MAHĀKĀLI DHYANAM
Meditation on Mahākāli
From the Devī Mahātmyam [Mārkendeya Purana]
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om khaḍgaṁ chakra-gadeṣu-chāpa-parighāñ
chūlaṃ bhuśuṇḍīṁ śiraḥ
śaṅkhaṁ saṃda-dhatīṁ karai-stri-nayanāṁ
sarvāṅga-bhūṣāvṛitām
Nīlāśma-dyutimāsya pāda-daśakāṁ
seve Mahākālikāṁ
yāmastaut-svapite harau kamalajo
hantuṁ madhuṁ kaiṭabham.
Om Namaś Chaṇḍikāyai.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Om, holding a scimitar, disk, mace, arrows and bow, lance, club, a skull and a conch shell in Her ten hands. The three-eyed goddess, Her body covered with ornaments, Her countenance with the brilliance of blue diamonds, with ten limbs. We offer our service to Mahākāli, She who Brahma praised for protection from the demons Madhu and Kaitava, when Vishnu was in sleep.
Om, I bow to the Goddess Chaṇḍikā.
Book 3/Chapter 12/1:86
On the Ambâ Yajña rules
1. The king spoke :-- O Lord! Kindly describe the rules and regulations as
to how the Devî Yajña (sacrifice) is performed with its duly prescribed rites
and ceremonies. Hearing it I will unwearied perform it, as
far as it lies in my power, with as little delay as possible.
2. How the worship is done, what are the
mantras, what are the articles required for oblations, how many Brâhmins are
required and what Daksinâs are to be paid to them, describe in detail all
these.
3-5. Vyâsa said :-- O king! I am telling you duly how the Yajña is
performed, hear. The actions are always
threefold according as the preparations are made and according as they are
practised with regard to the observed rules.
The threefold divisions are Sâttvik, Râjasik and Tâmasic. The Munis do the Sâttvik Pûjâ, the kings
celebrate Râjasic and the Rakshasas do the Tâmasik Pûjâs. There is another Pûjâ which is devoid of
qualities and which is performed by the liberated ones. I will describe to you all these in detail.
6-7. O king!
The Yajña is then called Sâttvik, when it is performed in a Sâttvik country,
like Benares, etc., in Sâttvik time, e.g., in Uttarâyana, when the materials collected
are earned rightly, when the mantras are those of the Vedas, when the Brâhmin is
Srotriya, where there is Sâttvik faith, void of any attachment towards the sensual
objects, when all these happen to coincide.
O king! When all the above takes place
and there is purification of materials, actions, and mantras, i.e., when the materials
are all right, when the actions are done as they ought to be, and where there
is no error or omission, etc., in the mantras, etc., then and then only the
Yajña becomes perfect and no doubt yield full results;
there would be nothing contrary to this.
8-9. If the Yajña is performed with articles not
rightly earned, then there is no fame either in this world nor there is any
reward in the next world. Therefore it
is necessary that the Yajña should be performed with rightly earned materials;
then there is fame in this world and better state in the next world; and
happiness is also acquired; there is no doubt in this.
10. O king!
It is before your eyes, as it were, that the Pândavas performed the
Râjasûya Yajña, the king of sacrifices, and, on the completion whereof, the
excellent Daksinâs were paid to the Brâhmins and others.
11. In that Yajña the highly intelligent S’rî
Krisna Himself, the Lord of the Yâdavas was present, as well as many other
Brâhmanas, like Bhâradvâja and other fully enightened souls.
12. But within three months after completing the
sacrifice, the Pândavas suffered extreme hardships and had to live, with
extreme difficulty, as exiles in the forest.
13. Consider the insult shown towards Draupadî,
the Pândava's defeat in the play of gambling, their going away to dwell in the
forest; these hardships were borne by the Pândavas. What rewards did then the Pândavas derive
from the Râjasûya Yajña?
14-15. All the high-souled Pândavas had to work as
slaves of Virâta; and Draupadî, the best of women, was very much troubled and
insulted by Kichaka. When all these occurred,
any one can easily ask where were the ashirvâdas of the pure souled Brâhmanas? Also what result did they derive from their
unflinching devotion towards S’rî Krisna when they were involved in the above
critical state?
16. No one protected Draupadî, the chaste and the
best, the daughter of Drupada, when she was drawn by her hair on her head into
the hall of assembly where gambling was being played?
17. O king!
How could all these happen in a place where S’rî Bhagavân Kesava Himself
and the high souled Yudhisthîra were present?
If one argues, one would conclude “there must have been something wrong
in that Yajña.”
18. If you say that nothing wrong happened in the
Yajña, all these were caused by Fate; then it comes to this :-- that the Vedic
mantras, Âgamas and the other Vedic rites are all fruitless.
19. If it be argued that though the Vedic mantras
are powerful enough to bear fruits, yet whatever is predestined to come to
pass, will surely pass, then the proposition resolves into this :-- that all
the means, expedients, and appliances lead to meaningless conclusions.
20. Then the Âgamas, the Vedas merely recommend a
vidhi or precept by stating the good arising from its proper observance and the
evils arising from its omission and also by adducing historical instances as
its support; in other words, they are powerless as far as bearing fruits is
concerned; all the acts are meaningless, asceticism to attain Heaven comes as
useless and the peculiar duties of caste are fruitless. O king!
This view is exceedingly culpable; it is never fit for acceptance by the
highsouled persons.
21. O King!
If what is laid by God in the womb of futurity (a state of things
preordained by God in which it is sure to
take place in the fullness of time), be taken as the first-hand proof, then all
the other proofs are rendered null and void.
Therefore Fate and human exertion both are to be undoubtedly taken into
account to ensure success.
22. Human exertions being applied, if the results
come otherwise, the wise Pundits would infer that some defects, omissions or
imperfections crept into the work.
23. All the Pundits, very learned and instituters
of sacrifices have classed Karmas under different headings according as the
agents, mantras, and articles employed in the worship vary.
24. Once on an occasion Vis’varûpa, ordained as a
Guru by Indra (in a Yajña) (intentionally) did things contrary so as to benefit
the Daityas, who belonged to his mother's side.
25. Vis’varûpa uttered repeatedly the mantrams
beneficial to the gods, while they were present; and, during their absence,
prayed heartily for the welfare of the Daityas; and, in the long run, protected
the Daityas.
26. On seeing the Asuras gaining strength, Indra,
the Lord of the Devas, became very much enraged and instantly cut off
Vis’varûpa's head by his thunderbolt.
27. O King!
This is then the instance where the contrary fruits were borne out by
the agent employed in performing the Yajña; there is no doubt in this. This is not possible in the other cases.
28. See, again, the king of Pânchâla performed
his sacrifice to get a son to kill Drona, the son of Bhâradvâja; and though he
did this out of angry motives, still Dhristadyumna was born out of fire; and
Draupadî sprang out of the altar.
29. Again, in days of yore, Das’aratha, the king
of Kosala, was sonless; and he instituted a sacrifice to get one son; and lo! be got four sons.
30. Therefore O King! If the Yajña be performed according to proper
rules and regulations, it yields fruits in all respects; again if it be done
unrighteously, without any regard for the rules, etc., it yields results just
the contrary; there is no doubt in this.
31-32. Therefore, there must have been some defects
in the Yajña of the Pândavas; hence contrary effects ensued, and therefore the
truthful king Yudhisthîra and his powerful brothers and the chaste Draupadî
were all defeated in the play at dice.
33. It might be that the materials were not of a
good stamp; they were all earned by killing the kings, good many in number, and
earned thus unrighteously; or it might happen that the Pândavas did their Yajña
with too much egoism. However, this is certain
that there had crept in some defects in their actions.
34. O King!
The Sâttvik Yajña is rare; it can be done only by the Sâttvik Munis who live
in the 3rd order of the household life or who live as hermits.
35-36. The ascetics that eat daily the Sâttvik food,
the roots and fruits, collected from forests and obtained rightly, that is good
to the Munis and that is well cleaned and purified, are the only ones that can
perform with full devotions the Sâttvik Yajñas, where no animals are sacrificed
(where there are no sacrificial posts to which the victim is fastened at the
time of immolation) and where offerings of cakes of ground rice in vessels are
given. These are the best of all the
Sâttvik Yajñas.
37. The Ksattriyas and the Vaisyas perform the
Yajñas with Abhimân (self-conceit and egoism) where many presents are given,
animals are sacrificed, and all things are well cleansed, purified and
elaborately decorated. This Yajña is
called Râjasic.
38. That Yajña is according to the sages,
Tâmasik, where the Dânavas, puffed up with arrogance, infatuated with anger,
jealousy and wickedness perform their acts with the sole object of killing
their enemies.
39. That Yajña is called Mânas Yâg or mânasic
(mental) where the high-souled Munis, void of worldly desires, collect mentally
all the necessary articles and perform the Yajña with the sole object of
liberation from the bondages of the world.
40. In all the other Yajñas (than the Mânas Yâg)
some imperfections or other naturally arise, due to some defects in the
materials, or want of faith, or in the performance or in the Brâhmins.
41. No other Yajñas can be so complete as the
Mânasa Yajña; the reason being that in the other Yajñas some, imperfections
come out due to time, place, and separate ingredients to be collected.
42-43. Now hear who are the persons fit to undertake
this mental Yajña in honour of the Great Goddess. First this mind is to be purified, by making
it void of the Gunas; the mind being pure, the body becomes also pure, there is
no doubt. When the mind becomes
completely pure, after it has abandoned all sensual objects, fit for enjoyment,
then that man is entitled to perform the Mother's Yajña.
44-45. There he should build mentally the big hall
for sacrifice, many Yojanas wide, decorated with high polished pillars out of
the materials brought for the purpose (e.g., fortitude, etc.). Within the hall he will imagine a wide and
spacious altar and place the Holy Fire on it mentally according to due rules
and regulations.
46-47. He is to select mentally the Brâhmin priests
and consecrate them as Brahmâ, Adharyu, Hotâ, Prastotâ, Udgâtâ, Pratihatrâ and
other assistants. He is to worship mentally
all these priests.
48. Then he will have to imagine the five Vâyus,
Prâna, Apâna, Vyâna, Samâna, and Udâna, as the five fires and locate them duly
on the altar.
49-50. Prâna Vâyu stands for Gârhapatya; Apâna, for
Âhavanîya; Vyâna for Daksinâ; Samâna for Avasathya; and Udâna for Sabhya Agni. These fires are all very terrible; then one
should place these carefully on the altar with great concentration of mind. He is to collect then all the other necessary
materials and think that all are very pure and free from any defects.
51-57. In the Mânasic Yajña, mind is the offerer of
oblations and mind the Yajamâna, the performer of the Sacrifice; and the
Presiding Deity of the Sacrifice is the Nirguna Brahmâ.
The Great Goddess, the Nirguna Energy, who is
always auspicious and gives the feeling of dispassion and indifference to
worldly objects is the awarder of fruits in this Yajña. She is the Brahmâ Vidyâ, She is the
substratum of all and She is all pervading.
The Brâhmin is to take the Devî's name and offer oblations in the fire
of Prâna, the necessary articles for the Devî's satisfaction.
Then he is to make his Chitta and Prâna void of any worldly thought, or
any worldly support and to offer oblations to the Eternal Brahmâ through the
mouth of Kundalinî (the Serpent Fire.)
Next,
within his Nirvikalpa mind, by means of Samâdhi, be should meditate own Self,
the Mahes'varî Herself by his consciousness.
Thus, when he will see his own self in all the beings and all the beings
in his own self, then the Jîva will get the vision of the Goddess Mahâvidyâ,
giving auspicious liberation (Moksa).
O
King! After the high souled Munis have
seen the Goddess, of everlasting intelligence and bliss, then he becomes the knower
of Brâhman. All the Mâyâ, the cause of
this Universe becomes burnt up; only, as long as the body remains, the Prârabdha
Karma remains.
58. Then the Jîvas become liberated, while
living; and when the body dissolves, he attains to final liberation. Therefore, O Child! Whoever worships the Mother becomes crowned
with success; there is no doubt in this.
59. Therefore follow the advice of the Guru, the
Spiritual Teacher; and with all attention, hear, think and meditate on the
Great Goddess of the World.
60. O King!
Liberation is sure to ensue of this Mânasa Yajña. All the other Yajñas are Sakâma (with some
object in view) and therefore their effects are temporary.
61-62. He who wants enjoyments in Heaven, should
perform the Agnistoma Yajña, with due rites and ceremonies; such is the Vedic
injunction. But when the acquired merit
expires, the sacrificer will have to come again into this world of mortals. Therefore the Mânasa Yajña is eternal and
best.
63-65. This Mânasa Yajña is not fit to be performed
by kings intent on getting victory. The
Yajña that you performed, the serpent Yajña, is Tâmasic, for you wanted to take
vengeance on your enemy, the serpent Taksaka; and millions of serpents were
made to be burnt in that sacrifice.
O King!
Hear now about the Devî Yajña, that was performed by Visnu in the
beginning of the creation. You better
now do that Devî Yajña with due rules.
66-67.
I will tell you all about the rules; there are
Brâhmins that know the rules and know best also the Vedas; they know also the
seed mantrams of the Devî, as well as the rules of their application; they are
clever in all the mantrams. These will
be your priests and you yourself will be the sacrificer.
68. O King!
Do this sacrifice duly and deliver your father from hell by the merits
that you will acquire thereby.
69. O Sinless One! The sin incurred on account of insulting a
Brâhmin is serious and leads the sinner to hell. Your father committed that sin and incurred
the curse from a Brâhmin. Therefore he
has gone to the hell.
70. Your father died also out of a snake bite
which is not a meritorious one. The
death occurred also in a palace built high up in the air (on a pillar), instead
of taking place on the ground on a bed of Kus'a grass.
71. O best of the Kurus! The death did not occur in any battle nor on
the banks of the Ganges. Void of proper bathing and charities, etc.,
he died in a palace.
72. O best of Kings! All the ugly causes, leading to hell, were
present in the case of your father. See,
again, there is also one thing which done will lead to one’s liberation; but
that was absent too with your father.
73-76. That is this :-- Let a man remain, wherever
he may, whenever he comes to learn that his end is approaching, even if he had
not practised before any good practices or meritorious deeds, and even if he
becomes senseless in the trial time of death, when dispassion comes to an
individual whose mind gets, for the time being, clear and free from any worldly
thoughts, then he should think thus :--
“This my body, composed of five elements, will soon be destroyed;
there is no cause whatsoever in having any remorse for it; let whatever come,
that it may; I am free, void of qualities; and I am the Eternal Purusa; death
is not capable to do any harm to me.
All
the elements are liable to decay and destruction; what remorse can overtake me? I am not a man of the world, I am always
free, Eternal Brahmâ; I have got no connection with this body that is merely the
outcome of actions.
77.
Before I did meritorious or unmeritorious
acts, leading to happiness and pain; therefore I have got this mortal coil and
am enjoying the fruits of my past auspicious or inauspicious Karma.”
78. Whoever thinks thus and dies, even if he does
not take proper purificatory bath or make any charity, he gets himself freed
from the awful Samsâra and never comes to see himself again born in this world.
79. O King!
This method of parting from one’s body is rarely attained even by the Yogins;
this is the acme, the highest height of all the human efforts towards liberation.
80. But your father, hearing even the curse from
a Brâhmin, retained his attachment towards his body; therefore he did not
attain dispassion.
81. He thought thus :-- “My body is now free from
any disease; my kingdom is free from enemies or any other source of danger; how
can I now get myself saved from this untimely death.” Thinking thus, he ordered
to call the Brâhmans, who know the mantrams.
82. Then that king ascended to the palace, with
medicines, many mantras and many other instruments.
83-84. He considered his fate to be the strongest
and therefore did not take his bath in any holy place; he did not perform any
charities, did not sleep on the ground or remember any mantram of the Devî. Due to Kali entering into his body, he
committed the sin of insulting an ascetic and plunged himself in the ocean of
delusion and died bitten by the Taksaka snake on the top of a palace.
85. The King has now fallen undoubtedly to the
hell, on account of those vicious deeds.
Therefore, O King! dost Thou
deliver your father from the sin.
86. Sûta said, O Risis! Hearing these words from the fiery Vyâsa, the
king Janamejaya became very sad and tears came from his eyes and flowed down
his cheeks and throat. He then exclaimed
in a suffocating voice “Fie on me! my
father is still in the hell. I will now
do at once whatever leads my father to heaven.”
Thus ends the twelfth chapter on the Ambâ
Yajña rules in the 3rd Adhyâya of S’rî Mad Devî Bhâgavatam, the Mahâ Purânam of
18,000 verses composed by Mahârsi Veda Vyâsa.
Source: Translation of The Srimad Devi Bhagvatam by
Swami Vijnanananda
