Shiva becomes Shakti
and thee resst of the phenomenal world begins unfolding! Every object, every thing in this objective world, appears in His Light,
background of ‘cit’. In away, what was hitherto invisible becomes visible!
First, it is Shiva becoming aware of His Self.
Then, it is ‘becoming aware’ of his prowess. Further, being deluded by
appearances, Shiva only becomes Shakti and forgets his own ‘Self’ (pratyabhijnya-hrudayam)
and becomes a 'Jiva'. The world begins here in ajnyan, delusion of the Jiva that
has forgotten its true self. When the jiva regains its memory as Shiva the
cosmic drama ends!
How to explain this creation, the
creation of the Mind, the objects of imagination? There are no words (pada) to
describe since the alphabets (vowels and consonants) have not made their
appearance yet. No one knows what words, letters, or syllables could be used to
spell, say about this supreme power of Creation, Srushti Shakti.
The first syllables, the alphabets- the vowels and consonants emerged from the
breath of Shiva. This emergence of Sound, as the creative power, ‘Shakti’
(DEVI) appeared as Mantra with its seed-letter (bijakshara)
em, sa, la, etc. These syllables are used to address this creative
energy (Kriya Shakti) as Bijamantra. Names and forms appear
gradually from the vital breath (prana) and the vital airs (usiru)-
the exercise of inhale and exhale of breath accompanied by Sounds,
respectively, as ‘sa’ and ‘ha’ along with the sound
‘m’ joining it, making it ‘sO’ham’ or ‘Shivo’ham’-
the Maha-mantra.
Later
on, ‘Forms’ of objects appear from the interplay of the rays of Light and Fire,
called mayukha here. Each one of these form assumes the name of a
Devi or Devata according to the quality of that Light and the power of that ‘div’,
meaning Deva. It assumes the name of Nityas as and how the reflected light
of the moon (phases) called ‘kala’ increases from the crescent of the paratipada
to poornamasa or Poornima (Full Moon); or, the lighted portion (kala)
gradually decreases towards Amavasya (New Moon). Even the names of the week
days and nights (vAra and tithi), months (mAsa), and
seasons (Rutu) with their respective seasonal changes have their origin
here. The days and nights have their respective deities called Nityas. Varshinis
or the attendants of the Maha Devi, the Yoginis, Dik-palakas, Dvar-palakas, and
all other paraphernalia of Raja-Rajeshvari appear here. All these are
enumerated here.
Now the question is “Who is this
Tripurasundari?” our Mind is the Creator. There are a thousand names to this
supreme power of creation, the Mind! Indra is the Deity of Luminous Mind
according the Rk Veda. Rajarajeshvari is the name here.
Divine Mother ‘Bhu’ is the creator or
Creatrix. A little mud, a little water, and the heat from the sunrays, lo,
there appears life! The beauty is that a small white patch of worms or insects
appears behind a green life. Soon they start moving all around eating the leaf
and both the leaf and the worms or insects disappear in no time! Where do these
insects or worms come from? They are budbudha or andaja. They
sprout from nowhere like the grass and the earthworms!
Who is the Creator? Is the
Creator ‘He’, ‘She’, or ‘It’? Who the first and the foremost in creation are?
Is there anybody behind this creative power- Light, Intelligence, Force, and
Energy (LIFE)? Yes, it is the dynamic silence, the quietude, bhuman, the
Brahmn.
‘Light’ is Prakasha, Shiva; Prakasha has its Rays mayukha
(Rashmi) - the Radiant Energy, Shakti. This is a little confusing
since Shiva or Shakti both are involved here in creation. Hence, it must be Sun
and Sunrays. It is said, that Shiva, all by Him Self, is neither interested in,
active, nor powerful (is said to be impotent), and will not jump into action without
the help and support of Shakti, as per the first hymn. It may also be said that
Shakti, the prowess of Shiva is active involving Shiva in action, albeit
uninterestedly; it may also appear that Shiva only is active here with the help
of Shive, in silent but dynamic mode:
ShivaH ShaktyAyuktO yadi bhavati shaktaH praBavituM
na cEdEvaM dEvO na Kalu kuSalaH spaMditumapi |
the universe came into existence the moment a ripple, a wave, a s
vibration set in the still ocean (of pure Consciousness).
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