Namasivaya

File1: 24.03.2005

²ÌÌæ zù ÌÊ ¡ô·þ úÕ

Introduction When Rathor mentioned about Tripurasundari, I heard something that I was looking for and so now at this hour, this work I wanted to start a little later, I am beginning seeking Her blessings. Yesterday it was Magha nakshatra - celebrated as Parvati's birth day in many ancient temples and today it is Purvaphalguni nakshatra when Siva killed Kamadeva who tried to disturb his penance. Why and for what Siva did penance? People can have such doubts. When Kalidasa wrote Kumarasambhavam, he wrote with great genius -

tÌwÌÌÍOÌî ÌÌ ÌÌ Ì ²ÌÍ Ìt²ÌÍ ÌzÆù ÌÉ ²¥Ì Ìâ¥Ì ÌÜt ÌÊ tÌ ú Ì®õ ÌÜÏuÌ: ²¥Ì ÌÉ Í¥Ì ÌÌtÌÌ tÌ Ì²Ì: ò¡ôÌ ÌÌÉ Fâò ÌÌÍ Ì FòÌ Ìâ Ì tÌ Ì©ÌZÌÌ ú (1.57) Ashtamurthy who is the bestower of blessings to all, with sacred woods, lighted the fire - one of his 8 forms and then aspiring for something did penance...

One who is a devotee of Siva cannot forget Kalidasa- see how Kalidasa wrote the reply of Parvati to Siva in disguise who was advising her not to spoil her life and beauty for the beggar riding over the bull in graveyards -

+ÎFòZÌ Ì: ²ÌÉ Ìë Ì¥Ì: ²Ì ²Ì ÌzùÌÉ ÍwÌ¡ôÌâFò ÌÌyÌ: Í ÌtÌß²Ìc ÌOÌÌâZÌ ú: ²Ì ÌÕ Ì ü Ì: Í¨Ì¥Ì <t ÌÙzùÕ ÌÊtÌâ Ì ²ÌÑ tÌ ÌÌyÌÌ Æúty ÌÍ¥Ìzù: Í Ì ÌÌÍFò Ì: See the beautiful reply of Parvati -

"Even if He is a beggar, He is source of all riches, Even though He lives and roams in the graveyard He owns the three worlds, Even if He is ugly he is Siva bestower of grace - few in this world knows the truth about Pinaki"

Í¥Ì ÌÜ­ÌsÌÌât Ì̲ ÌÍ Ì Ì Ì ÌÌâÍOÌ ¥ÌÌ OÌ`ÌÌÍ`Ì ÌÌ¡ÉôÍ Ì zÙùFÜò¡ô ÌÌÍ ú ¥ÌÌ Fò ÌÌÍ¡ô ¥ÌÌ ² ÌÌzùyÌ ZÌ ù¨ÌâLÌ Éú Ì Í¥Ì«Ì ÌÜ ÆúuÌâ ú¥Ì ÌÌ ÌÊtÌâ ¥Ì ÌÙ: "He may appear clad in rich tapestry and ornaments, He may wear the snakes or the skin of elephant and may hold the skull or wear the Moon on his head - none can dictate any body shape or uniform for the Lord of the Universe" (Siva is called as

Visvamurthy here) In describing Sati's quitting of the body, Kalidasa wrote -

...zùK̲ Ì Fò ÌÌ Ì¥Ì ÌÜ Æú¥¥Ì ÌvÌÕ ²ÌtÌÕ

²ÌtÌÕ ÌÌâOÌ̲ͥÌß®õzâù·þÌ... she quitted her body by Yoga. In Siva's advice as Bhikshu in disguise, He says - ¨Ì úÕ ú ÌÌ É LÌ¡Ùô Ì ÌʲÌÌ Ì ÌÉ (5.33) - one has to maintain the physical body as it is most crucial in following Dharma. Kalidasa's great love for Siva and Karttikeya is reflected in Meghadut- He says to the cloud -

ÌtÌÙÊ: Fòslö\ôÍ¥ÌÍ úÍtÌ OÌsÌæ: ²ÌÌzù Éú ¥ÌÕK Ì ÌÌsÌ: ÌÙs ÌÉ ÌÌ ÌÌÍµÌ ÌÙ¥Ì ÌOÌÙ úÌâ Æú ÌÌ ÌZÌsn÷Õ«Ì ú² Ì ÜtÌÌâ Ì ÌÉ FÙò¥Ì¡ô Ì ú`ÌÌâOÌÌ ÌÍ ÌOÌÊ Ì¥Ìt ÌÌ ²tÌÌâ ÌFêòÕn÷ÌÍ Ì útÌ ÌÙ¥ÌÍtÌ´ÌÌ ÌÍtÌHæò ÌÊ ûÍ ù: (1.36) "As you approach Ujjain, the Bhutas of Siva may look upon you as the shadow of Siva's blueneck and there you must visit the sacred spot of the 'tribhuvana-Guru' MoolaChandeesvara...You can know Ujjain by the smell of flowers and the scented wind blowing from Gandhavati river..."

+ Ì ÌѲ Ì ÌÆ `Ì¡ô Ì ú Ì·þÌFòÌ¡ô Ì̲ÌÌ FòÌ¡âô ²yÌÌtÌ¥ ÌÉ tÌâ Ì Ì ÌÍ¥Ì­Ì ÌÉ ÌÌ¥Ìzùt ÌâÍtÌ ÌÌ ÌÙ: FÙò¥ÌÊ ÌÆ ²Ì ÌÌ ÌÍ¡ô Ìhõ·þtÌÌÉ ¨ÌÜÍ¡ô Ì: ªôÌQÌ ÌÕ ÌÌ ÌÌ Ì ùÌsÌÌÉ ò¡ô ÌÍ¥ÌFò¡Éô ¡ô ² ̲Ìâ OÌÏaÌtÌÌ ÌÌÉ "O' Jala-dhara (i.e. water bearer or cloud), when you reach the sannidhi of Mahakala, if it is not the dusk hours of puja, wait there till the sunsets and sandhya arrives. For the evening arati of Sankara, add splendour with your magnificent and musical thunder and receive His grace in full" Devagiri is 60 KM southwest of Jhansi -

tÌwÌ ²Fò zÉù Í Ì Ìt̥̲ÌÎtÌ ÌÙ­ Ì ÌâQÌÕFßòtÌÌt ÌÌ ÌÙ­ Ì̲ÌÌ æú: ´Ì Ì ÌtÌ٠̥ÌÌ ¥ ÌÌâ ÌOÌÉOÌÌ`Ì¡ôÌ Æú æù: úKÌÌ·âþtÌÌâ Ìʥ̨ÌÍ¨Ì ÌßtÌÌ ¥Ì̲̥ÌÕ ÌÌÉ ZÌ ÌÜ ÌÌÉ +t ÌÌÍzùt ÌÉ ·Ùþt̷̥þ ÌÙLÌâ ²Ì ÌßtÌÉ tÌzÆù Í ÌtÌâ`Ì: "Moving further north as you reach above the abode of Skanda ( Devagiri), transform yourself to a cloud of flowers and dip yourself in Akasa Ganga to give a joyous shower to Skanda. Bathe him well - he is that light surpassing even Sun and kept in hide in the mouth of Agni by Siva for saving him from the marching armies of Indra" These verses have given me so much joy exceeding those of all the liquor I have taken. If this power is not there what is life beyond a mosquito or dog - all creatures are born, bark and dies - Man did found something great and Ujjain calls me... Let Him decide the tour programme.

²ÌÌæ zù ÌÊ ¡ô·þ úÕ Í¨Ì¥Ì¨ÌHò Ì ÌÙHòÌâ ÌÍzù Ì¥ÌÍtÌ ¨ÌHò: Ìë ÌÍ¥ÌtÌÙÉ Ì ZÌâzâù¥ÌÉ zâù¥ÌÌâ Ì LÌ¡Ùô FÙò¨Ì¡ô: ² ÌÑ zùtÌÙ ÌÍ Ì* +t̲t¥ÌÌ ÌÌ úÌ ÌÌÉ ·þÍ ú·þ úÍ¥ÌÍ úfÌÌÍzùÍ Ì úÍ Ì ÌësÌ tÌÙÉ ²tÌÌâtÌÙÉ ¥ÌÌ FòyÌ ÌFßòtÌ ÌÙs Ì: Ìë Ì¥ÌÍtÌ* Soundarya-lahari is the most profound devotional poem and it takes one straight to Her Lotus feet. It's first 41 verses are called Ananda Lahari. It is difficult to translate but still I will try banking on Her grace.

Siva with Sakti generates the Worlds Devoid of your splendour gods lack even their pulse Devi, when you are adorable even to the great triad How can one devoid of punya be at your feet?

Í¨Ì¥Ì - ¨ÌHò Ì - ÌÙHòÌâ (Siva is united with Sakti) ÌÍzù (if) Ì¥ÌÍtÌ (becomes) ¨ÌHò: (powerful or capable or strong ) Ìë ÌÍ¥ÌtÌÙÉ (to manifest the universe). Ì ZÌâzùâ¥ÌÉ ( if not) zâù¥ÌÌâ Ì LÌ¡Ùô (no god can ever) FÙò¨Ì¡ô: (smart) ² ÌÑ zùtÌÙ ÌÍ Ì (even to vibrate)* +tÌ: ²t¥ÌÌ ÌÌ úÌ ÌÌÉ (When you are adorable or worshipable) ·þÍ ú·þ úÍ¥ÌÍ úfÌÌÍzùÍ Ì úÍ Ì (even to Hari, Hara and Viribcha) ÌësÌ tÌÙÉ (to fall on your feet - namaskar) ²tÌÌâtÌÙÉ ¥ÌÌ (or to praise) FòyÌ Ì (how) +FßòtÌ ÌÙs Ì: (one without punya) Ìë Ì¥ÌÍtÌ (becomes eligible?)

This is the way every verse has to be studied and by hearted. Initially, it will be little difficult - put in some effort for the first 14 verses and then you will grasp all 41 of the Ananda Lahari very fast.

tÌ ÌÕ ÌÌɲÌÉ ÌÌɲÌÙÉ tÌ¥ÌZÌ úsÌ ÌSâó û·þ Ì¥ÌÉ Í¥ÌÍ úÍf̲ÌÍfÌ ¥Ì ÌÆ Í¥Ì úZÌ ÌÍtÌ ¡ôÌâFòÌ ÌÍ¥ÌFò¡Éô ¥Ì·þt Ìâ ÌÉ ¨ÌÌæÍ ú: FòyÌ ÌÍ Ì ²Ì·þ³ÌâsÌ Í¨Ì ú²ÌÌÉ ·þ ú:²ÌÉKÌÙ æ ÌÉ Ì`ÌÍtÌ ÌͲÌtÌÌâzÆù ÌÜ¡ô ÌÍ¥ÌÎ Ì Virinchi (Brahma) creates the worlds with perfection with the dust collected from your lotusfeet. Souri (one born in Soorasena-kulam) holds it as yogamurthi Anantha on his 1000 hoods and Hara powders it and uses the ash for bath in bhasmam (applies the ash on his body).

Durga, the Mother, is the most pristine and scientific conception of

divinity that the Humans conceived. Why it’s so?

We knew millenniums before that the Universe had its beginning in an explosion of Energy at a moment which we may define as the zero of a manifesting cycle of time. Big-Bang of modern Physics corresponds in Tantra to Sarga or Srshti, the creative expression of Parasakti that produced Man at the apex of evolutionary Pyramid.

What is Divinity – the Devi tattvam?

Force, the Sakti that is behind evolution, time or manifestation of the Universe lay bonded in Nature. We know that all matter is energy as per the Einstein formula E = Mc2.

This energy cannot be freed managed and has no identity. But in Man, Nature had a miracle – Parasakti found expression in him like a coiled serpent at Muladharam and in Tantra, she received the name Kula-Devi.

All human conceptions of divinity and spirituality had their genesis in the Tantra discovery of Kula-Devi. Known more popularly as Kundalini, Kalika etc. She is in slumber at the bottom of the cerebro-spinal axis and can be awakened by mantras and controlled by the adept.

As the awakening consists of switching between neurological states that play havoc with the body, physical tuning of the body through Hatha yoga is a prerequisite for Kundalini yoga. Worship of the Idol is a contrivance (Yantra) for receiving her grace invented by Tantriks for the benefit of common people who could not adhere to the stringent practices of Tantra. Idol is the replica of a human body capable of providing residence to Her. In the ancient world, the Tantrik cults worshipped Her as Kula-Devi through a matrilineal tradition.

Power of Mantras Mantra is the crux of Hindu spiritual dynamics Jiva begins terrestrial sojourn with the first cry - Kundalini at Muladharam comes out of the Visuddhi Chakra as audible sound 51 Alphabets of Sanskrit form the 51 components of first cry or Kundalini’s manifestation as sound. Mantras, therefore can be utilized to awaken and control the Serpent power (Kundalini).51 Aksharas thus represent a model of Kalika – tantra describe it as Matrka Devi. Matrka acts as interface in all transference of the divine power between Tantriks and Yantras like Idols.

In Eastern India, between Kamakhya puri and Kalighat, the Tantriks brought divinity to life in their physical body to cross over the cycle of birth and death. Ancient Kamarupa comprised almost all of East India, from Mithila to Manipura & Kamakhya to Kalinga (Puri) and the whole land is strewn around with different seats of divinity like Chittagong, Mehar, Jessore, Bhavanipuram, Birsimhapuram, Tamluk, Tarakesvar etc.

Worship of Kali takes two forms among people – internal and external. External worship make use of the Idol or Yantras and Devi is worshipped by Japa, Dhyanam, Homa, Archana, Tarpana etc. Vandana-sloka popular in Sanskrit is: Internal worship focus on Hamsesvari – Kalika riding over Ham-Sa, the breath of Yogis along the channels of Ganga (Ida) and Yamuna (Pingala). One who is adept in Pranayama can feel Her presence through worship at specially chosen moments.

Hamsesvari is worshipped at Bansberia (Hooghly) on the banks of Suvarnarekha – She is depicted as the Kundalini rising along the six Chakras and emerging out of the navel of Siva in Yoganidra over a trikona-yantra.

What is spirituality?

We have seldom bothered to understand or to have a momentary reflection on the question – what is spirituality?

Only Tantra – the true science of spirituality explains such subtle aspects without jargon.

Man’s perceptive equipment has a 4-fold structure: Mind – Intellect – Life (breath) – Self.

What is self or Atma? It’s the feeling of I-ness, separation that we perceive from Nature because of the mischief by Mind and Intellect.

Spirituality is a physical phenomenon We saw earlier that the Para-sakti (Kundalini) is in a slumber at Muladharam which Tantra regard as the Earth point in a human body. This is an electric potential called Jivatma that got embedded in human body and is ever trying to break free of the bonds of life to merge in the Universal potential or Mahakundalini (trying to loose its individuality) that drives the evolutionary time.

Dynamic state of the above potential controls the perceptive states/neurological condition of the individual.

Jivatma’s idle state characterize the animal nature of human beings – Pasubhava in Tantra terminology. Idle Kundalini is typified by the slavish mentality, fear, social conditioning and the 8 bondages described in Tantra.

As Jiva awakes to different degrees Man goes through seven stages of evolutionary conscience at the end of which Jiva escapes through the cerebro-spinal antenna. This liberation of Jiva is the Mukti that a Yogi targets.

Jiva by sadhana achieves an individuality that extends across death – becomes what is described as the eternal soul. Only such beings are re-born Kundalini – the spiritual or serpent power, the esoteric time, represents the unfolding of seven neuro-physico states having different perceptive states of mind-intellect behavior.

In lower states the individual is torn between the dualities and is susceptible to psychosomatic troubles.

State of being Bhairava – is neither pleasure or pain – the neutral witness to the world.

Dharma to be followed…we are in confusion because of different doctrines, revelations and innumerable claims of wisdom. Only recourse is to take the path our own inner feelings and the Guru who turns up. Kulaparampara is alive even today like a secret society.

No jargon is to be believed, tantra is experience: “All knowledge is without cause and basis, confusing illusions of mind and intellect…One who knows the true reality as different from these delusions is Siva…”