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chapter vi
WORSHIP OF DEVATAS
Sadhaka, against our wish we are obliged to say again that the healers of whom we have spoken are wont to quote four sayings from the Mahānirvāna Tantra as evidence in favour of their views. Though these statements are supposed to be evidence on their behalf, we shall in order to show what this evidence is, quote the entire text consisting of the Devī's questions and the answer of Sadasrva. From these texts the right thinking will readily understand how difficult it is to become a healer without killing thousands.1
In the fourteenth Ullasa of this Tantra,2 after Mahadeva had spoken of the rules and ritual relating to the consecration of the images of Devas, Devī said:
"Lord, tell me truly what devotees should do if, for some unforeseen reason, the consecrated image of a Devata is left without worship. Tell me also through what faults images of Devas become unfit for worship, for what faults they should be rejected, and what means exist for remedying those faults."
SadaŚiva said:
"If there be an omission to worship for a day, then the worship should be twice performed; if for two days, then the worship should be four times performed; if for three days it should be celebrated eight times. If the omission does not exceed six months then the Deva should be bathed with eight jars full of water, sanctified by His mantra, and then worshipped. If the omission to perform worship exceeds six months, then the image should again be consecrated and then worshipped. If the image of a Deva is defective, cracks, or breaks, it should be consigned to water. If it has fallen on unholy ground it should not be worshipped. A defective, cracked, or broken image should be
1 That is to say, without having had experience at the cost of others. 2 Verse 95 et seg. consigned to water, but an image polluted by touch should be purified and then again worshipped. Mahapithas1 and Ana-dilingas2 are free from all faults—that is to say, the above-mentioned causes do not operate on them to detract from their virtue. For this reason the people should worship their own Istadevas3 in them for the attainment of their desired blessings.4 Mahamāyā, I have thus related to you in detail all that you wished to know for the good of men who act with a view to the fruits of action."5
As He thus spoke the eye in the forehead of Bhagavan Mahākāla opened as if to peer into futurity.
Nowadays one meets with many an adept in Tattva,6 who professes to have renounced action, and says at every opportunity: "The karmakanda? is intended only for those who are devoid of knowledge; why then should he who has attained to it do action ?"
Unfortunately, most of those who say this are themselves doers of karma.8 What they therefore say must mean that such karma alone as consists in the worship of Devas is for those who are devoid of true knowledge; while such karma as is required for the service of wife, children, and the like may be done even by those possessed of true knowledge. For their Śāstra says: "It is also by doing what pleases Him that He is worshipped." However that may be, it was as if He thought of what would happen in the future that Bhagavan, who dwells in the hearts of all wise men, said :9 No Jiva possessing body can be without
1 Holy shrines where the body of Devī as Sati fell to earth (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 2 Anadi, without beginning. That is, those lingams which spring from earth supernaturally (called Svayambhu, or self-existent), as distinguished from those fashioned and installed by men. Of the former class are the lingams at Vaidyanatha, Tārākesvara, the CandraSekhara at Chittagong and other places. 3 The worshipper's own chosen Deity. 4 Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksa. 5 That is, those on the path of pravrtti, who act interestedly (sakama karma), as opposed to those who renounce, and who act rightly and unselfishly without thought of gaining fruit of their action (niskama karma). 6 Sacred science. 7 The portion of the scripture which relates to worship, ritual practice (karma), which last word means that which is done, action. 8 See post. 9 Verse 104 et seq. of chap, xiv of the Mahānirvāna Tantra. karma for even half a minute. Helpless he is drawn by the current of karma even against his will. That is to say, just as everything follows the wind, which it is unable to check, so everyone follows the irresistible flow of karma. By karma" alone Jiva enjoys happiness, by karma alone he suffers misery. Under the influence of karma alone he is born, lives, and dies. For this reason I have made mention of various kinds of karma in śadhana-yoga, in order to attract the minds of those of little knowledge to nirvana-dharma2—that is to say, in order to induce them to work until they reach the stage which follows nirvikalpa samadhi,3 and to keep them away from wrong action (that is to say, if the mind remains ever engaged in the thought of good things, no bad thoughts can germinate in it)."
SadaŚiva next proceeded to explain the subject of karma with more explicitness 4 "Karma is of two kinds, auspicious and inauspicious. Through the latter Jiva suffers acute pain and, O Devī ! through the former Jiva becomes attached to the fruits of action, and controlled by the bonds of karma, sojourns again and again in this world and the next." That is to say, you must correct your notion of a twofold bond of karma to the effect that karma consisting of worship of Devas and Devīs is the cause of bondage, whilst that done in the service of the world removes bondage; and you must understand that whatever you do is karma, that what is good karma is auspicious, and what is bad karma is inauspicious, and that both auspicious and inauspicious karma are instrumental in causing the bondage of Jiva to samsāra.
"Not even in a hundred kalpas5 can Jiva attain liberation unless both his auspicious as well as inauspicious karma come to an end"—that is to say, as good karma will come to an end so will bad karma come to an end with it; otherwise, if all your good karma pass away, leaving the flow of your bad karma the same or gradually increasing, such a destruction of karma will
1 See post. 2 That is, to the path which leads to liberation. 3 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. 4 Mahānirvāna Tantra, chap, xiv, verse 107. 5 See post. not remove bondage to samsāra. Rather the want of good karma will break the tie with Heaven and make that with Hell yet firmer still through the influence of bad karma. "As it makes no difference to the binding power of a chain whether it be of iron or gold, so karma whether auspicious or inauspicious, is equally powerful to bind Jiva."1 Accumulated karma, whether good or bad, inevitably acts so as to bring the Jiva back to samsāra. "Jiva, even though he be in constant action and endure hundreds of austerities, cannot attain liberation so long as he does not acquire true knowledge2"—that is to say, if knowledge is not sought as the accompaniment of action the latter alone can never be directly instrumental to secure liberation. "It is only after the destruction of sin and the purification of the heart by thought upon Tattva (the thought that Bharmān alone in an essential sense exists, while the world does not—that is to say, that the world is nothing but a display3 of the Bharmān) and by performance of disinterested action4 that knowledge dawns"3—that is to say, that knowledge only appears when the mind has been so purified by the practice of Bharmā-Tattva and constant worship of Bhagavan with karma performed without desire for fruit, that no sinful propensity arises in it, but only the presence of the pure sattva guna is felt without the least appearance of the rajas and tamas gunas.
"From Bharmā to a blade of grass everything in the world is the creation of māyā. ParaBharmān alone is the sole truly existent one. When knowledge of this tattva is gained then the Jiva attains true happiness6 —that is to say, whatever variety we see in the dualistic world, is like a dream or a magic show, the creation of māyā. Just as the magician alone truly exists and all which he does is illusion, so the nondual ParaBharmān alone is true and all the things raised by Him to form the samsāra are
1 Mahānirvāna Tantra, chapter xiv, verses 109, 110. 2 Ibid., verse 111. 3 Vibhuti, see post. 4 That is, niskama karma (opposed to sakama karma), or right action done unselfishly without hope of reward and simply because such action is right. 5 Mahānirvāna Tantra, chap, xiv, verse 112. 6 Ibid., verse 113. Bharmā is the first Deva of the Trinity, a transitory manifestation of the supreme Bharmān. illusive. Just as when sleep is dispelled all dreams disappear, so, when, by the grace of Bhagavan, the sleep of māyā is dispelled, this samsāra, full of māyā, disappears at the same time. As when Jiva awakes he sees that he alone and neither sleep nor dream remains, so when Jiva becomes self-conscious he sees that neither māyā nor the samsāra remains, but only he himself as the Supreme Spirit.1 It is only when Jiva thus sinks into the sea of Tattva2
"He alone is free from the bonds of karma who, renouncing name and form, has attained to the knowledge that on the immutable Bharmān all things3 rest."4 One must rise above name and form and make all things3 rest in the true immutable Bharmān. From this it must be understood that if Bharmān is true and immutable, names and forms are false and mutable. What is true is stable and what is false is unstable, so that to reach the true the false must be abandoned. To sink in Bharmāttattva, which is above māyā, names and forms which are made of māyā must be abandoned. By name and form we must understand not true name and form, but the name and form which arises from change of nature.5 For instance, the true name of earth is earth. Its form is the ordinary ground. When, however, cups, jugs, pots, dishes, and other like things, are made of it, the names and forms of those articles are due to nothing but change— that is to say, had not the true form of earth been transformed into the changed forms of cups, and the like, the substance earth would never have received the names of cups, jars, and the like. When these break and return to the form of common earth those names also disappear along with those forms. Gups, jars, and the like, are all false; earth alone is true. Just as in understanding the nature6
1 PaRāmatma. 2 Here the infinite waters of the ocean of Bharmān. 3 Lit. "all Tattva rest." 4 Mahānirvāna Tantra, ibid., verse 114. 5Vikara: change of form or nature; transformation; Devīation from natural state. In Sankhya, Vikrti is that which is evolved from a previous source or Prakrti. 6 Tattva. quently it again became earth. Only for a short time between these two states the cry of "Cup, cup!" arose, which alone is to be considered false. Śāstra has therefore said: "If a thing which did not exist either before or afterwards appears to exist during a middle period, know it also to be false." This falsehood, again, is not fundamentally false. A thing seen in a dream may be false, but neither dream nor sleep is false. Similarly, this world may be false, but the māyā. at its root never false. If sleep be false, who shows the dream ? If māyā be false, who creates the samsāra? If māyā be false, then the samsāra becomes true. māyā, therefore, exists and will exist, and it is through this māyā that mother Mahamāyā must be seen.
Gitanjali 1 therefore sings: "Veda says: vain is our effort, for everything, O Brother ! is māyā. Tantra says through māyā, is heard the laugh of Mahamāyā; For it is the Mother's māyā."
Veda says: "Whatever is designated by speech and called by name is Vikara.2 Only earth is true."3 Vikara is not false, it is only the state of change of that which is real. A changed thing is only the real thing in another state; it is only the changed name and form which appear and disappear. The true form has neither appearance nor disappearance. Just as cups, jars, dishes, or whatever else you may make with earth will undoubtedly remain earth in substance; as wrist-chains, bracelets, earrings, or whatever else you may make with gold will be gold in substance and nothing else, so in this dualistic world, with all its variety of names and forms, father, mother, brother, sister, wife, son, daughter, you and I, non-moving and moving things, insects, flies, and the other names and forms which we see, are all only the ParaBharmān manifesting Itself in different forms, such forms being due to change by māyā, and in reality nothing but a manifestation of Bharmān.4 The only distinction is that
1 A volume of verses by the Author. 2 See post. 3 Referring to the simile of a ghata (jar). What is called jar is untrue; but the earth of which it is composed is true. 4 Bharmāvibhuti. in the body of Isvara this power of manifestation1 is fully manifested, whilst in the body of Jiva it is not so. I therefore said that because changed names and forms are false, the true names and forms are not so.
In the domain of śadhana this is Bharmāvision. Gitanjali2 has therefore put into the mouth of Menaka:
"Uma is the adored of the world; No mere daughter is She. With Bharmān as Hara, on a bejewelled throne, She sits as ParaBharmāsanatani.3 Thy Tripurasundara Digambara4 exists, Far excelling in lustre ten million suns. On the left of Hara sits my Uma, Whose golden beauty shines as a thousand million moons. There laughs Sadanana,5 in Sadananda's4 arms; Gajanana6 dances in Jagadamba's7 arms, The Music of Sambhu's dambura8 Draws peals of laughter from Kumara 9 And from Ganesa, at the clap of Uma's hands. In the arms of two Bharmās10 rest the two Bharmā-children,11 And thus my perfect Bharmān is His chaiming spouse. O Mountain ! I hear another strange thing— Bharmā, Visnu, and Hara are Uma's sons; Uma is not thine and mine alone. She exists as everything moving or immovable in the Universe. Grandfather says She is grandmother
1 Referring to the simile of a ghata (jar). What is called jar is untrue; but the earth of which it is composed is true. 2 A volume of verses by the Author. 3 Devī as the eternal ParaBharmān. 4 Śiva. 5 The six-headed Kartikeya, son of Śiva. 6 Elephant-headed GaneSa. 7 The Devī. 8 Śiva's drum. 9 Kartikeya, vide ante. 10 Devī and Śiva. 11 Kartikeya and Ganesa. 12 See post. Who gave birth to Pitambara1 and Digambara.2 Upon hearing you and me call her 'daughter' How She must laugh in her mind ! Being thus ashamed and afraid to call Her daughter, The Queen (Menaka) may well call herself the daughter's daughter
But that daughter is not daughter to the Queen alone. If entreated She becomes even the daughter of a beggar-woman; Śiva Candra says, O Lady of the Mountain ! (Menaka) Why, now that you know all, do you still call Her daughter? Be yourself daughter for once. And offering Jaba flowers to the daughter's lotus feet, Cry: 'Victory to Mother !3
One must rise above names and forms and make all things4 rest on the immutable Bharmā. In order to rise above written names and forms discrimination5 is necessary. Discrimination5 is nothing but the understanding of the true nature of things. In discussing the fundamental nature of name and form the whole attention must be directed to the ParaBharmān, just as in discussing the question of the substance of a cup the attention is directed to the earth (of which it is made). But because you must use names and forms this does not mean that you must leave this Bharmāņda , with its names and forms, and go to live in another Bharmāņda. Judge as you are, your name and form will accompany you to whatever Bharmāņda you may go. One cannot, therefore, discuss name and form by throwing off name and form altogether. Just as the true nature of light would not be known were it not for the existence of darkness, so the non-dualistic existence4 cannot be known without the existence of this dualistic Bharmāņda composed of names and forms. Without it there could have been no judge of dualism and non-dualism,
1 Visnu, who, as Kŗşņa, wears yellow cloth. 1 Śiva, who is naked. 3 The gist of these verses is that Parvati and Śiva are not merely the daughter and son-in-law of the Lord of Mountains and Menaka, but are the one Supreme Spirit, manifesting as, and dwelling in, all forms. 4 Tattva. 3 Viveka. nor indeed any necessity for such a judge. To understand the true nature of earth it is not necessary to go to a country where there are no pots and potters. A person of intelligence will place a pot before himself, and see that under its form there is really nothing but earth. He who has recognized this is not astonished at the sight of a pot, but is, on the contrary, pleased to see the wonderful capacity which earth possesses of taking on forms. Similarly, he who has mastered the Bharmātattva1 is not astonished at the sight of this created universe, but is, on the contrary, overjoyed to see the eternal Śākti of Bharmāmayi. He forgets all names and forms and sees in every form the Bharmā-form underlying the worldly form. As everyone sees that there are pots, but the wise alone know that there is nothing but earth, so, although all see the samsāra full of wives, sons, and relations, the Tantrik sadhaka alone knows that it is nothing but Brahrnamayi's self. He who has understood that in order to rise above name and form it is necessary to forget that things have distinctive properties giving rise to such names and forms, and to know that the true Śākti of Bharmā alone exists, he alone has risen above name and form and has perceived that all is but the immutable Bharmān.
"No amount of japa, homa, and fasting will give liberation. It is by the realization alone that 'I am indeed Bharmān,' that Jiva will gain liberation."
As the mind of a drunken or deeply slumbering man is not affected even if he is embraced by a young woman, so self-realization or perception of the real does not come to one who is intoxicated with an intense delusion2 and is under the influence of the sleep of māyā, even should he be animated by śadhana. If Japa, Homa, Vrata,' and fasts are not accompanied by self-knowledge they avail nothing, even though they be practised for a hundred years. It is not, however, meant that all japa, homa, etc., is ineffectual to gain liberation. For why, then, should it be necessary to state that (under certain conditions) they are so
1 i.e., who knows that all, whatever may be its varied appearance, is but the one Bharmān. 2 Moha. 3 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. ineffectual ? As a matter of fact, japa, homa, fasting are so many means of attaining self-knowledge. Śāstra has consequently said that liberation will not be gained even after a hundred years by the mere performance of the ordinary karma,1 if there be complete disregard for what is fundamental—namely, self-knowledge. Śāstra does not mean that one who has known the self2 has no karma to perform; it rather means that none but those who know the self have a right to perform karma.
Atma3 is witness4 (that is, it only looks upon the working of the universe caused by māyā without interest therein) and is omnipresent, perfect, true, without a second and higher than the highest. (Like the space in a room)5 Atma possesses, yet does not possess, body (that is, although Atma inhabits the body, it remains ever detached from its qualities). Jiva attains liberation when he realizes this truth. He is without a doubt liberated who has cast off all idea of name and form as mere child's play and has become solely devoted to the Bharmān.
During play children think of their dolls as sons and daughters; but their names and forms diasppear when play is over. In the same way, however much you may build in your own mind names and forms by the establishment of relationships, whether by way of wife, son, father, and mother, with jivas who are the māyā-dolls in the play-ground of this samsāra, know it for certain that with the end of your earthly life all such names and forms will disappear. Therefore, he who has ceased from play and cast aside all mayik6 names and forms while there is yet time, and who, setting his mind and Atma on the Para-Bharmān who is above māyā, has united himself with the Para-matma, such an one, even though inhabiting the mayik6 body, is undoubtedly eternally free, like the Bharmān Itself.
1 Ritual acts. 2 Presumably the author here arid in next line refers to the stages prior to complete self-recognition—viz., regard for and endeavour to obtain self-knowledge. 3 The Spirit. 4 And so it is said: Atma saksi chetah kevalo nirgunasca" (Atma is the sole intelligent witness without attributes). To its endurance as permanent witness of all changing states is due the Kantian "synthetic unity of apperception". 5 That is, space has no form itself but takes form from the room in which it is. 6 Made of and by māyā. "If images imagined in the mind could give liberation to Jiva, then one could also become a King by receiving a kingdom in dream."
As, despite his mayik body, Jiva may obtain freedom from birth by knowledge of the essential truth,1 the perception of the truth of the Self being the sole cause of such freedom, so a Sadhaka may attain nirvana kaivalya by the worship (with knowledge of the Self) of an image of Jagadamba in the form in which She appeared in māyā for the benefit of Her devotees, and by perception of the greatness of that image—that is, of the presence in it, in eternal forms of the eternal Śākti of Her who is eternity itself. This is the sole cause of such nirvana kaivalya.2
He,3 who with loins girt with yellow cloth, sat as Partha's4 charioteer, glorious with the glory of his devotee, on the seat of Arjuna's chariot as the Pandavas' friend, holding the reins of the white horses in his left, and a whip in the right hand; He, who but a moment before, finding his friend Arjuna overcome by impatience and delusion,5 unwilling to do his own dharma,6 had counselled him in words of wisdom; He, in the twinkling of an eye, changed that form of His—that sweet form of a delicate, dark hue, like that of a freshly formed cloud, charming the minds and hearts of the whole world, and disappeared, and in the twinkling of an eye thousands of hands and feet of the universe-embracing great body extended to each of the ten quarters of the heavens, and a terrible mass of light, issuing from thousands of widely-expanded eyes, dimmed the rays of the sun. Notwithstanding his endowment of divine vision, that Prince of Heroes, Arjuna, shook with fear, and with trembling voice and folded hands said: "I cannot see the quarters of space nor am I at ease. Have mercy, O Lord of Devas ! in whom the world resides."
In Bali's7 Yajfia8 heaven, earth, and the nether world were covered by the two feet of the Vamana Bharmāna.9 By Bali's
1 Tattva. 2 Supreme liberation (see Introduction to Tanira Saslra. 3 Śrī Kŗşņa,. 4 Arjuna. 5 māyā and Moha. 6 Duty, 7 Bali was a Daitya, grandson of Prahlada, who conquered the three worlds and then performed a great yajna, in which he intended to give away all that belonged to him, when Visnu as Vamana appeared before him and asked for land sufficient to put three feet on. This was promised, when the Vamana with two feet covered the world. 8 Sacrifice. 9 The Visnu avaTārā of that name—as dwarf. good fortune a third foot, hitherto unseen by even Bharmā and other Devas, shot out from Bhagavān's navel, through the wonderful Śākti of the Almighty. Advised by his Queen, who was learned in spiritual lore, King Bali bowed down, and then the foot, the dispeller of fear and the wealth of devotees, was placed on his head. The fortunate King Bali went to the nether world, and Bhagavān, the reliever of the burdens of the world, abandoned even Vaikuntha, and Himself became Bali's door-keeper in the nether world. To-day, only if he permits and kindly opens the door, can one see King Bali. The Lord of Vaikuntha,1 the monarch of monarchs, Himself stands at Bali's door, though at His own door of Vaikuntha Bharmā and other Devas ever remain standing, praying for admittance to His presence, the all-in-all of a devotee's life. Bhagavān, the creator of all things, Thou alone, O Lord ! knowest the greatness of a devotee. And you, King Bali, a Prince of Daityas,2 are a Prince of Devotees. What kingdom is it which you have acquired, to guard which the Supreme Monarch of the universe has Himself become your door-keeper ?
Again, on the banks of the Yamuna, at the root of the kadamba-tree, the sweet flute3 sounded. By what mantra of what secret sādhana we know not, the fair women of the city of Vraja stood in their thousands in the ecstasy of their great love,4 surrounding Bhagavān, the son of Nanda, as immovable stars surround the full moon. Instantly, by virtue of his wonderful Vaisnavl māyā, Bhagavān appeared to each of them in a separate body, and threw his arms round the neck of each of the fair women, unseen by the others. The Devas assembled in the sky above Brndāvana in order to see the incomparable beauty of the body of Kŗşņa in the waters of the Yamunā, on land and in space. Amidst showers of flowers offered by them with reverence, to the joyous sounds of music and dancing by Vidyādharas, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Apsaras, Yaksas, and Cāranas,5 to the song of triumph by the herds-women, and amidst the manifestation
1 Visnu's heaven. 2 Demonic beings. 3 Of Śrī 5 Various forms of celestial male and female spirits (Devayoni). of the perfect greatness of Purna Bharmāsanatana,1 the huge waves of the heroic valour of the charmer of Madana2 rolled in the sea of the play of love.3
The sight of the misery of Devas, caused by the oppressions of Mahisa the Asura, pained the loving heart of Her who is full of mercy for all sufferers. , She, who embodies all Śāktis, manifested Her Śākti and appeared in the form of a mass of fury born of the anger of the Devas. The earth sank under the weight of the beauteous lotus feet of that form, all full of consciousness of Her who is consciousness itself. Her crown pierced the firmament, and, delighting in war, She stood extending Her thousand arms over the field of battle. Seeing the Bharmān aspect of the Bharmāmayi the immortals shouted: "Victory ! victory ! victory ! " and in joy began to worship the lotus feet of the blissful Devī.
Again, when previous to the destruction of Sumbha and Nisumbha,4 Kausiki5 emerged from the body of ParvatI, beautiful as a golden champak flower, the fair appearance of Parvati became instantly changed into the shining blue lustre, more beautiful than that of a blue lotus, of Uma, who appeared as Śyāmā. Into the glowing fire of Her presence the King of the Daityas jumped and was thereupon consumed as if he were a mere insect. Again, in the battle with Ganda and Munda,4 the Śākti of Camunda5 burst forth from the forehead of Śyāmā, wrinkled with wrath. In the battle with Raktabija,4 Śivaduti6 issued from Śyāmā, who is Mulaprakrti. In the fight with Sumbha it was into Her body that Bharmāni and other Śāktis suddenly disappeared, Prior to Daksa's yajna7 ten Mahavidyas appeared from out of the single body of Sati and again disappeared into it. Again, at the time of the destruction of that yajna, a shadow-Satl8 appeared from out of the original body of Sati, and the mayik body was abandoned into the fire of yajna. Later,
1 The full eternal Bharmān. 2 The Deva of love. 3 The passage refers to the Rāsallla play of love of Śrī Kŗşņa and the Gopis. 4 Demons (see the Devī-Mahatmya). 3 A terrific form of the Devī. 6 A Śākti issuing from Śyāmā. 7 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra and ante. 8 Chhayasati. in the home of Himalaya, he was shown the world-form manifestation of Bharmān in the newly-born body of a daughter,1 and into that body again those manifestations were withdrawn.
The appearance and disappearance in the manner of innumerable playful bodies from and into Her single body clearly proves that the body of Sacchidanandamayi2 is nothing but Sacchidananda; that the variety in forms is due to variety in māyā made by Her own desire, and that there is no means of specifying any of Her particular forms as being Her real form truly defined by unquestionable signs. From the One comes the infinite, which becomes One again by the disappearance of the infinite. In this manner, in Her body, in the twinkling of an eye, there is creation, and in another twinkling a dissolution.3 In this state of things to endeavour to ascertain the forms of Her who is co-extensive with the universe is but the counting of the waves of the sea. Again, in the hearts of Sadhakas who have attained Siddhi She appears and disappears eternally in infinite forms, such forms changing at every moment; this being so, it is impossible to say that She is in reality bound to any one particular form. To know, therefore, the truth4 as to Her form, we must understand that Her real Self is above all forms. Though connected with infinite forms, She is, in fact, unattached to any form. Whenever the Icchamayi3 puts forth any form of māyā according to Her desire, then a reflection appears of the form which She willingly assumes. Seeing that reflection in the mirror of māyā She becomes charmed with Her own form and, like an enchanted girl, the Anandarnayi6 dances with joy and claps Her hands. In the establishment of a dual relationship between Jiva and Bharmān She dances in Her own joy, into which She sinks.
1 Devī incarnating as Parvati. 2 The Devī as existence, knowledge, and bliss. Sacchidananda is the Bharmān. 3 So in the Lalita Sahasranama (verse 66), it is said: "Unmesanimisot-pannavipannabhuvanavalih" (The series of worlds arise and disappear with the opening and shutting of Her eyes). 4 Tattva. 5 The Devī whose substance is will. 6 The Devī whose substance is bliss. Overwhelmed with emotion at this play of Hers, a Sadhaka, had said:
"Kālī, Charmer of the mind of Mahākāla ! Thou who art ever full of bliss, Thou danceth in Thy own joy, O Mother ! and Thyself dost clap Thy hands."
He who, when practising śadhana of the Bharmā-forms of the Bharmāmayi, does not possess this knowledge concerning the Bharmān is not, in fact, competent to worship Her forms. Whenever, during creation, preservation, and destruction, a necessity has arisen for any particular form She who is will itself has entered into that form, and when Her purpose has been served, that mayik form has at once disappeared. The forms, however, with which the eternal flow of the universe is eternally concerned and in which the three principles1 of creation, preservation, and destruction are contained are ever true and eternal. As they are eternal before creation, so they are eternal after the great dissolution; for the Śāstra has said that such eternal forms are resident in the non-dualistic region unknown to this ephemeral mayik world.2
Veda has said:
"Just as one fire in entering into the womb of earth assumes in every object its form, so the one Dweller in all objects assumes their forms."
Fire exists in a subtle form in every object in this world composed of the five elements; but from without it is not at all visible. If, however, there is friction by mutual contact, or fire from without touches it, the fire burns forth. It is the law of Nature that what does not exist in a thing can never appear in it. Had not fire existed in a subtle form in everything in the world, all things would not have been combustible. We must therefore understand that fire exists eternally in the subtlest form in every atom of any object, and that it also exists in a subtle form in the gross body of any object (which is but a conglomeration of atoms), permeating every part of it. For this reason the body of a piece
1 Tattva. 2 That is, the forms referred to exist in potential state, otherwise there could be no recreation after dissolution. of wood composed of the five elements should also be considered as the body of one of those elements—namely, fire. Similarly, PaRāmatma,1 which dwells in all things, enters and exists throughout the body of the universe.2 Tantra has therefore said that he cannot worship images who is ignorant of the spiritual knowledge, that "She exists as Śākti in even vehicles, stones, and metals." Again, Śrī mad Bhagavata has said images are of eight kinds—namely, those made of stone, wood, iron, vermilion, sandal paste, etc., painted, made of sand, jewels, and mental. "At the time of worship a Sadhaka first of all worships the mental image inwardly,3 and then, after communicating the spirit4 of Bharmān within him to the image without, commences external worship. Again, those who worship yantras5 without an image, worship the mental image of the Devata. This is the fundamental principle8 relating to Her eternal presence and manifestation in yantras and images. For those who do not understand Her omnipresence and this communication of the inward spirit, but merely think to attain liberation by the simple imagination of a form in their minds, such liberation is but a dream." Śāstra has therefore said:
"If the mere imagination of forms in the mind, without spiritual knowledge and śadhana, can secure liberation, then people can also become kings by receiving kingdoms in dreams."
Along with the contemplation of images the entire fundamental truth concerning them must be understood. When this is understood it must be realized,7 and then the spirit must be communicated to the external image, when the process of giving it life will have been accomplished.8 It is only when in this
1 The Supreme Spirit. 2 The Bharmān is in, though also beyond, the Bharmāņda. 3 Literally, "in inward yajfla," as to which see Introduction to Tantra Sdstra and last chapter. 4 Tejas—light, force, brilliance, spirit. 5 See Introduction to Tantra Sdstra. 6 Tattva, or truths. 7 Literally, "made Pratyaksa." There are four kinds of proof, according to Nyaya, and three according to Sankhya. The latter are: (1) Pratyaksa, or direct perception by the mind and senses of sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound; (2) anumanam, or inference; (3) sabda-pRāmanam, or scriptural proof; to which the Nyaya adds (4) upamana—that is, analogy or recognition of likeness. 8 That is, the pranapratista. rite (see Introduction to Tantra Sdstra). manner the Devata has been established that the lustre of consciousness of Gaitanyamayi1 will burst through that earthly image and scatter its rays around, illuminating the heart of the Sadhaka, filling him with joy and liberating his soul from physical existence. The Sadhaka will find this subject2 dealt with in greater detail in the Chapter on ordinary worship.
Preserving the former sloka,3 in the form of a sutra,4 Bhaga-van Himself has explained it in the form of a clear vrtti :5
"Without knowledge men cannot attain liberation, even though they practise severe austerities with the full belief that images made of earth, metals, wood, and the like are Isvara Himself."
Ritual action6 is futile if, in performing it, one is ignorant of the supreme Truth which is to destroy the bonds arising from action. If I do not know by what process this earthen image which I worship is changed into an image full of consciousness, then my image worship is nothing but earth worship. Śāstra has therefore said that without knowledge no amount of severe austerities will enable one to see the True Form of Her Who is the embodiment of all spiritual and intellectual knowledge. It is the sight of Her alone which frees one of bondage. He who is devoid of such knowledge is therefore not qualified to worship images. Without knowledge neither asceticism7 nor enjoyment of worldly pleasure can give liberation.
To illustrate this Bhagavan has said:
"If performance of Karma8 alone, without knowledge of the Bharmān, can give liberation, then those who by fasting have reduced themselves to skeletons, and those who, through gluttony, have become big-bellied, can gain liberation by such abstinence and indulgence. But in truth are they really liberated?" "If the mere performance of a vow to live on air, grass, broken particles of rice, or water alone can give liberation, then serpents, beasts, birds, and animals of the waters also (who live on such things) can be liberated (in spite of the absence of knowledge)."
1 The Devī Whose substance is consciousness. 2 Tattva. 3 Verse. 4 Aphorism. 5 A form of commentary. 6 Karma. 7 Tapasya 8 Ritual action, austerities, alms-giving, and action generally, etc. There are four different forms of worship called "states" or "dispositions,"1 according to four different states of knowledge. These are: "Seeing the Bharmān in all things; this is the highest form.2 Constant contemplation3 of the Devata in the heart is the middle form. Recitation of mantras4 and saying of hymns5 is the lowest form, and mere external worship6 is lower than these."
"Perception of the identity of Jlvatma and PaRāmatma is Bharmābhava. Concentration of mind on the Devata by the process of yoga is Dhyānabhava. Puja is the bhava which arises out of the dualistic idea of the servant and the Lord, the worshipper and the worshipped. But he who knows that all is Bharmān needs neither yoga nor puja, because his competency is such that he has risen above both the bhavas of yoga and puja. For him there is neither worshipper nor worshipped, but all is Bharmān. In his sight Jiva and Bharmān, Isvara and Sadhaka are not different things. Where there is no difference between two things there can be no yoga nor worship of the one by the other. For this reason, hymn, recitation of mantra, contemplation, concentration, vows, restraint,7 and the like, are not for those8 who know the Bharmān. "For him in whose heart the highest knowledge, that of the Bharmān, reigns, recitation, sacrifice, austerities, restraints, vows,9 and the like are useless." They are not only useless for him, but he has not even the right to do ritual acts.
The Sadhaka will now gradually see who is such a knower of Bharmān. "The Bharmān, who is the embodiment of pure knowledge and bliss, alone is true"—that is, without Him all this visible world is but the false display of māyā. "Whoever realizes this and becomes Bharmān, for him there is no longer any necessity for external worship, contemplation, and concentration."10
1 Bhava. 2 Ibid. 3 Dhyāna (sec Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 4 Japa, v. ibid. 5 Stava. 6 Puja. 7 Stava, japa, Dhyāna, dharana, vrata, niyama (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 8 Literally, "are beyond the adhikara (competency)." 9 Japa, Yajna, Tapas, Niyama, Vrata (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 10 Puja, Dhyāna, and dharana. "I am Jiva." The liberated Mahapurusa whose heart is freed from the egoism involved in this saying has neither sin, nor piety, nor heaven,1 nor rebirth. For him who has realized that all is Bharmān there is neither subject for meditation nor person meditating, neither Jiva to meditate nor Isvara on Whom he may meditate.
"This Atma. is always free and unattached to any objects. In what bondage can it be? Why, then, should men of perverted intellect demand its liberation ?"2
"The Universe is composed of His own māyā, and impenetrable even to the intellect of Devas. Atma. exists as one who has entered into it although in reality He does not enter into it."
"Just as space exists both inside and outside all things, so Atma, whose substance is consciousness, shines as witness, both inside and outside all things."
"Atma has neither birth, boyhood, youth, nor age, It is ever the same, incorruptible, and is consciousness."
"Birth, youth, age, and the like belong to the gross body alone. Atma is free of them. Jivas whose intellects are obscured by māyā see this, but yet seem not to see this."
"Just as the one sun appears as many (when reflected) in the water contained in a vessel (although in reality the sun is one and not many), so in the water of māyā contained in the vessel of the Jiva's gross body Atma appears as many (although in reality it is one and not many)."
"As when the lunar orb is reflected in water a fool, who sees the quivering of the restless ripples, thinks that the lunar orb itself is quivering, so those who are destitute of true knowledge, on seeing the restlessness of intellect, think that the Atma is restless."
"As when a cup is broken the space contained in it remains the same, so even when the body is destroyed Atma remains the same."
1 Svarga. 2 That is, the Atma is ever free. It is the Buddhi which must be liberated from the bonds which obscure this actually existing freedom. "Devī, when Jiva attains this supreme knowledge of the self which alone can give salvation, he is liberated even in this world. This is true, again true, and without a doubt true."
"Neither action,1 nor charity, nor progeny2 can bring liberation. Knowledge of the Atma by the Atma can alone give liberation to man."3 "Atma is the dearest of all. There is nothing so dear as the Atma.. O consort of Śiva! all other things (wife, son, and the like, etc.) become dear because of their relation to Atma."
"Knowledge, object of knowledge, and knower—this threefold division is caused by māyā. If we carefully consider the nature4 of these three, Atma alone, which is knowledge, remains in the end."
"It is Atma or consciousness who is knowledge, it is Atma who is the object of knowledge, and it is Atma who is the person who knows. He who knows this knows the truth."
"I have thus related to you the truth' about knowledge, the direct cause of nirvana liberation. This is the highest treasure of the four classes of avadhutas."5
The religious healers, of whom we have already spoken, quote the following four slokas out of those above-mentioned as strong evidence in support of their theory that He is devoid of form:6
"He alone is free from the bonds of Karma who has risen above name and form and has made all principles and things rest on the true immutable Bharmān." "He is undoubtedly liberated who has shaken off all notions of name and form as though they were child's play, and has solely devoted himself to Bharmān." "If forms imagined in the mind can give salvation
1 Karma. 2 That is, through their offering of the pinda in the obsequial rites. 3 Only the Atma can know Atma. 4 Tattva. 5 Those who have renounced the world: ascetics. The life of the ava-dluua is the SannyaiRāma of the Kālī Yuga (see Mahānirvāna Tantra, chap, viii, verse 2). The term has been defined as follows: "Aksaratvat varenyatvat dhutasamsāravandhanat. TattvamasyarthasiddhatvadavadhQtobhidhlyate." (An avadhuta is so called on account of his being possessed of undecaying greatness, having washed off the bonds of samsāra and learnt the meaning of (the great saying) "Thou art That.") 6 Nirakaravada. to Jiva, then men may also be Kings by receiving kingdoms in dreams." "Without knowledge men cannot attain liberation even though they practise severe austerities with the full belief that images made of earth, metals, wood, etc., are Isvara Himself.'
From the explanation which, along with those slokas we have given of their meaning, supported by consideration of the context, conclusion, and object, Sadhakas will understand to what perversion of sastrik conclusions the wrong interpretations of present day interpreters, blinded by selfishness, lead. Śāstra says that Jiva, before he can attain liberation, must forget the condition of Jiva subject to māyā, assumed by Bharmān in the mlya-built Bharmāņda , and sink himself in the unity of Jiva and Bharmān, which it is the purpose of all great sayings, such as "Thou art It," to establish. Jiva must rise above all names and forms which are the object of dualistic knowledge. According to our notion of this non-dualistic perception of the truth1 we, whilst keeping intact the names and forms of our own selves and relatives and also of the whole world, consisting of moving and non-moving things, yet consider it to be the pith of the teaching that it is only the names and forms of Devatas which are false and that these only should be abandoned. I fail to understand the necessity for such hurry in doing away with that particular name and form which alone will endure, whilst keeping those names and forms which will prove to be false. It is as though a great famine threatens the market of Bharmājñāna2—a famine which will make all things so dear, that whatever purchase be now made will then be profitable. I do not want to deprive them of this profit. What I am sorry for is that the names and forms which constitute the bonds of samsāra remain, whilst the names and forms which will cut those bonds is done away with. Hearing that the price of things will go on increasing our purchasers have been in such a hurry that they have forgotten to bring even the wherewithal to make purchases at the outset. Even He has been forgotten Whose worship gives the fruit of the knowledge of Bharmān. I know that they say: "For him whose
1 Tattva. 2 Knowledge as to the Bharmān. nature has become Bharmān1 there is no longer any necessity for puja, Dhyāna and dharana." We, too, do not deny this. Śāstra has said: "Whose nature," That is, the case of the man who, even without Dhyāna and the like remains immersed in Bharmā-bliss as naturally as he eats or sleeps. For one who has thus become Bharmān or, in other words, whose condition of a Jlva has disappeared and been converted into Bharmān; for him there is no longer any necessity for Dhyāna, dharana, and puja. But through our ill-fortune it has nowadays so happened that a number of persons who, by nature, are Bharmā-ghosts,2 have appeared who have neither Dhyāna, nor dharana, nor puja, nor adoration. The words of the Śāstra cannot be false. As a matter of fact, such self-willed people who pervert the true meaning of the Śāstra have no right to Dhyāna, dharana, puja, or japa. Consequently, these things do not exist so far as they are concerned. The four slokes on which they rely are preceded by the sloka: "From Bharmā to a blade of grass everything in the world is the creation of māyā, and ParaBharmā alone is the sole truth. When this knowledge is attained Jiva attains liberation." The sloka: "Atma is witness, omnipresent, perfect, true, without a second and higher than the highest. Atma possesses body and yet does not possess it. Jiva attains liberation when he realizes this truth," is in the midst of the Slokas cited. The following sloka follows them: "If, without knowledge of Bharmān, performance of Karma alone can give liberation, then such men as are reduced to skeletons by constant fasting, and such men as become big-bellied by excess of eating may be liberated through such abstinence and indulgence. But are they really liberated?" We fail, then, to understand how these four slokas, can be put forward to prove that "Bharmān cannot have any form," seeing that they relate to knowledge of Bharmān. Śāstra of course, says: "From Bharmā to a blade of grass everything in the world is the creation of māyā, and ParaBharmān alone is the sole truth,"
1 Svabhavat Bharmābhuta. 2 The reference is to the sect of Brahmos. There is here a pun on the term, "bhuta," which, used as a suffix, means "state," and used independently means (among other things) "ghost". and we, too, do not deny this. But in the world, where everything from Bharmā to a blade of grass is false, are you and I— advocates of the theories of Bharmān possessing form, and Bharmān being formless respectively—are we true? If this word "false" means non-existent, then you and I too do not exist. I admit that spiritually you and I do not exist, but because we admit it do we really feel it? Is it possible that such men as do feel it question whether Bharmān possesses or does not possess form ? Where you and I turn out false, where your "you-ness" and my "I-ness" disappear, two persons cannot exist. And where two do not exist, with whom can there be argument ? Now, will the dualistic world become non-existent because you and I desire it to be so ? Śāstra has said everything from Bharmā to a blade of grass is false; but the question is, whether we have ever been able to make even a single blade of grass false as the Śāstra says? If we have not, why do we, who have not the power to do away with a blade of grass, presume to do away with Bharmā ? Do we feel ashamed even to think of this ? Why, the very Śāstra which is invoked to do away with the existence of Devas and Devīs, who are Bharmās with forms, that very Śāstra itself says: "From Bharmā to a blade of grass." If Bharmān does not take form, whence comes this Bharmā ? And if it is "from Bharmān" instead of "from Bharmā," then everything vanishes, and nothing remains as true.
Śāstra is the command of Devata. For Jivas it contains ordinances and teachings. Because it has said that the world is false you and I cannot beat time to that tune and dance. The speaker of Śāstra is Bhagavan, who dwells in all things, and is above māyā. Its hearer is MahesVari. She who dwells in all things is turiya-caitanya1 incarnate, and governs universal māyā. To them the falsity of the world is a matter of direct perception; but to you and me it is Bharmā-tattva,2 attainable only by agelong Sadhana, and beyond the reach of mind and speech. What the result of a battle will be is the concern of the King or Queen; the soldier's only duty is to start for war immediately on receiving
1 As to the turtya state of consciousness, see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra and ante. 2 The truth concerning the Bharmān. an order to do so. The King and Queen know that in this war their victory is inevitable, so that in their conversation on the subject they can express satisfaction and joy. But if, on hearing this conversation their soldiers were to think, "Since victory is inevitable what is the use of fighting?" and were to give themselves up to rejoicing, it is most likely that the banner of triumph would fly in the dust. You say: "Mahadeva has said that the world is false; why, then, should I worship and adore names and forms ?" If, with this idea that the world is nothing but Bharmān, Sadhakas were to give up performing worship and ritual,1 the kind of Bharmā-knowledge which will be attained, and is, in fact, being nowadays attained, is not worth mentioning. Veda has said: "When everything in relation to a Jiva has been unified with Bharmān what will he then see, what will he hear, what will he smell, etc., and with what?" That is to say, where mind, intellect, body, senses, and everything else is Bharmān, then worship and ritual1 is impossible. It is of no use to see Bharmān, to hear Bharmān, etc., with Bharmān. The author of Vedanta Paribhasa concludes: "Although the world is false, it is not false to those who are in the samsāra." That is to say, a dream is not false when a person sees it. Had dreasms been false when seen, why should we have cried with terror at the sight of tigers in dreams ? Sruti, again, says as the result of a spurious perception of a dualistic world, Jiva becomes instantly separated from Bharmān and sees the world in a separate aspect. Philosophers have therefore said as follows: Although the notion that the body is the Self is spiritually false, it is yet deemed an established fact from the worldly point of view—that is to say, people consider the body to be the Self and say: "I have become thin, I have become fat, I have been cured, I am ill, etc."; yet Atma, which is nothing but existence, consciousness, and bliss, is neither thin nor fat, diseased nor cured, but is ever free from change or corruption, joy, sorrow, disease, grief, thinness, fatness, etc., which are conditions of the body alone. Just as people consider the body to be that Atma, and consider all these conditions to be established facts in the worldly state, so the dualistic world, though in fact
1 Karma. false, must yet, so long as Bharmān is not perceived in all things, be considered as an established separately-existing fact. We know that the sun always rises in the east; still, if we go to a new place, it appears that the sun is rising in the west, north, or south. Just as, in spite of knowing the truth in this matter and disbelieving the opposite, we become firmly convinced that that opposite itself is really true; just as this mistake in the matter of the direction or the sun's rising is inevitable, so this false perception of the dualistic world also is inevitable. We cannot be asked as a favour to accept the dualistic world as an established fact. Until this dream of māyā. is dispelled, until the bonds of Karma are destroyed, until the idea of difference between "you and me" disappears, Jiva cannot but have faith in this dualistic universe, call it false, a dream, or fancy, as you may. The influence of Karma, the force of action, will compel me, even against my own will, to believe in it. Just as a week fish caught in a net in water can never pass outside the net, however much it may move about inside it, so the worldly Jiva caught in the māyā of the samsāra can never sever the bonds of māyā, and enter into the unfathomable depth of Bharmātattva outside of māyā. Just as, in spite of being in water, the fish is prevented from moving out by the bondage of the net, so, in spite of being in the universe full of Bharmān, Jiva is prevented by the bondage of māyā from entering freely into that Blissful Presence. Living in this dualistic world, you and I, mayik Jivas, are, therefore, bound to believe in it as a constant reality even against our will, although it is in fact not so.
Every worshipper is actuated by an earnest desire to know the nature1 of his real self; but the existence of the desire does not bring about its fulfilment for all. It is for the accomplishment of this desire that śadhana is required. Without śadhana it can never be fulfilled. A child in the womb may, of course, form a desire to see its mother, but so long as it is in the womb it is impossible for it do so. The desire can be fulfilled only for that child who has fortunately been safely born. Similarly, it is impossible for people living in Mahamāyā's māyā-womb of this universe to see that beautiful appearance of Hers which
1 Tattva. charms the heart of the conqueror of Death.1 He who has, by the accumulation of religious merits in many births, been delivered from the sheath of the womb of māyā of the Mother of the Universe, he alone is a fit child to see the Bharmā-form of the Bharmāmayi. It is only such a child who truly has the right to suck that milk from the breast of Bharmāmayi, which even Bharmā and other Devas rarely obtain. He alone may share Her assuring lap with Kartika and Ganesa. If, however, on seeing the pains of austere śadhana practised by any of Her children, the merciful Mother should gratify him; if She, who dwells in the heart of the Lord of Yogis,2 should rend the deep darkness of the black night3 in Her womb by the mass of light issuing from Her black, cloudlike appearance, which dispels the fear of death and Herself appear in the heart of the child lying in yoga in her womb; if She cuts the bonds of samsāramāyā with the sharp edge of Her own māyā sword and takes the devoted sadhaka up on Her lap—then also in such a case know that this is done as the inevitable fruit of much austere śadhana practised in many previous births, and that none of these things have been accomplished without śadhana. It is a domain which none can reach but through real śadhana. Although the desire for going out may be strong, yet the door of the room in which Jiva is shut is not within his reach. The utmost that Jiva can do is to lie down on the bed of māyā and weep; but it is Mother alone who can open the door. Jiva can only weep loudly and awaken the Mother. By virtue of austere śadhana the Sadhaka can awaken Mother Kulakundalini,4 sleeping in the Mūlādhāra.3 If She rises and opens the door of Bharmārandhara,3 then alone may Jiva come forth; otherwise all worship and adoration are but a crying in the wilderness. The siddhi, which is attained in śadhana by the piercing of the six chakras,6 is never attained by Jiva whilst he is crushed by the wheels of the Samsāra.
Secondly, it is not within the province of Jiva to say whether Bharmān has or has not name and form and even if he speaks
1 Mrtyunjaya, or Śiva. 2 Mahadeva; Śiva. 3 kālaratri. 4 Vide ante and Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. 5 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra, 6 Satcakrabheda (vide ante). none will hear him, for the matter1 is beyond the knowledge and intellectual perception of Jiva. Our belief and unbelief in this world are due merely to the fact that what we believe has been stated, and what we disbelieve has been denied, by a Śāstra, which is revealed and not of human origin. The point is this: the very Śāstra which says that Bharmān has no name and no form also says, "From Bharmān to a blade of grass everything in the world is the creation of māyā." If the practical existence of a thing could be done away with by the mere statement that it is the creation of māyā, why, then, does this world, consisting of moving and non-moving things, exist ?
The world is not a thing imperceptible to Jiva. If it is perfectly true that in the world created by māyā even a blade of grass can exist, we are unable to understand what it is which makes the existence of Bharmā in it impossible. If, by a farfetched interpretation,2 it is said that the root word Bharmān here does not refer to fourheaded and red-coloured Bharmā possessing a body, there is an end of the matter. If even formless and attributeless Bharmān becomes the creation of māyā and, consequently, false along with a blade of grass, then what remains as the true Bharmān ? To cut the branch of a tree on which one sits; to do away with formless Bharmān in endeavouring to dispense with Bharmān possessing form is a Kālīdasa3
Thirdly, if, in spite of its being untenable according to reasoning, argument, and authority we were to accept the interpretation of the followers of the theory that Isvara is formless
1 Tattva. 2 Adhyatmik, in the sense of untrue. 3 Kālīdasa, the great poet, is said to have been in his early years such a fool in practical matters as to have attempted to cut down the branch of a tree whilst sitting on it. and to say that Bharmān has really no name and form, then also there is no escape. If Bharmān has no name and form, who is it, then, that says," Bharmān has no name and form?" The speaker of the Mahānirvāna Tantra is SadaŚiva and the person spoken to is AdyaŚākti, both being the Bharmān with names and forms. Śāstra says: "Mahesvara has introduced the Tantras by means of questions and answers, Himself taking the places both of Guru (teacher) and Sisya (pupil)"— that is to say, in Agama the Devī has put questions as disciple and Mahadeva has answered them as guru, and in Nigama Mahadeva Himself has asked questions as disciple, and the Devī has replied as Guru; or, in aspect inseparable from the Devī, the Deva Himself has, in both places, revealed the Tantras both as guru and pupil. If Bharmān has no name and form, then this Deva and this Devī become false; and if the Deva and the Devī become false, how can the Tantra Śāstra remain true ? Tantra is the most glorious of all Śāstras because it is the word of Mahadeva and MahaDevī. If to-day that Deva and Devī, the speakers of Tantra, turn out to be false, where then is the glory and authority of Tantra ? If Tantra is not the command of Devata it may be easily explained away as the mistaken word of man and, consequently, unworthy of respect. No one will then bow his head to the authority of the Mahānirvāna Tantra. If the follower of the theory of Bharmān possessing no form says that he does not believe that Bharmān has name and form, the follower of the theory of Bharmān possessing form will instantly reply that he has no faith in the authority of Mahānirvāna Tantra. Thus all discussion and reasonings will cease, all interpretations will be useless, and all authorities and evidence will be of no value. I therefore say, where there is no means of defending one's own side, it is the height of folly to try to serve one's purpose by tricks.
Another thing. If in discussion a position of authority must be assigned to Śāstra everything which is said in it should be accepted as correct. If a sadhaka abandons the worship of images and takes to Dhyāna and dharana alone, then the mental image formed by him in his mind becomes the object of his Dhyāna and adoration. If an image imagined in the mind is supposed to be unable to give liberation, then there is no reason why Dhyāna and dharana1 without image worship should give it, because in that Dhyāna also the sadhaka has to depend on a mental image. And if Dhyāna does not bring liberation, then Devarsis, Maharsis, Rajarsis,2 Yogis and Munis3 are mere fools, who waste their days in useless labour. Accomplished great sadhakas also become deprived of siddhi. Moreover, why in that case should the Mahanirvana Tantra have said: "The Dhyānabhava is the middle form of worship ? " Who says that only the four slokas of the Mahanirvana Tantra, referred to above, are worthy of being considered as authority and the rest of the book, consisting of two voluminous parts—TJtTārākhanda and Purvakhanda— is erroneous ? If this Tantra is correct, then the whole of it must be correct; if incorrect, then the whole of it must be incorrect. What sort of impartial judgment is it to consider only four slokas which are to one's liking as correct and all the rest incorrect ? I take out four palmfuls of water from the Ganges and consider that small quantity of water as Bharmāmayi Ganga, who dwells in Bharmā's Kamandalu,4 and all the rest of the stream flowing in an irresistible current from the Himalaya to the sea, as but ditch-water. What sort of faith is this? The Mahanirvana Tantra deals with VarnasRāma,5 Yugadharma,6 Yogatattva,7 the six Cakras,8 politics, Vyavahara dharma,9 Sadhana dharma,10 creation, preservation, and destruction, the divisions of the Bharmāņda ,11 the fourteen worlds,12 seven svargas,12 and seven patalas,13 names, seats, and worships of Devas and Devīs, the divya, vira, and pasu forms of worship,14 Mantras13 and Yantras13 of Devatas, the consecration of temples and images, the various
1 Meditation and concentration of mind (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 2 Classes of Rsis, or seers. 3 Adepts in yoga and sages. 4 A vessel carried by ascetics. 5 Caste system and rules. 6 The peculiar characteristics and Dharma of the different ages. 7 Science and art of Yoga. 8 Centres in the body which are dealt with in works on Tāntrik yoga (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 9 Law. 10 Rules relating to śadhana (Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). 11 Universe. 12 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. 13 See Introduction to Tantra Śāstra. 14 Suited to the three classes of men.
kinds of liberation,1 and with a whole mass of rules and regulations on various other subjects
To consider the statements contained in the book on all these subjects to be incorrect with the exception of four slokas, and these only subject to a wrong and perverse interpretation, is not judgment but treachery, intense selfishness, lawlessness,2 or the raving of a madman. Everywhere the śadhana dharma has been classified under the three distinct sections of Karma, jñāna, and Bhakti, whether according to Tantra or Veda or Purana,3 According to this system Bhagavan has, in the Mahānirvāna Tantra, given instructions in the jñāna division after purification of the mind by performance of Karma. It is from these instructions, when handled by the senseless interpreters of the present day, that all this scepticism, by which nothing is gained but everything is lost, arises. Just as milk put into the mouth of a naturally venomous snake is turned into poison, so Śāstra, handled by selfish persons who are naturally faithless, gives rise to such scepticism. As a matter of fact, it is not the case that those who are determined thus to ruin the Aryan society by wrong interpretations of Śāstra are themselves unaware of their own treachery; but although they are aware of it the selfishness of the weak human heart prevents them from acting according to that knowledge. What they know remains within them, and what they try to make illiterate and foolish villagers understand is something quite different. Nowadays we can, in speaking of them, merely use the expression "double-tongued," one tongue being within and another without. But we can dare say that had an Aryan Prince now ruled the country the tongues of such interpreters would forthwith have been actually made double.4
Again: It is not to be wondered at that he should always speak ill of that, the excellent virtues of which he has no knowledge; just as a huntswoman throws away the pearl which is formed in the heads of elephants and adorns herself with a garland
1 Mukti, which is not gained at one step. 2 Svecchha—that is, acting according to own will, and not according to law or rule. 3 Action (including ritual), knowledge, and devotion. 4 Their tongues would have been slit for their heresy. of berries,1 Aryan poets have, therefore, said that such things should not be regretted, for what one has no power to comprehend one neglects but does not dishonour. "The nose alone smells the fragrance of Mallika and Malati flowers and not the eye." The eye does not, however, commit any offence thereby; it is merely devoid of the power of smelling. Similarly, should a person (who has yet to await many births before he acquires that jñāna and Bhakti and purity of mind which befit one for the worship of images) say that worship of images is a mistake, he must not be understood to commit any offence or to deserve any punishment. In fact, he is an object of pity to the public, for Bhagavan has not yet granted him the power to comprehend the deep and solemn truth2 relating to the worship of images of the Deity. It should be understood that although he is a manava (man) in outward appearance, internally he is still imperfect in manavatva.3 He is still a stranger in the human world only just elevated from the lower stratum of being. However that may be, wayfarers need to be warned before giving moral advice to a highway robber. All this argument should be postponed and first of all society should be warned. Fortunately, the robbers have, by their inopportune howling, made themselves known, and wayfarers have recognized their voice. The Aryan society has for some time discovered the hidden purpose of these interpretations of the Śāstra. The Mother of the world, the subduer of Daityas,4 has appeared in the hearts of devotees and saved the world from these Daityas of Kālī Yuga. At that part of the Śrī mad Bhagavata where Bhagavan, the dispeller of the fear of existence, in dealing with śadhana dharma,5 discusses with Uddhava, the Prince of devotees, the subject6 of devotees, He says:
1 Gunja, a red blackberry, used by goldsmiths in India as a small weight. 2 Tattva. 3 The proper state of a descendant of Manu or Humanity. As some one has remarked, the bulk of human beings now existing can only be said to be candidates for true humanity. 4 Demons. 5 The rules relating to śadhana. For Dharma, see Introduction to Tantra Sdstra. 6 Lit: "states the tattva." "Tirthas1 consisting of water are not such tirthas; images of Devas made of earth and of stone are not such Devas as sadhus2 are, for tirthas consisting of water and images of Devas made of earth and stone purify sinners after long service and worship, whilst sadhus possess such wonderful power that their sight alone sanctifies Jiva."
"He who worships my image without (through illusion) knowing me, as Atma-Isvara, the dweller in all things, merely pours oblations into ashes."3
The aforesaid healers consider these two slokas also as evidence in favour of the theory of the Deity possessing no form. From the first sloka they glean that tirthas consisting of water are not tirthas at all, and images of Devas made of earth are not Devas at all. But, I ask, had it been so, why should it be said that they purify after a long time ? By what power can a tirtha which is not a tirtha, and a Deva who is not a Deva, purify Jiva even after long service? When Bhagavan has said that they purify if they are long served, the sloka must be understood to mean that the power of purification which pious devotees possess is greater than that of tirthas and images of Devatas. Purification by tirthas and images of Devas depends on long service and worship by Jiva, but this is not needed to gain purification by the gracious look of devotees who freely dispense their mercy. We are confident that sadhakas will forgive the thieves who possess so little intelligence and cunning as to proceed to commit theft in the first and second parts of a verse, in the third of which they are detected.
Again, from the second sloka they have gathered that those who worship images instead of praying in this fashion, "Isvara, who dwells in all things," merely pour oblations into ashes. We regret to say that the thought of this illustration in connection with such an illustrator induces us to smile as well as puts us to shame. Why do such men as have no faith in puja, japa, stava,
1 Places of pilgrimage, such as Kālīghat, Gaya, Kamakhya, Purl, etc. The esoteric tirthas are in the human body itself. 2 Saintly men. 3 That is, he does what is useless; for oblation should be poured into fire. and homa1 make use of the illustration of pouring oblations into ashes ? It is because oblations are actually poured into fire that the expression "pouring oblations into ashes" means the contrary thing. To pour oblations into fire is an act of worship towards an embodied Deity. If this worship of embodied Deity is itself a mistaken act, whence comes this illustration drawn from homa ? However that may be, Bhagavan has said that whoever worships His image without the knowledge that He dwells in all things and is Atma and Isvara, merely pours oblations into ashes, because without the knowledge that He is in all things, sentient as well as non-sentient, how can one believe in His existence in that image and in the possibility of the invocation of His life into it, and the like? In other words, whoever has not the knowledge that He is Bharmān without distinctions is even totally unfit for image worship. The import of the Sloka, therefore, comes to this, that without knowledge of Bharmān, image-worship is of no avail; but by virtue of the pernicious influence of the present time it has come to mean that whoever worships images merely pours oblations into ashes. Great man! keep your interpretation to yourself. Do not, with an uncalled-for generosity, come forward to preach that to people which will make them as poor as street beggars. Do not, I pray, any longer create mischief in the name of interpretation.
1 Worship, recitation, hymn and fire-sacrifice (homa) (see Introduction to Tantra Śāstra). |
