Verse 41

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 41:

समास्ते तस्यान्तः शशपरिरहितः शुद्धसंपूर्णचन्द्रः
  स्फुरज्ज्योत्स्नाजलः परमरसचयस्निग्धसंतानहासी
त्रिकोणं तस्यान्तः स्फुरति च सततं विड्युदाकाररूपं ।
  तदन्तःसून्यं तत्सकल-सुरगणैः सेवितं चातिगुप्तं ॥ ४१ ॥

samāste tasyāntaḥ śaśaparirahitaḥ śuddhasaṃpūrṇacandraḥ
  sphurajjyotsnājalaḥ paramarasacayasnigdhasaṃtānahāsī
trikoṇaṃ tasyāntaḥ sphurati ca satataṃ viḍyudākārarūpaṃ |
  tadantaḥsūnyaṃ tatsakala-suragaṇaiḥ sevitaṃ cātiguptaṃ || 41 ||

Within it (Sahasrāra) is the full Moon, without the mark of the hare,^[1] resplendent as in a clear sky. It sheds its rays in profusion, and is moist and cool like nectar. Inside it (Candra-maṇḍala), constantly shining like lightning, is the Triangle^[2] and inside this, again, shines the Great Void^[3] which is served in secret by all the Suras.^[4]

Commentary by Śrī-Kālīcaraṇa:

He here speaks of the existence of the Candra-maṇḍala in the pericarp of the Sahasrāra.

“Resplendent as in a dear sky” (Śuddha)—seen in a cloudless sky (nirmalo-daya-viśiṣṭa).

“Is moist and cool” etc. (Parama-rasa-cāya-snigdha-santāna-hāsī).

—Snigdha which means moist here implies the moisture of the nectar.

Parama-rasa (Amṛta) is free from heat. Hence the meaning of this compound word: Its rays are cool and moist, and produce a feeling of smiling gladness.

The Kaṅkāla-mālinī speaks of the presence of Antarātmā, etc., in the upper portion of the space below Candra-maṇḍala. In dealing with the Sahasrāra, it says: “In its pericarp, O Deveśī, is the Antarātmā. Above it is the Guru. The Maṇḍalas of Sūrya and Candra are also there. Above this is Mahā-vāyu, and then the Brahmarandhra. In this aperture (Randhra) is Visarga, the ever blissful Brahman. Above this (Tadūrdhve) last is the Devi Śaṅkhinī, who creates, maintains, and destroys.”

“Within Candra-mandala constantly shims, like lightning_} the triangle” (Trikoṇaṃ tasyāntāḥ vidyudākāra-rūpam).—That is, the shining triangle is there.

“Inside this shines the Great Void” (Tadantaḥ śūnyaṃ sphurati).—That which as a void within is, the body of the Para-bindu (Para-bindu- śarīraṃ). Within the triangle the excellent Bindu (Śūnya) shines, or within the triangle the Śūnya which is the excellent Bindu shines.

Cf. Toḍala-Tantra, 6th Ullāsa: “The Supreme Light is formless (Nirākāra), and Bindu is imperishable. Bindu means the void (Śūnya) and implies Guṇa also.”^[5]

“Served in secret” (Sevitaṃ cātiguptaṃ).—The rule is, “Eating; (Āhāra), evacuation (Nirhāra), sexual intercourse (Vihāra), and Yoga, should be done in secret by him who knows the Dharma.” Hence Suras (Devas) serve or worship It in secret.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The man in the moon.

[2]:

The A-ka-thādi triangle according to Viśvanātha.

[3]:

Śūnya=Bindu—that is, the Para-bindu, or Īśvara, having as its centre the abode of Brahman (Brahmapada). In the northern Śaiva and Śākta schools Sadāśiva and Īśvara are the Nimeṣa and Unmeṣa aspects of the experience intermediate between Śiva-Tattva and Śuddha-vidyā, the former being called Śūnyātiśunya. The positions of the Sun and Moon circles in the Śahasrāra and of the twelve-petalled lotus with the Kāmakalā are given in the Text.

[4]:

Devas.

[5]:

When it assumes the form of Bindu, It is with the operating Guṇas, or then It is Sakala.