A new article is posted from my book The Magickal Union of East and West entitled Thelemic Refuge
. Enjoy!
Tag: goddess
garland of letters
“The mantras that form the girdle and necklace of the Goddess, the sacred garland of letters which form her secret names are known only to Initiates. It has been said that all mantras, originally, were words or sounds uttered by the entranced suvasini, hence great care was (and is) taken to note down exactly what escapes her lips during the critical stage of the rite. […] Not only were her most casual words revered as mantric, her gestures also were regarded as sacred mudras indicative of the power with her and of the state of tumescence she had attained.” Kenneth Grant, Cults of the Shadow
Durga puja in Mumbai
My trip to Mumbai last October coincided (intentionally) with the cities celebrations of Navratri, the nine nights of festivals dedicated to the Great Goddess Durga. The always dynamic and colorful city turns things up several notches, with the streets filled with celebrations day and night. You can not walk a block without encountering the many puja pandals, ranging from small niches in a corner to full blown temporary installations with room for dancing and singing. Many of the pandals are also mobile, carried by singing, dancing and drumming worshippers throughout the town. All the senses are engaged to the extreme during this time, and the revelry goes on nonstop throughout the night. During this time it is thought that Durga has returned home and is welcomed as both a triumphant Goddess conquering all that is evil, and a beloved daughter come back to her parents home. It is a time of great joy as well as sweet sorrow, for after the Nine Nights her image is taken the ocean and submerged, returning her to the celestial abodes until next year. I look forward to visiting again and experiencing Devi in Maharashta in Her many guises and playful modes.
The Triumph of Durga
Victory to that Great Goddess in all Her forms!
A radiant Navratri here in Mumbai
Autumnal Equinox Greetings
O blissful Kali,
accept my congratulations.
You have enthralled the universe entirely
with your countless transformations.
Your ultimate magic feat is to throw every being
a sacred black stone, your very essence,
so that realization of mystic identity
will be its final destiny
You are so adept in magic, Ma Kali,
that you even draw the Father God,
who is all-transcending knowledge,
into your sweet madness,
your play of indivisible love.
As timeless awareness, you remain uninvolved,
producing the magic theater, divine creativity,
from the interplay of inertia, balance and activity.
This avid worshipper of Mother is shocked
that even supremely wise Lord Shiva
cannot realize Kali’s true nature.
O supremely foolish poet,
how can you hope to grasp her dancing feat
that elude even Shiva’s comprehension?
She has clearly driven you mad as well
with the magic of her Love.
– Ramprasad Sen (translated by Lex Hixon, from Mother of the Universe, Visions of the Goddess and Tantric Hymns of Enlightenment)
crimson blossoms
Who is this astonishing feminine presence
dancing in the universal field of battle?
Truly naked, eternally sixteen,
with magnificent dignity she stands
on the breast of Absolute Reality
that assumes the aspect of snow-white Shiva,
his body also naked truth
as he sleeps in supernal contemplation
All blood ever shed in sacrifice or conflict
streams down her brilliant black limbs
like crimson blossoms floating on dark waters.
Her face is diamond bright, clearer than the full moon.
Infinite wisdom energy pulsates
through her mysterious blackness.
Her powerful wisdom laughter
awakens and heals,
flowing in wave after wave of sweet nectar.
This poet is overwhelmed,
singing with tears of rapture:
“Those who long for conscious union with reality
should meditate with constancy
on the dark blue lotus feet of Kali,
enshrined in the secret heart of humanity,
ensuring the liberation of all finite beings
from the illusion of finitude.”
– Ramprasad Sen (as translated by Lex Hixon in Mother of the Goddess)
Black Night
Her eyes are black
and infinity stares into me from them
Her red lips are parted in a smile,
showing her brilliant white teeth
and her red tongue hanging out with intoxication
of celestial love
I am drunk on you
before even first tasting the patra
I am drunk on your love
the blood from your lips
is honey in my mouth
warm and coruscating though every part of my body
my heart is a burning ground
where I love you
I give myself to you completely
your name is ecstasy to me
every syllable, every letter
drips nectar into my soul
in union with you
everything is Bliss
the doorway to that radiant Night
the mirror of that infinite kiss
releases lies of separation
take my head, Kali!
drink deep my blood that I may be with you
this bliss is an outer garment
a play a dance a song
of your radiant eternal night
Seeing the Kumari
When I was in Nepal ready to embark for the Everest Circuit Trek my flight from Kathmandu to Lukla airstrip got delayed by one day due to poor visibility on the mountain. I took that day to walk around Kathmandu and in particular explore Durbar Square. Little did I know I was walking right into the festival of Indra Jatra and the Kumari.
Jai Kali, Jai Ma Bhavatarini!
Victory to Kali, Victory to the Mother, the Savior of souls!
Salutations again and again
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of consciousness;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of intelligence;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of sleep;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of hunger;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of power;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of modesty;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of peace;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of faith;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of loveliness;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of compassion;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of contentment;
to the Devi who abides in all beings in the form of mother.
May that Devi, the Mother, who appears in the form of all things,
bring forth benefits for all who sing Her praises.
Waves of Bliss
Oh Mother, may all my speech, howsoever idle, be recitation of Mantra; may all the actions with my hand be the making of ritual gesture ; may all my walking be the pacing around Thy image in worship ; may all my eating and other functions be Homa rites; may the act of my lying down be prostration before Thee; may all my pleasures be an offering to the great self. Whatsoever I do may it be counted for the worship of Thee. –Anandalahari, v.27
eternity
|
I worship the greatly beautiful one, with limbs the colour of thunderclouds, who is naked and sits on the corpse of Shiva, who has three eyes and earrings made of the bones of two young handsome boys, who is garlanded with skulls and flowers
|
Tripurasundari
I invoke the devi Tripurasundari, mahavidya of Lalita
Goddess of Beauty and Play and Love and Joy!
Let us invoke the sweet smelling one!
Naked, with fiery green eyes and golden skin, hair aflame in crimson light
Her arms granting boons and dispelling all fear.
Her naked body marked with blood and ash,
Her heart aflame with passion and fire!
Aom! I salute the beautiful one of three worlds!
Jai Devi! Jai Tripurasundari!
Obeiassance to the Lotus eyed one of sweet nectars, Jai Pankajakshi![1]
Aom! With incense of sandal I salute Thee! Jai Devi!
Aom! With lights I salute Thee! Jai Istadevi![2]
Aom! With water I salute Thee! Jai Sarvagata![3]
Be favourable to me, oh blossom honey of light!
Grant thine aid unto me, that I may come to rest
in your sweet smelling presence, Jai Shrimati![4]
With sandalpaste, ash, sindur and water I am marked
to your devotions, oh Vibhutidevi![5]
With the bijamantra HRIM I invoke Thee!
AOM HRIM HRIM HRIM!
Jai Tripurasundari! Jai Lalita! Jai Devi!
Oh, Mandayanti[6], grant me Thy grace! Give me of Thy milk to drink!
Oh, Jayesvari[7], inform me with Thy blood kissess!
Let Thy brilliant light shine through me, fullfilling me of Thy divine embrace!
Jai Sadhya! Jai Sadhwi! Jai Sara! Jai Savitri![8] Aom!
Aom nama Tripurasundari!
Aom HRIM HRIM HRIM!
Jai Istadevi!
Aom!
[1] (Pankaja “mud born, lotus” + akshi “eye”) The lotus eyed.
[2] One’s chosen goddess (“beloved goddess.”)
[3] (sarva “all” + gata “having gone”) Having pervaded all, having reached everywhere.
[4] (shri “beauty, light, wealth” + mati “having”) Having beauty and fortune, the beautiful.
[5] Glory, might, wealth. Consecrated ash used by devotees of Shiva. Also the 6th of Lalitas 108 names.
[6] Delighting, rejoicing.
[7] (jaya “victorious” + iswara “sovereign goddess”). The victorious goddess.
[8] Sadhya, “the attainable,” a name of Lalita. Sadhwi, “the virtuous.” Sara, “the Essence.” Savitri, the consort of the Sun.
[March 1998]
consciousness of the continuity of existence 
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