All forms of the Divine represent universal principles that exist in the universe, in nature and the self. In Sanaatan Dharma, there are ten universal principles of wisdom embodied in the Das Mahaa Vidyaa, which are representations of the Divine Devi, the energetic female aspect of God. These forms of divine transcendental knowledge are:
- Kaali
- Taaraa
- Tripura Sundari
- Bhuvaneshwari
- Tripura Bhairavi
- Chinnamastaa
- Dhoomavati
- Bagalaa Mukhee
- Maatangi
- Kamalaa
The first five Devis are considered the prime principles of existence in the universe. The last five represent methods of attaining inner transformation through yogic techniques. Each of these principles can be applied to our own lives for our personal spiritual transformation.
Kaali Devi
In Sanskrit, Kaali means ‘the power of time’. Time is simply a measure of change. In reality, time is an illusion created by our own minds. In other words, there is a perpetual ‘now’ and time is created in our minds because of memory. If we contemplate upon the principle of Kaali, we would realise that we all live in the infinite present moment. Kaali means that everything in this world is constantly changing, including the body and mind.
We contemplate Kaali by understanding that we cannot control time and that everything is always changing in the world. Our fear of change is reflected in the fearsome depiction of Kaali. However, once we realise that our time on this earth is not infinite, we can begin to truly live our lives.
From a yogic point of view, the Kaali principle in every human being is the breath. Merging your consciousness with the inflowing and outgoing breath is Kaali worship. In everyday life, turning our attention to the breath helps us to deal with life’s challenges.
Kaali is often depicted as standing on the prone form of Shiva. She killed a demon called Raktabeej; rakt means ‘blood’ but it also means ‘attached to’; beej means ‘root’ or ‘cause’. The demon Raktabeej therefore means ‘the cause of your desires and attachments’. When, like Kaali, we drink the desires of the world, they make us uncontrollable and unsettled. It is only when, like Kaali, we find the base of all existence, beyond matter, Shivaji, that we discover the peace within us. In each of us, there is both Kaali and Shiva. Kaali represents the active mind and body, and Shiva is the witness to all that occurs.
Taaraa Devi
The second principle is Taaraa. In Sanskrit, Taaraa means ‘star’, but the root of the word, “tr” means ‘to traverse or cross’. The star is self-luminous and it gives light to everything. The visible twinkling or vibration of the stars in the sky hint at the inner meaning of Taaraa as a principle: she represents the fundamental vibration of existence. Unlike the vibration of an object, Her vibration is unseen and inexpressible yet it is the base of everything. It is also referred to as nityavaak or ‘the eternal word’. ‘Om’ is the word representation of the subtle vibration of the Supreme that is everywhere. It carries us beyond our own ignorance by means of the vibration, Om.
In practical application of this principle, we should always speak the truth. Furthermore, there is also a mantra jap that occurs within us of its own accord: the sages liken the ingoing and outgoing breath to the mantra, So Hum. In preparing for all religious practices, we should rest in the breath for some moments as that breath, I Am, is the only reality.
Tripura Sundari Devi
Tripura Sundari means “the three places of beauty”. We often think of universal concepts in groups of three in Hinduism:
- Anam – the body, praan – the breath and manas – the mind;
- Bhu, up breathing; Bhuvah, down breathing and Swaha, distributed energy throughout the body
- Jagrat, waking state; Swapna, sleeping and dreaming and Sushupti, deep, dreamless sleep.
The word sundari (beautiful) in Sanskrit comes from the word, sunara, whose elements mean, ‘good’ and ‘the divine imperishable consciousness’. She is the beauty in the vibrating consciousness that exists everywhere. Tripura Sundari is also that Prime Cause or Desire by which the universe burst into existence. She is icchhaa shakti, the desire and will to form all creation. As the individual consciousness, there is the need to return to that universal consciousness. We must train our minds to see beyond the surface into that beauty that exists in everyone and everything.
Bhuvaneshwari Devi
Bhuvaneshwari in Sanskrit means ‘that energy of space’. Space consists of left and right, forward and backward, and up and down. Bhuvaneshwari, together with Kali Devi, represents the space-time continuum. Another name for Bhuvaneshwari is Maayaa, which comes from the root, maa, meaning ‘to measure’. Both time and space are measurable. Bhuvaneshwari thus represents the space within our own consciousness. There are three types of space: Physical space is bhoot aakaash. Chit or manas aakaash is the mental space in which our thoughts occur. Chid or gyaan aakaash is the space of our consciousness or awareness.
Bhuvaneshwari represents gyaan shakti, the power of wisdom. The yogic practice associated with this Devi is to disengage from the world as we perceive it and remain as the witness, the saakshi, the pure Bhuvaneshwari. The second practice is to look up into the blue space of the sky and maintain one’s concentration on it. Then, the awareness of spaciousness begins to transform one until we realise that we are as spacious as the sky.
Tripura Bhairavi Devi
Tripura Bhairavi is the fifth Devi: Tripura means’ the three places or worlds’, which can be interpreted as the physical, mental space and consciousness. Bhairavi means ‘terrible’ or ‘fearful’. Bhairavi is the power of pure energy that drives action. She also represents kriyaa shakti, the power of right action. She is chid agni, that force or fire that exists in consciousness itself. However, she is described as ‘terrible’ because in the act of one-focused concentration, we are often unable to view the larger picture. The belief that we are the individual consciousness causes a sense of separateness so that we forget that we are part of a larger whole; that is the principle of Bhairavi. She creates the fear and ignorance caused by the sense of separation, but through her power, we are also able to transcend that fear.
Tripura Bhairavi and Tripura Sundari can be viewed as two sides of the same coin. The Supreme manifests as everything but in so doing, there is forgetfulness of the state of Oneness as we identify with the individual consciousness. The pairs of opposites come into existence: good and bad, light and dark, day and night, and so forth. The practice of Tripura Bhairavi is to remove the idea of separateness: instead of thinking of ourselves as the wave, we perceive ourselves as the ocean; instead of thinking of ourselves as the limited human being we have to know through self-analysis that we are more than the cosmic consciousness. We can arrive at that point through the method of sharanaagati, complete self-surrender to the Lord, meditation, contemplation or other method of worship. The end result is Tripura Bhairavi, the power to move beyond individual consciousness.
These five Mahaa Vidyaa represent the five fundamental principles that work within the universe and in each of us, and which can transform us from that sense of individual consciousness to a true understanding of the Divine Self.
