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Text. Verse 15

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"Hymn to Kali", by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922],

Verse 15

He, O
Mahkl, 1 who in the cremation-ground, naked, and with disheveled hair, intently 2 meditates upon Thee 3 and recites Thy "mantra", and with each recitation makes offering to Thee of a thousand "kada" flowers 4 with seed, 5 becomes without any effort a Lord of the earth. 6

Commentary

\"'And' (Tu)"

For Divya Sdhakas.

"'Mahkl'"

Or Parabrahmarpi.

"Cremation-ground' (manasthah)"

The cremation-ground is Parabrahman into which in the great Dissolution (Mahpralaya) all beings go as though corpses. 'In the cremation ground' therefore, means devoted to Parabrahman.

"'Naked' (Dikpatadharah)"

That is, free from the covering of My; whose Consciousness is untainted.

"'Meditates on Thee' (Dhynaniratah)"

That is, upon Thy Saccidnanda aspect. The Rudraymala says, 'He who follows the Kula path should do Japa of Mantra seeking protection from Dev who is Consciousness, Bliss and Source of knowledge, who is all Tattvas whose refulgence is that of millions of flashes of lightning.'

"'Sunflowers' (Arkn)"

Flowers of feeling such as compassion, forgiveness and so forth which are functions of the Mind called the Sun in the Brahmarandhra. The Jnasakalin-Tantra says, 'Oh Beloved, the mind is seated on the surface of the sun and life on that of the moon.' The

p. 79

[paragraph continues] Yjavalkya-Sahit says, 'The Moon is known to be in the Id and the sun in the Pigal (Nd).

"'Self-produced Bja' (Nijagalitavryena)"

This Bja is here the nectar which naturally flows from the thousand-petalled Lotus. The Mahnirva-Tantra says, 'The Heart-Lotus should be offered for seat, the nectar (Amta) shed from the Sahasrra for water to wash the feet, the mind as the offering (Arghya), Memory (Citta) is offered by way of flowers, and the vital airs (Praa) as and by way of incense.' Jnasakalin-Tantra says, 'Libation (Tarpana) to the Supreme Liberatrix should be made from out the vessel of the Moon and Arghya should be given from out the vessel of the Sun. Compassion, wisdom, and forgiveness are flowers as is also control of the senses. So too are charity (Day) and religious merit. Non-injury (Ahis) to any being is an excellent flower. Bliss is a flower and so too is the worship of the Sdhaka. Whoever offers these ten flowers attains to the feet of the Liberatrix.' In this verse Savikalpasamdhiyoga is indicated.

Footnotes

78:1
p. 79 "Mahkl", "akti" of "Mahkla".

78:2
\"Susthah": with undistracted mind. (v)

78:3
\"Tava dhyna-niratah", that is, Upon Thy form. (v)

78:4
\"Arka" = Sun flowers known as "kada" (V) not the flower so called in English.

78:5
\"Nija-galita-vryea kusuma". Thus the offering is not only of the flowers of the "kada" plant, "yatah sdhakah devyai sva-vrya-miri-trkapupni samarpayati". Durgrma-Siddhntavga cites the Mahklasahit as saying that the "sryapupa" should be offered in the same way with "japa" of the "mlamantra" ("svavryamirita-sryapupni)". The "vrya" does not, refer to the sap of the plant. "Nija" refers to the "sdhaka". 'Along with, that is dipped in or that is spread over with.' "Mahkla-samhit" says, A "Kaula-Sdhaka" in the cremation-ground, naked, dishevelled and with tranquil mind, should offer a thousand sunflowers with seed reciting the while his "Mantra". After meditating and worshipping with great devotion he should recite the Hymn' (v).

78:6
That is, a king or "rj". So the Phetkri-Tantra says that wealth, strength, eloquence, intelligence, and the love of women ("Sarvayoitpriyah") is gained.
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