Invocation — Principles Of Tantra — Collected Works of Sri Aurobindo

TANTRA TATTVA

PART I

INVOCATION¹

OBEISANCE TO THE ALL-GOOD MOTHER WHO IS THE SUPREME DEVATA

O All-Good Mother !

I bow to Thee Who, sweet in the joyous play of the music of the flute, art the beloved of Rādhikā;²

Who appeareth as a sun illumining the three worlds with Thy effulgent rays;³

Who destroyeth the body of Kama in the right half of Thine own eternal Self;⁴

Who art in joyous play Heramba⁵ the son, resting on the lap of Thine own Self as Ambika the Mother;

Who art the field of play for the desires of Mahākāla; and

Who giveth birth to the three worlds.

May the Kaivalya fruit of Kulatattva⁶ grow in the grove of my heart on that blossoming and verdant Creeper⁷ who, crowned by the beauty of the crescent moon, and more beautiful than

¹ Mangalacarana,

² The beloved Prakrti of Kŗşņa in Goloka. "He who is the First male, the imperishable One, Hari, on Him you have fixed your affection. Him whom all extol as the invisible, the unseen, the impenetrable, you regard as your husband" (Prem Sagar). Here the Devī is saluted in Her incarnation as Kŗşņa
, the adored of the women of Vraja. Tantra says that in the Kālī age, Kŗşņa and Kālī, Gopala and Kālīka, are awake (jagrata)—that is, effective.

³ See Lalita Sahasranama, verse 3.

⁴ Man and wife form one body, of which the right half is the male. Śiva destroyed Kama, the Deva of Desire, with fire flashed from his eye, when the latter sought to distract him from his great Yoga.

³ The elephant-headed Ganesa, son of Śiva and Parvati.

⁶ The liberation which is the fruit of Tāntrik Kulaśadhana.

⁷ Lata: a term for woman, who is thus thought of, embracing and dependent on man, as the creeper (lata) clings to a tree. Thus, in the Yoga-vaiistha, Gauri, the wife of Śiva, is described "embracing him as the Madhavi creeper clasps the young Amra tree, with her bosom like a cluster of blossom" (Nirvana Prakarana, chap, xviii.)

the rain-clouds, and more playful than the wife of the rain-cloud,' rests on the soft, flowery bed of the breast of Mahākāla,² intoxicated with the sweetness of supreme bliss.

O my heart, seek the shelter of that blue cloud-like Lady Who saith "Fear not," Whose restless curling hair makes lines of refulgent beauty, Whose graceful form is clothed with space,^JWho charms the great Bhairava² with the soft and sweet delights of Her eyes, playful like two large bees.⁴

1 bow at the lotus feet of the Supreme Devī;⁵ at those feet which give joy to the heart of Him Who is ever joyful,⁶ whose form is the mantra⁷ in the mahayantra,⁷ and Whose embodiment⁸ is the Tantra.

Mother, in Thy two aspects of Śākti⁹ and Sakta,¹⁰ Thou art the source of both Agama and Nigama Śāstras.¹¹ What Thou hast said as Parvatl¹² is Nigama, and what Thou hast said as Śiva is Agama. Thou alone, in Thy two aspects of Śākti and Sakta, art the nurse and nourisher of both Agama and Nigama. Thou alone, in Thy two forms as Sadhika and Sadhaka,¹³ holdeth in Thy bosom the Tantra Śāstra, with its teachings concerning Śivatattva and Śāktitattva. ¹⁴ Again, it is Thou Who, in Thy

¹ That is, the lightning.

² Śiva.

³ That is who

⁴ So the

⁵ "Goddess" or God in Its mother aspect as creatrix, nourisher, and ruler of the

⁶ Śiva,

⁷ Devī is Sarvayantratmika (Lalita, vesres 53 and 56).

⁸ Tattva. And so the Lalita (verses 53) addresses Devī as Saratantrarupa. ⁹ Power.

¹⁰ That is Śāktiman,

¹¹ See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. ¹² Spouse of Śiva.

¹³ That is, male and

¹⁴ That is, the principles relating to the Siva and Sakti aspects of the one Brahman. The Devī is in the form of Siva (Sivamurtih), for, as Sruti says: "There is one Rudra hidden in all things. He is with Maya. He is Devī Herself, and not separate from Her."

aspects of Śākti and Sakta, art the shelter and guardian of both Nigama and Agama. Whatever modes of śadhana ¹ have been prescribed in the Tantra Śāstra are hidden in Thy bosom in Thy two aspects of Śiva and Śākti. It was for this I said, O Mother, that it is Thou Who giveth birth to, nourisheth, and guardeth Nigama and Agama in this world. But to destroy them, that even Thou canst not do. For the Tantra Śāstra all full of mantra is but another form of Thyself. Were the Tantra destroyed, Thou also would be destroyed. Though Thou Art the destroyer of the universe, Thy power of destruction avails not against Tantra. So I say, O Mother, that the Nigama and Agama which are in Thee will never be destroyed! But destroy for once, O Mother, the Nigama and Agama which are in me. Make cease my repeated coming in and going out of this world as Śākti, as Sakta, as Prakrti, as Purusa.²

(Or it may be explained in another way).³ O Mother, Thou alone, as Śākti and Sakta (as Prakrti and Purusa), art the creator of the Nigama and Agama⁴ of Jiva.⁵ It is by Thy law that Jiva,^s through the union of Prakrti and Purusa, takes birth. It is Thou who, in Thy two aspects of Śākti and Sakta (mother and father),⁶ nourisheth and protecteth Jiva. Thou alone, O Mother, in Thy twin aspects of Śākti and Sakta, whereby Thou createth, and sustaineth and guardeth the outgoing and incoming of the world, art the cause of the outgoing, sheltering, incoming, birth, sustenance, and preservation of Jiva.

By Thy Mercy, bring about the dissolution⁷ of my world⁸in these twin aspects of Thyself as Śākti and Sakta.

¹ See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra.

² There is a play on the words Nigama and Agama, as meaning not only forms of the Tantra but also the coming in and going out, the birth and death and rebirth, of the human Jiva, who is the manifestation on the earthly plane of Prakrti and Purusa.

³ That is, the Author says that this Sanskrit "iloka" may bear (and probably was written to bear) another interpretation. ⁴ Birth and death.

⁵ The embodied spirit, which is the supreme Spirit, viewed under the apparently limiting conditions known as "upadhi".

^s The mother is always placed first, not "father and mother," as in English.

⁷ Pralaya, or the dissolution of the world, which completes the return movement to its cause.

⁸ That is, the world as it appears to the Author. For to each person the world is his own creation; it is only imagined.

O Thou Who art Śākti-Śiva in Thy universal Prakrti-Purusa form,¹ grant me wisdom so that the beauty of the world-enchanting Mother may fill my eyes, my mind, my heart, and the whole of my world.

Appear, O Mother, in Thy eternal form illumining the ten quarters.

With the collyrium paint² of wisdom grant gloricus vision to the eyes of Thy son blind since birth.

Grant to me that wheresoever I may turn them, whether oft earth, the waters, or on space, Thy beauteous form may make me forgetful of the appearance of the world.

Invocation ³

Mother! in this world, all, before setting themselves to ought,

make invocations of varying kinds. But what invocation shall I make ?

I know of none but that to the feet of the all-good Goddess.

All that I am about to write in the Tantratattva is already known

to Thee who knoweth the hearts of men. Yantra,⁴ Mantra,⁴ and Tantra are not distinct from Thee. But I, though in reality inseparate, wish to remain separate.⁵As Thou in thy substance art Bharmān,⁶ as Thou existeth in the

form of the universe,⁷ so art Thou full of play and dancing.⁸As Thou art all full of joy, will, consciousness and matter,⁹

¹ See as to

² Afijana, which is used to clear the vision.

³ Mangalacarana—in Bengali: the preceding invocation being in Sanskrit, with Bengali translation and commentary.

⁴ See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra.

⁵ By the will to separate life, which while itself a manifestation of the Devī is overcome by Her as Mahavidya: and because thus only can he enjoy Her.

⁶ Bharmāmayi. In the Kurma Purana Śiva

⁸ Nrtyamayi and Lilamayl. The world is the movement and play of the Supreme, as the Sutra says: Lokavattulila kaivalyam.

⁹Anandamayi, Icchhamayi, Chinmayi and Mrinmayi. The Bharmān is Sat (existence), Cit (consciousness), and Ananda

So, O Mother, I wish Thee to fill my mind, my eyes, my heart, with love.

Thou, too, art the power whereby it is in me to take Thy name.

It is Thine own song which Thou wilt hear.

In the love of Thyself Thou wilt dance.

What invocation then can I make ?

The food which I shall give Thee is already Thine. Of it my

portion will be the sacred remnants only. Thou wilt be intoxicated and forget Thyself in Thine own joy. In the tranquil and solemn ocean of unity I shall swim, and raise

therein the waves of duality which are the cry of "Mother,

Mother."

If it vexes Thee, drown me with a thrust of Thy foot, but then in so doing Thou must first raise Thy foot from the breast of Mahākāla.¹

May be Thou wilt turn to Him with wrathful eyes, and say: "Kill him." But instantly I shall laugh outright and clap my hands, and say: "This is Mother's."² O Dark Beauty, whose substance is a mass of consciousness!³ O Mother! show me for once the full play of wrath upon the splendour of Thy world-bewitching beauty.

Great is my desire, O Mother! to see the play of merciful flames reddening with wrath ⁴ in that face of Thine adorned with smiles.⁵

Unless that desire of mine is fulfilled, śadhana⁶ becomes full of pain.

¹ Śiva. The Devī is represented as standing on

² This is a play on the word "ma" (mother) which, as a noun in the possessive case becomes in Bengali "mar", which is also the verbal imperative "mar," meaning "kill".

³ Cidghana, as if Her body were a thickened mass of consciousness.

⁴ The Devī is Krodhakarankusojjvala (Lalita, verse, 2). This is explained in chap. XVIII of the second part.

⁵ The Devī is (Lalita, verse 59) caruhasa (with beautiful smile); the saying "The moon is thy sweet smile" means that there is a certain state of consciousness (prabodha), which gives the highest buss, and which should be learnt from the Guru.

⁶ See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra.

O Thou who dispelleth fear from the heart of Thy Devotees¹

O Thou who gladdenest the heart of Bhava²

Thou knowest (the secret of) Thy play.

Whether Thou makest me afraid or makest me laugh or weep, teach me to say "Mother," so that in doing that which is auspicious (Mangalacarana) or inauspicious (Amangala-carana) I may take shelter at the feet of Her Who is good (Mangala.),³ dancing and shouting:

"Victory to the Mother."

Victory to Kulendra Kulananda.⁴

Victory to Guru,⁵ Kamadeva Tarkika.

Victory to Kuladananda⁶ and his disciples.

Victory to the Lord, the Supreme Guru.

Victory, Victory, Victory to Kŗşņananda.⁷

Victory to the most Supreme Guru.

Victory to Guru, the object of highest desire.

Victory, Victory to Bhairava and Bhairavi.⁸

Victory, Victory to the accomplished Sadhaka.'

Victory, Victory to the Sadhika who grants Siddhi.¹⁰

Victory to Yantra, Victory to Tantra.

Victory, Victory to the Tantra Śāstra.

Victory, Victory to the revealer of the Tantra;

¹ Fearlessness, at which the Tāntrik aims, and which is the special gift of the Devī. The Markandeya Puriina says: "When you are remembered in times of difficulty, you take away all fear of all beings." She is Bhayapaha (remover of fear). Sruti

² The watery form of Śiva

³ A play on the word "mangalacarana," which also means "invocation" ⁴ Celebrated Tāntrika.

⁵ See the Lalita (verse 137): "We adore the Devī who assumes the form of the Guru (Secret) in the form of secret knowledge beloved by her secret devotees, residing in the secret place." Hence she is Guhyarupini.

⁶ Celebrated Tāntrika.

⁷ Celebrated Tāntrika.

⁸ Śiva and

⁹ See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. to Success.

Victory, Victory to the Īśvarī¹ of the Tantra.

Victory, Victory to Her who fulfils all desires.

Victory, Victory to Her who is all-good.

Victory, Victory, Victory, Victory to the name "The all-good Mother of the world."²

¹ Feminine of IsVara—Lord; the Devī, the object of Tāntrik worship, who is ruler or promulgator of all Tantras, Sarvatantresl and Sarvatantrarupa (Lalita, verse 53).

²The Devī is the Holy Mother—SVimata—the first of Her thousand names in the Lalita Sahasranama, where its commentator Bhaskararaya says: "The mother is usually called upon in times of sorrow, but our natural mothers are not able to remove the three forms of pain (tapatraya). Great men have said: 'Since I have had many thousands of births, I have had many mothers and many fathers. I know not how many I may have in the future. O, Treasure House of compassion, save me who am overpowered with fear, and have no other refuge from the vast ocean of Samsāra, full of disaster.' The greatest World-Mother is the only one who can remove the endless misery of existence. We should praise Her as the Mother, so that She may be induced to show mercy to us."

HOME