[Advaita-l] chaNDi paradevata swarupa

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

My article on chaNDi paradEvata tattva:

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THE MURTHI RAHASYA OF CHANDI 

MULAPRAKRITI / CHANDI

This Chandi is the Mula Prakriti having 4 hands with weapons 
1) Matulinga fruit (a kind of sweet lime with seeds inside) 
2) Gada (Mace) 3) Khetaka (shield) 4) Pana / Madhu Patra. 
She wear a crown having Naga, Linga and Yoni over it. 
Matulinga denotes that she is karma phala pradatri, 
Gada denotes her Kriya rupa Vikshepa Sakti, Khetaka 
denotes Jnana sakti and Pana Patra denotes her Turiya Vritti. 
She is also called “Maha Lakshmi” (not the 18-handed 
Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita). Linga is Purusha, 
Yoni is Prakrit and Naga denotes the Time (Kala). 
This implies that she is beyond Prakrit, Purusha and Time. 
She is the Parasakti that transcends the 3 dimensions. 
This is the Avyakta Swarupa of Brahma which is without any Nama, Rupa. 
This Chandi is the Upaasya Devata of the entire Sapthasathi. 
This is the Samasti Rupa of Mahakali of Prathama Charita, 
Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita and Mahasaraswathi of Uttama Charita. 

The Dhyana sloka for this Mula Prakriti / Chandi is :

“Sarvaadhyaam Agunaam Alakshya Vapusham Vyaapyakhilam Samsthithaam
Lakshyaam Cha Trigunaatmikaam Kanakaabham Hemaadibhushaanvita am
Bijapura Gade Cha Khetaka Suraapaatre Karaih Bhibhratim 
Yonim Lingamahim cha murdhni dadhatim Chandim Bhaje Chinamayeem”

MAHAKALI

When, this Avyakta Brahma rupa Mahalakshmi which is 
Triguna (of three qualities in saamya avastha) decides to 
become many ie, “Bahusyaam Prajayeya..”, then comes 
her Tamo Guna Pradhana form of Maha Kali with 4 arms. 
She has 4 arms holding 1) Khadga (sword) 2) Pana Patra 
3) Severed Head 4) Shield. The dhyana sloka is 
“Sa bhinnanjana sankaasa damstramkita varaanana, 
vishala lochana naari babhuva tanumandhyama, 
khadga paatra sirah khetaih alamkrita chaturbhuja, 
kabandhahaaram sirasa bhibhrana hi sirah srajam”

This 4-armed Mahakali is the source of origin of the 
10-armed Mahakali which is the presiding deity of prathama charitra. 

The functions of the 10-handed Mahakali (Presiding Deity of Prathama Charitra)

1) To delude the devatas 2) To help Mahakala at the time of Pralaya 
3) To Dissolve Brahma at the time of Mahapralaya 4) To create Hunger 
5) To create Thirst 6) To create Sleep 7) To create Desire 
8) To perform Dushta Sikshana 9) To make the Mahavishnu 
sleep at the time of Mahapralaya before the start of new creation 
10) Not letting the devatas to know her true Nature

MAHASARASWATHI

Now, from the above mentioned 4-armed Mahalakshmi, 
with Sattva Guna Pradhana, 4-armed Mahasaraswathi came forth. 
She holds 1) Aksha Mala 2) Ankusa 3) Vina 4) Pushtaka in her 4 arms. 
The dhyana sloka is “Akshamaala Amkusa Dhara Vina Pushtakadharini… .”.

This 4-armed Sattva Guna Pradhana Mahasaraswathi is the
source of origin the 8-handed Mahasaraswathi which is presiding deity for the Uttama Charita. 

It is to be noted that the devata Kausiki mentioned in 
5th chapter of Uttama Charita is called Kalika. From this
“Kalika” shakti, “Kali” shakti originated. 
This “Kali” in 7th chapter, kills the two demons Chanda and Munda. 

So, Mahakali, Kalika and Kali all three are different aspects. 
Mahakali is the presiding deity of Prathama charita; 
Kalika is the Kausiki Devi that manifested from Parvathi and Kali, 
which gets manifested from the anger of Kausiki (Kalika) does the chanda-munda samhara. 

The functions of the 8-handed Mahasaraswathi (Presiding Deity of Uttama Charitra)

As per the Tantra, there are 8 bondages / chains which bind the soul. 
These 8 bondages arise from Asmita (I-ness) and Mamakara (Possessiveness) .
These bondages are 1) Ghrina (Hate) 2) Lajja (Shame) 3) Bhaya (Fear) 
4) Shankaa (Doubt) 5) Jugupsaa (Reproach) 6) Kula Abhimana (Caste) 7) Jaati (Creed) 
8) Sheela (Modesty). Any consciousness which is bound by these 
8 bondages is called Jiva and the Consciousness that is free
from all these chains is called Sadasiva (Universal consciousness) . 
The Chapter 8 of Sapthasathi describes allegorically these 8 types of bondages. 

They are given below:

1) Hatred is depicted by Asura Udayudha 2) Shame is depicted by Asura Kambu 
3) Fear is depicted by Asura Kotivirya 4) Doubt is depicted by Asura Dhaumra 
5) Reproach is depicted by Kalaka 6) Caste is depicted by Asura Dauhadri 
7) Creed is depicted by the Asura Kalkeya 8) Modesty is depicted by the Asura Maurya. 

These 8 types of demons are under the control of Shumbha and 
Nishumbha that are Asmitha (I-ness) and Mamakara (Possessiveness) . 

Mahasaraswathi severs these 8 pasas / bondages with the help of 
her 8 aspects of Vidya Vrittis of Ashta (8) Matrikas and grants
the swa-swarupa jnana. She manifests these 8 vidya vrittis, each 
vidya vritti severing each of the Pasa / bondage. Thus, her 8 hands and the 
weapons she holds are meant to sever the 8 bondages. Her 8 vidya murtis or 8 matrikas are:

1) Brahmi 2) Maheshwari 3) Kaumari 4) Vaishnavi 5) Varahi 6) Narasimhi 7) Indrani 8) Chamunda

Unless, these 8 bonds are severed, the sense of I-ness and My-ness 
that are Shumbha and Nishumbha (these qualities are the two sides 
of same coin and hence they are brothers) would be conquered, 
which is a barrier to become Siva Swarupa. 

MAHALAKSHMI

Now, it is to be noted that this 4-armed Mahalakshmi herself with her 
own Rajo Guna remains as Mahalakshmi. The 18-handed 
Mahalakshmi of Madhyama Charita which is the Rajo Guna Swarupa 
contains in her both the aspects of Tamogunaatmika Mahakali 
of 10 hands and Sattvagunaatmika Mahasaraswathi of 8 hands. 

The Functions of 18-handed Mahalakshmi (Presiding Deity of Madhyama Charitra)

The 18 hands of the Mahalakshmi denotes the 18 manifestations of 
Manifestations in the form of 1) Buddhi 2) Nidra 3) Kshudha 
4) Chaaya 5) Sakthi 6) Trishna 7) Kshanti 8) Jaati 9) Lajja 
10) Shanti 11) Sraddha 12) Kaanti 13) Lakshmi 14) Vritti 
15) Smriti 16) Daya 17) Tushti 18) Bhranti respectively. 

These 18 manifestations are the 18 chitta vrittis of the Jiva. 
The detailed reference of these manifestations are reflected in
5th chapter of Uttama Charita. (Pl. refer the Aparajita Stuthi) 

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With warm regards,
Sriram