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Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
HYMN TO KaLi
VERSE 3
O KaLIKa, O auspicious Kalika 1 with dishevelled hair, 2 from the
corners of whose mouth two streams of blood trickle, 3 they who recite
another doubled Bija of Thine composed of iSa, 4 VaiSvanara, 5 Vamanetra,
6 and the lustrous Bindu, 7 destroy all their enemies, and bring under
their subjection the three worlds. 8
COMMENTARY
'Kalika'
Ka is Brahma, A is Ananta, La is atma of the universe, I is subtle, Ka
is Brahma, A is Ananta. (Tantrabhidana). Thus it is said that Mahadevi
is the subtle, beginningless and endless atma of the universe. 'Thou who
art Brahman without beginning or end.' In the Asitastotra in the
Adbhutaramayaṇa Sri Rama says, 'I bow to that Thine aspect which is
Puruṣa without beginning and end, the unmanifest Kūtastha superior (to
Thine aspect) as Prakṛti, the atma of the universe appearing in multiple
and differing forms.'
[Durgarama-SiddhantavagiSa derives the word Kalika as follows:—He who
dissolves (Kalayati) the world is (Kala or Siva). And She who shines (Divyati)
that is plays (Kridati) with Him is Kalika Kala + ikan + a = Kalika.]
'With dishevelled hair' (Vigalitacikure)
That is one who is free from all Vikaras such as the passion for
arranging the hair and so forth.
'Streams of blood' (Asradhūra)
This blood indicates (the red) Rajas Guṇa. Mahadevi is without that for
She is Suddha-sattva-guṇa.
'Recite' (Japati)
Meditate upon.
p. 51
Of dual aspect (Dvandvaṁ)
The Bija Hriṁ is both Siva and Sakti. In the Devigita Mahadevi says, 'H
is the gross body, R is the subtle body, I is the causal body. I am Hriṁ
the Turiya.'
'iSa'
Who is the aspect of subtle Bija.
'VaiSvanara'
Which is full of Tejas.
'Vamanetra'
That is, with Maya consisting of pure Sattva-Guṇa.
'Indu'
This is, the Sakti which gives immortality.
'Three syllabled Dakṣiṇa'
Dakṣiṇe is Dakṣina in the vocative, and the latter is the Saccidananda
aspect which grants Kaivalya and is indicated, by the three-syllabled
Mantra. Nirvaṇa-Tantra says, 'The Sun's son (Death) is established in
the south (Dakṣiṇa). The name of Kali makes him flee in all directions
with fear. Hence She is called Dakṣiṇa in three worlds.' Kamakhya-Tantra
says, 'Just as guerdon (Dakṣiṇa) given at the end of rite, causes it to
be fruitful and gives Liberation, so this Devi grants the fruit of all
Karma and hence She is called Dakṣiṇa-Kali.' The same Tantra also says,
'Puruṣa is on the right (Dakṣiṇa) and Sakti on the left. The left
conquers the right and becomes the grantor of great Liberation. Hence
She is called Dakṣiṇakali in the three worlds.'
[Durgarama construes these words as follows: Dakṣiṇe tryakṣare ati (by
Saṁdhi tryakṣare’ti) that is Dakṣiṇe ati tryakṣare. As Upasargas can
shift their position 'ati' has been placed in the verse after Tryakshare.
Atitryakshare is the vocative of Atitryakṣara. Atitryakṣara means
Atikrantah (Adhahkṛtah or placed under) Tryakṣarah (Siva) yaya (by whom)
She: that is, She who has placed Siva under Her. The whole then means
'Oh Dakshiṇa who dost stand on Siva.' Tryakṣara literally means the
three lettered one which is the Praṇava (Oṁ) and is used for Siva. The
Mahiṁnastotra
p. 52
[paragraph continues] (see 'Greatness of Siva' Ed. A. Avalon) calls Siva
'Oṁ' and another Stotra calls Him Tryakṣaramaya.
The same commentator then says that there is a different reading for
Dakshiṇe tryakṣareti, namely, Dakshiṇe Kaliketi which he explains in two
ways (a) Dakshiṇe Kalike’ti = Dakshiṇe Kalike ati = Dakshiṇe atikalike.
The last word is the vocative of Atikalika which means Atikranta (SadṛSikrita,
made similar to) Kalika (Meghajalaṁ; a bank of cloud) yaya (by whom)
She—that is, She who looks like a bank of cloud; the whole then meaning
'Oh Dakshiṇa who hast the appearance of a bank of clouds' (b) Dakṣiṇe
Kaliketi = Dakṣine Kalike iti which means Oh Dakṣiṇa Kalika. The word 'iti'
is Svarūparthaka that is simply indicates that She is addressed as
Dakṣiṇa Kalika. Examples of the elision of 'I' after 'E' in Saṁdhi are
Sakuntaleti and Meghajale’pi Kaliketi.]
Footnotes
50:1 p. 52 The Devi. See Mahanirvaṇa-Tantra, chap. xiii and chap. iv,
verse 31: 'At the dissolution of things it is Kala who will devour all,
and by reason of this He is called Mahakala; and since Thou devourest
Mahakala Himself, it is Thou who art the supreme primordial Kalika'.
Kalika is Brahmarūpiṇi (V).
50:2 Vigalitacikure, as is the worshipped nayika. See post.
50:3 Sṛkkadvandvasradharadvayadharavadane. Kali is so represented as
having devoured the flesh of the demons. The Mahanirvaṇa-Tantra, chap.
xiii, verse 9, says: 'As She devours all existence, as She chews all
things existing with Her fierce teeth, therefore, a mass of blood is
imagined to be the apparel of the Queen of the Devas.' Esoterically
blood is Rajas Guṇa.
50:4 That is, Ha, as to which see Kamadhenu-Tantra, chap. ii; and
Pranatoṣini, 53 et seq.
50:5 Lord of Fire, whose Bija is Ra.
50:6 'Left eye,' or fourth vowel long i.
50:7 Nada-bindu; the Bija is thus H + r + i + m = Hriṁ Hriṁ. In
Svatantra-Tantra Ha (Vyoṃa) is said to denote manifestation; Ra (Vahni)
is involution; and i maintenance of the worlds.
50:8 The earth, upper and nether worlds (see ViSvasara-Tantra and
Phetkariṇi-Tantra). Tribhuvanaṁ, that is Devas, Men, Nagas and so forth
inhabiting Svarga (Heaven), Martya (Earth) and Patala (Nether world)
(V).
from Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
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