Hymns to the Goddess

TANTRA OF TFIE GREAT LIBERATION (MAHANIRVANA TANTRA). A Translation from the Sanskrit, with Introduction and Commentary. PRINCIPLES OF TANTRA (TANTRATATTVA). Vol. I. THE SIX CENTRES (:SHATCHAKRANiRUPANA). ' ^ Vol. I. TANT'RABHIDANA with VIJANIGHANTU a ' MUDRA-NIGHANTU. Voi, 11 SHATCHAKRANIRUPANA of Purnananda Sviimi, w ‘ Commentary of Shankara. PADUKAPANCHAKA, with Co mentary of Kfilicharana. With these are notes from the Tika^ Vishvanatha on the Second Patala of Kaivalya Kalika Taiitra. VoLS III. and IV. PRAPANCHASARA. \In preparation. [Opposite the British Mtucum) CENTRAL ARCHaVO ,> .tUM. The Goddess or Devi (as the Hindus call Her) is God (as the Western worshippers address Him) in Its Mother aspect. The latter not uncommonly deem such attribution of feminine quality to be “ heathenish ” ; but this condemnation (for the criticism has, of course, this intendment) is itself singularly foolish in that it is thereby implied that of two sets of terms (neither of which is in its strict sense applicable to the Deity as the Author of forms), one is, in fact, a more correct description than the other. In the Navaratneshvara it is said; “That Devi, who is existence, consciousness, and bliss, should be thought of as a female or as a male, or as puro Brahman. In reality, however, She is neither male nor female nor neuter (that is to say, that She is not bound *to any particular form).“ No one contends that the Brahmatattva in the supreme abode beyond appearances is masculine as opposed to feminine, or the latter as contrasted with the former.

Like all else in this matter, words are but the babbling endeavour of our plane to express that which is above it. It is not easy, then, to explain the condemnation except upon the assumption that those who pronounce it think their mother’s sex to be inferior to their own, and that thus Deity is unworthily described by any other terms than those of masculine excellence. But Hindus, who ever place the name of mother before that of father, and to whom garbha dhamna-poshahhydm pitur mdtd gariyasi, have no partiality for such mistaken notions. On the other hand, it is possible that they might not understand the Christian expression “ Mother of God/' nor approve it"

even after they had learnt the limited and special sense which theology gives to this epithet. The Tantrika v'ould. least of all admit the insufficiency of the conception of Ciod as Mother. For the Devi manifests in his own mother, in his prakriti (as he calls his wife), and in all women. As the Kubjika Tantra says : “ Whosoever has seen the feet of woman let him worship them as those of his guru ” {Strindng pddatalang drisMvd gumvadhlidvayet sadd). Whilst male and female arc both Her aspects, yet Shakti is, in a sense, said to be more revealed in the female than in the male form. And so the Mundamala Tantra says: “Wherever there is a shakti (female), there I am.” On account of this greater manifestation, women are called shakti. From this, however, it must not be supposed that shakti is less present in such forms as Shiva and Krishna and others. If, as the author of the Tantra Tattva says, a sadhaka who is a worshipper of the Krishnamurti desires to see Him as Kali, Bliagavan, who fulfils the desires of devotees, will assume that form. Ail forms come into existence upon the manifestation of consciousness in the play of Her whose substance is consciousness.

Though the Shaktanandatarangini sa3's : Devi is worshipped on account of Her soft heart {komaldntah kam- -tmm), yet the use of the term “ Mother ” has other grounds than tliose which are founded upon an appeal to the natural feelings which the sweetness of the word “ Alother ” evokes. The meaning of the term “Devi” is prakdshdtmikd, or that which is by its nature Light and Manifestation. And the word is used in the feminine gender because, the One, as Shakti and Prakriti, bears and nourishes all things as their Mother. The Devi is therefore the Brahman revealed in Its Mother aspect {Skmndtd) as Creatrix and Nourisher of tlie worlds. Worshippers of Devi or Shakti are callc'd Shaktus. But 'those who have a true know'Jedge of Shakti-tattva without which, according to Shastra, Nirvanamoksha is imattain- able, will in thought surpass the sectarianism which the terms “ Shakta,” " Vaishnava,” and “ Shaiva ” ordinarily connote. Whatever forms the Devi assumes in Her aspect with attributes are but Her forms. As the author last cited says, the sadhaka will know Her, whether the appearance be that of Krishna, Durga, or Mahadeva. The Vaishnava may consider Her as Vishnu in the form of Shakti, or the Shakta may look upon Her as Shakti in the form of Vishnu. To those who, immersed in the ocean of Her substance, which is chitshakti, are forgetful of all differences which appertain to the world of form, Krishnashakti, Shivashakti, or Kallshakti, and all other manifestations of shakti, are one and the same. And so Ramaprasada, the Bengali poet and Tantrik, sung : “ Thou assumeth five principal forms according to the differences of worship. But, 0 Mother ! how can you escape the hands of him who has dissolved the five and made them into one ?”

The hymns to the Devi in this volume (introduced by a stotra to Her Spouse the Kalabhairava) are taken from the Tantra, Purana, Mahabharata, and Shangkaracharyya. who was “ the incarnation of devotion ” {hhaktdvatdra) as well as a great philosopher; a fact which is sometimes ignored by those who do not wish to be reminded that he, whose speculative genius they extol, was also the protagonist of the so-called idolatrous Hinduism,” As his great example amongst many other's of differing race and creed tell us, it is not, from the view of religion, the mark of discernment (even though it be the mode) to neglect or disparage the ritual practice which all orthodoxies have prescribecL for their adherents. Stava and -puja are doubtless the sddhana appropriate to the first of the several stages of an ascent which gradually leads away from them; but they are in general as necessary as the higher ones, which more immediately precede the attainment of hrahmabhdva and siddhi. Apart, however, from this aspect of the matter, and to look at it from the point of view of that modern product, the mere “ student of religions/' who is not infrequently a believer in none, a knowledge of ritual (to use that term in its widest sense) will help to a greater and more real understanding of the mahdvdkya of the Aryyas than can be gained from those merely theoretical expositions of them which are now more popular. Those, again, whose interests are in what Verlaine called ‘ ' mere literatui-e ” will at least appreciate the mingled tenderness and splendour of these Hymns, even in a translation which cannot reproduce the majesty of the Sanskrit sklokas of the Tantra and Piirana, or the rhyme and sweet lilting rhythms of Shangkara.

Of the Hymns now published (to which, in a second volume, I hope to add others) those from the Mahabharata and Chandi have already been translated ; the first, in the English edition of the Mahabharata, by Protap Chandra Roy and by Professor Muir in his “ Original Sanskrit Texts,” and the second by Mr. Pargiter, whose rendering of the Markandeya Purana (of which it is the most celebrated portion) has been printed by the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Adyakalisvarupastotra has also been previously published as part of a rendering by myself of the Mahanirvana Tantra. The first two sets of Hymns have been translated afresh. In the tran.slation of .such works a Sanskrit dictionary (however excellent) is not either a sufficient or reliable guide. It is necessai'y to study the Hindu commentators and to seek the oral aid of those who posse.ss the traditional interpretation of the Shdstra. Without this and an understanding of what Hindu worship is and means, absurd mistakes are likely to be made. I have thus, in addition to such oral aid, availed myself of the Commentaries of Nilakantha on the Mahabharata, of Gopala Chakravarti and Nagogl Bhatta on Chandi, and of Nilakantha on the Devibhagavata. As regards the Tantra, the great Sadhana ShastiTi. nothing which is of both an understanding and accurate

character can be achieved without a study of the original texts undertaken with the assistance of the Tantrik gurus and pandits, who are the authorized custodians of its traditions. The other stotra are now rendered in English for the first time ; at least, I have come across no translation of them. The text of the Tantrasara which has been used is that edited by Shrijut Rasik Mohun Chatterjee. It is not free from faults, which have necessitated reference to other Manuscripts. A more correct text of the Tarashtakam, from the Nila Tantra, is given in the Brihatstotraratnakara, to which reference has also been made for the hymns of Valmiki and Indra. Both Ellen Avalon and myself have collaborated in the translation of the hymns by Shangkara. For the rest, as also for the Introduction and Commentary, I am alone responsible. Some of the notes deal with matter familiar enough to the Hindu reader (when, as often nowadays, owing to the predominance of English education, they have not been forgotten) but have been inserted for the use of his English friends. Other portions of the commentary will, I believe, be found to be of use to both. Introducxion Hymn to Kalabhairava

' ^ Sarada Tilakam (chap. i,). See Introduction of A. Avalon's edition of the Mahi.nirvana Tantra — sub, voc, "Shiva and Shakti," of which the above is in part (with added matter) an abbreviation. 2 Pranamya prakriting nitymg paramdtmasvayupinlm (chap. i.). Shaktanandatarangini, both T§.ntrik works of high authority. 3 Kubjika Tantra (First Patala). * SSrada {loo. cit.). ra’s Commentary on the JlialitS, Sahasrantoia the Brahmapada^ wherein are Prakriti - pumsha ; the circumference of which is encircling mdyd. It is in the crescent of nirvdnakald the seventeenth, which is again in that of amdkald the sixteenth, digit of the moon-circle {chandramandala), situate above the sun-circle {suryyamandala), the Guru and the Hangsah in the pericarp of the 1,000-petalled lotus {sahasrdrapadma). The vindu is symbolically described as being like a grain of gram {fihanaka), which under its encircling sheath contains a divided seed — Prakriti-Purusha or Shakti-Shiva.^ It is known as the Shabda Brahman.^ A polarization then takes place in parashakUmaya. The Devi becomes unmukhi. Her face is turned to Shiva. There is an unfolding which bursts the encircling shell.® The devatdparashaktimaya exists in the threefold aspect of vindu, vlja, and ndda, the last being in relation to the two former. An indistinct sound then arises^ {avyaktdtmdravolhavat) . Ndda, as Raghava Bhatta“ says, exists in three states, for in it are the three guna. The Shabda Brahman manifests Itself in the threefold energies, Jndna, Ichhd, and Kriyd ShaktiP For, as the Vamakeshvara Tantra says, the Devi Tripura is threefold, as Brahma, Vishnu, and Isha. Parashiva exists as a septenary under the forms of Shambhu, Sadashiva, Ishana, Rudra, Vishnu, and Brahma. ThelBstfivesirethc Mahdpreta, four of whom form the support, and the fifth the seat, of the bed on which the Devi is united with Paramashiva in the room of chintdmani stone on the j ewelled island clad with clumps of kadamba, and heavenly trees set in the ocean of ambrosia.'^

Shakti is both mdyd and mulaprakriti, whose substance 1 See the Shatchakranirupana of Purnananda Svami. 2 Sarada {loc. cit.). ^ Ibid. Ibid. 5 See Commentary on verse 49 of the Shatchakranirupana, and generally as to the subject-matter of this Introduction, my introduction to the Mahanirvana Tantra. ® See Goraksba Sangbita, Bhutashuddhi Tantra, and YoginI Tantra, Part I., p. 10. 7 See Anandalahari of SankarS.charyya, verse 8. The dhydna is well known to the Tantrik sddhaka.. is the three guna, representing nature as the revelation of spirit {sattva) ; nature as the passage of descent from spirit to matter, or of ascent from matter to spirit {rajas), and nature as the dense veil of spirit {lamas) . The Devi is thus the treasure-house of gunas {gunaniddhih)} MUlaprakriti is the womb into which the Brahman casts the seed from which all things are born ^ ' The womb thrills to the movement of the essentially active rajoguna, and the now unstable gunas in varied combinations under the illumination of Shiva {chit) evolve the universe which is ruled by Maheshvara and Maheshvarl. The dual principles of Shiva-Shakti, which are the product of the polarity manifested in Parashaktimaya, pervade the whole universe, and are present in man in the svayambJmlinga of the mulddhcira and the Devi Kundalini, who in serpent form encircles it. The Shabdabrahman assumes the form of the Devi Kundalini, and as such is in the form of all breathing creatures {prdni) , and in the form of letters appears in prose and verse. She is the luminous vital energy {jivashakti), which manifests as prana Through the various prakrita and vaikrita creations, issued the Deva, men, animals, and the whole universe, which is the work and manifested form of the Devi. For, as the Kubjika Tantra says, “ Not Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra create, maintain, and destroy, but BiTihmi, Vaislmavi, Rudrani. Their husbands are but as dead bodies."

The Goddess {Devi) is the great Shakti. She. is mciyti, for of Her the mdyd which produces the sangsdra is. As Lord of nidyd, She is Mahrimaya.'*^ Devi is avidyd (nescience), because She binds ; and vidyd (knowledge), because She liberates and destroys the sangsdra.^ She is Prakriti,® and, as existing before creation, She is the ^ Lalita, verse 121. ~ Bhagavadgitfi (chap, xiv,, verses .q, 4). ^ Mahdmayd without mdyd is nirguna, and with mayd, sugund. Shakatnandatarangini (chap, i.). ^ Shaktanandatarangini (chap, i.). 5 Brahmavaivarta Parana (chap, i,). Prakritiklianda. Dr, Xftradiya Pr. adya (primordial) shakti. She is the vcichaka-shakti, the manifestation of chit in Prakriti ; and the vdchya shaUi or chit itself. The dtmd should be contemplated as DevL^ Shakti or Devi is thus the Brahman revealed in its Mother aspect {shnmdtd)^ as creatrix and nourisher of the worlds. Kali says of Herself in YoginI Tantra “ Sachchiddnandaru'pdham Brahmaivdham sphiiratprabham.” So the Devi is described with attributes both of the qualified'* Brahman, and (since that Brahman is but the manifestation of the Absolute), She is also addressed with epithets which denote the unconditioned Brahman.^ She is the great Mother {ambikd) sprung from the sacrificial hearth of the fire of the Grand Consciousness {chit) ; decked with the Sun and Moon; Lalita — “She who plays” — whose play is world-play; whose eyes, playing like fish in the beauteous waters of Her Divine face, open and shut with the appearance and disappearance of countless worlds, now illuminated by Her light, now' wrapped in her terrible darkness.® For Devi, who issues from the great Abyss, is terrible also in Her Kali, Tara, Chhinnamasta, and other forms. Shaktas holds that a sweet and complete resignation of the self to such forms of the Divine Pow'er denotes a higher stage of spiritual development.'^ Such dualistic

' ^ See chap. ii. of Devi Bhagavata. 3 Part I., Chapter X. ^ Such as Mukunda, an aspect of Vishnu. Lalitasahasranama, verse 838, ® verse 153, and Commentator’s note to Chapter If., where Devi is addressed as Supreme Light Iparangiyotih], Supreme Abode {parang dhdma) , Supreme of Supreme {paratpard). ® See the Lalita. See the saying of Ramaprasada, the poet-devoteo of Kalimh, quoted at p. 714 in Babu Dinesh Chunder Sen’s “ History of Bengali Literature.” ” Though the Mother beat him, the child cries ' Mother ! O Mother T and clings still tighter to her garment. True, I cannot see Thee, yet am I not a lost cliild, I still cry ‘ Mother T ” worship also speedily bears the fruit of knowledge of the Universal Unity, the realization of which dispels all fear. For the Mother is only terrible to those who, living in the illusion of separateness (which is the cause of all fear), have not yet realized their unity with Her, and known that all- Her forms are those of beauty. The Devi as Parabrahman is beyond all form and guna. The forms of the Mother of the Universe are threefold. There is first the Supreme {para) form, of which, as the Vishnu Yamala^ says, “ none know.” There is next Her subtle (sukshma) form, which consists of mantra. But, as the mind cannot easily settle itself upon that which is formless, 2 She appears as the subject of contemplation in Her third or gross {sthula) or physical form, with hands and feet and the like, as celebrated in the Davlstotra of the Puranas and Tantras.

Devi, who as Prakriti is the source of Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara,® has both male and female forms.^ But it is in Her female forms that She is chiefly contemplated. For, though existing in all things, in a peculiar sense female beings are parts of Her.® The Great Mother, who exists in the form of all Tantras and all Yantras,® is, as the Lalita says, the “unsullied treasure-

^ Matastvatparcimamriipam tanna jCmati hashcimia (see chap, iii, of Shaktanandatarangini) . ^ AmurtaucMtsthironasyat tatomurting • vichintayet (ibid., chap, i., as was also explained to Himavat by Devi in the Kurma Parana). ® Ibid., and as such is called Tripura (see Bhaskararaya’s Commentary on Lalita, verse 125). . . * Ibid., chajj. iii., which also say.s that there is no eunuch form of God. “ So in Chandi (Markandeya Purana) it is said : " Vidydh saniastdstava devibheddh, The Tantrika, more than all men, recognizes the divinity of woman, as was observed centuries past by the author of the Dabistan. The Linga Purana also, after describing Arundhati, AnasGya and Shaclii , to be each the manifestation of Devi, concludes : “ All things indicated by words in the feminine gender are manifestations of Devi.” Similarly the Brahmavaivarta Parana. ® Sarvvatanimvupd Sarvvayan'^rdtmikS (see Lalita, verse 531. house of beauty,” the sapphire Devi^ whose slender waist, ^ bending beneath the burden of the ripe fruit of her breasts,® swells into jewelled hips heavy'^ with the promise of infinite maternities,® Her litanies depict Her physical form from head to foot, celebrating Her hair adorned with flowers and crowned with gems ; Her brow bright as the eighth-day moon ; Her ruby cheeks and coral lips ; teeth like to “ the buds of the sixteen-syllabled mantra” and eyebrows curved as are the arches at the gate of the palace of Kamaraja; Her nose; Her teeth; Her chin; Her arms ; and " Her twin breasts offered in return for that priceless gem which is the love of Kameshvara ” ; Her waist girdled with jewelled bells ; Her smooth and faultless limbs rounded beneath the " jewelled disc of the knee like the sapphire-studded quiver of the God of Love ” descending in lines of grace to Her bright lotus feet,®

^ Padma Parana says : “ Vishnu ever worships the sapphire Devi,” 2 Aplvavastanatatingtanuvrittaniadhyam (Bhubaneshvaristotra) tanu^ madhya {Lalita, verse 79), krishodan (Adyakalisvarupastotra Mahanirvana Tantra, yth Ullasa) . and erect breasts — plnastanddye (in Karpuradistotra), ptnonnatapayodJiardm (in Durga-dhyana of Dcvl Purana), bakshajakumbhuntart (in Annapurnastava), dpivarasianatatim (in Bhubaneshvaristotra) — which weight her limbs — kuchabhamnamitdngim (in Sarasvatidhyana) , annapmdananimtdngstandbhdranamram (in Annapurnastava). And the Lalita, verse 15, says: "Her golden girdle supports Her waist, which bends under the burden of Her breasts, thrice folding the skin below Her bosom " {trivallvalayopetdm). * So it is said in the tenth shloka of the Karpurakhyastava samantdddpinastanajaghanadhnftyauvanavafi. Shankaracharyya, in his 'I'ripurasundaiistotra, speaks of Her nitamba (buttocks) "as excelling the mountain in greatness " {nitambajitabjiudafam). TJie Javanese also call Her Loro Jongram. " The pure exalted virgin with beautiful hips.” The physical characteristics of the Devi in Her swelling breasts and hips are emblematic of Her great Motherhood, for She is ShrimCiiu. ® See the Lalittsahasranama, verse 4 ei $eq. “ Her brow {ashtamichmdravibhfdiadalika sthala shobhitu). Her eyebrow {vadanasmara mangalyagrihatoranacMllikS), Her twin breasts (hameshvam premarainamani pratiphatastani). Her waist [fainakinkmikdrabhyarashanMama hhushita), "Her thighs, known only to Kamesha” {Kamexhajndtasau- which dispel the darkness of Her worshippers.^ F or moonlight is She, yet sunbeam, soothing all those who are burnt by the triple fires of misery {tapatraya). Her face, Her body from throat to waist, and thence downwards, represent the vdghhava and other kuta. The colour of the Devi varies according to the form under which She is contemplated. Thus, in conferring liberation, She is white ; as controller of women, men, and kings, She is red ; and as controller of wealth, saffron. As creatrix of enmity, She becomes tawny ; and in the thrill of love, passion (s/mngdra) , She is of the colour of the rose. In the action of slaying She becomes black. Thus, Devi, the Supreme Light, is to be meditated upon as differently coloured according to Her different activities.^

After the description of the form of the Devi in dm/imdnda follows that of Her subtle form, called Kundalini in the body {pindanda). As the Mahadevi,® She exists in all forms as Sarasvati, Lakshmi, Gayatri, Durga, Tripurasundari, Annapurna, and all the Devi, who are avatar a of the Brahman,'* Devi, as Sati, Uma, Parvvati, and Gauri, is spouse of Shiva, It was as Sati, prior to Daksha’s sacrifice {dakshayajna) that the Devi manifested Herself to Shiva® in the ten celebrated forms known as the dashamahdvidyd — Kali, Bagala, Chhinnamasta, Bhuvaneshvari, Matangini, Shorosi, Dhiimavati, Tripurasundari, Tara, and Bhairavi. When at the dakshayagna She yielded up Her life in shame hhagya mardavorudvayanvita) , Her lower limbs {indrago-pa pavikshipta smamtund hhajandhikd) ; Iler instep ‘ arched like the back of a tortoise/ the bright rays from her nails and the soles of Her feet in beauty shaming the lotus.” ^ From the beautiful litany to the Devi in the LalitasahasranSma. 2 Bhaskararaya's Commentary on Lalita, verse 170. 3 She whose body is, as the Devi PurSna says, immeasurable. ^ Shaktanandatai'anginl (chap, iii.). ® In order to display Her power to Her husband who had not granted , at Her request. His permission that She might attend at Daksha’s sacrifice (see Arthur Avalon’s edition of the Tantra Tattva ; and for an account of the dashamahavidyd, their yanira and mantra, the Dashamahavidya upasanarahasya of Prasanno Kumar Shastri).

and sorrow at the treatment accorded by Her father to Her husband, Shiva took away the body, and, ever bearing it with him, remained wholly distraught and spent with grief. To save the world from the forces of evil which arose and grew with the withdrawal of His divine control, Vishnu, with his discus {chakra), cut the dead body of Sati, which Shiva bore, into fifty-one fragments, which fell to earth at the places thereafter known as the fifty-one^ mahdpithasthana, where Devi, with her Bhairava, is worshipped under various names. Thus the right and left breasts fell at J alandhara and Ramgiri, where the Devi is worshipped as Tripiiramalini ; the yoni at the celebrated shrine at Kamrup in Assam, where the Devi is worshipped as Kamaksha or Kamakhya (see ibid.) f the throat, shoulders, nose, hands, arms, eyes, fingers, tongue, buttocks, lips, belly, chin, navel, cheeks, thighs, teeth, feet, ears, thumbs, heels, toes (some at Kalighat), waist, hair, forehead, with skeleton (several of these parts being themselves divided), fell at other pltha, at each of which the Devi is worshipped under different names in company with a Bhairava or Shiva, also variously named. Thus, the Devi at Kalighat is Kalika, and the Shiva Nakuleshvara, and the Devi at Kamrup is Kamaksha, and Her Bhairava is Ramananda.

These are but some only of Her endless forms. She is seen as one and as many : as it were, but one moon reflected in countless w^aters,® She exists, too, in all animals and inorganic things, since the universe, with all its beauties, is, as the Devi Purana says, but a part of Pier. All this diversity of form is but the infinite manifestations of the •^"’owering beauty of the .One Supreme Life — a doctrine which is nowhere else taught with greater wealth of ^ The number is variously given as . 50, 51, and 52. to Hindu belief, takes place in the month of Assar, is said to manifest itself. For three day.s during amhuvachl no cooked food is eaten by the women, nor does any cooking take place in the house. ^ Brahmavindu Up, p. 12. illustration than in the Shakta Shastras and Tantras. The great Bharga in the bright sun, and all Devata, and, indeed, all life and being are worshipful, and are worshipped, but only as Her manifestations.^ And he who worships them otherwise is, in the words of the great Devibhagavata,^ “ like unto a man who, with thi light of a clear lamp in his hands, yet falls into some waterless and terrible well.” It is customary nowadays to decry external worship, but those who do so presume too much. The ladder of ascent can only be scaled by those w'ho have trod all, including its lowest, rungs.

The Shaktirahasya summarises the stages of progress in a short verse, thus : “A mortal who worships by ceremonies, by images, by mind, by identification, by knowing the self, attains kaivalya” Before hvahma-bhdva can be attained the sdihaka must have passed from pfcjdbhdva through hymns and prayer to dhydna-bhdva. The highest worship® for which the sddhaka is qualified {adhikdn) only after external worship, and that internal form known as sddhdra^^ is described as niradhdva. Therein Pure Intelligence is the Supreme Shakti who is worshipped as the Very Self, the Witness freed of the glamour of the manifold universe. By one's owm direct experience of Maheshvari as the Self, She is, with reverence, made the object of that worship which leads to liberation.

1 See chap. iii. of the ShaktanandataranginI, where it is said : " The Parabrahman, Devi, Shiva, and all other Deva and Devi are but one, and he who think.s them different from one another goes to Hell." 2 Hymn to Jagadambika in Chapter XIX, » Sutasaiighita, i, 5, 3, which divides such worship into Vedic and Tantrik (.see BliSskararaya Commentary on LalitS, verse 43). ^ In which Devi is worshipped in the form of mantra according to the instructions of the Guru. I WORSHIP Kalabhairava,’- Lord of the city of Kashi, ^ Whose sacred lotus feet are worshipped by the King of Devas,® Whose sacrificial thread is made of serpents, On whose foreheads shines the moon.^ Whom Narada® and multitudes of other Yogis adore. Kashik^puyadhindtha kdlabhairavam hhaje? I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, Blazing like a million suns, Our great Saviour in our voyage across the ocean of the world,® ^ Benares. The Kashipanchakastotra of Shankara says that the pure Ganges is the flow of knowledge and Kashi is Shiva’s mind (Juanapravahavimaladigangd sahdshikdhang nijabodhampah). ^ Devaraja or Indra. ^ Hence Shiva is called Chandrashekhara. clothed with space itself. ® The Rishi of that name. The refrain is : “ I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi.”

^ A constant simile. The world is a storm-tossed ocean not free of danger, even in moments of calm, for therein many dangers, perils, and terrors lie. The blue-throated/ three-eyed^ grantor of all desires. The lotus-eyed, who is the death of death, ^ Holding the rosary of human bone^ and the trident.® KdshikapurMhinatha Kdlahhaimvam hJiaje. I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, Holding in His hands trident, axe, noose, and staffs — Him of the black body,® The first of all Deva,® imperishable, incorruptible, Lord formidable and powerful, Who loves to dance wonderfully.^® 1 worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, Of great and beautiful body, ^ For Shiva swallowed the poison which issued at the churning of the ocean to save the earth from its dangerous jiresence, Shiva is the conqueror of death {“ mritunjaya"), for he gives that knowledge which frees man’s of its terrors. ^ Even often-of the low-ca.ste Chancla]a.s and others, for Shiva is the adored and protector of all. ® His peculiar weapon. ® For all causes potentially lie in His destructive energies, the manifestation of which is the prelude of re-creation. Simla, tangha, ■pasha, danda, His impleraent.s. ** As Kalabhairava, Usually he is white and smeared with ashes “ shining like a mountain of silver.”

® Hence He is called MahSdeva. VO Y ichitmlmdavapriyam. Shiva is often pictured dancing a.s' Nataraja. The place of the dance is the body of the indiwdiial and the world spoken of as vanam (the forest), on account of the multitude of its components. He as the inner dtman causes all things to dance into and out of life, and again into it. All life and activity comes thi'ough Him, “ the unseen Lord of the stage.” The giver of both enjoyment and liberation,^ Who loves and smiles upon all His devotees, Whose body is the whole world, Whose waist is adorned with little tinkling bells Beautiful are they, and made of gold. KashikapuradhinathaMlahhairavambhaje. I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, The protector of the bridge of dharmma,^ Destroyer of t\LQ ^d±\i oi adhafmma,* Liberator from the bonds of karma, ^ The all-pervading giver of welfare to all, Whose golden body is adorned with serpent coils. Kdshikdpurddhindtha kdlabhairavam bhaje. I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, Whose feet are beautiful with the lustre of the gems thereon — The stainless, eternal Ishtadevata,^^ One without a second,'^ Destroyer of the pride, and liberator from the gaping jaw, of the God of Death.®

1 Bhuktimuktidayakam — that is, He give.s both worldly and heavenly enjoyment, and that release from both which is the unending bliss of liberation. Righteousness. For dhanmna, religion, law, and duty, arc the bridge whereby the dangerous waters of the world arc passed. Unrighteousness. nomenal world until by knowledge kanna is exhausted and destroyed, and liberation (through Shiva, with whose essential being His worshipper becomes one) is attained. 6 The desired (or patron) Deity of the devotee. For He is the Supreme Unity. I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, ^ Whose loud laughter broke the shell of many an egg of the lotus born f Strong ruler, at whose glance the net of sin is broken ; Giver of the eight powers,® Whose shoulders serpents garland, I worship Kalabhairava, Lord of the city of Kashi, The saviour of all, giver of great fame, Who purifies of both sin and virtue the people of Kashi The ancient Lord of the world, Wise in the wisdom of all moralities.® Kashikdpurddhindtha kdlabhairavam bhaje. i Each world (for there are many) is called an egg of Brahma the creator [brahmanda], Shiva the great Destroyer by His lond laughter shatters them. 3 Brahma. . , .

3 SiddJii — namely, anima, mahimd, garima, laghimS, pritpH, prakSmya, ishiiva, and vashUva. The jjower to become very small, vast, light, heavy, power of vision and movement, the powers of creation and control over the worlds and their Lords, These siddhi are porvers of the all-pervading Mmd, and to greater or less degree may be acquired by Shivayogins according as they realize their unity therewith. ^ Kdshivasiloha\ pxmyapdpashodhaMm : for to the liberated there is neither sin nor virtue which are qualities of the j-ihenomcnal jivCitma only. The liberated are above both. Thus shall I pray to Thee, O Tripura,® To attain the fruit of my desires, In this hymn by which men attain that Lakshml,’* Who is worshipped by the Devas, Origin of the world thou art. Yet hast Thou Thyself no origin, Though with hundreds of hymns. Even Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara® cannot know Thee.® Therefore we worship Thy breasts, Mother of all Shdstra,'^ Shining with fresh saffron. O Tripura,® we adore Thee, Whose body shines with the splendour of a thousand risen suns, Holding with two of thy hands a book® and rosary of rudraksha beads, ^ Fern, of Bliairava, a name of Shiva. 2 P. 596, Ed. Rasik Mohun Chatterjee.

3 Seep. 25. ^ Devi of prosperity. ® Shiva. ® In the Vishnu Yamala, Vishnu says of the Devi : *' Thy supreme .form none know” {mdtastvaiparamarupamtannajdnatikashchana), (see chap, iix. Shaktanandatarangini). Vdngmaya. ^ See p. 25. 9 Vidyd Seed of a plant sacred to the worship of Sliiva* And with three others making the gestures Which grant boons and dispel fear.^ With three lotus eyes is Thy lotus face adorned. Beauteous is Thy neck with its necklace of large pearls.^ O Mother, how can the ignorant, whose minds are restless with doubt and dispute, Know Thy form ravishing with its vermilion,® Stooping with the weight of Thy breasts,^ Accessible only by merit, Acquired in previous births ? 0 Bhavani,^ the munis^ describe thee in physical form The Shmti speaks of Thee in subtle form ; Others call Thee presiding Deity of speech ; Others, again, as the root of the worlds. But we think of Thee As the untraversable ocean of mercy, and nothing else. Worshippers contemplate Thee in their heart As three-eyed, adorned with the crescent moon. White as the autumnal moon, hand is held forth in front of the body with the palm upward and Iiorizontal, the fingers together, and the thumb crossing the palm to the fourth finger. In the second the hand is held up with the fingers and thumb in the same positions with the palm towards the spectator.

2 Tdra, the ordinary pearl, is called muhia. ® Sindura, the Bhairavi's body, is painted with vermilion, and Her garments also are red. * Kuchabharanamrdm (see Introduction). ® See p. 97 , n, I, ® Sages^ There are three forms of the Devi — the gross or physical, with hands, feet, etc. ; the subtle {sukshma), consisting of mmitm and the supreme {para), which is the real or own {svarupd). The form of the Devi has both prakdsa and vimarsha aspects — that is, real and secondary, or manifested. Thus the Vtmakeshvara Tantra says ; ” The Devi Tripura is Her real form. She who is of a red colour is the manifested one.” Whose substance is the fifty letters,^ Holding in Thy hands a book, a rosary, a jar of nectar, and making the vyakhya mudra? O Tripura, Thou art Shambhu® united with Parvati/ Thou art now Vishnu embraced by KamalaA And now Brahma born of the lotus.® Thou art again the presiding Devi of speech, And yet again art the energy of all these. I, having taken refuge with the four — Bhdvas,’^ Para, and others® born of the mghhava ^ Of the alphabet or mdtrika {panchashadaksharamaylm]. These letters stand for the vritti (fnnctions and qualities of being). The Devi is thxrs mdinkdmayt, or composed of mdtrikd.

^ Vyakhya, according to the Shabda Kalpadruma==yi7;rtya?jfl?» (description), or gmntha (book), and also commentary, but here denotes a mudrd of that name (see p. 94, n. 4). ® Shiva, one of the forms of the four jwaAajbrcto, whose vija is “Hsaii.” the other half Shakti. According to Hindu belief, the wife is the pure and sacred (punyd) half of her husband’s body, and besides shares the purity and merits of her husband according to the common saying Shanrdrdhatn smritd jdyd punyd punyaphcde shamd. ® Lakshmi. ® That is, the power of destruction, maintenance, and creation. The foxir hhdva are states or conditions of Kundalini appearing as sound and its subtle elements, and are Pam, whose abode [sthdna) is the midddhdva; P ashy anti in the svddhisthdna ; Madhyamd in the andhata ; and Vaikhan in the vishuddha, issuing through the throat (see next note). Thei*e appears, however, to be some difference as to the location of the second. ® Pard, as the first condition of Kundalini in the form of tamasik .‘sound in the Mulddhdra ; Pashyantl is the hhdva when Kundalini, associated with manas, reaches the position variously stated as the svddishthana or mampura ; Madhyamd, when it reaches the andhaiachakra, associated with huddhi ; and Vaikharl is when Kundalini issues through the throat in the form of the fifty letters. It is said that though there are thus four kinds of speech, the gross-minded do not understand the first three, and think speech to be Vaikharl alone.

® That is, Aing the vlja of Sarasvati. The Devi is " three syllabled ‘ {Tryakshart) — that is, the vija of the three divisions of the Panchadasi. Shall never in my heart forget Thee, the supreme Devata, Whose substance is existence and intelligence,^ And who expresseth by Thy throat and other organs The bhava appearing in the form of letters.^ The blessed, having conquered the six enemies,® And drawing in their breath,'^ With steady mind fix their gaze on the tip of their nostrils. And contemplate in their head Thy moon-crested form,^ Resplendent as the newly risen sun. The Vedas proclaim that Thou createth the world, Having assumed the other half of the body of the enemy of Kama.® Verily is it true, O Daughter of the mountain and the only World-Mother, That had this not been so, The multitude of worlds would never have been. In company with the wives of the Kinnaras,'^ The Siddha women,** whose eyes are reddened by wine,® Vdgbhava, Kdynamja, and ShakU. According to the Vamakeshvara. Tantra, Vagishvari is the jndnd shakii, which is in th&xm^bhava division, and confers salvation, the kdmardja and shakti divisions being the kfiyd and iohchhd shakii (see the Lalita, verse 126). t the Brahman being and cAf/.

^ That is, they ultimately so appear, though previously exi-sting as subtler elements of sound. 2 The six sins ; Lust {kdma), anger [krodha), greed [lohha), delusion, pride {mada}, envy [nmtsaryyd). ^ Akunchya vayam hy pumka oi prdnciydma. ® As Shakti of Shiva. 6 Shiva (see p. 37, n. 8.. p, 30, n. 3)- The Androgyne form ardhmianshvdra. ^ A lower order of Devas {devayoni). ** Wives of the Siddhas, also celestial spirits [devayoni) inhabiting the atmospheric plane ^huvah), Having worshipped Thee with the flowers of celestial , trees^ In Thy pltha ^ in the caverns of the golden mountain,® Sing Thy praises. I worship in my heart the Devi whose body is moist with nectar,'^ Beauteous as the splendour of lightning, Who, going from Her abode to that® of Shiva,® Opens the lotuses on the beautiful way of thesushmind.^ Worshipped by Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshvara ; The abode of bliss, the source of the Vedas, The origin of all prosperity ; Thou whose body is Intelligence itself.® 1 shall never forget Her who is the giver of happiness ; She it is, O Mother, who, in the form of the Moon, Creates the world full of sounds and their meanings,

And again, by Her power in the form of the Sun, the celestial trees (see p. 63, n. 6 ). 2 Seat or shrine. 3 Sumeru. ^ For She as Kundalinl goes from the mulddhdra to the shivasthdna in the sahasrdra, and returns moist with the nectar of Her union with Him, ^ Rajddhani. Literally capital city of Shiva. ® That is, from the midddhdva chahva to the shivasthdna. The sushumnd is the central "nerve” {nddi), or, rather, channel of energy in the body in which the lotuses {shatchakra) are threaded with their heads normally downwards. As Kundalini becomes stirred by the Yoga process, She ascends from the midddhara and enters the higher chakra. As She docs so, the lotuses upturn and expand again, closing on her departure. s The text which has sansuvarima kamalani vikdshayantim, is not, however, intelligible, and the metre is short. Possibly it is a misprint for saumyang. ^ That is, nothing but intelligence, chaitanyamatm tanu. She it is who maintains the world. And She, again, it is who, in the form of Fire, destroys the whole universe at the end of the ages.^ Men worship® Thee under various names— As Narayana ; as She who saves from the ocean of Hell f As Gauri as the allayer of grief f as Sarasvati,®

And as the three-eyed giver of knowledge,'^ O Mother of the world, such as worship Thee with twelve Verses of this hymn attain to Thee, and gain all powers of speech® and the supreme abode. or hodhim, ndda, and in the form of vindu, according to the predominance of the gxma. These three and the shahtis jndnd, hnyd, and ichM, of which they are special manifestations, are said to be in the form of sun, moon, and fire respectively. The moon [vindu) is ichchhd (will and desire), the eternal precursor of creation. Kviyd is like the sun, which makes all things visible. Jnand is fire, as it burns up all actions (see ShatchakranirQpana, verse 49 , and SSrada Tilaka, chap. i.). ® As Vishnu. ^ Narakdmavatdrim. ^ Spouse of Shiva. The Devi Parana says : “ She who was burned by the fire of yo^a was again born of Himalaya ; as She has the colour of the conch, jasmine, and moon, she is called Gauri.” Her colour is golden. Shiva said to Parvati ; ”0 Daughter of Himalaya, I am white as the moon and thou art dark. I am the sandal- tree, and thou art, as it were, a snake entwined round it.” Parvati, taking umbrage at this remark upon Her dark complexion, went away to the forest, and there, by the performance of austerities, gained for herself a golden complexion beautiful as the sunlit sky,

® Kheddsh&mine. ^ Devi of speech and learning, ’’ Shiva. 8 Vahshiddhi or siddhi of words. I SEEK refuge with Tripur asundari/ Who wanders in the Kadamba forest f The Spouse of the Three-eyed One,® Bank of cloud (in the sky of the heart) ol numbers of sages, ^ Whose hips defeat the mountain by their greatness.® Who is served by celestial women. Whose eyes are like the newly blown lotus, And who is dark as the colour of a freshly formed raincloud.® ^ The Devi is so called as the Spouse of Shiva, destroyer of the tripura, or cities of the three Asiira—Kamalaksha, Tarakaksha. and Vidyunmali, According to the Kalika Purana, Parashiva is Tripura, because he has three pura in Him, His body becoming triple upon the manifestation therein of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, The Devi is then the Shakti of Paramasliiva. ^ The Kadamba [Nauclea cadamba) is a tree with orange fragrant blossoms whereunder Krishna played A dydkallsvmupastotm in Mahanirvana Tantra). Kadamba also denotes number (multitude), and in this sense the Kadamba forest is the universe which the Devi permeates. because He is the father of the three Devas, BrahmS, Vishnu, and Rudra (Tarkalangkara Commentary, Mahanirvana Tantra), The Rigvidhana uses it as equivalent of Mahadeva.

^ Muni. As the bank of cloud gives water, so She quenches the spiritual thirst of iWMWW. Nitamhajitabhudaram. Niiamba literally means buttocks, which, however, here reads rather absurdly in English, the side or hips being pdrsha, kaksha, or shrmi {cf. tenth shloka of the Karpurdkhyastava “ Samcmtdddplnastana-jaghanadhn'kyauvanatl ”). ® That is, of the dark blue colour .seen when the blue of the sky appears through a freshly-formed black rain-cloud. I seek refuge with Tripurasundari, The Spouse of the Three-eyed One, Who dwells in the Kadamba forest, And who is ever wandering ; The Large-eyed One who holds a golden vinci} Wearing a necklace of priceless gems, Whose face is glowing with wine,^ And who of Her mercy grants prosperity to Her devotees. 3 . Ever are we protected by Her whose abode is the Kadamba forest, The weight of whose breasts are garlanded with glittering gems, Whose breasts are rising,^ And excel the mountain in greatness ; Whose cheeks are flushed with wine A Ever singing sweet songs ; the playful one,® dark as a cloud, Ever compassionate to all. I seek refuge with Tripurasundarl, The Spouse of the Three-eyed One, Who stays in the Kadamba forest, 1 A stringed musical instrument of that name.

^ M iikhasamuUasattvdnmim. Vdnwi is wine made from rice. Here and in following verses the divine ambrosia {aniritn) us referred to. 3 “ Rising " [cf. Durgadhydna in “ Devi Purana pmonnuta payadhavdm. As to weight and greatness, A^napurnddhyana, tha Bhnhaneshvarisiatra “ dplvara&tanatating tammittamadhy dm," and Introduction. * Maddrunakapolaya (see n. 2,.ani<’). “ Lilayd. Play [Hid) is the mark of a Deva, and the Devi’s substance is play (lildmayt). The Devi is LalitH, {“ She who plays”). Padma Purana says ; ” Having passed beyond tlie world She plays, lienee She is called Lalita.” J3ut the Creation is also Her play. Who is seated in the golden circle and dwells in the six lotuses,^ Ever revealing like lightning the great power (of devotees)/ Whose beauty is like that of the Jaha flower/ And whose brow is adorned with the full moon. I take refuge with Her, the sweet speaker, Daughter of the sage Matanga,^ Whose breast is adorned with the vina,^ And whose head is beauteous with locks of curling hair ; Who dwells in the lotus / The destroyer of the wicked, Whose eyes are reddened with wine / The charmer of the enemy of the God of Love.®

I take refuge with Tripur asundari, The Spouse of the Three-eyed One, Who should be meditated upon as in the first flush of Her nubile youth,® ^ Shadambhti — that is, the six chakra or centres in the human body : the mulddhdva, svadishthdna, manipura, andhata, vishuddha, and a/wa padmas (see the translation of the Shatchakra Nirupana from the Sanskrit, edited by Arthur Avalon). The Devi exists as Kundalini in these chakra. ~ Satatasiddhisaudammim. Siddhi (power so called), which .lies latent, is instantly brought to light by Her. Scarlet hibiscus, the Tantrik flower sacrod to the Devi, ^ RisM. The musical instrument which She holds, the tip of which rests on Her breast. For She is also Kamala or Lakshmi. Mfld’anwawAjcAft'WaM'i (see last page, note 2). ® That is, charmer of Shiva who destroyed Kamadeva with the fire from His eyes when the latter sought to distract him by thought of passion from the yoga in which he was engaged. ® Smaretprathama pitshpinint, literally “ as having the first ‘ flower ’ ” which is used in the same symbolical sense as in English. The pushpotsara is the religious festival held on its first appearance at puberty. Her blue garment stained with drops of blood,' Holding the wine-cup,^

Her eyes rolling with wine f With heavy, high, and close-set breasts,^ Dark of colour, and with dishevelled hair.® At time of recitation I remember the Mother, Lustrous as the scarlet hibiscus,® Her body pasted with saffron and sandal, Her hair kissed by musk The Mother with smiling eyes,® With red garland, ornaments, and raiment, Who holds the arrow, bow, noose, and goad f The charnier'-® of countless men. 1 Rudhiravindunilambaram — that is, stained with the pushfa (" flower ”). As this first shows itself when woman is ready to bear, so in the blue sky, which is the Devi’s garment, signs are seen which herald Her creation. 2 GrihUamadhupanikdm. ^ MadhuvigJiurnanetranchalam {seeji. 26, n. 2). ^ Ghainaslana bharonnatam : “ heavy ” {cf. Annapumadhydna, ” AnnapraddKaniratdng stanabhdmnamram”) ; "high” (of. Durgddhyana, ante Introduction) ; " close,” so that, as it is said in the KurnSrasambhavam (chap, i.) of Kalidasa : “ Even the filament of a lotus could not be passed between them” {” mrmdlasutrdntammapyalabhyam"), ® Galitachikuvdng. The Devi in this and other forms, as Kali, Tara and Chhinnamasta is so represen ted. The epithet is a common one in Tantra (<5/. verse 3). ® Jaba, V. ante. So also the Lalita (verse 147), " whose body is like the China rose.”

.See the AdydkdUsvarupa Stotm in the Mahanirvana Tantra. 8 The Devi is, according to the Lalita Sahasranama (verse 59) chdnihdsa (with beautiful smile), indicating a certain state of consciousness (^ra&oiAa) of highest bliss. s These are Her weapons. The Tantraraja (VSsana chap.) says : ‘ ' Mind is the bow of sugar-cane, desire the noose, anger the goad, and the fi.ve subtle sources of the elements {tanmdtm) the five arrows of flowers.” But the yogimluidaya says; "The noose is Ichchhdshakii, the goad JndndshakH, and the bow and arrows Knydshakti” She deludes men witli her mdyd ; hence the Lalita (verse 137) calls Her “all-bewildering” (sarvatnohini). The Kurma Purina says; " This Maya is dear to me by which the world is bewildered. I bewilder the whole universe with the Devas, Daityas, and men.” I worship the World-Mother Who is served by celestial women, The Spouse of Indra, Skilful in plaiting hair The devouted Spouse of Brahma, Anointed with sandal paste ; The Spouse of Vishnu, Adorned with pleasing ornaments. ^ Chikuvabandhasaivindhrikam ; for Her hair, which is in some of Her aspects dishevelled, is in others beautifully arranged. I call to mind the Mother of the whole universe. Who has created this world, both reaP and unreal,^

And who, by Her own power with its three gunas,^ Protects it, and having destroyed it. She then plays.^ Commonly is it said that Brahma creates the universe. Yet the learned in Veda and Pui ana Speak of His birth from the navel lotus of Murari,® Although it is said He creates, yet He is Himself dependent therein.® ^ I Skandha, (chap. ii.). 2 SadasaisvarUpam, on which Nilakantha says: Vyavahdm dvishiya sat, pafamdrthadarshanena asat ; that is, the world is real (sat) from the point of view of practical life and reason ; to all those, in short, who have not experimentally realized the Advaita Tattva ; but to those who have, and from the transcendental standpoint, it is, in fact, unreal {asat), ^ Sattva, mjas, and tamas, the substance of Shakti, as Pmkriti (see Introduction), ^ Hamate — ^that is, “in her own self” {simsmincvakrhah’) (. ). She shines. Hence She is also called Lalita. “ She who pi lys ” I’adma Pr. says, “ having passed beyond the worlds, She plays ; hence She is called Lalita.” Beyond Shakti and Shiva there exist various manifestations of Parashakti and Sadashiva, each jn its own sphere. But Mahashakti, who is Paramashiva, crossing all worlds, resides in the supreme sphere of Mahahaildsa. She it is who is known as Lalita and Kameshvari. ® Vishnu as Enemy of the Daitya Mura.

® Because He is born, He creates dependent on Bhagavatl, In tlic next verse the argument is; "Let BrahmS be not the creator; why not, then, Vishnu ? " To which the answer is given of His dependence on Ananta. Even Murari in the blossom of whose navel lotus, Brahma was born— Deeply sleeps upon his serpent bed^ at the time of dissolution. Therefore Ananta with his thousand hoods is His support. How can He who is Himself supported Be called a leader^ in the creation of the world ? Even the water of Ocean^ which is a liquid substance Cannot exist without a container ; therefore*^ I take refuge vdth Her, the Mother of all beings, Who exists in all things in the form of power Brahma in the lotus, Seeing that the eyes of Vishnu were closed in deep slumber,® Prayed to that Devi with whom I take shelter.'^ 1 Vishnu reposes on the 1,000-headed Serpent Ananta. And that container requires a support. Therefore the udJiavashakti is the Mother of all. For this reason, in commencing any puja, the Adharashakti is worshipped on account of Her being the supporter of all, and that Shakti is none but the Mother of all. .

® Yoganidm, the sleep of pralaya. That He might be roused from his sleep and take part in the cosmic process. Siita continues : " Having meditated upon Her who is Mdyd azid Sagund, and giver of liberation and Nirgund, I will tell you, O munis, the wdiole Parana, which is the best and the most sacred Shrlmadbhagavata of 18,000 Sanskrit Shlokas.” Now I pray for the attainment of all blessings to Bhubaneshvari, The cause and Mother® of the world, She whose form is that of the Shabdabrahman,^ And whose substance is bliss. Thou art the primordial One,® Mother of countless creatures, Creatrix of the bodies® of the lotus-born,’’ Vishnu and Shiva. Who creates, preserves, and destroys the three worlds. O Mother ! by hymning Thy praise I purify my speech. O Daughter of the Mountain-King,® Thou art the cause of the world-destroying energy of ^ The Devi in her aspect as Lord and Ruler of the world. 2 P. 567. Amhikd. ^ Sdhshdtshabdabi'ahmasvaruptnt: the "sound” or manifested Aparabrahman, as opposed to the absolute, the Parabrahman. The Devi and the Shabdabrahmaa are, in fact, one, though men speak of Her as His Shakti (power). ^ Adya. “ Vapuhpratipddayitvi, The Devas have bodies, subtle though they be, as the Sliabdabrahmau Himself has. ^ Brahma,

8 Hiinavat, whose daughter, as PSrvvati, the Devi was. children they are, and who also manifests as their Spouse, Who manifests in earth, water, fire, ether, the sacrificer, the sun and moon,^ And who destroyed the body of Manmatha.^ O Mother ! men only worship the triple-streamed Ganga^ Because She shines in the matted hair of Shiva, ^ Which has been purified By the dust of Thy lotus feet. As the moon® delights the white night lotus® and none other. As the sun delights the day lotus'^ and none other, As one particular thing only delights one other, Thou, O Mother ! delightest the whole universe bj^ Thy glances. Although Thou art the primordial cause of the world, Yet art Thou ever youthful ; Although Thou art the Daughter of the Mountain-King,® Yet art Thou full of tenderness. Although Thou art the Mother of the Vedas,® 1 These constitute the eight-fold forms {ashtamuvti) of Shiva, viz., Sarva, Bhava, Rudra, Ugralia, Bhima, Pashupati, Ishana, Mahadeva. ^ jhc Beva of Love (see p. 39, n. 3). 3 Trisrotah, for there are three Ganges : the heavenly (Mandakini), earthly (Alakananda], and that of the nether world (Bhogavati). ^ As to the descent of Gangs, into the jata of Shiva (see p. 125, n. 5). s Literally Lord of Kald. Kald is a digit of which there are sixteen in the moon. The amdhald is that from which the nectar is distilled.

^ Kumundinl, which blooms and opens at night, 8 Mountain [Shaila), which is that which is made of masses of stone {SMld) — a rhetorical comparison between the hardness of stone and Her tenderness. ^ Trayl. The whole Veda is so called because it consists of song, prose, and verse ; or because the Rik, Yajus, and Sama are alone referred to as Veda. Yet they cannot describe Thee4 Although men must meditate upon Thee, Yet cannot their mind comprehend Thee.^ O Mother of the worlds ! Those who have reached that birth amongst men Which is so difficult to attain, And in that birth their full faculties, Yet nathless do not worship Thee, Such, though having ascended to the top of the stairs, Nevertheless fall down again,® Such as worship Thee with fragrant flowers and sandal paste, Ground with cool water^ and powdered camphor, Gain the sovereignty of the whole world. O Mother ! like the sleeping King of serpents,® Residing in the centre of the first lotus,® Thou didst create the universe. 1 Cf. verse 2 of Malumnastava of Pushpadanta, ® Literally, " Though thou art to be meditated upon, thou dost not stay in the path of mind " {cf. Mahimnastava, loc. cit, and Shruti, which says, " Yato vacho nivayttante aprdpya manasd salia.”)

incarnation is without avail for those who, without excuse in such incarnation, do not worship the Devi, ^ Kalidasa in the Ritusanghara says that in the hot weather women should wear fine cloth, powder their liair with fragrant scent, and smear their breasts with sandal, ground with cool water. ® She as Kundalini resembles a sleeping serpent with three and half coils abiding in the mulddhara. The Mulddhara chakra (see, last note). Tliou dost ascend like a streak of lightning,^ And attainest the ethereal region.^ Thy body, having been moistened with the nectar flowing from That,® Thou dost again reach Thy abode* by that way.® O Mother and Spouse of Maheshvara ! They in whose heart Thou glitterest are never reborn. 0 Gauri ! with all my heart 1 contemplate Thy form, With its weight of hanging hair, With full breasts® and rounded slender waist, Holding in three hands a rosary, 8 a pitcher,^ and book, And with Thy fourth hand making the jnanamudra}^ Yogis who have restrained their senses And have conquered the six enemies, III yoga with calm minds behold Thee Vidyullata halaya vibhmmamudvahanti. This is the sense of the passage which may literally mean that the Devi carries the beauty {vibrahma) of wristlets, like a streak of lightning, or " the Devi is sporting like a streak of lightning.”

the Devi repairs when Her passion is aroused by the lightning of the Kdmdgni around Her fanned by the leftward revolution of the red Kandarpavayu. 2 That is, the Sahasrdrapadma. * Mulddhdra. ® M argenatena — that is,, the nddi sushumnd. ® Apivafastanatatlng. 7 Tanmrittamadhydng. ® Japamdla, with which japa or recitation of mantra is done. Literally, holding chintd, which is a name for the jnana or manual gesture so called, n The six sins (see p. 22 , r° Holding noose and a goad, ^ And making the vm and abhaya mudrdsr Rivalling the lustre of molten gold, Holding two lotuses in two of Thy hands, And with the other two making the gestures which gi*ant boons and dispel fear.® Four elephants holding jars (in their trunks), Sprinkle Thy head with nectar."* O Bhavani ! Thou art Durga,® seated on a lion, Of the colour of d^trvd grass,® Holding in Thy eight hands various kinds of dreadful weapons, 1 See p. 28, n. 9. 2 That is, the gestures [Mtidra) which grant boons and dispel fear. In the first the hand is held horizontally, the palm open, the fingers close to each other, and the thumb across the palm and touching the root of the third finger. The second is the same, but the hand is held upwards vertically, the palm being shown to the spectator.

* In this form the Devi is represented as being surrounded by four elephants, which pour nectar over her from jars held in their trunks. s One of the names of Bhubaneswarx.(sec p. 171 of Prosanna Kumar Shastri's " Dashamahavidya”). ® Of a dark green. It is not clear why this colour is here mentioned, as the colour of Durga is a golden yellow. It is, however, the colour of other forms, which are those of the one and the same Devi. Thus the colour of Kali is that of anjana (black, collyrium), Tanl, is nild (dark blue) Matangini is asiiS, (black) or shyumdngl (dark green'. The hue of Shorashi (Shri) is that of the rising sun ipdldrkdhanti), a.s it is that of Bhubaneshvari [uddaddinakaradyuti). The colour of Bhairavi is said to be that of a thousand rising suns ; of Chhinnamasta that of a million suns ; Dhumavati is of an ashen colour {vivarnd) ; Bagalamukhi is fdl - . yellow {pitavarnd), and KamalS is said to be like lightning [saiuldy-"^VA\t\sannibhd)-^Siee Prosanna Kumar Shastri’s “ Dasliamahavidya ”, ' ® The Daityas enemies of the Devas, whose Protectress the Devi is. I remember again and again the dark^ primeval Devi^ swayed with passion,®

Her beauteous face heated and moist with the sweat (of amorous play),"^ Bearing a necklace of Ganjahexxies,^ and clad with leaves. 0 Spouse of, Shrikantha,® 1 place on my head Thy blue lotus feet, Which are followed by'^ the Vedas, As swans are lured by the tinkling sound of an anklet, O Bhavani ! I worship thy body from ankle to knee,® Upon which the bull-bannered one® gazes with great love. And who, as if not satiated by looking thereon with two eyes, Has yet made for himself a third.^® same Sanskrit words of colour. Matangini here referred to is also spoken of as shyamangl or dark green ; and dark green and dark blue seem also to be used interchangeably. 2 Matangini, one of the Dashamahavidya. ^ Anangatantrdm — influenced or swayed by Ananga (“ the bodiless one ”), a name of the Hindu God of Love, Kama. ^ Avivniddsha jalashikhamshobhivaktrdm. The cause is shown in tlie preceding line — play and union with her Lord. ® Red and black berries used as goldsmiths’ weights. ® Shiva, the “ beautiful throated,” also called Shitikantha (“ peacock-throated ”), from the colouring caused by His drinking the venom which arose at the churning of the ocean.

Anugamyamanau — that is, the Vedas worship and adore Her. Janghd cf. Lalitasahasranama, verse i8, where the Devi’s calves are compared to " the sapphire-studded quiver of the God of Love, with rounded ankles ’and instep arched like the back of a tortoise.” ® Shiva, also called Brishaddhvaja. Shiva is always represented with three eyes, the third being tlie eye of wisdom, which in man opens on the realization of divinitj.'. I call to mind thy two thighs,^ Which humble the pride of the trunk of an elephant, And surpass the plaintain-tree in thickness and tenderness.^ O Mother ! youth® has fashioned those thighs That they may support as two pillars the weight of thy (great) hips.'^ Looking at thy waist,® it would seem as if it had been absorbed And become the great bulk of thy breasts and hips.® By the youth"^ which clothes the body with hair,® May it ever be resplendent in my heart ! O Devi ! may I never forget thy navel,® As it were a secure inviolate pool,^® (j-i veil to Thee by Thy blooming youth, ^ Uru [cf. Lalitasahasranama, verse 17. “ The symmetry and smoothness of Her thighs are known only to Kamcsha (Shiva), Her knees shine like jewelled discs.”

^ Cf. First Canto of Kalidasa’s Kumara Sambhavam. ® Shnmyaustanauchayiigapat prathayishyatnchchairhdlydt farcna hayasd panhvisiasdrah — that is, the waist is so slender and the breasts and hips so heavy that it would seem that the greater part of the body, which goes to the making of the waist, had been taken away and put into the breasts and hips, and formed their bulk. Bdlyatparenabayasd. Literally the age which follows childhood, which is the cause of these changes in woman’s body. ® Rorndvalivildsitena, which appears with puberty {cf. verse 15 of the Lalita). NdbM, which also means any navel-like cavity, Pallalamapradhrishyam — from all but Shiva : a similar idea to thfi>-of verse 17 of the Laiita, where it is said that the beauty of the D'evi’S'.thighs are known only to Her Lord Kamosha (Shiva). Filled with the liquid beauty’- of the Beloved of Smara," He who was fearful of the fire from the eyes of Kara® Thy two lotus-like breasts, smeared with sandal, Which bear ashes telling of Shiva’s embrace,^ Call to mind the vermilion-painted temples moist with ichor® Of some (impassioned) elephant Rising from his bath in waters, 0 Mother ! Thy two arms, beauteous with the water Dripping from Thy body bathed from neck to throat, Seem to have been formed by the crocodile-bannered One,'^ As long nooses wherewith to hold the throat of his enemy® (Shiva).

May I never forget them ! Krishna and Rukminl. The son of Kama is Aniruddha, and his companion is Vasanta, the spring. He is armed with a bow-andarrows, the bow-string being a line of bees, and the arrows flowers of different plants. war with Taraka, they sought the aid of Kama in drawing Shiva towards Parvati, whose issue alone could destroy the demon. Kama undertook the mission, and shot his arrows of love at Shiva, when the latter was doing tapas. Shiva, however, who was offended at this disturbance of his devotions, burnt Kama down with a flash from the fire of His third eye. Subsequently Kama was reborn in the' form o f Pi-adyumna at the request of Rati. ^ For Shiva’s body is covered with a.shes. ^ Samadasyakttmbhau, the ichor which exudes from the temples of elephants in rut. ® The ashes are thus compared to foam, and the sandal paste to the vermilion with which tire temples and foreheads of fine elephants are painted. ^ That is,, Katna, the God of Love. ^ For Shiva burnt him (see ante n. 3 ). The Devi‘s arms embrace O Daughter of the Mountain- King, Again and again have I looked upon Thy shapely neck. Which has stolen the beauty of a well-formed shell,

And is adorning with pleasing necklace and many another ornament ; Yet am I never satiated. O Mother ! he has not been born in vain^ Who oft calls to his mind Thy face, with its large round eyes 'and noble brow, Its radiant cheeks and smile, The high, straight nose. And lips red as the bimba fruit.^ Whoever, O Devi ! contemplates upon Thy wealth of hair, Lit by the crescent moon,® Resembling a swarm of bees hovering over fragrant flowers, Is freed of the ancient fetters which bind him to the world.^ The mortal who in this world Devoutly from his heart reads this hymn, Sweet to the ears of the wise, Attains for ever all wealth in the form of that Lakshmi Who attends the crowned kin^s who are prostrate at Her feet. ^ Sa eva jatah. Literally, “ He is indeed born.” His birth is fruitful. is very red, and to which the lips of young women are often compared (c/, Meghaduta, verse 2 , “ Pakvabimbadharosthi ”). 3 The Devi bears the cre.scent moon on her head as does Shiva. ^ Tasya svayam galati Devt puranapdsha- — that is, he is freed of rebirth, the fruit of Karma, Here commences the phala portion of the stotra (see p loB, n. 2 ),

Thou art the playful garland on the head of Kara f Such as but touch a drop of the spray of Thy waters Recline on the lap of the fan-holding women of the city of the immortalSj^ Freed of the fear arising from the sinful Kali age.'^ (0 Devi Ganga !) may you purify us, Thou who separateth the earth from Heaven,® Gladdening the creeper-like matted hair on- the head of Hara,® Descending from the region of heaven, Oozing from out the cave of the golden mountain,'^ Falling upon the surface of the earth, Purifier (as the River Mandakini) of the city of the Devas, Who art the powerful Destructress of the multitude of men’s sins, ^ The River Ganges, in whom the Devi manifests. Bhagiratha was caught in the matted hair of Shiva. ^ Amardvail. The city of Indra. ^ Kaliyuga. The fourth, and, according to orthodox views, the present age, marked by the prevalence of sin, ® By the celestial Ganges called Mandakini. . The trunks of elephants and their young make play with Thy waters, Fragrant with ichor-maddened swarms of bees, Triclding from the temples of elephants bathing therein. Thy stream is browned with the sandal paste Dropping from the breasts of Siddha women^ wFo bathe therein,

And nigh the river bank Thy water is strewn with Kusha^ grass and flowers, There thrown by sages^ at morn and even,** May the water of the Ganges protect us ! This divine sin- destroying Bhagirathr" now on earth Was in the beginning water in the vessel® of the Primeval Grandfather.'^ Then it was pure water from the feet of the Lord (Vishnu), Who sleeps on the serpent.8 Again it was the gem adorning the matted hair of Shiva,® And, lastly, the daughter of the great sage J ahnu.^° ^ Sicldhas are celestial spirit {devayoni) of great purity. 2 A species of grass used in worship. The flower and gi'ass is thrown by them when they wonship the Ganges in tlie morning and evening. ® Ganga is called Bhagirathi, because She was brought down from heaven by the prayer of Bhagiratha, son of Dilipa of the soiar race, in order to .secure heavenly bliss, for his kinsmen. ® Kamandaht, a gourd-shaped vessel used by a.scctics. Piidmaha. Brahma is so called. 8 The thousand-headed serpent Ananta Deva {see Vishnu Purana). ® Ante p. 41, n. 2. Hence the liver is called Jahnavi, The verse speaks of the stages of the descent of the heavenly stream. Rishi Jalinu swallowed the Ganges, "and then, at the prayer of Bhagiratha, he let it issue from his thigh. The Ganges is called his daughter tis She is.sued from him (sec Ramayana and post p. 125, n. 5).

May the entrancing^ Ganga falling on the matted hair^ of Hara,"" Descending from the Lord of Mountains, Moving sinuously like a serpent to the ocean, Flowing by the city of Kashi, ^ Dispeller of countless worldly fears,® Saviour of those who bathe in Her waters, How can he who has seen Thy wave be bound by illusion ? To him who has drunk of Thy water thou givest a dwelling in the city of the yellow-clad Deva.® O Ganga ! what time the bodies of those who assume body^ fall on Thy lap,® For such, 0 Mother,® even Shatakrita’s^® grandeur^^ is but a small thing. ^ 0 Bhagavati on Thy bank I drink Thy water only. 1 worship Krishna, all thirst for worldly enjoyment having Destroyer of all sin. Whose companionship is the stairway to Heaven,^® 1 ilifflwoMn'wi (“ mind stealer ”). 2 Shiva, like the ascetics, wears a coil of matted hair {Jata). * Benares, through which the Ganges flows. Feai'lesjsness is the special gift of the Devi. The Markandeya Parana says: “When You are remembered in times of difficulty, You hike away all fear of all beings.” She is Bhaydpahd (remover of fear) ; for Shruti says (“Tai. Up.” ii. 9, i) : “ By knowing the bliss of that Brahman none fear anything.”

heaven {Vaikuniha), 7 Men. 8 That is, when in death, they are thrown into the Ganges. 9 The Devi is the Holy Mother {Shrimata), ihe first of Her names. 10 Indra, King of the celestials. Pada or portion. Feminine of Bhagavan, a term applied to God, and which means Pie who possesses Bhaga. Svarga. O Devi ! Ganga of lightsome, tremulous wave, Be gracious to me. 0 Mother ! O Spouse of Shambhu Who art ever associated with Shambhu At death, upon Thy banks, with my hands folded upon my head, , Remembering Thy name and the feet of Narayana,^ May'my devotion to Kara and Hari^ ever endure At the time of the festival of life’s departure He who of pure mind made this sacred eight- versed hymn to Ganga Will be wholly released of all sin And will go the region of Vishnu.® 1 Shiva. 2 Vishnu. Vishnu and Shiva. "DedMx {pra-naprayanotsava), for it is the entrance to heavenly bliss. ® (see p. 43 , n. 6). Devi, Thou who removeth the pain of Thy suppliants,® Be gracious. Be gracious, 0 Mother of the world ! Be gracious, 0 Queen of the universe ! Thou art, 0 Devi ! the Ishvari of all moving and unmoving things.^

Thou art the only support of the world, Because Thou wert in the form of earth. By Thee who existed in the form of water Is the whole universe pervaded. Thou art Her whose powers are unsurpassed, Thou art the Vaishnavi Shakti® of eternal power ; Thou art the seed of the universe, And the supreme May £?, All this universe has been bewitched by Thee, Thou, when pleased, art the cause of salvation to and other Devas (Agni at their head), with shining faces, offered praise to KatyayanI, because of the fulfilment of their desire. Literally, “ Those who come to take shelter with Her.” Tliat is, the organic and inorganic world, c The energy of Vishnu, the sustaining power of the Universe. All sciences are parts of Thee, As also all women without exception^ throughout the world.^ By Thee alone, O Mother ! is the universe Med. How can we praise Thee ? Art thou not beyond all praise of highest speech ? When,^ O Devi being' in the form of the universe, And bestowing heaven® and liberation,® What words, howsoever sublime, suffice for Thy praise ? O Thou who existeth in the form of huddhi'^ In the heart of all beings.

Who art Giver of heaven and liberation — 0 Devi Narayani ! ® salutation to Thee. In the form of moments, minutes, and other fractions of time. Thou art the cause of (worldly) change. he says that sakald here means “ endowed with the sixty-four arts ” [kald), such as dancing, music, painting, literature, acting, etc., and who are devoted to their husbands modest, etc. The Devi is not, according to thi.s noble line, in these only, but in all women, however ignorant of the " arts " or low born they may be. Siriyah samastdh sakald jagatsti. The Devibhashyam of Panchanana Tarkaratna translates the verse as, " All sciences, all things {bheddh), and all women are of Thee,” 3 The verse here changes from tipendra vajrd to anuship metre. * That is, She who is, as Nagoji says, of a shining nature {dyoianashtld). ® Svarga. ® Mukti. 7 That is, nischaydtmakamjnanam. ^ For .she is the support of all beings ; Jem. of Narayana, a name of Vislmu. At the time of the dissolution of the universe Thou art all-powerful4 Narayanl, all reverence to Thee. O Auspicious One ! auspicious with all auspiciousness, Accomplisher of all successful things, Giver of refuge, Three-eyed one f O Gauri O Narayanl ! all reverence to Thee,

O Eternal One ! who art the energy** Of creation, maintenance, and destruction ; Who art the abode of the qualities,® And are yet beyond them — ^ O Narayanl ! all reverence to Thee. O Thou who ever savest those in poverty and pain, Who take shelter with Thee ! O Remover of the pains of all ! Narayanl, all reverence to Thee. Rider in an aerial car yoked with swans, Who assumed the form of Brahmam,® ^ For She is in the form of time. 2 As is Her Spouse Shiva with his third eye of wisdom. 3 Either as Nagoji says “ white Devi,” or the Devi of that name, who issued from the body of Mahadevi, * The commentator says ” that She is the possessor of it “(shahti) ; but there is in reality no difference between shakii and the possessor of shahti, though human understanding and speech may make such difference. ® The — the three sattva, rafas, and tamas, and their deriva- ® Nagoji says that gunHshraye guitainaye=gunashraye agunamaye. Though the gunas inhere in Her, She is not as is the jlva, affected by them. See next note. 8 Shakti, or energy of BrahmS, whose vehicle {vahana) is a swan {kangsa), or flamingo, as it is variously rendered.

Who sprinklest water in which kusha grass^ is steeped®— Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who holdeth trident, moon, and serpent,® Riding on a great bull'^ In the form of Maheshvari®— Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who art attended by fowl and peacock.® .0 faultless One ! Who holdeth a great s^^JiM-weapon,’’ And existeth in the form of Kaumari® — Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who holdeth Thy great implements, Which are the conch, discus, mace, and bow ; Who art in the form of Vaishnavi,® Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who holdeth the formidable discus, iVnd hast uplifted the earth with Thy tushes^® — u. Grass used in and Anya. 2 As Brahma does with the holy water [shantijalam) from his pot kamandalu. 2 Associated with Shiva. ^ The vahana of Shiva. ® Both the cock and peacock are said in the Mahabharata to Ijc the vahana of Kartikeya. Gopal Chakravarti renders it, however, .is “ the best of peacocks.” A kind of missile, dart s(i>ear, lance, or pike. 8 'I'he Shakti of Kumara, or Karttikeya, son of Shiva and Parvvafci and Commander of the celestial hosts. 8 The Shakti of Vishnu, who holds the couch, discus (chakra), etc. See note i on page 49.

O auspicious One ! in the form of a boar^ — Narayani, all reverence to Thee. O Thou who in the fierce man-lion form^ Didst put forth effort to slay the Dait5ms, And who hast delivered the three worlds — ^ Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who weareth a diadem and beareth a great thunderbolt, Who dazzles with Thy thousand eyes,**^ Destructress of the life of Vritra,^ Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who art in the form of Shivaduti,® Destructress of the great host of the Daityas, Of terrible form and loud and terrible voice — Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Whose visage is formidable with its teeth, Adorned with a garland of severed heads — ^ Vishnu, in His boar-incarnation, uplifted on His tushes the world which had been submerged in the waters. ^ As Shakti of Vishnu in tlxQ nrisingha incarnation, in which He slew the Daitya Hiranyakashipu. The Devi is here invoked as Aindri the shakti, of Indra, who is crowned, and whose weapon, like that of Jupiter, is the thunderbolt, and who has a thousand eyes. ^ An Asura slain by Indra. ® See note 3, ani£. ® The Devi is known as Shivaduti, because Shiva was engaged by Her as messenger to Shumbha and Nishumbha

yatoniyukto dautyena tayd devyd shivah svayam shivadfitUi lokesmingstatah sd khyatim dgata. 0 Chamunda destructress of Munda^ — Narayanl, all reverence to Thee. Lakshml, modesty, great knowledge,^ Faith (in shdstras), nourishment, svadhd Truth, permanent and unchangeable ; Great night of dissolution, great nescience® — Narayani, all reverence to Thee, Understanding ® Sarasvati, the Best of all. All powers/ Spouse of Babhru/ Dark One,® Primeval Shakti.^® Be gracious, O Lady ! Narayani, all reverence to Thee. Who art in the form of all things, Controller of all ; who hast all power ; ^ Devi is so called because She slew the Asuras Chanda and Munda (see verse 25, chap. vii. of Chandi). 2 Mundamathane ; not as one translation of the Cliandihas it, “who grindest shaven heads.” That is. as Nagoji says, the knowledge pertaining to the Atman {adhydimavidyd) contained in the Upanishads ; not “ wide knowledge,” as last-mentioned translator renders it. Mantra olPitris. ^ For Devi is both vidyd (knowledge) and uvidyd (nescience), or Prakriti. ® Mcdhd, which Nagoji sdjy&^dhdnindvatl huddhi, or firm, steady, concentrated Bhuti, which ordinarily means wealth=-here, according to Gfipal Chakra varti, aishvaryyarupini — that is, the eight siddhi ; or, according to Nagoji, it is sattvapradhdna (“ greatly e.xcelling in sattva guna ”).

® A name of Shiva, Vishnu, or Fire. According to Nagoji the rcijoguna shakii is here indicated. ® Tclmasl — that is, tamogimayuktd, Niyaie, which ordinarily means fate (adrishta) ; but here denote.s, according to Nagoji, the Mulashakii, the root or primeval Shakti. It does not mean, as stated in the last-mentioned translation, “ O self-controlled Queen !” In the case of the Devi there is no seif to be cantroUed. She controls others, not Herself. From the cause of all fear protect us, O Devi ! O Devi Durga ! reverence to Thee. Beautiful is Thy face adorned with three eyes. Guard us from all (formidable) beings. O Katyayani Reverence to Thee. May Thy trident most formidable with flame, Slayer of countless Asuras, Protect us from fear. O Bhadrakali Reverence to Thee. May Thy bell which destroys the power of Daityas, Filling the world with its sound, Guard us from sin, As a mother® protects her children ! May Thy sword glittering in Thy hands. Besmeared with the blood and fat of Asuras as with mire, Be for our welfare ! O Chandika ! to Thee we bow. Thou, when gratified, dost destroy all forms of disease ; But if displeased, Thou dost destroy all longed-for desires.

^ According to Gopal, the Devi is so called because She was born in the hermitage of the Miini KSltyayana, but the Vedantists say that Katya is he who is devoted to the Brahman {bmhmamshia), and She who is attained by them is KatySyam. Such as take shelter with Thee need fear no danger, Since they become verily a refuge to themselves.^ O Mother, who hast shown Thyself in many forms, Who else than Thee is able to achieve That destruction of the great Asuras, Which Thou hast wrought to-day. In the sciences,^ in all scriptures,^ and in the great sayings,® Which are the lamp of knowledge,® Who else is there but Thee Who makes this universe again and again’' revolve In the pit® of delusion® steeped in darkness. Where there are Rakshasas’-® and greatly poisonous serpents ? Where there are (armed) enemies ; Where there are highway robbers ; slaves of such an one. ^ Dhaimma, 3 There are fourteen kinds of vidyU' — viz,, four Veda, six Anga, Mimansa, Nyaya, Dharmmashastra, Parana. Gopai says vidya and npavidyd, such as Indrajala, GSrudakadySh, Dljanurvidya, etc. ^ Shdsira — that is, tarka (logic), niti, etc, " Literally; the “ first sayings " — that is, Veda or the Kanuakanda.

® Viveka = jndna (Gopal). Ativa. 8 The reference is to the sangsdra. It is a " pit,” for men fall into it ; and it is ” dark,” for it obstructs knowledge. ® Mamcitvam, which Gopal defines as asvahlyc ■n'cikiyutvflhhimiinah — the sense of ownness in rfi.spcct of a thing not one’s own — c.g., to take the body to bo the self ; to- think I am white, I am tall, etc. Where there is the forest and ocean^ lire, There abiding,^ Thou dost guard the universe. Queen of the universe art Thou and its guardian ; In the form of the universe Thou art its maintainer. By the Lords® of the universe art Thou worshipped. They, its supporters, have great devotion to Thee.^ O Devi ! be gracious ; Ever protect us from the fear of enemies As Thou hast just now saved us by the slaughter of the Asuras. Make cease at once the sins of the whole world And the great dangers which come of all portents.® O Devi ! who takest a-way the afflictions of the universe. Be gracious to us who make obeisance to Thee. O Thou who art worthy of all praise,

Grant boons to the dwellers in the three® worlds.*^ ^ That is, the submarine fire. ^ Because She pervades all things. ^ Gopala Chakra varti renders it : " Those who are devoted to Thee are themselves worshipped — even by Indra, Brahma, etc., the Lords of the Universe — therefore Thou art the supporter of the universe.” ^ Unusual phenomena, such as earthquakes, comets, hurricanes, etc. ** Bhiih, blmvah, svah (see p. 70, note S)- Then Devi said : “ jS5ow 1 bestow a boon, O Devas ” (Chandi). From the MAHANIRVANA TANTRA 1. HrIng,^ O destroyer of time !'^ 2. ShrIng,^^ 0 terrific one P 3. KrIng,^ Thou who art beneficent,' 4. Possessor of all the arts,^ 5. Thou art Kamala,® 6. Destroyer of the pride of the Kali Age,^'^ From the Mahanirvana Tantra, Seventh Ullasa, verses i2 et seq. This hymn to the primordial Kali contains a hundred of her names all beginning with “ K.” Thus Kali, Karali, Kalyani, Kalavati, Kamala, Kalidarpaghni, Kaparddishakripanvita, etc. Kadi is that which has " Ka ” in the beginning. In the Tantraraja Devi says to Shiva : “ The syllable ‘ Ka ’ is in Thy form, and that Shakti confers all siddhis ” (see Lalita Sahasranama, where a number of the following names occur). ^ The Mdyavlja (see Fifth Ulldsa, verse lo).

3 Kali (see Fourth ITllasa. verses 30 et seq.). She is thus called Kdlahafshini. ^ Vija of Laksmi, Devi of i>rosperity or beauty. Karali. ® The Vijabhidana says A'fl = Kali A\j=Brahma /=:Mahamaya. The half- circle of chandvavitulu is the universal Mother, and the point is the destroyer of misery. Kalyani. or She who bestows peace and happinc.ss (see the J.alita, verse 73). According to the Padmapurana, Devi is worshipped as Kalyani in the Malaya mountains. ® Kalavati (see the Lalita, verse 74}. The Kala, or arts, are .sixty-four in number. The Shakti should always be Kalavati. Devi is also called KaldmdlS., or garland of the arts. Kalavati may also mean possessed of all parts complete. A name of Lakshmi-Devi is Kamala. for She is all Shaktis. In verse 73 of the Lalita, Devi is called Kamukalarupa, on which ilha.skararaya says that there are three vwdns and the hdvdnkula. The first vindtt is called Kama, and tire last Kala ; but according to tin* rule pmtyahara, KSmala includes all four. KSlika. Parana, says Devi, is alone indicated by Kama. i-O Kalidarpaghni. 7. Who art kind to him of the matted haird 8. Devoiirer of Him who devours,^ 9. Mother of Time ^

10. Thou art brilliant as the fires of the final dissolution. 11. Spouse of Him of the matted hair.^ 12. O Thou of formidable countenance/" 13. Ocean of the nectar of compassion/ 15. Vessel of mercy/ 16. Whose mercy is without limit/® 17. Who art attainable alone by Thy mercy /^ 18. Who art fire/2 20. Black of hue/^ 21. Thou who increaseth the joy of the Lord of creation/® 22. Night of darkness/® 23. In the form of desire/’’ ^ Kappardishakripanvita Kapardlsha is a title of Shiva derived from his matted hair. 2 Kalika, because She devours Shiva as Mahakala (see Mahl nirvana Tantra, Fourth UUdsa, verse 31). ® Kalamata. ^ Kalanalasamadyuti. ® Kapardini. spouse of Shiva, called Kapavdi from his matted hair (see Lalita, vei'se 151). The Vishva says that Kaparda means the matted hair of Shiva and the cowdung cakes. When Shiva incarnated, as Mailara, his spouse was decked with a garland of cowdung cakes. ° Karalasya. Kai'unamritasagara (see Lalita, verse 73). 8 Kripamayi. 8 Kripadhara. Krishanu. Kvishanuretas is an epithet Of Shiva whose male seed is fire. 13 Kapila. Krishna. Kri.shnanandavivardhini. Krishna is here the .supreme Lord. ^3 Kalaratri. The Lalita, verse 10 1, speak-s of the Devi as attended by hosts of SliaktL, Kalaratri, and others — that is, the twelve Shakti.9 from Kalaratri to Tankari, one in each petal of the anahdta padma. The Varaha Purana says that Raudri, who was born from clai*kness and went to the Blue Mountain to perform penance (the Shakti causing destruction) is called Kalaratri.

Kamarupa {ibid., verse 73), Kalika Purana), says that Devi is called Kama because She came to the secret place in the Blue peak of the great mountain (Kailasa) along with Shiva, for the sake of 24. Yet liberator from the bonds of desire,^ 25. Thou who art dark as a bank of cloud,- 26. And bearest the crescent moon,® 27. Destructress of sin in the Kali Age,"* 28. Thou who art pleased by the worship of virgins, ° 29. Thou who art the refuge of the worshippers of virgins,® 30. Who art pleased by the feasting of virgins,'^ 31. And who art in the form of the virgin,® 32. Thou who wanderest in the Kadamba forest,® 33. Who art pleased with the flowers of the Kadamba 34. Who hast Thy abode in the Kadamba forest,^^ desire, and because Slie fulfils desires and destroys and restores the body of Kama. in some of Her forms She is dark. ^ Kaladhara. * Kalikalmashanashini (see Lalita, verse 113), Kurma Purana .says that the repetition of the names of Devi destroys the multitude of sins in the Kali Age. 3 Kumaripujanaprita. “I’lie Ktmidn pujd, or worship of virgins, is a pujd common in Bengal. The worship is by men, whereas the sadhavapujd, or woi'ship of married women, is done by women. Or Kumari may directly refer to the Devi Plerself, .She is known as the unmarried Kumari. A sutra of the Shiva Sutras runs Ichchclshaktih Umd kumari. The energy of desire is Uma, the unmarried. Bhaskararaya (Commentary, Lalita, verses 25, 40) says : “As play She creates the universe, hence She is Kumari, or She destroys {mdrayate) the ground (ku) of the great illusion. Bence She is Kumfiri ; Kumari is the enjoyer and not to be enjoyed, as She is one with the Voi’i, the enjoyer.

Kumari piijakalaya, or “ who art the refuge of such %vorshippers.” Kumaribhojanananda. The Kumdrls arc feasted at tlie Kumari pujd. ' . ■ . . Kumarlrupadharini. So a very young marriageable girl is called •Gauri.. ■ ■ “ Kadamba vanasancharS (see p. 25, note 2). Kadarabapiishpasantosha (sec Lalita, verse 73). Kadambavanavasini (see the Lalita, verse 23). The jaalace of Ghintdmani is surrounded by a gallery of gtms [manimandapa]. Around this is the grove of Kadamba trees, which in the Puranas are said to be seven yoganas in height in tlie space between the walls of gold and silver. The Bhairavaydinala. says the abode of Vindu is the ocean of 35. Who wearest a garland of Kadamba flowers,^ 36. Thou who art youthful,^ 37. Who hath a soft low voice,® 38. Whose voice is sweet as the cry of a Chakravaka 39. Who drinkest Kadamhari wine,® 40. And art pleased with the Kadamhari wine,® 41. And whose cup is a skull,’’' 42. Who wearest a garland of bones,® 43. Who art pleased with the lotus,® 44. And who art seated on the lotus,’-® 45. Who abidest in the centre of the lotus,”- 46. Whom the fragrance of the lotus pleases, 47. Who movest with the swaying gait of a hangsa Z®

nectar. Thefiveyonzs — that is, the five shakii angles in the shrichakra — are the divine trees. There is the grove of Nlpa trees. Within tliat is the gallery of gems. Within that is the palace of Chintamani. ^ Kadambapushpamalini. The Lalita, verse 8, speaks of Devi ns decked above her ears with clusters of Kadamba flowers. ^ Kalakantha. Devi is also called Kalakanthi, or wife of Kalakantha, a name of Shiva whose throat was coloured by the poison he swallowed at the churning of the ocean. According to Devi Purana, Kalakantha was worshipped at Kalanjara. ^ Kalanadaninadini. Water-birds which sing to one another at night — the male to the female and the latter to the male — sitting on opposite banks of the river. Their passionate devotion is often alluded to by the poets. ® Kadambaripanarata. ^ Kadambarii)ri5’'a. KMamhdn is mead. Bhaskararaya (Commentary, Lalita), dealing with the Tripura Ujianishad, which prescribes that mead, fish, flesh, and cooked cereals should be offered to the Devata, says that it enjoins those who are allowed to take wine, flesh, etc., that they should do so after first dedicating them to the Brahman, and minimize the habit by gradation (see the same idea expressed in iUanu V., 50. Bhag Pr. XI., 5-11).

Kalahangsagatl. Hangsa is variously translated goose, swan, flamingo. A swajflng waddle like that of a duck is admired. As the swans live in the celestial lake called Manasa, so She lives in the minds {mdnasa) of Her devotees. 48. Destroyer of fear,^ 49. Who assumeth aii forms at will,- 50. Whose abode is at Kamarupa,® 51. Whoever dallies at the Kamapitha,'^ 52. O Beautiful One,^ 53. O creeper which givest every desire,® 54. Whose beauty is Thy ornament,^ 55. Adorable as the image of all tenderness^ 56. Thou with a tender body,*^ 57. And who art slender of waist, 58. Who art pleased with the nectar of purified wine,^^ 59. Giver of success to them whom purified wine rej oices,^^ 60. The own Deity of those who worship Thee when joyed 61. Who art gladdened by the worship of Thyself with 62. Who art immersed in the ocean of purified wine,^® ^ Klaibyanashinl. 2 Kamarupini (see also 3 Kamarupakritavasa (see next note). ^ Kamaiaithavilasini. Kaniarupa, the great Tantrika centre in Assam, one of the MahdpUkns, where the genital organ of the Devi fell on the severance of Her dead body by Vishnu after the Daksha Ycijna. Kamarupa is also one of the Adibhuta, which are in the Mitlddhaya and other tattvik centres (see the Lalita, verse 82),

Kalpalata. The Kalpa tree is one of the celestial trees in the heaven of India, which yielded w'hatever one desired. Woman is likened to a creeper [lata) embracing and depending on her Inisbund (sec also the Lalita, where the Devi is called BhuhtimiUknlpalatikd , the halpa creeper of the devotee). Kamaniyavibhi'ishana, or "who art the possessor of beautiful ornaments.” Kamanlyagunaradhya ; or it may mean that the Devi is to be worshipped by the worshipper with all best and tender feeling. Krishodarl. Literally, small of belly (see Bhubanesln'arl siatra, apivnrastaiiatafing tavuvrittamadhyam, and the Lalita, verse 79, tuiiiimadhyd). KaranamritasantoshS, Kdrana is one of the technical terms given to the purified wine consumed as an element of the Tantrika panchatatlva. Karananandasulclhida. Karanandajapcslita. 63. Who art the protectress of those who accomplish vrata with wine,^ 04. Whom the fragrance of musk gladdens,^ 65. And who art luminous with a tilaka mark of musk,® 66. Who art attached to those who worship Thee with 67. Who lo vest those who worship Thee with musk,® 68. Who art a mother to those who burn musk as in- 69. Who art fond of the musk-deer,'^ 70. And who art pleased to eat its musk,® 71. Whom the scent of camphor gladdens,®

72. Who art adorned with garlands of camphor,^® 73. And whose body is besmeared with camphor and 74. Who art pleased with purified wine flavoured with 75. Who drinkest purified wine flavoured with camphor,^® 76. Who art bathed in the ocean of camphor, 77. Whose abode is in the ocean of camphor,^® 78. Who art pleased when worshipped with the vija 79. Who threatenest with the vlja “ Hung,” which do not belong to the obligatory {nitya) karma. 2 Kasturisaurabhanioda. Musk is used in worship to scent c/jawdajz, etc.' ■ ■ ' ■ . Hindus on the forehead. ^ Kasturipujanarata. Karpuramodamoditfi. Camphor is burnt in worship during arati, and is used to scent the pddya, betel leaf, etc., offered to the Devi. Karpuramalabharana. Balls of camphor are strung together in a garland. Karpurachandanakshita. Kurchchavijajapaprita. Hung is the Kurchhavtja. Kurchchaja]5aparayayana — that is, She who mutters “Hiing ” when conquering the demons. The Devi then constantly uttered the hungkdra with its threatening, roaring sound. 80. Embodiment of Kuldchdra,^ 81. Adored by Kaulikas.'^ 82. Benefactress of the Kaiilikas,® 83. Observant of Kuldchdra,^^ 85. Revealer of the path of the Kaulikas," 86. Queen of Kashi, 87. Allayer of sufferings,® 88. Giver of blessings to the Lord of Kashi,®

89. Giver of pleasure to the Lord of KashiJ® 90. Beloved of the Lord of Kashi,^^ 91. Thou whose toe-ring bells make sweet melody as Thou 92. Whose' girdle bells sweetly tinkled® 93. Who abides! in the mountain of gold,^'^ ^ Kullna. Kiila, according to the Tantra, means Shakti. Akitla — Shiva. The union of Kula with Akula is called Kaula, the essence common to both Shiva and Shakti. Hence Devi is Kanlim (see Lalita, verse 37). Both Kula and Akula are in the Sahasydm. Kuldchdra i.s the way of the Kaula division of Tantrik worshippers. ^ Kanlikaradhya. The Kaulikas are followers of Kuldchdni (see last note). So also in the Lalita, verse 17, the Devi is addressed as adored by and . 4 iZ«/{sMwfls.” Kaulikapriyakarinl. ^ Kulachara, v. miU. ■■5 Kantukinl. ® Kulamargapradarshinl. ^ Kashlshvarl. Kashi is Benares, the sacred city of Shiva, s Kartahartri ; and thus the Lalita speaks of the Devi as the moonlight which soothes those burned by the triple iircs of misery. Kashlshavaradayinl (“ Lord ” is Shiva). Kanchanadrikiitagara (the mountain Kanchana or Sunieru). Durvasa says in his Lalitastavaratna (verses 2-4) : “ I.et the gold mountain be victorious whose body is the universe resounding with the music of celestial women living in the golden bowers of creeper.s of the mountain peak. We salute the three peaks which are the seats of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, extending to the four quarters of the earth. In their midst is another peak 400 yojanas (a yojana is eight or nine miles) in height, making the place beauteous with the golden rays of its flowers, and I worship it,'* 'I'iu; l.aiita Sahasranama (verse 22) also addresses Devi as dwellingon tJie niifidle peak of Mount Sumeru.

94. Who art like a moonbeam on the mountain of gold.^ 95. Who art gladdened by the recitation of the mantra 96. Who art the Kama Vija,^ 97. Destructress of all evil inclinations,^ 98. And of the afflictions of the Kaulikas — ® 99. Lady of the Kaulas,® , 100. 0 Thou who by the three mjas, “ KrIng, ” “Hring,” “ ShrIng,” art the Destructress of the fear of death"^ — (To Thee I make obeisance.) 2 Kamavijajapananda. The Kama vlja is “ kllng.” When the ” Ka ” and "La'' are eliminated, the remaining “ Ing ” is called kamakald, which is in the turiya state. In the Lalita, verse 225, Devi is called creatrix of the mantra kllng {“ kllngkarl"). Kllngkdra is ShivaAciwa, and She is His wife, ® Kamavijasvarupini — that is, She is " A/mg ” itself. ^ Kumatighni. Devi is also (Lalita, verse 78) Saddchdra pravarttaka , because She makes men move to right action. " Krlng, Hvlng, ShrIng mantravarnena kdlakaniakaghdtim. O BhavanIj^ the four-headed Lord of creatures,^ is notable to worship Thee, Nor even the five-headed destroyer of the Tripura,^ Nor the six-headed commander of the celestial hosts,'^ Nor even the thousand- headed Lord of serpents.®

If, then, they cannot, tell me who else is able so to do ? O Devi ! how can we speak of Thy qualities, Which are not to be described by any Nigama.^ As the sweetness of ghee,'^ milk, the grape, and honey Cannot be distinguished and described by words, But may be perceived by the tongue only ; In like manner Thy beauty can be seen only by the eyes of Parameshvara.® We ever pray to Thee, O Gauri f Youthful daughter of the Lord of mountains. Beautiful is the beteP® in Thy mouth And the collyrium on Thy eyes ; Beautiful, too, are the saffron on Thy forehead, ^ Seep. 97, note i. ^ Brahma. ^ Shiva (aoe p, 25, nole i), ^ Kartikeya, son of Shiva. ® Ananta cm -whom Vishnu reposes. ® Generally Shastra and imspccial technical .sense Tantra in which the Dev! is the CJiiru. ^ Clarified batter. ^ The .supreme Lord, See p. 24, note 4, aad p- 128, note 10, Tdmhula, or x^an, which is chewed, The necklet of pearls on Thy throat, Thy silken garment and the glittering gold waist- ornament on Thy large hipsd May Bhagavati,^ Sati ® whose lotus eyes sparkle A Spouse of Shambhu,® on the slope of whose breasts Rests a beautiful garland of the flowers of the Mandara tree,®

Whose earring is the pleasing sound from the vindP Who stoops (from the weight of her breasts),® Whose beautiful swaying gait is that of the female elephant® — May that Bhagavati be ever victorious ! O beauteous Aparna !^® Bestow the fulness of happiness on me, Thou whose limbs art covered With ornaments of gold and gems glittering like the newly risen sun, Whose eyes are beautiful as those of a doe, Of whom Shiva is a part,^^ Who is of the golden colour of lightning. Beauteous in yellow garments and tinkling anklets. . ^ Prithukatitate. 2 Feminine of Bhagavan. Devi as daughter of Daksha (see Introduction). AnibhovuhachaUiliichakshu. Literally, the lotus eye is ever moving, now glancing here, now there. Motionles.s eyes in women are not considered beautiful. ^ Shiva. ^ One of the live heavenly trees in the garden and city {Amaravatl) of India — viz., JMandara, Parijata, Santana, Kalpavriksha, Harichan- • tlana. ■ The .stringed instrument of that name borne by the Devi as ■Sarasvati.' ■■■■■■ ® NdUiiigj. So also the Annapurna dhydna represents the Devi as giver of food “ stooping from the weight of Her great breasts " [ami-apraddna niraUlngstanabharanamram, and see verse 6 post). ^ M dlanglruchiragati bhangt bhagavati.

Sec p. 96, note 3. That is, it is by Her favour that Shiva forms part of Her. Shines forth does the Devi born in the snowy mountains.^ Her beautiful hands are like a red leaf.^ She is adorned with beautiful flowers and pearls. Her head, by its weight of hair, seems covered by a swarm of bees.^ It is She with whom Shiva seeks shelter, Who stoops from the weight of Her breasts, Whose words are sweet, The Destructress of ills,” Ever and in all places pervading,^ Tender creeper'^ of Intelligence and Bliss.® Others worship with reverence the plant with leaves and particular qualities, But I know that Aparna alone in this world should be worshipped.^ Then the old Shiva garmented with space Surely grants to Thy worshipper the fruit of full liberation 1 Himadrehsambhiita — that is, the Himalaya, hence She is also called (rm/tt (mountain-born). 2 Either from their natural colour or because dyed with lac. 3 The bee goes to the lotus ; the bees (her hair) settle upon her (lotus) face. ^ Kuchabharanaid {scQ note to vexHQ s, ante), 5 Disease {nijanghantri). ® Literally, one who goes {gantH), she clings to her husband as the creeper to the tree. II once worship with woman in the Tiintrik Panchatattva is called latdxddhana.

8 Chiddiianda which, with (being), c<'nstitule the nature of the Supreme Being (Parabrahman). ^ See p. 96, note 3. That is, some worship a particular Devata to gain a particular result— c.g,, Sarasvati for learning, Lakshnu for wealth, etc, ; but ShankarachSryya w'orships the supremo Aparna, whom the Devas worship, who is without qualities, and docs .so only to give Her honour. w Full kaivalya moksha liberation above the various pdda, sdlokya, etc. (see p. 75, note 5, and p. 109, note 2), iormuMi is of various kinds. Thou art the Mother of all Vedas, The regulator of all dharmas^ And the root of all wealth — Thou whose lotus feet are worshipped even by the wealthgiver,^ 0 Mother ! Thou art the primal cause of all desires. Victrix of Kandarpa,® Thou art the seed of liberation for Thou art the Spouse of the Parabrahman.® Yet by Thy mercy Thou should look auspiciously upon me. The cloud gives sweet water to the mouth of the Chataka^ bird. 1 know not by what (good) fate my mind is directed.'^ O virtuous One, from the corner of Thine eyes Cast now a glance of kindness upon me ; Neglect so to do is not proper on Thy part,

Seeing that I have reached the refuge of Thy initiation. 2 That is, Kuvera, Deva of wealth. 3 A name of Kama, God of Love (see p. 39, note 3). Satam. She give.s liberation to them. ® The Supreme Being, for from it preceded Shakti, as Shruti says, Sa aikshata,” etc. As the Sarada Tilaka (chap, i.) says : " ddnanda vibhavdi sahaldt parameshvardt, dslchchhaktistitonadonddvindtisadmudbhavah. ® A bird (cuculus melanolcucus) which is said to live on raindrops. not and cannot pray for it, so what the. writer of , the hymn receives must, since his devotion {bhahti) is so small and lacking in the force of prayer, be due to some undisclosed merit acquired as the result of past karma. Alas ! if the creeper of desire,^ whose very name shows that it gives desire. Yet cannot give that which is desired, What difference is there between it and any other common creeper ? I, though I have sought refuge with other Devatas, Have yet placed full trust in Thy lotus feet. If, nevertheless, your heart is not timely set on me, Then with whom shall I in my helplessness seek shelter, O Mother of the big-bellied one As iron touched by the touchstone becomes at once gold, As the water of the roadway mixed with that of the Ganges becomes pure,

In like manner will not ray heart. Greatly soiled though it be by my great sins ® Become pure if attaGlied with devotion to Thee ? 0 Ishani,^ as the old Lotus-Born® and others have said, The rule is that if others than Thyself art %vor3hipped, Only the particular fruit desired is gained ; But Thou giveth more even than is asked for. Make me, then, ever attached to Thee by day and night, O Spouse of the great Lord of the three worlds I® Most pleasant is Thy abode, The walls whereof glitter with various gems and crystals, Whereon Thy image is reflected, 1 Kalpalatikd — that is, a creeper which, like the Mlpa tree, grants all desires that may be asked of it. ~ Ganesha. 2 Taftatpdpaih. Literally, “those particular sins” — the sins of the hymnist who knows what they are. Feminine of fsha (Lord). ® BrahraS,. « See p. 70. note 5. On the summit of Thy abode the quivering light waves of the moon (are shed). Therein dwell Mukunda/ Brahma, and other Devas. It is ever victorious. Thy dwelling is in Mount Kailasa.^ Thy worshippers are Brahma, Indra, and other Devas, All are subservient to Thee in the three regions,®

The number of si ddhis^ ioin their palms (in adoration before Thee) . Shiva is Thy lover ; Therefore, 0 Daughter of the Lord of mountains,® Nothing is equal to Thy fortune. The old bull is (Shiva’s) carrier. Poison is his food space is his dwelling ; The cremation ground is his playground Serpents are his ornaments. All things in the world are known to the enemy of Smara But the wealth of all this is due to the greatness of Thy fortune, ^ Giver of liberatioa — that is, Vishnu. 2 See Introduction, Mahanirvana Tantra, ^ See p. 70, note 5. ^ Great powers, such as animd, laghimd, etc., the power of becoming extremely light or heavy, of entering into things, etc., which, in their fulness, constitute the aishvavyya of the Lord (Ishvara), and in a le.sser degree of those who approach His nature. Himala3''a, for Devi was the daughter of the Mountain - King Himavat. ® See p. 14, note i. Daksha, in the Bhagavata Purina, reproaching Shiva, says : “ He roams about in dreadful cemeteries, attended by hosts of ghosts and spirits, like a madman naked, with dishevelled hair, wearing a garland of dead men’s skulls and ornaments of human bone, pretending to be Shiva (auspicious), but in reality Ashiva (inauspicious), insane, beloved by the insane, the Lord of Bhutas (ghosts and spirits), beings whose nature is essentially darkness” (Muir, O.S.T., iv. 738). The cremation ground is His abode, for there the passions are burnt away.

” God of Love, whom Shiva consumed. The Lord of Pashus,'^ besmeared with ashes, sits in the Frora’^te'nXr^arises the force which destri^s the world Lt of compassion for the whole world, He held the O KSniM^n alUhiri‘see the fruit of his companionship with Thee. O D aughter of the mountain,^ When Ganga had seen Thy great beauty, She was afraid,^ and turned to water ; Then Shiva, seeing her sad, lotus-hke race, t « L hL melcy made a dwelling for Her on hrs own head.^ Ming^wilhCtdranir^usk, saffron, and flowers, tottedtherewith fte lotus-eyed women of the city of the Devas.® If one but contemplates Thee, in play with Thy maidens, Tn oleasing springtide with its flowers and cieepus UpL the Ubi, beautiful with many a blossoming lotus The wmterof'lfch Me rippled by the breeze from the Malaya mountain,® From such an one all fevered ills^" pass away, a name ol Shiva: a« llahaniivilna Tantra). Here the equivalent o£ Lmd I™*’;- 'tvTee 'kcceriinstothePadmal^uranS.Doviisivershinwd asKabS.;indeMayamaun«n,towM^wf«^^ ■1 Seep. 67, note s. t See p. 43 . note I2. Salutation to Thee, O giver of blessings, Dark^ Virgin,^ observant of the vow of chastity,^ Whose form is beauteons as that of the rising sun,

And Thy face as that of the full moon ; Four-armed and faced art Thou, Wearing emerald and sapphire bangles and armlets ; Thou art resplendent as Padrna ® Spouse of N arayana,'^ And rangest the ethereal regions. Thy form and chastity® are of the purest. Dark art Thou like the blue-black cloud, Whose face is beauteous as that of Sankarshana.® Long are Thy two arms, as it were bannered poles in honour of Indra.^° Thou bearest in Thy six other arms A vessel, lotus, bell, noose, bow, a great discus, and other weapons. Purest woman art Thou on earth.^'^ Thy well-formed ears are decked with beautiful earrings. Thy face challenges the moon in beauty. Kttmdyi (see p. 56, note 5.) ^ For She observed bmhmachavyya. ® PmashYonipayod,hai'&. ® Lakshmi. Vishnu. ^ ^ ' ^ Bmhmachavyya. ® Shiva. In ancient times a long bamboo surmounted with a flag was set up on the ist of Assar, in honour of Indra to secure rain. Wonderful is Thy crown, and beautiful is the braid (of Thy hair). Thy body is like that of a serpent.^ Thou glitterest with brilliant girdle round Thy hips, And shiiiest like Mount Mandara encircled by the snake.^ With standing peacock feathers on Thy head, Thou art resplendent:

By Thy vow of virginity Thou hast maintained heaven.^ It is for this, O slayer of the Asura Mahisha,'^ That Thou art praised and worshipped by the Devas for the protection of the three worlds,® Foremost of Devas, be gracious to me ; Show me Thy mercy, and be auspicious.® Both Jaya and Vijaya'^ art Thou. Thou givest victory in battle ; Give me, too, victory, O Devi ! Give me now a boon. Thy constant abode is on the Vindhya, the foremost of mountains. O Kali ! O Kali ! O Mahakali Thou deiightest in wine, meat, and animal sacrifice,® Bestowing boons, going whithersoever Thou wilt. Thou art ever followed by Brahma^® and other Devas. By those who call upon Thee to lighten their burdens. As by those who salute Thee at dawn of day, 1 Bhnjangahhogavasenci, which Nilkantha says is Sarpasharird-kurena. 2 Thus used for the churning of the ocean. ® Tridivang or svarga ; for there " the Three ” shine. ^ The son of Jambasura, whom the Devi fought for m,any years before he was slain by Her (see Mfirkandeya Purhna). During tlie great Durga festival in autumn the Devi is represented as slaying this formidable Asura, so called as having assumed the form of a buffalo.

® Bhtih, Bhuvah, Svah, the earthly, atmospheric, and celestial spheres. ® Shivdbhava. Shiva is so called because he is auspicious. See p. 82, note i i ; p. 115, note 3 and 4 ; p. 147, note «. ^ Spouse of Mah 3 .kaia, an aspect of Shiva, ® Sidhumdngsapashupriye, Siddhu is a spirit distilled from molasses. Bhutaih, which Nilakantha says here denotes the oldest beings, Brahma, and other Devas. Nothing is unattainable either by way of wealth or children. Thou art called Durga^ by all because Thou savest men from difficulty. 2 , Whether in dangerous lands or sinking in the great ocean, Thou art the sole refuge of men. When assailed by robbers, when crossing streams and seas, As also in wildernesses and great forests, Those who remember Thee, O Mahadevi ! are never lost. Thou art fame, prosperity, constancy, success, and modesty, Intelligence, knowledge, and man’s offspring. Thou art the two twilights,® Night, the light of sun and moon, Sleep, beauty, foi'giveness,’ and mercy. Thou, when worshipped by Thy devotees, destroyest Ignorance, man’s fetters, loss of children, wealth, disease, fear, and death. I who have lost my kingdom seek Thy protection. I bow to Thee, Sureshvari, with bended head :

Thou whose eyes are like the leaf of the lotus. O Thou who art truth itself, be true to us. O Durga ! give me shelter, Who art merciful to Thy devotees, protect me.^ 2 Literally, one who rescues from difficulty. Sandhya, early dawn when the stars are vanishing, and evening as they are about to appear. O DevI Kamala,® beloved of Vishnu, Adored by the three worlds, As Thou art constant to Vishnu, be Thou constant to me. Whoever worshipping Lakshmi, reads these twelve names of Her — Ishvari,'^ Kamala, Lakshmi, Chala,® Bhuti,® Haripriya,'^ Padma,® Padmalaya,^ Sampat,^° Uchaih,^^ Shri/® Padmadharini,^® With such an one, his wife and children, 1 Lakshmi, commonly called Shri, Devi of prosperity and beauty : the Shakti, or Spouse of Vishnu, who rose resplendent from the sea at the churning of the ocean by the Devas and Asuras, and then reclining on the breast of Hari, gazed upon the enraptured Devas. As her Lord assumes various forms, so does She. 2 P. 577. 2 Because She appeared from the lotus. ‘‘ Feminine of Ishvara, or Lord, or Ruler. Or Chanchala, the fickle one, for nothing is so fickle as wealth and prosperity — " here to-day and gone to-moiTow.”

Prosperity. 7 Beloved of Hari (Vishnu), Lotus. 2 Who dwells in the lotus, ^0 Wealth. xhe exalted One, for ])ros])ority exalts. ^2 Beauty and prosperity, Holding the lotus in Her hands. From the NILA TANTRA. 0 Mother, Devi Nilasarasvati^ Tara, Refuge with Thee I crave. Giver of prosperity and wealth art Thou To those who worship Thee. Standing on Shiva, Thy right foot upon His breast and left upon His thigh. Ever art Thou, with smiling, lotus-like face. Thy three eyes are, as it were, full-blown lotuses. In Thy hands Thoii boldest a knife, ^ a skull, a lotus, and a sword. ticulars of Tara or Tarini, one of the Mahavidya, whose vtja is Hrlnq, T ring, Hung {Kufchcha),Phat (see verse 4). She is called Nilasarasvati, because She playfully gives the power of speech. She is called Tara on account of her being deliverer or saviour [tdrakatvdt). She gives both pleasure {sukha) and liberation {moksha). She is called also Ugratdfd, because She saves from fonnidable and horrible calamities. Rishi Vashishtha is said to have cursed vidyd, and then raised the curse so that siddhi might be gained from Her by japa of the vlja Hring, String, Hung, Phat, after which She again became glorious. Her Mantra is also given as SJirlng, Hring, String, Hung, Phat (giver of wealth and beauty) ; another is Hring, Hring, String, Hung, Phat (giver of all desires) ; another is Aing, Bring, String, Hung, Phat (giver of speech) ; and Firing, String, Hung, Phat (giver of liberation) . Her Yantra is an eight-petalled lotus surrounded by a circle, with inverted triangle in the centre with Hung. On the petals are Hring, String, S hring. Hung. There is also a Yantra {Tdrdshatkona) of two superimposed triangles, maldng a star.

2 From the Nila Tantra (see also Tantrasara, p. 610, R. M. Chatterjec’s edition, and the Vrihatstotraratnakara, p. 283, where a more correct text is given). 3 The blue Sarasvati, Devi of speech (see note i ante). Nila Tantra .says She is in the form of all language {sarvvabhdshdmayi). The Nilasarasvati Yantra is figured at p. 93 of .the Dashamahavidya. ^ Karttri (for dhydna see p. 94 Dashamahavidya). Thou art the presiding Devi of speech. Thou art the creeper which grants all desires.’ Thou art the giver of all siddhi,^ And the power to write both verse and prose. Three are Thine eyes, as it were blue lotuses. Ocean of kindness and compassion art Thou. I pray Thee of Thy mercy shower upon me the nectar of prosperity. O Sharbha,® I pray Thee remove my fears. Proud Lad5^ brilliant are Thy garments, Bright with coiling serpents. Thou art clad in tiger skin. Thy waist is adorned with tiny tinkling bells. Thou boldest the heads of two demons Dripping with blood, just severed by the sword. Thy waist is girdled^ with heads of demons, As it were with a garland. Thus art Thou beaixtiful, O formidable One.'^ 1 take refuge with Thee.

Thou art beautiful with form both amorous and charmful.® 1 As (lid the celestial Kalpa tree in Indra’s heaven. ^ Material success, p.sychical power.s, spiritutil attainmeni'. ^ Spouse of Shiva (.Sharbha). ^ Her dhyana is given as follows : The Devi is in the midst of four blazing funeral pyres ; Her feet as described in verse i ; formidable. %vith garland of severed heads ; short of stature ; big-bellied ; tiger skin round the waist ; youthful ; four - armed *, protruding tongue ; giving vara ; holding the articles mentioned in verse i (the skull and lotus in left hands) ; a n'sM Akshobya in the form of a serpent on her head ; her body lustrous as that of the moonbeams ; formidable teeth ; smiling face ; three eyes blazing like the morning sun. Thou art Vindu and the half-moon,^ Whose substance is Hr mg and Phat.^ Thou art mantra^ and the shelter of all. Thy forms are threefold — Gross, subtle, and Supreme. Thou art beyond the reach of Veda.^ By the service of Thy lotus feet, Men of good deed attain sdyujya^ liberation. 0 Parameshvari, Thou art the Spouse of Him® Who is Brahma, Vishnu, and the three-eyed One.

0 Mother ! he who neglects to serve Thy lotus feet, But serves instead the Devas, Indra, and others, Who are themselves plunged in the ocean of sangsdrad Is indeed and most truly ignorant. 1 Ardhachandfatmihe — that is, the crescent sign below the vindu in chandravindu. She is both Vindu and Nada (see Introduction). It is also said that there are eight vama above the vindu of Hvtng, comnaencing with ardhachandm, and ending with unmani, of which the third is Ndda. Here, as the Mahasvachchanda Tantra states, the Devi should be contemplated. 2 Two tantrik vija mantras : as to Hiing (see p. 73, note i, anU). Phat is the astra or weapon mantra (see note i, p. 73, ante). 2 Mantrdtmihe (seep, i, ante). * Vedandngnahigo chard, as to her three forms {vide ante). 5 Literally, “ becoming one with the Deity.” Identification of the self and the Deity with attributes ; one of the four forms of qualified liberation — Sdlohya, Sdrupya, Sdmlpya, Sdyujya. Those who know the Brahman and such worship to be imperfect reject them, and attain the unconditioned bliss {kaivalya) which transcends all other states. But these others must be passed before the end is reached, which the Shaktirahasya summarizes by a short verse : “ A mortal who worships by ceremonies, by images, by mind, by identification, by knowing the self attains

® That is, Parameshvara, in whom the threefold energies which manifest in the trimurtti are contained tasyastri parameshvari trinayanabrahmddi samnydtmanah. sangsdra, wliich comprises earth, the antarihsha, and heaven [svarga), the abode of the Deva. The latter has wife and children, is engaged in conflict with demons, and so forth. When the merit which gains the Deva heaven is exhausted, he descends to earth again. O Mother ! those Devas who receive on their crowns The pollen which comes from Thy lotus-like feet,^ Are able to keep their promise of conquest, And to gain victory over their enemies in battle — Such, without a doubt, are sheltered in Thy lap. But their enemies who send forth the defiant challenge, "'I am a Deva, and none is equal to me in the whole world, Perish and meet such death as befits them. Bhuta, Preta, Pishacha, Rakshasa, Daitya, foremost of Danava, Yaksha, Lords of Naga,^ Wrathful Dakinl,^ great birds, ^ tigers, and other dreadful creatures Forthwith take flight at but the remembrance of Thy name. And are powerless to do aught of evil. Who serves Thy lotus feet, to him siddhi^ is given. He surpasses the Lord of speech,^ And obtains the beauty of Kama.'^

He can charm and paralyze® multitudes of elephants upon the field of battle, And has power to stay the flow of water.'^ The Siddha^® and prosperity are. under his control. on their heads the dust of Her feet. - Various spirits and inferior divinities of more or loss evil and malignant character. A form of Shakti attendant on the Devi in Her terrible forms. Khachara (vultures, eagles, etc.). Vide ante, p. 74, note 2. Vrihaspati, Deva of Love. : ^ He has the powers of mohanam and stambhunam, the latter being one of the Tdntrika Shatkannma. A i3articular form ot stambhanam coXiaii jalasiamhha. to Devayoni of that name inhabiting the aniariksha. Whoever, being pure and self-controlled, | Reads this eight-versed hymn to Tara, ' j At morn, at noon, at evening, ■! j. To him is given ' i The power to write beautifully in prose or verse, ^ Knowledge in all * The enjoyment of whatsoever he may desire, Fame, beauty, and wealth. The love of all men, And at the end liberation. ■ 1 See post, p. io8, note 2. ^ Labhaie devydng kavitvdng. May' the daughter of Kalinda^ ever cleanse my mind of its impurity, She whose waters, beauteous as the black body of the enemy® of Mura,^

Cleanse the overgrowth of plants and shrubs® which line its- pleasant banks. Indras' heaven compared with Thy waters is but a thing of straw. Destructress of the sorrow of the three worlds — Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd,^ May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurity, She whose stream is highly adorned with overflowing water Destructress of sin, dark as night, like unto nectar, Greatly powerful for the destruction of all great sins, Beneficent One who is black of colour, Through company with the body of the good son of N anda ’ Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl said, who on its banks sported with the cowherd women (Go^Zs). 2 Yamuna. 2 sj-jj-j Krishna. ^ A Daitya slain by Shri Krishna. ^ Kunjapunja. « The refrain is translated in the first line. May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurity, The touch of whose shining waves washes away the sins of multitudes of beings. Devoted to Thee is the Chataka bird,^ receptacle that Thou art of freshness and sweetness.^ On the borders of whose banks swans ever dwell, Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd. May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind , of its impurity.

The gentle breeze on Her banks dispels the lassitude Of those who have rambled and played® thereon. The beauty of Her waters is beyond the power of words ; It is, indeed, the consortment with Her current. Which purifies all rivers, male and female,"^ on the earth. Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd. May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurity, Destroyed by (the whiteness of) Her sandy banks laved by Her waters ; Adorned with blossoms beauteous as the rays of the autumn moon,® 1 As to which .see p. 65. note 6. 2 Literally, ' ‘ who are slaves to Her by reason of their inhabitancy of Her banks,” dance and play, and are refreshed by repose upon Her banks where gentle breezes blow. ^ Rivers are cither male {nada) or female [nadl). Of the former class are the Sone, Sindu, etc., and of the latter Ganga, Narmmada, Gandaki, etc. ^ Her sandy banks are so. ® Of a soft and silvery white May She then purify me by Her waters, Most excellent that they are for the worship of Bhava,^ {By her white splendour), ^ Destructress of the darkness of night®— DJnmotu me nianomalam Kalindanandinl sadd.

May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurity. m -i -.1 The paste and unguents of the beauteous RadliikaColours Her waters in which Radhika plays. Possessor is She of the body of the husband^'' of Radhika, Which by none other may be possessed. Skilled is She in making Her way through the seven sleeping oceans, And in filling them with Her waters _ DJnmotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd. May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurityl Her stream is beauteous with the women of the cowherds, 1 Foruseintheritualworshipof Shiva. Asto Bhaya (seep. 97. note i), 2 Mciiam [manomolam). Impurity is a thing which is <laik. ihe bv the white splendour of its white banks and blossom.s is therewith contrasted. ® X'or luminously white is She like the moon. ^ The beloved of Shrikrishna. r. Slirikrishna ; for He too bathes in her stream, which pos.scssc‘S Alluding to the destruction of the Asuras, called Kalakoya. Ihese excluded the Devas fnun svarga. On their chiefs being slain by Indira, Sev betook themselves to the depths of the ocean whence thoy is.siu'd at night to destroy the Rishts. Ihe lattci asked the aid ot Vishnu who told them to go to Agastya. He at one sip swallowed all tho ’oceans, which thus disappeared (therefore “ sleeping ocean. s of text) until the River Ganges was brought down by Bhaguatha [vide p. 12^, note s). when they were again filled with Her waters, ihis incident is‘ attributed to the Yamuna, both rivers being nuimieslations

^^^Literally, AH, which, according to the Amarakosharr5uA/ii ; female friend, referring to the Gopl'& who loved Krishna. Made passionate^- by the scent of the paste and unguent, Dropped therein from off the body of Achyuta.'^ Garlanded is She with clusters of Champak flowers, Set in the flowing^ hair of Radhika. Of all such as come to bathe in Her waters N either is one the servant nor the other masterA Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd. May the daughter of Kalinda ever cleanse my mind of its impurity ! ■ Pleasant always is She with Her groves, Where NandanandP ever played.® Bright is She with the ripened blossom Of the kddamhad and mallika^ flowers upon Her banks. It is She who safely carries across the ocean of the world® All such men as bathe in Her stream. Dhunotu me manomalam Kalindanandinl sadd. ^ Lampata ; whose senses -were roused by the scent of the pastes which had fallen from the scented body of Krishna. 2 Krishna (“ the imperishable one ”). Vilola. Her hair is dishevelled and moving in the movements of breeze and play. ^ IJterally. “ In the case of those who come dowm to bathe in Her waters, She ever destroys all righteousness of master and servant ” — that is, all are equal in Her waters which purify all without distinction.

•’5 The text has Nmidinandana, but this has no meaning. Nanda- ■tumdin is He who please.s Nanda or Krishna, whose foster-father Nanda the cowherd was, ® With the Gap i women. which (as when he stole the garments of the bathing Gopls) Krishna played (see p. 25, note 2). Thou art liberation,^ prosperity, life,® Fame, modesty, and learning, reverence and intelligence, Twilight,^ niglit, lustrous day, Sleep and the night of death,® Mother of the leader of the celestial hosts,'* She who undergoes great austerities,^® Contentment, nourishment, forgiveness, mercy, eldest sister of Yama,^® clad in blue silken raiment, The sacred hymn as sung in ancient times by RisJiis, related in chap, xlviii. of the Harivangslia, a sequel of the Mahabharata. As to TrycZ, see p. 114, note 4 : p- 136, note 3. 2 SitUlhi (success), which here means the supreme suldhi or mvhti (liberation). ^ That is according to the commentator ykitf Sandhyu, or junction-time, morning and evening. ® Kdlardiyi, which is pralayarutri, or the night of the dissolution of all things. 0 Seep. 1x5, note 9. The virgin state, or the first of the Sshrmncir^. ^ Skanda, or Kartikeya, son of Shiva and the Devi. ^ Ugrtn:hdn, which should be Hgrachdrini, but this is Arshit (composed by Rishis), to whom the rules of grammar do nut a.pj)ly.

10 See p. J40, note 13. Companion Devatas of Durga, Mrityu, the God of Death. Of various form,^ without form, having many forms With red, half-opened eyes ® Large-eyed protectress of Thy votaries. O Goddess ! Thou resideth on the peaks of fearful mountains, by rivers, and in caves, forests, and groves. Greatly worshipped by the Shavara, Varvara, and Pulinda tribesmen,'^ , Thou traverseth in all directions the world With peacock-feathered flags. Thou livest on the Vindhya mountain, Surrounded by fowls, goats, sheep, lions, and tigers, Amidst the constant ringing of bells Thou boldest the trident and spear.® Sun and moon are Thy banners. Thou art the ninth day of the dark half of the month, And the eleventh day of the light half thereof.'^ Baladeva’s® sister art Thou, glorious one,® , Fond of warring^® (with demons). Abode of all creatures. Thou art death, and the supreme end^^ of men, Daughter of the cowherd Nanda,^® 1 Bakuntpd (see the Lalita, verse 155). The Devi Bhag. Pr. says, “ She is formless because She is supreme, She has many forms because of Her activity ” (see also Devi and Vamana Puranas) : “ She is also the Shakti of the countless Rudras.” The term is much commented upon in the Puranas, Upapuranas, and Tantras.

^ V irupaksht. Shiva is also called VirUpdksha. His eyes are cither owing to his state of samadhi, or consumption of bhang, pictured as in a vague, dreamy, half-open state, ^ Shavarair vayvvasaischaiva pulindaischa supujitd — a line worthy of remark, for these were savage and non-aryan tribes. ® During worship of the image the worshipper rings a bell. There was a constant ringing of bells. ® a kind of spear with a sharp edge. ^ Auspicious days. On the iiinth (A’^awawi) there is Chandlpdtha (reading of Chandi), and on the eleventh [Ekddashl) fasting, 8 Krishna’s eldest brother. P Raj amya in text is said to be a wrong reading for mahanlya. Kalahapriyd. Literally, quarrelsome. Nisktha, which, according to the commentator, here means maranam. That is, mukti (Liberation). ^-3 Foster-father of Krishna. Wearing bark and good cloth : And who art death, Fond art Thou of offerings of wine and flesh Thou art Lakshini,® And assumest the form of Alakshmi® for the destruction of Danavas,' Thou art Savitri® of the Vedas, Thou art the Dakshind^^ of the ritvik}^ and art in the altars of sacrificial rites, And the religious sense^® of Rishis. Thou art Aditi of Devas,^® Plough of cultivators, earth of all creatures,

The success of merchants who fare in big ships/ The coast of ocean, And foremost Yakshi of the Yakshas/® Surasa of Nagas,^® ' Virginity of maidens and good fortune of women, Knower of the knowledge of Brahman,^® 1 The dark (tdmasika) energy, called Raudri, is said to be Chamunda. There are said to be nine crores of different Chamundas. (.see Bhaskasaraya Comm.. Lalita, verse 155). 2 Sandhya. ■ . •’ Kali and Tara are always so represented (see Karpuradistotra). ‘‘ Surdmdnj’sabalipriyS: Devi of wealth, and iJrosperity. ® Devi of misfortune and poverty. Sons of Danu, enemies of the Devas, ^ Mantraganasya, or, according to another reading, hhutagunusya. The present offered to the officiating Brahmana. I-'riest. Dhavmahuddhi, a term difficult to tran.slate. A man is said to have dharniabuddhi who has great respect for religion and duty. ^3 The Devas were children of Aditi, a.s the Daityas were of Dili, Sangyrdrikmidm —potavayiijdm. IS That is. She is the Mother of Kuvera, the King of the Y:vksha.s, a c.la.ss of DevayonL Mother tjf the serpent divinities (Nagas). Initiation and supreme beauty, Lustre of light, Rohini^ of planets. Lakslimi, most successful art Thou in courts and fortresses. In the confluence of rivers and in the full moon.

Thou art called Kritivasa.^ Thou art Sarasvati in the works of Valmild,^ Memory in those of Dvaipayana,^ Religious sense of Rishis^ and (perfect) mind of Devas.® Thou art the Goddess of wine."^ Adored art Thou by Thy creatures for Thy deeds. Thou art the charming look of Indra, And art the thousand-eyed® Arani^ of Agnihotra Brahmanas,^® Hunger of all creatures, Who satisfieth those in heaven. Receptacle of the Vasus,^^ hope of men, Contentment which comes of vrork fully done ; All the quarters and their opposites,^® Flame of fire, lustrous Shakuni,^^ 1 The name of an asterisin. - The name of .Shiva as clad in tiger-skin. boon from the Goddess of learning and composed that work, ^ Krishna Dvaipayana, one of the Vyasas arranger of the Puranas, etc,, who is said to have had all such shastfa by heart. 5 (see p, 84, note 12). ^ Manasi,, which the Commentator ^ys — “Satyasangkalpdtmii.a chetovritti ” — that is, whose will and thought fully realizes itself. '^ Surddevi. ® Indra. ^0 Brahmanas, who cherish fire in the house and perform homa thrice daily. Wife of Agni, the manirn used when making homa. Of whom there are eight : Apa, Dhruva, Soma, Dhara, Anila. Anala, Pratyiusha, Prabhasa (see Vishnupurana, Book I., chap. xv,). E.g., north and south, east and west, etc.