{"collection":"tantra","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/tantra/htk/htk07.htm","path":"tantra/htk/htk07.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/tantra/htk/htk07.htm","text":"Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922]\nO K\u0100LIK\u0100, O auspicious K\u0101lik\u0101 1 with dishevelled hair, 2 from the corners of whose mouth two streams of blood trickle, 3 they who recite another doubled B\u012bja of Thine composed of \u012a\u015ba, 4 Vai\u015bv\u0101nara, 5 V\u0101manetra, 6 and the lustrous Bindu, 7 destroy all their enemies, and bring under their subjection the three worlds. 8\nCOMMENTARY\n'K\u0101lik\u0101'\nKa is Brahm\u0101, A is Ananta, La is \u0100tm\u0101 of the universe, I is subtle, Ka is Brahm\u0101, A is Ananta. (Tantr\u0101bhid\u0101na). Thus it is said that Mah\u0101dev\u012b is the subtle, beginningless and endless \u0100tm\u0101 of the universe. 'Thou who art Brahman without beginning or end.' In the Asit\u0101stotra in the Adbhutar\u0101m\u0101ya\u1e47a \u015ar\u012b Rama says, 'I bow to that Thine aspect which is Puru\u1e63a without beginning and end, the unmanifest K\u016btastha superior (to Thine aspect) as Prak\u1e5bti, the \u0100tm\u0101 of the universe appearing in multiple and differing forms.'\n[Durg\u0101r\u0101ma-Siddh\u0101ntav\u0101g\u012b\u015ba derives the word K\u0101lik\u0101 as follows:\u2014He who dissolves (Kalayati) the world is (K\u0101la or \u015aiva). And She who shines (D\u012bvyati) that is plays (Kr\u012bdati) with Him is K\u0101lika K\u0101la + ikan + \u0101 = K\u0101lik\u0101.]\n'With dishevelled hair' (Vigalitacikure)\nThat is one who is free from all Vik\u0101ras such as the passion for arranging the hair and so forth.\n'Streams of blood' (Asradh\u016br\u0101)\nThis blood indicates (the red) Rajas Gu\u1e47a. Mah\u0101dev\u012b is without that for She is \u015auddha-sattva-gu\u1e47a.\n'Recite' (Japati)\nMeditate upon.\nOf dual aspect (Dvandva\u1e41)\nThe B\u012bj\u0101 Hr\u012b\u1e41 is both \u015aiva and \u015aakti. In the Dev\u012bg\u012bt\u0101 Mah\u0101dev\u012b says, 'H is the gross body, R is the subtle body, I is the causal body. I am Hr\u012b\u1e41 the Tur\u012bya.'\n'\u012a\u015ba'\nWho is the aspect of subtle B\u012bja.\n'Vai\u015bv\u0101nara'\nWhich is full of Tejas.\n'V\u0101manetra'\nThat is, with M\u0101y\u0101 consisting of pure Sattva-Gu\u1e47a.\n'Indu'\nThis is, the \u015aakti which gives immortality.\n'Three syllabled Dak\u1e63i\u1e47\u0101'\nDak\u1e63i\u1e47e is Dak\u1e63in\u0101 in the vocative, and the latter is the Saccid\u0101nanda aspect which grants Kaivalya and is indicated, by the three-syllabled Mantra. Nirv\u0101\u1e47a-Tantra says, 'The Sun's son (Death) is established in the south (Dak\u1e63i\u1e47a). The name of K\u0101l\u012b makes him flee in all directions with fear. Hence She is called Dak\u1e63i\u1e47a in three worlds.' K\u0101m\u0101khy\u0101-Tantra says, 'Just as guerdon (Dak\u1e63\u012b\u1e47a) given at the end of rite, causes it to be fruitful and gives Liberation, so this Dev\u012b grants the fruit of all Karma and hence She is called Dak\u1e63i\u1e47a-K\u0101l\u012b.' The same Tantra also says, 'Puru\u1e63a is on the right (Dak\u1e63i\u1e47a) and \u015aakti on the left. The left conquers the right and becomes the grantor of great Liberation. Hence She is called Dak\u1e63i\u1e47ak\u0101l\u012b in the three worlds.'\n[Durg\u0101r\u0101ma construes these words as follows: Dak\u1e63i\u1e47e tryak\u1e63are ati (by Sa\u1e41dhi tryak\u1e63are\u2019ti) that is Dak\u1e63i\u1e47e ati tryak\u1e63are. As Upasargas can shift their position 'ati' has been placed in the verse after Tryakshare. Atitryakshare is the vocative of Atitryak\u1e63ar\u0101. Atitryak\u1e63ar\u0101 means Atikr\u0101ntah (Adhahk\u1e5btah or placed under) Tryak\u1e63arah (\u015aiva) yay\u0101 (by whom) She: that is, She who has placed \u015aiva under Her. The whole then means 'Oh Dakshi\u1e47a who dost stand on \u015aiva.' Tryak\u1e63ara literally means the three lettered one which is the Pra\u1e47ava (O\u1e41) and is used for \u015aiva. The Mahi\u1e41nastotra\n[paragraph continues] (see 'Greatness of \u015aiva' Ed. A. Avalon) calls \u015aiva 'O\u1e41' and another Stotra calls Him Tryak\u1e63aramaya.\nThe same commentator then says that there is a different reading for Dakshi\u1e47e tryak\u1e63areti, namely, Dakshi\u1e47e K\u0101liketi which he explains in two ways (a) Dakshi\u1e47e K\u0101like\u2019ti = Dakshi\u1e47e K\u0101like ati = Dakshi\u1e47e atik\u0101like. The last word is the vocative of Atik\u0101lik\u0101 which means Atikr\u0101nt\u0101 (Sad\u1e5b\u015b\u012bkrit\u0101, made similar to) K\u0101lik\u0101 (Meghaj\u0101la\u1e41; a bank of cloud) yay\u0101 (by whom) She\u2014that is, She who looks like a bank of cloud; the whole then meaning 'Oh Dakshi\u1e47\u0101 who hast the appearance of a bank of clouds' (b) Dak\u1e63i\u1e47e K\u0101liketi = Dak\u1e63ine K\u0101like iti which means Oh Dak\u1e63i\u1e47\u0101 K\u0101lik\u0101. The word 'iti' is Svar\u016bp\u0101rthaka that is simply indicates that She is addressed as Dak\u1e63i\u1e47\u0101 K\u0101lik\u0101. Examples of the elision of 'I' after 'E' in Sa\u1e41dhi are \u015aakuntaleti and Meghaj\u0101le\u2019pi K\u0101liketi.]\n50:1 p. 52 The Dev\u012b. See Mah\u0101nirv\u0101\u1e47a-Tantra, chap. xiii and chap. iv, verse 31: 'At the dissolution of things it is K\u0101la who will devour all, and by reason of this He is called Mah\u0101k\u0101la; and since Thou devourest Mah\u0101k\u0101la Himself, it is Thou who art the supreme primordial K\u0101lik\u0101'.\nK\u0101lik\u0101 is Brahmar\u016bpi\u1e47\u012b (V).\n50:2 Vigalitacikure, as is the worshipped n\u0101yik\u0101. See post.\n50:3 S\u1e5bkkadvandv\u0101sradh\u0101r\u0101dvayadharavadane. K\u0101l\u012b is so represented as having devoured the flesh of the demons. The Mah\u0101nirv\u0101\u1e47a-Tantra, chap. xiii, verse 9, says: 'As She devours all existence, as She chews all things existing with Her fierce teeth, therefore, a mass of blood is imagined to be the apparel of the Queen of the Devas.' Esoterically blood is Rajas Gu\u1e47a.\n50:4 That is, Ha, as to which see K\u0101madhenu-Tantra, chap. ii; and Pr\u0101nato\u1e63in\u012b, 53 et seq.\n50:5 Lord of Fire, whose B\u012bja is Ra.\n50:6 'Left eye,' or fourth vowel long \u012b.\n50:7 N\u0101da-bindu; the B\u012bja is thus H + r + \u012b + m = Hr\u012b\u1e41 Hr\u012b\u1e41. In Svatantra-Tantra Ha (Vyo\u1e43a) is said to denote manifestation; Ra (Vahni) is involution; and \u012a maintenance of the worlds.\n50:8 The earth, upper and nether worlds (see Vi\u015bvas\u0101ra-Tantra and Phetk\u0101ri\u1e47\u012b-Tantra). Tribhuvana\u1e41, that is Devas, Men, N\u0101gas and so forth inhabiting Svarga (Heaven), Martya (Earth) and P\u0101t\u0101la (Nether world) (V).","title":"Hymn to Kali: Text: Verse 3","type":"page"}