Boar Faced Devi
Boar Faced Devi
Parasurama kalpa sutra is one of the major guides in the practical saparya the worship of Sri Vidya, others being various tantras like Tantraraja, Nitya shodasikarnava, Paramananada, Gynanaranava etc. Bhargava Rama having got initiation from Sri Dattatreya on the tenets of Sri Vidya, proposed them in the form of small aphorisms, called sutras. This must have been his condensation of the voluminous Datta samhita. Initially Bhargava rama spells out the deeksha khanada. The first quality he recognizes in an aspirant is mati- sarvatra matimaan deeksheta. The person whose intellect is awake, or rather one who has an intuitive intellect, has to obtain this deeksha. This is possible by the recitation of the vedic gayatri, which prays dhiyah pracodayaat let the intellect wake up and shine. Thus he places the same gayatri mantra as the first to be chanted in the rasmimala, the early morning bed side ritual. Then he points to the mantra to be initiated as bala Tatra balaam upadishet- paschaat ishta mantram dadyaat. He identifies the root mantra as Bala and says the pancadasi or sodasi in a coded way only. The next chapter is on worship of Lord Ganesa, the obstacle remover in the path of sadhana. The sankalpa will be srividya upastau nirvighnatayaa siddhyartham. For this a strong background on finance and health is required. Mainly the mind tends to reach out of uncomfortable positions, be it wants of money or ill health or mind torturing circumstances. It will not go searching on the philosophy and its aspects. Thus we find the phala sruti of the caturavartti tarpanam as yur rogyam aivarya balapuirmahad-yaa. kavitva bhukti -mukt ca catur-vtti-tarpat Long life, health, riches, strength, robust, great fame, poetry, all worldly pleasures and liberation. Thus the wants for life and a health are got by the worship of Lord Ganesa.
Next is the upasana of Varahi and shyamala. Bhargava rama says- pradhna-dvr rjaprasdana hi nyyyam- the justification is same to seeing the royalty. Varahi mantra has 112 syllable, the Devi has emerged from the five flowery arrows of Sri Lalithambika.
The five arrows represent the panca tanmaatraa- the sound, feel, form, taste and smell, which are the aspects of the five basic elements- space, air, fire, water and earth. These are intermingled the process is called pancikarana- and the visible universe is created. Bhavanopanishat says vaaraahi pitru roopaa- Varahi is verily the Father, masculine form. As per astrology the body is from the father. The body is also made up of the five elements. The universe is also made up of these elements. Thus came the saying whatever is there in the body is there in the universe and whatever is there in the universe is there in this body. The Visible universe is a product of the primordial creative urge called sakti. Thus this upsana is to understand that the whole seen world is the deity who is the consciousness. The ritual manual defines a two syllable bija for this Varahi Devi upasana. They are the vak and the bhoo bija- aim and glaum. Aim as seen earlier will point to the origin of the so und form- sabda srti and in turn the Vedas. glaum g is Isivara tattva indicative of Lordship , l is prthvi tatava indicative of all five elements and the universe. Thus the creation visible universe and its Lordship are established in these bijas, this as seen in the above enquiries too. Varaha is the tusked boar, which lifts the world in the deluge or saving from the demon, who hid it under waters. Thus the clear image of the realization of the highest by the aspirant in this body itself (kaulopanoshat says- where there is creation the body- there itself is liberation: Pindaat jananam tatraiva mokshah). Also we find reference as yagna varaha in puranas, which is an indicative of the Vedas and the rituals connected with it, the sacrifices. The tusk is a direct reference to the teeth which are required for exact pronunciation. The elevation of the earth by the tusk will now point to the level of higher experience by the deity with the help of Vedic rituals and sacrifices. The Srividya saparya is termed and a yagna, makha, the entrance is called yaga mandira pravesha. Thus this sadhana karma is Vedic and helps us to attain the highest level of consciousness. The injunction of Bharagava rama is na diva smaret vartaalim- dont remember her in the daytime. Considering another injunction of Bharagva rama- prakatyam na kuryaatdont reveal to the non initiates, the first direction becomes clear. Since this devi is out of
the five flowery arrows, the pance bhutas, they are the five m, which manifest the ananda in this body, being a secretive upsana method is referred as not in daylight. Unique is the avarana of this devi, wherein we find the seven dhatu devatas in the six cornered hexagon. We are amazed to note that the seventh dhatu nathaa, yaakini is in the central point, where Sri Varahi is there. Also we find the two major weapons ascribed to this Devi, the plough and pestle present as deities in the enclosure wearing the form of these weapons as a crown. We find their functions as attraction-aakasrshana and paralyzing-stambhana respectively. This will point to the sowing of the past deeds (karma) and removal of husk reaping (the husk being the doer sense is removed and all actions are envisaged as performed by the deity), thus leading the final realization of the self. These attributes are also expressed in the mula mantra Stambhanam kuru kuru sheeghram vashyam. Also we find two whisks fanners on either side in the ritual manual, which is unique. They are the two lungs in the physical body; the fanning is like the inhaling and exhaling action. In the nest enclosure we find a multitude of devatas. Indra with his court dancers, apsaras. Here Indra will represent the indrya dasaka adhipati, the ruler of the ten sensory organs, the individual ego. The apsarasas will represent the subtle art manifestations in each person. Agni, is the subtle heat inside our body. This manifests for digestion, study and procreation- jataragni, bhaudhagni and kamagni. Sadhyas and siddhas, the creative intellect and accomplishing feat in the body. The vishve devata and pitrus- They are the representative of the cause of this body. Next we find the rudras and rudra paricarakasservants. Also we find dhanvantari and ashvini devatas. The rudras are curative aspects and his servants perform the curative action. Dhanvantari is the god of physicians and Ashvini are physician deities in the enclosure. They will represent the white blood cells which are natural physicians of the body and the lymph system which is the natural protector of the body. Thus the deities in the enclosures- avaranas will indicate the gross physical body. In the Kalpasutras Varahi karma we find the complete procedure for the bhuta suddhi. Though all of the Srividya upasakas are regularly doing this as a part of the saparya, this is found in this krama alone. The bhuta shuddhi clearly talks about the sankoca sariram gross physical body, its metamorphosis into the shambhava sariram the Eternal
youthful auspicious form, which is now eligible to perform the saparya ritual. Here again we find a direct reference on the gross body and its transformation. The yantra of this devi is described as trayara, pancara, shadara, dalaashtaka, shatapatra, sahasrapadmaasanaaya namh. The triangle, five pointed star, hexagon, eight petals, hundred petals, thousand petals are the mystical diagram for this Devi. Again we find an inherent intrinsic reference to the gross body. The triangle will represent the initial creative urge, the five pointed star to the five elements, hexagon to the six adharas of the physical body ( the deities worshipped in this enclosure are the dhatu devatas), The eight petals to the puryashtaka, the hundred petals to the total number of petals in all adharas, the thousand petal to the crown sahasrara. Thus a full, fit body of the sadhaka is described in this yantra- kiri chakra. Also we find many modes of transport for this Devi. The kiri chakra is the main vehicle. Then in the enclosures we find the buffalo, the lion and the antelope. The kiri chakra is the skeleton in the body, the basic for the body to stand up; else all muscle will be just a loose pack. The buffalo, traditionally, represents kama or desire, which is accomplished through the body by actions. Only a person whose worldly wants are fulfilled will be a fit receptacle for this sadhana. The Lion being the king of all animals will point to the path, the royal path of raja yoga. Finally, the antelope will point to the control of mind which is a result of continuous sadhana. The mantra of the devi also has five salutations to her different actions, they are also found in the enclosures- avaranas as deities:1. andhe andhini namah: one who blinds the blinding nature 2. runde rundhini namah- One who obstructs the obstructing nature 3. jambhe jambhini namah- One who crushes the crushing nature 4. mohe mohini namah- one who deludes the delusive nature 5. stambhe stambhini namah- one who paralyses the paralyzing nature. On a whole we find a massive power house of energy intermingled with the Grace in the Devi, this will now point to another sutra of Bharagava rama as nigrahanugraha kshamah- very skill full in destruction and grace. Destruction of the inner enemies and grace is development of the inner virtues helping in this path. So, we find two ashtakas to this Devi the nigraha ashtaka and anugraha ashtaka.
On a retrospection of the balidana in this krama, very rare and intrinsic thoughts arose, which are shared here. We are directed to mix: - blood mixed rice, yellow colored rice, buffalo flesh, rice powder- fried, honey, karana (alcohol), three pulses powder, urd dhal powder, triphala powder of three medicinal plants, jaggery, curd, milk, and ghee in (pure) cooked rice. Make ten egg sized balls and a wood apple sized (a bigger size) ball. The ten are kept in a square formation with the big one in the centre long with the first three makaaras. They are to be offered to the ten bhairavas from hetuaka and the middle one to candocchanada. As said earlier the gross form of the sadhaka is governed by this Devi and we also find the seven dhatus in her avarana, we are astonished to notice that the ingredients in the bali correspond to the seven dhatus with the gross body. The main cooked food will represent the annamaya kosha-the gross body. All the other ingredients will represent the seven dhatus. Thus the milk will now point to the tvak- skin, blood mixed rice and ghee - blood, jaggery and urd dhall powder- flesh, honey and curds-fats, pulses powderbones, yellow ricemarrow.{Refer Lalitha sahasranama of the sat cakra detiesvishuddhi carapaayasanna (milk pudding)= tvak samsthaa (skin); anahata snighaudhana (ghee rice)=rushira samsthita (blood); manipura gudaana ( jaggery rice)=mamsa(flesh);svadhistana-madhu priya/dadhyanna ( honey and curd rice)- medhas (fats); muladhara-mudganna(pulses mixed rice)=asthi (bones); agyna- haridrana (yellow colored rice)- majja (marrow)}. Triphala powderthe three doshasvata, pitta and kapha, fried rice powderthe semen. Rudiranna (blood mixed rice) is said again to impress on the fact that our body is made-up of blood and urd dhal powder is again representing flesh the main part of the body. Buffalo flesh will represent the kama-desire. Karana dravya (alcohol) will point to the inherent bliss which is manifested. The ten small balls are the five karmendryas and five gyanendryas, the big one is the mind. Bali also means to give strength, thus a appropriating these devatas and bringing down the grace of varahi Devi in the gross body by this act of balidana. Hence, going through the above thoughts, we find that the solid consciousness (the body) which is experienced as the universe is Varahi.