Verse 247-253 [Twelve Śaktis]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English commentary of verse 247-253:

यः श्मशान इह भूतघस्मरे रज्यतेऽम्ब करवीरनामनि ।
ग्राहकं ग्रससि तं श्रुतं महाकालमप्यसुहुताशदुर्ग्रहा ॥ २४७ ॥
दिक्चरी दशसु दिक्षु या बहिस्तत्तदिन्द्रियमयीषु जृम्भते ।
अन्तरम्ब करणत्रये च या खेचरी गलसि ते च त्वत्प्रिये ॥ २४८ ॥
त्वष्टुरम्ब शिवबोधभास्वतः सृष्टितः प्रभृति या मरीचयः ।
द्वादशक्रमपदत्रयोर्ध्वगास्तासु संचरसि वा त्रयोदशी ॥ २४९ ॥
सक्रमाक्रमविमिश्रभावतस्त्वत्क्रमस्त्रितयचारुवीक्षणः ।
तुर्यरश्मिगुणविक्रमैकभूस्त्वं क्रमत्रिगुणभीमकाल्यसि ॥ २५० ॥
यत्र कालि दश ते कराः स्थिता द्वे च यान्त्युदयमप्यमूर्यतः ।
तन्नभः श्रयसि सर्वतः परं त्वं प्रकाशशिवचन्द्रिका सती ॥ २५१ ॥
शान्तमम्ब यदभिन्नमम्बरं यत् प्रकाशघनमप्यपोह्येते ।
यद् द्वयोभयपदातिरोचनाद् यत्र मुक्तनिकरो निलीयसे ॥ २५२ ॥
त्वं पदत्रितयगर्भितोदयं निर्व्यपोहमुपगुह्य शङ्करम् ।
ऐकरस्यलसदक्षयप्रथं नादमुद्वमसि सर्वतः शिवे ॥ २५३ ॥

yaḥ śmaśāna iha bhūtaghasmare rajyate'mba karavīranāmani |
grāhakaṃ grasasi taṃ śrutaṃ mahākālamapyasuhutāśadurgrahā || 247 ||
dikcarī daśasu dikṣu yā bahistattadindriyamayīṣu jṛmbhate |
antaramba karaṇatraye ca yā khecarī galasi te ca tvatpriye || 248 ||
tvaṣṭuramba śivabodhabhāsvataḥ sṛṣṭitaḥ prabhṛti yā marīcayaḥ |
dvādaśakramapadatrayordhvagāstāsu saṃcarasi vā trayodaśī || 249 ||
sakramākramavimiśrabhāvatastvatkramastritayacāruvīkṣaṇaḥ |
turyaraśmiguṇavikramaikabhūstvaṃ kramatriguṇabhīmakālyasi || 250 ||
yatra kāli daśa te karāḥ sthitā dve ca yāntyudayamapyamūryataḥ |
tannabhaḥ śrayasi sarvataḥ paraṃ tvaṃ prakāśaśivacandrikā satī || 251 ||
śāntamamba yadabhinnamambaraṃ yat prakāśaghanamapyapohyete |
yad dvayobhayapadātirocanād yatra muktanikaro nilīyase || 252 ||
tvaṃ padatritayagarbhitodayaṃ nirvyapohamupaguhya śaṅkaram |
aikarasyalasadakṣayaprathaṃ nādamudvamasi sarvataḥ śive || 253 ||

Comparative analysis of commentaries and excerpts in English:

Help of Retinue of Śakti by consuming the Triputī

In the empirical world the retinue of twelve Śaktis , first consumes the objects of cognition. Then the cognition stored in Buddhi is also dispelled by them. Ultimately the Cogniser is also led towards the Paramārtha, the source of their creation. Triputīśakti also attains Laya in Śiva, assisted by her retinue. In the Laya krama, Meya (measurable) is enfolded into Miti (True knowledge); Miti subsumed into Mātā (Knower). Means of cognition are the inner states and their Laya does not occur. Śakti as Buddhi exists at the end as the Ultimate means of cognition^[1]. Kriyā Śakti enfolds into Jñāna Śakti. Jñāna Śakti gets absorbed in Icchā Śakti, which is the cause of the mutitude of Manifestation. Icchā Śakti is Kāli (Vimarśa).

Mahākāla is drawn into Kāli Herself, in Pralaya

The crematorium of all the empirical beings in the real world is called the Karavīra. Mahākāla is the ruler of this śmaśāna. Even Prāṇāgni is incapable of consuming this form. Śakti dissipates Him in herself (Karavīra śmaśāna), in the light of withdrawing entire manifestation into her.

Saṃhārakrama of Dikcarī and Khecarī

Dikcarī as the name implies, moves in the form of ten indriyas, plying in all the ten directions (east, south, west, north, southeast, southwest, northwest, northeast, beneath and loftier). She intends to unfold the objects of cognition. In the Antaḥkaraṇa (Ahaṅkāra, Buddhi and Manas) rules Khecarī. Both of them are dear to Śakti, who swallows them also. Krama is the making of Kāla. Kāla is ever ready to consume and hence the significance of Saṃhāra.

Samvitrūpā Śakti is Kāli

Śiva—the Sūrya who awakens, is called Tvaṣṭā, as he is the initiator in Sṛṣṭi. His rays right from Sṛṣṭi, continuously carry out their functions in their twelve counts. Their functioning exceeds the three stages of emanation viz., Sṛṣṭi, Sthiti and Saṃhāra, to the higher stage in their consolidated form. This Śakti is called Trayodaśi, who is the controller of these rays.

Anākhyakrama-Bhīmakāli

The state of co-existence of Krama and Akrama is called Sakrama, which is Anākhya krama^[2]. This is the fourth state, which differs from the other three viz., Sṛṣṭi, Sthiti and Saṃhāra, in the sense that there is no particular krama for this state. The beauty of this krama is that, it acquires the status of Samvit, due to transcendence of any krama. Bhimakāli is the core of this Anākhya krama. The fourth Kālasaṅkarṣiṇi Śakti, in classification of Parā, Aparā, etc., who dwells in the Highest abode, in no time, shows her presence in the entire krama^[3]. Krama is of the nature of semblance and destruction in the Three states—Sṛṣṭi etc., But Akrama is illuminating all of them at the same time.

Śiva-Candra and Śakti—the luminance in Cidākāśa

In Anākhya state, Śakti’s twelve rays rise. She appears as moonshine of Prakāśaśiva-Candra dwelling in the highest abode cidākāśa. She is in union with Śiva in her place.

Omni-potency of Śakti in Cidākāśa

The highest Cidākāśa is peaceful, without any parts, without projection, without differences and is the Absolute oneness. Even the solidity of Bindu is removed there. But Śakti conceals in herself the Nāda (Śabdanasvabhāva) and Bīja (vikalpadaśā) and is in potent form even at this state. Omni-potency of Śakti is beyond the Sakala and Niṣkala stages.

Notes and Sanskrit references:

[1] [Kramaprakāśikā] p 171 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 250.—

anākhyakrame kramākramayorvimiśrabhāva evāvatiṣṭhate | taduktaṃ viveke -
kramatrayāṇāṃ yaccaṃkra ghoraghorataraṃ mahat |
kālarūpaṃ marīcyādyaṃ tvāṣṭraṃ kalpāntakāntagam ||
ācarettu mahācāracāturyeṇaiva tatra ca |
yā kalā ghoraghorogrā tasyāḥ sā turyagā śivā || (ā. 4, pṛ. 190)

[2] Cf. [Kramaprakāśikā] p 171 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 250.—

kālakarṣiṇī | sā'pi paramabhūmisthitā haṭhāt kṛtsnaṃ kramamadhiṣṭhāya samujjṛmbhate | yathoktaṃ viveke - śrīmatsadāśivapade'pi mahograkālī bhīmotkaṭabhruku ṭireṣyati bhaṅgabhūmiḥ | ityākalayya paramāṃ sthitimetya kāla- saṃkarṣiṇīṃ bhagavatīṃ haṭhato'dhitiṣṭhet || ā. 4, pṛ 193)

jñānagarbhastotre sādṛśyadyotako'yaṃ śloko yathā - kramatrayasamāśrayavyatikareṇa yā saṃtataṃ kramatritayalaṅghanaṃ vidadhatī vibhātyuccaikaḥ | kramaikavapurakramaprṛkatireva yā śobhate karomi hṛdi tāmahaṃ bhagavatīṃ parāṃ saṃvidam ||

[3] Cf. [Kramaprakāśikā] p 173 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 253.—

nādaṃ naisargikadhvanirūpaṃ sarvasmin prāṇisamūhe antaḥsthitaṃ nādaṃ bahimarkhuṃ kṣipasi | nādasya sāṃsiddhikatvaṃ tantrāloke -nāsyoccārayitā kaścit pratihantā na vidyate | svayamuccarate devi prāṇināmurasi sthitaḥ || yo'sau nādātmakaḥ śabdaḥ sarvaprāṇiṣvavasthitaḥ | adhaūrdhvavibhāgena niṣkriyeṇāvaviṣṭhate || sarva eva parāmarśarāśistatsphārasāra eveti tātparyam ||