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Matangi Maa! One of the Mahavidya Tantric Goddess's

6/19/2012

GODDESS MATANGI:

Matangi is the Hindu Goddess of Inner Thought and Wisdom. This means she oversees the spoken word as she mystically presides over the more mystic inner kind of knowledge. Matangi is the ninth among the Dasa Maha Vidyas and is their doorkeeper but she is a primary form as the all powerful Goddess. As the highest truth, she is not bound by caste regulations or rules. She is described as the Dark One, a form of Saraswathi, incarnated as the daughter of Matang Rishi, a chandal who resisted the caste system and achieved brahimhood through karma. She worshiped Indra and later Goddess Saraswathi and became his daughter. In the mythic cycle of Daksha yajna, she appears as a manifestation of Sati, wife of Lord Siva and the Daksha’s daughter.

Lord Siva is also known as Matang. His Shakti or power is called Matangi. The goddess has dark emerald complexion and possesses a disc of a moon on her forehead. The three-eyed goddess is seated on the crown decorated with jewels. Her eyes are intoxicated. She is sixteen with a full breast and slim waist. Below her navel are three horizontal folds of skin. Her luster is like a blue lotus and is destroyer like forest fire. In each of her four hands, she has a noose, a mace, an axe and a hook. She is a destroyer of the demons by enchanting them first with her beauty and fulfiller of every desire of her devotees. At times she is seen seated on a corpse, holding a skull and a bowl of blood and untidy long hair. She is sometimes depicted with dark green skin and three eyes and holds a parrot and a jewel encrusted veena. This is the same musical instrument as Saraswathi. Matangi is surroundered by nature especially birds, green and red parrots which represent a guru.

In mythology, Matangi is associated with Ucchista Matangini, the Goddess who loves pollution explained by her origins. Once Lord Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi visited Lord Siva and Parvathi. The guests made food offerings, which while being tasted dropped to the floor. Ucchista means spittle defiled or polluted. From this prasada evolved a maiden known as Ucchista Matangini. Matangi is also associated with Tantra. Pranatosini Tantra traces the origin of Matangini. Once Parvathi left Siva and did not return for some time. Siva disguised himself as an ornament maker and tested her faithfulness. Parvathi did not give in but became furious. Later Parvathi disguised herself as a huntress. Siva was so impressed and turned himself as a chandala. They made love and the goddess requested that they make love in the form of chandala for this form to last forever as Uccista-Chandalini. In Svatantra Tantra legend, sage Matanga assumed austerities to suppress all creatures. After a considerable period, Goddess Tripurasundari appeared and emitted rays from her eyes from which Kali emerged with a greenish complexion and took the form of Raja-Matangini. Thus creatures were all brought under control.

Matangi is the advisor to Goddess Tripura Sundari who summons her to attain command over speech and knowledge. It is said that Matangi manifests Herself as Goddess Meenakshi Amman at Madurai. She is also worshipped as Ellama and this is connected to the myth of Parasurama placing the head of Renuka on a recluse woman. Renuka was the daughter of Renu. She was married to sage Jamadagni and their son was Parasurama. (Renuka-Ellamma would be posted under separate cover) Thus Matangi appears in varying conceptions. Her dhyanas too are diverse: Her complexion can range from white to depict Tantric Saraswathi; brown or black to depict tribal chandala or green as Madurai Meenakshi. She also personifies as Shyamala or Kali.

Goddess Matangi is the embodiment of thought. As Divine Speech, She is the Goddess of the spoken word as well as outward articulation of inner knowledge, including all forms of art, music and dance. Matangi relates to Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge. She is the form of Saraswati directed towards inner knowledge. She represents the teachings of the guru, and the continuity of spiritual instruction in the world. By honouring her, we also honour the guru. Those seeking to teach others should seek the grace of Matangi. She is the cosmic power that makes a householder’s life comfortable by granting the principle objects of a householder – dharma, artha, kama and moksha. She is the goddess of beauty, marriage, happy life and material gains. The devotees of Matangi is known to be blessed with Her grace of proficiency in poetry, music, dancing and the fine-arts in their chosen field.

Goddess Matangi is associated with the full moon, the ‘night of intoxication.’ The Mahavidyas represent some or other manifestation of the Divine Mother. They are in this sense also to be regarded as Vidyas or different approaches to tantric knowledge. Matangi resides in the Throat Chakra and radiant like the moon. This is the centre of speech. She is the manifest form of song, and the vibratory sound, Nada, that flows in the subtle channels, ‘nadis’, down through our entire body and mind. There is a special ‘nadi’ or channel that runs from the Third Eye to the tip of the tongue, which relates to Her. This is the stream of inspiration from the mind to its expression via speech. Matangi represents the flow of Bliss through this channel, which is experienced by the creators of great literary, poetic and other artistic work, resulting in brilliant expressions of creativity. Om Hrim Klim Hum Matangyai Phat Svaha. Hari Om

— by Yogi Ananda Saraswati ....
___________________________________________________________________________
Matangi...
as copied from Mother Goddess Path of Sri Vidya on Facebook

(Indian lute).Sri Matangi Devi is not one of the more commonly known goddess forms; however, She appears in varying conceptions all across the Indian subcontinent, from the frigid mountains of Tibet to the steaming jungles of Tamil Nadu. Her Dhyanas are very diverse, and change quite a lot depending on the Tantra consulted -- Her complexion can range from white (She is the Tantric Saraswati) to brown or black (She is a tribal Chandala; an outcaste) to blue or green (She is Meenakshi Madurai, and also a form of Kali); with two or four arms, holding various different weapons and other items.

She is seated on an altar and has a smiling face and a green complexion. Her eyes are intoxicated. Her clothes and all of Her ornaments are red. Around Her neck is a garland of kadamba flowers. She is sixteen years old and has very full breasts and a very slim waist. She holds a skull on Her left side and a bloodied chopping blade on Her right, And She plays a jewel-encrusted veena. Her hair is long and wild, and the disc of the moon adorns Her forehead. She perspires slightly around Her face, which makes Her all the more beautiful and bright. Below Her navel are three horizontal folds of skin and a thin vertical line of fine hair. She wears a girdle of jeweled ornaments, as well as bracelets, armlets, and earrings. She represents the 64 arts and She is flanked by two parrots.

ABOUT MATANGI
Matangi is a primary form of the all-powerful Goddess known in Hinduism as Devi. She appears most prominently as one of the Dasha Mahavidyas (Ten Wisdom Goddesses) of Tantric Hinduism, but may also be considered a more primal and fearful form of the popular Goddess Saraswati.
Whereas Saraswati presides only over Creation, governing traditional knowledge and arts, Matangi also contains elements of Destruction -- by which She severs the attachments that bind humans to the mundane world, paving the way for more unorthodox and revolutionary forms of Creation, knowledge and art.
She is called the Outcaste Goddess because She prefers to dwell outside the mainstream, and also because She facilitates the "polluting" process by which Divine Unstruck Sound is manifested on Earth in the form of human speech, literature and music. Meditation upon the esoteric aspects of Matangi provides a bottomless source of meaning, insight, and inspiration.

HER STORY

Goddess Parvati (Devi) was away visiting Her father Himalaya, when Her consort Lord Shiva began longing for Her, and growing jealous in Her absence. So Shiva disguised Himself as an ornament vendor and appeared at Himalaya s door. Parvati selected a few shell ornaments, but when She asked the merchant his price he asked Her to pay him with sexual favors. Outraged at his presumption, Parvati was about to curse the man when Her divine intuition revealed he was actually Shiva in disguise, apparently out to test Her fidelity. Concealing Her knowledge of His true identity, She replied, "Yes, fine, I agree. But not just now." And She sent Shiva on His way.

Later, as Shiva prepared for His evening prayers on the shores of Manas Lake, Parvati came to teach Him a lesson. She took the form of a beautiful outcaste girl, a member of the wild hunter-gatherer tribe known as the Chandalas. She was dressed all in red, Her body lean, Her eyes large, Her breasts full -- and She began a seductive dance by the lakeside, near the place where Shiva sat.

Enthralled, Shiva asked Her, "Who are you?" She replied, "I am Matangi, daughter of the Chandalas. I have come here to do penance." Shiva smiled. "I am the One who gives fruits to those who do penance," He said, and he took Her hand and kissed Her, and then He made love to Her. While they were thus engaged, however, Parvati abruptly transformed Shiva into an outcaste Chandala Himself -- whereupon He immediately realized that Matangi was his wife.

Parvati told Him, "Since You made love to Me in the form of a Chandala girl, She will henceforth be one of My permanent forms, to be known as Ucchista Chandalini." That is, Matangi, the Outcaste Goddess, who governs all that is leftover and polluted. And so Matangi took Her place as one of the Ten Wisdom Goddesses, the primary forms of Devi/Parvati. And some time later, when Parvati and Shiva argued and He threatened to leave, Matangi joined the other Mahavidyas in blocking His every exit, thereby demonstrating (among many other things) Devi's ultimate power over Shiva -- and His utter inseparability from Her.

This is only one of the many beautiful myths surrounding Matangi and Her origins. It is taken from the Praanatosini-tantra and other sources. Additional versions relate Her to such pan-Hindu Goddesses as Kali and Lalita Tripurasundari, as well as to more localized deities -- most notably, Tamil Nadu's Meenakshi Madurai.

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, here is a longish essay I wrote about Her some time ago.If you would like to read more about
has released a CD of hymns to Meenakshi Madurai, two of which focus on Matangi. The album is volume two of Chasur's "Ksetra" series, and is entitled, , the prodigiously talented Carnatic (South Indian) classical vocalist If you would like to hear some hymns to

Nithyasree Mahadevan Here's a track listing, along with purchase information. ANOTHER DESCRIPTION OF

MATANGI

( Matangi, courtesy of "Exotic India.")

In the second image from the top, above, the background is a golden yellow, the face of stunning beauty. The bright white complexion of the Devi, the white color of the birds and that of the conch appear to be embossing the background. Matangi is seated on a throne of vivid green, her fingers moving over the strings of the veena (lute). Two lotus flowers dangle from a slender string tied to the upper part of the veena, which is shaped like a bird's head.The Goddess Matangi is one of the Dasha Mahavidyas (Ten Wisdom Goddesses). She is Siddha Vidya or Tantra personified, thus commanding occult power. On the mundane level, she is the daughter of the sage

Matanga, who is said to have been the preceptor of Shabari of the Ramayana fame.
At the edge of her throne sits a parrot seemingly rapt in the music she is creating. Beside her is a conch-shell. The gentle intoxication caused by the honey-sweet wine mentioned in Her dhyana-shloka (set out below the image)> Madhur Madhu Madaam is suggested by the dreamy expression in Matangi's eyes. Two birds are artistically positioned and the subtle juxtaposition of light and shade makes the color scheme effective. The lotus flower under the feet of the Devi is in full glory of bloom.

Being a goddess of the Tantra system, the crescent moon on Matangi's forehead here reminds the aspirant on the path of Tantra of the sacrifices he will have to make to obtain siddhis. The veena tells us of her mastery over music, rather of the symphony of life in this universe, and of man's need to harmonize his life to avoid all jarring extremes. The old folk saying, "Tighten it not so much that it breaks, Loosen it not so much that no music emanates," is equally applicable to life.

The parrot, with its tendency to repeat all it hears, symbolizes the inexorable law of karma, the belief that one cannot escape the consequences of one's acts. It also represents the world of nature. With one foot on the lotus, the Goddess controls the terrestrial world in tranquility and serenity, while the other foot, lifted on to her throne, represents her sovereignty over the celestial domains. The devotee invokes her with the following verse:

Aum Maatangyai NamaheGoddess, confer on us well-being,
confer superb prosperity,
grant form, grant victory, grant fame,
kill enemies.

Posted by Madhuri Saxena

Painting by Devi Bhakti

Shakti Shiva!!

6/18/2012

|| Shakti - The Dynamic Energy of Shiva ||

Shakti is the dynamic power of Shiva through which he manifests the worlds and their myriad objects and beings. Monistic schools of Saivism believe that shakti is inseparable from Shiva just as heat from fire, light from the sun, night from the sky or a reflection from the mirror. They also believe that Shiva is both the efficient and material cause of creation. Shakti is manifested by Shiva only during creation and is withdrawn into himself at the end of creation. He brings forth the worlds and their beings through his will and dynamic energy.

The dualistic schools contend that Shiva and Shakti are eternally separate entities though in their purest state they may be of the same essence. Shiva is only the efficient cause while shakti is the material cause. Shiva initiates creation through his will, using a preexisting shakti or prakriti which is independent of him, and employs her to manifest the 36 tattvas and the triple qualities and through them the whole material universe.

Followers of Shaktism go one step further and believe that shakti is the absolute being, mother of the universe and that Shiva by himself is inactive and static. He becomes active only when united with shakti. Shakti is responsible for all creation while Shiva remains in the background established in her like a witness consciousness.

Popular tradition symbolizes the unique relationship between Shiva and Shakti in the form of Ardhanariswara, which means half female and half God. One half of it belongs to Shiva and the other half to Parvathi or the mother goddess. This is an iconographic representation of Shiva and Shakti as two distinct yet not distinct (bheda-abheda) entities.

According to the advaita vedanta of Sri Shankaracharya, the world in which we live is unreal and only Brahman is real. Monistic schools of Saivism differ from the advaita philosophy in this regard because they consider the worlds as well as shakti, who is instrumental in their creation, are all real because that (SadaShiva) which is true (satyam), pure (Shivam) and perfect (sundaram) cannot create anything that is unreal (asatyam). Shiva, shakti, all the tattvas and beings and objects that are created out of them are real. They may be impermanent but real. The beings may suffer from delusion due to the act of concealment by Shiva, but they are real entities who actually experience delusion not in some dream state but in their egoistically conscious state.

:: The Five Supernatural Powers of Shakti ::

There are many aspects, forms and names of shakti who is the mother of all. In creation she distinguishes herself, or through the will of Shiva, into three basic aspects:

1.para-shakti (transcendental energy),
2.apara-shakti (immanent energy) and
3.para-apara-shakti ( an intermediary energy).

In the texts of Saivism we also find a reference to five supernatural powers of shakti, awakened in himself by Shiva. Their permutation, combination, concealment and manifestation is believed to be responsible for the multiplicity, plurality, diversity and duality of the beings and objects and their forms and shapes in the manifested worlds. The five aspects of shakti manifested by Shiva are:

1.chit-shakti or the power of consciousness,
2.anada-shakti or the power of bliss consciousness,
3.iccha-shakti, the power of desire or will,
4.kriya-shakti the power of action and
5.jnana-shakti or the power of knowledge

Shiva unleashes these five powers in the beginning of creation and withdraws them back into himself at the time of dissolution. In between he employs these energies for the purposes of creation (srishti), preservation (sthithi), samhara (destruction or modification), concealment (tirobhava) and revelation (anugraha).

:: Manifestation of the Higher and Lower Worlds ::

Maya-shakti is the veiling power of Shiva. Shiva uses this aspect of his shakti to conceal or reveal his powers. Depending upon the degree to which these powers are revealed or concealed, the world order or the divine order becomes established. Shakti is also known as mula prakriti or primal energy. In creation this primal energy is divided into 36 tattvas or principles, of which some are pure and some are impure.

In the creation of higher worlds and their beings (adhikara-muktas) Shiva uses five pure tattvas. He also manifests himself completely, or almost completely, without concealing his supreme state. The five pure tattvas are Shiva-tattva, shakti-tattva, sadaShiva-tattva, isvara-tattva and suddha-vidya-tattva. In these planes Shiva and his shakti are inseparable and almost indistinguishable. These are the planes of supernatural gods, whose consciousness and will work together in perfect harmony producing instantaneous results upon mere will. In these worlds maya-shakti is pure, inconsequential and ineffective.

In the lower worlds or planes, the distinction between Shiva and his shakti becomes more pronounced. In the gross beings with physical bodies and gross objects we find the purpose of creation being finally met. As Shiva manifests himself in these planes through his power or shakti, we see a gradual withdrawal or concealment of his supernatural powers and his supreme state. In these worlds he employs the impure tattvas to createthe bonds or impurities in the beings and subjects them, through maya shakti, to the goals of creation. Though these beings are the same as Shiva in their true state, because of the impurities they experience the limitations of kaala (time), vidya (knowledge), raga (emotion), niyathi (space) and kala (capacity and skill). Because of the ignorance arising out of these limitations, they also become bound to the impurities of anava (egoism), maya (ignorance) and karma (action with consequences).

In these worlds Shiva and Shakti operate asynchronously, almost as independent entities, although in reality they are the same. The Shiva consciousness withdraws into the background while the false ego consciousness takeover the control. The spiritual and psychic powers remain dormant, while the ego gets busy using the physical, mental and sensual powers of the body. So whatever the jiva wills or desire does not get manifested easily or will be manifested rather clumsily or incompletely or unexpectedly. The limitation of time creates a gap between intention and manifestation. The limitations of knowledge creates a gap between knowing and becoming. The limitations of raga produce the conflict of passions. The limitations of space creates the difficulties in movement. The limitations of skills take away the power of perfection and efficiency.

:: Kala and Bhakti ::

According to Vira Saivism Para Shiva or the transcendental Shiva splits himself into linga and anga. He also divides his energies also into kala (skill) and bhakti (devotion). Kala is responsible for the orderly existence (preservation) of the worlds while bhakti is responsible for the liberation of the souls from their impurities (through destruction and grace) and their self-realization.

:: Shiva and Shakti ::

It is a matter of opinion whether the worlds are manifested by shakti or by Shiva through his shakti. In reality they are inseparable. The notion of their separation from our perspective is because of our limited consciousness. Even in our limited existence our energies are not separate from us. Modern science accepts the notion that matter and energy are interchangeable. So does consciousness and energy and individual will and consciousness and individual will and energy. In the highest planes they are interchangeable, which is why we see a great incongruence between our spiritual experiences and the external reality. It also explains why in the higher metaphysical realms and subtle planes of our consciousness the physical laws of our universe lose their validity.

Creation is a process of issuing forth (expansion) and then withdrawal (contraction). Creation begins with the manifestation of higher and subtler planes and then proceed to manifest the lower and grosser lower planes. The jivas of the lower worlds have the powers concealed in them, which they can awaken to begin their journey of involution. They can accomplish this through spiritual practice, withdrawing from the world (samsara), overcoming their impurities (malas), freeing themselves from their bonds (pasas), releasing their shaktis from the five limitations discussed above and becoming one with their highest consciousness in a state of samadhi. This is the purpose of the whole creation and these are the rules of the game enforced by Shiva for his own amusement.

|| Om Ksham Ardhanarishvara Om Phat ||

Veda-Vijnan-Rishikulam

GODDESS MATANGI – RAJA SHYAMALA:

6/18/2012

GODDESS MATANGI – RAJA SHYAMALA:

According to myths and legends, Goddess Matangi is said to have tribal origins. Thus she is closely associated with birds, forests, wilderness and hunting. Matangi is the ninth among the Dasa Maha Vidyas. She is the Word as embodiment of thought. She is the Goddess of the spoken word as well as outward articulation of inner knowledge, including all forms of art, music and dance. Matangi relates to Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge. She is the form of Saraswati directed towards inner knowledge. She represents the teachings of the guru, and the continuity of spiritual instruction in the world. By honouring her, we also honour the guru. Those seeking to teach others should seek the grace of Matangi.

She is the manifest form of song, and the vibratory sound, Nada, that flows in the subtle channels, ‘nadis’, down through our entire body and mind. Matangi resides in the Throat chakra, the centre of speech. There is a special ‘nadi’ or channel that runs from the Third Eye to the tip of the tongue, which relates to Her. This is the stream of inspiration from the mind to its expression via speech. Matangi represents the flow of Bliss through this channel, which is experienced by the creators of great literary, poetic and other artistic work, resulting in brilliant expressions of creativity.

Matangi as Mahavidya severs attachment to the limited understanding of the world in terms of ‘pure’ or ‘impure’. She challenges the normally accepted concepts and values in an established social order. She brings into question the very notions of beauty, goodness, honor, respect, decency, cleanliness and physical comfort etc. She instills in the heart of the Sadhaka the faith that all existence is pervaded by the goddess and there is nothing that is outside the goddess; She pervades all; and within her there are no distinctions of ‘pure’ or ‘impure’. She guides the Sadhaka to transcend the artificial – manmade’ demarcations of beauty-ugliness, cleanliness –polluted or pure -profane etc. Her message forms the very core of the Tantra ideology.

Goddess Matangi is also Raja-Shyamala, dark with blue as the cloud filled with water. She is seated on the gem-studded throne, listens to the sweet utterances of the parrot, is aglow with youth, has one foot on the lotus, has her forehead bedecked with the crescent moon, plays on the veena, has garland of jasmine flowers, wears red garments, has conch-vessel. Matangi, lustrous like sapphires in her self-glory plays the ruby bejeweled veena. Om Shakti.

Kali Maa! The Vaishnava Bauls of Bengal of this one and only Lineage of Paul are devotee's of Kali and Krishna. Kirtan of Krishna and Kali

6/17/2012

MOTHER KALI’S RED TONGUE:

Often, there is something about Kali’s tongue that disturbs the viewer. This symbol is seldom comprehended and oft becomes a cynic’s target. Mother Kali’s symbolisms are quite misunderstood not only in the west but in the east as well. From a philosophical standpoint Mother Goddesses in general are allegorical representations of their divine qualities and the respective roles They play.

SIGN OF TERROR:

For most parts, saguna aspects of Hindu Gods knows no bounds. Sculptors and painters have stretched their imagination to reflect the essence of the Puranas. The outstretched tongue of Kali distinguishes Ma from all other Goddesses. Indeed, Chandi,Chammunda, Bhairavi and Bhagvati are also associated with nakedness or semi-nakedness, blood and death. But none stick out their tongue. How does an actor in a drama depict terror? The face, for most parts, is a tool of expression. This is seen in Kathakali and Bharathanatyam dance expressions.

It is common to see Indians stick out their tongue and pretend to bite them when admitting to a gaffe. This mortal visual identity gets expressed by Kali’s saguna form when She stands on Her husband’s chest. In South Indian depictions, Kali is shown with fangs protruding from the corners of the mouth. In this sense she manifests as Bhadra Kali, the family Guardian. In worshipping Kali, the worshipper becomes a child and Kali assumes the form of the ever-caring mother. Didn’t our mothers ever bite their tongue on some day or other?

SYMBOLISM: Kali’s tongue denotes the act of tasting, consuming and enjoying what society regards as forbidden, foul or polluted, her indiscriminate enjoyment of all the world’s ‘flavours’. Kali is the force to destroy the evil and in the end to destroy the world. Her red tongue shows that she drinks the blood of evil forces and the tongue is out to create fear in evil forces.

In some Kali temples, the deity’s tongue is symbolically smeared with blood from sacrificial animals. This is a reminder that Mother Nature gives and takes life. Man may domesticate Her but she will always stick out her tongue to slurp our blood and maya that surrounds us. It is also submitted that Kali teases and mocks as She sees through man’s façade or lies, while She knows their dark desires which they try to suppress. The tongue is a provocation to be truthful. Kali is neither embarrassed by her bare breasts nor the protruding tongue and prompts men to delve into their consciousness to be truthful.

FEARFUL SYMMETRY:

Mother Kali is the fearful and ferocious Goddess. She assumes this terrorizing character as a powerful Goddess and became popular with the Devi Mahatmya composition of the 5th century. She is probably the fiercest among Hindu deities depicting terror. In Her proximity to cremation grounds is all about giving up the ego. Her black complexion symbolizes all embracing transcendental nature. Her nudity is primeval as she represents nature and that she is beyond maya, the false consciousness. She holds a blood stained sword, the head of a demon, blesses whispers ‘fear not’, has dead heads for ear-rings, skull necklace, girdle of human hands. Her sword is the destroyer of false consciousness and illusory bonds. Surely one cannot expect her to smile. Her tongue protrudes from her mouth, face and breasts sullied with blood. Her red lolling tongue indicates her omnivorous nature – her indiscriminate enjoyment of all the world’s flavors.

GUNAS:

Prakrithi consists of three gunas: sattva – calmness; rajas – activity and tamas- inertia. When Prakrithi vibrates, the three gunas loose their balance; when the gunas vibrate, creation begins. Later version of the tongue symbolism, especially in the tantric contexts, denotes the element of raja guna – energy and action controlled by sattva guna – spiritual and godly creatures who served as assassins. The raja guna is wonderful but not pleasant. Its colour is red usually symbolising activity whereas white is purity or spirituality. Through work and discipline, one can overcome rajas and tamas. Thus Kali’s red tongue is symbolically held by Her white teeth to show spirituality having a control over activities. Thus She conquers Her devotees’ tama guna by increasing their raja guna. Upon conquering, She cuts off raja guna with her large teeth.

MYTHOLOGY:

In the famous Raktabija myth, Durga and her assistants, the Matrikas find various ways to kill him. From every drop of blood spilt and touching the ground, Raktabija reproduced a clone. Durga summoned Kali. Kali spreads her tongue across the battlefield to swallow the blood before it touched the ground. Skanda was allowed to attack the remaining demons while Kali sucks the blood of the original Raktabija till he falls lifeless. Thus Kali’s tongue is a weapon to be feared and a reminder that nature ultimately consumes all life. The description of Kali’s terror and the killing spree is given in Devi Mahatmayam.

Kali was pleased with the victory and dances on the battle-field.
To stop Her, Lord Siva threw Himself under her feet. Some accounts narrate that Shiva lies among the dead beneath Her feet. Shocked at this, Kali stuck out Her tongue in astonishment and put an end to her homicidal rampage. Hence one of Her images, depicted as Dakshinakali, shows the melee mood standing on Shiva with Her enormous tongue stuck out.

In another popular myth, Kali’s sticking out tongue is domestic. This is also depicted in her Daksinakali manifestation. After killing the demon Daruka, Kali not only drank his blood but became bloodlust. She started killing at random and Siva begs her to stop. So he takes the form of a handsome man and lay in Kali’s path. As soon as she stepped on Him, she was embarrassed and bit her tongue. She was ashamed to learn that in her blood lust she had prevented herself from recognizing her own husband.

KALI IN THE VEDAS:

Mention of Kali appears as early as the Atharva Veda. In the Rigveda she is the name of one of the seven Tongues of Agni, the God of Fire and the feminine of Time (Kala). This is also mentioned in the Mundako Upanishad which dates 800 BCE. Kali’s protruding tongue, ie the Tongue of Agni, which sticks out and reminds us that this tongue emerges from her Fiery of Lightning-like body, as the Primal Tongue or Speech (ie Atman) from which Brahma, the Rishis and Devas received the Vedas through Yoga. The whole image of Kali is therefore the embodiment of Vedic ideas and concepts.

Seeing She is the tongue, Kali is the embodiment of Sanskrit language itself, the hymns and the Vedic Vak or Speech. In the Vedas, Brihaspati is the spouse of Vak or Brihat (Speech) which connects to the later Tara, Kali’s first emanation. So it is Kali as tongue that produces Speech – Vak or Tara. It is to be noted that Tara is also Brihaspati’s spouse. In the Vedas the Divine Mother was lauded as Speech. Speech was and is the Mother: Aitareya Aranyaka 4.6.14. Thus Tara and Kali are Speech and Tongue respectively as mentioned in MundakoUpanishad. The whole image of Kali is the embodiment of Vedic ideas and concepts.

TANTRA:

Kali dominates much of Tantric iconography, texts and rituals where She is praised as the highest reality or the greatest of all Deities. In her svarupa, She is Mahadevi. This is declared in Nirvana Tantra, Niruttara Tantra, Picchila Tantra, Yogini Tantra, Kamakhya Tantra. They declare her greatness and declare her to be an essence of her own form. In the Mahanirvana Tantra Kali is shown as the epithet for the primordial Sakti who is praised by Siva.

A mudra awakens kundalini. Generally Kali conveys death, cemetery, meditations, sacrifices, etc. She transforms herself into a vehicle of salvation. In her depiction as being young and beautiful she appears as a symbol of triumph over death. Her tongue symbolism in tantric tradition brings about different meanings. This is analysed as ‘inversion’ or ‘immortality.’ It is said that the long protruding tongue of Kali is an explicit recall of the Kechari Mudra’s physical effects; inversion of the tongue and immortality of amrita falling.

Khecari Mudra is the bending backwards of the tongue into the gullet and the eyes are fastened upon the point between the eyebrows. In extreme yoga practices, the membrane below the tongue is cut progressively and the tongue shaken till it elongates to touch the centre of the eyebrows. Those who have mastered khecari mudra are said to be no longer subject to the laws of nature and remains undisturbed even at time of death. (Those who are well-versed with this yoga could kindly contribute their knowledge.)

In Tantra Kali’s protruding tongue is the demonstration of the existence of a way, the Supreme way of Liberation. Kali is Shunya or Void. The practical way to emancipation is to recognise the mouth as Shunya and the tongue is the principal of Inversion, so stimulating some hidden points where one can drink the Amrita.

KUNDALINI:

Kali as Kundalini is also a Vedic idea – Kali as Speech or Vak resides in the Muladhara Chakra as Brahma or Brahmanaspati in later times, showing the Vedas or Speech. The female form of Saraswathi, residing in the tongue, is also called Sarparajini, the Serpent Queen. Saraswathy, Goddess of Wisdom and Speech is clearly Kundalini in RigVeda 6.61.11-12. The Seven Tongues mentioned in Mundaka, starts with Kali. These are the Opened or Awakened Seven Chakras, or the Seven Speech forms, Seven Tongues inside Agni who is Purush, the cosmic or subtle Body of man. Kali is hence the essence of the Vedas, of awakening and the Adi or Primal Speech from where all other forms originate. As the tongue, She is the speech or Sanskrit and physical language we speak described to be coiled up in Muladhara as Kundalini.

TONGUE ESSENCE:

Kali’s red tongue is not an art depiction. In Tantra, Kali luxuriates in the licking up of ritual offerings; is supposed to lick up anything that is offered to her with her ‘lolling’ tongue and please Her children. In the Puranas, Her tongue is ever vigilant to lap the blood of those who are animous to Her devotees; Yogis would assert the tongue to be Mudra, a method of controlling and channelling Prana; Jnanis would declare that the tongue and bare breast depict her oneness with the cycle of Nature; her egolessness and Truth. Another philosophical explanation says she is Vak or Speech, thus the tongue represents Sound. Another interpretation says Kali’s white teeth is symbolically spiritualism over-powering raja and tama guna for which the red tongue stands for. What Kali's tongue represents will depend greatly upon on the devotees’ intentions for approaching the great Mother Kali. One’s intentions play a major role and influence the way in which the individual ‘sees’ saguna forms of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.

Yogi Ananda Saraswathi

Adi Parashakti...

6/17/2012

Adi Parashakti

The one who rules this world. Everything in this world is contained in HER. All forms in the world are HER forms. All living things are part of HER.

It is Devi Adi Parashakthi who performs the tasks of the Tri-Murthys : Siva, Vishnu ad Brahma. She is the 8 Siddhis, 7 Rishis, Lords of the 8 directions, 11 Rudras and many more.

She is not only worshipped by men but also by the devas. She is present in everything we see. She is represented in plants, the animals, the birds, the sea, the sky and the holy river.

She is Sakthi ( Power ) who drives this world. She is the mother of the mankind.
Devi Features
The most important features of Devi Parashakti mythology and theology is that she have two forms, namely

1. The Auspicious form

2. The Inauspicious form
Auspicious Form

As auspicious form, she manifests as Lakshmi, Parvati, Sati and Prthivi. She plays the positive roles of protection, fertility and establishment of dharmic order, cultural creativity, wifely duty and material abundance.

These encompases three aspects
a. as the granter of wisdom, learning and liberation.
Her names appear many times in the following text :
Aryastave text she is called : Mukti ( liberation ), She who speaks the language of Brahman, She who is the knowledge of Brahman.

Mahabharata : Liberator and knowledge of Brahman as well as the mother of the vedas, Intelligence and the destroyer of ignorance and mankind fetters.

Lalitha-Sahasranama : Mahabuddhi (The great intelligence ), Vijnanabhanarupini ( She whose form is a mass of knowledge ), Prajnatnika ( She who is wisdom itself ), Pasupasavimocini ( She who release creatures from bondage )

b. as embodiment of female beauty and the exciter of desire.
Many Text describe Devi extraordinar beauty
saundaryalahari : one of the famous hymn praising the Devi.
Lalitha-Sahasranama : Ramya (the beautiful one), Kanta ( loveliness ), Vamanayana ( she who have beautiful eyes ), Ratirupa ( she whose form is Rati )

c. as the source of food and nourishment
She is often associated with earth itself.

Shakti Sadhana

Lalitha-Sahasranama : Annanda ( she who gives food ), Pusti (she who gives nourishment ), Satakasi ( she who has on hundred eyes ), Sakambhari ( she who bestows vegetables ), Annapurna ( she who is full of food ), Jagaddhatri
( she who supports the world or another )

Inauspicious Form
The Devi is said to possess fierce and terrible appearance. Often these forms are associated with war, blood, destruction, death, hunger and anger.

These terrible forms arises in two context, namely
1. To maintain cosmic order
2. Asserting her power as that greater than Siva

TO maintain cosmic order
Devi often takes in fierce form when she enters into battle. As guardian of the Cosmos, she appears in a form of a great warrior, battling against Demons on behalf of the gods. Nevertheless in most text it is said that the Devi only take the fierce form when she has actually entered the battle or when she is being provoked by the insults of her enemies. The Devi transforms herself, and then multiplies into ferocious goddess or goddesses.

Devi terrible forms often betray the benigh qualities of the goddess, and it threatens the world. This action suggest the dangerous and uncontrolled facets of the goddess when she loses control.

She is described as rending her enemies limb from limb, tearng their flesh with her teeth and drinking their blood, when then intoxicates her. Thirsting for more blood or dancing drunkenly out of control, she herself becomes a threat to the cosmos and must be tamed or subdued. She can becomes dangerous to her own allies.

Asserting her power as the greater than Siva
The Mahavidyas ( the great manfestation ) played a central role in Sati's attempt to overpower or frighten Siva, so that she may have her own way. Even though Sati played the submissive wife, she contains fearsome and independent aspects that easily overwhelmed Siva.

http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Newhomepage/shakti/Parashakti.html

8 Laxshmi's

6/17/2012

Eight forces or energies are recognised and they are known as :

Sri (Wealth),

Bhu (Earth),

Sarasvati (learning),

Priti (love),

Kirti(Fame),
Santi (Peace),

Tushti(Pleasure) and

Pushti(Strength).

Each one
of these forces is called a Lakshmi and all the eight forces are called
the Ashta Lakshmis or the eight Lakshmis.

Vishnu is also called Ashta Lakshmi Padhi which is equivalent to saying that he is the asylum for the eight-Lakshmis or forces.

In fact, Vishnu representing the preservative aspect of the universe, radiates these forces from him. These forces are personified and worshipped as Lakshmis, since abstract force is beyond the comprehension of the ordinary people. Ashealth, wealth and prosperity depend upon the rythmic play of these forces, the worship of Lakshmi is said to be to obtain these three.Only a woman can sympathise with women. Lakshmi is a woman. So she will more readily sympathise with women.

Hence this festival is observed largely by women, invoking the blessings of Lakshmi on them, their husbands and their children. Varalakshmi Nomu believed to be the day in which Goddess Lakshmi was born from Sea. Praying to Goddess on this day is said to be equivalent to worshiping Ashtalakshmi (the eight goddess ofwealth, earth, learning, love, fame, peace, pleasure, and strength) especially Dhanalakshmi.

That is the reason why families also have a habit of buying gold jewellery or gold coins during Varalakshmi Vratam, as a sign of welcoming Dhanalakshmi into their houses. Varalakshmi Vratam is performed by married women for the welfare of their husband, children and household. It is believed that if one worships Goddess Lakshmi on this day, she will present the entire family the gift of health, wealth, peace and happiness.
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Lakshmi is commonly known as Goddess of wealth. Wealth is not only the money. Tradition and values of life is also wealth. Our family and progress is also wealth. Our belongings such as land, properties, animals, grains, etc as well as virtues like patience, persistence, purity etc in the form of a character are nothing but our wealth and so also glory or victory. Thus this eightfold Sri Lakshmi is known as Sri Ashta Lakshmi.

Mother Lakshmi is the source and provider of the following enumerated well-known sixteen types of wealth and many more. (1) Fame (2) Knowledge (3) Courage and Strength (4) Victory (5) Good Children (6) Valour (7) Gold and other gross properties (8) Grains in abundance (9) Happiness (10) Bliss (11) Intelligence (12) Beauty (13) Higher Aim, High Thinking and Higher Meditation too (14) Morality and Ethics (15) Good Health (16) Long Life. Let us glance upon the glory of mother Ashta Lakshmi’s individual nature and forms.

Adi Lakshmi: Mother Lakshmi resides with Lord Narayana in the Vaikuntha, the abode of Lord Narayana. She is known as Ramaa, means bringing happiness to the mankind. She is also known as Indira (who holds lotus or purity in the hands or heart.) Divine Mother’s this form is normally seen serving Sri Narayana. Lord Narayana is omnipresent. Adi Lakshmi or Ramaa Lakshmi serves Sri Narayana is symbolic of her serving the whole creation. Though Sri Narayana is attended by innumerable devotees, still she personally loves to serve the Lord. Actually mother Adi Lakshmi and Narayana are not two different entities but one only. Many a place we see her form sitting in the lap of Sri Narayana.

Dhanya Lakshmi: Dhanya means grains. This includes all kind of purified food containing all essential vitamins, minerals, protein, calcium, carbohytrade and so on. With the grace of mother Dhanya Lakshmi one gets all essential nutrients grains, fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Dhairya Lakshmi: This form of mother Lakshmi grants the boon of infinite courage and strength. Those, who are in tune with infinite inner power, are always bound to have victory. Those who worship mother Dhairya Lakshmi they live and lead a life with tremendous patience and inner stability.

Gaja Lakshmi: In the holy book of Srimad Bhagavata the story of the churning of the ocean by Gods and demons is explained in detail. Author, the Sage Vyasa writes that Lakshmi came out of the ocean during the churning of the ocean (Samudra Manthan). So she is known as a daughter of the ocean. She came out of the ocean sitting on a full-bloomed lotus and also having lotus flowers in both hands with two elephants by her sides, holding a beautiful vessels filled with milk and pouring it over Sri Lakshmi. Many a time we see Sri Lakshmi standing in the lotus and elephants are pouring nectar over her. During the festival of the lamps or the Deepavali along with Sri Lakshmi the Ganapati or the Elephant God also gets worshipped; that signifies the protection from evils as well as abundant grace and blessings for additional prosperities!

Santan Lakshmi: In the family life, the children are the greatest treasure. Those who worship this particular form of Sri Lakshmi, known as a Santan Lakshmi, are bestowed with the grace of mother Lakshmi and have wealth in the form of desirable children with good health & long life.

Vijay Lakshmi: Vijay is victory. Vijay is to get success in all undertakings and all different facets of life. Some are strong physically but weak mentally while others are economically rich but poor in their attitude and cannot exert any influence. Vijay is to have all encompassing victory. Vijay is to rejoice glory of our real nature – Vijay is to conquer the lower nature. Vijay is the victory in external and internal wars and of course eternal wars! Hence those, with grace of mother Vijay Lakshmi, have victory everywhere, at all time, in all conditions. Victory to Vijay Lakshmi !!

Dhana Lakshmi: Dhana is wealth. But as per Rigved’s Purush Shukta Dhana is not only a wealth in coins and currency. Even Sun and moon, fire and stars, rains and nature, oceans and mountains, rivers and streams, all these are our wealth, so are the progeny, our inner will power, our character and our virtues. With the grace of mother Dhana Lakshmi we will get all these in abundance.

Vidya Lakshmi: Vidya is education. Education is not mere studies to receive the degrees and diplomas certificates from the educational institutes or universities. Rev. Sri Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj says:
Serenity, Regularity, Absence of Vanity, Sincerity, Simplicity, Veracity, Equanimity, Fixity, Non-irritability, Adaptability Humility, Tenacity, Integrity, Nobility, Magnanimity, Charity, Generosity and Purity are the eighteen “itis” that only can give immortality.
Education, which cannot give peace to the soul or cannot give the knowledge of the Self and the inner satisfaction, is not education. Education, which cannot wipe the tears of others, known or unknown, is not education. Education is the understanding the situation and silence or art of living and leading the life that can make the life, the Life Divine, where the ultimate Goal of the life is the God-Realisation.

Such Education can come only through discrimination and dispassion. One can have abundant amount of money, but if he does not know how to make good use of it, it will work to his disadvantage. If an alcoholic or a drug addict gets a big sum of money, it will only hasten his downward journey to destruction. Vidya Lakshmi is the understanding and the knowledge to mold the ordinary life into the Divine Life. A life of Service, a life of feeling for a fellow being, a life of charity and generosity, a life of purity, a life for seeking a soul within the soul and a life with an ultimate aim of the realisation of the ABSOLUTE is the only real education, which can come only with the grace of Vidya Lakshmi.
Thus all these eightfold Sri Lakshmi is ultimately one single power only. That is Adishakti.

The perennial and unchangeable, ever lasting, eternal truth or the absolute is this Supreme blessedness, the mother Adishakti. She is the origin. She is the light. She is the power, the wisdom and the strength. She is the Supreme Joy, peace, bliss and illumination.

May Mother Adishakti’s and Sri Ashta Lakshmi’s grace be ever upon we all, to receive Her divine grace for being befitting servant of the mankind in Her cosmic kingdom.

Om Shanti.
Posted by Madhuri Saxena