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The worship of the mAtR^ikA-s lies at the root of the kaula system. We have earlier discussed the links of the mAtR^ikA worship with the kaumAra system. The presence of female deities, later explicitly termed mAtR^ikA-s or yoginI-s, in the retinue of rudra is alluded to even in the Vedic saMhitA-s. Indeed, those mantra-s are central to the mAtR^ikA krama, which will be described below. This mAtR^ikA krama is a basic ritual for the worship of the seven mAtR^ikA-s who constitute to the mAtR^ikANAM-kula-chakra. The additional deities in the chakra are vIrabhadra or vIraka and rudra. The seven mAtR^ikA-s and vIrabhadra/vIraka are placed in an octagon around the central rudra.
He may perform the rite during the day in his devagR^iha, or at night in a secluded spot or cremation ground. He procures a yoni-shaped lamp and lights it with the tip of the yoni image facing west. He himself is seated facing east. If he has a consecrated (dIkShitA) kulA~NganA, she sits facing west opposite to him. They then recite the following to initiate the rite:
shuklAmbaradharaM viShNuM shashi varNaM chaturbhujam |
prasanna vadanaM dhyAyet sarva vighnopa shAntaye ||
atha mAtR^ikA-kramaM kariShyAmi siddhir bhavatu me sadA ||
For each goddess/vIrabhadra he first begins with the following invocation:
brAhmIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
mAheshvarIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
kaumArIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
vaiShNavIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
varAhIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
indrANIm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
chAmuNDAm AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
vIrabhadram AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
After the invocation formula specific to each goddess in the above list he follows it with the performance of pa~nchopachAra pUjA for her thus:
Scent offering (He smears sandal paste on the yonyAkAra dIpa): laM pR^ithivyAtmikAyai gandhaM samarpayAmi |
Flower offering (He places flowers around the yonyAkAra dIpa): haM AkAshAtmikAyai puShpaiH pUjayAmi |
Incense offering (He waves the incense stick before the yonyAkAra dIpa): yaM vAyvAtmikAyai dhUpamAghrAyAmi |
The lamp offering (He waves burning camphor before the yonyAkAra dIpa): raM agnyAtmikAyai dIpaM darshayAmi |
The food offering (He offers naivedya of sugar cane juice, vaTaka-s etc or whatever food offering he has): vam amR^itAtmikAyai amrita-mahAnaivedyam nivedayAmi |
The total offering (He bows to the yonyAkAra dIpa): saM sarvAtmikAyai sarvopachAra-pUjAM samarpayAmi |
He then offers tarpaNa-s uttering the formula specific to the given devI:
OM + brAhmIM; mAheshvarIM; kaumArIM; vaiShNavIM; vArAhIM; indrANIM; chAmuNDAM + tarpayAmi | (3 or 10 X)
When he comes to vIrabhadra he performs the pa~nchopachAra pUjA for him thus:
laM pR^ithivyAtmane gandhaM samarpayAmi |
haM AkAshAtmane puShpaiH pUjayAmi |
yaM vAyvAtmane dhUpam AghrApayAmi |
raM agnyAtmane dIpaM darshayAmi |
vam amR^itAtmane amR^itaM mahAnaivedyaM nivedayAmi |
saM sarvAtmane sarvopachArapUjAM samarpayAmi |
He follows this with the tarpaNa of vIrabhadra:
OM vIrabhadraM tarpayAmi | (3/10 X)
If accompanied by his kulA~NganA, he performs the secret ritual of pleasure accompanying each of the upachAra, which the kaula ritualist never reveals to the public. For this rite he invokes the goddesses in the dUtI and vIrabhadra in himself. For success in this practice, it is important that he never lose focus visualization of the goddesses and vIrabhadra in the organs. Moreover, his dUtI should necessarily have the instruction and dIkSha in the yoga of the offering to the deities in their respective organs and should do so both during the pa~nchopachAra pUjA at the utterance of each tarpaNa formula. Tradition holds that a veda-knowing brAhmaNa offers regular naivedya, while a tAntrika brAhmaNa or member of the remaining castes might offer kuladravya-s as specified in the the tripurArNava tantra of the shrIkula tradition. The meditation of the goddesses/vIrabhadra in the organs is done as per the following scheme:
brAhmI – East – brain
mAheshvarI – Southeast – heart
kaumArI – South – mind
vaiShNavI – Southwest – ears
vArAhI – West – skin
indrANI – Northwest – eyes
chAmuNDA – North – tongue
vIrabhadra – Northeast – nose
After the tarpaNa of each deity he then recites the below mantra each time followed by the specific mAtR^ikA mantra:
nama AvyadhinIbhyo namaH | vividhyantIbhyashcha namaH | vo namaH | nama ugaNabhyo namaH | tR^iMhatIbhyashcha namaH | vo namaH || (c.f. shatarUdrIya, TS).
If he is an atharvavedIn he instead utters the mantra:
namas te ghoShiNIbhyo namas te keshinIbhyaH |
namo namaskR^itAbhyo namaH saMbhu~njatIbhyaH |
namas te jAyamAnAyai jAtAyai uta te namaH || (c.f. AV-P 16.107.1b)
The specific mAtR^ikA mantra-s are:
brAhmI: OM bhUr bhuvas svaH | tat savitur vareNyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi | dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt | brAhmyai huM phaT namaH ||
mAheshvarI: OM bhuvaH | OM bhUr bhuvas svaH | tat savitur vareNyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi | dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt | mAheshvaryai huM phaT namaH ||
kaumArI: kvAm OM namo bhagavatyai kaumaryai shikhivahanyai mAM pAlaya pAlaya sakalAsuramardini ehy ehi ripUn mardaya mardaya huM huM phaT svAhA ||
vaiShNavI: OM vaM saM tat savitur vareNiyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi | dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt | vaiShNavyai huM phaT namaH ||
vArAhI: vaM vArAhyai namaH ||
indrANI: OM bhUr bhuvas svaH | indrAnI mAsu nArisu supatnI mahamashravam | na hyasyA .aparam cha na jarasAmarate patiH | svaH bhuvaH bhUrOM namaH ||
chamuNDA: hrIM namo bhagavatyai chAmuNDIshvaryai | sarva-shatru-vinAshinI sarva-loka-bhayaMkarI ehyehi mAM rakSha rakSha mama shatrUn bhakShaya bhakShaya huM phaT namaH ||
For the deployment of each of the above mantra-s the deshika performs the visualization of the respective goddess by reciting the below dhyAna verses. If he is accompanied by his dUtI he invokes the goddess into her and also visualizes the goddess in her.
brAhmI:
raktAM rakta-sumAlya-lepa-vasanAM bhUShAdibhir-bhUShitAM |
shuddhAM smera-chatur-mukhIM shubhataragrIvAM dvinetrAMchalAM ||
devIM daNDa-kamaNDaluM-sruva-sruchAkSha-srag-karAMbhoruhAM |
brAhmIM bhakta-janeShTadAna-niratAM vande suhaMsAsanAM ||
mAheshvarI:
shvetAbhAM shveta-vastrAM kuchabharanamitAM shveta-mAlyAbhirAmAm |
tredhA shUlaM kapAlaM kanaka-maNi-japAsrag-vahantIM karAbjaiH ||
vande .anaDvAha-rUDhAM smita-vishada-chatur-vaktra-padmAM trinetrAM |
mAheshIM snighdha-keshIM maNimaya-valayAM manyu-yuktAM prasannAM ||
kaumArI:
pItAbhAM shakti-khaDgAbhaya-vara-subhujAM pItamAlyAM shukADhyAM |
devIM barhAdhirUDhAM himakara-shakalA baddha-nIlAlakAntAM ||
nAnA-ratnair virachitair anukhachita-mahAbhUShaNair bhUShitA~NgAM |
dhyAyet sarvArtha-siddhyai praNata-bhayaharAM divyahArAM kumArIM ||
vaiShNavI:
marakata-maNi-nIlA nIlavAsovasAnA |
vidhR^ita maNi-japAsrag-kaMbu-chakrAmbujADhyA ||
chapala-garuDAruDhA sarvato vaktra-padmA |
dishatu sumaghadeyI jivanI vaiShNavI naH ||
vArAhI:
vajropalasamAM nIlAM prasannAM mahiShAsanAM |
sarva-dukhaharAM ghorAM stabdhalomAnanAM numaH ||
indrANI:
hemAbhAM varamAlikAbhirachitAM hemAM prasannAnanAM |
nAnA-ratna-vibhUShitAM nava-navAM nAthAM harIshAdinAM ||
mAyAtIta-parAkramAM mada-gaja-skandhe-nibaddhAsanAM |
vande nAga-vinAshinIM vanakaraM vajrAyudhodyat-karAM ||
chAmuNDA:
dhyAyet pretAsanasthAM musala-shara-gadA-khaDga-kuntAsy-abhItIH |
gotrAdAnaM sharAsaM-parigha-jaladhikaM-pAsha-kheTaM-varaM cha ||
hastAMbhojair vahantIM shashi-ravI-nayanAM akSha-varNAtma-rUpAM |
chAmuNDAM muNDamAlAM sakala-ripuharAM shyAmalAM komalA~NgIM ||
For vIrabhadra he uses the following mantra (he invokes vIrabhadra in his own forehead):
namo gaNebhyo namaH | gaNapatibhyash cha namaH | vo namaH ||
An atharvavedIn instead utters the incantation:
rudrasyailabakArebhyo .asaMsUktagilebhyo .akaraM namaH ||
Any of the above are followed by:
OM vIrabhadrAya vairivaMsha-vinAshAya sarvalokabhayaMkarAya bhImAveShaya huM phaT shmrauM shmrauM hrIM khaM phaT ripUn phaT namaH ||
He visualizes vIrabhadra thus:
marakata-maNi-nIla ki~NkiNI-jAla-mAlam |
prakaTita-mukham-IshaM bhAnu-somAgni-netram |
ari-daram-asi-kheTaty-agra-muNDAgra-hastam |
vidhudharam-ahi-bhUShaM vIrabhadraM namAmi ||
Then he invokes rudra in the flame of the yonyAkAra dIpa:
bhavam AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
sharvam AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
ishAnam AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
pashupatim AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
rudram AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
ugram AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
bhImam AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
mahAdevam AvAhayAmi dhyAyAmi namAmi |
He then performs the pa~nchopachAra:
laM pR^ithivyAtmane gandhaM samarpayAmi |
haM AkAshAtmane puShpaiH pUjayAmi |
yaM vAyvAtmane dhUpam AghrApayAmi |
raM agnyAtmane dIpaM darshayAmi |
vam amR^itAtmane amR^itaM mahAnaivedyaM nivedayAmi |
saM sarvAtmane sarvopachArapUjAM samarpayAmi |
Then he performs the tarpaNa:
bhavaM tarpayAmi |
sharvaM tarpayAmi |
ishAnaM tarpayAmi |
pashupatiM tarpayAmi |
rudraM tarpayAmi |
ugraM tarpayAmi |
bhImaM tarpayAmi |
mahAdevaM tarpayAmi |
Then he identifies with rudra and deploys the pa~nchabrahma mantra-s followed by kad rudrAya:
sadyojAtaM prapadyAmi sadyojAtAya vai namo namaH |
bhave bhave nAtibhave bhavasva mAm |
bhavodbhavAya namaH ||
vAmadevAya namo jyeshThAya namash shreshThAya namo rudrAya namaH kAlAya namaH kalavikaraNAya namo balavikaraNAya namo balAya namo balapramathanAya namas sarva-bhUtadamanAya namo manonmanAya namaH ||
aghorebhyo .atha ghorebhyo ghora-ghoratarebhyaH |
sarvebhyas sarva-sharvebhyo namaste astu rudra rUpebhyaH ||
tat puruShAya vidmahe mahAdevAya dhImahi |
tanno rudraH prachodayAt ||
IshAnas sarva-vidyAnAm Ishvaras sarva-bhUtAnAm brahmA.adhipatir brahmaNo.adhipatir brahmA |
shivo me astu sadAshivOM ||
kad rudrAya prachetase mIDhushTamAya tavyase |
vo chema shantamaM hR^ide |
sarvo hy eSha rudras tasmai rudrAya namo astu ||
The atharvavedin replaces the kad rudrAya mantra with the following triad of mantra-s:
yas samAno yo .asamAno .amitro no jighAMsati |
rudraH sharavyayA tAn amitrAn no vi vidhyatu || AV-P 1.20.3
rudra yat te guhyaM nAma yat te addhAtayo viduH |
shivA sharavyA yA tava tayA no mR^iDa jIvase || AV-P 1.95.2
stuhi shrutaM gartasadaM janAnAM rAjAnaM bhImam upahatnum ugraM |
mR^iDa jaritre rudra ha stavAno anyam asut te ni vapantu senyaM || AV-P 18.60.10
His dUtI, if present, performs the yoga of the pleasing of rudra mentally meditating on rudra as the great fire.
The visualization for rudra is done with the following dhyAna shloka:
dhyAyAmi vai rudra-rUpaM sarva-loka-maheshvaram |
shuddha-sphaTika-saMkAShaM triNetraM pa~ncha-vaktrakam ||
ga~NgAdharaM daSha-bhujaM sarvAbharaNa-bhUshitam |
nIlagrIvaM shashA~NkA~NkaM nAga-yaj~nopavItinam ||
vyAghra-charmottariyaM cha vareNyam abhayapradam |
kamaNDvalv-aksha-sUtrANi dhAriNaM shUlapANinaM ||
jvalantaM pi~Ngala-jaTaM shikhAmadhyoda-dhAriNaM |
vR^iSha-skandha samArUDhaM shAshvataM vishvatomukhaM||
amR^itenAplutaM shAntaM divya-bhoga-samanvitaM |
dig-devatA-samAyuktaM surAsura-namaskR^itaM ||
nityaM cha paramANuM vai dhruvam-aksharam-avyayaM |
sarva-vyApinam-IshAnaM rudraM vai vishva-rUpiNaM ||
This is followed by vaishvadeva-tarpaNaM:
agniM tarpayAmi | vAyuM tarpayAmi | somaM tarpayAmi | indraM tarpayAmi | marutaH tarpayAmi | IshAnaM tarpayAmi | varuNaM tarpayAmi | mitraM tarpayAmi | aryamaNaM tarpayAmi | viShNuM tarpayAmi | pUShaNaM tarpayAmi | bhagaM tarpayAmi | devaM savitAraM tarpayAmi | tvaShtAraM tarpayAmi | dhAtAraM tarpayAmi | ashvinau tarpayAmi | bR^ihaspatiM tarpayAmi | prajApatiM tarpayAmi | R^ibhUn tarpayAmi | skandaM tarpayAmi | yamaM tarpayAmi | vaishravaNaM tarpayAmi | dhanvantariM tarpayAmi | tArkShyaM ariShtanemIM tarpayami | sarvAn devAn tarpayAmi |aditiM tarpayAmi | sarasvatIM tarpayAmi | nirR^itiM tarpayAmi | sarva-deva-patnIH tarpayAmi | sarva-deva-gaNAn tarpayAmi | sarva-deva-gaNa-patnIH tarpayAmi ||
He can perform this krama as a stand alone or initiate it with a preceding homa. For this he kindles the fire with the mantra: “tvam agne rudro asuro mahodivaH…” and makes it blaze with “A vo rAjAnaM adhvarasya rudraM …” He make offering with the svAhAnta mantra-s instead of the namo.anta mantra-s specified above. He concludes the offerings with “agne naya supatha…”
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Notes
* The yonyAkAra-dIpa: Below is an example of the yonyAkAra dIpa we use in this ritual.
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* The krama is predominantly observed among those closely linked to the smArta tradition, with links to the now largely lost AV system. The connections between the AV-tradition and the later mantra-mArga are found in texts such as the a~Ngirasa kalpa, which links the AV-P tradition to the kAlIkula and pA~NcharAtra. The tripurArNava tantra of the shrIkula also have a chapter on the deployment of the atharvaveda (will be discussed eventually on these pages). The kubjikA- kula or paschimAmnAya has the atharvan connection in the form of the kubjikA upaniShad. The Asuri-kalpa links the AV tradition to the daurgA mata. Such texts were studied in Kashmir, Nepal, Orissa, Gujarat and the Vijayanagaran empire.
* Most mantra-s follow the forms specified in the AkAshabhairava tantra.
* Atharvavedin-s performed such a krama in the remote and once glorious Sathalapur saptamAtR^ikA temple in kali~Nga, which is now in ruins.
* A parallel to the yoga performed in this ritual is found in the famous dehasta-devatA-chakra stotraM of the illustrious abhinavagupta. There the deities invoked within the body are placed in the maNDala of the kaula deities Ananda-bhairava and Ananda-bhairavI. The order of deities in that maNDala is thus:
gaNapati – vaTuka
Ananda-bhairava – guru – Ananda-bhairavI
brAhmI-mAheshvarI-kaumArI-vaiShNavI-vArAhI-chAmuNDA-mahAlakShmI
kShetrapAla
Filed under: Heathen thought Tagged: atharvaveda, chamunda, rudra, saptamAtR^ikA, seven goddesses, seven mothers, shaiva, shatarudrIya, vIrabhadra Image may be NSFW.
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