Verse 12

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 12:

तन्मध्ये परमा कलातिकुशला सूक्ष्मातिसूक्ष्मा परा
  नित्यानन्द परंपरातिविगलत् पीयूस-धाराधरा ।
ब्रह्माण्डादी कताहमेव सकलंयद्भासया भासते
  सेयं श्री परमेश्वरी विजयते नित्यप्रबोधोदया ॥ १२ ॥

tanmadhye paramā kalātikuśalā sūkṣmātisūkṣmā parā
  nityānanda paraṃparātivigalat pīyūsa-dhārādharā |
brahmāṇḍādī katāhameva sakalaṃyadbhāsayā bhāsate
  seyaṃ śrī parameśvarī vijayate nityaprabodhodayā || 12 ||

Within it^[1] reigns dominant Parā,^[2] the Śrī-Parameśvarī, the Awakener of eternal knowledge. She is the Omnipotent Kala^[3] who is wonderfully skilful to create, and is subtler than the subtlest. She is the receptacle of that continuous stream of ambrosia which flows from the Eternal Bliss. By Her radiance it is that the whole of this Universe and this Cauldron^[4] is illumined.

Commentary by Śrī-Kālīcaraṇa:

He is now speaking of the Staff-like Parā-Śakti, who is like a straight thread above Kuṇḍalinī, who is coiled round Svayaṃbhu-Liṅga. The Śrī-Parameśvarī, whose radiance illumines this Universe^[5] and its cauldron, dwells in the Svayaṃbhu-Liṅga above where Kuṇḍalinī is coiled and holds supreme sway.

“Omnipotent” (Paramā).—She is the Māyā who is able to do that which is impossible.^[6]

“Kalā” is a form of Nāda-Śakti (Kalā Nāda-śakti-rūpā); and is separate from Kuṇḍalinī.^[7]

The Śāktānanda-taraṅgiṇī says: “Kalā is Kuṇḍalinī and She, Siva has said, is Nāda-Śakti.”^[8]

And it has also been elsewhere said: “Above it, meditate in your mind on Cit-kalā united with I (Lakṣmī) who is tapering of shape like the flame of a lamp, and who is one with Kuṇḍalī.”

Cf, Kālikā-Śruti: “Man becomes freed of all sins by meditating upon Kuṇḍalinī as within, above, and below the flame, as Brahmā, as Siva, as Sūra,^[9] and as Parameśvara Himself; as Viṣṇu, as Prāṇa, as Kālāgni,^[10] and as Candra.”^[11]

By “within the flame” is meant the excellent Kāla (=Nāda-rūpā) above Kuṇḍalinī’s threefold coil. This is what has been said by the author of the Lalitā-rahasya.

“She (Parā) is wonderfully skilful to create” (Ati-kuśala)—i.e., She it is who possesses the wonderful skill and power of creation.

“She is the receptacle of that continuous stream of ambrosia flowing from Eternal Bliss (Brahman)” (Nityānanda-paraṃ-parātivigalat-pīyūṣa-dhārādharā).—By Eternal Bliss (Nityānanda) is meant the Nirguṇa or attributeless Brahman. Paraṃpara means “connected step by step”. From Nityānanda, which is Nirguṇa-Brahman, there arises (in Its aspect as) Saguṇa-Brahman; from Saguṇa-Brahman, Śakti; from Śakti, Nāda, from Nāda, Bindu; and from Bindu, Kuṇḍalinī.^[12] Cit-kalā is another form of Kuṇḍalinī. It is thus that the ambrosia comes step by step to Parameśvarī, the Cit-kala. She is Nityānanda-paraṃparā—that is, She belongs to the chain of emanation from Nityānanda downwards; and She is Ativigalat- pīyūṣa-dhāradharā—that is, She is the receptacle of the stream of ambrosia which flows copiously from Nityānanda.^[13]

This compound word may be interpreted to mean that She holds the copious flow of ambrosia caused by her union with the Brahman. From Nityānanda this nectar comes to Para-Bindu, and passes through the Ājñā-Cakra, Viśuddha-Cakra, etc., till it reaches the Mūlādhāra, and this nectar is that of which She is the receptacle. To interpret it to mean this, the entire word is read as one.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Svayaṃbhu-Liṅga, round which Kuṇḍalī is coiled.

[2]:

According to Śaṃkara, Parā is in Kuṇḍalinī. She is called Brahmāṇī by Viśvanātha who quotes the Svacchanda-saṃgraha. In Kuṇḍalinī is the Parā state of Śabda.

[3]:

Vide post.

[4]:

Kaṭāha—that is, the lower half of the Brahmāṇḍa, and as such cauldron-shaped.

[5]:

Brahmāṇḍa—egg of Brahmā.

[6]:

So the Devī-Purāṇa (Ch. XLV), speaking of this power of the Supreme, says:

vicitra-kāryakāraṇā cintitāti-phalapradā,
svapnendrajālavalloke māyā tena prakīrtitā.

Paramā may also mean Paraṃ mīyate anayā iti Paramā—She by whom the Supreme “is measured,” in the sense (for the Supreme is immeasurable) that she who is one with the Supreme, is formative activity. See Introduction. Viśvanātha, quoting an unnamed Tantra, says that this Māyā is within Kuṇḍalinī, and this Paramā is Paramātma- svarūpā.

[7]:

Kuṇḍalinyabheda-śarīriṇī.

[8]:

Nāda-Śakti = Śakti as Nāda.

[9]:

Sūra=Sūrya, or Sun.

[10]:

The fire which destroys all things at the time of dissolution (pralaya).

[11]:

Moon.

[12]:

See Introduction.

[13]:

That is, if the compound be read in two sections—viz., Nityānanda- paraṃparā, and then separately, Ativigalatpīyūṣadhārā. The translation adopted in the text is that which is referred to in the paragraph which follows.