mentioned. Please explain the significance of each

> animal, and how they relate to human evolution. I am especially

> puzzled by the buffalo since the ego later changes into a buffalo.

>

> Jai Ma Jai Swami

>

> vishweshwar

>

[Guest guest]

I think that sit on the buffalo means that if we persevere in our practice one day arrive to the union with the divinity. If we are Pure beings, we love all universal. If we can feel the presence of the divine energy we fell like a bird

Abra sua conta no Mail, o único sem limite de espaço para armazenamento!

[Guest guest]

Peace to you Vish!

 

Just as we are all sacred energy, God's animal creatures are composed

of sacred energy too. Here is an interesting website that describes

the spiritual (totem) energies of animals, birds and reptiles and some

insects. I think you might find the descriptions quite fascinating in

light of scripture.

 

http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm

 

respectfully,

sal.

 

, " inspectionconnection108 "

<inspectionconnection108 wrote:

>

> Namaste all: in verses 9 and 10 the buffalo, bull, elephant, and

> peacock are mentioned. Please explain the significance of each

> animal, and how they relate to human evolution. I am especially

> puzzled by the buffalo since the ego later changes into a buffalo.

>

> Jai Ma Jai Swami

>

> vishweshwar

>