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Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
VERSE 19
O DARK One, 1 wondrous and excelling in every way, 2 becomes the
accomplishment, 3 of those worshippers 4 who living in this world 5
freely make offering to Thee in worship 6 of the greatly 7 satisfying
flesh, together with hair and bone, 8 of cats, camels, sheep, 9
buffaloes, goats, and men. 10
COMMENTARY
'Oh Black one' (Asita)
Asita means free from bondage. Sita means bound. Asita is therefore 'not
bound' or eternally liberated. The root So, means 'to bind.' AmarakoSa
gives the meaning of Sita as 'bound.'
'Wondrous' (Apūrva)
Best.
'At every step' (Pratipadam)
In succession, step by step.
'All Powers' (Sarvasiddhi)
The five Siddhis which are the five forms of Liberation. The Sivagita
says, 'Salokya, Sarūpya, Sarṣti, Sayujya and Kaivalya. Know these to be
the five forms of liberation.'
'The flesh of' (Palalaṁ)
These animals represent the Six Enemies (Ripu) or Vices which are
specially characteristic of the following animals: The goat stands for
Lust (Kama) 'as lustful as a goat (Chhaga),' the buffalo, Anger (Krodha)
'as angry as a buffalo (Mahiṣa),' the cat, Greed (Lobha) 'as greedy as a
cat' (Marjara), the sheep, Delusion (Moha), 'as stupid as a sheep' (Meṣa)
the camel, Envy (Matsarya) 'as envious as a camel' (Uṣtra), Man, Pride (Mada)
'the Pride and arrogance of man' (Nara).
p. 90
The anandakalpa says, 'Worship should be done by making offering of lust
as goat, buffalo, and so forth '. Offering is made to Thee who art
Cidrūpa of lust and other vices as articles of offering (Upacara) in
worship with the object of ridding oneself of them. Bṛhannila-Tantra
says, 'In the fire of atma which flames with the ghee (Havih) of Dharma
and Adharma, I ever offer in Homa by the Suṣuṁna path, with the mind as
ladle, all the functions of the senses—Svaha.'
'In worship' (Pūjayam)
In mental worship according to the manner prescribed.
'With hair and bone' (Loma, asthi)
That is the whole without omitting any part. Such Sadhakas attain the
Salokya and other forms of liberation.
Footnotes
89:1 Asita: That is Kalika v. post.
89:2 Pratipadam. The Syamarahasya-sarasaṁgraha reads pratidinam (every
day) (K.B.), which seems preferable, for, as K.B. says, the worship (pūja)
is the general daily pūja, upon which daily advancement in siddhi would
follow.
89:3 Siddhi: success in work; accomplishment of all which is desired
(V).
89:4 Sat, that is, sadhu (wise, good, pious). Sataṁ = Sadhakanam (V).
89:5 That is, among men.
89:6 Pūjayaṁ api (see note 2), ante.
Pūjayaṁ: Naimittika or occasional worship (V). The force of the particle
api is that the offering is not confined to special Sadhana but is made
in ordinary worship also. (K.B.)
89:7 Param (K.B.).
89:8 That is flesh and all.
89:9 Maiṣaṁ. The Syamarahasya-sarasaṁgraha gives also mauṣam, of rat's
flesh. The Fetkariṇi-Tantra has both sheep and rat's flesh (K.B.).
Syamarahasya says, To him who makes offering of the flesh of cats,
sheep, camels, and buffaloes together with bone, hair and skin Dakṣiṇa
is ever beneficial like a Mother.'
89:10 As to this human sacrifice, K. B. says that Kings alone, and not
any other, are entitled to make human sacrifice, citing the Yamala
quoted in the Kalikalpalata (Raja naravaliṁ dadyan nanyopi parameSvari).
For inner sense see Svarūpa-vyakhya post.
from Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
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