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Arthur Avalon
Hymns to the Goddess
Ādyakālī (Ādyākālīsvarūpastotra)1
From the Mahānirvāṇa Tantra
1. HRĪM,2 O destroyer of time!3
2. ŚRĪM,4 O terrific one!5
3. KRĪM,6 Thou who art beneficent,7
4. Possessor of all the arts,8
5. Thou art Kamalā,9
6. Destroyer of the pride of the Kālī Age.10
7. Who art kind to him of the matted hair,11
8. Devourer of Him who devours,12
9. Mother of Time13
10. Thou art brilliant as the fires of the final dissolution.14
11. Spouse of Him of the matted hair.15
12. O Thou of formidable countenance,16
13. Ocean of the nectar of compassion,17
14. Merciful,18
15. Vessel of mercy,19
16. Whose mercy is without limit,20
17. Who art attainable alone by Thy mercy,21
18. Who art fire,22
19. Tawny,23
20. Black of hue,24
21. Thou who increaseth the joy of the Lord of creation,25
22. Night of darkness,26
23. In the form of desire,27
24. Yet liberator from the bonds of desire,28
25. Thou who art dark as a bank of cloud,29
26. And bearest the crescent moon,30
27. Destructress of sin in the Kālī Age,31
28. Thou who art pleased by the worship of virgins,32
29. Thou who art the refuge of the worshippers of virgins,33
30. Who art pleased by the feasting of virgins,34
31. And who art in the form of the virgin,35
32. Thou who wanderest in the Kadamba forest,36
33. Who art pleased with the flowers of the Kadamba forest,37
34. Who hast Thy abode in the Kadamba forest,38
35. Who wearest a garland of Kadamba flowers,39
36. Thou who art youthful,40
37. Who hath a soft low voice,41
38. Whose voice is sweet as the cry of a Cakravāka bird,42
39. Who drinkest Kādambarī wine,43
40. And art pleased with the Kādambarī wine,44
41. And whose cup is a skull,45
42. Who wearest a garland of bones,46
43. Who art pleased with the lotus,47
44. And who art seated on the lotus,48
45. Who abidest in the centre of the lotus,49
46. Whom the fragrance of the lotus pleases,50
47. Who movest with the swaying gait of a hamsa,51
48. Destroyer of fear,52
49. Who assumeth all forms at will,53
50. Whose abode is at Kāmarūpa,54
51. Who ever dallies at the Kāmapītha,55
52. O Beautiful One,56
53. O creeper which givest every desire,57
54. Whose beauty is Thy ornament,58
55. Adorable as the image of all tenderness,59
56. Thou with a tender body,60
57. And who art slender of waist,61
58. Who art pleased with the nectar of purified wine,62
59. Giver of success to them whom purified wine rejoices,63
60. The own Deity of those who worship Thee when joyed with wine,64
61. Who art gladdened by the worship of Thy-self with purified wine,65
62. Who art immersed in the ocean of purified wine,66
63. Who art the protectress of those who accomplish vrata with wine,67
64. Whom the fragrance of musk gladdens,68
65. And who art luminous with a tilaka mark of musk,69
66. Who art attached to those who worship Thee with musk,70
67. Who lovest those who worship Thee with musk,71
68. Who art a mother to those who burn musk as incense,72
69. Who art fond of the musk-deer,73
70. And who art pleased to eat its musk,74
71. Whom the scent of camphor gladdens,75
72. Who art adorned with garlands of camphor,76
73. And whose body is besmeared with camphor and sandal paste,77
74. Who art pleased with purified wine flavoured with camphor,78
75. Who drinkest purified wine flavoured with camphor,79
76. Who art bathed in the ocean of camphor,80
77. Whose abode is in the ocean of camphor,81
78. Who art pleased when worshipped with the bīja "Hūm,"82
79. Who threatenest with the bīja "Hūm,"83
80. Embodiment of Kulācāra,84
81. Adored by Kaulikas,85
82. Benefactress of the Kaulikas,86
83. Observant of Kulācāra,87
84. Joyous one,88
85. Revealer of the path of the Kaulikas,89
86. Queen of Kāśī,90
87. Allayer of sufferings,91
88. Giver of blessings to the Lord of Kāśī,92
89. Giver of pleasure to the Lord of Kāśī,93
90. Beloved of the Lord of Kāśī,94
91. Thou whose toe-ring bells make sweet melody as Thou moveth,95
92. Whose girdle bells sweetly tinkle,96
83. Who abidest in the mountain of gold,97
94. Who art like a moonbeam on the mountain of gold,98
95. Who art gladdened by the recitation, of the mantra "Klīm,"99
96. Who art the Kāma Bīja,100
97. Destructress of all evil inclinations,101
98. And of the afflictions of the Kaulikas--102
99. Lady of the Kaulas,103
100. O Thou who by the three bījās, "KRĪM" "HRĪM" "ŚRĪM" art the Destructress of the fear of death104--
(To Thee I make obeisance.)
Footnotes
1. From the Mahānirvāṇa Tantra, Seventh Ullāsa, verses 12 et seq. This hymn to the primordial Kālī contains a hundred of her names all beginning with "K." Thus Kālī, Karālī, Kalyānī, Kalāvatī, Kamalā, Kalidarpaghni, Kaparddīśakripanvitā, etc. Kādi is that which has "Ka" in the beginning. In the Tantrarāja, Devī says to Śiva: "The syllable 'Ka' is in Thy form, and that Śakti confers all siddhis" (see Lalitā Sahasranāma, where a number of the following names occur).
2. The Māyābīja (see Fifth Ullāsa, verse 10).
3. Kālī (see Fourth Ullāsa, verses 30 et seq.). She is thus called Kālakarshinī.
4. Bīja of Lakṣmī, Devī of prosperity or beauty.
5. Karālī.
6. The Bījābhidāna says Ka = Kālī, Ra = Brahmā, Ī = Mahāmāyā. The half circle of candrabindu is the universal Mother, and the point is the destroyer of misery.
7. Kalyāṇī, or She who bestows peace and happiness (see the Lalitā, verse 73). According to the Padmapurāṇa, Devī is worshipped as Kalyāṇī in the Malaya mountains.
8. Kalāvatī (see the Lalitā, verse 74). The Kālā, or arts, are sixty-four in number. The Śakti should always be Kalāvatī. Devī is also called Kalāmālā, or garland of the arts. Kalāvatī may also mean possessed of all arts complete.
9. A name of Lakṣmī-Devī is Kamala, for She is all Śaktis. In verse 73 of the Lalitā, Devī is called Kāmakalārūpā, on which Bhāskararāya says that there are three bindus and the hārdakala. The first bindu is called Kāma, and the last Kalā; but according to the rule pratyāhāra, Kamalā includes all four. Kālikā Purāṇa says, Devī, is alone indicated by Kāma.
10. Kalidarpaghnī.
11. Kapardīśakripanvitā. Kapardīśa is a title of Śiva derived from his matted hair.
12. Kālikā, because She devours Śiva as Mahākāla (see Mahānirvāṇa Tantra, Fourth Ullāsa, verse 31).
13. Kālamātā.
14. Kālānalasamadyuti.
15. Kapardinī. Spouse of Śiva, called Kapardi from his matted hair (see Lalitā, verse 151). The Viśva says that Kaparda means the matted hair of Śiva and the cowdung cakes. When Śiva incarnated, as Mailāra, his spouse was decked with a garland of cowdung-cakes.
16. Karālāsyā.
17. Karunāmritasāgarā (see Lalitā, verse 73).
18. Kripāmayī.
19. Kripādhārā.
20. Kripāpārā.
21. Kripāgamā.
22. Kṛṣānu. Kṛṣānuretas is an epithet of Śiva whose male seed is fire.
23. Kapilā.
24. Kṛṣṇā.
25. Kṛṣṇānandavivardhinī. Kṛṣṇa is here the supreme Lord.
26. Kālaratrī. The Lalitā, verse 101, speaks of the Devī as attended by hosts of Śaktis, Kālarātrī, and others--that is the twelve Śaktis from Kālarātrī to Tankārī, one in each petal of the anahāta padma. The Varāha Purāṇa says that Raudrī, who was born from darkness and went to the Blue Mountain to perform penance (the Śakti causing destruction) is called Kālarātrī.
27. Kāmarupā (ibid., verse 73), Kalika Purāṇa--says that Devī is called Kāma because She came to the secret place in the Blue peak of the great mountain (Kāilāsa) along with Śiva, for the sake of desire, and because She fulfils desires and destroys and restores the body of Kāma.
28. Kāmapāśavimocinī.
29. Kādambinī. In the heat of India the rain-cloud is welcome, and in some of Her forms She is dark.
30. Kalādhārā.
31. Kalikalmaṣanāśinī (see Lalitā, verse 113), Kūrma Purāṇa says that the repetition of the names of Devī destroys the multitude of sins in the Kālī Age.
32. Kumāripūjanapritā. The Kumārī pūjā, or worship of virgins, is a pūjā common in Bengal. The worship is by men, whereas the sadhavapūjā, or worship of married women, is done by women. Or Kumārī may directly refer to the Devī Herself. She is known as the unmarried Kumārī. A sūtra of the Śiva Sūtras runs Iccāśaktih Umā kumārī. The energy of desire is Umā, the unmarried. Bhāskararāya (Commentary, Lalitā, verses 25, 40) says: As play She creates the universe, hence She is Kumārī, or She destroys (mārayate) the ground (ku) of the great illusion. Hence She is Kumārī; Kumārī is the enjoyer and not to be enjoyed, as She is one with the Yogi, the enjoyer.
33. Kumārī pūjakālayā, or "who art the refuge of such worshippers."
34. Kumāribhojanānanda. The Kumārīs are feasted at the Kumārī pūjā.
35. Kumārīrūpadhārinī. So a very young marriageable girl is called Gauri.
36. Kadambavanasanchārā (see Hymn to Tripurasundari, post).
37. Kadambapuṣpasantoṣā (see Lalitā, verse 73).
38. Kadambavanavāsinī (see the Lalitā, verse 23). The palace of Cintāmani is surrounded by a gallery of gems (maṇimaṇḍapa). Around this is the grove of Kadamba trees, which in the Purāṇās are said to be seven yojanas in height in the space between the walls of gold and silver. The Bhairavayāmala says the abode of Bindu is the ocean of nectar. The five yonis--that is, the five Śakti angles in the śricakra--are the divine trees. There is the grove of Nīpa trees. Within that is the gallery of gems. Within that is the palace of Cintāmaṇi.
39. Kadambapuṣpamālinī. The Lalitā, verse 8, speaks of Devī as decked above her ears with clusters of Kadamba flowers.
40. Kishorī.
41. Kālakaṇṭhā. Devī is also called Kālakaṇṭhī, or wife of Kālakaṇṭha, a name of Śiva whose throat was coloured by the poison he swallowed at the churning of the ocean. According to Devī purāṇa, Kālakaṇṭha was worshipped at Kālanjara.
42. Kalanādaninādinī. Water-birds which sing to one another at night--the male to the female and the latter to the male--sitting on opposite banks of the river. Their passionate devotion is often alluded to by the poets.
43. Kādambaripānaratā.
44. Kādambarīpriyā. Kādambarī is mead. Bhāskararāya (Commentary, Lalitā), dealing with the Tripurā Upanishad, which prescribes that mead, fish, flesh, and cooked cereals should be offered to the Devatā, says that it enjoins those who are allowed to take wine, flesh, etc., that they should do so after first dedicating them to the Brahman, and minimize the habit by gradation (see the same idea expressed in Manu v., 56, Bhāg. Pr. XI., 5-11).
45. Kapālapātraniratā.
46. Kamkālamālyadhārini.
47. Kamalāsanasantuṣṭā.
48. Kamalāsanavāsinī.
49. Kamalālayamadhyasthā.
50. Kamalāmodamodinī.
51. Kalahamsagatī. Hamsa is variously translated goose, swan, flamingo. A swaying waddle like that of a duck is admired. As the swans live in the celestial lake called Mānasa, so She lives in the minds (mānasa) of Her devotees.
52. Klaibyanāśinī.
53. Kāmarūpinī (see also post).
54. Kāmarūpakritavāsā (see next note).
55. Kāmapīthavilāsinī. Kāmarūpa, the great Tantrika centre in Assam, one of the Mahāpīthas, where the genital organ of the Devī fell on the severance of Her dead body by Viṣṇu after the Dakṣa Yajna. Kāmarupa is also one of the Ādibhuta, which are in the Mūlādhāra and other tattvik centres (see the Lalitā, verse 82).
56. Kamanīyā.
57. Kalpalatā. The Kalpa tree is one of the celestial trees in the heaven of India, which yielded whatever one desired. Woman is likened to a creeper (latā) embracing and depending on her husband (see also the Lalitā, where the Devī is called Bhaktimatkalpalatikā, the kalpa creeper of the devotee).
58. Kamanīyavibhūṣanā, or "who art the possessor of beautiful ornaments."
59. Kamanīyagunārādhyā; or it may mean that the Devī is to be worshipped by the worshipper with all best and tender feeling.
60. Komalāngī.
61. Krishodarī. Literally, small of belly (see Bhuvaneśvarī stotra, apivarastanatating tanuvrittamadhyām, and the Lalitā, verse 79, tanumadhyā).
62. Kāranāmritasantoshā. Kārana is one of the technical terms given to the purified wine consumed as an element of the Tāntrika pancatattva.
63. Kāranānandasiddhidā.
64. Kāranānandajapeshtā.
65. Kāranārchchanaharshitā.
66. Kāranārnavasangmagnā.
67. Kāranavratapālinī. Vratas are ritual acts and devotional exercises which do not belong to the obligatory (nitya) karma.
68. Kastūrīsaurabhāmodā. Musk is used in worship to scent candan, etc.
69. Kastūrītilakojjvalā. The tilak is the mark worn by sectarian Hindus on the forehead.
70. Kastūrīpūjanaratā.
71. Kastūrīpūjakapriyā.
72. Kastūrīdāhajananī.
73. Kastūrīmrigatoshinī.
74. Kastūrībhojanapritā.
75. Karpūrāmodamoditā. Camphor is burnt in worship during ārati, and is used to scent the pādya, betel leaf, etc., offered to the Devī.
76. Karpūramālābharanā. Balls of camphor are strung together in a garland.
77. Karpūracandanākshitā.
78. Karpūrakāranāhladā.
79. Karpūrāmritapāyinī.
80. Karpūrasāgarasnatā.
81. Karpūrasāgarālayā.
82. Kūrchchabījajapapritā. Hūm is the Kūrchhabīja.
83. Kūrchchajapaparāyayanā--that is, She who mutters "Hūm" when conquering the demons. The Devī then constantly uttered the hūmkāra with its threatening, roaring sound.
84. Kulīna. Kula, according to the Tantra, means Śakti. Akula = Śiva. The union of Kula with Akula is called Kaula, the essence common to both Śiva and Śakti. Hence Devī is Kaulinī (see Lalitā, verse 37). Both Kula and Akula are in the Sahasrāra. Kulācāra is the way of the Kaula division of Tāntrik worshippers.
85. Kaulikārādhyā. The Kaulikas are followers of Kulācāra (see last note). So also in the Lalitā, verse 17, the Devī is addressed as "adored by Dakṣinas and Adakṣinas."
86. Kaulikapriyakārīnī.
87. Kulacārā, v. ante.
88. Kantukinī.
89. Kulamārgapradarshinī.
90. Kaśīśvarī. Kāśī is Benares, the sacred city of Śiva.
91. Kartahartrī; and thus the Lalitā speaks of the Devī as the moon-light which soothes those burned by the triple fires of misery.
92. Kāśīśavaradayinī ("Lord" is Śiva).
93. Kāśīśvarakritāmodā.
94. Kāśīśvaramanoramā.
95. Kalamanjīracaranā.
96. Kvanatkāncīvibhūṣanā.
97. Kāncanādrikritāgarā (the mountain Kāncana or Sumeru). Durvāsa says in his Lalitāstavaratna (verses 2-4): "Let the gold mountain be victorious whose body is the universe resounding with the music of celestial women living in the golden bowers of creepers of the mountain peak. We salute the three peaks which are the seats of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva, extending to the four quarters of the earth. In their midst is another peak 400 yojanas (a yojana is eight or nine miles) in height, making the place beauteous with the golden rays of its flowers, and I worship it." The Lalitā Sahasranāma (verse 22) also addresses Devī as dwelling on the middle peak of Mount Sumeru.
98. Kāncanācalakaumudi.
99. Kāmabījajapānanda. The Kāma bīja is "klīm." When the "Ka" and "La" are eliminated, the remaining "īm" is called kāmakalā, which is in the turīya state. In the Lalitā, verse 225, Devī is called creatrix of the mantra klīm ("klīmkarī"). Klīmkāra is Śivakāma, and She is His wife.
100. Kāmabījasvarūpinī--that is, She is "klīm" itself.
101. Kumatighnī. Devī is also (Lalitā, verse 78) Sadācāra pravarttakā, because She makes men move to right action.
102. Kulīnārtināśinī.
103. Kulakāminī.
104. Krīm, Hrīm, Śrīm mantravarṇena kālakanṭakaghātinī.
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