Chapter 5 lessons

[Guest guest]

1. I learned from Chapter 5 to be grateful to the Sages and Seers who kept this work alive in the oral tradition, and then gave it form by writing it down, and especially to Swamiji for providing us with an updated translation to better our understanding.

 

2. The negative thoughts never give up, so ... perhaps I am confused. I thought Self Conceit and Self Deprecation had previously been slain. So does this chapter mean that the Sages and the Seers used repetition of the same story in order to teach us and impress upon us its importance? Or does it mean I am confused, and they weren't really killed before.

 

If the first is correct, and repetition is being used, then we are enabled to see that these thoughts are so tricky (and tantamount among the negative thoughts, are Self Conceit and Self Deprecation), that they keep coming to life and need to be slain by the Goddess once again? If I go by my own experience, I must be cautious not too prematurely assume that I have conquered a negative thought because they are the source of Trickiness and will show up again and again to test us. But if I take the example of the Goddess, I will simply, without fanfare, acknowledge their presence, and then walk away. If they don't give up, then I recall Durga, Kali, Saraswati, Laksmi ... all the forms of the Goddess ... to help me by yet again tearing apart thought and aiding in my freedom.

 

3. The Goddess is in everything, everything. This is another repeated theme. I am particularly struck that such care is taken, not simply to state this fact, but to restate it in a way that leaves no room for doubt. Not only is She in everything, and everything in Her, but She is the very form of everything. So when we look around at the mirrored reality, remembering this will help us from going awry.

 

This is one of my favorite chapters, and I love at the end of each enumerated form are the words, namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai, namo namah. I also very much like the part of the story where apparently Self Conceit and Self Deprecation were enjoying their spoils in great luxury, that two of their generals, Passion and Anger, come along to disrupt their enjoyment by tantalizing them with descriptions of what the Goddess is like ... "You should see Her," they exclaim. I wanted to fall over in laughter. This sounded like two high school kids coming around to the school bully and attempting to stir up trouble. And, of course, Passion and Anger were successful. Fortunately, She was generous in receiving them, while at the same time, seeing them for what they were, dismissing them, and finally, making a challenge. She would go with Self Conceit and Self Deprecation met her in battle and defeated Her. You would think once would be enough, but Noooooooooooooo, they had to ultimately have another go 'round.

 

Chandima ki jai!

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