{"collection":"tantra","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/tantra/htk/htk19.htm","path":"tantra/htk/htk19.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/tantra/htk/htk19.htm","text":"Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922]\nHE, O Mah\u0101k\u0101l\u012b, 1 who in the cremation-ground, naked, and with disheveled hair, intently 2 meditates upon Thee 3 and recites Thy mantra, and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand \u0100ka\u1e47da flowers 4 with seed, 5 becomes without any effort a Lord of the earth. 6\nCOMMENTARY\n'And' (Tu)\nFor Divya S\u0101dhakas.\n'Mah\u0101k\u0101l\u012b'\nOr Parabrahmar\u016bpi\u1e47\u012b.\nCremation-ground' (\u015ama\u015b\u0101nasthah)\nThe cremation-ground is Parabrahman into which in the great Dissolution (Mah\u0101pralaya) all beings go as though corpses. 'In the cremation ground' therefore, means devoted to Parabrahman.\n'Naked' (Dikpatadharah)\nThat is, free from the covering of M\u0101y\u0101; whose Consciousness is untainted.\n'Meditates on Thee' (Dhy\u0101naniratah)\nThat is, upon Thy Saccid\u0101nanda aspect. The Rudray\u0101mala says, 'He who follows the Kula path should do Japa of Mantra seeking protection from Dev\u012b who is Consciousness, Bliss and Source of knowledge, who is all Tattvas whose refulgence is that of millions of flashes of lightning.'\n'Sunflowers' (Ark\u0101n\u0101\u1e43)\nFlowers of feeling such as compassion, forgiveness and so forth which are functions of the Mind called the Sun in the Brahmarandhra. The J\u00f1\u0101nasa\u1e41kalin\u012b-Tantra says, 'Oh Beloved, the mind is seated on the surface of the sun and life on that of the moon.' The\n[paragraph continues] Y\u0101j\u00f1avalkya-Sa\u1e41hit\u0101 says, 'The Moon is known to be in the Id\u0101 and the sun in the Pi\u1e45gal\u0101 (N\u0101d\u012b).\n'Self-produced B\u012bja' (Nijagalitav\u012bryena)\nThis B\u012bja is here the nectar which naturally flows from the thousand-petalled Lotus. The Mah\u0101nirv\u0101\u1e47a-Tantra says, 'The Heart-Lotus should be offered for seat, the nectar (Am\u1e5bta) shed from the Sahasr\u0101ra for water to wash the feet, the mind as the offering (Arghya), Memory (Citta) is offered by way of flowers, and the vital airs (Pra\u1e47a) as and by way of incense.' J\u00f1\u0101nasa\u1e41kalin\u012b-Tantra says, 'Libation (Tarpana) to the Supreme Liberatrix should be made from out the vessel of the Moon and Arghya should be given from out the vessel of the Sun. Compassion, wisdom, and forgiveness are flowers as is also control of the senses. So too are charity (Day\u0101) and religious merit. Non-injury (Ahi\u1e41s\u0101) to any being is an excellent flower. Bliss is a flower and so too is the worship of the S\u0101dhaka. Whoever offers these ten flowers attains to the feet of the Liberatrix.' In this verse Savikalpasam\u0101dhiyoga is indicated.\n78:1 p. 79 Mah\u0101k\u0101l\u012b, \u015aakti of Mah\u0101k\u0101la.\n78:2 Susthah: with undistracted mind. (V)\n78:3 Tava dhy\u0101na-niratah, that is, Upon Thy form. (V)\n78:4 Arka = Sun flowers known as \u0100ka\u1e47da (V) not the flower so called in English.\n78:5 Nija-galita-v\u012brye\u1e47a kusuma\u1e41. Thus the offering is not only of the flowers of the \u0100ka\u1e47da plant, yatah s\u0101dhakah devyai sva-v\u012brya-mi\u015bri-t\u0101rkapu\u1e63p\u0101ni samarpayati. Durg\u0101r\u0101ma-Siddh\u0101ntav\u0101g\u012b\u015ba cites the Mah\u0101k\u0101lasa\u1e41hit\u0101 as saying that the s\u016bryapu\u1e63pa should be offered in the same way with japa of the m\u016blamantra (svav\u012bryami\u015brita-s\u016bryapu\u1e63p\u0101ni). The v\u012brya does not, refer to the sap of the plant. Nija refers to the s\u0101dhaka. 'Along with, that is dipped in or that is spread over with.' Mah\u0101k\u0101la-samhit\u0101 says, A Kaula-S\u0101dhaka in the cremation-ground, naked, dishevelled and with tranquil mind, should offer a thousand sunflowers with seed reciting the while his Mantra. After meditating and worshipping with great devotion he should recite the Hymn' (V).\n78:6 That is, a king or r\u0101j\u0101. So the Phetk\u0101ri\u1e47\u012b-Tantra says that wealth, strength, eloquence, intelligence, and the love of women (Sarvayo\u1e63itpriyah) is gained.","title":"Hymn to Kali: Text: Verse 15","type":"page"}