Mahanirvana Tantra

CHAPTER II

HAVING heard the words of the Devi, Shangkara,¹ Bestower of happiness on the world, great Ocean of mercy, thus of the truth of things spoke.¹ Sadashiva¹ said:

O Exalted and Holy One!² Benefactress of the uni­verse, well has it been asked by Thee. By none has such an auspicious question been asked aforetime (2). Worthy of all thanks art Thou, Who knoweth all good, Bene­factress of all born in this age,³ O Gentle One! Thou art Omniscient. Thou knowest the past, present, and future,⁴ and Dharmma. What Thou hast said about the past, present, and future, and, indeed, all things, is in accordance with Dharmma, and is the truth, and is without a doubt accepted by Me. O Sureshvari!⁶ I say unto you most truly and without all doubt that men, whether they be of the twice born⁶ or other castes, afflicted as they are by this sinful Age, and unable to distinguish the pure from the impure, will not obtain purity or the success of their desired ends by the Vedic ritual, or that prescribed by the Sanghitas⁷ and Smritis⁸ (3-6). Verily, verily, and yet again verily, I say unto you that in this Age⁹ there is no way to liberation but that proclaimed

¹ Shiva (see p. 4, note 5, ante).

² Maha-bhage.

³ Kali Yuga (see Introduction).

4 Tri-kala.

⁵ Sureshvari, feminine of Sureshvara, Lord of the Suras or Devas.

6 Referring here to the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas, who are spiritually reborn on being invested with the sacred thread. 7 Puranas {vide Introduction).      ⁸ Ibid.      9 Kali Yuga.

15

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by the Agama¹ (7). I, O Blissful One,² have already foretold in the Vedas,⁸ Smritis,⁴ and Puranas,⁶ that in this Age the wise shall worship after the doctrine of the Agama (8). Verily, verily, and beyond all doubt, I say to you that there is no liberation for him who in this Age, heedless of such doctrine, follows another (9). There is no Lord but I in this world, and I alone am He Who is spoken of in the Vedas, Puranas, and Smritis and Sang­hitas⁶ (10). The Vedas and the Puranas proclaim Me to be the cause of the purity of the three worlds,⁷ and they who are averse to My doctrine are unbelievers and sinners, as great as those who slay a Brahmana (ii). Therefore, O Devi! the worship of him who heeds not My precepts is fruitless, and, moreover, such an one goes to hell⁸ (12). The fool who would follow other doctrine heedless of Mine is as great a sinner as the slayer of a Brahmana or of a woman, or a parricide; have no doubt of that (13).

In this Age⁹ the Mantras¹⁰ of the Tantras are effi­cacious,¹¹ yield immediate fruit, and are auspicious for Japa,¹² Yajna,¹⁸ and all such practices and cere­monies (14). The Vedic rites and Mantras which were efficacious in the First Age¹⁴ have ceased to be so

¹ That is, the Tantra (see Introduction to author’s edition of “ Tantra-tattva”).

³ Shiva, feminine of Shiva, the “ blissgiver.”

³ See Introduction. As to the assent of other Shastras to the authority of the Tantras, see Tantra-tattva, p. 88 et seq.; the Atharva Veda, the Prashna, Kalika, Tara, Narayana, Shiva, Nrisinghatapani, Gopala-tapani Upanishads, and other works.

4 Ibid.

⁶ Ibid. The Tantra-tattva, toe. cit., refers to Kalika Purana, Skanda Purana, Bhagavata Purana, and others.

6 See Introduction. Here general collections of Shastra.

⁷ Tri-loka (see Introduction).

⁸ Naraka, the region of Yama, the Judge of men and Ruler of the Hells, in which the wicked suffer (Vishnu Purana, 207, 286). ⁸ Kali Yuga (see Introduction). ¹⁰ See Introduction.            11 Siddha. 12Recitation of Mantras (see Introduction).

13 Sacrificial rites,               14 Satya Yuga (see Introduction).

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in this. They are now as powerless as snakes, the poison-fangs of which are drawn and are like to that which is dead (15). The whole heap of other Mantras have no more power than the organs of sense of some pictured image on a wall. To worship with the aid of other Mantras is as fruitless as it is to cohabit with a barren woman. The labour is lost (16-17). He who in this Age¹ seeks salvation by ways prescribed by others is like a thirsty fool who digs a well on the bank of the Jahnavi² (18), and he who, knowing My Dharmma, craves for any other is as one who with nectar in his house yet longs for the poisonous juice of the akanda plant (19). No other path is there to salvation and happiness in this life or in that to come like unto that shown by the Tantras³ (20). From my mouth have issued the several Tantras with their sacred legends and practices both for Siddhas and Sadhakas⁴ (21). At times, O My Beloved! by reason of the great number of men of the pashu⁶ disposition, as also of the diversity of the qualifications⁶ of men, it has been said that the Dharmma spoken of in the Kulachara⁷ Scriptures should be kept secret (22). But some portions of this Dharmma, O Beloved! have been revealed by Me with the object of in­clining the minds of men thereto.⁸ Various kinds of Devata and worshippers are mentioned therein, such as Bhairava,⁹

¹ Kali Yuga (see Introduction).

^a Ganges; so called as coming from out of the thigh of the sage Jahnu. ³ Nanyah pantha mukti-hetur ihamutra sukhaptaye.

4 Or, as it might be said analogically, “ for novice and adept.”

5 See Introduction.

6 Adhikari-vibhedena. Adhikari means competency, qualification to perform a particular act or worship. Thus that boy is entitled (adhikari) to the upanayana ceremony whose Chudakarana (tonsure) ceremony has been performed.

⁷ The Tantrika division of worshippers of that name, who follow the way (achara) of Kula (see Introduction).

⁸ Jiva-pravritti-karini kanichit kathitanyapi—that is, to create some desire in their minds so that they may be inclined towards it. ⁸ Manifestation of Shiva, brother of Vetala (see following notes).

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Vetala,¹ Vatuka,² Nayika,³ Shaktas,⁴ Shaivas,⁶ Vaishn­avas,⁶ Sauras,⁷ Ganapatyas,⁸ and others.  In them, too, are described various Mantra⁹ and Yantra¹⁰ which aid men in the attainment of siddhi,11 and which, though they demand great and constant effort, yet yield the desired fruit (23-25). Hitherto My answer has been given according to the nature¹² of the case and the questioner, and for his individual benefit only (26).

None before has ever questioned Me as Thou hast done for the advantage of all mankind—nay, for the benefit of all that breathes, and that, too, in such detail and with reference to the Dharmma¹³ of each of the different Ages. Therefore, out of My affection for Thee, O Parvati! I will speak to Thee of the essence of essences and of

¹ The monkey-faced son of Shiva, born of Gauri after She had entered into the body of Rani Taravati, wife of Raja Chandra-shekhara. There were two sons born, one Bhairava and another Vetala. See his history as given by the Muni Aurvva to Raja Sagara in chap. xlv. of

the Kalika Purana.

^a One of the terrific manifestations of Shiva, shown as Bhairavas, whose vahana is a fierce dog. There are others, such as Kala Bhairava, Nakuleshvara Bhairava. Vatuka Bhairava is called “ siddhi-da,” or. conferring felicity or success.

³ NByikBs are inferior forms of Shakti, eight in number—Ugra-chanda, Prachanda, Chandogra, Chanda-nByika, Ati-chanaa, Cha-munda, Chanda, and Chandavati.

4 Worshippers of the Devi, as the Shakti or Divine energy (see Introduction).

^t Worshippers of Shiva (see Introduction).

^t Worshippers of Vishnu, of which the four chief sects are the Nimbarka, Ramanuja, Vallabhachari, and Madhavachari.

⁷ Worshippers of the Sun.

⁸ Worshippers of Ganesha formerly, but hardly now a distinct sect. The worship of the Deva is popular in the Mahratta country, and all Hindus invoke this Deva before commencing any work or devotion.

^B See Introduction.         ¹⁰ Ibid.        ⁿ Success (ibid.), . ^la All these worships lead to the same goal—the Brahman. But, as men vary, so do the forms of worship. Some natures attain high spirituality in resignation to the Lord in His terrific aspects, others are drawn by love to worship the Divine Motherhood. For the same reasons, the means such as Yantra, Mantra, and Upasana vary.

¹³ As to Dharmma, see Introduction. Thus special duties exist in each yuga with reference to its varying circumstances.

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the Supreme (27-28). O Deveshi! I will state before Thee the very essence distilled from the Vedas and Agamas,¹ and in particular from the Tantras (29). As men versed in the Tantras are to other men, as the Jahnavi² is to other rivers, as I am to all other Devas, so is the Mahanirvana Tantra to all other Agamas⁸ (30).

O Auspicious One! of what avail are the Vedas, the Puranas, or the Shastras, since he who has the knowledge of this great Tantra is Lord of all Siddhi?⁴ (31). Since Thou hast questioned Me for the good of the world, I will speak to Thee of that which will lead to the benefit of the universe (32).

O Parameshvari! should good be~lone to the universe, the Lord of it is pleased, since He is its soul, and it depends on Him (33). He is One. He is the Ever-existent. He is the Truth. He is the Supreme Unity without a second. He is Ever-full and Self-manifest.⁶ He is Eternal Intelligence and Bliss (33-34). He is without change,6 Self-existent,⁷ and ever the Same,⁸ Serene,⁰ above all attributes.¹⁰ He

¹ Vide p. 10, note 5.                 ² Ganges, Ganga.

³ Yatha nareshu tantra-jnah saritam Jahnavi-yatha, Yathaham tridiveshanam agamanam idam tatha.

⁴ Siddhi (vide Introduction). The Tantra is thus the cream of all previous doctrine extracted for the use of the men of this Age, who may thus, without the learning of the other Shastras, acquire know­ledge of the Brahman.

·         “ Without a second “—that is, every creature is one of a class, but the Supreme stands apart, and is unlike any other thing, and there is none other like Him. “ Ever-full “ (sada-purna), entire, whole, un­divided. “ Self-manifest” (sva-prakasha), self-lustre. He has not to depend on anything else for His manifestation, such as the Sun, Moon or other Energy. “ He is the Truth,” and all else is unreal.

⁶ Nir-vikara. The vikara are the categories of Sankhya, beginning with Mahat.       ⁷ Nir-adhara.   ⁸ Nir-vishesha.   ^B Nir-akula.

¹⁰ Gunatita. The Supreme Being is, in Its ultimate nir-guna aspect, without attribute, though, when It unfolds itself by Chit Shakti, 11 enters into the attributes of the world created in pastime by the play of self-illusion, and appears as One possessing attributes. The Supreme is but One and the Same, but by reason of the various beings which It pervades. It appears differently according to the characters of such being, and enjoys their attributes (Shrimad-bhagavata, chap. ii., verses 30-32).

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beholds¹ and is the Witness² of all that passes. Omni­present,⁸ the Soul of everything that is.⁴ He, the Eternal and Omnipresent, is hidden and pervades all things.⁶ Though Himself devoid of sense. He is the Illuminator of all the senses and their powers ° (35-36). The Cause of all the three worlds. He is yet beyond them and the mind of men. Ineffable and Omniscient, He knows the universe, yet none know Him⁷ (37). He sways this incompre­hensible universe, and all that has movement and is motionless in the three worlds depends on Him ; and lighted by His truth, the world shines as does Truth itself. We too have come from Him as our Cause⁸ (38-39). He, the one Supreme Lord,⁰ is the Cause of all beings, the Manifestation of Whose creative Energy in the three worlds is called Brahma (40). By His will Vishnu protects and I destroy, Indra and all other Guardian Devas of the world depend on Him and hold rule in their respective regions under His command. Thou His supreme Prakriti¹⁰ art adored in all the three worlds (41-42). Each one does his work by the power ) of Him who exists in his heart. None are ever indepen­dent of Him (43). Through fear of Him¹¹ the Wind blows, the Sun gives heat, the Clouds shower seasonable rain, and the Trees in the forest flower (44).

It is He who destroys Time at the Great Dissolution, of Whom even Fear and Death itself are afraid.¹² He is

¹ Sarvva-drik.                  ^a Sarwa-saksAI. • ⁸ Vibhu.

·         Sarvvatma.

^t SanBtano gudhah sarweshu bhuteshu.

·         Sarwendriya-vivarjjitah sarvvendriya-guwabhasaA; or it may be-translated, “ Yet all the senses tell of Him.”

^T Tam na janati kashchana.

⁸ Tenaiva hetu-bhutena vayangjatah. The “ We “ refers to Shiva. Himself and others.

·         Ishvara, God as Creator and Ruler of the universe.  ^w See Introduction.

• *¹ That is, in obedience to Him, through fear of disobedience (see-Sixth Valli, Kathopanishad).

^u That is, who is not affected by time, fear, and death..

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Bhagavan,¹ Who is known as Yat Tat² in the Vedanta⁸ (45). O Adored of the Devas I all the Devas and Devfe —nay, the whole universe, from Brahma to a blade of grass—are His forms * (46). If He be pleased, the Universe is pleased. If aught be done to gratify Him, then the gratification of All is caused (47). As the pouring of water at the root of a tree satisfies the wants of the leaves and branches, so by worshipping Him all the Deathless Ones⁶ are satisfied (48). Just as, O Virtuous One I all the beautiful Ones⁰ are pleased when Thou art worshipped and when men meditate on and make Japa and pray to Thee (49). As all rivers must go to the ocean, so, O Parvati! all acts of worship must reach Him as the ultimate goal⁷ (50). Whoever be the worshipper, and whoever be the Devata, he reverentially worships for some desired end, all that is given to him through the Deva he so worships comes from Him as the Supreme (51). Oh, what use is it to say more before Thee, O My Beloved ?

¹ See p. 5, note 5.

³ The “ That,” which all in their essence are, or the Supreme—the One, that is—Tat Sat. The Vishvatman is without a name, nor is it known how It should be called other than by the designation of “ That “ in the neuter gender (see Introduction). Though the unconditioned Brahman and the conditioned One (Ishvara) appear as different (by attributes), yet They are the same, and designated by Tat, the relation between them being Tadatmya (sameness). The Devi is Chidakara-svarupini (Lalita, verse 8o), non-separable from Chit, and denoted by Tat (tat-pada-lakshyartha).

³ Shruti and Darshana (see Introduction to author’s edition of “Tantra-tattva”).

⁴ And so in the Katha Upanishad (ii. 2) it is said : “ The Hangsa (God) sits above the Heavens, It dwells in the Atmosphere, as invoker. It dwells in temples, and as guests It is not far from us. It dwells in man, in Truth, in the ether, in water, mountains,” etc. ^t Amaras—that is, the Devas.        * That is, the other Devis. ⁷ The same thought is contained in the Bhagavad-GitB, where the Supreme Lord says that “ All worship, to whomsoever directed, reaches* Him.” It has been pointed out (Max Muller, “India, what It can teach ms,” p. 252) that a similar idea is to be found in the Prophet Malachi (i. 14), where the worship of strange gods te accepted as a tribute which in reality falls to Yahweh.

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There is none other but Him to meditate upon, to pray to, to worship for the attainment of liberation (52). Need there is none to trouble, to fast, to torture one’s body, to follow rules and customs, to make large offerings;

need there is none to be heedful as to time¹ nor as to Nyasa ² or Mudra;3 wherefore, O Kuleshani!⁴ who will strive to seek shelter elsewhere than with Him? (53-54).

End of the Second Joyful Message, entitled “ Introduc­tion to the Worship of Brahman.”

1 Dik-kala-vichara. In ordinary worship, the time of the day, the position of the planets, the direction of the worshipper’s face, have to be regarded, but not so here.

2 See Introduction.

³ Ibid.

⁴ Feminine of Kuleshana, a name of Shiva.