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Hinduism: Hymn to Kali

 

VERSE 12

O MOTHER, Thou givest birth to and protectest the world, and at the time of dissolution dost withdraw to Thyself 1 the earth and all things; therefore Thou art Brahma, and the Lord of the three worlds, the Spouse of Sri, 2 and MaheSa, 3 and all other beings and things. 4 Ah Me! how, then, shall I praise Thy greatness?

COMMENTARY

'Dost withdraw' (Saṁharati)

That is dost make the world lose itself in Thy Causal (Karaṇa) body.

'Dhata'

She is the creative Sakti of Brahma.

'Husband of Sri' (Sripatih)

She is the preservative Sakti of ViSṇu whose spouse is Sri or Lakṣmi.

'MaheSa'

She is the dissolving Sakti of Rudra.

'All things' (Samastaṁ)

Thou art both the material and instrumental cause of the world. The Triputa-Stotra says, 'Thou art Earth, Brahma, and Creatrix of the world. Thou art also Water, Viṣṇu, and Preserver of the world. And thou art Fire, Rudra and the Dissolver of the world. As the Air of the world thou art AiSvarya.' Another Stotra says, 'She assumes three forms of body for the purpose of creation, maintenance

p. 73

and dissolution. The world being constituted of the three Guṇas, Brahma, Viṣṇu and Rudra are Her Vikṛtis.'
Footnotes

72:1 It is commonly said that She destroys but not so. Devata does not destroy (Na devo naSakah). Man does. She takes back what She has put forth.

72:2 Viṣṇu, husband of Lakṣmi.

72:3 Siva. The Trimūrti is, in fact, Her manifestation.

72:4 Prayah sakalaṁ api, that is, all moving and unmoving things (Commentary, K.B.). For the Devi is ViSvarūpiṇi in the form of the whole universe. She is the objective world, 'jadatmika' (Lalita, verse 90), as well as its Cause.

 


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