Text 15.33 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 15.33]

... Then these (spirits) trembled greatly, and in fear, with a most lamentable howl they swore an oath that they would become subjects, saying, "Let me be your subject. Let me be your subject. If I do not remain an earnest subject, tear my heads and body in a hundred pieces. Break my heart too and cut it up. Burn my putrid decomposing (body) and cast it away. And let me fall into hell. I beseech you!" Then they took up their positions as the seats of the maṇḍala. [33] ...

[Tibetan]

de-nas de-dag shin-tu 'dar-zhing bred-pas rab-tu zhum-pa'i nga-ros /
'bangs-su-mchi / 'bangs-su-mchi /
'bangs-su nan-tan ma-brgyis-na /
mgo-dang lus-ni brgyar 'gas-shing /
snying yang-'gas-shing gtubs-gyur-cig /
rul-myags tshig-nas brlag-pa-dang /
dmyal-bar ltung-nas 'bod-par-shog /
—ces 'bangs-su mchi-bar mna'-bor-nas / dkyil-'khor-gyi gdan-du bzhag-go / [33]

Commentary:

[iii. This concerns the acceptance of the proud spirits as subjects.]

[It has four aspects, of which the first is the oath of allegiance which they make as subjects and the offering which they obsequiously make of themselves as seats in the maṇḍala. (It comments on Ch. 15.33):]

Once that miraculous display (of the maṇḍala) had been arrayed, then (de-nas) these (de-dag) proud spirits were terrified. Their bodies trembled greatly (shin-tu 'dar), and (zhing) in fear (bred-pas) with a most lamentable (rab-tu zhum) and fervent howl (nga-ros) they swore an oath that they would become subjects, saying (-ces 'bangs-su mchi-bar mna'-'bor-nas), "Let me be the subject ('bangs-su mchi) of your body. Let me be the subject ('bangs-su mchi) of your speech. If I do not remain an earnest subject ('bangs-su nan-tan ma-bgyis-na) of your mind, tear my heads and body in a hundred pieces (mgo-dang lus-ni brgyar-gshags-shing). Break ('gas) my heart too (snying-yang) into a hundred thousand pieces and cut it up (-shing gtubs gyur-cig). Burn (tshig) my body with fire having cursed it to be putrid and decomposing (rul-myags) and (nas) then cast it away (brlag-pa) in this life. And let me fall Into hell (-dang dmyal-bar lhung-nas) in the next life. "I beseech you ('bod-par shog) to help!" Then (nas) in their respective bodies they took up their positions (bzhag-go) as the seats of the maṇḍala (dkyil-'khor-gyi gdan-du) of the five enlightened families of wrathful deities.

[The second aspect concerns the offering of their retainers, which they make with bowed heads. (It comments on Ch. 15.34):]

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