Happy Diwali to You

All darkness is far away 

As light is on its way

Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali!

Love

Art Thou Mother or Father?

Art thou Mother or Father to me, my Mother ?

I have searched the Vedas and the Vedanta, the
Tantras and the Mantras, yet nowhere have I found thy fulness.

As Rama thou dost take the bow, as Syama the
flute : as Shyama the black, thou dost seize the sword.

Some offer at thy feet the tulasi , some the atasi ,
some come with handfuls of hibiscus, some bring the
leaves of bel.

O Mother, Mother of the Universe, art thou male or
female ? Who can say ? Who knows thy form ?

In whatever form men think of thee, in that form
do thou, Universal One, appear to them.

Nilakantha’s mind ever thinks of thee as chief
amongst the deities .
Mother, if thou wouldst be Mother indeed, then why at my Mother’s feet should
my Father lie prostrate ?

---by Nilakantha Mukhopadhyaya (1841– 1912)

Kālī Sisters

The Divine Mother, the essense of all gods and all begins, Mahashakti, is the creator, preserver and destroyer of our nama-rupa world. When there were neither the creation, nor the sun, the moon, the planets, and the earth, when the darkness was enveloped in darkness, then the Mother, the Formless One, Maha Kālī, the Great Power, is one with the Maha Kala, the Absolute. Divine game of "separation" has led to that the Absolute Zero re-united with the One and becomes the dynamic Ten whose forms vary according to the different proportions of the three gunas. Now She expresses their divine union transcendentally as well as phenomenally through three aspects of iccha (will), jnana (knowledge) and kriya (action). So, we have a huge variety of her forms, and the long list of her names reflects their endless movement flowing into each other. For example, the Mahavidyas, is a wonderful enigmatic group of contrasting deities that clearly indicates their special meaning and hidden symbolic content, not only as elements and principles in nature but Ten Great or Transcendent Wisdoms. 

Their qualities, formed by tattvas, are really endless combinations. We can choose at any time the most general definition: Kālī is Time overcoming; Bhuvaneshwari is Space; the piercing word is Tara; the flaming word is Bhairavi; and expressed word is Matangi, Chinnamasta combines light and sound in her thunderclap; Bhagalmukhi stuns and stifles the flow free flow of things; the luminous desire is Sundari; and the delightful beauty is Kamala. Experiencing the all-pervasive essence of Kali in these Goddesses one by one, She is there in one of Her energetic forms. Of course, there is no separation and these Kālī sisters are just a glimpse of her raging glow in the minds because Her true nature is beyond mind and matter.

She is a source of light,
She removes darkness, and leads
Away from the blinding darkness ( Astasähasrikä Prajñäpäramitä) 

Yes, some early Buddhists identified Kalika with their Prajnaparamita, the Perfection of Wisdom, conceived of as a multi-armed goddess/female wisdom energy. Caused by a pollution of ignorance.They viewed Her as the saviouress Tara, the Compassionate One. As the dark four-armed Ugra Tara, with the dark blue Dhyani-Buddha Aksobhya on her crown, she became the Wrathful Saviouress, externally fierce to ward-off enemies and unbelievers, but internally compassionate, the Embodiment of Compassion.

She is all-pervading, leaving, and in her Kālī aspect, no measure for Time. She is always one but appears in differents forms in differents times. All races and cultures are like these multiple severed heads of her garland.

Aztec Divine Mother Coatlicue who gave birth to the moon and the stars, is represented with a severed head replaced by two snake heads, wearing a necklace of severed hands and human hearts with a skull pendant, and a dress of entwined snakes. She as well as Kālī  represents the embodiment of the cosmic-dynamic power which bestows life and death in the struggle of opposites.
Rhea, the Aegean Universal Mother or Great Goddess, was the mother of the gods, and goddess of female fertility, motherhood, and generation. As the wife of Kronos (Time), She represented the eternal flow of time and generations.

Cailleach, an old Celtic name for the Great Goddess in her Destroyer aspect. Like Kālī, She was a black Mother who founded many races of people and created the world, building mountain ranges of stones that dropped from her apron. Scotland name came from Scotia, the same goddess, known to Romans as a "dark Aphrodite". Ireland and Scotland are covered with natural shrines associated with the Cailleach. Scots call her the Old Wife of Thunder.

…Her face was blue-black of the lustre of coal

And her bone-tufted tooth was like red rust.

In her head was one pool-like eye,

Swifter than a star in a winter sky. (MacKenzie, ScFL2)

Incidentally, the state California  of North America was named  by Spanish explorers after the mythical Black Queen Califia.
Nowadays, the Black Goddess worshipped by the gypsies was named Sara-Kali, Queen Kali, the Black Mother.

The Black Goddess was even carried into Christianity as a mother figure, and one can find all over the world images of black Madonnas (details here ). These examples are multiple but it is not necessarily to look similar names or similar external forms. Because whatever is their names or their diversity, all represent the nature of one and the same reality. In her benign or terrific aspect, Mother's essence is the all-pervasive in all her prismatic forms. She is Maya, she is Mahashakti - at once both the unknowable Divine Essence, and every veil that simultaneously hides and reveals this Essence, with absolutely no distinction between them. To the degree that we try to hold on to our life in the face of Kālī, she takes that life. To the degree that we let go of our life in the face of Kālī, She is that life.

Jai Ma Kali!

Yama Deepam Mantra

Shri dipadevatabyo namah | vilepanarthe candanam samarpayami |

Shri dipadevatabyo namah | pushpam samarpayami |

Shri dipadevatabyo namah | haridram samarpayami |

Shri dipadevatabyo namah | ku~gkumam samarpayami |

Yamo nihantaa pitru-dharmarajo

Vaivasvato danda-dharashch kaalah |

Bhutaadhipo Dattakrutaanusaari

Krutaant etad-dashabhirja-panti ||

There are ten Names of Yamadeva – Yama, Nihanta, Pita, Dharmaraja, Vaivasvata, that is, son of Sun, Dandadhar, Kala, Bhutadhip, that is, the master of living beings, Dattakrutanusari, that is, One who has been assigned the task of abducting death and Krutanta.

Mrityuna Pashadandabhyam Kalena Shyamaya Saha।

Trayodashyam Dipadanat Suryajah Priyatam Mama॥

Let this ‘Deep-daan’ made on the day of Trayodashi help in Yama-Deva, who carries ‘Paash and Danda’; who is the protector of Time; the Son of Surya (Sun); along with Shyamla Devi bestow His grace on me.

anena dipadanena sri yamah priyatam |

OM YAMAAYA NAMAHA

Why Close Your Eyes?

O wavering mind,
awaken your upward-flowing awareness.
Become the sublime warrior Goddess Kali,
who moves with graceful power
     through the vast landscape of the body.

Her divine form, like a black storm cloud
     illumined by the sun,
she stands unveiled,
her long hair falling free like monsoon rain.
Be lost in awe of her, O mind,
for you will never comprehend her.

She dwells as the primal lotus of conscious energy
     and also as the thousand-petal blossom,
complete enlightenment.
She is none other than primordial bliss,
this great swan ever swimming
     through the lotus jungle of the subtle body.

Gaze intently into the blazing heart of joy
     and you will perceive my blissful Mother,
matrix of all phenomena.
The vision of Kali
     kindles the fire of unitive wisdom,
burning down conventional barriers,
pervading minds and worlds with light,
revealing her exalted beauty
     as universal flower garden
and universal cremation ground,
where lovers merge with Mother Reality,
experiencing the single taste of nonduality.

This ardent poet of the Goddess cries:
"Every lover longs only
     to gaze upon the unique Beloved.
Why close your eyes?
Why disappear into formless trance?"

---by Ramprasad (Ramprasad Sen)

Miserere

Biblical Psalm 51 traditionally referred to as the Miserere, its Latin beginning : Have mercy on me, O God.

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

The modern version of the Psalm, written by Italian singer Zucchero Fornaciari and performed by Pavarotti, Bocelli and Zucchero in 2002.

Devi Navaratnamalika Stotram

The Devi Navaratnamalika stotram (the garland with nine gems), composed by Sri Adi Sankaracharya.

hAra-nUpura-kirITa-kunDala vibhUshitAvayavashobhinIm
kAraNeshavara-maulikoTi parikalpyamAna padapIThikAm |
kAlakAla-phaNipAsha bANa-dhanurankushAm-aruNamekhalAm
phAlabhUtilakalochanAm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
gandhasAra ghanasAra chAru navanAgavallirasavAsinIm
sAndhyarAga madhurAdharAbharaNa sundarAnana shuchismitAm
mandharAyata vilochanAmamalabAla chandrakrutashekharIm
indirAramaNasodarIm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm || 2 ||
smerachArumukhamanDalAm vimalaganDa-lambimaNimanDalAm
hAradAma-parishobhamAna kuchabhAra bhIrutanumadhyamAm |
vIragarvaharanUpurAm vividhakAraNeshavarapIThikAm
mAravairisahachAriNIm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm || 3 ||
bhUribhAradharakuNDalIndra maNibaddhabhUvalaya pIThikAm
vArirAshi maNimekhalAvalaya vahnimanDalasharIriNIm |
vArisAravahakuNDalAm gaganashekharIm cha paramAtmikAm
chAruchandraravilochanAm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
kuNDala trividhakoNamanDala vihArashaDdalasamullasat
puNDarIkamukhabhedinIm cha prachaNDabhAnubhAsa-samujjvalAm |
manDalendu parivAhitAmruta-tarangiNImaruNa-rUpiNIm
manDalAntamaNidIpikAm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
vAraNAnana mayUravAhamukha dAhavAraNa payodharAm
chAraNAdi surasundarI chikura shekarIkruta padAmbujAm |
kAraNAdhipati panchaka prakrutikAraNa prathamamAtrukAm
vAraNAntamukhapAraNAm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
padmakAnti padapANipallava payodharAnana saroruhAm
padmarAga maNimekhalA valayanIvishobhita nitambinIm |
padmasambhava sadAshivAntamaya pancharatna padapIThikAm
padminImpraNavarUpiNIm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
Agama praNavapIThikAmamalavarNa mangalasharIriNIm
AgamAvayava-shobhinImakhilaveda-sArakruta shekharIm |
mUlamantra mukhamanDalAm muditanAdabindu navayauvanAm
mAtrukAm tripurasundarIm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm ||
kAlikA timira-kuntalAnta ghanabhrunga mangalavirAjinIm
chUlikA shikharamAlikA valayamallikA surabhisaurabhAm |
vAlikA madhuragaNDamanDala manoharAnana saroruhAm
kAlikAmakhilanAyikAm manasi bhAvayAmi paradevatAm || 9 ||

phalastutih
nityameva niyamena jalpatAm bhukti-mukti-phaladAmabhIshTadAm shankareNa rachitAm sadA japennAmaratna navaratna mAlikAm
|| iti shrImat paramahamsa parivajrakAchAryasya shrI govindabhagavat pUjyapAda shishyasya
shrImat shankarabhagavatah krutou navaratnamAlikA sampUrNam ||

Translation:

Devi Khadgamala Stotram

hreenkaaraanana garbhitaanalashikhaam souh kleenkalaam bibhrateem
souvarNaambaradhaariNeem varasudhaadhoutaam trinetrojjvalaam |
vande pustaka paasham ankushadharaam
sragbhooshitaam ujjvalaam
tvaam goureem tripuraam paraatparakalaam
shreechakra sanchaariNeem ||
asya shree shuddhashaktimaalaa mahaamantrasya,
upasthendriyaadhishThaayee varuNaaditya rushayaha, devee gaayatree Chandaha
saatvika kakaarabhaTTaaraka peeThasthita kaameshvaraankanilayaa
mahaakaameshvaree
shree lalitaa bhaTTarikaa devataa
aim beejam kleem shaktih souh keelakam
mama khaDga siddhyarthe sarvaabheeshTa siddhyarthe jape viniyogaha
moolamantreNa ShaDanganyaasam kuryaat |

dhyaanam
taadrusham khaDgam aapnoti yeva hasta sthitenavai
ashTaadasha mahaadveepa samraaDbhoktaa bhavishyati
aaraktaabhaam triNetraam aruNimavasanaam ratna taaTanka ramyaam
hastaambhojaih paashaankusha madanadhanuh saayakaih visphuranteem |
aapeenottunga vakshoruha kalasha luThattaara haarojjvalaangeem
dhaayet ambhoruhasthaam aruNimavasanaam eeshvareem eeshvaraaNaam ||
lomityaadi pancha poojaam kuryaat
yathaa shakti moolamantram japet |

aum aim hreem shreem aim kleem souh oum namah tripurasundaree hrudayadevee, shirodevee, shikhaadevee, kavachadevee, netradevee, astradevee, kaameshvaree, bhagamaalinee, nityaklinne, bherunDe, vahnivaasinee, mahaavajreshvaree, shivadootee, tvarite, kulasundaree, nitye, neelapataake, vijaye, sarvamangale, jvaalaamaalinee, chitre, mahaanitye, parameshvaraparameshvaree, mitreshamayee, uDDeshamayee, charyaanaathamayee, lopaamudramayee, agastyamayee, kaalataapashamayee, dharmaachaaryamayee, muktakesheeshvaramayee, deepakalaanaathamayee,
vishNudevamayee, prabhaakaradevamayee, tejodevamayee, manojadevamayee, kalyaaNadevamayee, vaasudevamayee, ratnadevamayee, shreeraamaanandamayee, aNimaasiddhe, laghimaasiddhe, garimaasiddhe, mahimaasiddhe, eeshitvasiddhe, vashitvasiddhe, praakaamyasiddhe, bhuktisiddhe, icChaasiddhe, praaptisiddhe, sarvakaamasiddhe, braahmee, maaheshvaree, kaumaaree, vaishNavee, vaaraahee, maahendree, chaamunDee, mahaalakshmee, sarvasankshobhiNee, sarvavidraaviNee, sarvaakarshiNee, sarvavashankaree, sarvonmaadinee, sarvamahaankushe, sarvakhecharee, sarvabeeje, sarvayone, sarvatrikhanDe, trailokyamohana chakrasvaaminee, prakaTayoginee, kaamaakarshiNee, buddhyaakarshiNee, ahankaaraakarshiNee, shabdaakarshiNee, sparshaakarshiNee, roopaakarshiNee, rasaakarshiNee, gandhaakarshiNee, chittaakarshiNee, dhairyaakarshiNee, smrutyaakarshiNee, naamaakarshiNee, beejaakarshiNee, aatmaakarshiNee, amrutaakarshiNee, shareeraakarshiNee, sarvaashaapaparipooraka chakrasvaaminee, guptayoginee, ananga kusume, ananga mekhale, ananga madane, ananga madanaature, ananga rekhe, ananga veginee, ananga ankushe, ananga maalinee, sarvasankshobhiNa chakrasvaaminee, guptatarayoginee, sarvasankshobhiNee, sarvavidraavinee, sarvaakarshiNee, sarvahlaadinee, sarvasammohinee, sarvastambhinee, sarvajrumbhiNee, sarvavashankaree, sarvaranjanee, sarvonmaadinee, sarvaarthasaadhike, sarvasampattipooriNee, sarvamantramayee, sarvadvandva kshayankaree, sarvasoubhaagyadaayaka chakrasvaaminee,sampradaaya yoginee, sarvasiddhiprade, sarvasampatprade, sarvapriyankaree, sarvamangalakaariNee, sarvakaamaprade, sarvadukhavimochinee, sarvamrutyuprashamanee, sarvavighnanivaariNee, sarvaangasundaree, sarvasoubhaagyadaayinee, sarvaarthasaadhaka chakrasvaaminee,kulotteerNayoginee,
sarvagye, sarvashakte, sarvaishvaryapradaayinee, sarvagyaanamayee, sarvavyaadhi vinaashinee, sarvaadhaara svaroope, sarva paapahare, sarvarakshaa svaroopiNee, sarvepsita phalaprade, sarvarakshaakara, chakrasvaaminee, nigarbhayoginee, kaameshvaree, modinee, vimale, aruNe,
jayinee, sarveshvaree, kouliniveshinee, sarvarogahara chakrasvaaminee, rahasyayoginee, baaNinee, chaapinee, paashinee, ankushinee, mahaakaameshvaree, mahaavajreshvaree, mahaabhagamaalinee, sarvasiddhiprada chakrasvaaminee, atirahasya yoginee, shree shree mahaabhaTTarike, sarvaanandamaya chakrasvaaminee, paraaparaati rahasya yoginee, tripuree, tripureshee,
tripurasundaree, tripuravaasinee, tripuraashree:, tripuramaalinee, tripurasiddhe, tripuraambaa, mahaatripurasundaree, mahaamaheshvaree, mahaamahaaraagyee, mahaamahaashakte, mahaamahaagupte, mahaamahaagyapte, mahaamahaanande, mahaamahaaskandhe, mahaamahaashaye, mahaamahaa shreechakranagara saamraagyee, namaste namaste namaha |
eshaa vidyaa mahaasiddhidaayinee smrutimaatrataha agnivaata mahaabhokshe raajaaraashTrasya viplave |
lunThane taskatabhaye sangraame salilaplave,
samrudayaana vikshobhe bhootapretaadike bhaye
apasmaara jvara vyaadhi mrutyu kshaamaadije bhaye
shaakinee pootanaayaksharakshah kooshmaanDaje bhaye
mitrabhede grahabhaye vyasaneshvaabhichaarike
anyeshvapi cha dosheshu maalaamantram smarennaraha
sarvopadrava nirmuktah saakshaat shivamayo bhavet
aapatkaale nityapoojaam vistaaraat kartum aarabhet
ekavaaram japa dhyaanam sarva poojaaphalam labhet
navaavarNa deveenaam lalitaayaa mahoujanaha
ekatra gaNanaaroopo veda vedaanga gocharaha
sarvaagama rahasyaarthah smaraNaat paapanaashinee |
lalitaayaa maheshaanyaa maalaa vidyaamaheeyasee
naravashyam narendraaNaam vashyam naareevashankaram |
aNimaadi guNaishvaryam ranjanam paapabhanjanam |
tattadaavaraNasthaayi devataavrunda mantrakam |
maalaamantram param guhyaam param dhaama prakeertitam |
shaktimaalaa panchadhaasyaat shivamaalaachataadrushee
tasmaat gopyatara aadgopyam rahasyam bhukti muktidam |
iti shree vaamakeshvara tantre umaamaheshvara sanvaade
|| devee khaDgamaalaa stotram sampoorNam ||

Kill Bull 6

When Navratri nights come, I just write another Kill Bull post. These were the different ideas coming at different times. But this great symbolic event continues to unfold in time with each of us at any given time. This is the eternal theme of the struggle between two forces inside and outside of us. The necessity of the fight seems forced and painful but in fact it is absolutely necessary for us. The man can and must obey the dharmic law of good, and in the case of default, he is responsible and be punished. It always has a choice and this choice is a source of responsibility and the possibility of karmic punishment. Devi purifies Mahisasura making him the sacrifice offering to itself. Shakti looks to unburden us of our own illusions and she does this in the same way she killed Mahishasura, with compassion. The Durga-Kali energy is so strongly tied to transformation and the destruction of negativity that this energy can often be misunderstood as harshness. This is one of the most common misconceptions about the power of Shakti. Devi is "beyond good and evil", it is self-evident, for in this side of good and evil is our world, and not God. At the same time, She is Maya, She is Mahashakti - at once both the unknowable Divine Essence, and every veil that simultaneously hides and reveals this Essence, with absolutely no distinction between them. And there is no contradiction in Goddess's character. The seeming cruelty is only compassion and goodness.
We see the struggle, but there is no equal and opposite Power to the Power that created this universe; to the Power that created you and me. That Power is here among us and within us and has the authority and the compassion to silence the lies and bring more of that freedom that is indeed our birthright and our potential.
The glorious fierce compassion of Devi, is one of power, not the kind of power that destroys everything in its past, but instead faces the suffering and darkness and with the fierce gaze of compassionate warrioress love, dissolves it instantly with a heart full of love.
Jai Durga, Jai Ma!