←
The Great Liberation Tantra · Chapter 3

The Great Liberation Tantra — Chapter 3

महानिर्वाणतन्त्र

Mahānirvāṇatantra

Chapter 3 153 verses

Begin reading Verse 1
  1. 1 śrīdevyuvāca . devadeva mahādeva devatānāṃ gurorguro . vaktā … The revered Goddess said: O god of gods, Mahādeva, guru of the gurus of the deities, you…
  2. 2 kathitaṃ yat paraṃ brahma parameśaṃ parātparam . yasyopāsanato … The supreme Brahman of which you spoke, the supreme lord, higher than the highest—by…
  3. 3 kenopāyena bhagavan paramātmā prasīdati . kiṃ tasya sādhanaṃ … by what means, O Blessed One, is the Supreme Self made gracious?
  4. 4 kiṃ dhyānaṃ kiṃ vidhānañca pareśasya parātmanaḥ . tattvena … What is the meditation, what the procedure, for the supreme lord, the Supreme Self?
  5. 5 rahasyametat kalyāṇi na kutrāpi prakāśitam . tava snehena … This is a secret, O gracious one, nowhere revealed;
  6. 6 jñeyaṃ bhavati tadbrahma saccidviśvamayaṃ param . tathā tattvasvarūpeṇa … That supreme Brahman, consisting of being, consciousness, and the universe, is to be…
  7. 7 sattāmātraṃ nirviśeṣamavāṅmanasagocaram . asattrilokīsadbhānaṃ svarūpaṃ brahmaṇaḥ smṛtam .. … Pure being alone, without distinction, beyond the reach of speech and mind, the real…
  8. 8 samādhiyogaistadvedyaṃ sarvatra samadṛṣṭibhiḥ . dvandvātītairnirvikalpairdehātmādhyāsavarjitaiḥ .. 8 .. That is to be known through the yogas of samādhi by those of even vision everywhere,…
  9. 9 yato viśvaṃ samudbhūtaṃ yena jātañca tiṣṭhati . yasmin … That from which the universe has arisen, by which, having arisen, it abides, and in which…
  10. 10 svarūpabuddhyā yadvedyaṃ tadeva lakṣaṇaiḥ śive . lakṣaṇairāptumicchūnāṃ vihitaṃ … What is to be known by intuition of its essential nature is the same as what is known by…
  11. 11 tatsādhanaṃ pravakṣyāmi śṛṇuṣvāvahitā priye . tatrādau kathayāmyādye mantroddhāraṃ … That means I shall declare;
  12. 12 praṇavaṃ pūrvamuddhṛtya saccitpadamudāharet . ekaṃ padānte brahmeti mantroddhāraḥ … Having first drawn forth the praṇava (Oṃ), one should utter the words 'sat' and 'cit',…
  13. 13 sandhikrameṇa militaḥ saptārṇo'yaṃ manurmataḥ . tārahīnena deveśi ṣaḍvarṇo'yaṃ … Joined together by the order of euphonic combination, this is held to be a mantra of…
  14. 14 sarvamantrottamaḥ sākṣāddharmārthakāmamokṣadaḥ . nātra siddhādyapekṣā'sti nārimitrādidūṣaṇam .. 14 … It is the highest of all mantras, directly the giver of dharma, wealth, pleasure, and…
  15. 15 na tithirna ca nakṣatraṃ na rāśigaṇanaṃ tathā . … Neither lunar day, nor lunar mansion, nor reckoning of zodiacal signs, nor the rule of…
  16. 16 bahujanmārjitaiḥ puṇyaiḥ sadgururyadi labhyate . tadā tadvaktrato jñātvā … If, through merits acquired over many births, a true guru is found, then, having learnt…
  17. 17 caturvargaṃ kare kṛtvā paratreha ca modate .. 17 … Holding the four aims of life in his hand, he rejoices both here and in the world beyond.
  18. 18 sa dhanyaḥ sa kṛtārthaśca sa kṛtī sa ca … He is blessed, he has fulfilled his purpose, he is accomplished and righteous;
  19. 19 sarvaśāstreṣu niṣṇātaḥ sarvalokapratiṣṭhitaḥ . yasya karṇapathopāntaprāpto mantramahāmaṇiḥ .. … he is deeply versed in all the scriptures, honored among all people—he to the edge of…
  20. 20 dhanyā mātā pitā tasya pavitraṃ tatkulaṃ śive . … Blessed are his mother and father, pure is that family, O Śivā;
  21. 21 asmatkule kulaśreṣṭho jāto brahmopadeśikaḥ . kimasmākaṃ gayāpiṇḍaiḥ kiṃ … 'In our family is born the best of the line, a teacher of Brahman!
  22. 22 kiṃ dānaiḥ kiṃ japairhomaiḥ kimanyairbahusādhanaiḥ . vayamakṣayatṛptāḥ sma … 'What need of gifts, of recitations and oblations, of other manifold disciplines?
  23. 23 śṛṇu devi jagadvandye satyaṃ satyaṃ mayocyate . parabrahmopāsakānāṃ … Listen, O goddess worshipped by the world: truly, truly I say it—for the worshippers of…
  24. 24 mantragrahaṇamātreṇa dehī brahmamayo bhavet . brahmabhūtasya deveśi kimavāpyaṃ … By the mere receiving of the mantra the embodied being becomes made of Brahman;
  25. 25 kiṃ kurvanti grahā ruṣṭā vetālāśceṭakādayaḥ . piśācā guhyakā … What can the angered planets, the Vetālas, Ceṭakas, and the rest, the Piśācas, Guhyakas,…
  26. 26 rakṣito brahmamantreṇa prāvṛto brahmatejasā . kiṃ vibheti grahādibhyo … Protected by the Brahman-mantra, enveloped in the splendor of Brahman, why should he fear…
  27. 27 taṃ dṛṣṭvā te bhayāpannāḥ siṃhaṃ dṛṣṭvā yathā gajāḥ … Seized with fear at the sight of him, they flee as elephants at the sight of a lion, and…
  28. 28 na tasya duritaṃ kiñcidbrahmaniṣṭhasya dehinaḥ . satyapūtasya śuddhasya … No evil whatever befalls the embodied one devoted to Brahman, purified by truth, pure, a…
  29. 29 ye druhyanti khalāḥ pāpāḥ parabrahmopadeśine . svadrohaṃ te … Those wicked, sinful villains who harm the teacher of the supreme Brahman work harm only…
  30. 30 sa tu sarvahitaḥ sādhuḥ sarveṣāṃ priyakārakaḥ . tasyāniṣṭe … He indeed is a benefactor of all, a good man, doer of what is dear to all;
  31. 31 mantrārthaṃ mantracaitanyaṃ yo na jānāti sādhakaḥ . śatalakṣaprajapto'pi … The aspirant who does not know the meaning of the mantra and its living force—though he…
  32. 32 ato'syārthañca caitanyaṃ kathayāmi śṛṇu priye . akāreṇa jagatpātā … Therefore I tell its meaning and its living force;
  33. 33 makāreṇa jagatsraṣṭā praṇavārtha udāhṛtaḥ . sacchabdena sadā sthāyi … by the letter M, the creator of the world—such is the meaning of the praṇava set forth.
  34. 34 ekamadvaitamīśāni vṛhattvādbrahma gīyate . mantrārthaḥ kathito devi sādhakābhīṣṭasiddhidaḥ … By 'ekam' is meant the one, the non-dual, O Īśānī;
  35. 35 mantracaitanyametattu tadadhiṣṭhātṛdevatā . tajjñānaṃ parameśāni bhaktānāṃ siddhidāyakam .. … This is the living force of the mantra: its presiding deity.
  36. 36 asyādhiṣṭhātṛ deveśi sarvavyāpi sanātanam . avitarkyaṃ nirātaṅkaṃ vācātītaṃ … Its presiding deity, O queen of the gods, is all-pervading, eternal, inconceivable, free…
  37. 37 vāṅmāyākamalādyena tārahīnena pārvati . dīyate vividhā vidyā māyā … Prefixed by the bījas of Vāc, Māyā, and Kamalā—but without the praṇava, O Pārvatī—it…
  38. 38 tāreṇa tārahīnena pratyekaṃ sakalaṃ padam . yugmayugmakrameṇā'pi mantro'yaṃ … With the praṇava or without it, each whole word taken singly, and also in pairs—in this…
  39. 39 ṛṣiḥ sadāśivo hyasya chando'nuṣṭuvudāhṛtam . devatā paramaṃ brahma … Its seer is Sadāśiva, its metre is declared to be anuṣṭubh, and its deity is the supreme…
  40. 40 caturvargaphalāvāptyai viniyogaḥ prakīrtitaḥ . aṅganyāsakaranyāsau kathayāmi śṛṇu priye … For attaining the fruit of the four aims, its application is declared.
  41. 41 tāraṃ saccidekamiti brahmeti sakalaṃ tataḥ . aṅguṣṭhatarjanīmadhyānāmikāsu maheśvari … The praṇava, then 'sat-cit-ekam', then 'brahma'—the whole (mantra) is placed, O great…
  42. 42 kaniṣṭhayoḥ karatalapṛṣṭhayoḥ suravandite . namaḥ svāhā vaṣaṭ hū/ … and on the two little fingers and on the palm and back of the hands, O you adored by the…
  43. 43 nyasennyāsoktavidhinā sādhakaḥ susamāhitaḥ . hṛdādikaraparyantamevameva vidhīyate .. 43 … The aspirant, fully composed, should perform the nyāsa by the prescribed rule;
  44. 44 prāṇāyāmaṃ tataḥ kuryān mūlena praṇavena vā . madhyamānāmikābhyāñca … Then he should perform prāṇāyāma with the root-mantra or with the praṇava, using the…
  45. 45 vāmanāsāpuṭaṃ dhṛtvā dakṣanāsāpuṭena ca . pūayet pavanaṃ mantrī … Closing the left nostril, the adept should inhale the breath through the right nostril,…
  46. 46 aṅguṣṭhena dakṣanāsāṃ dhṛtvā kumbhakayogataḥ . japeddvātriṃśatā'vṛttyā tato dakṣiṇanāsayā … closing the right nostril with the thumb, in retention he should recite (the mantra)…
  47. 47 śanaiḥśanaistyajedvāyuṃ japan ṣoḍaśadhā manum . vāmanāsāpuṭe'pyevaṃ pūrakumbhakarecakam .. … he should release the breath very slowly, reciting the mantra sixteen times;
  48. 48 punardakṣiṇataḥ kuryāt pūrvavat surapūjite . prāṇāyāmavidhiḥ prokto brahmamantrasya … Then again on the right he should do as before, O you worshipped by the gods.
  49. 49 tato dhyānaṃ prakurvīta sādhakābhīṣṭasādhanam .. 49 .. Then he should perform meditation, the means to the aspirant's desired end.
  50. 50 hṛdayakamalamadhye nirviśeṣaṃ nirīham hariharavidhivedyaṃ yogibhirdhyānagamyam . jananamaraṇabhītibhraṃsi saccitsvarūpam … In the midst of the heart-lotus I adore Brahman, pure consciousness: without distinction,…
  51. 51 dhyātvaivaṃ paramaṃ brahma mānasairupacārakaiḥ . pūjayet parayā bhaktyā … Having meditated thus on the supreme Brahman, he should worship it with mental offerings…
  52. 52 gandhaṃ dadyānmahītattvaṃ puṣpamākāśameva ca . dhūpaṃ dadyādvāyutattvaṃ dīpaṃ … As fragrance he should offer the earth-element, as the flower the ether, as incense the…
  53. 53 tato japtvā mahāmantraṃ manasā sādhakottamaḥ . samarpya brahmaṇe … Then, having recited the great mantra mentally and dedicated (the recitation) to Brahman,…
  54. 54 upasthitāni dravyāṇi gandhapuṣpādikāni ca . vastrālaṅkaraṇādīni bhakṣyapeyāni yāni … The materials set ready—fragrance, flowers, and the rest, garments, ornaments, and…
  55. 55 mantreṇānena saṃśodhya dhyātvā brahma sanātanam . nimīlya netre … having purified them with this mantra and meditated on the eternal Brahman, the wise one,…
  56. 56 brahmārpaṇaṃ brahmahavirbrahmāgnau brahmaṇā hutam . brahmaiva tena gantavyaṃ … reciting: 'The offering is Brahman, the oblation is Brahman, offered by Brahman in the…
  57. 57 tato netre samunmīlya japtvā mūlaṃ svaśaktitaḥ . tajjapaṃ … Then, opening his eyes, having recited the root-mantra according to his ability and…
  58. 58 stotraṃ śṛṇu maheśāni brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ . yat śrutvā … Hear the hymn of Brahman, the Supreme Self, O great goddess, by hearing which, O goddess,…
  59. 59 namaste sate sarvalokāśrayāya namaste cite viśvarūpātmakāya . namo'dvaitatattvāya … Homage to you, the Real, support of all the worlds;
  60. 60 tvamekaṃ jagatkartṛpātṛprahartṛ tvamekaṃ paraṃ niścalaṃ nirvikalpam .. 60 … You alone are the one creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the world;
  61. 61 bhayānāṃ bhayaṃ bhīṣaṇaṃ bhīṣaṇānāṃ gatiḥ prāṇināṃ pāvanaṃ pāvanānām … You are the fear of fears, the terror of terrors, the refuge of living beings, the…
  62. 62 pareśa prabho sarvarūpāprakāśin anirddeśya sarvendriyāgamya satya . acintyākṣara … O supreme lord, O lord who illumine all forms yet are unmanifest, indefinable,…
  63. 63 tadekaṃ smarāmastadekaṃ japāmaḥ tadekaṃ jagatsākṣirūpaṃ namāmaḥ . sadekaṃ … That one we remember, that one we recite, that one—the form of the world's witness—we…
  64. 64 pañcaratnamidaṃ stotraṃ brahmaṇaḥ paramātmanaḥ . yaḥ paṭhet prayato … This is the 'Five Jewels' hymn of Brahman, the Supreme Self;
  65. 65 pradoṣe'daḥ paṭhennityaṃ somavāre viśeṣataḥ . śrāvayedbodhayet prājño brahmaniṣṭhān … One should recite this daily at twilight, and especially on Mondays;
  66. 66 iti te kathitaṃ devi pañcaratnaṃ maheśituḥ . kavacaṃ … Thus is the 'Five Jewels' of the great Lord told to you, O goddess.
  67. 67 paramātmā śiraḥ pātu hṛdayaṃ parameśvaraḥ . kaṇṭhaṃ pātu … May the Supreme Self protect my head;
  68. 68 karau me pātu viśvātmā pādau rakṣatu cinmayaḥ . … May the Self of all protect my hands;
  69. 69 śrījaganmaṅgalasyāsya kavacasya sadāśivaḥ . ṛṣiśchando'nuṣṭuviti paramabrahma devatā . … Of this revered 'Welfare of the World' kavaca, Sadāśiva is the seer, the metre is…
  70. 70 yaḥ paṭhed brahmakavacaṃ ṛṣinyāsapuraḥsaram . sa brahmajñānamāsādya sākṣādbrahmamayo … He who recites the Brahman-kavaca, preceded by the ṛṣi-nyāsa, having attained the…
  71. 71 bhūrje vilikhya guṭikāṃ svarṇasthāṃ dhārayet yadi . kaṇṭhe … If, having written it on birch-bark, he wears the amulet set in gold on his neck or on…
  72. 72 ityetat paramabrahmakavacaṃ te prakāśitam . dadyāt priyāya śiṣyāya … Thus this supreme-Brahman kavaca has been revealed to you;
  73. 73 paṭhitvā stotrakavacaṃ praṇamet sādhakāgraṇīḥ .. 73 .. Having recited the hymn and the kavaca, the foremost of aspirants should bow down…
  74. 74 namaste paramaṃ brahma namaste paramātmane . nirguṇāya namastubhyaṃ … Homage to you, supreme Brahman;
  75. 75 vācikaṃ kāyikaṃ vā'pi mānasaṃ vā yathāmati . ārādhane … In the worship of the supreme lord—whether by speech, by body, or by mind, as best one…
  76. 76 evaṃ saṃpūjya matimān svajanairbāndhavaiḥ saha . mahāprasādaṃ svīkuryād … Having thus fully worshipped, the wise one, together with his own people and kinsmen,…
  77. 77 pūjane parameśasya nāvāhanavisarjane . sarvatra sarvakāleṣu sādhayed brahmasādhanam … In the worship of the supreme lord there is no invocation and no dismissal;
  78. 78 asnāto vā kṛtasnāno bhukto vā'pi bubhukṣitaḥ . pūjayet … Whether unbathed or bathed, whether he has eaten or is hungry, one should worship the…
  79. 79 anena brahmamantreṇa bhakṣyapeyādikañca yat . dīyate parameśāya tadeva … Whatever food, drink, and the like is offered to the supreme lord with this…
  80. 80 gaṅgātoye śilādau ca spṛṣṭadoṣo'pi vartate . parabrahmārpite dravye … In the water of the Gaṅgā, in a sacred stone, and the like, the fault of being touched…
  81. 81 pakvaṃ vā'pi na pakvaṃ vā mantreṇānena mantritam . … Cooked or uncooked, consecrated with this mantra and dedicated to Brahman, the aspirant…
  82. 82 nātra varṇavicāro'sti nocchiṣṭādivivecanam . na kālaniyamo'pyatra śaucāśaucaṃ tathaiva … Herein there is no consideration of caste, no discrimination of leavings and the like, no…
  83. 83 yathākāle yathādeśe yathāyogena labhyate . brahmasāt kṛtanaivedyamaśnīyādavicārayan .. … At whatever time, in whatever place, by whatever means it is obtained, he should eat the…
  84. 84 ānītaṃ śvapacenāpi śvamukhādapi niḥsṛtam . tadannaṃ pāvanaṃ devi … Even brought by an outcaste, even issued from the mouth of a dog, that food (once…
  85. 85 kiṃ punarmanujādīnāṃ vaktavyaṃ devavandite . parameśasya naivedyasevanād yat … What then need be said of humans and the rest, O you adored by the gods, of the fruit…
  86. 86 mahāpātakayukto vā yukto vāpyanyapātakaiḥ . sakṛt prasādagrahaṇāt mucyate … Even one guilty of a great sin, or joined with other sins, is freed by once partaking of…
  87. 87 sārddhatrikoṭitīrtheṣu snānadānena yatphalam . tat phalaṃ labhate martyo … Whatever fruit comes from bathing and giving at the three and a half crore sacred…
  88. 88 aśvamedhādibhiryajñairiṣṭvā yat phalamaśnute . bhakṣite brahma naivedye tasmāt … Whatever fruit one obtains by sacrificing with the horse-sacrifice and the rest, by…
  89. 89 jihvākoṭisahasraistu vaktrakoṭiśatairapi . mahāprasādamāhātmyaṃ varṇituṃ naiva śakyate .. … Even with a thousand crore tongues and a hundred crore mouths, the glory of the great…
  90. 90 yatra kutra sthito vāpi prāpya brahmārpitāmṛtam . gṛhītvā … Wherever he may be, having obtained the nectar offered to Brahman and taken it, even a…
  91. 91 yadi syānnīcajātīyamannaṃ brahmaṇi bhāvitam . tadannaṃ brāhmaṇairgrāhyamapi vedāntapāragaiḥ … Even if the food be of low-caste origin, once consecrated by contemplation in Brahman it…
  92. 92 jātibhedo na kartavyaḥ prasāde paramātmanaḥ . yo'śuddhabuddhiṃ kurute … No distinction of caste is to be made regarding the consecrated offering of the Supreme…
  93. 93 varaṃ pāpaśataṃ kuryādvaraṃ viprabadhaṃ priye . parabrahmārpite hyanne … Better to commit a hundred sins, O beloved, better even to slay a Brāhmaṇa, than to show…
  94. 94 ye tyajanti narā mūḍhā mahāmantreṇa saṃskṛtam . annatoyādikaṃ … Those deluded men who reject food, water, and the like consecrated with the great mantra,…
  95. 95 svayamapyandhatāmisre patantyāhūtasaṃplavam . brahmasātkṛtanaivedyadveṣṭṝṇāṃ nāsti niṣkṛtiḥ .. 95 … and they themselves fall into the blinding-darkness hell, into the deluge they have…
  96. 96 puṇyāyante kriyāḥ sarvāḥ suṣuptiḥ sukṛtāyate . svecchācāro'tra vihito … For him all actions become as merit, deep sleep becomes as a good deed;
  97. 97 kiṃ tasya vaidikācāraistāntrikairvā'pi tasya kim . brahmaniṣṭhasya viduṣaḥ … What need has he of Vedic observances, or even of Tāntric ones?
  98. 98 kṛtenāsya phalaṃ nāsti nākṛtenāpi kilviṣam . na vighnaḥ … For him there is no (added) fruit from acting, nor any fault from not acting;
  99. 99 asmin dharme maheśi syāt satyavādī jitendriyaḥ . paropakāranirato … In this discipline, O great goddess, one should be truthful, with senses subdued, devoted…
  100. 100 mātsaryahīno'dambhī ca dayāvān śuddhamānasaḥ . mātāpitroḥ prītikārī tayoḥ … free of envy, without hypocrisy, compassionate, pure of mind, giving joy to his mother…
  101. 101 brahmaśrotā brahmamantā brahmānveṣaṇamānasaḥ . yatātmā dṛḍhabuddhiḥ syāt sākṣādbrahmeti … a hearer, a ponderer, of Brahman, with mind seeking Brahman, self-controlled, of firm…
  102. 102 na mithyābhāṣaṇaṃ kuryānna parāniṣṭacintanam . parastrīgamanañcaiva brahmamantrī vivarjayet … The adept of the Brahman-mantra should not speak falsehood, nor think of harm to others,…
  103. 103 tatsaditi vadeddevi prārambhe sarvakarmaṇām . brahmārpaṇamastu vākyaṃ pānabhojanakarmaṇoḥ … One should say 'tat sat', O goddess, at the start of all actions;
  104. 104 yenopāyena martyānāṃ lokayātrā prasiddhyati . tadeva kāryaṃ brahmajñairidaṃ … By whatever means the course of worldly life is well sustained for mortals—that very…
  105. 105 atha sandhyāvidhiṃ vakṣye brahmamantrasya śāmbhavi . yāṃ kṛtvā … Now I shall declare the rule of the sandhyā of the Brahman-mantra, O Śāmbhavī, by…
  106. 106 prātarmadhyāhnasāyāhne yathādeśe yathā'sane . pūrvavat paramabrahma dhyātvā sādhakasattamaḥ … At morning, noon, and evening, in a fitting place and on a fitting seat, having meditated…
  107. 107 aṣṭottaraśataṃ devi gāyatrījapamācaret . japaṃ samarpya vidhivat pūrvavat … should perform, O goddess, the recitation of the gāyatrī one hundred and eight times;
  108. 108 eṣā sandhyā mayā proktā sarvathā brahmasādhane . yadanuṣṭhānato … This sandhyā I have declared in every respect for the worship of Brahman, by the…
  109. 109 gāyatrīṃ śṛṇu cārvaṅgi sarvapāpapraṇāśinīm . parameśvaraṃ ṅe'ntamuktvā vidmahe … Hear the gāyatrī, O fair-limbed one, destroyer of all sins: having uttered…
  110. 110 tadanantaramīśāni tanno brahma pracodayāt . iyaṃ śrībrahmagāyatrī caturvargapradāyinī … and then, O Īśānī, 'tan no brahma pracodayāt'—this is the revered Brahma-gāyatrī,…
  111. 111 pūjanaṃ yajanañcaiva snānaṃ pānañca bhojanam . yadyatkarma prakurvīta … Worship and sacrifice, bathing, drinking, eating—whatever action one performs, one should…
  112. 112 brāhme muhūrte cotthāya praṇamya brahmadaṃ gurum . dhyātvā … Having risen in the brāhma muhūrta and saluted the guru who gives Brahman, and meditated…
  113. 113 dvātriṃśatā sahasreṇa japenāsya puraskriyā . taddaśāṃśena havanaṃ tarpaṇaṃ … The preparatory rite consists of reciting this mantra thirty-two thousand times;
  114. 114 secanaṃ taddaśāṃśena taddaśāṃśena sundari . brāhmaṇān bhojayenmantrī puraścaraṇakarmaṇi … the sprinkling a tenth of that, and a tenth of that again, O beautiful one, the adept…
  115. 115 bhakṣyābhakṣyavicāro'tra tyājyaṃ grāhyaṃ na vidyate . na kālaśuddhiniyamo … Herein there is no consideration of edible and inedible, no 'to be shunned' or 'to be…
  116. 116 abhukto vā'pi bhukto vā snāto vā'snāta eva vā … Whether he has eaten or not, whether bathed or unbathed, the aspirant should perform the…
  117. 117 vinā'yāsaṃ vinā kleśaṃ stotrañca kavacaṃ vinā . vinā … Without strenuous effort, without hardship, without hymn or kavaca, without nyāsa,…
  118. 118 vinā cauragaṇeśādijapañca kullukāṃ vinā . akasmāt paramabrahmasākṣātkāro bhaved … and without the preliminary recitations of Caura, Gaṇeśa, and the rest, and without the…
  119. 119 saṃkalpo'smin mahāhantre mānasaḥ parikīrtitaḥ . sādhane brahmamantrasya bhāvaśuddhirvidhīyate … In this great mantra the saṃkalpa is declared to be mental;
  120. 120 sarvaṃ brahmamayaṃ devi bhāvayet brahmasādhakaḥ . na cā'sya … The worshipper of Brahman should contemplate everything as made of Brahman, O goddess;
  121. 121 kalau pāpayuge ghore tapohīne'tidustare . nistārabījametāvat brahmamantrasya sādhanam … In the fearsome, sinful Kali age, devoid of austerity and very hard to cross, the worship…
  122. 122 sādhanāni bahūktāni nānātantrāgamādiṣu . kalau durbalajīvānāmasādhyāni maheśvari .. … Many disciplines have been told in the various Tantras, Āgamas, and the rest;
  123. 123 alpāyuṣaḥ svalpavṛttā annādhīnāsavaḥ priye . lubdhā dhanārjane vyagrāḥ … Of short life, of meager means, their very breath dependent on food, O beloved, greedy,…
  124. 124 samādhāvasthiradhiyo yogakleśāsahiṣṇavaḥ . teṣāṃ hitāya mokṣāya brahmamārgo'yamīritaḥ .. … of intellect unsteady in meditation, unable to bear the hardships of yoga—for their…
  125. 125 kalau nāstyeva nāstyeva satyaṃ satyaṃ mayocyate . brahmadīkṣāṃ … In the Kali age there is none, none at all—truly, truly I say it—without the…
  126. 126 prātaḥkṛtyaṃ prātareva sandhyāṃ kuryāt trikālataḥ . madhyāhne pūjanaṃ … The morning observance in the morning, the sandhyā at the three times, the worship at…
  127. 127 vidhayaḥ kiṅkarā yatra niṣedhāḥ prabhavo'pi na . svecchācāreṇeṣṭasiddhistadvinā … Wherein the injunctions are (his) servants, and even the prohibitions have no force—by…
  128. 128 brahmajñāniguruṃ prāpya śāntaṃ niścalamānasam . dhṛtvā taccaraṇāmbhojaṃ prārthayed … Having found a guru who knows Brahman, tranquil and of unwavering mind, and grasping his…
  129. 129 karuṇāmaya dīneśa tavā'haṃ śaraṇāgataḥ . tvatpadāmbhoruhacchāyāṃ dehi mūrdhni … 'O compassionate one, lord of the wretched, I have come to you for refuge;
  130. 130 iti prārthya guruṃ paścāt pūjayitvā svaśaktitaḥ . kṛtāñcalipuṭo … Having thus entreated the guru and afterward worshipped him according to his ability,…
  131. 131 gururvicārya vidhivat yathoktaṃ śiṣyalakṣaṇam . āhūya kṛpayā dadyāt … The guru, having duly examined the prescribed marks of a disciple, should summon (him)…
  132. 132 upaviśyā'sane jñānī prāṅmukho vāpyudaṅmukhaḥ . svavāme śiṣyamānīya kāruṇyenā'valokayet … The knower, seated and facing east or north, having brought the disciple to his left,…
  133. 133 tataḥ śiṣyasya śirasi ṛṣinyāsapuraḥsaram . japedaṣṭaśataṃ mantraṃ sādhakasyeṣṭasiddhaye … Then, on the disciple's head, preceded by the ṛṣi-nyāsa, he should recite the mantra a…
  134. 134 dakṣakarṇe brāhmaṇānāmitareṣāñca vāmataḥ . saptadhā śrāvayet mantraṃ sadguruḥ … In the right ear of Brāhmaṇas, and in the left of others, the true guru, treasury of…
  135. 135 upadeśavidhiḥ prokto brahmamantrasya kālike . nātra pūjādyapekṣā'sti saṃkalpaṃ … The rule of instruction in the Brahman-mantra is declared, O Kālikā;
  136. 136 tataḥ śrīgurupādābje daṇḍavat patitaṃ śiśum . utthāpayed guruḥ … Then the guru, out of affection, should raise up the disciple, who has fallen prostrate…
  137. 137 uttiṣṭha vatsa mukto'si brahmajñānaparo bhava . jitendriyaḥ satyavādī … 'Arise, O child, you are freed;
  138. 138 tata utthāya gurave yathāśaktyanusārataḥ . dakṣiṇāṃ svaṃ phalaṃ … Then, having risen, the best of aspirants should give the guru a fee according to his…
  139. 139 mantragrahaṇamātreṇa tadātmā tanmayo bhavet . brahmabhūtasya deveśi kimanyairbahusādhanaiḥ … By the mere receiving of the mantra he becomes of that very Self, made of that;
  140. 140 iti saṃkṣepato brahmadīkṣā te kathitā priye . gurukāruṇyamātreṇa … Thus in brief the brahma-dīkṣā is told to you, O beloved;
  141. 141 śāktāḥ śaivā vaiṣṇavāśca saurā gāṇapatāstathā . viprā vipretarāścaiva … Śāktas, Śaivas, Vaiṣṇavas, Sauras, Gāṇapatas, likewise Brāhmaṇas and those other than…
  142. 142 ahaṃ mṛtyuñjayo devi devadevo jagadguruḥ . svecchācārī nirvikalpo … I am the conqueror of death, O goddess, god of gods, guru of the world, acting at my own…
  143. 143 amumeva brahmamantraṃ mattaḥ pūrvamupāsitāḥ . brahmā brahmarṣayaścāpi devā … This very Brahman-mantra, learnt from me, was formerly worshipped by Brahmā, by the…
  144. 144 devarṣivaktrānmunayastebhyo rājarṣayaḥ priye . upāsitā brahmabhūtāḥ paramātmaprasādataḥ .. … from the mouth of the devarṣis the sages (learnt it), and from them the royal sages, O…
  145. 145 brāhme manau maheśāni vicāro nāsti kutracit . svīyamantraṃ … In the Brahman-mantra, O great goddess, there is no deliberation whatever;
  146. 146 pitā'pi dīkṣayet putrān bhrātā bhrātṝn patiḥ striyam . … Even a father may consecrate his sons, a brother his brothers, a husband his wife, a…
  147. 147 svamantradāne yo doṣastathā pitrādidīkṣayā . siddhe brahmamahāmantre taddoṣo … The fault that lies in giving one's own mantra, and likewise in consecration by a father…
  148. 148 brahmajñānimukhāt śrutvā yena kena vidhānataḥ . brahmabhūto naraḥ … Having heard (it) from the mouth of a knower of Brahman, by whatever procedure, the man…
  149. 149 brahmamantropāsitā ye gṛhasthā brāhmaṇādayaḥ . svasvavarṇottamārate tu pūjyā … Those householders—Brāhmaṇas and the rest—who worship the Brahman-mantra, foremost and…
  150. 150 brāhmaṇā yatayaḥ sākṣāditare brāhmaṇaiḥ samāḥ . tasmāt sarve … (Such) Brāhmaṇas are verily ascetics, and the others (of lower caste) are equal to…
  151. 151 ye ca tānavamanyante te narā brahmaghātinaḥ . patanti … And those men who despise them are slayers of Brahman;
  152. 152 yat pāpaṃ strīvadhe proktaṃ yatpāpaṃ bhrūṇaghātane . tasmāt … Whatever sin is declared in the killing of a woman, whatever sin in the slaying of an…
  153. 153 yathā brahmopadeśena vimuktaḥ sarvapātakaiḥ . gacchanti brahmasāyujyaṃ tathaiva … As, by the teaching of Brahman, freed from all sins, they attain union with Brahman—just…