Mahanirvana Tantra

CHAPTER V

SHRI SADASHIVA said:

Thou art the Adya Parama Shakti,¹ Thou art all Power.² It is by Thy power⁸ that We (the Trinity) are powerful⁴ in the acts of creation, preservation, and destruction. Endless and of varied colour and form are Thy appearances, and various are the strenuous efforts whereby the worshippers may realize them. Who can describe them? (1-2). In the Kula Tantras and Agamas⁶ I have, by the aid of but a small part of Thy mercies and with all My powers, described the Sadhana and Archana⁸ of Thy appearances; yet nowhere else is this very secret Sadhana revealed. It is by the grace of this (Sadhana), O Blessed One 1 that Thy mercy in Me is so great (3-4). Questioned by Thee I am no longer able to conceal it. For Thy pleasure, O Beloved! I shall speak of that which is dearer to Me than even life itself (5). To all sufferings it brings relief. It wards off all dangers. It gives Thee pleasure, and is the way by which Thou art most swiftly obtained (6). For men rendered wretched by the taint of the Kali Age,⁷ short-lived and unfit for strenuous effort, this is the greatest wealth (7). In this (sadhana) there .is no need for a multiplicity of Nyasa,⁸ for fasting or other practices of self-restraint.⁹ It is simple and pleasurable, yet yields great fruit to the worshipper (8). Then first listen, O Devi! to the Mantroddhara¹⁰ of the

1 That is, Primordial Supreme Shakti.   ² Sarvva-shakti-svarupini. ³ Tava shaktya.       ⁴ Shaktah.      ⁵ See Introduction. ⁶ As to the specific meaning of these terms, which, speaking generally, mean worship, see Introduction.           ⁷ See Introduction. ⁸ See ibid.           9 Sangyama (see Introduction as to Vrata).

10 See p. 24, note 6, ante.

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TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 61

Mantra, the mere hearing of which liberates man from future births while yet living¹ (9).

By placing “ Pranesha “ on “ Taijasa,” and adding to it “ Bherunda “ and the Vindu, the first Vija² is formed.’ After this, proceed to the second (10). By placing “Sandhya” on “Rakta,” and adding to it “ Vamanetra “ and Vindu, the second Mantra is formed.⁴ Now listen, O Blessed One! to the formation of the third Mantra.

Prajapati is placed on Dipa, and to them is added Govinda and Vindu.⁵ It yields happiness to the wor­shippers: After making these three Mantras add the word Parameshvari⁰ in the vocative, and then the word for Vahni-kanta.⁷ Thus, O Blessed One! is the Mantra of ten letters formed.⁸ This Vidya9 of the Supreme Devi contains in itself all Mantras¹⁰ (11-13).

1 Jivanmukta (see Introduction).

^s Or Mantra (see Introduction).

³ Pranesha means “ the Lord of Life,” and signifies the letter Ha. Ha-kara may mean either Vishnu or Shiva, or the latter alone, accord­ing to the Mantra-bhidhana. Ha-kara is the Vija of Akasha (Vyoma)— Shiva being Mahakasha-rupi, the Great Ether Self. Taijasa (tejas) means Fire, and signifies the letter Ra (Rang being the Vija of Fire). Bherunda, an attendant of Durga, signifies the long vowel i. Thus, Ha+ Ra = Hra+ i = Hri+ the Vindu (point or sign Anusvara) = Hring.

4 Sandhya = Sha, Rakta = Ra, Vama-Netra=the long vowel i, and Vindu is the point Anusvara. Thus, Sha+ Ra=Shra+ i=Shri+ the Vindu = Shring.

⁵ Praja-pati, or Brahma, Lord of creations Ka; Dipa, or Fire (whose Vija is Rang) == Ra; Govinda=long vowel i; and Vindu is the sign Anusvara. Thus, Ka+ Ra = Kra+ 1 = Kri+ Vindu = Kring.

⁶ Title of the Great Devi, as the Supreme Lord.

⁷ Wife of Vahni=Fire—that is, the word “ Svaha,” used in making oblation to Fire or at the conclusion of the feminine Mantra (see post).

⁸ That is, Hring, Shring, Kring Pa-ra-me-shva-ri, Sva-ha. The vowels are the Shakti of the consonants, which cannot be uttered without them. Therefore, consonant and vowel annexed are treated as one letter.

9 Vidya is the feminine Mantra, the sex of the Mantra changing with that of its presiding Deva. The Sarada-tilaka says that if a Mantra is followed by Hung or Phat, it is a masculine Mantra (Purusha; Pung-Mantra). Those which end with Svaha are feminine, and those ending with Namah are neuter.

¹⁰ Sarvva-vidyamayi, or the soul of all Vidyas (Hari-harananda Bharati). All the Vidyas are included in it (Tarkalangkara),

62 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

The most excellent worshipper should for the attain­ment of wealth and all his desires make Japa of each or all of the first three Vijas¹ (14). By omitting the first three Vija the Vidya² of ten letters become one of seven.⁸ By prefixing the Vija of Kama,⁴ or the Vagbhava,⁶ or the Tara,⁶ three Mantras of eight letters each are

formed⁷ (15).

At the end of the Mantra of ten letters the word Kalika⁸ in the vocative should be uttered, and then the first three Vija,⁹ followed by the name of the Wife of Vahni¹⁰ (16). This Vidya11 is called Shodashi,¹² and is concealed in all the Tantras. If it be prefixed by the Vija of Vadhu^l3 or by the Pranava,¹⁴ two Mantras of seventeen letters each are formed¹⁶ (17).

O Beloved! there are tens of millions upon tens of millions,¹⁶ nay an hundred millions,¹⁷ nay countless Mantras for Thy worship. I have here but shortly stated twelve of them (18). Whatsoever Mantras are set forth in the

¹ Hring, Shring, Kring. Bharati gives a variant—“ for the attain­ment of piety, desire, wealth.”

² Feminine Mantra {vide p. 61, note 9). 3 That is, omitting the first three letters, Hring, Shring, and Kring. The Mantra is then Pa-ra-me-shva-ri-Sva-ha.

·         The Vija of Kama—Deva of Desire—is Kling.

⁶ Vagbhava is Sarasvati, Devi of Learning and Speech, whose Vija is Aing.

^B That is, the Pranava = Ong.

⁷ That is, to the Mantra of seven letters thus formed either of the following three Mantras are added—that is, Kling, or Aing, or Ong— then separate Mantras of eight letters each are formed, which are Kling Parameshvari Svaha, Aing Parameshvari Svaha, Ong Parameshvari

Svaha.

⁸ Title of the Devi.

⁹ That is. Hring, Shring, Kring.

¹⁰ That is Svaha.

. ¹¹ The Mantra thus formed is: Hring, Shring, Kring Parameshvari Kalike, Hring, Kring Svaha.

¹² Feminine of Shodashi, so called because composed of sixteen

letters.

13  That is. the Vadhu (woman) Vija—String.      ¹⁴ Ong. 15 That is, the Mantra in Note 4, ante, plus either “ String “ or “ Ong.”

16 Koti.                                     17 Arvvuda.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 63

various Tantras, they are all Thine, since Thou art the Adya Prakriti¹ (19). There is but one sadhana in the case of all these Mantras, and of that I shall speak for Thy pleasure and the benefit of humanity (20).

: ••,   Without Kulachara,² O Devi! the Shakti-Mantra⁸ is ^\ powerless to give success, and therefore the worshipper should worship the Shakti with Kulachara rites (21). O Adya⁴! the five essential Elements in the worship of Shakti have been prescribed to be Wine,⁶ Meat,⁶ Fish,⁷ parched Grain,⁸ and the Union of man with woman⁰ (22). The worship of Shakti without these five elements¹⁰ is but  the practice of evil magic.11 That Siddhi which is the object of sadhana is never attained thereby, and obstacles are encountered at every step (23). As seed sown on barren rocks does not germinate, so worship¹² without these five elements is fruitless (24).

Without the prior performance of the morning rites¹³ a man is not qualified to perform the others. And there­fore, O Devi ! I shall first speak of those which are to be performed in the morning¹³ (25). In the second half of

¹ See Introduction.

² Tantrika doctrine in its Kaula form.                      ³ The Mantra of the Devi—Shakti of Shiva.       .         4 Adya, Who is from the beginning. Adye is in the vocative.

⁵ Madya (or other fermented liquor)              i         » ⁶Mangsa.  ⁷ Matsya.

⁸ Mudra, a term here used in its technical Tantrika sense, but which ordinarily means “ ritual gestures with the fingers or postures of the body.” See as to these last four tattva the Introduction.

⁹ Maithuna (see p. 12, note 10, and Introduction). ¹⁰ Ordinarily called the Pancha Ma-kara (Five M’s), as to which see  Introduction.  They are here called Pancha-tattva, and elsewhere Pancha-dravya.

¹¹ Abhichara. Abhichara is an incantation to injure or destroy, and is, according to Hariharananda Bharati, the equivalent of Hingsa-karma—an act injurious to others. For the meaning of this passage see Introduction. 12 Puja.

¹³ Pratah-kritya, such as bathing, morning prayers, etc. (vide post).

64 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

the last quarter of the night¹ the disciple should rise from sleep. Having seated himself and shaken off drowsiness;

let him meditate upon the image 2 of his Guru:

dhyana:

As two-eyed and two-armed, situate in the white lotus of the head³ (26); clad in white raiment, engarIanded with white flowers, smeared with sandal paste. With one hand he makes the sign which dispels fear, and with the other that which bestows blessings. He is calm, and is the image of mercy. On his left his Shakti, holding in her hand a lotus, embraces him. He is smiling and gracious, the bestower of the fulfilment of the desires of his disciples (27-28).                

O Kuleshvari⁴! the disciple should, after having thus meditated upon his Teacher and worshipped him with the articles of mental worship,5 make Japa with the excellent Mantra, the Vagbhava-Vija 6 (29).

After doing Japa⁷ of the Mantra as best lies in his power the wise disciple should, after placing the Japa⁸ in the right palm of his excellent Guru, bow before him, saying

meanwhile the following (30):

mantra;

I bow to thee, O Sad-guru,    

Thou who destroyeth the bonds which hold us to this world,             

Thou who bestoweth the vision of Wisdom

¹ Arunodaya.                

² Fur the purpose of meditation a definite picture is formed in the mind’s eye, which is to be the subject of Dhyana .

³ One of the higher Chakras—the Lotus of  twelve white  petals under

the Sahasrara, where the Sushumna Nadi ends.

4 Feminine of Kuleshvara, a name  Shiva. ^s Manasa upachara =articles of mental worship (see verses 142-157) of this Ullasa).

6 That is, “ Aing,” Vagbhava being Sarasvati (vide ante).

⁷ Recitation of the Mantra (see Introduction).

⁸ That is, the merit of it.         9 Jnana-drishti.

 

 

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 65

Together with worldly enjoyment and final liberation,¹

Dispeller of ignorance,

Revealer of the Kula-dharmma,²    

Image in human form of the Supreme Brahman (31-32).

The disciple, having thus made obeisance to his Guru, should meditate upon his Ishta-devata,³ and worship Her as aforesaid,⁴ inwardly reciting the Mula-mantra⁶ mean­while (33). Having done this to the best of his powers, he should place the Japa in the left palm of the Devi, and then make obeisance to his Ishta-devata with the following (34):

mantra.

To thee I bow Who art one with, and the Supporter of, the

Universe,                      / I bow to Thee again and yet again, the Adya Kalika,⁶ both

Creatrix and Destructress (35).

Having thus made obeisance to the Devi, he should leave his house, placing his left foot first, and then make water, discharge his bowels, and cleanse his teeth (36). He then should go towards some water, and make his ablutions in the manner prescribed (37). First of all let him rinse his mouth, and then enter the water, and stand therein up to his navel. He should then cleanse his body by a single immersal only, and then, standing up and rubbing himself, rinse his mouth, saying the Mantra the while⁷ (38). That best of worshippers, the Kula-Sadhaka,⁸ should then sip a little water and say:

¹ See Yoga-Vashishtha, Nirvvana-Prakarana. III., chpt.,  lxxxv.

² Tantrika doctrine of the Kaulas.

³ That is, the particular Devata whom the particular discrib~e worships.

4 That is, the way the Guru has been worshipped.

⁵ That is, the root or primary Mantra—Hring, Shring, Kring, Parameshvari Kalike, Hring, Shring, Kring Svaha.

⁶ Vide chap iv., verse 31.

⁷ Mantram achamanam, or rinsing the mouth and reciting of the Tantrika Mantras at the same time.        ⁸ Tantrika worshipper. 5

66 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

MANTRA. Atma-tattvaya Svaha.

.After that he should again sip water twice, followed in

each case by the

mantras.

Vidya-tattvaya Svaha. Shiva-tattvaya Svaha,

respectively.¹ Lastly, he should rinse the upper lip

twice² (39).

Then, O Beloved! the wise disciple should draw on the water the Kula-yantra³ with the Mantra⁴ in its centre, and do Japa over it with the Mula-mantra⁶ twelve times (40). Then meditating on the Water⁶ as the Image of Fire,⁷ let him offer it thrice to the Sun in his joined palms. Sprinkling it thrice over his head, let him close the seven openings therein⁶ (41). Then for the pleasure of the Devi he should immerse himself thrice, leave the water, dry his body, and put on two pieces of clean cloth.⁰

Tying up his hair whilst reciting the Gayatri,¹⁰ he should mark on his forehead with pure earth or ashes the tilaka¹¹ and tri-pundra,¹² with a Vindu¹³ over it (42). Let the

1 The worshipper here offers with the Mantra S~ ‘ha (see p. 30, note i) oblation of water to the essential soul, knowledge of the Supreme,

and Shiva.

² This is the method of rinsing one’s mouth referred to in verse 38,. and called Tantrika, or Mantra manner of rinsing the mouth.

³ Diagram (see Introdroduction)

⁴ That is, the Vi’- ^{ot the} Devi.       ⁶ Vide ante, p. 65, note 5.

·         The water of^ttle Kula-yantra—that is, the Yantra drawn as above.

7 Tejorupa~ Tejas=Fire or radiance.

8 That is ^{the two eves}, two ears, two nostrils, and mouth.

9 Shi~ddha-vasasi.

10 The Tantrika Gayatri Mantra is given later in this Chapter. ‘• The sectarian mark on the forehead or between the eyebrows. “ A mark consisting of three lines on the forehead, back, head, and

shoulders, or three horizontal lines across the forehead, worn by Shaivas

or Shaktas.

^M Literally, drop, point. A mark like the point Anusvara.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 67

worshipper then perform both the Vaidika and Tantrika forms of Sandhya¹ in their respective order. Listen while I now describe to you the Tantrika Sandhya (44).

After rinsing his mouth in the manner described, he should, O Blessed One! invoke into the water the Waters of the holy Rivers thus (45):

mantra.

O Ganga; Yamuna, Godavari, Sarasvati, Narmmada, Sindhu, Kaveri, come into this water (46).²

The intelligent worshipper having invoked the sacred Rivers with this Mantra, and made the ang kusha 3 mudra, should do Japa with the Mula-mantra⁴ twelve times (47). Let him then again utter the Mula-mantra, and with the middle and nameless⁶ fingers joined together throw drops of that water thrice upon the ground (48).

He should then sprinkle his head seven times with the water, and taking some in the palm of his left hand cover it up with his right (49).   Then inwardly reciting the Vija of Ishana,⁸ Vayu,⁷ Varuna,⁸ Vahni,⁹ and Indra¹⁰ four

1 See Introduction.

² The vocative forms in e and i are not given.

³ Angkusha is a hook used to drive an elephant. The first finger is bent at the second joint in the shape of a hook, the fist being closed.

4 Vide ante, p. 65, note 5.         ^s The third or ring finger.

⁶ Ishana is the name of Shiva, and the presiding Deva of the Mantra Hang.

⁷ Lord of the element of Air, and the presiding Deva of the Mantra Yang.  “ His noise comes rending and resounding, moving onward he makes all things ruddy. He comes propelling the dust of the earth. The gusts of air rush after him, and congregate upon him as women in an assembly. Hasting forward, he never reels. Friend of the waters first born, holy, in what place was he born! His sounds have been heard, but his form is not seen “ (Hymn to Vayu, Muir, O.S.T., verse 146).

⁸ Varuna, originally Deva of the Heavens, and regarded later in the Puranas as Lord of the Waters (Jala-pati), whose Mantra is Vang (see as to Varuna, Muir, O.S.T., verses 58, 64, 73, 75, and Vishnu Purana).

⁶ Agni, or Vahni (he who receives the homa), is presiding Deva of Fire, whose Mantra is Rang.

¹⁰ Indra, Deva of the Firmament, King of Celestials, presiding over the Mantra Lang. He is Svarga-pati, Lord of Heaven (svah), whose

68 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

times, the water should be transferred to the right palm¹ (50). Seeing (in his mind’s eye) and meditating upon the water as Fire,² the worshipper should draw it through the nose by Ida,³ expel it through Pingala 4 (into his palm), and so wash away all inward impurity (51).

The worshipper should then three times⁶ dash the water (so expelled into his palm) against an (imaginary) ada­mant.⁶ Uttering the Astra-Mantra,⁷ let him then wash his hands (52). Then rinsing his mouth, oblation of water should be offered to the Sun with the following (53) :

mantra.

Ong Hring Hangsa. To Thee, O Sun, full of heat, shining. effulgent, I offer this oblation ; svaha⁸ (54).

Then let him meditate morning, midday, and evening upon the great Devi Gayatri,⁰ the Supreme Devi, as mani­fested in her three different forms and according to the three qualities¹⁰ (55).

home is on Mount Meru, in the City of gems and gold built by Vishva-karma, amid shady gardens of fragrant flowers and luscious fruits.. inhabited by beautiful Apsaras and resounding with song and music.

¹ The whole Mantra is then Hang, Yang, Vang, Rang, Lang.

² Tejomaya.

³ That is, the left nostril.

4 Or right nohtril.

⁵ In other Tantras, and as a matter of practice, it is only once.

⁶ Vajra-Shila. This process is known as “ agha-marshana,” or destruction of sin. Water is expelled with the sins through Pingala, and then for the destruction of the latter dashed against an imaginary adamant. In practice the water is dashed against the left palm, which the Sadhaka conceives to be of adamantine hardness.

7 That is>, the Weapon-Mantra, or “ Phat.”

8 Ong Hring Hangsa, ghhni Surya idam arghyam tubhyam svaha. ⁹ Guna, or qualities—viz., Sattva, Rajas, Tamas. In her Satvika

form she is represented as Vaishnavi; in her Rajasika form as Brahmi;

and in her Tamasika form as Shaivi. ¹⁰ The Devi of the Gayatri Mantra.  In the Puranas, Gayatri is.

represented as Consort of Brahma.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION  69

dhyana.

In the morning meditate upon Her in Her Brahmi form,¹ as a Maiden of ruddy hue, with a pure smile, with two hands, holding a gourd² full of holy water, garlanded with crystal beads, clad in the skin of a black antelope, seated on a Swan (56). At midday meditate upon Her in Her Vaishnavi form,³ of the colour of pure gold,⁴ youthful, with full and rising breasts, situated in the Solar disc, with four hands holding the conch-shell, discus, mace, and lotus, seated on Garuda, garlanded with wild- ~ flowers (57-58). In the evening the Yati should meditate upon Her as of a white colour, clad in white raiment, old and long past her youth, with three eyes, beneficent, pro­pitious, seated on a Bull, holding in Her lotus-like hands a noose, a trident, a lance, and a skull⁵ (59-60).

Having thus meditated on the great Devi Gayatri, and offered water three times in the hollow of his joined hands, the worshipper should make Japa with the Gayatri either ten or a hundred times (61). Listen now, O Devi of the Devas! while I out of my love for Thee recite the Gayatri (62).

After the word “ Adyayai” say “ vidmahe,” and then “ Parameshvaryyai⁸ dhimahi: tannah Kali pracho-

¹ Rajasika as Brahmi. Brahma is generally pictured as a red man with four hands, seated on a Swan, dressed in white.     ² Kamandalu.

3 Sattvika as Vaishnavi. Vishnu is pictured as of a dark colour, four-armed, holding the articles mentioned, riding upon the bird Garuda, dressed in yellow robes. The Mahabharata pictures him as seated in Vaikuntha, the heaven of Vishnu, on a seat glorious as the midday sun, resting on white lotuses with his consort Lakshmi, who shines like a continued blaze of lightning, and from whose body the fragrance of the lotus extends 800 miles.

⁴ Shyama-varna. According to Commentator on Shatchakraniru­pana, v. ii, but usually green.

⁵ Tamasika as Shaivi. Each Deva or Devi has His or Her Vahana or vehicle. In this case the Bull Nandi. Shiva is always represented of a white colour, and is described in the Shiva-stotra as shining like a mountain of silver (rajata-giri-nibha).

⁶ “ Let us think upon Adya; let us meditate on Parameshvari (the Supreme Devi). May Kali direct us (in the path of Dharmma, Artha,

70 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

dayat.” This is Thy Gayatri which destroys all great sins (63). The inward recitation of this Vidya¹ thrice daily obtains the fruit of the performance of Sandhya.² Water should then be offered to the Devas, Rishis,³ and the Pitris⁴ (64). First say the Pranava,⁶ and then the name of the Deva (the Rishi or the Pitri) in the accusative case, and after that the words “ tarpayami namah.”^a When, however, oblation is offered to Shakti, the Maya Vija ⁷ should be said in place of the Pranava, and in lieu of Namah the Mantra Svaha⁸ (65).

After uttering the Mula-mantra,⁹ say “ Sarvva-bhuta-nivasinyai,” and then “ Sarvva-svarupa “ and “Sayudha” in the dative singular, as also “ Savarana “ and “ Parat­para,” and then “ Adyayai, Kalikayai, te, idam arghyam:

Svaha “ (66-67). (When the Mantra will be.)¹⁰

mantra.

Hring, Shring, Kring, to the Supreme Devi. O Supreme Devi, Thou Who dwelleth in all things and Whose image all things are, Who art surrounded by attendant deities, and Who bearest arms, Who art above even the most high to Thee, Who art the Adya Kalika, I offer this oblation:

Svaha.

Kama, and Moksha).” Adya, Parameshvari, and Kali are one and the same. To the Shakta reciting this Gayatri the Adya is the only Divinity he thinks of, knows, and contemplates. To Her alone his whole soul is bent with a prayer for the attainment of the fourfold aim of sentient being.

·         Feminine Mantra (see Introduction).         ² Vide ibid.

·         See Introduction.       ⁴ Forefathers (see Introduction).

·         Om or Ong.   ^a “ Him I satisfy: Namah.”   ⁷ That is, Hring.

⁸ That is, a Deva is worshipped with the Mantra prefix Ong and the Mantra suffix Namah, but a Devi with Hring, or whatever her Vija may be, concluding with Svaha.

⁹ The primary Mantra—that is, “ Hring, Shring, Kring, Paramesh­vari Svaha.” Shiva proceeds to describe the formation of the Mantra for offering oblation. ¹⁰ The Mantra is thus: “ Hring, Shring, Kling, Parameshvari, Svaha:

Sarvva-bhuta-nivasinyai Sarvva-svarupayai Sayudhayai, Savaranayai Paratparayai, Adyayai, Kalikayai te idam arghyam: svaha.”

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 71

Having offered this arghya to the Mahadevi the wise, one should make Japa with the Mula-mantra¹ with all his powers, and then place the Japa in the left hand of the Devi² (68). Then let the Sadhaka bow to the Devi, take such water as is needed for his worship, bowing to the water whence he has drawn it, and proceed to the place of worship,⁸ earnestly meditating on and reciting hymns ‘of praise to the Devi meanwhile. On his arrival there let him wash his hands and feet, and then make in front of the door the Samanyarghya⁴ (69-70). The wise one should draw a triangle, and outside it a circle, and outside the circle a square, and after worshipping the Adhara-shakti place the vessel on the figure⁶ (71).

Let him wash the vessel with the Weapon-Mantra,⁶ and while filling it with water let him say the Heart-Mantra.⁷ Then, throwing flowers and perfume into the water, let him invoke the holy Rivers into it (72). Worshipping Fire, Sun, and Moon in the water of the vessel, let him say⁸ the Maya Vija 9 over it (73). The Dhenu and Yoni Mudras¹⁰ should then be shown.” This is known as Samanyarghya.¹² With the water and flowers of this

¹ Vide ante, p. 70, note 9.

² That is, the merit of it is offered to Her.

³ Yajna-mandira, or Yaga-mandapa.

⁴ Samanyarghya, the common or universal oblation—that is, the oblation which is to serve for the whole ritual worship which follows. The following verses to the seventy-fourth explain it.

⁵ That is, the worship is to be of the Shakti which supports the vessel of oblation—Adhara-shakti.     6 That is, the Astra-Mantra or Phat.

⁷ Hrin-Mantra, or Namah—said in the heart.

⁸ Mantrayet, by which the power of the Mantra is discharged into it 9 That is, Hring.

¹⁰ The Yoni Mudra—symbolical of the sexual organ of woman—is used in the Durga and Kali Puja. The little finger is placed on little finger, the first finger on first finger, and the thumb on thumb. The knuckles of second and third fingers of each hand are bent, and rest on one another. A triangular Yantra is thus formed, of which the first fingers are the apex and the others the base. The Dhenu (Cow) Mudra is shown when offering food, water, etc., to the Devata.

¹¹ That is, over the vessel containing the Arghya. 12 Vide ante, note 4.

72 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

oblation the Devata of the entrance to the place of worship should be worshipped (74), such as Ganesha, Kshetrapala,¹ Vatuka,² Yogini,⁸ Ganga, Yamuna, Lakshmi, and Vani⁴ (75). The wise one, lightly touching that part of the door-frame which is on his left, should then enter the place of worship with his left foot forward, meditating the while on the lotus-feet of the Devi (76). Then, after worship of the presiding Deva of the site, and of Brahma in the south-west corner, the place of worship should be cleansed with water taken from the common offering 5 (77). Let the best of worshippers then with a steady gaze⁸ remove all celestial obstacles,⁷ and by the repetition of the Weapon-Mantra⁸ remove all obstacles in the Anta­riksha⁹ (78).

Striking the ground three times with his heel, let him drive away all earthly obstacles, and then fill the place of worship with the incense of burning sandal, fragrant aloe,¹⁰ musk, and camphor. He should then mark off a rectangular space as his seat, draw a triangle within it, and therein worship Kama-rupa with the

mantra. To Kama-rupa, Namah: (79-80).

Then for his seat spreading a mat 11 over it, let him worship the Adhara-shakti¹² with the

¹ The Deva protector of the ground.                             .

² A Bhairava (see p. 8, note i). ³ One of the Matrikas, attendants of Kali (see ante, p. 27, note 3).

4 Lakshmi, Shakti of Vishnu, and Sarasvati.    ⁵ Samanyarghya

6 Divya-drishti—literally, “celestial gaze,” which is achieved by practice of the process of Hatha Yoga called Trataka.  The Yogi, without winking, gazes at some minute object until tears start from his eyes.  Practice in Trataka secures divya-drishti (see the Second Upadesha of the Gheranda Sanghita).

⁷ Divya-Vighna—those which originate from Svah.

⁸ Astra-Mantra, or Phat.

⁹ The plane Bhuvah, between earth and heaven (Svah).

¹⁰ Aguru.              ¹¹ Asana, generally a mat of kusha grass 12 Shakti of the support

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 73

mantra.

Kling, Obeisance to the Adhara-shakti of the lotus-seat¹ (81).

The learned worshipper should then seat himself according to the “ tied heroic” mode,² with his face towards the East or the North, and should consecrate the Vijaya³ (81). (With the following)

mantra.

Ong Hring. Ambrosia, that springeth from ambrosia, Thou that showereth ambrosia, draw ambrosia for me again and again. Bring Kalika within my control. Give siddhi; svaha.⁴

This is the Mantra for the consecration of Vijaya (83-84). Then inwardly reciting the Mula-mantra 5 seven times over the Vijaya, show the Dhenu,⁶ the Yoni,⁷ the Avahani,⁸ and other⁹ Mudras (85).

¹ Kling Adhara-shakti-kamalasanaya Namah—that is, the power of support of the lotus-seat.

² Baddha-virasana. The position is that of sitting on the left heel, in which the courtiers used to sit in the Courts of the Hindu Kings.

³ That is, the narcotic Bhang (hemp) [or Siddhi, as it is called in Bengali], and which is used in all ceremonies.

⁴ “ Amrite amritodbhave amnita-varshini amritam Skarshaya-karshaya: siddhim dehi: Kalikam me vasham anaya.” ⁵ Vide p. 70, note 9.

⁶ The Cow-Mudra. The two little and ring fingers are joined, the latter crossing one another. The two middle cross one another, and two index fingers are joined.

⁷ Vide ante, p. 71, note 10.                                     

⁸ The two hands joined together, showing the palms with two thumbs turned in—the gesture with which honoured guests are received.

⁹ The other Mudras referred to, but not mentioned in the text, are— (1) Avahani, (2) Sthapani, (3) Sannidhapani, (4) Sannirodhini, and (5) Sammukhikarani. These are meant by Avahani and others. Cf Dakshinamurti Sanghita. These are gestures of—(i) invoking and well coming, (2) placing, (3) fixing or placing on a seat, (4) restraining ~<J. detaining, and (5) confronting. All these gestures are made by the fingers and palms.

74 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

Then satisfy the Guru who resides in the Lotus of a thousand petals¹ by thrice offering the Vijaya with the Sangketa-Mudra, and the Devi in the heart by thrice offering the Vijaya with the same Mudra, and reciting the Mula-mantra ² (86). Then offer oblations to the mouth of the Kundali,³ with the Vijaya reciting the following

MANTRA

Aing (O Devi Sarasvati), Thou Who art the Ruler of all the essences, do Thou inspire me, do Thou inspire me, and remain ever on the tip of my tongue; svaha⁴ (87).

After drinking the Vijaya⁶ he should bow to the Guru, placing his folded palms over the left ear, then to Ganesha, placing his folded palms over his right ear, and lastly to the Eternal Adya Devi,⁶ by placing his folded palms in the middle of his forehead, and should the meanwhile meditate on the Devi (88).

The wise worshipper should place the articles necessary • for worship on his right, and scented water and other Kula articles⁷ on his left (89). Saying the Mula-mantra terminated by the Weapon-Mantra,⁸ let him take water from the common offering and sprinkle the articles of worship with it, and then enclose himself and the articles

¹ That is, the Sahasrara, Lotus in the head.

² Bharati says. Reciting the Mantra, “ Aing (name of Guru) Ananda-natha—shri-guru-shri-padukang tarpayami: Namah,” and with the peculiar gesture (Sangketa-Mudra) taught by the Guru, the Guru should be satisfied three times by (offer of) Vijaya (bhang) and reciting the Mula-mantra—i.e., “ Hring Adyang Kaling tarpayami: svaha “—and with the Sangketa-Mudra the Devi should be satisfied three times in the heart. The Sangketa Mudra in the text is the Tattva-Mudra.

³ That is, the Shakti Kundalini, as to whom see Introduction. Oblation is made to Kundali by the Sadhaka, placing the Vijaya in his own mouth.

4 “ Aing vada vada Vagvadini mama jivhagre sthiribhava sarvva-sattva-vashangkari: Svaha.” 5  Bhang.

6 The primordial Devi.

⁷ Kula-dravya —(; «., wine, etc

⁸ Phat

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION  75

in a circle of water.¹ After that, O Devi! let him by the Vahni Vija² surround them with a wall of fire (90). Then for the purification of the palms of his hands he should take up a flower which has been dipped in sandal paste, rub it between the palms, reciting meanwhile the Mantra Phat, and throw it away (91).

Then in the following manner let him fence all the quarters so that no obstructions proceed from them.⁸ Join the first and second Angers of the right hand, and tap the palm of the left hand three times, each time after the first with greater force, thus making a loud sound, and then snap the fingers while uttering the weapon-Mantra⁴ (92). He should then proceed to perform the purification of the elements of his body.⁶ The excellent disciple should place his hands in his lap with the palms upwards, and fixing his mind on the Muladhara Chakra⁶ let him rouse Kundalini by uttering the Vija “ Hung.” Having so roused Her, let him lead Her with Prithivi⁷ by means of the Hangsa Mantra to the Svadishthana Chakra,⁸ and let him there dissolve⁹ each one of the elements of the body by means of another of such ele­ments¹⁰ (93-94). Then let him dissolve Prithivi together

¹ That is, water is taken in the hand, and a few drops allowed to drop at a time while the hand makes a circle. A streak of water is thus made to surround (according to the text) the articles of worship. According, however, to Tarkalangkara’s Bengali translation, the wor­shipper surrounds both himself and the articles with the water.

² That is, Rang, the Vija of Fire.

³ This is, the Dig-bandhana rite.

⁴ Astra—that is, “ Phat.”

⁵ This is the Bhuta-shuddhi rite (see Introduction).

⁶ The lowest of the Chakras in the human body (see Introduction).

⁷ Earth element.

⁸ The Chakra next above the Muladhara at the sexual organs (see Introduction). By the Hangsa Mantra the air is gently driven up the middle of the Sushumna Nadi, and Prithivi, who is in the Muladhara, is absorbed in Kundali.

⁹ Niyojayet.

¹⁰ Here commences the description of the rite of Bhuta-shuddhi, or purification of the elements of the body, which the Vaishnavas do by meditation upon the lotus-feet of Shri-Krishna in their hearts.

76 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION,

with odour, as also the organ of smell, into water.¹ Dis­solve water and taste, as also the sense of taste itself,² into Fire (95). Dissolve Fire and vision and form, and the sense of sight itself,⁸ into air (96).

Let air and touch,⁴ as also the sense of touch itself, be dissolved into ether.⁶ Dissolve ether and sound into the conscious Self⁶ and the Self into Mahat,⁷ Mahat itself into Prakriti, and Prakriti Herself into Brahman (97). Let the wise one, having thus dissolved (the twenty-four) tattvas,⁸ then think of an angry black man in the left side of the cavity of his abdomen of the size of his thumb, with red beard and eyes, holding a sword and shield, with his head ever held low, the very image of all sins (99).

Then the foremost of disciples should, thinking of the purple Vayu Vija⁰ as on his left nostril, inhale through that nostril sixteen times.  By this let him dry the sinful body (100). Next, meditating on the red Vija of Agni¹⁰ • as being situate in the navel, the body with all its sinful inclinations should be burnt up by the fire born of the Vija, as also by sixty-four Kumbhakas~11 (101). Then,

1 The guna of Prithivi is smell. This guna and the sense of smell is dissolved in water.           ² The tongue.

³ The eyes. 4 Everything that can be touched.

⁵ Vyoma—that is, the void in which ether is.

6 Aham, or ahangkara, from which the fine subtle elements (already in the worship ideally dissolved) proceed.

⁷ Mahat, or the Mahat-tattva, principle of intelligence.

⁸ There are altogether twenty-five tattvas, categories, principles, or elements in the Sankhya Philosophy. What is here referred to is Prakriti and the twenty-three emanations from her. The soul (Atman, Purusha), whether as the individual or Supreme Sou], is reckoned apart from Prakriti as the twenty-fifth tattva.

⁹ That is Yang. The colour Dhumra is variously translated as or dark red, smoky, grey, a mixture of red and black—the colour of fire seen through smoke.

¹⁰ That is, Rang—Vija of Fire.

¹¹ Kumbhaka {vide Introduction). The technical name of inspira­tion is Puraka; of expiration, Rechaka; and the restraining or holding of breath is known as Kumbhaka. Here, then, there are to be sixty-four Kumbhaka, at the same time sixty-four repetitions of the Agni Vija.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 77

thinking of the white Varuna Vija¹ in his forehead, let him bathe (the body which has been so burnt) with the nectar-like water dropping from the Varuna Vija by thirty-two exhalations² (102).

Having thus bathed the whole body from feet to head, let him consider that a Deva body has come into being (103). Then, thinking of the yellow Vija of the Earth³ as situate in the Muladhara circle,⁴ let him strengthen his body by that Vija and by a steadfast and winkless gaze⁵ (104). Placing his hand on his heart and uttering the

mantra,

Ang, Hring, Krong, Hangsah, So’hang,⁶

let him infuse into his body the life of the Devi⁷ (105). O Ambika! having thus purified the elements⁸ (the

¹ That is, Vang—Vija of Water.

2 Rechaka, which is also repetition of Varuna Vija. are to be per­formed thirty-two times.                  ³ Prithivi Vija—Lang.

4 The Muladhara Lotus, two digits below the sexual organ and two digits above the anus.

⁵ Divya-drishti. Here ends the rite of Bhuta-shuddhi, and the Text proceeds to the rite known as Jiva-nyasa (see verses 106-108 and Intro­duction) .

⁶ That is, “ He I am.” Sah=he, aham==I. The two words, when combined, according to the rules of Sandhi, become So’ham, or the unity of the individual and Supreme Soul.

⁷ Literally, “ Place the vital air of the Devi into his body.” Taddehe Devyah pranam nidhapayet. This shloka concludes Jiva-nyasa, and then next proceeds to Matrika-nyasa (see Introduction). Cf. .—

1.   The Deva alone should worship Deva:

A non-Deva (a-deva) should not worship Deva.

·         Gandharva Tantra.

2.   An a-Vishnu (non-Vishnu), should he worship Vishnu, gains no merit thereby:—Become Vishnu yourself before you worship Vishnu.—Yoga-Vashishtha.

3.   By worship of Rudra one becomes Rudra himself. By worship of Suryya one becomes Suryya himself. By worship of Vishnu one becomes Vishnu, and By worship of Shakti one becomes Shakti.

·         Agni Purana.

⁸ I.e.,’performed Bhuta-shuddhi.

78 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

disciple) with a mind well under control, and intent upon the nature of the Devi,¹ should do Matrika-nyasa.² The Rishi³ of Matrika⁴ is Brahma, and the verse is Gayatri,⁶ and Matrika⁶ is presiding Devi thereof; the consonants are its Seed,⁷ and the vowels its Shaktis,⁸ and Visarga⁹ is the End. In Lipi-nyasa,¹⁰ O Mahadevi! each letter should be separately pronounced as it is placed in the different parts of the body. Having similarly performed Rishi-nyasa, Kara-nyasa and Ang-ga-nyasa should be per­formed (106-108).

O Beauteous Face! the Mantras enjoined for Shad-ang-ga-nyasa¹¹ are Ka-varga¹² between Ang and Ang,¹³ Cha-varga¹⁴ between Ing and Ing,¹⁶ Ta-varga¹⁶ between Ung and Ung,¹⁷ Ta-varga¹⁸ between Eng and Aing,¹⁹ and Pa-varga²⁰ between Ong and Aung,²¹ and the letters from Ya

1 Devibhava-parayana.

² Disposition of the letters of the alphabet or body of the Devata upon the body of the Sadhaka (see Introduction).

³ Revealer; he who proclaimed the Mantra to the world.

⁴ That is, the Matrika-Mantra.

⁵ A form of verse. ⁶ That is, Sarasvati. 7 Vija.

⁸ The vowels are the Shaktis, which enable the utterance of the consonants (the Vijas), which by themselves cannot be uttered.

9 Final hard-breathing h, which comes at the end of the letter, and is the end or Kilaka.

10 Or Matrika-nyasa.

¹¹ Shad-ang-ga-nyasa is done by placing the hands on six different parts of the body, and Kara-nyasa is done with the five fingers and palms of the hands only.  The latter is also called Angushthadi-shad-anga-nyasa.

12 That is, the five letters—Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha, and Nga.

¹³ Short and long A of Sanskrit alphabet, with nasal Anusvara super­posed.

¹⁴ That is, the letters Cha, Chha, Ja, Jha, and Nya. 15 Short and long I.

16  That is, hard Ta, Tha, Da, Dha, Na (Murdhanya). 17 Short O and long U, as in note 3.

¹⁸ That is, soft Ta, Tha, Da, Dha, Na (Dantya). ¹⁹ E and Ai of alphabet, with nasal Anusvara.

10  That is, letters Pa, Pha. Ba, Bha, and Ma.

11 Short and long O.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 79

to Ksha¹ between Vindu² and Visarga³ respectively (109-110), and having placed the letters according to the rules of Nyasa, the Sadhaka should then meditate upon Sarasvati:

dhyana.

I seek refuge in the Devi of Speech, three-eyed, en­circled with a white halo, whose face, hands, feet, middle body, and breast are composed of the fifty letters of the alphabet, on whose radiant forehead is the crescent moon, whose breasts are high and rounded, and who with one of her lotus hands makes Jnana-mudra,⁴ and with the other holds the rosary of Rudraksha⁶ beads, the jar of nectar, and learning⁶ (112).

Having thus meditated upon the Devi Matrika,⁷ place the letters in the six Chakras ⁸ as follows: Ha and Ksha in

¹ That is, Ya, Ra, La, Va, Sha (talavya). Sha (murdhanya), Sa, Ha, La. (Vedic), and Ksha.

² The nasal sign.             ³ The hard-breathing h. 4 A gesture of the hands. The index finger is pointed upwards, and

the fingers closed. She is represented with four arms.

⁵ Rudraksha is the stone of a fruit, which grows in Nepal, in use by

Shaivas.

⁶ Vidya, learning, which consists of—(i) Anvikshiki, Logic and Metaphysics; (2) Trayi, the three Vedas; (3) Vartta, Practical Arts, such as Agriculture, Medicine, etc.; (4) Danda-niti, Science or Govern­ment. To these Manu adds (vii. 43) a fifth—Atma-vidya, Knowledge of the Soul. Others divide Vidya into fourteen sections: Four Vedas. Six Vedangas, Puranas, the Mimangsa, Nyaya, and Dharmma-shastra, or Law. Others, again, add the four Upa-vedas, making the division eighteen. The Vedangas are Shiksha (Science of proper articulation), Kalpa (ceremonial). Vyakarana (linguistic analysis, or Grammar), Nirukta (explanation of difficult Vedic words), Jyotisha (Astronomy), and Chhandas (Metre). These are regarded as auxiliary to, and in some sense as part of, the Vedas.

⁷ Sarasvati, who is here thought of in her high form as Brahma-mayi.

⁸ That is, the six Chakras or centres situate between the eyebrows (Ajna), in the region of the throat (Vishuddha), heart (Anahata), navel (Manipura), sexual organ (Svadishthana), and in that portion of the perineum which lies two digits from that organ and the anus respec­tively (Muladhara). The letters are said, and with suitable action placed (as explained in the Introduction), in these six regions.

80 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

the Ajna¹ Lotus, the sixteen vowels in the Vishuddha² Lotus, the letters from Ka to Tha in the Anahata ⁸ Lotus, the letters from Da to Pha in Manipura⁴ Lotus, the letters from Ba to La in the Svadishthana⁶ Lotus, and in the Muladhara⁰ Lotus the letters Va to Sa. And having thus in his mind placed these letters of the alpha­bet, let the worshipper place them outwardly (113-115).

Having placed⁷ them on the forehead, the face, eyes, ears, nose, cheeks, upper lip, teeth, head, hollow of the mouth, back, the hump of the back,⁸ navel, belly, heart, shoulders, (four) joints in the arms, end of the arms, heart, (four) joints of the legs, ends of legs, and on all parts from the heart to the two arms, from the heart to

¹ Ajna Chakra, a Lotus of two petals, with the letters Ha and Ksha, whose presiding Shakti is Hakini. Within the petal there is the eternal Seed, brilliant as the autumnal moon (Shiva Sanghita, chap. v., verses 96-119; and Shatchakra-nirupana, see Introduction).

² Vishuddha Chakra, the Lotus Circle of sixteen petals, with the sixteen vowels, whose presiding Shakti is Shakini (see Shiva Sanghita, chap. v., verses 90-95, and Introduction).

³ Anahata Chakra, the Lotus Circle of twelve petals, with the letters Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha, Nga, Cha, Chha, Ja, Jha, Nya, Ta, Tha. Its colour is deep red, and its presiding Shakti is Kakini (ibid., verses 83-89. and

Introduction).

⁴ Manipura, a golden Lotus of ten petals, with the letters Da, Dha, Na, Ta, Tha, Da, Dha, Na, Pa, Pha. Its presiding Shakti is Lakini .

(ibid., verses 79-82, and Introduction).

⁵ Svadishthana Chakra of six petals, situate at the root of the organ of generation. The six petals contain the letters Ba, Bha, Ma, Ya, Ra, La. The colour of the Lotus is blood-red. Its Shakti is

Rakini. 6 The Muladhara, Root Lotus of four petals, with Va, Sha, Sha, Sa,

two fingers above the anus and two below the genital organ, with its face towards the back. This space is called the root (mula). In this Chakra dwells the Devi Kundalini, full of energy, and like burning gold. There is the seed (Vija) of Kama (Kama-vija), beautiful as the Bandhuka flower, brilliant like burnished gold. Its Vija is the great energy, subtle with a flame of fire. It encircles Svayambhu Linga (see Intro­duction) .

⁷ See Introduction. In the text only Oshtha, (upper lip) is men­tioned, but the practice is as described in the Introduction.

⁸ Kakuda. The hump of the bull is called kakuda. Here it means the portion of the back between the two shoulder-blades, where a hump, if it existed, would be.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 81

the two legs, from the heart to the mouth, and from the heart to the different parts as above indicated, Prana­yama¹ should be performed (116-118). Draw in the air by the left nostril whilst muttering the Maya Vija ² sixteen times, then fill up the body by Kumbhaka by stopping the passage of both the nostrils with the little, third finger, and thumb whilst making japa of the Vija sixty-four times, and, lastly, exhale the air through the right nostril whilst making japa of the Vija thirty-two times³ (119-120). The doing of this thrice through the right and left nostrils alternately is Pranayama.

After this has been done, Rishi-nyasa ~4 should be per­formed (121). The Revealers⁶ of the Mantra are Brahma and the Brahmarshis,⁶ the metre is of the Gayatri and other⁷ forms, and its presiding Devata is the Adya Kali (122). The Vija is the Vija of the Adya,⁸ its Shakti is the Maya Vija,⁹ and that which comes at the end¹⁰ is the Kamala Vija¹¹ (123). Then the Mantra should be assigned¹² to the head, mouth, heart, anus, the two feet,

¹ See Introduction (cf. Ullasa, iii., 44 et seq.}.  ² That is, Hring. Maya is the Supreme Shakti, the Brahman Itself. As Ong-Kara is the Vija of Brahman without Shakti, so Hring is the Vija of the Absolute Shakti.

³ This is Puraka, Kumbhaka, Rechaka. The air inhaled by Puraka increases in volume by the heat of the body five times during Kum­bhaka, and, when exhaled, two-fifths only passes out, and the remain­ing three-fifths is retained, the object of Pranayama being the increase of the vital forces and the lightness of the body. The more the air (vital breath) is kept in, the lighter becomes the body and the stronger the vitality (see Introduction).

4 See Introduction.

⁵ Rishi, the inspired Teacher by whom it has been originally seen — that is, to whom it has been revealed.

6 See Introduction.

⁷ Ushnik, Anushtup, Brihati, Pangkti, Trishtup, and Jagati, are with Gayatri, the seven metres.

⁸ I.e., Kring.                         ⁹ I.e., Hring. 10 I.e., the Kilaka.                    ¹¹ I.e., Shring. ¹² Nyasa. To these different parts these Vijas should be assigned—­that is, when the Mantra is said, it is thought of as being located in the head, mouth, etc., the hands touching the part in question. For the Mantra, see Introduction.

82  TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

and all the parts of the body (123). The passing of the two hands three or seven times over the whole body from the feet to the head, and from the head to the feet, making japa meanwhile of the Mula-mantra,¹ is called Vyapaka-nyasa,² which yields the declared result (124).

O Beloved! by adding in succession the six long vowels to the first Vija³ of the Mula-mantra, six Vidya ⁴ arc formed. The wise worshipper should in Angga-kalpana⁵ utter in succession these or the Mula-mantra ⁶ alone (125), and then say “ to the two thumbs,” “ to the two index fingers,” “ to the two middle fingers,” “ to the two ring fingers,” “ to the two little fingers,” “ to the front and back of the two palms,” concluding with Namah, Svaha, Vashat, Hung, Vaushat and Phat in their order respectively⁷

(126).

When touching the heart⁸ say “Namah,” when touch­ing the head “ Svaha,” and when touching the crown lock thereon “Vashat,” Similarly, when touching the two upper portions of the arms, the three eyes⁹ and the two

¹ See Introduction. ² From Vyapaka, meaning diffusive, comprehensive, spreading all

over, which is yathokta-phala-siddhi-da. Here follows Kara-nyasa which is done with the fingers.                  ³ Hring.

4 That is Hrang is assigned to the thumb, Hring to the first finger, Hrung to the middle finger, Hraing to the fourth finger, Hraung to the little finger, Hrah to the palm and back of each hand.

⁵ That is, Anganyasa, or Angushthadi-shadanga-nyasa. The nyasa of the whole body, as distinguished from that of the fingers, is called Hridayadi-shadanga-nyasa.                     ⁶ Hring.

⁷ These verses speak of Angushthadi-shadanga-nyasa, beginning with thumb as Kara-nyasa. Thus Hrang angushthabhyang Namah, Hring tarjanibhyang Svaha, Hrung madhyamabhyang Vashat, Hraing anamikabhyang Hung, Hraung kanishthabhyang vaushat. Hrah kara-tala-prishthabhyang Phat.  ⁸ The ceremony which now follows is called Hridayadi-shadanga-

nyasa—that is, nyasa done with the six parts of the body, beginning with the heart—viz., heart, head, the crown lock, kavacha (literally, armour, the covered hands touch the arms above the elbow), the three eyes (see next note), and two palms. The Mantra is Hrang Hridayaya Namah, Hring Shirase Svaha, etc.

⁹ The central eye, situated in the forehead between the other two.. The eye of wisdom (Jnana-chakshu).

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 83

palms, utter the Mantras Hung and Vaushat and Phat respectively. In this manner nyasa of the six parts of the body should be practised, and then the Vira should proceed to Pithanyasa¹ (127-128). Then let the Vira² place in the lotus of the heart,³ the Adhara-shakti,⁴ the tortoise,5 Shesha serpent,~6 Prithivi,⁷ the ocean of ambrosia, the Gem Island,⁸ the Parijata tree,~9 the chamber of gems which fulfil all desires,¹⁰ the jewelled altar,¹¹ and the lotus

1See Introduction.

² From here to verse 135 Pitha-nyasa is dealt with.

³ Hridayambuje. The Lotus, with all it contains, is called Ananda Kanda (vide post).

4 Adhara-shakti, Shakti of support. Everything in the universe has a support, or energy, by which it is upheld. ⁵ On which the worlds are said to rest.

⁶ Which is on the tortoise. The Deva, King of Serpents, with a thousand hoods, crown on its head, red like the leaf of a mango-tree, brown-bearded, brown eyes, wearing yellow silk cloth, holding lotus, mace, conch, and discus, adorned with ornaments lying in the ocean of milk (Bhavishya Purana). He supports the worlds (Kurmma Purana verse 48, where the dhyana is given).

⁷ Prithvi, or Prithivi, Devi of the earth.

⁸ Isle of Gems (Mani-dvipa) in the Ocean of Ambrosia. There are seven oceans of milk and other substances. The Rudra-yamala says:

“ Outside and beyond the countless myriads of world-systems, in the centre of the ocean of nectar, more than 1,000 crores in extent, is the Gem Island, 100 crores in area, the lamp of the world. There is the supreme city of Shri-vidya, three lakhs of yojanas in height, adorned with twenty-five halls, representing the twenty-five tattvas.” Both the ocean of nectar and the island are over the white lotus and under the Sahasrara Chakra.

⁹ A Tree with scented flower in the Heaven of Indra. One of the five celestial Trees in the garden of Indra—viz., Mandara, Parijata, Santana, Kalpa-vriksha, Hari-chandana.

¹⁰ Chintamani-griha. Chintamani is that which yields all objects desired. Of that the chamber or house is built. In the home of Chintamani, which is on the northern side of Shringara-vana, all is Chintamani. In the commentary on the Gaudapada Sutra (No. 7) the Chintamani house is said to be the place of origin of all those Mantras which bestow all desired objects (Chintita). The Lalita-sahasra-nama speaks of the Devi as residing there (Chintamani-grihantahstha).

¹¹ The jewelled altar is between the lotus and the Anapata Chakra. Sitting on the lotus seat is Jivatma. The Mantra for placing them in the heart lotus is: Hridayambuje (in the heart lotus) Adhara-shaktaye

84 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

seat (129-130).  Then he should place on the right shoulder, the left shoulder, the right hip, the left hip, respectively and in their order, Dharmma,¹ Jnana,² Aishvaryya,³ and Vairagya⁴ (131), and the excellent worshipper should place the negatives of these qualities on the mouth, the left side the navel, and the right side respectively⁵ (132). Next let him place in the heart Ananda Kanda,⁸ Sun, Moon, Fire,⁷ the three qualities,⁸ adding to the first of their letters the sign Vindu,⁹ and the filaments and pericarp of the Lotus, and let him place in the petals of the lotus the eight Pitha Nayikas¹⁰—

namah. Kurmmaya namah, Sheshaya namah, Prithivyai namah, Sudhambudhaye namah, Mani-dvipaya namah, Parijata-tarave namah, Chintamani-grihaya namah, Manimanikya-vedikayai namah, Padma-

sanaya namah.

¹ See Introduction.                                                

² Knowledge.                        ³ Dominion.

4 Dispassion, the state of freedom from all desires. ⁵ The Mantra is: Daksha-skandhe dharmmaya namah, vama-skandhe jnanaya namah, Vama-katau aishvaryyaya namah, Daksha-katau vairagyaya namah, Mukhe adharmmaya namah, Vama-parshve ajnanaya namah, Nabhau anaishvaryyaya namah, Daksha-parshve

avairagyaya namah.

6 This is the name for an eight-petalled lotus in the heart (which,

however, is not one of the six Chakras), where the IshtaDevata is thought of. It is immediately beneath the Anahata Chakra, facing upwards to the Anahata Chakra, which faces downwards. The eight petals of this lotus are the eight siddhis. The eight Nayikas whose names are given in the Text are the eight Shaktis, and the eight Bhai­ravas are emanations of Shiva. By Suryya, Soma, and Hutasana (Fire; Eater of Oblations) are meant Ida. Pingala, and Sushumna Nadis. In the early stage of sadhana the Devata is here invoked. On attainment of siddhi the lotus is merged in the Sahasrara.

⁷ Standing for Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna (see Introduction).

⁸ That is. Sattva (Goodness), Rajas (Passion), Tamas (Inertia).

9 That is, the Sadhaka says: Sang Sattvaya namah, Rang Rajase .

namah, and Tang Tamase namah.

¹⁰ She who is auspicious, she who is victorious, she who is gracious, she who conquers, and she who is unconquered, she who pleases, the woman-lioness (Nara-singha is an Avatara of Vishnu), and Vaishnavi (vide post). The Nayikas are Shaktis of Durga, and the use of the word Pitha, the mention of Mangala, Jayanti, and Nandini. and the names of the Bhairavas given would seem to indicate that

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 85

Mangala, Vijaya, Bhadra, Jayanti, Aparajita, Nandini, Narasinghi, Vaishnavi,¹ and in the tips of the petals of the lotus the eight Bhairavas ²—Asitanga, Chanda, Kapali, Krodha, Bhishana, Unmatta, Ruru,³ Sanghari (133-135).

Then the worshipper should, after forming his hands into the Kachchhapa Mudra,⁴ take two fragrant flowers, and, placing his hands on his heart, let him meditate upon the ever-existent Devi (136). The nature of meditation upon Thee, O Devi! is of two kinds, according as Thou art imagined formless or with a form.⁵ As formless Thou

these are eight of the Devis at the fifty-two places of pilgrimage known as the Mahapitha-sthana (see Introduction). Vijaya, Bhadra, and Aparajita do not appear to be included in the list given in the Kalika Purana. (The latter word is also the name of the Clitoria Flower, which, having the shape of the female organ, is used in the worship of Durga.) Narasinghi and Vaishnavi are Yoginis or atten­dants of Durga. Nayika is also a Tantrika term for a young girl of fourteen personating the Shakti in the Vamachara ritual.

1 The ceremony is accompanied by the following Mantra: Hridaye ananda-kandaya namah, Suryyaya namah, Somaya namah, Agnaye namah, Sang Sattvaya namah. Rang Rajase namah, Tang Tamase namah, Kesharebhyo namah, Karnikayai namah, Hritpadma-patrebhyo (to the petals of the heart lotus) namah, Mangalayai namah, Vijayayai namah, etc. Hritpadma-patragrebhyo (to the tips of the petals of the heart lotus) namah, Asitanggaya namah, etc.

² He of the black body, the Fierce One, the Wearer of skulls, the Angry One, the Terrific One, the Mad One, Ruru, and the Destroyer. The Bhairavas are emanations of the God Shiva (see p. 18, note 2;

also p. 106, note 2). Those mentioned appear to be the Bhairavas of the Devi worshipped at eight of the Mahapitha-sthana (see Introduction), though the titles of the Devi, as given in the Kalika Purana, do not correspond with those of the Pitha Nayikas in the text. Thus the first (Asitanga) is in the Purana given as the name of the Bhairava, com­panion of the Devi, worshipped with the Devi under the name of Kali (not Mangala) at the Pitha Kala-madhava, where, it is said, one-half of Her buttocks fell when, as Sati, Her body was cut in pieces by the Chakra of Vishnu.

³ Ruru, according to the Kalika Purana, is the name of the Bhairava of the Devi worshipped as Deva-garbha at Kanchi, where, it is said, Her skeleton fell.

4 The sadhaka first makes with his hands the Kachchhapa or Kurmma (Tortoise) Mudra (as to which, see Tantra sara, p. 639). and, keeping his hands in this position, picks up the flower.

5 Dhyana is Sa-rupa, or A-rupa (see Introduction).             • •

86 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

art ineffable and incomprehensible, imperceptible. Of Thee it cannot be said that Thou art either this or that. Thou art omnipresent, unobtainable, attainable only by Yogis through penances and acts of self-restraint (137-138). I will now speak of meditation upon Thee in corporeal form in order that the mind may learn concen­tration, that desires be speedily achieved, and that the power to meditate according to the subtle form may be

aroused¹ (139).

‘ The form of the greatly lustrous Kalika, Mother of Kala,² Who devours all things, is imagined according to Her qualities⁸ and actions⁴ (140).

dhyana:

I adore the Adya Kalika Whose body is of the hue of the (dark) rain-cloud, upon Whose forehead the Moon gleams, the three-eyed One,⁶ clad in crimson raiment,⁸ Whose two hands are raised—the one to dispel fear, and the other to bestow blessing⁷—Who is seated on a red lotus in full bloom. Her beautiful face radiant, watching Maha-Kala,² Who, drunk with the delicious wine of the Madhuka flower,⁸ is dancing before Her (141).

After having meditated upon the Devi in this form,

1 That is, the meditation of the Devi as the Formless One. Dhyana is of two kinds, as to which see note 5, p. 85, ante, and Introduction. The Gheranda Sanghita speaks of three forms of dhyana—sthula, jyotih, and sukshma.                        ² Maha-kala (Time).

³ Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas (see Introduction).

4 Creation, Preservation, and Destruction.

5 Symbolizing the Past, Present, and Future of Time, of whom she

 is the Mother.

⁶ The asana of the Devi is also red, which is the Tantrika colour, as

white is that of the ordinary Brahmanism, and yellow is that of the Buddhists. Red is an active, Rajasika colour. The flower of the Tantrikas is the red Jaba-pushpa (hibiscus), and in the ritual of lata-sadhana the madanagara is sprinkled with red sandal.

⁷ That is, she makes the abhaya-mudra and vara-mudra.

⁸ The Madhu flower, of which an intoxicating liquor is made. The Kaulikachara-bheda Tantra, which speaks of the different wines which

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 87

and placed a flower on his head, let the devotee with all devotion worship Her with the articles of mental worship (142). Let him offer the lotus of the heart¹ for Her seat, the ambrosia trickling from the lotus of a thousand petals² for the washing of Her feet, and his mind as arghya⁸ (143). Then let him offer the same ambrosia as water for rinsing of Her mouth and bathing of Her body, let him offer the essence of the ether to be raiment of the Devi, the essence of scent to be the perfumes, his own heart⁴ and vital air⁶ the essence of fire, and the ocean~6 of nectar to be re­spectively the flowers, incense, light, and food offerings (of worship).

Let him offer the sound in the Anahata Chakra⁷ for the ringing of the bell, the essence of the air for the fan and fly-whisk,⁸ and the functions of the senses and the restlessness of the mind for the dance before the Devi⁹ (144-146). Let various kinds of flowers be offered for the attainment of the object of one’s desire¹⁰: amaya,¹¹

should be drunk on different occasions, says: “ On a joyful occasion should madhuka be drunk.” Maha-kala is dancing because of the benignant state of the Adya.

¹ The eight-petalled lotus—Ananda-kanda (see verse 133, ante).

² The Lotus which is situated in the Brahma-randhra (Cavity of Brahma) is called Sahasrara (the thousand-petalled) (see Introduction).

³ See Introduction.

⁴ Chitta—the heart considered as the seat of intellect as modified by the sertiments.

⁵ Prana (see Introduction).

⁶ Which was produced from the Sea of Milk when it was churned for ambrosia.

⁷ The Yogis hear the sound as of a bell in this Chakra (see Mana­sollasa, verse 39 to ninth Shloka of the Dakshina-murti Stotra). The Chakra is so called because there, without a sound-producing cause—• e.g., a stroke—sounds are heard, emanating from the Shabda Brahma.

⁸ Chamara, which is used in the worship of the image.

⁹ In full worship there is always dancing and singing before the Devata for its entertainment. This is Rajasika puja. The puja of the text is Sattvika, the dance being the ideal one of the mind and senses.’ All things offered are in the human body, which is called the Kshudra Brahmanda, or small egg, of Brahma.

¹⁰ Bhava-siddhi. Here the object is Shuddha-bodha or Brahma-jnana.

¹¹ Detachment

88 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

anahangkara,¹ araga,² amada,⁸ amoha,⁴ adambha,¹¹ advesha,⁸ akshobha,⁷ amatsaryya,⁸ alobha,⁰ and there­after the five flowers—namely, the most excellent flowers. ahingsa,¹⁰ indriya-nigraha,¹¹ daya,¹² kshama,¹³ and jnana.¹⁴ With these fifteen flowers, fifteen qualities of disposition, he should worship the Devi (147-149).

Then let him offer (to the Devi) the ocean of ambrosia,” a mountain of meat and fried fish, a heap of parched food,¹⁸ grain cooked in milk with sugar and ghee, the Kula nectar,¹⁷ the Kula flower,¹⁸ and the water which has been used for the washing of the Shakti.¹⁹ Then, having sacrificed all lust and anger, the cause of all impediments, let him do japa (150-151).

The mala (rosary) prescribed consists of the letters of the alphabet, strung on Kundalini²⁰ as the thread (152). After reciting the letters of the alphabet from A²¹ to La, with the Vindu²² superposed upon each, the Mula-mantra²⁸

1 Absence of egotism.   ² Absence of anger,   ³ Absence of pride.

4 Viveka—Power to discriminate the real and unreal, coupled with dispassion.

⁵ Absence of duplicity: straightforwardness.   ⁶ Affectionateness.

⁷ Absence of aimless or fruitless endeavours.   ⁸ Absence of envy.

⁸ Absence of greed.   ¹⁰ Harmlessness.   ¹¹ Control of the senses. 12 Mercy.                                ¹³ Forgiveness. ¹⁴ Knowledge (Divine Knowledge).         ^l5Wine. 16 Mudra.

¹⁷ Nectar produced by means of the Shakti.

¹⁸ That is, Stri-pushpa. When a girl attains puberty and its symp­toms, she is said to have “ borne the flower.” A ceremony is celebrated in the inner apartments by the women on this occasion, which is called Pushpotsava.

¹⁹ Pitha-kshalana-vari, or water which has been used in washing the pitha of the Kula-nayika, of which it is said that he who offers an arghya of the same becomes a great Yogi (see Tantrasara, 698 et seq.).

20 ° The Devi awakened in the Muladhara. Usually a rosary is used for japa. Here the beads are the letters of the Alphabet, and the string is Kundalini herself.

²¹ Which is called Shri-kantha. The letter A is so called because it is an equivalent of Vishnu, and Shri-kantha is one of his names.

22 The nasal sound.

23 Ang, Hring, Shring, Kring, Parameshvari Svaha.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 89

should be recited. This is known as Anuloma.¹ Again, beginning with La and ending with A, let the sadhaka make japa of the Mantra. This is known as Viloma,¹ and Ksha-kara² is called the Meru⁸ (153-154).

The last letters of the eight groups⁴ should be added to the Mula-mantra,⁶ and having made japa of this Mantra of one hundred and eight letters the japa should be offered (to the Devi~6) with the following (155):

mantra.           ‘

O Adya Kali, Who abidest in the innermost soul of all, Who art the innermost light,⁷ O Mother 1 accept this japa of my heart.⁸ I bow to Thee (156).

Having finished the japa, he should mentally prostrate himself, touching the ground with the eight parts⁹ of his body. Having concluded the mental worship, let him commence the outer worship (157).

I am now speaking of the consecration of the Vishesh-arghya,¹⁰ by the mere placing whereof the Devata is exceedingly pleased. Do Thou listen (158).  At the mere sight of the cup of this offering the Yoginis,¹¹

1 That is, the ordinary order, as Viloma is the reversed order.

² The letter Ksha.

³ The central and most prominent bead in the rosary (mala, or japa. mala). [Mala is a general term. A rosary is a japa-mala.]

⁴ Varga. The eight Vargas are A, Ka, Cha, Ta, Ta, Pa, Ya, Sha, which are the first letters of the group; the last letters are Ah, Nga, Nya, Na, Na, Ma, Va, La.            5 Vide p. 88, note 23.

⁶ It is offered to the left hand.

⁷ Antar-jyotih—that is, the divine light seen by the inward or central eye of the Siddha when the others are closed.

⁸ Antar-japa.

⁹ Feet, bands, knees, breast, head, eyes, mind (manas), and words (vachas).

¹⁰ The Vishesharghya is the special offering, as contrasted with the Samanyarghya, placed in front of the room where worship is being performed.

¹¹ Attendants of the Devi, of numerous kinds, of which there are sixty-four principal ones mentioned, some of which are forms of terror. As to their origin, see p. 27, note 3.

go TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

Bhairavas,¹ Brahma, and other Devatas dance for joy and grant siddhi² (159). The disciple should on the ground in front of him and on his left draw with water taken from the Samanyarghya³ a triangle, with the Maya Vija⁴ in its centre, outside the triangle a circle, and outside the circle a square, and let him there worship the Shakti⁶ of the Adhara⁰ with the

mantra.

Hring 1 Obeisance to the Shakti of the Adhara⁷ (160-161).

He should then wash the Adhara, and place it on the Mandala,⁸ and worship the region of Fire with the

mantra. Mang! Obeisance to the circle of Fire possessed of

ten sections⁰

And having washed the arghya vessel with the Mantra Phat, the worshipper should place it on the Adhara¹⁰ with the Mantra Namah (162-163).

He should then worship the cup with the

mantra.

Ang! Obeisance to the circle of Sun who has twelve divisions;”

¹ See p. 18, note 2; also p. 106, note 2.

²Success (see Introduction). The next verse proceeds to consecra­tion of Vishesharghya.

³ The Vishesharghya is the special offering, as contrasted with the  Samanyarghya, placed in front of the room where worship is being per­formed.

⁴ That is, Hring.      ⁵ Devi of the Adhara.      ~6 A tripod.

⁷ Hring Adhara-shaktaye namah (see note 4, p. 83).

⁸ The diagram drawn as above.

⁹ Mang Vahni-mandalaya dasha-kalatmane namah. Ten sections or properties are mentioned in Chapter V., verse 25.

¹⁰ The tripod or other support on which the kalasa is placed.

¹¹ Ang Arka-mandalaya dvadasha-kalatmane namah. The Kalas are referred to in Chapter VI., verses 32, 33.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 91

and fill the vessel (in which the offering is made) whilst repeating the Mula-mantra,¹ three parts with wine and one part with water, and having placed scent and flower in it, he should there worship, O Mother I² with the Mantra following (164-165):

mantra. Ung! Obeisance to the Moon with its sixteen digits~3(166).

He should then place in front of the special offering, on bael leaves⁴ dipped in red sandal paste, durva grass,⁶ flowers, and sun-dried rice~6 (167).

Having invoked the holy waters (of the sacred Rivers into the arghya) by the Mula-mantra and Angkusha-mudra, the Sadhaka should meditate upon the Devi, and worship Her with incense and flowers, making japa of the Mula-mantra twelve times (168). After this let him display over the arghya⁷ the Dhenu Mudra⁸ and the Yoni Mudra,⁹ incense sticks and a light. The worshipper should then pour a little water from the arghya into the vessel¹⁰ kept for that purpose, and sprinkle himself and the offering therewith. The vessel containing the offering must not, however, be moved¹¹ until the worship is con­cluded (169-170). O Thou of pure Smiles! I have now spoken of the consecration of the special offering. I will

¹ That is, the chief Mantra of the particular Devi worshipped—e.g., Kring in case of Kali, Hring for Durga, Aing for Sarasvati, and so on.

² Ambika, a title of the Devi.

³ Ung Soma-mandalaya shodasha-kalatmane namah.  The sixteen digits are given in Chapter VI., verses 32, 33.

⁴ The bael leaf (Bilva-patra) is sacred to Shiva and Shakti.

⁵ The bael leaves, grass, and flowers are placed at the end of, and projecting from, the vessel, their stems being in the wine and water. Durva is Panicum dactylon.

⁶ Akshata.

⁷ Arghya, consisting of Jaba flower (hibiscus), bael leaf, grass, rice. and red sandal, with wine and water.

⁸ Vide p. 73, note 6. ⁹ Vide p. 71, note 10.

¹⁰ Prokshani-patra = sprinkler.

¹¹ Lest by so doing the Devata be disturbed. .

92 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION:

now pass to the principal Yantra¹ which grants the aims of all human existence² (171).

Draw a triangle with the Maya Vija³ within it, and around it two concentric circles (the one outside the other). In the space between the two circumferences of the circles draw in pairs the sixteen filaments, and outside these the eight petals of the lotus, and outside them the Bhu-pura,⁴ which should be made of straight lines with four entrances, and be of pleasing appearance (172-173). In order to cause pleasure to the Devata⁶ the disciple should (reciting the Mula-mantra⁶ the meanwhile) draw the Yantra either with a gold needle, or with the thorn of a bael tree on a piece of gold, silver, or copper, which has been smeared with either the Svayambhu, Kunda, or Gola flowers,⁷ or with sandal, fragrant aloe,⁸ kungkuma,⁹ or with red sandal paste. A clever carver may also carve the Yantra on crystal, coral, or lapis lazuli (174-176).

After it has been consecrated by auspicious rites, it should be kept inside the house; and on this being done all wicked ghosts, all apprehensions from (adverse) planets, and diseases are destroyed; and by the grace of

¹ Yantra-raja, the King of all Yantras. This Yantra is similar in form to that figured at p. 732 of the Tantra-sara as the Rudra-Bhairavi Yantra.

² Samasta-purushartha—i.e., the four-folded aims of existence— Dharmma, Artha, Kama, Moksha (see Introduction).

³ That is, Hring.

⁴ That is, the base upon which the Yantra is drawn.

⁵Devata-bhava-siddhaye, which may also mean “ for the attainment of a celestial disposition “; but the interpretation adopted in the text is that of Bharati.

⁶Vide p. 62, note ii.

⁷ There are three kinds of the Kula-pushpa, the Tantrika significance of which is given at p. 54, note 7. Svayambhu is the Kula-pushpa of any woman; Kunda, that of a girl born of a married woman by a Tantrika other than her husband; and Gola, that of the daughter of a widow. In conformity with its general character, this Tantra (Chapter VI., verse 15) substilutes for the Kula-pushpa (of. whatever kind) red sandal paste.

⁸ Aguru.

⁹The red powder made from a fruit, which is thrown in the Holi    (Dola-yatra) Festival; also saffron.                                   

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 93

this Yantra the worshipper’s house becomes of pleasing aspect. With his children and grandchildren, and with happiness and dominion,¹ he becomes a bestower of gifts and charities, a protector of his dependents, and his fame goes abroad (177-178). After having drawn the Yantra and placed it on a jewelled altar² in front of the worshipper, and having worshipped the Devata of the Pitha³ .according to the rules of Pitha-nyasa, the principal Devi⁴ should be adored in the pericarp of the Lotus⁵ (179).

I will now speak of the placing of the jar⁰ and the formation of the circle of worship⁷ by the mere institution of which the Devata⁸ is well pleased, the Mantra ⁹ becomes fruitful, and the wishes⁹ of the worshipper are accom­plished (180). The jar is called kalasa, because Vish­va-karma¹⁰ made it from the different parts of each of the Devatas (181).

It should be thirty-six fingers breadth (in circumfer­ence) in its widest part, and sixteen in height. The neck should be four fingers breadth, the mouth six fingers, and the bottom five fingers breadth. This is the rule for the .

¹ Aishvaryya (see p. 84, note 3).       ²Ratna-singhasana.

³ That is, the supporting Devata of the Yantra. As to Pitha-nyasa, vide ante.

4Mula-Devata: here Adya Shakti or Kali. ⁵ I.e., the lotus in the Yantra.        “

⁶ Kalasha, a jar made of mud or metal, used for the drawing of water from the river, etc., and in worship, and in which—according to the Kaulika ritual—the tattva of wine is kept in the Chakra.

⁷ Chakra. The text here refers to the celebrated circles of Tantrika worship. The chief Sadhaka and his Shakti—who may be, but not necessarily are, the host and hostess (grthini) in whose house the circle takes place—sit in the centre, the shakti on the worshipper’s left. Between and in front of them are the articles of worship referred to in the text, and the large jar (kalasha) of. wine, which is called by the Tantrikas Karana-vari and Tirtha-vari. In the Jnanarnava Tantra U is said that the Kula articles of worship should—when purified—be considered as the image of Brahman and the* Ishta-devata worshipped. The other worshippers sit round in a circle, men and women alternating, the latter on the left of the former.      .             ‘  ‘

⁸ I.e., Ishta-devata.

⁹Mantra-siddhi and Ichchha-siddhi.     10 he Celestial Architect.

 

94 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

design of the kalasha (182). It should be made either of gold, silver, copper, bell-metal, mud, stone, or glass, and without hole or crack. In its making all miserliness¹ should be avoided, since it is fashioned for the pleasure of the Devas (183). A kalasha of gold, one of silver, one of copper, and one of bell-metal give enjoyment, emanci­pation, pleasure of mind, and nourishment respectively to the worshipper. One of crystal is good for the attain­ment of Vashikarana,² and one of stone for the attainment of Stambhana.³ A kalasha made of mud is good for all purposes. Whatever it is made of it should be clean and of pleasing design (184).

On his left side the worshipper should draw a hexagon with a point⁴ in its centre, around it a circle, and outside the circle a square (185). These figures should be drawn either with vermilion or Rajas (Kula-pushpa⁶), or red • sandal paste; the Devata of the support should then be worshipped thereon (186). The Mantra for the worship of the Shakti or Devi of the support is— • ‘      •   •   •

mantra:

Hring, salutation to the Shakti of the support⁸ (187).

The support⁷ for the jar should be washed with the Mantra namah, and placed on the Mandala, and the jar⁸ itself

¹ Vitta-shathya—that is, one who is able to afford a costly metal should not make it of a cheap material.

² Vashikarana is one of the six shatkarma or magical powers (siddhis), the bringing of a thing or person under control—f.g., causing a woman to love a man.,         •

³ Stambhana is another of such powers, such as stopping forces of nature, making a person speechless, etc. The other powers are Marana, Uchchatana, Vidveshana, Svastyayana.             

⁴ Brahma-randhra. •     ‘

⁵ See p. 92, note 7.                           ⁶ Hring Adhara-shaktaye namah.              ‘.^v         ‘””

⁷ The tripod (see ante).                           

⁸ Kalasha. This term, as well as Ghata, are used in the text for the Kalasha, which in the translation is employed throughout,

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 95

with the Mantra Phat, and then placed on the support (188).

Let the disciple then fill the kalasha with wine, uttering meanwhile the Mula-mantra and the Matrika Varnas, with Vindu in Viloma order¹ (189). The wise one who is then himself possessed of the disposition of the Devi² should worship the region of Fire, Sun, and Moon in the support in the jar and in the wine⁸ in the manner   ⁱ-already described (190). After decorating the jar with]. vermilion, red sandal paste, and a garland of crimson flowers,⁴ the worshipper should perform Panchikarana⁰

(191).

Strike the wine-jar with a wisp of kusha grass, saying Phat; then, whilst uttering the Vija Hung, veil it by the Avagunthana Mudra⁶; next utter the Vija Hring, and” look with unwinking eye upon the jar, then sprinkle the jar with the Mantra Namah. Lastly, whilst reciting the Mula-mantra, smell the jar three times:⁷ this is the Panchikarana ceremony⁸ (192).

¹ The Viloma Matrika followed by the Mula-mantra Hring. Viloma Matrika is the Matrika uttered in a reversed order, beginning wita Kshang and ending with Ang.

2 Devi-bhava-parayana—that is, the mind and body are full of the presce~ of the Devi.

³ Karana, a Tantrika term for Madya.;

4 Such as the Jaba Pushpa, the Tantrika flower. •

⁵ Literally, making of five things, or the doing five ceremonies. The ‘ceremony is described in the next verse.

6 Or Gesture of the Veil.

⁷ Gandham trirdadyat, which literally means offer scent three times, The translation given in the text is that of Tarkalangkara, who sup­ports it by the observation that the practice amongst all the different communities of Tantrika Sadhakas is to close the right nostril and to inhale the scent from the kalasha three times by Ida, and then to exhale it by Pingala.                                            •     .

⁸ The esoteric meaning of this cerenony is briefly stated to be as • follows: Wine is that Ajnana which is the cause of the gross wo~’     d the five subtle elements. With the object of uniting these five e~ into one, the Sadhaka first realizes Akasha or Ether (with its      it sound) by striking the jar; secondly, Vayu o- Air (with its gun,~ ch) by the Mudra; thirdly, Tejas or Fire (with its guna of form or visi~’   •y) by divya-drishti (celestial vision); fourthly, Ap or Water (with its guna taste) .

./

96 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

Making obeisance to the jar, purify the wine therein by throwing red flowers into it, and say the following¹ (193):

mantra.

Ong, O Devi Sudhe! by the Supreme Brahman,² Who is One without a second: and Who is always both gross³ and subtle,⁴ destroy the sin of slaying a Brahmana which attached to thee (the wine) by the death of Kacha⁶ (194). O Thou Who hast Thy abode in the region of the Sun,⁸ and Thy origin in the dwelling-place of the Lord of Ocean⁷ (in the churning⁸ of which thou, O Nectar!⁹ wast produced), thou who art one with the Ama¹⁰ Vija, mayest Thou be freed from the curse of Shukra (195). O Devi! as the Pranava of the Vedas is one with the’ bliss of Brahman, may by that truth be destroyed Thy sin of slaying a Brahmana.

by the sprinkling of the jar; and, lastly. Prithivi or Earth (with its guna smell) by thrice smelling the wine jar. By the inhalation of this shuddha tie nadi of the Sadhaka is washed, cleansed, and purified, and all impurities are discharged by exhalation from Pingala or the right nostril.

¹ Sura, a Tantrika term for the first of the five Tattvas of the Tan­trika ritual.

² Om ekam-eva-parang-Brahma.            ‘            • ‘ ³ Sthula.                          , .

4 Sukshma.                     

⁵ Son of Brihaspati and disciple of Shudra, Priest of the Demons. Kacha was burnt by the Asuras, and his ashes mixed with the wine that Shukra drank. The latter, when he discovered what he had done under the influence of wine, cursed it.

6 The allusion is to the concealment of Amrita by the Devas in the Suryya-mandala

(Mahabharata, Adi Parvva).

⁷ Varuna.                      \

⁸ As to the Churning of the Ocean, see Mahabharata, Adi Parvva, chap. xviii. 9 Sudha.

~’    na is .he sixteenth digit of the Moon. The sixteenth digit of z    ~  on, which remains in the circle of the 1,000-petalled lotus or

·         th     ~le of the Sun, is called the nectar-dropping Ama, because, if the win>   ~d not exist in the shape of nectar in the Ama digit, then that sixteenth digit would not .have existed.

-                 

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 97

MANTRA.¹

Hring: the Supreme Hangsa² dwells in the brilliant Heaven,⁸ as Vasu It moves throughout the space between Heaven and Earth.⁴ It dwells on earth in the form of the Vedic Fire, and in the Sacrificer,⁸ and is honoured in the Guest.⁶  It is in the household Fire⁷ and in the consciousness of man,⁸ and dwells in the honoured region.⁹ It resides in. ‘Truth and in the Ether.¹⁰

¹ This is fie celebrated Hangsa-vati Rik of the Rigveda. The meaning given~. is that of the commentator Sayana. The Mantra is (disjoining Sandh)  as follows: Hring: Hangsah shuchi-sat vasu anta-riksha-sat hota ~v<> .~i-sat atithi durona-sat nri-sat vara-sat ritosat vyoma-sat ab-ja go-ja rita-ja adri-ja ritam brihat (Mandala 4, Adhyaya 4. Sukta 40, Rik V.; edition- Max Muller, first edition, vol. iii., p, 195, Rigveda Samhita; and Yajurveda, x. 24 and xii. 24). The first word is introduced by the ‘ Tantra, and the last word occurs in the Kathopanishad, verse 2, where the Hangsa-vati Rik also appears.

² Hangsa, from Hanti=Gati, or motion. It is called Aditya, because it is in perpetual me; ion (Sayana).

³ It is Shuchi-sat, because It resides in the shuchi, the brilliant Heaven. By this Its position in Heaven (Svah) is proved (ibid.).

⁴ It is Vasu, because It dwells (vas) eveiywhere, as does the Wind, Vayu, in the Bhuvah or Antariksha (ibid.). There are eight Vasus— viz., Aditya (Sun), Chandra (Moon), Varuna (Sky), Aruna (Dawn),

Ahah (Day), Ratri (Night), Sandhya (Twilight), and Dharmma (see Introduction).

⁵ The Mantra then goes on to show that the Supreme is not only in Heaven (Svah) and the Firmament between heaven and earth (anta­riksha), but also on the Earth (bhu). Literally, the Sacrificer is on the altar of Vedic Fire—that is, the Sacrificer and the Fire are one and in both Hangsa is.

⁶ A guest is a tithi. There are fifteen tithis in the lunar half-month. The uninvited guest does not stay longer than one tithi. He is welcomed.

⁷ That is, the ordinary Fire used for household purposes, as opposed to the Vedic Fire.

⁸ It resides in the chaitanya of a man. By this, says Sayana, Its image as the Supreme Spirit (Paramatma) is shown.

9 That is, the Satya-loka, the highest of the fourteen worlds, the Brahma-loka, situate in man in the cerebral region (Shaktananda-tarangini Tantra) (see Prana-toshini, p. 42).

¹⁰ Rita is Brahman, truth or sacrifice. It which resides there is Rita-sat (Sayana).

 

98 TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION  

It is born in water,¹ in the rays of light,² in Truth~3 and in the Eastern Hill where the Sun rises.⁴  Such ‘is the great Aditya, the Truth, Which cannot be bound or concealed, the Great Consciousness Who dwelleth everywhere~5—Brahman~6 (196-197).

Exchange the vowel of the Varuna Vija⁷ for each of the long vowels,⁸ then say “ Salutation to the Devi of Ambrosia, who is relieved of the curse of Brahma.”⁹ By the repetition of the entire Mantra seven times, the curse of Brahma is removed (198). Substituting in their order the six long vowels in place of  the latter o in Angkusha,~10 and adding thereto the Shri and Maya Vijas,¹¹ say the following:

¹ Ab-ja”  The Supreme is not born, but Its creative  activity Brahma manifested first in water into which seed was thrown, and the water became creamy, and developed into the effulgent germ, brilliant like a thousand Suns.

² Go-ja.                                    .   ‘

³ Rita-ja (see p. 97, note 10, ante). Because It is visible to all, and does not—like Indra and the others—come and go (Sayana).

4 That is, Udayachala, or Eastern Mountain, from behind which the Sun and Moon are said to rise.

^s Rita, of which word the Text—according to Sayana—gives the meaning. It is the Brahma-tattva, the Great Consciousness (Maha-nubhva).

6 Brihat, the Great; from Brih. the root of Brahma. The object of the Mantra is to establish the unity of the Supreme without attribute. of Ishvara the Lord, and of all things which have proceeded from Him.

⁷ That is, Vang Vija of the Lord of Waters.       • •

⁸ That is, Vang, Ving, Vung, Vaing, Vaung, Vah.

⁹ Brahma-shapa-vimochitayai sudha-devyai namah. Brahma, under the influence of liquor, lusted after his own daughter, and therefore cursed it, saying that he that should drink it was as guilty as one who killed a Brahmana, and would go to hell. “ Non-Tantrikas say that, even when the curses are removed, wine should not be drunk, to which the Tantrikas reply that Pashus are ignorant (ajnana), and” that if their views were correct then no one should make japa of the Gayatri,’ which also is afflicted with three curses. Yet, after the curses are removed, worshippers make japa of the Gayatri” (“ Pancha-tattva-Vichara,” by Nilamani Mukharji, Calcutta, p. 19).

10 That is. Krong.

11That is, Shring and Hring. Shri is a name of Lakshmi.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 99

mantra.

“ Remove the curse of Krishna¹ in the wine: pour nectar² again and again: Svaha “~3 (199).

Having thus removed the curse of Shukra, of Brahma, and of Krishna, the worshipper should with mind con-trolled worship Ananda-Bhairava and Ananda-Bhairavi⁴ (200). The Mantra of the former is:

mantra.

“Ha-Sa-Ksha-Ma-La-Va-Ra-Yung: Salutation to Ananda-Bhairava:~5 Vashat” (201);

and in the worship of the Ananda-Bhairavi the Mantra is the same, except that its face is reversed, and in place of its Ear the left Eye should be placed, and then should be said;

mantra.

“ Sa-Ha-Ksha-Ma-La-Va-Ra-Ying: Salutation to the Wine Devi: Vaushat “~6 (202).

Then, meditating upon the union of the Deva and Devi⁷ in the wine, and thinking that the same is filled with the ambrosia of such union, japa should be made over it of the Mula-mantra⁸ twelve times (203).  Then, considering the wine to be the Devata, handfuls of flowers should be

¹ Krishna’s family, the Yadu-kula, was destroyed thiough drink, which he therefore cursed.

² Amrita, the ambrosia of immortality.

³ The Mantra is thus: Krang, Kring, Krung, Kraing, Kraung, Krah Sudha-Krishna-shapang mochayamritan sravaya sravaya: svaha.

⁴ Shiva and His Shakti are so called when the worshippers are in a joyful mood.

⁵ That is, the seven Sanskrit letters, followed by Yung Ananda-Bhairavaya Namah.

⁶ That is, the same seven letters (the first two letters being reversed) —Sa-Ha-Ksha-Ma-La-Va-Ra-Ying (instead of Yung) — followed by Sudhadevyai vaushat. The “ ear “ and “ eye “ mean u-kara and i-kara, which they resemble.

⁷ Ananda-Bhairava and Bhairavi.    .    ⁸ See Introduction.

loo TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION

offered with japa of the Mula-Mantra. Lights and incense-sticks should be waved before it to the accom­paniment of the ringing of a bell¹ (204). Wine should be always thus purified in all ceremonies, whether puja² of the Devata, Vrata, ~3 Homa,⁴ marriage, or other festivals (205).

The disciple, after placing the meat⁵ on the triangular Mandala in front of him, should sprinkle it with the Mantra Phat, and then charge it thrice with the Vijas of Air~6 and Fire⁷ (206). Let him then cover it up with the Gesture of the Veil,⁸ uttering the Kavacha-Mantra,⁹ and protect it with the Weapon-Mantra Phat. Then, uttering the Vija of Varuna,¹⁰ and displaying the Dhenu-Mudra, ~11 make the meat like unto nectar¹² with the follow­ing (207):

mantra.

May that Devi whose abode is in the breast of Vishnu and in the breast of Shankara¹³ purify this my meat, and give me a resting-place at the excellent foot of Vishnu (208).

In a similar manner, placing the fish¹⁴ and sanctifying it with the Mantras already prescribed, let the wise one say the following Mantra~15 over it (209):

¹ This is called Arati. In the right hand is held the light or burning incense-stick, and as these are being waved round and round the bell is rung with the left hand.

² See Introduction.        ³ See ibid.        4 See ibid. 5 Then follows the purification (shuddhi) of meat, the tattva of the Tantrika ritual.

⁶ The Vayu-Vija “ Yang.”      ⁷ The Vahni-Vija “ Rang.” ⁸ The Avagunthana Mudra.     9 Or Armour Mantra “ Hung.” 10 I.e., “ Vang.”       ¹¹ Or Cow-gesture (vide p. 73, note 6). ¹² Literally, “ having made into nectar “—amritikritya. 13 Shiva.

¹⁴ The following is the ritual for the purification of the tattva of the Tantrik worship—Fish (Matsya).

15 This is a Rik from Rig-Veda, Seventh Mandala, fourth chapter forty-ninth Sukta, twelfth Mantra. The translation and interpreta­tion given is that of the Bengali translation by Tarkalangkara. It occurs also in Ullasa viii., verse 244, post.

TANTRA OF THE GREAT LIBERATION 101

mantra.

“We worship the Father of the Three¹; He Who causes nourishment,² He Who is sweet-scented.~3 As the fruit of the Urvaruka⁴ is detached of itself from the stalk on which it grows, so may He free us whilst living from the bond of Karmma,~5 until we are finally liberated, and made one with the Supreme “~6 (210).

Then, O Beloved! the disciple should take and purify the parched grain⁷ with the following:

MANTRAS.⁸

Ong! As the Eye of Heaven⁹ is plainly visible to those of the common man, so do the Wise have constant vision of the Excellent Foot of Vishnu (211). The Intelligent and Prayerful, whose mind is awake and controlled, see the most excellent Foot of Vishnu¹⁰ (212).

1 Tryambaka, literally the three-eyed, or Shiva (see p. 3, note 7). According to Tarkalangkara, its esoteric significance is the father of the “ three “—that is, Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra (Shiva).

² That is, who is like the seed of the world, nourishing the body and increasing the wealth of the worshipper (Tarkalangkara). This quality and that of scent also refer to the material attributes of the tattva (wine).

³ That is, whose beneficent deeds are manifested everywhere (ibid.).

4 A kind of cucumber.

⁵ Karma-bandhana is the bond of action which produces re-birth. The effects of Karma are not all exhausted in one life, but persist and attach at death to the Self. Those effects are Sangskara which draw to the Self the materials suited for them, and thus cause a new birth. The prayer is therefore to be released from re-birth.

6 That is, Sayujya (see Introduction) Mukti (Tarkalangkara), literally “ Till we die “ (to ourselves) (see Chapiter VIII., post).  This Mantra is called the Mrityunjaya (Death-conquering) Mantra.

⁷ Mudra, the technical Tantrika term for this, the Tattva of the ritual.

⁸ The following Mantras are two Riks from the Rig-Veda, First Mandala, fifth chapter, twenty-second Sukta, and twentieth and twenty-first Mantras. Among the Tantrikas it is a usual practice to recite a Vedic and Tantrika Mantra respectively. Cf. verse 162, and Chapter IX., post; and see the Chaitanya-Charitamrita (Nectar of the Life of Chaitanya).

⁹ That is, the Sun.              10 Here the Supreme.