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TRANSLATIONS From Sanskrit Bengali French Sanskrit HYMN TO DAWN Rishi
Kutsa (Rig-Veda –
Mandala 1, Sukta 113) Lo, the supreme
Light of lights is come: a
varied knowledge is born in front spreading far and wide. She is born to
give birth to the Sun, even so Night opens her womb for the Dawn. [1] With her reddening child, the white Mother comes blushing red: the dark Mother flings open her
dark chambers. Both have the same
Comrade, both are immortals, they follow each other, as they move measuring
out earth and heaven and the hue beyond. [2] They have the same path, the two sisters, the eternal Path which they follow one after the other as ordained by the Supreme: They do not mingle, nor do they halt, the perfect Progenitors; Night and Dawn unlike in form are like in mind. [3]
The shining One, the
Leader, she awakens the right movements: she opens wide for us many a variegated door. She moves the creation forward,
she discloses for us felicity; Dawn manifests here all the worlds. [4]
He who lies crooked, him
you impel to walk straight, O
Goddess of Plenty: you are there for our wide enjoyment, for our right impulsion, for our felicity. Page – 129 He who sees small, for him you saw vastly, Dawn manifests here all the worlds.
[5] You are for warrior strength, you are for the mighty impulsion, you are the Purpose of our travelling: Dawn fronts all creatures of all varieties, she manifests here all the worlds. [6] Behold, the Daughter of Heaven
appears in front, the young damsel rises clothed in
white: She is the Ruler of the universe, Ruler of all earthly treasure: O Dawn, O Perfect Delight, appear here today. [7] She follows the path of those that are passing away, she is the first in the eternal
series that is coming. She rises and impels the soul upward, Dawn awakens someone who lay dead. [8] O Dawn, you set the Fire to be perfectly kindled, through the eye of the Sun, you manifest all: You awaken mankind to perform the Sacrifice all this happy work you accomplish for the sake of the gods. [9] Since when has she been coming nearer unto us? when did she rise in the past, since when has she been rising now in the present? She desires and follows after those that are gone, she sets her thought forward and unites herself with the others. [10] Earlier mortals who saw the rising Dawn have departed; now she appears before our eyes; And they who shall see in other dawns are yet to come. [11] You disperse the enemies, you foster the truth, you are born of the truth, you are made of felicity, you impel the right movements. You are the supreme Good, you bear in you what the gods
Page – 130 desire. O Dawn, appear here today at your best and highest. [12] Goddess Dawn appeared always of yore: even so, O Queen of Plenty, manifest all this here today. And may she appear also in days to come: ageless and deathless she moves in her self-law. [13] She shines with her gleamings in the spaces of heaven, the Goddess has discarded her dark robes. Awakening all, Dawn comes with rosy steeds well-yoked to her chariot. [14] She is the Fosterer, she brings desirable things: and as she awakes, she creates a varied knowledge. The image of those that are passing endlessly, the first of those that are manifest, Dawn rises wide refulgent. [15] Climb high, O soul; strength is come to us, Darkness has fled; behold, the Light approaches. She has opened the path for the passage of the Sun: We go there where life is carried ever forward. [16] The flame-bearers, the adorers sing to the rising Dawn, they utter the right-minded word. Appear this day, O Goddess of Plenty, to him who expresses Thee, in me illumine a life rich with its fruitfulness. [17] Dawns appear, luminous and omnipotent, for the sake of the mortal who makes the offering. Even like the God of Life, they bestow as the right impulsions break forth, life's energies; and these he enjoys who has the immortal drink purified. [18] O Mother of the gods, the very Army of Aditi, the flaming knowledge of sacrifice, shine forth in thy vastness.
Page-131 O Creator of the perfect expression, manifest yourself in us for the sake of the supreme word: O All-desirable, bring us to birth in the birth. [19] The varied work which Dawns bring forward for him who accomplishes the sacrifice, who gives the perfect expression- that is the Supreme Good, That may Mitra and Varuna, and Aditi, and the waters and Earth and Heaven protect for us. [20] HYMN TO THE SUN Rishi Dirghatama (Rig-Veda – Mandala
I, Sukta 164) This is the delightful ancient One. He is the Summoner. Next to him is the second brother: he is the Devourer. The third brother is the one with blazing front: here I saw the Lord of the Universe with his seven sons. [1] The Seven yoke the chariot that has one single wheel: the Horse with seven names draws it. The Wheel has three naves. It is unaging and irresistible. All the worlds repose upon it. [2] Seven are they who drive the chariot, seven are he horses that draw the chariot with seven wheels. Seven are the sisters who together move there where the herds with seven names are pent in. [3] Who has been the First One taking birth: boneless himself he upbears that with bones. Who was the Energy, the Blood, the Soul of this earth? And did any one ever approach the wise
with the question? [4]
Page-132 I am young, therefore do I ask: with my mind I am unable to know of those secreted seats of the Gods. Upon the moving seat the Seers spread out the seven threads as warp and woof. [5] I have not the consciousness, so do I ask here of the seers who have the consciousness: not having the knowledge I ask for the knowledge. Some one who is one and single has transfixed these six worlds as forms of the Unborn. [6] Here let him speak who knows of the secret step of this delightful one in his wide winging. From his head the white herds draw sweet milk: they put on a covering and drink water by their feet. [7] In the Truth the Mother adores the Father: from the very beginning she has been united with him in consciousness and thought. She quivered, her womb charged with streaming delight: they that carried their obeisances approached and found the Word. [8] The Mother was united to the yoke by the right side: the embryo lay within all that was crooked. The child lowed after its mother and saw her as the world form in the three expanses. [9] Three are the mothers, three the fathers, upborne by One standing above: they do not tire him down. There, in that heaven, they utter the word which has the knowledge of the universe, which the universe cannot encompass. [10] The wheel of Truth with its twelve spokes rolls on round the heaven and decays not. O Agni, here the sons stay in pairs, seven hundred and twenty in number. [11] The father who
has five feet and twelve forms, they say, is on the higher hemisphere and he is
delight itself.
Page – 133 And there are those who say that one with clear vision is placed high above upon the seven wheels and six spokes. [12] All the worlds repose upon that wheel rolling on with its five spokes. It axle is never over-strained, in spite of the heavy load, it never wears out in the course of eternity, fixed on its nave. [13] The ringed wheel rolls on undecaying: the ten are yoked and they carry it upward. Lo! there comes the sun's eye, encircled by the spaces. All the worlds are placed in there.[14] Sevenfold are they, born together: the seventh is born of the one, they say, and these six are seers and gods. Their movements are fixed according to the status: they move out in varied forms for the sake of him who upholds them. [15] Women are they and they are also men, it is said. He who has eyes is able to see, one blind does not know. The Son, the seer, is aware of it; and he who knows is the father of the father. [16] The mother cow holds the hind legs of her calf by her fore legs and its fore legs with her hind legs and moves upward. Whither, to which hemisphere, she is stepping across? Where does she give birth to the child? Not indeed in the midst of the herds. [17] He, indeed, integrally knows the Father who knows the lower by the higher and the higher by the lower. Who has the poet's vision to tell us where does the Divine Mind take birth? [18] They that turn downward are said to turn upward and they that turn upward are said to turn downward. Indra and thou,
O Soma, both together have done deeds that upbear the luminous worlds as though
joined to the yoke. [19]
Page – 134 The birds with wings of beauty united together and as comrades cling to the same tree. One of them eats of the sweet fruit; the other does not eat and looks about. [20] There, where the birds with wings of beauty, in perfect knowledge, sing of their share in immortality. The Lord and Protector of all the worlds, the Supreme Intelligence, enters into one young and ignorant as I am. [21] Upon the tree dwell the birds of beautiful wings who eat of honey; from there they made the creation upon earth. And on its top, there is the sweetest fruit, they say; none can reach it who knows not the father. [22] Upon Gayatra is set the Gayatra, the Tristubha is carved upon Tristubha. And that which is called Jagat, is set upon Jagat; they who know this attain immortality. [23] The luminous verse is fashioned after the rhythm of Gayatra and with the verse is fashioned the chant of Soma and the Word with the rhythm of Tristubha. The Word is fashioned with the Word, the Word has a two-fold and a four-fold stepping and the seven vocables are fashioned with the syllable. [24] With Jagat the Stream was established firm in the Heaven; with Rathantara the Sun is seen all around up above. The rhythm of Gayatra, they say, has a three-fold kindling; hence it goes farther beyond in its mighty greatness. [25]
That giver of milk, her I called here who yields milk readily: she is milked by a hand skilled in milking. May the creator create for me the very best creation; the heat blazes; towards that I utter my words. [26] Professor of all wealth, she yearns with her mind and heart after her child: lo, she comes uttering her cry. Inviolable may
she yield the drink for the twin riders. May she grow and increase for the sake
of the vast felicity. [27]
Page – 135 The mother answered back to her child that was gazing at her; she cried aloud, as though to measure its head. She desires after its foaming mouth; she shapes its form giving it to drink all her milk. [28] There he is who cries out encompassing the white mother, he fashions the form seated secure above all disruption. She builds up the mortal from within with her modes of consciousness. She has become the lightning and has shaken off her covering. [29] The living one breathes and moves fast when it lies at rest: when it races along it holds itself firm within its station. The soul in the mortal moves by its self-law; the immortal springs from the same source as the mortals. [30] I saw him who protects, who never stumbles, who moves by paths here below and beyond. He is with all, he is around all, he circles under cover, within all the worlds. [31] He who has created this does not know it and he who has seen it is hidden away from it. He is enclosed within the womb of the Mother: he produced the many and entered into untruth. [32] Heaven is my father who created me: here is my central cord: the Mother, this vast Earth, binds me down. The twin vessels are turned upward; within there the Lord ordained the birth of the daughter. [33] I ask you of the farthest end of the earth; I ask you where lies the nave of this world. I ask you of the energy that the Horse rains down; I ask you of the supreme status of the world. [34] This altar is the farthest end of the earth; this sacrifice is the nave of the world. This Soma (the
immortal drink) is the energy that the Horse rains down; and Brahman is the
supreme status of the world. [35]
Page – 136 The seven half-embryos are the energising sap of the world. As the infinite Lord ordained, they became the varied laws. They are the knowers and with their intelligence and thought they encircle all around and they take from everywhere. [36] I do not know what this is that I am, I am bound deep within and I roam about with my mind. But the first-born child of Truth came to me, I had then my portion of the Delight in the Word it uttered. [37] The one below goes upward seized by its own self-law: the mortal is one with the immortal at its origin. They are eternal and move about divergently; one knows the other within oneself, another knows not the other within itself. [38] In the luminous world, in the supreme status where the Gods have taken their seat over the universe – He who does not know it, what can he do with the Word; but he who knows it sits in the company of the Gods. [39] You have eaten of the sweet corn, may you possess the Divine Delight, may we too possess the Divine Delight. None can slay you through all eternity: may you eat of the grass and drink of the pure water and roam at ease. [40] The luminous one measures and gives form to the waters: she has a single status, a two-fold status and a four-fold status. She has an eight-fold status, a nine-fold status and still becomes the thousand-fold letters in the supreme status. [41] From Her the oceans flow out everywhere; by that the four directions live their life. From there flow out that which does not flow; based upon that the universe lives its life. [42] I saw from afar
the smoke in its energy spreading high and wide.
Page – 137 The heroes prepare the dappled Scatterer even like food; such were the first and pristine laws. [43] Three are the Shining Ones who see widely in accordance with the law of the Truth: of them one plants the seed throughout the year, another labours upon the world with his effulgences, of still another the mighty rushing is seen, not the form. [44] Four-fold is the Word as measured into steps: they are known to the poet-seers and to the great minds. Three are embedded deep within and they do not move; the fourth is the speech that men utter. [45] They say, it is Indra or Mitra or Varuna or Agni: it is the divine Bird with wings of beauty. The One alone exists: the wise speak of it variously, they call it Agni or Yama or Matarishwan. [46] The luminous birds with wings of beauty have clothed themselves with waters and they surge up along a dark path towards the heaven. They have returned from the seat of Truth and in their bright energy lift up the earth to the wideness. [47] Twelve are the spokes, the wheel is one and four are the naves: who indeed has known of them? With them fixed together there are three hundred and sixty poles, that appear as though moving and yet not moving. [48] That eternal breast of yours yields supreme delight: with that you nourish all desirable things. That establishes felicity, discovers treasures, gives lavishly; O Saraswati, that do thou here affirm. [49] The gods carry out the sacrifice with sacrifice; those were the first and pristine laws. Those
greatnesses cleave to heaven, there where dwell the gods who have been the
ancient goal. [50]
Page – 138 The same waters flow upward and again flow downward, day by day. The divine showers give life to the earth; the fires give life to heaven. [51] The Divine Bird, vast in its wings of beauty, is the source of the waters, the seer of earthly growths.¹ With its showers pouring all around he brings felicity. He flows ceaselessly on and on: him I call for the vast protection. [52] AGNI AND THE GODS (Rig-Veda – Mandala X, Sukta 51) THE GODS Huge and firm was that covering with which you shrouded yourself and entered into the waters. O Agni! You are conscious from your very birth. The One God saw you in all your multiple universal body. [1] AGNI Who saw me? Which of the gods saw my multiple body all around? O Mitra! O Varuna! Tell me, where do they dwell-all the blazing fuel that move to the gods? [2] THE GODS O Agni! god self-conscient, we seek you, you who have entered variably into the waters and into the growths of the earth. You shine richly. Yama has seen you as you flame out of your ten seats. [3] AGNI O Varuna! I fled because I was afraid of the work of the priest. The gods must not yoke me to that work. ¹ Or,
is seen in the womb of the waters and of the earthly growths.
Page – 139 That was why I embedded my body variably so that I as Agni may not know of that pathway. [4]
THE GODS Come, O Agni! Man, the mental being, desires to do the sacrifice, he has made everything ready, and you dwell in obscurity! Make easy-going the path that leads to the gods, with a happy mind carry the offering. [5] AGNI There were elders before Agni who covered the same path, even as charioteers do their way. That is why, O Varuna! out of fear I have come away so far, even as an animal shrinks and shivers at a shooting arrow. [6] THE GODS We shall make your life undecaying, O Agni! so that no harm comes to you when engaged in the work. So, carry to the gods their share of the offering; a happy birth you have, a happy mind you must carry. [7] AGNI Then bring to me my share of the mighty offerings, those that are given before, those that are given after and those that are simply given. O gods! Long life to the being shining in the waters, to Agni himself lying in the growths of the earth. [8] THE GODS The offerings that precede, the offerings that follow, offerings pure and simple – all forceful, may you enjoy. May this sacrifice be yours
entirely. The four quarters bow down to you, O Agni! [9]
Page – 140 HYMN TO THE PURUSHA (Rig-Veda – Mandala X, Sukta 51) He has a thousand heads, the Supreme Being, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet. He has covered the entire extended universe and exceeded it by the measure often fingers. [1] All this is the Supreme Purusha, all that has become, and all that will become. He is the master of Immortality and through Matter crosses beyond it. [2] All this is His mightiness and even greater than all this is the Supreme Being. All the worlds are His feet, His other three steps are the Immortality in heaven. [3] The Supreme Being with his three steppings went upwards, He came down again in his fourth stepping: And then spread Himself out variously towards the living and the non-living (that which eats and that which does not eat). [4] From That was born the Vast, the Wide-ruling, the Over-Lord. Even as He is born, He transcends all, He is behind the earthly world and He is in front. [5] Through the Supreme Being the Gods make the offering and accomplish the sacrifice. The Spring is its first primal offering, Summer is its fuel and Autumn the final giving. [6] The Supreme Being took birth in the forefront, He is the sacrifice, Him they sanctified seated on the altar. Through Him they accomplish the
sacrifice, the Gods, the demi-gods and the Rishis. [7]
Page – 141 All are offered unto Him and from Him are gathered the various elements of offering. [8] And That created all the animals, all that are in the air, in the forests and the homesteads. [8] All are offered unto Him and from Him are born Riks and Samas and the Chhandas and Yajuh. [9] From Him are born the horses and they who are of either kind and the cows and from there are born even the goatkiml.¹ [10] When they established Him vastly, in how many ways did they conceive Him? What was His face, how were His arms and how His feet they spoke of? [11] The Brahmanas were His face, the royalties were made His arms, the traders were His thighs and the labourers (proletarians) were born of His feet. [12] The moon was born from His mind, the sun from His eyes, the Lord of the senses and the Divine Fire from His mouth and air from the life-force. [13] From the navel came out the mediate spaces, from His head rose the heavens, from the feet this earth, from His ears the ten directions. Thus were the worlds conceived. [14] Seven were the circles around Him, the fuel made were three times seven. When the Gods were preparing the sacrifice, they tied the being as the offered animal.² [15] Through the sacrifice did the Gods perform the sacrifice; such were the primal laws. ¹ Horses = vital energy; cows=light-energy; either
kind = mixture of the two, e.g., mental energy; goat =aja
= (lit.) unborn; the primal or pristine energy, that of Mother. ² The Supreme Consciousness sacrificed Himself, descended into Matter and became the Inconscient.
Page – 142 Thus indeed they reached the heavens in their mightiness where dwell the the ancient Gods and demi-gods. [16] HYMN TO HIRANYAGARBHA (Rig-Veda – Mandala X, Sukta 121) In the beginning there was the Golden Child in the Womb. From the very birth he became the sole Lord of creation. He upheld the earth and this heaven. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [1] He gives us our self, he gives us our strength! His is the law that all the gods, all obey and adore. Deathlessness is his shadow, and to him also Death belongs. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [2] He by his greatness became the one king Of all that lives and breathes, indeed of the whole world. He is the Master of the race of men and of animals. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [3] These snowy mountain-ranges are his greatness, His are these oceans with all their sweet streams, All these spaces are his, extended as his arms. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [4] Through Him the heavens are high and the earth firm. Through Him the world of light is steadied and the world of Bliss beyond; In the inner ranges He measures the extensions. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [5] Him the two firmaments in their vastness have transfixed: They gaze at Him with their luminous mind: There the sun rises up above and shines wide: Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [6]
Page – 143 As the vast waters came down filling the universe, They held Agni in their womb and gave him birth; Then came forth the One Force of all the Gods: Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [7] In his greatness He saw the waters all around, Holding in himself the clear perception and ushering the sacrifice, He is One God, Lord over all the Gods: Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [8] May He not hurt as, He who is the Father of the Earth, He the Lord of Truth who brought forth the heaven, He who brought forth the delightful wide Waters. Who then is the God to whom we make our offering? [9] O Lord of creatures, through none else, none else Are all these worlds born everywhere; Whatever prayer we offer to you, may that be granted to us, May we become master of all delights. [10] HYMN OF THE SUPREME GODDESS (Rig-Veda – Mandala X, Sukta 125) I move with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Adityas, yea, with all the gods. I bear both Mitra and Varuna, both Indra and Agni and the twin Aswins. [1] I bear the Soma that is to be pressed, I bear the Fashioner and the Fosterer and the Enjoyer. I give the Treasure to the sacrificer who carries the offering and delivers it, one who has brought out the perfect Soma drink. [2] I am the Imperial Power, all
wealth I gather together. Being conscious of all, I am the first of all
sacrificial elements. Me the gods have established widely, in multiple places,
Page – 144 me who am seated multiply and multiply entered into things. [3] Through me he eats his food, whoever sees, whoever hears. They who do not recognise me, perish. You who have ears, who have faith, listen to what I tell you. [4] I utter here that which is adored by the gods and by men. The one I choose, I make him supreme and he knows the Word and possesses the Knowledge. [5] Rudra's bow I bend for him to slay the fierce enemies of the Truth; I am in the battle for the sake of the peoples, I have entered into heaven and earth. [6] I have given birth to the Father, whose head is my birthplace – in the waters, in the ocean. From there I have entered into the worlds and have established myself wide and I touch with my body the far heaven. [7] I rush like the wind as I drive all the worlds. That reaches beyond the heavens, beyond this earth, – such is the greatness that has manifested. [8] ODE TO DARKNESS (Rig-Veda-Mandala X,
Sukta 127) Night spreads wide, she comes everywhere, a Goddess with shining eyes – she looms over these glories as their overlord. [1] The Immortal Goddess fills up the Vast above and below. She compels the darkness with her light. [2] The Goddess
comes and veils her sister, the Dawn, and glows through the blackness. [3]
Page – 145 She is now that to us wherein we shall rest even as birds do on a tree. [4] In her repose all habitations, all the footed and winged creatures, even the fast racing eagle. [5] O Ocean-born Goddess! Smite the wolf, he or she, smite the robber! Carry us safely through. [6] Black darkness clings to me all around, it stands here firm. O Dawn! clear it even as you do my debts. [7] Daughter of Heaven! A Herd of light is this hymn of victory that moves towards you. I have made it for your sake. Do thou accept it, O Night. [8] LAST HYMN (Rig-Veda – Mandala X, Sukta 191) O Flame! Master Strength! O Leader! You gather around you all the peoples of the world and bind them together. You burn bright in the high seat of Revelation, you bring us all the riches. [1] Come together, all of you, speak in one voice, know with one mind, even like the gods who, of yore, knew with one mind and together had their share of enjoyment. [2]
Together may they utter the mantra, may they unite together, may their mind be one, their consciousness mingle. I utter the same mantra with you all, with you all equally I make the offering. [3] May your
yearning be one, may your hearts be one, may your mind be one, so that your
union be perfect. [4]
Page – 146 THE ABOVE HYMN AS TRANSLATED BY SRI AUROBINDO: O Fire, O strong one, as master thou unitest us with all things and art kindled high in the seat of revelation; do thou bring to us the Riches. [1] Join together, speak one word, let your minds arrive at one knowledge even as the ancient gods arriving at one knowledge partake each of his own portion. [2] Common Mantra have all these, a common gathering to union, one mind common to all, they are together in one knowledge; pronounce for you a common Mantra, I do sacrifice for you with a common offering. [3] One and common be your aspiration, united your hearts, common to you be your mind, – so that close companionship may be yours. [4] VICTORY TO THE WORLD MASTER (THE TEN AVATARAS OF GITA GOVINDA) In the waters of the Great Deluge, serving as a boat untroubled you upbear the Book of Knowledge. Lo, the Lord has assumed the body of a Fish. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! The earth reposes on your far vaster back, heavily crusted with scales because of the load upon it. Lo, the Lord has assumed the body of a Tortoise. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! The earth clings to the edge of your tusk, even as the lunar stain is imbedded in the moon. Lo, the Lord has assumed the body of a Boar. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World!
Page – 147 The digits of your hands are like rose petals but the nails at the end are like some strange horns, and these have ripped open the body of the Asura, as through the body of a bee. Lo, the Lord has assumed the body of a Man-Lion. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! A strange Dwarf, you duped water touched by your feet purifies human peoples. Lo, the Lord has assumed the body of a Dwarf. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! In the streaming blood of the warrior tribe you have bathed the world, washed out all its sins, soothed the burning pain of earthly life. Lo, the Lord has assumed the form of Parasurama. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! In the ten directions, to the ten godheads you have distributed the ten heads of Ravana, as a happy offering desired by them. Lo, the Lord has assumed the form of the Prince of Raghus. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! On your white body you have put on a blue robe that matches beautifully with the blue Yamuna clinging to you for fear of being dragged by your ploughshare. Lo, the Lord has assumed the form of Haladhara (the wielder of the plough). Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! Oh, you condemn the sacrificial rites as ordained by the Holy Scriptures, your heart melting at the sight of animals being slaughtered. Lo, the Lord has assumed the form of the Enlightened One (the Buddha). Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! To slay the whole host of the Invaders, you have unsheathed your
sword, how frightful, even as a streaming comet!
Page – 148 Lo, the Lord has assumed the form of Kalki. Victory to the Lord! Victory to the Master of the World! Listen to the sublime hymn that brings happiness and welfare, the very cream of creation, sung by the poet Jayadeva. I bow down to saves the Vedas, who bears the world, uplifts the earth, slays the Titans, confounds conquers the son of Pulastya, wields the Plough, who pours out his compassion, to him who routs the Hostiles. A HYMN The high Thought, the mighty Strength, the living Sap, the Delight streaming in the hearts of things, the treasure-house Qf all that we gain and hold, all Fulfilment lie at her feet. We bow down to her. She is the Mother, the nectar agleam in Sri Aurobindo's eyes: she upholds the very frame of all existences, she is Mira, the luminous, the dispeller of inner darkness, she maintains this wide and entire earth. Victory, to Him, our Lord Sri Aurobindo, Reality whole and global! Victory to the sustainer of the worlds, the Mother Mira Qf white radiance! To their integral Yoga all victory – may it manifest fully on earth! And victory to those who follow it, the fortunate spiritual brotherhood! His smile, shadow less and luminous, lifts up the earth into a joyous blossoming; his flaming eye of Light destroys the darkness; he carries in his hands the supreme Good of the future in all its richness. Lo, our Lord and Master shines resplendent. She brings into our path of vision
the Essence however difficult to perceive, she brings into the sphere of speech
even
Page – 149 that which is too remote for words; she draws from the dry being the flow of the sap of life: she sustains the smallest of the small to the end of the ages. A Force indefinable, of marvellous plenitude, she is fostered and impelled – as though herself possessing no autonomy of her own – by the ever-victorious golden glance gleaming from the divine lotus-eyes of our Lord. We bow, we bow to the resplendent Light of the Master, the Light that has assumed the supreme form of a woman, the Light that liberates the imprisoned power of humanity from the bonds of weakness and ignorance and fashions it for the New Age. Glory to Mother
Mira, in whom are constellated the world-rejuvenating
radiances, Glory to the Lord, the Master, Sri Aurobindo, who reigns victorious
with the Gracious Mother. A PRAYER Sweats of passion flow in streams down his temples, Their fragrance draws swarms of bees that swirl about driven by his fanning ears. Gods and angels and seraphs sing to Him. He is Shiva's son, Shiva who bears the Goddess Ganges on his head. In Him I take refuge. He dwells in the thousand-petalled lotus, luminous cool like the full orb of the moon, his lotus-hands carry grace and protection. He wears a robe of pure sweet-scented flowers, ever-smiling and gracious-looking. He embodies all the gods. He is the Spirit, the soaring Bird on the crown of the head. Remember Him and worship Him in any fair form. He is the Guru. He shines bright
'within the lotus-centre of the head like the soothing moon; like the brilliant
sun he flashes; his arms extend to protect and to give. He is radiant like
burning camphor. He wears a white robe and white garlands, he is anointed
white. His consort gleams like lightning, as she clings to him athwart
Page – 150 one-half of his body. He is the Guru, full of Grace. I worship him in adoration. He is the warp
with which this world of moving and unmoving things is woven, he is the woof
that runs through all. His grace releases even the animal-kind from all bonds.
He dwells in the sounds, as of O Goddess, protect us by your spontaneous Grace, forgive all our offences, against the supreme Light of all lights. It is he who assumes a multitude of forms; he dwells in the lotus heart of the universe, he makes the laws that upbear the status and dynamism of the cosmos, he alone is able to awaken all to knowledge. 0 Goddess, remove all evil forthwith and for ever, be constantly present in us. May the divine Master, Guru Bhaskara, protect us from every evil and danger. May he manifest himself to reveal the essential mystery of his path of worship and to spread the true tradition of Knowledge. OM! I bow to the lotus feet of the most revered Guru! The Supreme Shiva is an intense and concentrated Delight, luminously aware of his integral, infinite and supreme consciousness, with all the gathered rays of the supernal awareness. He has no other form than that of light. He is whole and undivided. But when he emits the rays of his light he assumes the form of the Eternal Benign, replete with the manifoldness of his own Ananda. The Supreme God, the adorable Shiva, thus took a manifest form to create the universe. He then brought forth the eighteen Sciences and all the systems of philosophies; he assumed the forms of various personalities by his own Lila. Thereupon
questioned by his Divine Consort who is All-awareness, who is one and
identical with him, he uttered five sacred scriptures with his five mouths, the
scriptures which are the essence of the true spiritual knowledge. He
introduced, established and spread them through the great preceptors, divine or
human, through those who are perfect or realised Beings, for the supreme good
of the world. This is what is called Tantric Process.
Page – 151 Thus in the path of Tantra, widely extended as it is through the long tradition of its preceptors; the meditative concentration on the image, the repetition of the sacred formulas, Mantra-Japa, and other various methods mentioned in different scriptures are meant to provide easy ways suited to the sadhaks of the different natures. They make no difference to the fundamental Truth and principle which remains always the same. And this is called Sri Vidya which is the essential substance of all the sacred Scriptures, the essence of the four great steps of Tantra (Charya, Kriya, Jnana and Yoga) expounded in all its precepts. This High Knowledge (Vidya) has been very secretly taught by the different branches of Yajurveda in their hymns and their Upanishadic versions. It has been mysteriously revealed by the various branches of Rigveda in their hymns or their Upanishadic versions. It is mystically awakened through a certain subtle duct in the body, evoked by manifold metrical hymns of the Sarna Veda. This Vidya is commonly found in all the Vedas. It is the essence of all Vedic mantras, Brahmanas and Upanishads. It is the Queen of the Shaktichakra, a wave of supremely great light, a form or embodiment of supreme consciousness. This is a mystic truth inherited from a tradition of Gurus. The tradition enjoins that to realise this Maha-Vidya a sadhaka should take an initiation and do the ceremonial worship as directed. And when initiated by a true adept he must first meditate on the Holy Feet, Sri Mahapaduka, uttering the sacred words that mean "I adore the Sri Mahapaduka in the eight-petalled white lotus that looks upward, that has twelve extremities and that is established within the womb of the thousand-petalled lotus, spread out like an umbrella and facing downward. The great Holy Feet is possessed of all sciences, embodies the Powers of all deities. It represents the three strides of the holy preceptor in the three centres, the crown (Brahma-randhra), the heart and the lower abdomen, even as it is richly decorated with resplendent ornaments." Then
the sadhak must contemplate the Twin Deity, Shiva and Parvati, the aggregate of
all the gods, and possessed of the Gnostic Light displayed in the burning of
the three cities of demons. They wear red and white garlands and garments,
Page – 152 ointments and ornaments. They shower the desirable boon of divine protection with the twin hands outstretched in mysterious gesture of lotus embrace; delightful face and eyes they have, the mind enraptured in knowledge and bliss, their form is the very image of the supreme Guru, with his' red and white lotus-feet. Next the sadhak must think himself flooded in his body with the outpourings of nectar from His lotus-feet; the immortalising streamings from the wash of those Feet purge him of all evil and free him from all the impurities obstructing the fulfilment, viz., the inflow of the Force (Shakti-pata) that must result from the Shiva-Initiation, contemplation on the Supreme Shiva as Guru, uttering the Japa-mantra of the Holy Feet. It is thus that the sadhak must adore the divine Master. Then he must contemplate, as force in his mantric vision, the Light wave ranging from the lowest mystical circle to the opening in the crown he must know and realise it as rising up from the bottom of the spine to the crown of the head. He should meditate on it and realise that it is the tan-coloured point of lightning and the golden rising sun; it is a flaming Force which is no other than the Original Consciousness, it acts like a kindled fire that burns the knots of sin. Then he should contemplate on himself and see that his tangles of evil and sin that impede the fruition of Initiation and the flow of shakti, have all been burnt out by the gathered rays reflected from the spontaneous Grace of the original consciousness-force. All the bonds of evil and sin having thus been destroyed by its rays, he must remember in his inner heart the original Divine Knowledge with the following prayer: "May the Goddess Kundalini, luminous as the new-risen sun, rise up from her abode, in her graceful movement to open the centres (lotuses) in succession on her way upwards and kindle the spiritual light by the nectarous rays of the Abode of Shiva." "The Kundalini Power rises up with all her immortal sweetness and through various processes that consolidate the vehicle, by worshipping Shiva, the seed of the three status; may She, Shiva's consort, bring the supreme good. She
is Shiva's Consort. May she bestow on us an immeasurable splendour.
She has the glow of a mass of vermillion and
Page – 153 the crescent moon as her crest ornament, her face agleam with the triple eyes of bliss, bent with 'the weight of the full breasts, She is the supreme charm of Love. She is Shiva's Consort. She shines like a Bandhuka-flower, may She manifest in my heart. She graces all quarters of the sky with her wide eye-lotuses, her lotus-feet are swept by the crests on the crowns of Gods, as they humbly bow down to her; she is heavy with her rounded breasts. She bears a newly risen crescent. May she the Supreme Goddess of the three worlds create bliss in the inner instruments of my consciousness. May she pierce and open the six centres that are now closed and inhabited by ghouls and goblins; and may she open them in an intimacy with the gods, Brahma and others, through the the action of the mystical letters [numbered four, six, ten, twelve, sixteen and two respectively, beginning with 'sa' to which 'ksha' and 'ha' are also added.] "The sadhaka, whose body is graced in quality and movement should contemplate on Parvati. She will swiftly pierce the three knots from the lowermost centre (Muladhara) upward, open the lotuses and awaken the dense intense bliss laden with consciousness, she will come forth from the fountain of nectar that flows from the nectared home of the vibrating heaven and shine like the impetuous lightning. "May the embodied form of Parvati grant us the abode and status of Shiva which is the crown of bliss and is constantly sought for by the highest scriptures, Shruti; that the crescent moon illuminates, that presides over all the worlds, that eliminates the sufferings of the devotees. May She constanly bestow on us all the blessed things. "Let me take refuge in the Consort of Shiva (his left half), her anklets tinkle sweetly, and She is the origin of the Universe as also of all speech. "We take shelter with the Consort of Shiva (his left half) who is not divided from him. She is resplendent like a huge sapphire. Bended with the weight of her orbed breasts, she looks harmoniously elegant with all the splendour of her brilliant ornaments on her body, she is the sole origin of the Universe, constantly sought by the highest scriptures. "The
Yogi must dissolve all the five causes into the supreme Shiva, who is beyond
Time and Space etc., into the Void that
Page – 154 is nothing else but Consciousness, and is not dependent on anything. He must fix and finally settle himself into that Void Shiva with a calm and steady mind and merge all his senses into it. Thus he attains easily the fruit of the Yoga, viz., the ever-existing Immutable." In this manner he must meditate on the Kundalini as his Tutelary deity, remember the multitude of marshalled rays and complete the remaining process. Then he must control the movements of his senses and his consciousness in the self-existent and self-contained Void that is. the cause of all, and should perform the worship in his outer body (in its physical force) or in the twin life-principle or the essential consciousness itself according to his stage of sadhana or his inner fitness. He must finally settle himself in the wideness of the Highest Consciousness, from where there is no beyond, and thus move freely and blissfully. This is the highest truth of Tantra which can only be attained by the Grace of the Guru. This has been expounded by Yogishananda Nath Nilakantha Sharma Joshi, the disciple of Sri Amba Nanda Nath, as commanded by the Mother, the incarnate Divine Force, for the delight of the sadhakas who are freed from all evil by a single ray from the glance cast by the Grace of Sri Aurobindo, the great seer. Bliss
for all!
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