Mahamaya Rises

An End To Demonic Forces

All stories about Durga and other incarnations of the Divine Mother refer to the constant struggle between the demonic forces and those of the Divine. In the world of names and forms, demonic forces are self destructive in the long run. But in the beginning, they are very powerful because they are united, while the Divine forces are scattered here and there until called upon to act together to overcome darkness. When the demonic forces create imbalance, all the gods unite, becoming one Divine force – the Divine force from which they are all born, which is Shakti. In their reunification, they manifest as god or goddess to destroy evil and create balance.

Demonic forces are based on egotism, selfishness, and torturing others, whereas Divine forces are based on sacrifice, penance, selfless service, love, universal brotherhood, and seeing the Divine in each and every existing particle. The stories related above, as with all ancient tales of gods and goddesses, emphasize the victory of good over evil in the struggle that takes place within the human being. They tell how the love of luxury, material gain, and physical comforts, appeasing a demonic force inside us, appear as anger, hatred, greed, pride, jealousy, delusion, conceit, envy, and attachments. Wherever self interest is involved, these forces appear. In contrast, devotion, mercy, love, and thoughts about the blessings of human incarnation are Divine forces inside us and appear as discipline, non-violence, faith, confidence, total absorption, and detachment from all the achievements.

Durga symbolizes the nondualistic existence of energized consciousness, or conscious energy. Being the Divine Mother, She destroys the disharmony that is creating imbalance in the phenomenal world. She is the well wisher of all, even toward those whom She destroys, because She is also their Mother. After She killed Mahishasura, the gods asked Her: “Mother, you could have burned Mahisha and his commanders with Your Divine radiance. Why did You enact this drama of war with them?” The Divine Mother replied, saying, “If I had burned them like that, they would have gone to hell, and it would have been difficult for them to improve or evolve. But by fighting with Me and getting killed by Me, they attain heaven, where they will change into good beings.” Thus we see that Durga wants not simply to destroy evil, but to transform it into good energy.

Rajarajeshwari as Durga is the expression of all powers. The battle that is currently being played out requires that we consider some other very potent qualities of the Mother. These are best explored through Her presence as Mahamaya and Maha Kundalini, for they pertain directly to the field of the battle (Maya) and the principle (Kundalini) that the Mother engages within the battle. Shakti, in Her transcendental form of Maya (Iswari), takes the form of “AHAM” in the cosmos and in all living beings. “Aham” means knowledge of “I”. This “I” knowledge contains both the Divine Jnana (knowledge) and the Divine Kriya (action). Though the pure “I” is not associated with the body, it permeates the body and being. It is simply because of the Power of Maya that many individuals assume “I” to be associated with the body. Some even identify “I” as the body itself. This illusion only disappears at the last stage of liberation. Maha Kundalini, in the form of pure “I”, is in all living beings for their very existence.

Maha Kundalini: As Above – So Below

MahaKaali

Maha Kundalini occupies the realm of fire which assumes the role of consciousness, or Awareness Power. This is clarified in one of the names of the Goddess, praised in the Lalitha Sahasranama, as “Chidagni Kunda Sambhoothayai Namaha.” Lalitha as Maha Kundalini assumes the work of Agni (fire) which is the work of creation and maintenance, covering, in the process, the entire universe. The Shakti, or existence power of gravitation, upholds the cosmos and human bodies by Her mighty grip, never allowing them to pass out of existence. This Shakti resides in the lowest portion of the spinal cord, known as the Muladhara (root) Chakra, in the shape of coiled serpent. The hood of the serpent covers the entrance to the hairline passage, the Sushumna nadi, which runs through the spine and ends at the top of brain, the Sahasrara kamala. The Muladhara (root) Chakra is also known as Trikuta, because it is the confluence of the Pingala (solar), Ida (lunar), and Sushumna nadis.

As the great Kundalini Devi ascends from Muladhara to Sahasrara Kamala, all nature of darkness and sin perish one after the other. The instant Shakti arrives at the Sahasrara, the brilliance of realization bursts before the expectant soul of the individual. This great moment in life is known by several names: Nirvikalpa Samadhi, or clear unclouded union; Brahmananda, or transducer bliss; Jeevanmuktha, or soul perfection in this very body; Advaitha Siddhi, or realization of Oneness; Omkara Swarupa, or identity with the mystic Om; Rajayoga, or union with the Highest. It is, therefore, clearly our duty to humbly and devotedly pray to Devi, in order to graciously unveil the passage leading through the Sushumna Nadi to the Sahasrara, thereby initiating Her move upwards and manifestation of Herself to our moral consciousness.

Again we return to the Saundarya Lahari, which contributes to our qualitative understanding of the Divine Mother. The following slokas assist us in our quest:

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Maheem Muladhare Kamapi Manipoore Huthavaham;

Sthitham Swadhishtane Hrudi Maruthamakashamupari;

Manopi Bhrumadhye Sakalamapi Bhithwa Kulapatham;

Sahasrare Padme Saha Rahasi Pathya Viharase

“Having pierced the elements of earth situated in Muladhara, water in Manipura, fire in Swadhishtana, air in Anahatha, sky above the Anahatha in Vishuddhi, and mind between the eyebrows in Ajna, Thou ascension through Sushumna joyfully playest with Thy consort above the head in the seclusion of Sahasrara, the thousand petalled lotus.”

This sloka speaks of the awakening of kundalini and disciplined management of that power to the Sahasrara in the head. The power – or Shakti – of the individual spirit is Kundalini. The jiva (or individual spirit) is a part of Shiva, the Universal and Transcendent Spirit. It is this Shakti of the jiva that is known as kundalini, which rests in the sphere represented by the base of spine called “muladhara,” which is also called “trikona.” Shiva as the jiva is in the subtle sphere represented by the brain in the body, described technically as “Sahasrara,” or “thousand petalled lotus.” The spinal column is what connects Shiva as jiva in the brain with His Shakti as kundalini. Spiritual enlightenment comes when Shakti, which is sleeping or lying contracted in the Muladhara, is roused up and enabled to unite with Shiva in the Sahasrara. As the kundalini touches each of the lotuses, they blossom and reveal to the jiva totally new and subtle dimensions of reality and, ultimately, Absolute Consciousness. This is the point at which Absolute Bliss is attained by the aspirant. The Sri Chakra, which forms the Yantras for worship, is the symbol of the thousand petalled lotus in the brain, which is the centre of Shiva. It is from this point that all has issued forth and it is to this point that the work of the individual jiva, or aspirant, returns.

One Principle - One Divine Seat

The One Of Unfathomable And Limitless Greatness

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Shivah Shakthya Yuktho Yadi Bhavathi Shakthah Prabhavithum;

Na Che Devam Devo Na Khalu Kushalaha Spandithumapi;

Athasthvam Aradhyam Hariharavirinchadhibhirapi;

Prananthum Sthothum Va Kathakrutha Punyaha Prabhavathi

“In union with Shakti, Shiva is empowered to create the Universe. Shiva and Shakti are the Absolute Being and the Absolute Will (Power, intrinsic in the former. Without Will, Being is a fiction, and without Being, Will is but the same. In their Unity, the entire Universe comes into existence. As Father (Shiva) and as Mother (Shakti) the purpose of worship is made manifest. Shiva is the Holder of all Power, and Shakti is the Power through which the entire Universe is made manifest. ONE they are, yet distinct, for Shakti manifests the Universe without in any way losing Her intrinsic unity with Shiva. It is said that through the grace of the Divine Mother is given the power of the four faced Brahma to create, Vishnu to protect, Maheshwara to destroy, and so they all adore Her. With this being truth, only the most praiseworthy among mortals will feel the tendency to worship, praise, and pray to Her.”

Here we are being guided to worship the Mother as the Highest Principle. Such worship, we are told, is beyond that which She has created. The inclination to worship the Mother comes about when the ego has sufficiently been subsumed by devotion, allowing the kundalini to rise from its sleeping base.

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Giramahur-Devim Druhinagrihini-Magamavido;

Harehe Pathneem Padmyam Harasahachari-Mudrithanayam;

Thureeya Kaapi Tvam Duradhigama – Nisseema –Mahima;

Mahamaya Vishwam Bhramayasi Parabrahma Mahisshi

“O Consort of Parabrahman! Those learned ones who comprehend without error the pure meaning of the scriptures describe Thee as Saraswathi, consort of Brahma, Goddess of learning. Further, they speak of Thee as Lakshmi, the lotus born consort of Vishnu, and also do they speak of Thee as Parvathi, daughter of the mountain and consort of Hara (Shiva). However Thou art the fourth (that inimitable power that is the source of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva) of unimaginable and unlimited majesties – the indeterminable Mahamaya who turns the wheel of this world.”

These words illustrate that Devi is the consort of Parabrahman and “the fourth.” We are shown that while She is uninvolved and unaffected Power, She has also manifested as conscious and unconscious principles, as can be seen in Her taking form as the Divine Goddesses. It is therefore a wonder for the human mind to conceive how She can be both at once. This speaks to the Nirguna and Saguna qualities expressed earlier. This sloka portrays Her as the great and mysterious Power – Mahamaya – and the One of unfathomable and limitless greatness. Parabrahman and Maya are one and the same. There is no difference between them. They are just like the two faces of one single coin. If the moon is covered by clouds, it does not mean that moon is not there. The moon is always there. When the veil of maya that appears as a cloud moves away, the moon is visible. Put another way, Parabrahman makes Himself visible through the active potencies of removing Mahamaya, upon His command, removing the veil.

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Pradipa-Jvalabhir-Divasakara-Nirajanavidhihi;

Sudhasutheshchandropala-Jalalavairarghyarachana;

Svakeeyairambhobhihi Salila-Nidhi-Souhithyakaranam;

Tvadiyabhir-Vagbhistava Janani Vacham Sthuthiriyam

“In the same way that performing the light waving ceremony before the sun is but to offer His own light to Him; and just as making an offering of arghya before the moon with the water that exudes from the moonstone, in contact with the moon light, is but to return that which belongs to the moon; and in the same way by making an offer of water to the ocean is to return to the ocean that which belongs to it; so is this hymn, O Source of all Learning, addressed to Thee, composed of words which are Thine already.”

This is a key sloka. It states that the very thoughts, words, and deeds that percolate through our beings, as we read such Holy Scripture as the Saundarya Lahari, actually represent our partaking of the very Mother Herself, for they are but issuances of Truth. Since Truth is beautiful, and since Truth is the Divine Mother, to worship the Divine Mother in the beautiful way of the Saundarya Lahari is to come to know God. The images evoked and the feelings aroused, through deep contemplation, concentration, and meditation, awakens the latent kundalini within us and lifts us into the union of Shiva/Shakti. In so doing, we walk through the gifts and challenges of Mahamaya Herself. But then what do we understand by “maya”?

The Grace Of Mahamaya

Maya is misunderstood! Rajarajeshwari is the Divine Mother, and because She is Mahamaya it is more appropriate and beneficent to worship and adore Maya than it is to attempt to circumvent Her as many do who have no comprehension of Her real nature - Truth. Not even an Avatar on earth is without Maya, for in order to fulfil His mission (to uplift man kind), Divinity, which has taken form through His being, must be able to both be seen and interacted with. Maya, therefore, forms the other face of the Avatar, without which no one is capable of attaining even the slightest glimpse of an Avatar. Parabrahman as Shiva, with His mercy, descends on earth and He Himself becomes an example for teaching humanity how a soul can merge back into the Ocean (Parabrahman) - the ultimate goal of life. When He is in human form, He acts just like a human being and He shows the path of Truth, i.e. the Atmic Self.

Maya, therefore, can be considered as being like an umbrella which one carries to shield oneself from rain or the glasses which one wears on eyes for the protection from sunlight. Without maya in place, Parabrahman would posit such power to the individual soul as to completely destroy it. Maya enables the entire human race to have Shiva/Shakti’s darshan (to look upon the form) when He/She is on earth in human form. Creation itself is maya. Hence, by locking ourselves to maya through worship and devotion, we work through the attractions and pull of physicality and we rise above the desire to stay within the limits of the created world. There is a krithi, or song, which starts with: “Nee Mayeyolago Ninnolu Mayeyo Nee Dehadolago Ninnolu Dehavo.” This translates to mean: “Whether you are inside maya or maya is within you: Whether you are in the body or the body is within you.” When we don’t have self knowledge, we are in maya, and when we have the self knowledge, the veil of maya is dropped or it is not there at all. “Ekoham Bahusyami” means “being One I become Many.” Shiva/Shakti takes human form and plays the game of hide and seek with His/Her own Self, which is both witnessed and reflected in all beings and all of creation. Sri Ramakrishna elucidated this understanding in these words from the Vachana Veda of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa:

“Where are you searching for me ‘O’ my child

I am living with you only

Even if I am with you, you are searching for me

Far and getting tired up yourselves.

I am not in the skin, I am not in the hair,

I am not inside bones or flesh

I am not in the temple or masjid

Not even in Kashi or Kailasa (Shiva’s abode)

I am neither available in Dvaraka or Ayodhya.

I am not in sanyas I am not in renunciation

I am very far from yogas or siddhis

Where there is Shraddha I am available there and if you search for me I am with you.”

The key here lies in the word Shraddha, which can be taken to mean “earnestness and diligent application to Truth.” Whereas faith and belief are specifically related to the body, Shraddha is related to the Atma. As Parabrahman is not explainable and cannot become the subject of argument, similarly Shraddha also cannot be explained in words. Shraddha needs purity through words, deeds, and thought. Only when a jiva purifies himself/herself and comes to Shraddha does the Goddess assist him/her attain “Shiva Sayujya.” Shiva Sayujya means to become one with the Lord, or Shiva. This is made possible only by the Divine Mother, since She is the heart dweller of Lord Shiva. Again, we are shown that Shiva and Shakti are inseparable. In the heart of Lord Shiva there is nothing but Bliss – Ananda. This brings us to an important and pivotal point in our journey of understanding the Divine Mother: Kundalini is tied to karma, and our journey of return to Truth is therefore contingent upon our understandings of this deeply significant principle.

Karma is “action” and “re-action,” meaning that each and every action is always accompanied by its corresponding reaction. For example, righteous (dharmic) actions of the jiva bring results that are beneficent to the jiva and non-righteous (adharmic) actions bring non-beneficent results. Shiva has been the witness of all actions since the first outward issuance of His Parashakti, and as the Eternal Witness He records all actions and reactions accurately. Karma does not leave us, for we reap what we sow. However, the lesser the action, the lesser the karma. It must be noted that action, though occurring in the physical realm, may also be effected in the subtle realms by way of emotive or mental appropriation of Shakti from the jiva. Even the subtlest thought generates reaction which is witnessed only by Shiva/Shakti. Mind is responsible for everything. If one follows his/her conscience, then only righteous karma effacing deeds are executed. However, to follow the mind is the source of all problems. Sowing oak seeds does not bring forth mango fruits!

Shiva, incarnate as the Avatar, can efface karmas, but for this to happen, a jiva has to win His grace. Shiva has given humanity the power of discrimination, and it is important that we act in ways that will reduce the karma accumulated in this lifetime as well as wash away karma accumulated in past lives. We must use this gift of discrimination to Do Good: Think Good: Be Good. Peace is the birth right of all the jivas. Amma, present as Srimad Sai Rajarajeshwari, tells us: “If you delete your mind, there shall you find peace. Attachment to worldly desires through the five senses is just like a ditch of garbage. A human is intelligent enough to analyse this. In spite of this, he enters that ditch and states that to his surprise the ditch is dirty.” Rajarajeshwari asks the question, “Who is asking everybody to jump in the ditch?” She continues by saying, “Over-intelligence has become a drawback and in our ignorance and arrogance we utter that this is all maya that is working. This I tell you is not Truth.” This brings us full circle back to maya. The greater the karma, the more deeply the web of maya is wrapped around us, and the more work we have to do.

Rajarajeshwari continues this topic in stating: “Shiva shows no mercy in cases of karmas of jivas in His kingdom. However, with exceptionally good thoughts, words, and deeds, He will sometimes wash out the karmas and merge the Atma within Him. Each individual is responsible for whatever he or she does - good and bad actions. This is the rule on earth.” Sadly, for so many, God is only “real” if God fulfils the desires that are prayed for. Since we are each the reflection of God, it is important to ultimately realise that we truly are God. There are ups and downs in everyone’s life. Desires have to be controlled and the mind, basically, has to be silenced. It is difficult to catch the mind, because the nature of the mind is to wander. To catch the mind, Amma tells us that “unconditional self surrender” is necessary; surrender to God in all ways. We must surrender our thoughts, words, and deeds, without expecting anything from anybody.

Let us consider this karmic principle through analogy. In the world of our physical reality, a person being considered for a promotion is examined by those in a higher office who will consider all past and present records pertaining to the individual. Srimad Sai Rajarajeshwari says, “Just think of God’s records regarding births and deaths. He knows everything. He is the Supreme Witness, Pure Knowledge, Pure Consciousness. Mind can only be controlled by God. We have to bend to the Lotus Feet of God. Let anything happen, leave it to the Will of God. It is His Will and His Will only prevails. Every moment think of Him and this is a real meditation. Try to develop strong faith in Him.” Many times Amma will say, “First know who you are (“Aham”), then you will know God”. A man is rich only when he has the self knowledge or the awareness of the Self. Amma also tells us that when God has taken form as Avatar, salvation is easy for jivas.

Impurities cover humanity so much that many cannot have even a glimpse of God. We feel and think that maya is an obstruction towards Self realization, but this is mere escapism, keeping us from achieving our goal. Srimad Sai Rajarajeshwari says, “Only by doing long periods of penance is one able to have a glimpse of God. But this glimpse of God’s darshan remains ever as a bliss for the jiva. Then what is the fate of other jivas?” She gives us our answer with Her presence. Through the Divine Mother’s (Mahamaya’s) grace, we are able to have darshan of Avatars. The Divine Mother, in Her love and compassion for humanity, forces Shiva to take human form, thereby making it possible for every jiva to experience bliss. It is important to always remember that the Divine Mother alone offers all individual souls the opportunity to have the communion, touch, and vision of an Avatar. That is why Adi Shakti, the Goddess, is worshipped as “Ishwara Preranakaryai Namaha,” meaning that the Goddess is the prerana to Shiva for the upliftment of humans. Amma also tells that one does not attain Self realization just by looking at the Avatar, but every darshan of the Avatar does have the effect of washing away karma, stage by stage.

Srimad Sai Rajarajeshwari often says, “To Be with God is bliss, and since God is everything, one should seek always to be one with all of creation. Rishis used to do penance for years and were blessed by the darshan of their choice -Ishta devatha. Though the darshan was for a fraction of moment, it was present as bliss in the hearts of rishis. It is the blessing of God that you have been given human form. Now you have to earn Her grace. To earn this, selfless service is necessary. This grace is oftentimes smothered by the ego, as it identifies itself with the ‘I.’ ” She continues, saying, “All are God’s reflection, and one should treat all as one’s own Self, for only then will the experience turn to one of bliss. Practice ‘So Hum,’ or ‘I am God.’ This is ultimate. All the time the body consciousness is present, you cannot realize your Self and you banish God to the wilderness. To dip in the Ganges is said to remove your sins, but to wash your sins really means to dip in the Ocean of Love. If your heart has to be enlarged, receive plenty of Love and give the same to everybody.”

Given these understandings, we are prompted to ask a vitally important question. Is Mahamaya merciful or dreadful? The answer: Shiva/Shakti descends on earth not because He/She is pleased by the devotion of jivas, but due to His/Her mercy. In the field of Mahamaya, the supreme Shakti manifests Herself in the name and form of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi, as well as in countless other derived forms. Durga grants us energy - physical, mental, and spiritual: Lakshmi bestows on us wealth of many kinds; She grants us not just wealth in the form of money, but riches in multiple forms, including a wealth of intellect, character, and health: Saraswathi bestows on us intelligence, the capacity for intellectual enquiry, and the power of discrimination.

Mahamaya also symbolizes the three gunas, or attributes, of Sathwa, Rajas, and Tamas. Sai Baba explains these attributes as follows:

“She takes the Rajasic form to suppress the forces of evil and protect the Sathwic qualities. When the forces of injustice, immorality, and untruth have grown to monstrous proportions and are indulging in a death dance, when selfishness and self-interest are rampant, and when men have lost all sense of kindness and compassion, the Atmic principle, assuming the form of Shakti, takes on the Rajasic quality and seeks to destroy the evil elements. This is the inner meaning of the Durga form of Mahamaya. The significance of Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi has to be rightly understood. The three represent three kinds of potencies in man: Ichchaa Shakti or will power; Kriya Shakti, or the power of purposeful action; and Jnana Shakti, or the power of discernment.

“Saraswathi is manifest in man as the power of speech, or Vaak. Durga is present in the form of dynamism. Lakshmi is manifest in the form of will power. The body indicates Kriya Shakti. The mind is the repository of Ichchaa Shakti. The Atma is Jnana Shakti. Kriya Shakti comes from the body which is material. The power that activates the body, which is inert, and makes it vibrant, is Ichchaa Shakti. The power that induces the vibrations of Ichchaa Shakti is Jnana Shakti, which causes radiation of energy. All three are present in man. Thus Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi dwell in the human heart. Men are prone to exhibit Rajasic qualities like anger and hatred. These qualities are the menacing manifestations of Durga. The extolling of the Divine in song and poetry and the pleasing vibrations produced by them indicate the power of Saraswathi. The pure qualities that arise in man such as compassion, love, forbearance, and sympathy are derived from Lakshmi.

“When people worship Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi externally, through pictures or icons, they are giving physical forms to the subtle potencies that lie within them. The unfortunate predicament of man today is that he is not recognizing or developing respect for the powers within himself/herself. He/she goes after the external, attracted by the physical forms. The relationship between the material and the subtle has to be understood. The remedy for man's life is contained within himself. But man seeks remedies from outside. All that is needed is to turn the vision inward to experience the Divine within. We must convert our Ichchaa Shakti into a yearning for God; convert our Kriya Shakti into a force for doing Divine actions; and convert our Jnana Shakti into the Divine Itself.”

At this defining moment in the Kali Age, God as Avatar has come forth to correct that which is out of balance in creation and remove evil from the face of the earth. The spiritual battle now taking place is being choreographed by Adi Shakti in Her Durga form through the web of Mahamaya. We must not deny or run away from maya, for this is not possible, viable, or beneficent. We must instead, at the microcosmic level, confront the nemesis at the level of our own Self reflections. Through Self reflection we reveal our belief in God, or the Truth of God within, and purge our souls of all forms of darkness. This darkness represents the collective macrocosmic demons that Durga now acts to battle and remove from the field of consciousness we call “life.” When, through devotion, we embrace Mahamaya, we arouse Maha Kundalini and confront the demons with the aid of Durga. As this battle ensues, we finally reach that which is our destiny – Liberation. We are liberated when, and only when, we experience the absolute Unity of Shiva/Shakti and the thousand petalled lotus awakens, merging our drop of Divine Light back into the Ocean. The Saundarya Lahari again speaks to this unified principle in the following verse:

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Thvaya Hrithva Vamam Vapu-Raparithripthene Manasa;

Shareerardham Shambho-Raparamapi Shanke Hruthamabhuth;

Yadethath Thvadroopam Sakalamarunabham Thrinayanam;

Kuchabhyamaanamram Kutila Shashi Choodalamakutam

“I am given to the feeling that Thou, being dissatisfied even after having taken the left half of Shambhu (Shiva) as a form of half man and half woman, have in addition occupied His right half; for Thy form which shines within my heart is in nature and tone wholly crimson and to some extent bowed, in addition to having three eyes and a crescent moon in the diadem.”

These words speak of how the One has taken the appearance of Devi on the left, or feminine side. Thus illustrating Shiva and Shakti each as half of the Unity and equal in magnitude. As we know, Devi – Prakriti, is the Power and Shiva – Purusha, the Power Holder, and while each is distinct from the other, they are not different. Just as the fire is distinct yet one with its luminosity, so are Devi and Shiva distinct yet One. When the fire within each of us is activated, the brilliance of a thousand suns pours down through our beings, the Power and Power Holder are united, and we reach enlightenment.

Nectare pouring forth from both Amma and Baba