Verse 17

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 17:

अत्रैव भाति सततं खलु राकिणी सा नीलांबुजोदरसहोदरकान्तिशोभा ।
नानायुधोद्यतकरैर्लसिताङ्गलक्ष्मीर्दिव्यांबराभरणभूषितमत्तचित्ता ॥ १७ ॥

atraiva bhāti satataṃ khalu rākiṇī sā nīlāṃbujodarasahodarakāntiśobhā |
nānāyudhodyatakarairlasitāṅgalakṣmīrdivyāṃbarābharaṇabhūṣitamattacittā || 17 ||

It is here that Rākiṇī always dwells.^[1] She is of the colour of a blue lotus.^[2] The beauty of Her body is enhanced by Her uplifted arms holding various weapons. She is dressed in celestial raiment and ornaments, and Her mind is exalted^[3] with the drinking of ambrosia.

Commentary by Śrī-Kālīcaraṇa:

In this Śloka the Author speaks of the presence of Rākiṇī in the Svādhiṣṭhāna.

Cf. Rākiṇī-dhyāna elsewhere: “Meditate on Rākiṇī, who is blue of colour (Śyāma). In Her hands are a spear,^[4] a lotus, a drum^[5] and a sharp battle-axe.^[6] She is of furious aspect. Her three eyes are red, and Her teeth^[7] show fiercely. She, the Shining Devī of Devas, is seated on a double lotus, and from one of Her nostrils there flows a streak of blood.^[8] She is fond of white rice,^[9] and grants the wished-for boon.”

As Rākiṇī is within another lotus^[10] in this Lotus, therefore should the six Śaktis everywhere be understood to be in a red lotus as in the Mūlādhāra.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Dwells (Bhāti): the Sanskrit word literally means “shines”—‘here’ that is, in the Svādhiṣṭhāna.

[2]:

Of the colour of a blue lotus (Nīlāmbujoddara-sahodarakānti-śobha); lit., Her radiant beauty equals the interior of the blue lotus.

[3]:

Matta-cittā; for she drinks the nectar which drops from Sahasrāra. She is exalted with the divine energy which infuses Her.

[4]:

Śūla.

[5]:

Ḍamaru.

[6]:

Ṭaṅka.

[7]:

Daṃṣṭra—i.e., She has long projecting teeth.

[8]:

Rakta-dhāraika-nāsāṃ. The Saubhāgyaratnākara has Rakta- dhātveka-nāthāṃ, that is, she who is the Lord of Raktadhātu.

[9]:

Śuklānna.

[10]:

There is another smaller Lotus in each of the main lotuses on which the Śakti sits.