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Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
HYMN TO KaLi
VERSE 4
O DESTRUCTRESS of the sins of the three worlds, auspicious 1 Kalika, who
in Thy upper lotus-like left hand holdest a sword. 2 and in the lower
left hand a severed head; 3 who with Thy upper right hand maketh the
gesture which dispels fear, 4 and with Thy lower right hand that which
grants boons; they, O Mother with gaping mouth, 5 who reciting Thy name,
meditate in this way 6 upon the greatness of Thy mantra, possess the
eight great powers 7 of the Three-Eyed One 8 in the palm of their hands.
9
COMMENTARY
'Sword' (Kṛpaṇam)
The sword is knowledge (Jñana) by which the bonds of ignorance of the
desire-free Sadhaka are severed. See Sivadharmottara.
'Severed head' (Chinna-muṇdaṁ)
The human head is the seat of Tattvajñaṇa free of attachment.
'Terrible countenance' (Prakatita-radane)
Her white teeth indicative of the white self-manifesting Sattva-Guṇa
bite the red lolling tongue indicative of Rajas Guṇa and suppress both
Rajas and Tamas by Sattva.
'Precious Mantras' (Manu-vi-bhavaṁ)
The three 'Kriṁ' Bijas represent the Cidghana aspect of Devi, the two
Hūm Bijas the Sattva-Guṇa aspect and the two 'Hrim' Bijas the Rajah-pradhana-sattva-Guṇa
aspect.
[Durgarama-SiddhantavagiSa explains this in the following different
ways: (a) Manuvibhava = the Vibhava or Saṁpatti (precious possession) of
Manus or Mantras. This precious possession is the
p. 54
name in the vocative case 'Dakshiṇe Kalike.' The meaning of the passage
then is that those who recite Thy name Dakshiṇe Kalike, which is the
precious possession of Mantras, and meditate on this Thine appearance
possess the Powers and so forth. (b) Manuvibhava is the Vibhava of the
Manu that is the twenty-two syllabled Mantra of Kali. This possession is
the name Dakshiṇa Kalika. (c) Manuvibhava = Manu (Mantra) vibhava (Ghataka)
of which (the Devi's body) is the body of which Mantra is the generator.
The bodies of the Devatas are produced by their Mantras. The passage
thus means that, they who recite Thy name Dakshiṇa Kalika and meditate
on this Thine appearance generated by Mantra possess the virtues
mentioned above.]
See last Verse.
Kalika (Kalike)
'Three eyed one (Tryaṁbaka)'
[The same commentator (Durgarama) offers three explanations of the term
Tryaṁbaka used for Siva (a) He who has three Aṁbakas or eyes is
Tryaṁbaka, (b) He who has three Mothers or Aṁbas is Tryaṁbaka. The
Kalikapuraṇa says, 'As Hara is born of three Mothers He is known, even
amongst Devas, by the title Tryaṁbaka.' (c) Todala-Tantra says 'the
Vidya BhuvaneSvari is in Heaven, Earth, and the Nether world (Patala).
He who delights in the Devi as threefold in three places is called
Tryaṁbaka. He is with Sakti and is worshipped in all Tantras.']
p. 55
Footnotes
53:1 p. 54 Dakshiṇa, the beneficent grantor of Nirvaṇa. (V)
53:2 Khadga, the peculiar heavy sword with the blade curved at the tip
so named, used to behead the sacrificial animals.
53:3 The Devi is the destroyer of the wicked.
53:4 The Devi is the dispeller of all fear, and makes with Her hand the
mudra. The right upper hand makes the gesture of dispelling fear, or the
gesture of assurance of safety (Abhayamudra) and the right lower hand
makes the gesture of granting boons (Varamudra). (V) The Sadhaka seeks
fearlessness, which is the great gift of the Goddess, who is Bhayapaha,
'remover of fear.' 'If thou art remembered in times of p. 55 difficulty,
Thou takest away all fear' (Markaṇdeya-Puraṇa). At the same time it is
she who fills the ignorant with terror (PaSuloka-bhayaṁkari) that is,
those devoid of the knowledge of non-duality, for 'fear comes when there
is duality' (Br. Up. 1-4-2, Lalita, v. 99).
53:5 Prakatita-vadane (see 'DaSa-Mahavidya Upasanarahasya,' by
Prasanna-Kumara-Sastri). Vimalananda reads Prakatitaradane, that is,
with big protruding teeth. The Yogini-Tantra says, 'Supreme eternal,
large-toothed, smeared with blood.' The Tarakalpa speaks of 'Syama of
the colour of a new (freshly formed) cloud, with large breasts, terrible
with protruding teeth.' (V)
53:6 As stated—that is, Kriṁ Kriṁ Kriṁ Hūṁ Hūṁ Hriṁ Hriṁ which with
Dakṣiṇe makes ten syllables.
53:7 Siddhi—that is, Aṇima, Laghima, Garima, Prapti, Prakaṁya, ISitva,
VaSitva, Kamavasayita the power of becoming small, great, heavy, light,
etc., which are inherent in iSvara, and are attainable by Yogis who
become iSvara and gain aiSvarya. By realization of the self, that Divine
state which is the universal Self is manifested, as also the eightfold
manifestation of the Divine power.
53:8 Tryaṁbaka or Siva. According to Tarkalaṁkara's Commentary on
Mahanirvaṇa-Tantra, Tryaṁbaka means the father of the three Devas,
Brahma, Viṣṇu, and Rudra. The Ṛgvidhana uses it as an equivalent of
Mahadeva. The Mahanirvaṇa-Tantra says: 'As She surveys the entire
universe, which is the product of time, with Her three eyes—the Moon,
Sun, and Fire—therefore She is endowed with three eyes' (Ullasa xiii,
verse 8) The Moon, Sun, and Fire are the Iccha, Kriya, Jñana and other
Saktis (see the Ṣatcakranirūpaṅa of Pūrnanaṇda-Svami) and Serpent Power
by A. Avalon.
53:9 'By him who carries a flower its odour is enjoyed without seeking.
By him who looks upon himself as the universal Self the powers (of
Brahma, etc.) are enjoyed' (Commentary of SureSvaracarya on tenth Sloka
of Dakṣinamūrti Stotra).
from Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
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