[Advaita-l] Vaikrtika rahasya -- the mystery of the transformations

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

|| atha vaikR^itikarahasyam.h ||

R^iShirovAcha |

"The sage said,"

triguNA tAmasI devI sAtvikI yA tridhoditA |
sA sharvA chaNDikA durgA bhadrA bhagavatIryate || 1 ||

"The Goddess of the form of the three Gunas tamasic to sattvic[1] is 
threefold.  She is known as Sharva[2], Chandika[3], Durga[4], Bhadra[5], 
and Bhagavati[6]."

[1] tamas, rajas, and sattva

[2] The wife of Sharva "the bowman" a name of Shiva

[3] fierce

[4] unassailable

[5] noble

[6] feminine of Bhagavan

yoganidrA hareruktA mahAkAlI tamoguNA |
madhukaitabhanAshArthaM yAM tuShTAvAmbujAsanaH || 2 ||

The yogic sleep of Hari is said to be Mahakali of tamas guna,
in order to kill Madhu and Kaitabha She was praised by the lotus-seated 
one.[7]"

[7] Brahma.  The story of the slaying of Madhu and Kaitabha is the 
prathama charita (first story) comprising chapter 1 of the Devi Mahatmya.

dashavaktrA dashabhujA dashapAdA~njanaprabhA |
vishAlayA rAjamAnA triMshallochanamAlayA || 3 ||

"She has ten faces, ten arms, ten feet and shines like kajal[8].  Her 
countenance is made beautiful by the series of 30 eyes."

[8] collyrium which is black.

sphuradashanadaMShTrAbhA bhImarUpApi bhUmipa |
rUpasaubhagyakAntInAM sA pratiShThA mahAshriyAm.h || 4 ||

"Even though her sharp teeth glitter and her form is terrible to behold 
oh king, in her form is established the good fortune and beauty of 
Mahashri[9] Herself."

[9] i.e. Mahalakshmi

khaDgabANagadAshUlasha~NkhachakrabhushuNDibhR^it.h |
parighaM kArmukaM shIrShaM nishchotadrudhiraM dadhau || 5 ||

"A sword, arrow, mace, trident, sudarshan chakra, conch, bhushundi[10], She 
has [in Her ten arms], and an iron club, bow, and a severed head dripping 
blood are carried."

[10] This is an interesting word.  It means an explosive weapon.  A gun?

eShA sA vaishNavI mAyA mahAkAlI duratyayA |
aarAdhitA vashIkuryatpUjAkartushcharAcharam.h || 6 ||

"She is the maya of Vishnu, Mahakali hard to conquer.  When worshipped She 
makes the performer of Her puja ruler over all that moves and is still."

sarvadevasharIrebhyo yAvirbhUtAmitaprabhA |
triguNA sA mahAlakShmIH sAkShAnmahiShamardinI || 7 ||

"Who came from the bodies of all the Devas shining with unimaginable 
splendor[11] Mahalakshmi of three gunas in their presence slew Mahishasura."

[11] The description of the formation of the Goddess from the energies of 
all the Gods is described in chapter 2 of the Devi Mahatmya.  The slaying 
of Mahishasura is the madhyama charita ("middle story") comprising 
chapters 2 - 4 of the Devi Mahatmya.

shvetAnanA nIlabhujA sushvetastanamaNDalA |
raktamadhyA raktapAdA nIlaja~NghorurunmadA || 8 ||

"[She has] a white head, blue-black arms, pale white breasts, red waist, 
red feet, blue-black thighs and buttocks. She appears intoxicated.

suchitrajaghanA chitramAlyAmbaravibhUShaNA |
chitrAnulepanA kAntirUpasaubhAgyashAlinI || 9 ||

"Her lap is very beautiful and beautiful are her necklaces, clothes, and 
ornaments. She wears beautiful ornaments.  She embodies desire, form, and 
auspiciousness."

aShTAdashabhujA pUjyA sA sahasrabhujA satI |
aayudhAnyatra vakShyante dakShiNAdhaHkarakramAt.h || 10 ||

"As eighteen-armed worship Her though She has one thousand[12] arms.  I shall 
describe the weapons [carried] there in order from the lowest left hand."

[12] i.e. an infinite number

akShamAlA cha kamalaM baNo.asiH kulishaM gadA |
chakraM trishUlaM parashUH sha~Nkho ghaNTA cha pAshakaH || 11 ||

"A rudraksha mala, lotus, and arrow are there and sword, vajra, mace, 
sudarshana chakra, trident, axe, conch, bell, and noose."

shaktirdaNDashcharma chApaM pAnapAtraM kamaNDaluH |
alaMkR^itabhujAmebhirAyudhaiH kamalAsanAm.h || 12 ||

"shakti[13], staff, shield and bow, drinking vessel and water pot.  She 
whose arms are adorned with with these weapons is seated upon a lotus."

[13] the word actually means power but here it is used in the sense of 'a 
spear'.

sarvadevamayImIshAM mahAlakShmImimAM nR^ipa |
pUjayetsarvadevAnAM salokAnAM prabhurbhavet || 13 ||

"The Lady who is composed of all the Gods is Mahalakshmi oh king.  One 
should worship Her to become lord over all Gods and worlds."

gaurIdehAtsamudbhUtA yA satvaikaguNAshrayA |
sAkShAt.h sarasvatI proktA shumbhAsuranibarhiNI || 14 ||

"She who was born from the body of Gauri relying only on the sattva guna,
she is verily Sarasvati who is the overthrower of Shumbhasura."[14]

[14] The story of the slaying of Shumbha and Nishumbha is the uttara 
charita ("final story") comprising chapters 5 - 13 of the Devi Mahatmya.

dadhau chaShTabhujA bANamusale shUlachakrabhR^it.h |
sha~NkhaM ghaNTAM lA~NgalaMcha kArmukaM vasudhAdhipa || 15 ||

"In her eight arms are an arrow, pestle, trident and Sudarshana chakra, 
conch, bell, plow, and bow oh king."

eShA saMpUjitA bhaktyA sarvaGYatvaM prayachchhati |
nishumbhamathanI devI shumbhAsuranibarhiNI || 16 ||

"By worshipping Her with bhakti, She grants omniescence. This Goddess is 
the slayer of Nishumbhasura, the overthrower of Shumbhasura."

ityuktAni svarUpANi mUrtInAM tava pArthiva |
upAsanaM jaganmAtuH pR^ithagAsAM nishAmaya || 17 ||

"Thus the forms of the murtis have been described to you oh king.  Now I 
shall explain to you the worship of the Mother of the Universe in each 
individual form."

mahAlakShmIryadA pUjyA mahAkAlI sarasvatI |
dakShiNottarayoH pUjye pR^iShTato mithunatrayam.h || 18 ||

"When Mahalakshmi is worshipped along with Mahakali and [Maha]saraswati,
they should be worshipped to the right and left of Her respectively and 
behind them the three pairs..."

viri~nchiH svarayA madhye rudro gauryA cha dakShiNe |
vAme lakShmyA hR^iShikeshaH purato devatAtrayam.h || 19 ||

"...Virinchi[15] and Svara[16] in the middle, Rudra[17] and Gauri to their 
right and Lakshmi and Hrshikesha[18] to their left respectively, the three 
Goddesses in the front."

[15] i.e. Brahma

[16] i.e. Sarasvati

[17] i.e. Shiva

[18] i.e. Vishnu.

aShTAdashabhujA madhye vAme chAsyA dashAnanA |
dakShiNe.aShTabhujA lakShmIrmahatIti samarchayet.h || 20 ||

"The eighteen-armed in the middle, to Her left the ten-headed, and to Her 
right the eight-armed, Mahalakshmi should be worshipped as the principal 
deity."

Here is a diagram (it will look best in a fixed space font) of the layout 
mentioned in the last three shlokas drawn from the worshippers 
perspective.

+-------+-------+    +--------+-----------+    +--------+---------+
| Shiva | Gauri |    | Brahma | Sarasvati |    | Vishnu | Lakshmi |
+-------+-------+    +--------+-----------+    +--------+---------+
|  ten-headed   |    |   eighteen-armed   |    |   eight-armed    |
|   Mahakali    |    |     Mahalakshmi    |    |  Mahasarasvati   |
+-------------=-+    +--------------------+    +------------------+

aShTAdashabhujA chaiShA yadA pUjyA narAdhipa |
dashAnanA chAShTabhujA dakShiNottarayostadA || 21 ||

"When the eighteen-armed only is worshipped oh king, or only the 
ten-headed, or only the eight-armed then to the left and right..."

kAlamR^itryU cha saMpUjyau sarvAriShTaprashAntaye |
yadA chAShTabhujA pUjyA shumbhAsuranibarhiNI || 22 ||

"...Kala[19] and Mrtyu[20] should also be worshipped in order to remove all 
obstacles.  When the eight-armed is worshipped, the overthrower of 
Shumbhasura..."

[19] time

[20] death

navAsyAH shaktayaH pUjyAstathA rudravinAyakau |
namo devyA iti stotrairmahAlakShmIM samarchayet.h || 23 ||

"...the nine shaktis[21] should also be worshipped, along with Rudra 
and Vinayaka[22].  Mahalakshmi should be worshipped with the stotra 'Namo 
devyai'[23]"

[21] nine Durgas namely: Brahmi, Maheshvari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, 
Nrsimhi, Aindri, Shivaduti, and Chamunda.

[22] i.e. Ganesh

[23] The Devisukta from chapter 5 of the Devi Mahatmya.

avatAratrayArchAyAM stotramantrAstadAshrayAH |
aShTAdashabhujA chaiShA pUjyA mahiShamardinI || 24 ||

"In the worship of the three avataras, the stotras and mantras should be 
employed.  The eighteen-armed slayer of Mahishasura is the principal 
deity."

mahAlakShmIrmahAkAlI saiva proktA sarasvatI |
ishvarI puNyapApAnAM sarvalokamaheshvari || 25 ||

"She is called Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and [Maha]sarasvati.  She is the
ruler of punya[24] and papa[25] and the great ruler of all the worlds."

[24] virtue

[25] sin

mahiShAntakarI yena pUjitA sa jagatprabhuH |
pUjayejjagatAM dhAtrIM chaNDikAM bhaktavatsalAm.h || 26 ||

"Whoever worships the finisher of Mahishasura becomes Lord of the world, 
thus one should worship Chandika, who loves her bhaktas, as the support of 
the world..."

arghyAdibhirala~NkArairgandhapuShpaistathAkShataiH |
dhUpairdIpaishcha naivedyairnAnAbhakShyasamanvitaiH || 27 ||

"...with arghya[26] etc. ornaments, fragrant flowers, incense and lamps, 
niveda[27] of all kinds of edible things..."

[26] water offering

[27] food offering

rudhirAktena balinA mAMsena surayA nR^ipa |
praNAmAchamanIyena chandanena sugandhinA || 28 ||

"...with a blood sacrifice, meat, wine[28] oh king, prostration, 
achamana[29], sweet smelling chandan[30]..."

[28] meat and wine are only used in the Vamachari or left-handed tantric 
path which is contrary to the Vedas.  In the Dakshinachari or right-handed 
path, symbolic substitutes are used.

[29] water for purification

[30] sandalwood

sakarpUraischa tAmbUlairbhaktibhAvasamanvitaiH |
vAmabhAge.agrato devyAshchhinnashIrShaM mahAsuraM || 29 ||

"...and with karpur[31] and tambul[32], and the feeling of bhakti.  In 
front, to the left, the great asura beheaded by the Goddess...

[31] camphor

[32] betelnut

pUjyenmahiShaM yena prAptaM sAyujyamIshayA |
dakShiNe purataH siMhaM samagraM dharmamIshvaram.h || 30 ||

"Mahisha should be worshipped who achieved oneness with the Lady[33]. And 
to the right the lion who is is the symbol of all dharma and posesses 
lordliness..."

[33] Although he was a sinner and enemy of the Goddess, Mahishasuras total 
obsession with her was like a kind of meditation so that by coming into 
Her presence he achieved moksha.

vAhanaM pUjyedevyA dhR^itaM yena charAcharam.h |
yaH kuryAt.h prayato dhImAMstasyA ekAgramAnasaH || 31 ||

"...the vehicle [of the Goddess] should be worshipped who is the support 
of all that is moving and still.  All this should be done with devotion 
and single pointed concentration."

Putting the information from the last few shlokas together, these are the 
layouts for the individual worship of each devi.

+-------+----------------+-------+
| Kala  |   ten-headed   | Mrtyu |
|       |    Mahakali    |       |
+-------+----------------+-------+

+------+-----------------+-------+
|      | eighteen-handed |       |
| Kala |   Mahalakshmi   | Mrtyu |
+      +---------+-------+       +
|      | Mahisha | Simha |       |
+------+---------+-------+-------+

+-------+---------------+--------+
|       | eight-handed  |        |
| Kala  | Mahasarasvati |  Mrtyu |
+-------+---------------+--------+
| Shiva |   Navadurga   | Ganesh |
+-------+---------------+--------+

tataH kR^itA~njalirbhUtvA stuvIta charitairimaiH |
ekena vA madhyamena naikenetarayoriha || 32 ||

"Then with salutations, one should recite the three charitas. or with the 
madhyama charita but not the other two alone."

charitArdhaM tu na japejjapa.NshchchhadramavApnuyAt.h |
pradakShiNA namaskArAn.h kR^itvA mUrdhni kR^itA~njaliH || 33 ||

"one should not stop in the middle of a charita.  This would cause a 
breach in the recitation.  Then with pradakshina, salutation, and bowing 
the head to the ground..."

kShamApayejjagaddhAtrIM muhurmuhuratandritaH |
pratishlokaM cha juhuyAt.h pAyasaM tilasarpiShA || 34 ||

"...one should ask the Support of the World for forgiveness time and time 
again.  With each shloka, sacrifice a mixture of milk, sesame and ghee 
[into fire.]"

juhuyAtstotramantrairvA chaNDikAyai shubhaM haviH |
namonamaHpadairdevIM pUjayetsusamAhitaH || 35 ||

"or with each mantra of the stotras sacrifice to Chandika the auspicious 
offering[34].  With the verses 'Namonamah'[35] the Goddess should be 
worshipped."

[34] the mixture mentioned in the previous shloka

[35] Another reference to the devisukta in the 5th chapter of the Devi 
Mahatmya.

prayataH prA~njaliH prahvaH praNamyAropya chAtmani |
suchiraM bhAvayedIshAM chaNDikAM tanmayo bhavet.h || 36 ||

"One should be disciplined, saluting reverently, humble and withdrawn in 
ones self, meditating on Lady Chandika for a long time becoming filled 
with her presence."

evaM yah pUjayedbhaktyA pratyahaM parameshvarIm.h |
bhuktvA kAmAn.h yathAkAmaM devIsAyujyamApnuyAt.h || 37 ||

"Thus worshipping with devotion the Supreme Ruler, one obtains all desires 
and then oneness with the Goddess."

yo na pUjayate nityaM chaNDikAM bhaktavatsalAm.h |
bhasmIkR^ityAsya puNyAni nirdahetparameshvarI || 38 ||

"One who does not worship Chandika daily with the spirit of devotion finds 
his punya turned to ashes, burnt up by the Supreme ruler."

tasmAt.h pUjaya bhUpAla sarvalokamaheshvarIm.h |
yathoktena vidhAnena chaNDikAM sukhamApsyasi || 39 ||

"Therefore worship oh king the Great Ruler of All Worlds Chandika with the 
procedure described above and you will attain happiness"

|| iti vaikR^itikarahasyam.h ||

"Thus ends the mystery of the transformations."

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>