Varahi Tantra (English Study)
by Roberta Pamio | 2014 | 29,726 words
This English essay studies the Varahi Tantra and introduces the reader to the literature and philosophy of the Shakta Tradition to which this text belongs. These Shakta Tantras are doctrines where the Mother Goddess is conceived as the Supreme deity who is immanent and transcendental at the same time. The Varahitantra (lit. the "Doctrine of th...
Chapter 28 - Durgāpūjā (the worship of Durgā)
This chapter speaks about Durgāpūjā, similar to the exposition made by Vidyāpati in his compilation called Durgābhaktitaraṅginī (Du.Bh.T.).[1]
It opens with Bhairava naming the Sixteen Mātṛkās, who are Vārāhī, Nīlakālī, Gaurī, Padmā, Śacī, Medhā, Sāvitrī, Vijayā, Jayā, Devasenā, Svadhā, Svāhā, Hṛṣṭi (Sṛṣṭi?), Puṣṭi, Tuṣṭi and Ātmakuladevatā (vv.1-3’).[2]
Verses 3"-11’ describe Caṇḍikā: she has braided and ornamented hair wound around her head, with a digit of the moon facing downwards; she wears earrings of gems, a crown, a garland of ever-fragrant lotuses and a yellow dress. With her right hands she carries a śūla, a vajra, a bāṇa, a khaḍga and a śakti, while with her left ones she holds a gadā (club), a ghaṇṭā, a cāpa, a carma and a śaṅkha. She seats on a tiger skin on the top of a lion.
Verses 11"-15’ portray Cāmuṇḍā: she is blue as the petals of a blue utpala flower and she has four arms; with her right hands she holds a khaṭvāṅga and a candrahāsa (a glittering scimitar), while with her left ones she carries a carma and a pāśa; she wears a garland of severed heads and a tiger skin; she is emaciated, with long teeth, a rolling tongue and red eyes; she seats on a headless corpse.
Verses 15"-85’ explain how to perform Durgāpūjā.
Verses 85"-89’ describe the Durgāpūjā of one fortnight, starting from the ninth lunar day of the waning moon of the month of Āśvina (āśvinakṛṣnanavamī) until the tenth lunar day of the crescent moon of the same month (āśvinaśukladaśamī).
Verses 89"-104 speak about the Durgāpūjā of nine nights (navarātri), starting from the first lunar day of the crescent moon of the month of Āśvina.
Verses 105-113 tell about the Durgāpūjā which starts from the sixth lunar day of crescent moon of the month of Āśvina.
Verses 114-118 tell about the Durgāpūjā starting from the seventh lunar day of the crescent moon of the month of Āśvina.
Verses 119-127’ speak about the importance of the tithis (lunar days) in the Durgāpūjā, in particular of aṣṭamī (the eighth lunar day) and navamī (the ninth lunar day).
In verses 117"-135’ are given the rules of kalaśasthāpana ("installation of the jar"), on the occasion of the first day of Navarātri.
The chapter concludes by telling of the rituals to perform in saptami, mahāṣṭamī and navamī (vv. 135"-165).
Footnotes and references:
[2]:
These verses are absent in the Du.Bh.T.