English (machine translation)

Translation of Kamakalavilasa (Kāmakalāvilāsa)

Language: English
Extent: 311 passages, 11,782 words
Text: complete digital text
Source: pramana-mt · Machine translation by Gemini 3.8 Flash (2026-10-10) of in.sampradaya.saiva.agama.srividya.kamakalavilasa · Machine output without human authorship: no copyright is claimed (CC0 1.0). The original text keeps its own…

Text

2

composed by the venerable master Puṇyānanda, with commentary.

In the Research Department founded by the sun of Indian dharma, the eminent Mahārāja of Kashmir, Pratāp Siṃh, by its director, the Mahāmahopādhyāya Paṇḍita Mukundarāma Śāstrī, with the assistance of the other paṇḍitas residing in the aforesaid department,

4

having been collected, edited, collated, annotated, and prepared, refined according to the modern, accessible, and critical methods approved by assemblies of Western scholars, printed in Bombay at the Tattvavivecaka Press, and brought to light,

5

Saṃvat 1975,

6

Christian Era 1918,

7

Śrīnagar, Kashmir.

8

All rights of publication, printing, and the like of this work are reserved by the aforesaid eminent Mahārāja.

9

Om. Homage to Śiva, whose form is consciousness comprising both the sequential and the non-sequential.

10

Now begins

11

The Playful Manifestation of Kāmakalā

12

composed by the venerable master Puṇyānanda.

13

Constantly transcending the triad of stages through the union of relying upon that very triad, she shines on high; / she whose form is the sole sequence, yet whose nature is entirely non-sequential, shines forth—her, the divine Supreme Consciousness, I hold in my heart.

14

Intent upon the diversion of play consisting of the arising, maintenance, and dissolution of all the worlds, / his reflective awareness absorbed within, may the Great Lord, whose body is luminous consciousness alone, protect [you]. (1)

15

Here, the yogin Puṇyānanda, wishing to explain the mantra and cakra of Tripurasundarī, who is the presiding deity of all esoteric mantras, first describes those two who are her ground, possessing the nature of Kāma and Kāmeśvarī,

16

[2]

17

beginning with: "of all" and so forth. The arising, that is, creation; maintenance, that is, preservation; dissolution, that is, destruction—this triad implicitly includes obscuration and grace. The diversion, that is, sporting, by means of the play that abounds in these five kinds of cosmic acts—intent, that is, watchful, in that. The affix mayaṭ is prescribed here in the sense of abundance. If it is so, then what is the nature of Brahman as characterized apart from the universe? In response to this expectation, he says: "his reflective awareness absorbed within" and so forth. Reflective awareness is that which is reflected upon, apprehensively grasped as "this"; that is, cosmic manifestation. It is the well-known reflective apprehension of the world emitted as "this" by the Supreme Self. Reflective awareness of such kind—that is, cosmic manifestation—is absorbed, internalized, within him; thus he is "one whose reflective awareness is absorbed within." This is the meaning here: all cosmic manifestation is assimilated into his own Self, filled with the contemplation of the plenary sense of 'I'. Alternatively, reflective awareness is the unartificial reflective apprehension as "I" that is the cause of the world's origin, maintenance, and dissolution. And likewise, the Nāgānandas say:

18

"Reflective awareness is the radiant vibration of the universe as the unartificial 'I', whether in the form of the universe, through the illumination of the universe, or through the withdrawal of the universe; its absorption within means its inward orientation."

19

And likewise, this is the meaning: he whose reflective awareness, that is, plenary sense of 'I', is absorbed within, that is, inwardly oriented. He thus states that this Supreme Brahman, the Supreme Lord, has luminous consciousness as his sole nature and transcends everything, saying: "whose body is luminous consciousness alone." Here, being luminous consciousness is nothing other than the reflective apprehension of "I" in the form of a radiant vibration inherent in the first person: "I will, I know, I act."

20

[3]

21

Objection: Luminous nature is seen even in the sun and other luminaries; how then is he alone the Supreme Self? Because his intrinsic nature is not delimited by space, time, or spatial forms, and his lordship consists in being the controller of all. (1)

22

He states that the Supreme Sovereign Goddess also embodies all forms:

23

Victorious is that primordial divine power, whose eternal, incomparable form consists of her own bliss, / the seed of the moving and unmoving yet to be, the spotless mirror for the reflective awareness of Śiva's nature. (2)

24

Victorious, that is, exists in absolute supremacy, is that primordial divine power, the undelimited Supreme Sovereign Goddess Mahātripurasundarī. She is called "Tripurā"—celebrated in all Upaniṣads—because she consists of the thirty-six ontological principles from Śiva down to the earth, constitutes all cosmic manifestation, and transcends it; she is called Tripurā because she exists prior to the three luminaries, and her supreme excellence is proclaimed everywhere in the Āgamas. He explains this very point with: "of her own" and so forth. Her form, that is, essential nature, consists of her own—that is, innate—bliss unmingled with sorrow, is eternal—that is, omnipresent in time—and incomparable, that is, boundless. "The seed of the moving and unmoving yet to be":

25

[4]

26

The seed, that is, the yoni, the cause, of the moving and unmoving—that is, the animate and inanimate—that are yet to be, that will come into being: this is the meaning. Objection: Just as Śiva's being the creator of the world is not tenable without divine power, so too the supreme power cannot be a cause without Paramaśiva; how then is it said that she is "the seed of the moving and unmoving yet to be"? To this he replies: "the spotless mirror for the reflective awareness of Śiva's nature." Śiva's essential nature is characterized as "I"; reflective awareness of it is the reflective apprehension, the knowledge whose form is "I"; in making that shine forth, she is a spotless mirror, that is, skillful in fully illuminating it: this is the meaning. Just as some exceedingly handsome king, having closely observed his own reflection on the surface of a pure mirror placed before him, knows that reflection as "I", so too the Supreme Lord, closely contemplating his own divine power, which is subordinate to him, realizes his own true nature. (2)

27

Some say that Brahman is reflective awareness alone, as "I am plenary"; how then is Brahman spoken of as possessing reflective awareness? To this he replies:

28

Embodying the seed and sprout of the manifest union of Śiva and divine power, the supreme power / shines forth, having an exceedingly subtle form, her body discerned through the letters of the unexcelled reflective awareness. (3)

29

[5]

30

Here, by the word "supreme" (parā), the subject under discussion, the renowned Mahātripurasundarī, is denoted.
Because she is well established in revelation as having the nature of consciousness-bliss, will, knowledge, and action, it is said thus:
"Embodying the seed and the sprout of the manifest union of Śiva and divine power." Śiva and divine power are Śiva and Śakti;
their "union" is their conjunction; "manifest" means evident; through this manifest union of Śiva and divine power,
she "embodies the seed and the sprout": just as the sprout comes from the seed and the seed comes from the sprout,
so one should sequentially emanate the web of ontological principles beginning with the principle of Śiva and ending with the principle of earth—such is the meaning. Here,
by the word "Śiva," the power of knowledge is denoted, since the principle of Śiva is the substrate of the power of knowledge;
and by the word "Śakti," the power of action is denoted, since the principle of Śakti is the substrate of the power of action;
for it is seen that the creation everywhere by [the goddess] whose nature is consciousness-bliss occurs precisely through knowledge and action.
He specifies her further: "She shines forth, having an exceedingly subtle form, her body indicated by the letters of unexcelled [consciousness] and reflective awareness."
"Exceedingly subtle form": she has an extremely subtle form. The letter of unexcelled [consciousness] is the letter A; the letter of reflective awareness is the letter Ha;
she whose body, that is, essential nature, is indicated by these two is so described. Here,
by [the phrase] "her body indicated by the letters of unexcelled [consciousness] and reflective awareness,"
what is said is that the Supreme Sovereign Goddess, who is the Supreme Power having the nature of "I" (aham) and holding within her womb the entire collection of phonemes, who consists of the fifty syllables from the letter A to the letter Ha,
who is the progenitress of the entire cosmic manifestation consisting of phonemes, words, mantras, kalās, ontological principles, and worlds,
and who is the inner self of all beings, is seen throughout the Upaniṣads as being perceived in the very form of "I, I." (3)

31

[5]

32

From here on, he begins to describe, through the text, the principal subject of instruction, [the goddess] who has the form of the syllable of kāmakalā—Kāma being Śiva, and she having the form of his syllable—beginning with "When the mass of the rays of the sun that is Paraśiva…" and ending with "…and Kalā, the two bindus having the form of fire and moon."

33

When the mass of rays of the sun that is Paraśiva is reflected in the pure mirror of reflective awareness, / on the wall made of mind, radiant with counter-lustre, the great metaphysical drop enters. (4)

34

Paraśiva, whose sole nature is luminous consciousness, the venerable Paramaśiva himself, is the "sun," the maker of day; his "rays" are his beams; their "mass" is their multitude. In that "pure," spotless "mirror of reflective awareness"—reflective awareness being an illimitable, single power of radiant vibration, as in the Pratyabhijñā:

35

"That radiant vibration…"

36

and so forth, it is described precisely as a mirror because it illuminates one's own essential nature. There, "reflection" means the beholding of one's own nature; when there is such beholding in the form of reflection, on the wall "made of mind"—whose sole nature is knowledge—and "radiant with counter-lustre"—delightful with reflected illumination—the "great metaphysical drop enters," that is, becomes established. The description of the mind as a wall is because it is the cause of the manifestation of the great metaphysical drop.

37

[7]

38

In the world as well, on the surface of a mirror positioned facing the sun, after the reflection of the sun's rays, a drop of radiant light cast back by the sun's rays is visibly perceived on a nearby wall; in the same way, when a connection occurs between the Supreme Lord, who is luminous consciousness, and reflective awareness of his own nature resembling a mirror, then there the great metaphysical drop, the Supreme Lord whose form is "I am plenary," shines forth—such is the meaning. And the scripture says:

39

"When he beholds the radiant vibration of himself, then occurs the arising of the cakra."

40

So it is said. In the Pratyabhijñā also:

41

"That radiant vibration, the great reality…"

42

and so on. The yogin Paramānanda also says:

43

"Such words expressing 'thisness' and 'quantity' are far removed from what is known only by one's own direct experience; / how indeed can that consciousness, accompanied by such radiant vibration, be expressed in words?"

44

and so on. (4)

45

He specifies precisely that sense of 'I' that arises from beholding one's own radiant divine power:

46

Victorious is the I-consciousness consisting of mind, whose form is the equal essence of the clearly manifested syllables A and Ha, / the dense mass of the couple that is Śiva and divine power, by which the sphere of the universe has been swallowed up. (5)

47

[8]

48

"I-consciousness": that which is the cause (kāra) of this very reflective awareness "I, I," which manifests memories and experiences that have arisen of other things—such an I-consciousness is victorious, that is, exists supreme above all. For:

49

"Indeed, the repose of luminous consciousness within itself is proclaimed to be the sense of 'I'."

50

"Consisting of mind": having knowledge as its sole nature. "Whose form is the equal essence of the clearly manifested syllables A and Ha": A and Ha are the two sounds "A" and "Ha"; they are exceedingly "manifest," distinct, whose natures have mutually arisen; that in which these two clearly manifested sounds "A" and "Ha" blend together is [the I-consciousness]; "the dense mass of the couple that is Śiva and divine power"; therefore, "by which the sphere of the universe has been swallowed up": that by which the sphere of the universe, consisting of the aggregate of thirty-six ontological principles, has been placed within. The meaning is this: through the principle of pratyāhāra, from the very casket of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness that has the form of I-consciousness holding within its womb the entire collection of phonemes, the expansion of the entire cosmic manifestation consisting of word and meaning takes place. And so says revelation:

51

"The one syllable, by its union with divine power, brings forth in many ways manifold syllables with hidden purpose."

52

Thus. (5)

53

From here on, regarding what was said: "the great metaphysical drop enters on [the wall] made of mind," he teaches kāmakalā by means of describing the nature of the metaphysical drop:

54

The pair of metaphysical drops, white and red, whose expansion contracts in the isolated Śiva and divine power,

55

[9]

56

is the cause of the creation of word and meaning, distinct yet mutually interpenetrated. (6)

57

The metaphysical drop, whose essence is I-consciousness, is the sun, having the form of the equal essence of this couple; / Kāma is [Śiva] because of his desirability, and Kalā [is divine power], while the two metaphysical drops have the forms of fire and the moon. (7)

58

"White" is bright; "red" is crimson; the pair of drops having those forms [is the pair of white and red drops]; therefore, [the phrase] "Śiva and divine power isolated" refers to that action in which Śiva and divine power are intent on mutual amorous play; therefore, [it has] "contracting expansion": that in which the expansion that is the creation of the world contracts, that is, closes like a bud; "words" are all expressions in the forms of supreme, visionary, and other speech; "meanings" are the thirty-six ontological principles from Śiva to earth; their "creation" is the making of the world consisting of the six pathways; [the pair of drops is] the "cause," the reason for that; "distinct yet mutually interpenetrated": interpenetrated, that is, contained within one another, and distinct, that is, differentiated—one should meditate on this pair of white and red drops, the divine couple in the form of Kāma and Kāmeśvarī—such is the connection with what precedes. Here, this is the supreme secret:

59

"He who is supreme is the Great Lord."

60

In accordance with the manner stated in this scriptural text, he who is denoted by the unexcelled [letter A], who generates all words beginning with the Vedas,

61

[10]

62

The Supreme Lord, having entered reflective awareness, which is of the nature of the dissolution of the entire cosmic manifestation constituting his own limbs, considers the condition of the metaphysical drop. Then that power of reflective awareness also enters the metaphysical drop consisting of luminous consciousness situated within herself; and from that, the metaphysical drop is produced. From that metaphysical drop, [a power] consisting of resonance, pregnant with all ontological principles, composed of light, of the nature of the individual soul, possessing a subtle form like the tip of a hair, through this movement assumes the form of a triangular seat. And in this manner, of those two whose intrinsic nature is the metaphysical drop and resonance, luminous consciousness and reflective awareness, there comes to be the body [constituting] 'I'. Thus, between those two having a twofold form, one, reflective awareness, partakes of the nature of the red drop; the other, luminous consciousness, attains the condition of the white drop. In the union of the two, there is a mixed form, composed of all light, which is the intrinsic nature of the supreme Self. The scripture also says:

63

"The one phoneme, through association with power, manifoldly / upholds many phonemes, having its purpose concealed."

64

Thus [it is said].

65

He explains this very determination of the triad of metaphysical drops [in the phrase] 'The metaphysical drop is of the nature of I-consciousness.' 'The metaphysical drop,' whose intrinsic nature is white and red; 'of the nature of I-consciousness,' containing within itself the totality of all phonemes, whose self—namely, its identical nature—is I-consciousness in the form of the unexcelled expansion. By the grammatical rule 'from a phoneme comes -kāra,' the suffix -kāra is added after the word 'aham', just as in the case of aikāra. Therefore, 'possessing the form of the homogenous harmony of this couple'—of these two which are expressed by the letters 'a' and 'ha', luminous consciousness and reflective awareness, there is a couple, a dyad; of that couple having the form of the divine married couple, the homogenous harmony is their mutual harmony consisting in mutual interpenetration; that itself is the form—the intrinsic nature—of which [metaphysical drop],

66

11)

67

he is thus. 'The sun'—meaning the mixed drop, having become homogenous in the union of the white and red drops. For in ordinary experience the sun is of a mixed nature consisting of fire and moon. Therefore he states its worthiness of worship [in the word] 'kāma'. It is desired (kāmyate), longed for as one's own Self by great yogins established in the supreme reality; hence it is kāma. The reason in this regard is given: 'because of loveliness' (kamanīyatayā)—loveliness means being desirable; by that. 'Kalā' is the power of reflective awareness. 'Dahana' is fire; 'indu' is the moon; the two drops whose forms are precisely those two have the bodies of fire and moon. Here this is the meaning: the power of reflective awareness, having the form of fire and moon, inseparable from Kāmeśvara who is constituted of both of them, Mahātripurasundarī, who is the collective whole of the drops, is called kāmakalā; she alone is proclaimed throughout all scriptures as the object of meditation. And it is said:

68

"Whose face is the sun-drop, whose breasts are the pair of drops shining below it as the moon and fire, / whose seat of manifestation is the lower half of ha and sa—worship always this Supreme Deity."

69

"The metaphysical drop situated above the letter e is the face, the sun; situated below / are fire and the cool-rayed moon as the two breasts; the lower half of ha should be the yoni."

70

Such is the secret doctrine. This is the conclusion here: Mahātripurasundarī, named kāmakalā, the mother of mantras, who has the form of plenary I-ness containing the power of the great mantra of the infinite multitude of phonemes situated within herself, whose essence is the bliss of luminous consciousness, who has the form of the written syllables constituting the collective whole of the triad of metaphysical drops, is to be unceasingly recollected by supreme yogins, great devotees of Śiva. In the Vijñānabhaṭṭāraka also:

71

12)

72

"Of the wheel whose nature is the metaphysical drop, by the progressive order of gross phonemes, however, / through the utterance of the crescent moon, the drop, the end of resonance, and the void, one becomes Śiva."

73

Thus. .. 7 ..

74

Having thus pointed out the intrinsic nature of the metaphysical drop, he states that the fruit of the contemplative worship of knowledge is indeed the condition of the Supreme Brahman:

75

"This esoteric mantra of kāmakalā consists in the cyclic sequence of the Goddess's wheel; / he by whom she is known becomes liberated, having the very form of Mahātripurasundarī. .. 8 .."

76

Kāmakalā Mahātripurasundarī has been explained by the great previous composition; her 'vidyā' is knowledge. If one asks, 'Of what nature is she?', he says: 'consists in the cyclic sequence of the Goddess's wheel.' The wheel of the Goddess, of Tripurasundarī, is the Śrīcakra; its cyclic sequence, designated under the aspects of the wheel, mantra, and deity, consisting of all [circuits] beginning with the one made of all bliss down to the manifest one—she is composed of that, she pertains to that. By whomsoever—a person seeking to know Brahman, cultivating realization due to the descent of divine power—she is known, understood, that person becomes liberated.

77

"One whose sovereignty is recognized through esoteric knowledge, a solid mass of consciousness, is indeed liberated."

78

According to the principle of Recognition [expressed in] this [verse], being exceedingly capable of eliminating the latent impressions of worldly transmigration, unceasingly...

79

13)

80

...the supreme yogin sports; in the end as well, he has the form of Mahātripurasundarī, possessing the same nature as the Supreme Sovereign Goddess. .. 8 ..

81

From the very metaphysical drop under discussion, which is the supreme reality, he begins to state the origination and other processes of the universe:

82

"From the pulsating crimson drop, the manifest sound of the sprout of the Brahman-as-resonance [arose]; / from that occurred the origination of the phonemes and of ether, wind, fire, water, and earth. .. 9 .."

83

"From the pulsating," that is, swollen "metaphysical drop," possessing the characteristics previously stated; "the sprout of the Brahman-as-resonance"—resonance (nāda) is the phoneme that is the cause of the origination of all sound; that itself is Brahman; that Brahman is the sprout, the producer, of which [sound], that is what it is. And likewise it has been said:

84

"There is one phoneme consisting of resonance, without division into all sounds; / because its form never sets, it is traditionally known as the unstruck [sound]."

85

Thus. The sound (āravaḥ), which is of the nature of such Brahman-as-resonance, in the form of visionary speech and the rest, "became manifest," appeared. "From that" sound, of ether, wind, fire, water, and earth—

86

14)

87

of the five gross elements, and of the phonemes, the letters beginning with 'a' and ending with 'kṣa', the origination (saṃbhūtiḥ), that is, the arising, is handed down by tradition. .. 9 ..

88

Having thus stated that the red drop constitutes the Self of all and is the creator of all, he now extends that same nature here to the white drop as well:

89

"Now, from the brilliant drop also arises ether, wind, fire, water, and earth; / this universe, from the atom up to the cosmic egg of Brahmā, is a modification of this pentad. .. 10 .."

90

From the brilliant—that is, all-illuminating—drop, previously explained, the infinite cosmic eggs consisting of the five gross elements such as ether experience manifestation and disappearance; such is the meaning. And likewise the scripture [says]:

91

"Possessing the playful display of the rays of the infinite universe manifested through its own will, / I bow to the great throne of consciousness, the supreme resort of Śiva and Śakti."

92

Thus. .. 10 ..

93

Having thus stated the non-difference of the pair of drops, using that as an analogy he states the oneness of the mantra and the deity as well:

94

15)

95

"Just as the pair of metaphysical drops is mutually devoid of distinction, even so / between the esoteric mantra and the deity, between the known and the knower, there is not the slightest difference. .. 11 .."

96

The "pair of metaphysical drops," consisting of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness previously described, "just as," in whatever manner, "is devoid of distinction"—

97

"For the wise declare this reality to be Śiva and Śakti."

98

According to the principle thus stated, they are mutually embraced; likewise, in that very manner, between the esoteric mantra and the deity—the esoteric mantra being the fifteen-syllabled one, and the deity being Mahātripurasundarī—between the knower and the known, between the signified and the signifier, there is not even a trace of difference, not even the slightest distinction. Thus, from the non-different primal pair of Sound and the rest, the entire universe manifests. (11)

99

He states that this very pair, by its own will alone, produced its own differentiation and non-differentiation:

100

Speech and meaning are eternally united; mutually composed of divine power and Śiva,
they are divided threefold by the distinction of creation, maintenance, and dissolution, in the form of the three seed-syllables. (12)

101

(p. 16)

102

Speech consists of phonemes, words, and mantras; meaning consists of kalās, ontological principles, and worlds. Whence does this form arise? Because it is taught that the entire cosmic manifestation consisting of the six paths arises solely from sound and meaning, which are of the nature of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness. For this very reason, they are eternally united, continuously conjoined; their connection is not occasional like that of a pot and a cloth, for if that were so, everything would result in producing everything. 'The distinction of creation, maintenance, and dissolution': creation is the emergence of the network of ontological principles from Śiva down to the earth; maintenance is their preservation; dissolution is their absorption into one's own self. Such is the distinction possessed by the two. And the fact that these three reside in one's own self is stated by the venerable Abhinavagupta:

103

"Creation and dissolution reside within one's own self, abiding as its essential nature."

104

Thus. 'Mutually composed of divine power and Śiva': of the nature of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness; because of the unity of both, just like fire and its burning capacity, there is no separate ontological principle; this is the meaning. And as the authoritative statement says:

105

"The identity of these two is eternal, just like that of fire and the burner."

106

Thus. These two previously mentioned, luminous consciousness and reflective awareness, abide threefold, in three ways, divided, become distinct. By what? He says: 'in the form of the three seed-syllables,' meaning by having the nature of the vāgbhava, kāmarāja, and śaktibīja. The meaning is this: Mahātripurasundarī, who embodies the syllables of kāmakalā that constitute the collective whole of the three drops, is to be worshipped by all. (12)

107

Hereafter, by means of describing the particular entities contained within the three sections beginning with the vāgbhava, he undertakes to extract the venerable fifteen-syllabled esoteric mantra:

108

(17)

109

The knower, the means of knowledge, and the object of knowledge are the three drops, forms of distinct seed-syllables;
and they are also differentiated by the distinctions of the three realms, the three sacred seats, and the three divine powers. (13)

110

In these, respectively, is the triad of liṅgas, and likewise the triad of mātṛkās.
Thus, she whose cities are threefold, who is the fourth sacred seat, is the differentiated esoteric mantra. (14)

111

'The knower' is the Lord situated in space; 'the means of knowledge' is the esoteric mantra which is the means for apprehending Him; 'the object of knowledge' is Mahātripurasundarī who is being known. Having experienced in this way the state of knower, means of knowledge, and object of knowledge, she sports. 'The three realms' are the vāgbhava and the others; 'the three sacred seats' are Kāmagiri and the others; 'the three divine powers' are will and the others. Differentiated by distinctions such as these, since they consist of drops, within them—within the differentiated realms and the rest—respectively, in succession, is the triad of liṅgas beginning with the svayambhū-liṅga, and the triad of mātṛkās differentiated by the variants of the letter 'a'. Because of filling all such things, the supreme power named Tripurā, who is their collective form, has manifested; this he states with: 'Thus, she whose cities are threefold...'

112

(18)

113

Thus, in the manner previously stated, she whose bodies—whose limbs are triads—are cities; therefore she is the seat of the Fourth, meaning the ground of manifestation and disappearance of the entire threefold cosmic manifestation. (13–14)

114

Hereafter, by means of describing the qualities abiding in the elements of the first-created cosmic manifestation—according to the statement 'from that arose space, air, fire, water, and earth'—he begins to explain the nature of the deity who consists of the great mantra qualified by a specific number of syllables:

115

Sound, touch, form, taste, and smell are the subtle elements;
the preceding is pervasive, and the subsequent is pervaded; respectively, they are fifteen. (15)

116

Embodying the fifteen syllables, this eternal goddess is indeed regarded as elemental;
the eternal goddesses, divided by the distinct qualities of sound and the rest, are likewise pervaded by her. (16)

117

The eternal goddesses have the form of lunar days, and the lunar days have the form of the equal coalescence of Śiva and divine power;

118

(p. 19)

119

consisting of day and night, these are the venerable syllables, and they too have the form of that pair. (17)

120

Sound is the quality of space; touch is the quality of wind; form is the quality of fire; taste is the quality of water; smell is the quality of earth. Starting from space up to earth, with one additional quality progressively added, these qualities amount to fifteen. By virtue of these qualities being fifteen, the venerable esoteric mantra becomes fifteen-syllabled. 'Regarded as elemental': accepted, acknowledged as related to the elements. For this very reason, she 'embodies the fifteen syllables': because the elemental qualities originating from herself are fifteen, the syllables of the esoteric mantra are also fifteen; she has that form, she is of that nature. 'Eternal': immutable, meaning the ground of manifestation of all differentiated forms, like the ocean for waves, bubbles, and foam. For the immutable Goddess of the Sixteen Syllables herself, he explains the nature of the fifteen-syllabled esoteric mantra embodying the fifteen deities abiding in the fifteen lunar days that constitute her fifteen limbs, with: 'The eternal goddesses have the form of lunar days...' 'The eternal goddesses': resting in those beginning with Kāmeśvarī; 'having the form of lunar days': the presiding deities of the lunar days. 'And the lunar days': beginning with the first day of the lunar fortnight and ending with the full moon, 'have the form of the equal coalescence of Śiva and divine power,' having the form of the casket of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness. For this very reason, 'consisting of day and night': having the form of day and night, because luminous consciousness and reflective awareness consist of day and night. 'These lunar days are the venerable syllables': by that previously stated nature, the venerable syllables are fifteen in form; even the qualities of the phonemes within the esoteric mantra have the form of that pair,

121

(20)

122

meaning they are of the nature of such luminous consciousness and reflective awareness. This is the discrimination here: this very supreme power consisting of luminous consciousness and reflective awareness, which is the nature of the five elements, through progressive increase has come to embody the presiding deities of the lunar days, phonemes, and morae numbering fifteen. As the scripture says:

123

"There is only one supreme Maheśvara, called luminous consciousness,
whose divine power is called reflective awareness; she is sung as eternal by the wise.

124

And that goddess called reflective awareness attained a fivefold nature,
through the division of space, wind, the seven-flamed fire, water, and earth.

125

Through the increase of one quality at a time, she attained the count of the lunar days.
The esoteric mantra consisting of reflective awareness, which is proclaimed as the sixteen-syllabled one—
that Supreme Sovereign Goddess Tripurā underwent sixteenfold divisions,

126

from Sundarī and the rest [...] ending with Vicitrā on all sides.
It is to be understood from one's own scripture merely by conception."

127

Thus [verses] 15, 16, and 17.

128

In order to confirm what has been stated, and to state that the esoteric mantra, like the deity, is both identical with the universe and transcendent to it, he says:

129

Her form is manifested through the collective wholes and individual parts of vowels, consonants, and the triad of bindus;

130

21)

131

The solitary esoteric mantra consists of the thirty-six ontological principles and transcends the ontological principles. // 18

132

The esoteric mantra too has such a nature; she is subtle, the goddess Tripurasundarī. / The noble declare the absolute non-difference of what consists of the esoteric mantra and what is to be known through it. // 19

133

Vowels are the *ac* letters; consonants are the *hal* letters; the triad of bindus is the triad of *anusvāra*s; their collective whole is the state of aggregate, and individual parts are the components; "her form is manifested" means her essential nature is brought to light by them. Therefore, "consisting of the thirty-six ontological principles" means her body extends from Śiva to earth. And "transcends the ontological principles" means she goes beyond them because she is the foundation of the aggregate multitude of ontological principles. Therefore, she is "solitary" because, in the absence of anything separate from herself, she is alone. Such an esoteric mantra is the venerable fifteen-syllabled mantra; this is the meaning. Here, this is the manner of division of the parts in the esoteric mantra: here the venerable Puṇyānanda, taking immense pride in the *hādi-vidyā*, explains its identity with the ontological principles and its transcendence over them by relying upon the aggregate of parts of this very esoteric mantra. There, in the first section named *vāgbhava*, there are five vowels and seven consonants, making twelve letters in total. In the second section named *kāmarāja*, there are six vowels and eight consonants, making fourteen letters combined.

134

22)

135

And in the third section named *śakti*, there are four vowels and six consonants, making ten letters in total. All of them together form thirty-six syllables, both as parts and as an aggregate. The esoteric mantra transcends all ontological principles, and it is traditionally renowned and heard everywhere. The *kādi-vidyā* also certainly possesses the dual nature [of parts and whole, immanence and transcendence], by which there is indeed no difference between these two esoteric mantras: in the *hādi*, in the first section, five vowels and seven consonants are brought together; in both esoteric mantras, the presence of twelve letters in the first section is identical, hence the dual nature certainly belongs to both esoteric mantras. The method of worship of both esoteric mantras, however, must be learned solely from the mouth of the guru. Stating the oneness of the mantra and the deity, since the deity also has the same dual nature as the mantra, he says: "The esoteric mantra too has such a nature." The esoteric mantra, whose essential nature is consciousness-bliss, is of such a nature and transcends that; she is "subtle," impossible to define; she is Tripurasundarī, well known in all the Vedāntas; she is Tripura and Sundarī because she fills all entities abiding in threefold forms, and because she is desirable as the object of worship for all yogins; the etymological explanation of the word *tripurā* has already been expounded earlier. "The goddess" is of the nature of pure luminous consciousness, having the nature of the cosmic acts of creation and so forth, supreme speech. "The noble declare the absolute non-difference of what consists of the esoteric mantra and what is to be known through it": the noble, namely all yogins headed by Parameśvara; such is the meaning. // 19

136

Having thus stated the non-difference between the esoteric mantra and the deity, in order to state the identity of the cakra and the deity, he sets forth the manner of the cakra's emergence:

137

23)

138

She whose form is internal reflection, the supreme sovereign goddess herself, conceived as threefold, / becomes manifest, embodies the three mothers beginning with visionary speech, and attains the nature of the cakra. // 20

139

Not even the slightest difference between the cakra and the supreme sovereign goddess is conceived by the wise. / The subtle form of both is the supreme [speech] alone, and between their gross forms there is no difference whatsoever. // 21

140

"She whose form is internal reflection": *antara* means the internal organ; in that [there is] *ūha*, reflection, deliberation free of determination such as "it is this"; her form is accompanied by that. The meaning is this: because she is beyond the reach of speech and mind, she cannot be delimited by any of the Vedāntas; she is the cause of all, the ground of manifestation of the collection of ontological principles from Śiva down to the earth; the supreme sovereign goddess is called "supreme," highest of all. And the Śruti [says]:

141

"His supreme power is heard of as manifold indeed, innate, [consisting of] knowledge, strength, and action."

142

She who is characterized in this way, that very supreme power, is "conceived as threefold," that is, understood as existing in three modes.

143

24)

144

Explaining this very point, he says: "manifest, embodies the three mothers beginning with visionary speech." "Manifest" means designated as first-arisen; the subjective [speech] is called visionary speech; by the word "beginning," intermediate speech and corporeal speech [are included]. That very corporeal speech is of the nature of expressive articulation, composed of the aggregate of fifteen syllables, the divine power consisting of all Vedic and worldly naming. And so it is said in the *Subhagodayavāsanā*:

145

"Supreme [speech] is the ground of arising; visionary speech arises from the cluster of creepers; / intermediate speech is the fragrance; corporeal speech is this victorious rosary [of letters]."

146

Consisting of the three mothers of such a nature, she herself "attains the nature of the cakra," meaning she attains oneness, as it were, with the cakra consisting of three sections. Explaining this very point, he says: "between the cakra..." "Of the cakra," which consists of nine enclosures beginning with the Trailokyamohana and ending with the Baindava, which is the seat of Sundarī; and of "the supreme sovereign goddess," Sundarī who presides over it; "not even the slightest difference," not even a fraction of difference, is conceived—is perceived—by the wise, the devotees of Maheśvara. Why? Because the Śrīcakra is identical in form with venerable Sundarī. Once again, he declares their non-difference of such a kind: "the subtle form of both...," and so on. Regarding the subtle form of these two, namely the cakra and the deity, having a subtle form means nothing other than being unlimited. There, the abiding of the Śrīcakra in its subtle form is as the metaphysical drop; and that the metaphysical drop is unlimited has already been expounded in [the verse beginning with] "in the supreme sky of the metaphysical drop." That of the deity also has been stated by [the verse beginning with] "the esoteric mantra too has such a nature." Likewise, regarding the gross forms of the cakra and the deity: here, grossness

147

25)

148

means the expansion of the cakra from the triangle up to the square, and of the deity, conception in the forms of the Tripura powers beginning with Tripurāmbikā; between the cakra and deity of such nature, difference [is said to be] due to cause; this is the meaning. There, he gives the reason: "the subtle form is the supreme alone." She, the aforementioned supreme primal power alone, is their subtle form, meaning the subtle form is the essential nature of both. // 20 // 21

149

From here on, in order to describe the Śrīcakra, which is identical with the deity, consists of nine wombs, and has the nature of the expansion of the divine powers of supreme speech, visionary speech, and so forth, he first states that the Baindava cakra, named Sarvānandamaya, consists of the supreme power:

150

The center of the cakra is composed of supreme [speech]; it is this very principle of the metaphysical drop. / And when it swells, it clearly transforms into the form of a triangle. // 22

151

This is the primary cause of the triad beginning with visionary speech, and consists of the triad of seed-syllables.

152

26)

153

The center of the cakra consisting of the ninefold womb—that is, the ontological principle of the metaphysical drop situated in the middle—has already been explained. The meaning is that this, directly realized in oneself, consists solely of the supreme power, its intrinsic nature being nothing other than supreme power. When this very ontological principle of the metaphysical drop reaches expansion, then the triangular cakra arises; hence he says: "And when that becomes swollen..." When, that is, at which time, by the power of the unseen destiny of living beings, that which pertains to the metaphysical drop also becomes swollen—that is, attains expansion—then it transforms into the shape of a triangle, which is the fusion of the unexcelled bliss and will; that is to say, it assumes the form of a triangle. This triangular cakra is the primary cause of the triad beginning with visionary speech; meaning, it is the cause of the emergence of the three divine powers headed by visionary speech, intermediate speech, and corporeal speech. Thus it is stated:

154

"Likewise, the power of will, Vāmā, / stands with the body of visionary speech;
and likewise the power of knowledge, Jyeṣṭhā, / is declared to be intermediate speech.

155

Consisting of a straight line, seated in the cosmos, / having a renowned bodily form;
yet in the state of its worldly course, / she assumes the form of the metaphysical drop.

156

Through the process of return alone, / radiant with the body of the triangular seat,
this Raudrī, the power of action, / is corporeal speech, whose body is the universe."

157

Thus. "And consists of the triad of seed-syllables" means: that whose nature is the triad of seed-syllables, consisting of the three sections, namely the vāgbhava, kāmarāja, and śaktibīja. (22)

158

Then, within the Supreme Sovereign Goddess herself, the ontological principle of the metaphysical drop became the Śrīcakra consisting of the ninefold womb facing upward and downward; hence he says:

159

27)

160

Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, Raudrī, and Ambikā arise as portions of the unexcelled; (23)

161

and these, will, knowledge, action, and Śāntā, are the higher components.
Divided and undivided, that pair of phonemes is this elevenfold visionary speech. (24)

162

Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, Raudrī, Ambikā, and, by the conjunction "and", the supreme power: these five divine powers arise as portions of the unexcelled; that is to say, as portions of the unexcelled, they have become the shapes of the five downward-facing triangles within the Śrīcakra. These four powers—will, knowledge, action, and Śāntā—are the higher components, having the form of the four upward-facing triangles. This is the gist: these divine powers consisting of the playful expansion of the supreme—Raudrī, Vāmā, Jyeṣṭhā, Ambikā, along with will, knowledge, action, and Śāntā as the higher components—this cakra of nine triangles consists of this group of nine divine powers. "Divided and undivided, that pair of phonemes": divided, meaning individual parts; undivided, meaning the collective whole; that pair of phonemes well-known in all the Upaniṣads, which by the principle of the tongs encompasses the plenary I-ness whose form is luminous consciousness and reflective awareness, consisting of the esoteric mantras comprising all syllables—that pair of phonemes, having an elevenfold nature,

163

28)

164

when contemplated by the mind, becomes elevenfold; this is the meaning. The ten divine powers beginning with the supreme and ending with Śāntā exist as individual parts, and as the collective whole of all they are one; therefore, it is elevenfold. This very ontological principle of the metaphysical drop is the cause of visionary speech. (23–24)

165

Next, in order to state the manner of the cakras of creation, such as the eight-cornered and the ten-spoked ones, he concludes the procedure of the primary context, namely the triangular cakra:

166

Thus she whose self is kāmakalā, consisting of the syllables embodying the reality of the triad of bindus,
having arrived at the form of a triangle, is the Mother whose nature is the three qualities. (25)

167

[She is] the one supreme [...].

168

"Thus," in the manner stated before, she whose self is kāmakalā: Kāma is Paramaśiva, whose sole nature is luminous consciousness and who consists of the unexcelled syllable [a]; whereas the kalā is the supreme "I" consisting of all speech, made of syllables, whose embodiment is reflective awareness. Thus, being of the nature of both means possessing the natural and complete sense of 'I'. And this was clearly stated in the verse: "The metaphysical drop has the nature of I-consciousness." Being of such a nature, she whose self is kāmakalā consists of the syllables embodying the reality of the triad of bindus: the metaphysical drops are the red, white, and mixed ones previously mentioned;

169

29)

170

their state of being is their ontological principle; she consists of the syllables that are their intrinsic forms, beginning with the vāgbhava. Likewise in the Rahasyāmnāya:

171

"Know your own triangular seat to be beautiful, consisting of the triad of bindus, / mixed, white, and red, ancient, of the nature of the praṇava,

172

to be understood through the three lines, pure consciousness alone, having the nature of Śiva."

173

She, having attained the form of a triangle, whose ultimate reality is the concentrated essence of consciousness-bliss, who is the essence of all the sacred traditions, directly experienced as the Self by supreme yogins possessing the contemplation of the cosmic sense of 'I', having three qualities, consisting of the divine powers of will, knowledge, and action—thus she is the sole creator of the entire universe. And likewise is the scriptural statement:

174

"When the unexcelled and bliss-consciousness are joined to the power of will, / they call that the triangle, beautiful with the fragrance of creative emission."

175

Thus. (25)

176

Hereafter, he declares that visionary speech also, having the form of playful expansion, has a ninefold nature through being the cakra of the ninefold womb:

177

[...] other than that, she has the nature of the creation of the mere individual parts beginning with Vāmā.

178

30)

179

Therefore, the Mother has become ninefold [...].

180

"Other than that," visionary speech, being the expansion of the supreme, "has the nature of the creation of the mere individual parts beginning with Vāmā," because it consists of the nine divine powers beginning with Vāmā and ending with Śāntā; for that reason, that Mother—the creatrix called visionary speech—"has become ninefold," that is, has manifested as the cakra of the ninefold womb, which is the cause of the appearance of the cluster of divine powers beginning with Vāmā and ending with Śāntā. Here, in connection with the divine powers beginning with Vāmā, a little is stated: among them, Vāmā is called the generatrix of the universe because she vomits forth the cosmic manifestation residing within the triangular seat; Jyeṣṭhā brings about all auspiciousness; Raudrī dispels all diseases; and Ambikā is the divine power who bestows all desires.

181

"She is radiant pulse, the Great Reality"—

182

according to the doctrine of the Recognition, the supreme speech, surpassing all, is skilled in observing the radiant vibration of her own Self whose nature is plenary; while the divine powers of will, knowledge, and action have the forms of visionary, intermediate, and corporeal speech. In the Catuḥśatī it mentions the fourth, Śāntā, and Śāntā is established by the scriptural revelation: "partless, tranquil (śānta)", and so forth. (26)

183

Next, he states that intermediate speech also, in another way, has a ninefold nature:

184

31)

185

She, through the designations of intermediate speech... (26)

186

That intermediate speech is twofold, situated in subtle and gross forms; the subtle / controls the nine sounds, while the gross consists of nine phonemes and is called the alphabet of the elements. (27)

187

Since the first is the cause and the other is the effect of these two, / for that reason
she is that very one: there is no difference, for identity between cause and effect is accepted. (28)

188

Madhyamā is the harmonious state of parā and paśyantī; through their designations, their names, she is thus perceived with ease by supreme yogins. The power named madhyamā is twofold, of two sorts, on account of its subtle and gross natures. Among these, the subtle is experienced by the power of samādhi; the gross form, suitable for expression by scholar and simpleton alike, abides through the series of letters, continually present. This is precisely what he explains with: 'the subtle consists of nine sounds, the gross comprises nine letters.'

189

[32]

190

This is the meaning: moving upward from the abode of Mitra and Varuṇa by the retention of breath, piercing through the lotuses beginning with the svādhiṣṭhāna, approaching the lap of Paramaśiva seated upon the throne of the drop at the end of the twelve fingers, the Great Mother Kuṇḍalinī, who is experienced as consisting of manifold sounds, is regarded as one's own Self by the great worshippers of Maheśvara who have attained all truths through samādhi. 'Consisting of nine sounds' means: the first is 'ciṇi'; the second is 'ciṇiciṇi'; the third is the sound of a bell; the fourth is the sound of a conch; the fifth is the sound of a lute; the sixth is the sound of cymbals; the seventh is the sound of a flute; the eighth is the sound of a kettle-drum; the ninth is the sound of a mṛdaṅga drum. 'Called the letters of the elements': they are elements and they are letters, hence 'letters of the elements'. Here, the character of elements in the letters lies in their being manifested through specific bodily movements and ritual deposition of syllables; and that is merely conceptual, because the syllables are essentially the power in the form of light. She whose designation, whose name, consists of these is [the gross form]. For the subtle madhyamā, having entered the state of being the cause of the gross form, is indeed one. Hence he says: 'The first is the cause', and so forth. 'The first', the subtle mentioned before, is the 'cause', because it arises first; 'the other', the gross, is the 'effect', because it is produced from it. Since, for that reason, between these two—the subtle and the gross—there is the relationship of cause and effect, therefore, for that reason, this gross power is identical with that very subtle power; 'there is indeed no distinction'—there is no difference at all. Objection: How can there be a relation of cause and effect when there is identity? To this he says: 'Identity...'. Identity, having the nature of identity-in-difference, is accepted as 'cause and effect', having the nature of producer and produced.

First 190 of 311 passages. Read on

English (machine translation)

Contents

Text