|
Till
complete knowledge of Shakti's consciousness arises, there
is no liberation
From:
"jagbir singh" <www.adishakti.org@gmail.com>
Date: Sat Aug 7, 2004 1:00 pm
Subject: Till complete knowledge of Shakti's
consciousness arises, there is no liberation
|
SHRI DEVI GITA
by Shri Giridhar Madras
Introduction:
Devi gita constitutes the last ten chapters of the
seventh Skandha
of the Devi Bhagavatam. In the puranas, one will find
several gitas
and many mahatmyas. The differences are that in the
mahatmya, the
glorification of the deity is by recounting the various
deeds of the
God and offering praise to the divinity. A gita, on the
other hand,
is a direct revelation of the truth from the disciple,
which often
includes the manifestation of the cosmic form. While
mahatymas
emphasize bhakti, gita stresses a balance of bhakti and
jnana.
Specifically, we are interested in discussing the Devi
gita. To
avoid any confusion and also be aware, there are two
other devi
gitas. The first of which is found in the Kurma purana.
This is a
conversation with Parvati and Himavan, introduced by
Lord Vishnu as
Kurma. Goddess Parvati is praised here by 1008 names and
She grants
him two cosmic visions and instructs him. The other devi
gita is
found in the Mahabhagavata purana, which actually refers
to the
conversation of Parvati and Himavan as Parvati Gita. The
narrator of
this section of the Mahabhagavata Purana is Lord Shiva.
However, by
Devi gita, we refer only to the gita found in the Devi
Bhagavatam.
Setting:
The setting of the Devi gita is introduced by
Janamejaya's query
to Vyasa regarding the supreme light who became manifest
on top of
the Himalaya mountain. Vyasa talks about the demon
Taraka, who has
obtained a boon that he can be killed only by the son of
Lord Shiva,
knowing fully well that Sati has immolated herself.
Therefore, the
gods became scared and went to Himalayas and worshipped
Her asking
to born and marry Lord Shiva. Shakti then appears before
them and
grants them a boon that her manifestation will be born
as Gauri as
the daughter of Himavan. Himalaya becomes choked with
emotion when he hears that She, whose belly contains
millions of universes, is
about to become his daughter. He requests as follows,
"Proclaim
to me your nature, and declare that yoga conjoined with
bhakti and
that jnana in accord shruti whereby you and I become
one."
This sets the scene for Devi Gita and the teachings.
Brief summary:
In the Devi gita, following Himalayas request, the Devi
proceeds to
describe her essential forms. The Devi declares that
prior to
creation, She is the only existent entity, the one
supreme Brahman
and is pure consciousness. Then She outlines the basic
evolution of
the causal, subtle and gross bodies of the supreme Self
when
enjoined with maya. The treatment here is very similar
to that of
Vedantasara and Panchadasi, but in much more simpler
terms than the
latter. Then She reveals Her forms (both the frightful
and pleasing)
to the gods and Himalaya. Then follows a detailed
summary of the
yoga, the stages of bhakti and the ways to attain Her.
Simplicity and Profoundness:
Devi gita is both simple and profound. It is different
from other
gitas in the respect that statements are clear and can
not be
reinterpreted according to one's taste. For example,
several
commentaries have been written on the Bhagavad Gita of
Krishna,
wherein each commentator feels differently regarding
bhakti and
jnana. For example, it required Madhusudana Saraswati to
explain
krama mukti in clear terms (though Shankara mentions it
also) of
bhakti. But Devi Gita is clear: "Even when a person
performs
bhakti, knowledge need not arise. He will go to the
Devi's Island
(similar to Brahmaloka). Till the complete knowledge in
the form of
my consciousness arises, there is no liberation."
Similarly, the word of 'coming', 'going', 'becoming'
cause confusion
since one can not become Brahman, if one is already one.
The Devi
Gita provides a clear explanation that all these terms
are
applicable only as long as one in maya. It is the
clarity of these
terms and the simple explanation of complex vedantic and
philosophical questions that makes Devi Gita unique.
Start of chapter 33:
The Devi said: "O Giriraja ! This whole universe, moving
and
unmoving is created by My maya shakti. This maya is
conceived in Me.
It is not, in reality, different or separate from Me. So
I am the
only Chit, Intelligence.
There is no other Intelligence other than Me. Viewed
practically, it
is known variously as Maya, avidya; but viewed from the
point of
Brahman, there is no such thing as Maya. Only one
Brahman exists, I
am that Brahma, of the nature of Intelligence. I create
this whole
world on this Unchangeable eternal Brahma and enter
first as Prana
within it in the form of chidabhasa.
O Mountain ! Unless I enter as Breath, how can this
birth and death
and leaving and retaking bodies after bodies be
accounted for! As
one akasa is denominated variouslty as Ghatakas, patakas,
so too I
appear variously by acknowledging this prana in various
places due
to avidya and various antahkaranas.
As the sun rays are never defiled when they illumine
various objects
on earth, so too, I am not defiled in entering thus into
various
high and low antahkaranas. The ignorant people attach
buddhi and
other things of activity on Me and say that the Atman is
the doer.
The intelligent people do not say that. I remain as the
Witness in
the hearts of all men, not as the Doer."
SHRI DEVI GITA
Shri Giridhar Madras
http://www.ambaa.org/devigita/Devigita1.htm
|
|