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Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
VERSE 15
HE, O Mahakali, 1 who in the cremation-ground, naked, and with
disheveled hair, intently 2 meditates upon Thee 3 and recites Thy
mantra, and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand
akaṇda flowers 4 with seed, 5 becomes without any effort a Lord of the
earth. 6
COMMENTARY
'And' (Tu)
For Divya Sadhakas.
'Mahakali'
Or Parabrahmarūpiṇi.
Cremation-ground' (SmaSanasthah)
The cremation-ground is Parabrahman into which in the great Dissolution
(Mahapralaya) all beings go as though corpses. 'In the cremation ground'
therefore, means devoted to Parabrahman.
'Naked' (Dikpatadharah)
That is, free from the covering of Maya; whose Consciousness is
untainted.
'Meditates on Thee' (Dhyananiratah)
That is, upon Thy Saccidananda aspect. The Rudrayamala says, 'He who
follows the Kula path should do Japa of Mantra seeking protection from
Devi who is Consciousness, Bliss and Source of knowledge, who is all
Tattvas whose refulgence is that of millions of flashes of lightning.'
'Sunflowers' (Arkanaṃ)
Flowers of feeling such as compassion, forgiveness and so forth which
are functions of the Mind called the Sun in the Brahmarandhra. The
Jñanasaṁkalini-Tantra says, 'Oh Beloved, the mind is seated on the
surface of the sun and life on that of the moon.' The
p. 79
[paragraph continues] Yajñavalkya-Saṁhita says, 'The Moon is known to be
in the Ida and the sun in the Piṅgala (Nadi).
'Self-produced Bija' (Nijagalitaviryena)
This Bija is here the nectar which naturally flows from the thousand-petalled
Lotus. The Mahanirvaṇa-Tantra says, 'The Heart-Lotus should be offered
for seat, the nectar (Amṛta) shed from the Sahasrara for water to wash
the feet, the mind as the offering (Arghya), Memory (Citta) is offered
by way of flowers, and the vital airs (Praṇa) as and by way of incense.'
Jñanasaṁkalini-Tantra says, 'Libation (Tarpana) to the Supreme
Liberatrix should be made from out the vessel of the Moon and Arghya
should be given from out the vessel of the Sun. Compassion, wisdom, and
forgiveness are flowers as is also control of the senses. So too are
charity (Daya) and religious merit. Non-injury (Ahiṁsa) to any being is
an excellent flower. Bliss is a flower and so too is the worship of the
Sadhaka. Whoever offers these ten flowers attains to the feet of the
Liberatrix.' In this verse Savikalpasamadhiyoga is indicated.
Footnotes
78:1 p. 79 Mahakali, Sakti of Mahakala.
78:2 Susthah: with undistracted mind. (V)
78:3 Tava dhyana-niratah, that is, Upon Thy form. (V)
78:4 Arka = Sun flowers known as akaṇda (V) not the flower so called in
English.
78:5 Nija-galita-viryeṇa kusumaṁ. Thus the offering is not only of the
flowers of the akaṇda plant, yatah sadhakah devyai
sva-virya-miSri-tarkapuṣpani samarpayati. Durgarama-SiddhantavagiSa
cites the Mahakalasaṁhita as saying that the sūryapuṣpa should be
offered in the same way with japa of the mūlamantra (svaviryamiSrita-sūryapuṣpani).
The virya does not, refer to the sap of the plant. Nija refers to the
sadhaka. 'Along with, that is dipped in or that is spread over with.'
Mahakala-samhita says, A Kaula-Sadhaka in the cremation-ground, naked,
dishevelled and with tranquil mind, should offer a thousand sunflowers
with seed reciting the while his Mantra. After meditating and
worshipping with great devotion he should recite the Hymn' (V).
78:6 That is, a king or raja. So the Phetkariṇi-Tantra says that wealth,
strength, eloquence, intelligence, and the love of women (Sarvayoṣitpriyah)
is gained.
from Hinduism: Hymn to Kali
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