{"collection":"tantra","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/tantra/htk/htk16.htm","path":"tantra/htk/htk16.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/tantra/htk/htk16.htm","text":"Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922]\nO MOTHER, Thou givest birth to and protectest the world, and at the time of dissolution dost withdraw to Thyself 1 the earth and all things; therefore Thou art Brahm\u0101, and the Lord of the three worlds, the Spouse of \u015ar\u012b, 2 and Mahe\u015ba, 3 and all other beings and things. 4 Ah Me! how, then, shall I praise Thy greatness?\nCOMMENTARY\n'Dost withdraw' (Sa\u1e41harati)\nThat is dost make the world lose itself in Thy Causal (K\u0101ra\u1e47a) body.\n'Dh\u0101t\u0101'\nShe is the creative \u015aakti of Brahm\u0101.\n'Husband of \u015ar\u012b' (\u015ar\u012bpatih)\nShe is the preservative \u015aakti of Vi\u015b\u1e47u whose spouse is \u015ar\u012b or Lak\u1e63m\u012b.\n'Mahe\u015ba'\nShe is the dissolving \u015aakti of Rudra.\n'All things' (Samasta\u1e41)\nThou art both the material and instrumental cause of the world. The Triput\u0101-Stotra says, 'Thou art Earth, Brahm\u0101, and Creatrix of the world. Thou art also Water, Vi\u1e63\u1e47u, and Preserver of the world. And thou art Fire, Rudra and the Dissolver of the world. As the Air of the world thou art Ai\u015bvarya.' Another Stotra says, 'She assumes three forms of body for the purpose of creation, maintenance\nand dissolution. The world being constituted of the three Gu\u1e47as, Brahm\u0101, Vi\u1e63\u1e47u and Rudra are Her Vik\u1e5btis.'\n72:1 It is commonly said that She destroys but not so. Devat\u0101 does not destroy (Na devo n\u0101\u015bakah). Man does. She takes back what She has put forth.\n72:2 Vi\u1e63\u1e47u, husband of Lak\u1e63mi.\n72:3 \u015aiva. The Trim\u016brti is, in fact, Her manifestation.\n72:4 Pr\u0101yah sakala\u1e41 api, that is, all moving and unmoving things (Commentary, K.B.). For the Dev\u012b is Vi\u015bvar\u016bpi\u1e47\u012b in the form of the whole universe. She is the objective world, 'jad\u0101tmik\u0101' (Lalit\u0101, verse 90), as well as its Cause.","title":"Hymn to Kali: Text: Verse 12","type":"page"}