From a satsang with Pt. Dr. Umesh Persad, Spiritual Leader, SWAHA Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali
The Divine Mother, who is the manifestation of energy, is depicted in various universal forms that represent significant cosmic functions. She is represented as the Das Mahaa Vidyaa, or ten great energies of knowledge. The first five forms are considered significant principles of existence that lead to a special realisation of the Supreme Reality: Kaali, Taara, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari and Tripura Bhairavi. The last five forms of Devi may be viewed as methods of transformation through yogic practices.
Kaali Devi represents the principles of time, death and evolution. In life, everything exists, ends and changes. As Hindus, we often contemplate the nature of impermanence: this human form is temporary and nothing lasts forever. Everything changes from moment to moment. The underlying principle that permits us to connect with that divine principle within us is the breath that moves in and out of the body.
Taara Devi represents the star and guiding light. She is Om, spanda or naad, the fundamental vibration and the essence of sound that are always present in the world and in us. She is also the breath in the form of the recitation of subtle mantras. She is the mantra, Soham, ‘I am’, that coincides with the inhalation (So) and exhalation (Ham) of the breath. To connect with Her, we must become aware of the breath and this subtle mantra.
Tripura Sundari or Shodasi represents light and love. Tripura means trifold and Sundari is beauty. It means that there is beauty in the three planes of existence: bhu, bhuvah and swah. There are also three significant sheaths of the human: the annamaya kosha, the food sheath; the praanamaya kosha, the breath or vital energy sheath; and manomaya kosha, the mental sheath. There are also three states of the breath: praana (the upbreath), apaana (the outbreath) and vyaana (breath circulating in the body). In life we are also in one of three states at any time: the waking state, sleep, and dreamless, deep sleep.
Tripura Sundari is our ability to perceive light, love and beauty through pure perception in each of these three states. We must look beyond the external world of appearances and its fearful forms (Kaali) by understanding that there is no real difference between us on the most essential level. We all share the same humanity and awareness. We must go beyond the negativity and look for the positive. We must cultivate an attitude of cheerfulness and understand that whatever happens is for the best. We must see the manifestation of love, light and beauty in all of creation.
Bhuvaneshwari is the queen of the world. The name also means ‘space’, ‘spaciousness’, and ‘that which contains’. Another name for Bhuvaneshwari is Maya, ‘that which can be measured’. In the beginning there was nothing, the void; then space was created, whose distance could be measured on all sides. That principle of spaciousness in consciousness is Bhuvaneshwari. She symbolises the peace of consciousness within each of us. Whatever concept or idea we think of, appears in that space of our consciousness. We can connect with this Devi principle by identifying with our witness consciousness, saakshi, that is, the witness looking at the space within the self. That principle always exists but we are unaware of it. We can grow in awareness through the process of self-enquiry, which questions, who is the consciousness that is experiencing all this?
Tripura Bhairavi means ‘the three terrible worlds’. She is a forceful energy and represents kriyaa shakti, the power of enlightened activity. She is also Chidagni, the consciousness that is present in each individual. She is the power of focus; when we concentrate on one thing, it is to the exclusion of all else. We all suffer from anava mal, the belief and feeling that we are very limited as physical beings. This leads to various fears as we believe that we are isolated from each other. She is the terrible limitation of the individual consciousness, but by worshipping her, devotees can expand their consciousness. By returning to our natural witness state, we can quieten the mind and the body and move beyond the individuality of the ego.
These manifestations of the Divine Energy reflect the dynamic unity of existence in which all aspects of life, the purest, the forceful and the inert, are combined to form a whole and diverse vision of the Supreme Reality.
