Verse 263-265 [Sādhakas surrender at Śakti’s feet]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English commentary of verse 263-265:

ज्योतिषाम्ब शिखयापहन्यते पुंसि चैतसिकमुद्धतं तमः ।
यत्पथप्रथनलक्ष्मपुङ्खितं तत्त्वमेव शिवशक्तिरप्यसि ॥ २६३ ॥
निह्नुतोदितशतार्कदीधितिश्छन्नचन्द्रशतलक्ष्मचन्द्रिकम् ।
त्वं बिभर्षि वपुरम्ब भात्मकं तत्प्रवेश्य कुरु मामनामयम् ॥ २६४ ॥
त्वं कुलाख्यशशिभानुपावके भ्राजमानकरणात्मनायिके ।
संस्मृतासि मुनिचित्तमण्डपे अद्य मे कुरु तवाङ्घ्रिसंश्रयम् ॥ २६५ ॥

jyotiṣāmba śikhayāpahanyate puṃsi caitasikamuddhataṃ tamaḥ |
yatpathaprathanalakṣmapuṅkhitaṃ tattvameva śivaśaktirapyasi || 263 ||
nihnutoditaśatārkadīdhitiśchannacandraśatalakṣmacandrikam |
tvaṃ bibharṣi vapuramba bhātmakaṃ tatpraveśya kuru māmanāmayam || 264 ||
tvaṃ kulākhyaśaśibhānupāvake bhrājamānakaraṇātmanāyike |
saṃsmṛtāsi municittamaṇḍape adya me kuru tavāṅghrisaṃśrayam || 265 ||

Comparative analysis of commentaries and excerpts in English:

Śakti destroys the Tāmasic mental ignorance

Tamas, which resides in the Jīvas as their mental condition in the form of arrogance or pride, is driven away by the flames of fire or rays of brilliance emenating from Kāli. The Equal-status of Śiva and Śakti as stated above is the ultimate purpose of each living being. Kulamārga of worship is once again reiterated for attainment of the highest knowledge.

Wonder of Śakti’s Brilliance

Śakti shines as the brilliance, which equals that of abundant number of moons, which receive their brilliance in turn, from abundant number of Suns, in an indirect manner. She also endows bliss in abundance. The author pleads Kāli to lead him to such form of Śakti, after removing his suffering in the form of vicious cycle of birth and death, thus granting him the wish of being non-different from Kāli.

Sādhakas surrender at Śakti’s feet

Śakti is always meditated upon by the sādhakas following Sākta and Śaiva darśanas within their hearts. They know Śakti to be the Kula, who purifies even the Sūrya, Candra and Agni. She is the mistress of the thirteen means of knowledge—Jñāna and Karmendriyas (10), Antaḥkaraṇa (Buddhi, Manas and Ahaṅkāra) and also the Ātma (spirit). Sādhakas, who realise Śakti in and through every element of creation as the Ultimate source,^[1] are subject to her grace.

Notes and Sanskrit references:

[1] Cf. [Kramaprakāśikā] p182 [Cidgaganacandrikā] 265.—

saṃvido'varohakrame sā sarvaprathamaṃ prāṇātmanā pariṇatā, paścācca jñānakarmendriyarūpatayā pariṇāme pṛthivītattvaparyantasya sarvasyāpi viśvasya nāyikā tvaṃ suprasiddhyati, sarve hi devadānavakavidārśanikā nāmabhedena paratattvaṃ smarantyeva |

yathoktaṃ bhaktistotre'vadhūtasiddhena—
tīrthakriyāvyasaninaḥ svamanīṣikābhi- rutprekṣaya tattvamiti yadyadamī vadanti |
tattat tvameva bhavato'sti na kiñcidanyat saṃjñāsu kevalamayaṃ viduṣāṃ vivādaḥ || iti |