Cidgaganacandrika (study)
by S. Mahalakshmi | 2017 | 83,507 words
Cidgaganacandrika 217-218 [Omnipresence of Shakti’s shine in everything], English comparative study extracted from the two available commentaries—the Divyacakorika and the Kramaprakashika. The Cidgagana-candrika is an important Tantric work belonging to the Krama system of Kashmir Shaivism. Written by Kalidasa (Shrivatsa) in 312 Sanskrit verses, it deals with the knowledge regarding both the Macrocosmic and Microcosmic phenomena
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Verse 217-218 [Omnipresence of Śakti’s shine in everything]
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English commentary of verse 217-218:
तत्र ते सदसदर्थशून्यता निर्वृतिर्जयति यत्र विश्रमः ।
मातृतत्करणगोचरोज्झिता काल्यकालमनु तल्लयोऽस्तु मे ॥ २१७ ॥
क्षेपमम्ब वितनोति संख्यया तद्ग्रहश्च सहसा परत्रये ।
अक्रमः स खलु काल ईश्वरे प्रत्यमुष्य भवती च काल्यसौ ॥ २१८ ॥tatra te sadasadarthaśūnyatā nirvṛtirjayati yatra viśramaḥ |
mātṛtatkaraṇagocarojjhitā kālyakālamanu tallayo'stu me || 217 ||
kṣepamamba vitanoti saṃkhyayā tadgrahaśca sahasā paratraye |
akramaḥ sa khalu kāla īśvare pratyamuṣya bhavatī ca kālyasau || 218 ||
Comparative analysis of commentaries and excerpts in English:
Omnipresence of Śakti’s shine in everything
Śakti bears in her womb, Agni, whose form is (Saptaśikhā) only flames. Three shining objects Agni, Sūrya and Candra are significant in the world. Candra gets his shine from Sūrya so he is not reckoned. Sūrya submits his heat to Agni while setting, in the evening. Both of them alternatively produce light day and night. But Śakti illuminates everything all the time[1].
Retracing the path of Tattvas to reach Sūnyatā
Every human born in Jagat is endowed with intelligence assisted by thirteen faculties (daśa indriyas, Buddhi, Manas and Ahaṅkāra). The objects of knowledge, which attract their attention, have to be discarded to reach that abode of Śakti which is Vacuum (Sūnyata). Retracting from worldly activities towards the very source of their being, brings forth endless bliss. This is the abode of Cidānanda, where all three—Icchā, Jñāna, Kriyā-Śaktis are merged with Citśakti. This is the ultimate goal of one’s existence. Kāla consumes the entire Jagat in Pralaya with one’s respective Prārabhda karmas. Kālya who are non-different from Kāla, are gracious to Jīvas, who leave their bodies after the enjoyments of karmaphala. Sādhaka can attain this state while he is alive by the worship of Kāli by retracing the path of Tattvas.
Notes and Sanskrit references:
[1] Cf. [Kramaprakāśikā] p 147 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 218.—
saṃkhyā vikalpastayā, “ayaṃ mattaḥ pṛthak syāt” iti saṃkalpātmakaḥ śabda eva vikalpaḥ ||