The concept of Karma and Avidya (internal darkness)

The Goddess is the island city of Suns that removes the internal darkness of man otherwise called Avidya. To the ignorant, She pours out the nectar of consciousness; to the poor, She acts as wish-yielding gem and to those who are fettered by bondage, She acts as the wild Boar that uplifts them from the ocean of worldly fears. 39 The knowledge that helps one to attain supreme bliss is called Aparavidya (esoteric knowledge). The actions of Yaga, 40 Puja, etc. cannot lessen the fruits of Karma; hence there is He who contemplates repetition of births and deaths and rebirths. on Brahman i.e. Tripurasundari and who is beyond the touch of worldly fears can realise the supreme bliss. Aparavidya will be able to awaken Kundalini. 38. T.M.P. Mahadevan, Forward to Garland of Letters, p.vii. 39. 5.L. 2. 40. Vide Concept of Sat in Advaita Vedanta, p. 53. The knower of When Kundalini

- 333 goes to the abode of Siva in the Sahasrara, the Sadhaka will attain supreme bliss. 41 In order to awaken Kundalini, various yogic practices are prescribed in the Yogadarsana, where the six plexuses carry an important role. The body which is a constituent of the five, i.e. five elements, five subtle elements, 5 motor organs, five sense organs, manas, ahankara, citta and buddhi, is having a combination of the seven dhatus, i.e., mamsa, majja, asthi, rakta, etc., and three 42 This body experiences all When Jiva is devoid of Kama, Krodha, Moha, gunas i.e. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. pleasures and pains. lobha, janma, artyu, karpanya, soka, tandra, etc., it becomes 43 Siva. In order to be free from the worries of worldly life, 44 man has to perform exercise on Yoga and Jnana. 45 There are two types of yogins - paripakva and apakva: Yoga means the union of Jivatman with Paramatman caused by the union of paripakvas are those who are matured with Yoga. 41. "Tatah pankajamadhyastan candramadhyagam narayanaman udhyayet sravantamamrtam sada bhidyate hidayagranthih chidyante sarvasamsayah ksiyante ca sya karmani tasmin drste paravare" Yogasikha-upanishad, V. 44-45. 42. "Pancatmakamabhut pingam dhatubaddham gunatmakam sukhaduhkha samayuktam..." Yogasikha-upanishad, 1-8. 43. ibid., 10. 44. ibid., 16. 45. ibid. 25-26.

334- 46 prana with apana and surya with candra. The sadhaka must get seated on padmasana, fix his eyes on the tip of the nose, control hands and feet, contemplate on Omkara, i.e. the bija one gets when Ha and Sa of the Hamsapada are separated and meditate on Brahman. He has to gather force on the fire prevailing in the Muladhara 47 i.e. Kundalini. Kundalini then pierces through the solar plane (on Anahata) and then pierces the Brahmadvara, the opening at the end of the Susumna above Ajnacakra and enters the Sahasrara to consume the ambrosia to attain supreme bliss. 48 When the three granthis of the three planes viz. of Sun, Moon and fire planes, i.e. Rudra, Brahma and Visnu are broken, it comes 49 to be called Sivasakti samyoga or liberation. By the process of the practice of Yoga, man acquires a divine lustre, with a captivating physique. He becomes wellversed in many branches of knowledge. He gets accustomed to 50 mystical and divine powers. It is because of this power that 46. ibid. 68. 47. "Asanam padmakam badhva yaccany adapi rocate nasagre drstimaropya hastapadau ca sanyut au. manah sarvatra samgrhya omkaran tatra cintayet..." Y.S.Up, 1.70. 48. ibid. 75. 49. "Granthitray avibhedanat sivasakti samyoge jayate parama gatih" Y.S.Up.I.116. 50. "Nananadah pravartante mardavam syad kalebaram sarvajno sambhavet kamarup ah pavanavegavan" ibid. 148.

- 335 once, Visnu in the guise of the damsel Mohini, could captivate the mind of Lord Siva, the supreme Lord, by contemplation on the Goddess. 51 is as follows: The form of the Goddess contemplated, now, In the four hands She bears sugarcane bow, arrows of 52 The five arrows represent the five flowers, noose and goad. Tanmatras, bow represents Manas, noose represents raga, goad 53 represents dvesa. The exact posture of these are as follows: Arrows are held in the lower right hand; bow is held in the 54 55 lower left hand; noose is held in the upper left hand and goad in the upper right hand. Most of the gods hold the p postures of Abhaya and Varada (refuge and blessing) with their hands whereas the Goddess bestows these two with Her feet. Her feet bestowing the boons of Abhaya and Varada are indicative of movement (gatyarthaka). It is said that the three meanings indicated by the term gati are jnana (knowledge), gamana (process of movement) and prapti (reaching). These three enable man to attain Brahman which is all-pervading. 51. Saundaryalahari 5. 82. Saundaryalahari 7. 56 53. "Sabdadipancat anmatrah pancapuspabanah manah iksudhanuh ragah pasah Bhavanopanisad 20. 54. "Daksinadhah kare banan vamadhastu sarasanam vamordhve pasamaraktam daksordhve tu snim param" Periyapurana 5. 55. Saundaryalahari4 56. Sarvavedantasiddhanta-sarasamgraha 990.

- 336 The main cause of all fears is Adhyasa (illusion). 57 Atman is attributeless. It cannot have any contact with sentiments, it is not body; but distinct from body and self existant; Brahman is untainted by the attributes that are imposed on Jiva. 58 Because there is egoism in body, there is egoism of Jivatman and hence the feeling, I am doer, I am enjoyer, 59 etc. Only when Jivatman is devoid of Ahamkara (I-ness) and Mamakara (My-ness), supreme bliss can be achieved. This supreme bliss is achieved by contemplation on the Goddess whose dwelling is depicted below. 60 The Goddess is seated on the lap of Paramasiva as Paryanka (carpet). It is spread on the cot of Siva where the four Sivas are supporters. She resides in the mansion made of precious stones of Cintamani which is surrounded by the garden of Nipa trees. This garden is situated in the island of gems where Kalpaka trees are abundant. She dwells is in the ocean of nectar. 61 in The island, which This indicates the position of the Goddess in our body, i.e. above Brahmagranthi, Visnugranthi, Rudragranthi, Isvarasthana (from Ajna to the 57. "Asmatpratyayago care visayini cidatmake..." Brahmasutra-bhashya I.i.l. 58. 59. 60. Brahmasutra-bhashya I.i.12. "Anyonyasmin anyonyatmakatam anyonyadharmamsca adhyasya ahami dan mamedamiti..." Brahmasutra-bhashya I.1.2. "Bhajanti tvam dhanyah katicana cidan andalaharim: Saundaryalahari 8. 61. Saundaryalahari 8.

- 337 centre of skull) and Dvadasanta (abode of Sadasiva). Above these, She is situated as Citsakti. 62 Vamakesvaratantra states this contemplation in the heart lotus - Anahata, where the Goddess resides leaving Muladhara, shining forth like the solar halo having four hands 63 This depiction is a connotation of Her dwelling in the sricakra where Bindusthana is considered as the Sudhasindhu (ocean of nectar). 64 and three eyes. Kameswarasurin in his commentary to the 8 th stanza in Saundaryalahari says that Suravitapi indicates pilgrim resorts; Mani dvipa indicates the shrines fit Cintamani indicates temples studded with for meditation; Cintamani gems; Sudhasindhu indicates the mountains of Himalaya; Sivakaramanca indicates mount Kailasa and Paramasivaparyanka indicates the inseparable existance of Siva along with Sakti. Hence here is an indication of the Caryapada of the Tantras, which is specially intended for the practical application of Tantras in human life. 62. "Pancabrahmasanasthita" Lalita-sahasranama 58 63. "Kulayosit kulam tyaktva param varsan ametya sa sudhabdhau nandano dy ane ratnam and ap amadhyagam..." Vide Vamakeshvara-tantra 64. "Bindusthanam sudhasindhuh" Vide Vamakeshvara-tantra

338 The dwelling of the Goddess indicates the residence Here the body as a whole is 65 of the Goddess in human body. considered as the Navaratnadvipa; the lustre in Him is the Kalpakody ana; the Kalpaka trees are the constituents in human body. In human body She dwells as the Kundalini sakti (primal power) which unites with Paramasiva in the Sahasrara after getting awakened with the help of yogic power. This was pointed out in the first stanza of Saundaryalahari as the Sivasakti samyoga. There are two Sahasraras i.e. Kula and Akula. Kula is the place where Kundalini sakti sleeps and Akula is the place where She meets with Parasambhu. 66 The six cakras situated in between these two are the planes of Kundalini to travel. According to the general concept in Yoga the order of the cakras is as follows: 1. Muladhara 2. Svadhisthana 3. Manipura 4. Anahata 5. Vi suddhi 6. Ajna But here in Saundaryalahari the order is transformed according to the order in creation. Through the practice of Yoga, Kundalini 65. "Deho navaratnadvipah. Tvagadi saptadhaturoma. samkalpah kalpataravah. Tejah kalpakodyanam..." Bhavanopanisad 6-8. 66. "Kulakundalinim nityam vidyudulla sadrkt anum unniyonniya cakresu kramad syandati vaibhavam... Vide Vamakeshvara-tantra 67. See Arunamo dini commentary to Saundaryalahari

339 can be aroused. Yoga can be practised through Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, etc.