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The Secret Doctrine of Goddess Lalita

(Sri LalitaAṣṭottara Rahasyārthamu)

1. avyāja karuṇāmūrti

She who is pure compassion.

Devī is the embodiment of compassion. As the Mother of the Universe, She only has compassion for Her children. She shares Her wealth generously and equally with all. Existence-Consciousness (satta-spuratta) are Her wealth. We perceive them everywhere, not only as the substratum on which particulars appear, but also as the particulars themselves. Just as we experience our spouse, children, possessions, etc. externally, we experience pleasures and pains internally. Devī shares Her wealth in these two ways with Her children, as the external world of objects and the internal world of thoughts, perceptions, and emotions. Her love flows un-conditionally and profusely towards all.

If there is any dearth, it is in our perception. We have forgotten the compassionate One who is the source of our very existence. We are not satisfied with what She offers. We want more and chase after our desires. We run after objects and completely overlook Her presence, the underlying reality of all the objects we desire. In our ignorance, instead of recognizing what is as Her grace, we consider it an affliction (saṃsāra). Only those who contemplate on Her true nature relentlessly and yearn to realize Her are worthy of Her grace. She floods them with Her love and compassion. To such earnest seekers, who are free from the darkness of desire and attachment, She is no longer mohini, the one who enchants and distracts them from the truth. She is anugrāhini, the one who reveals the truth. In the light of the Self-Knowledge Devī bestows on them, these earnest seekers no longer perceive names and forms. Instead, they perceive Devī everywhere as sat-cīt, Presence-Awareness. While the rest of the world is asleep in ignorance, they remain awake in Self-Knowledge.

2. dēvakāryasamudyatā

She who is intent on fulfilling the wishes of the gods.

This nāma describes the nature of those who are favored by Devī. The word deva in this nāma does not refer to celestial gods (devatā-s) residing in heaven. It refers to seekers who are endowed with divine qualities. Even if they reside in heaven, if the deva-s do not have the necessary divine qualities, they do not qualify for Her grace.

Those who have the essential qualities like śraddhā, utmost faith and perseverance, are the real devatā-s. The actions of such divine beings are divine actions. Since their only desire is for truth and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Devī frees such them from the ocean of saṃsāra. She never ignores them. The harder they strive for truth, the more benevolent She is towards them. Since they seek Her to realize the Truth, She reveals Her true nature to them.

3. śivadūtī

She who is siva’s messenger.

Those who strive for Self-Knowledge are true seekers. Devī ’s job is to liberate them. Although She is śivakāmēśvarāṅkasthā (the one who sits in the lap of śiva; She who is the conqueror of desire), She descends into the world like a messenger of śiva to free them. That is why she is called śivadūtī, the one who is the messenger of śiva.

A messenger’s job is to convey the message. The sender of the message is paramātma, the Supreme Consciousness. Since the sender is Pure Consciousness, immutable, changeless, and motionless, It cannot go anywhere. Devī is Its messenger, kriyā śakti (the power to act). She can appear in an instant anywhere and everywhere. He is like the sun that remains still in space, and She is like the sun rays that spread across the entire universe. Devī permeates everything as sat-cīt. As the messenger of śiva, She reveals the Supreme Knowledge of the Self to earnest seekers of truth.

4. gurumūrti

She who has assumed the form of the guru.

How do we know that Devī descended into the world as the messenger of śiva? This nāma answers this question. Devī descends into the world in the form of a Guru. She is not visible to us in Her real form, since she is śakti (power/energy). śakti in Her pure form cannot be perceived. Therefore, She appears to us in the form of an ācārya, teacher of Self-Knowledge. There is no difference between Devī and an ācārya. This is the meaning of the verse guru sākṣāt parambrahma (guru is the Supreme Consciousness Itself).

The formless appears in the form of a guru to uplift seekers who sincerely strive for Self-Knowledge. As the seeker gains Self-Knowledge and establishes in It, Devī frees him or her from the bondage of saṃsāra. It is our duty to seek and serve such teachers. Only with their blessing and guidance, we can attain our goal. When our efforts bear fruit, it means Devī ’s effort has borne fruit.

5. śāstrasārā

She who is the essence of all scriptures.

This nāma explains how a Guru teaches and enlightens a disciple. The teaching must be basedonvalid evidence (pramāṇa). Bhagavad Gita declares the scripture (Upanishads) as the pramāṇa, a valid means of Knowledge. Without pramāṇa, the prameya (objectof knowledge) cannot be grasped. The “object” inAdvaita is the sarvātmābhAva, the intuitive knowledge that “I am the Self in All.” Such knowledge is attained only through the scripture, and not through direct perception or inference. Direct perception and inference work in anātmā (object world), and not inātmā. Hence, scripture is the only means of Knowledge about ātmā.

How can ātmā become the object of knowledge for the scripture? Isn’t ātmāaprameya, that which cannot be known as an object (prameya) through any pramāṇa? Yes, it is true that ātmā isever the subject that knows, and never the object that is known. Even the scripture does not treat ātmā as an object. The scripture (Upanishads) provides us with the knowledge of the Self by negating everything that appears as an object to It. This is the methodology adapted by the scripture. It takes a negative approach, not a positive approach, to prove the existence of ātmā. Therefore, even if we say ātmāis the object of knowledge for the scripture, there is no problem, since the scripture does not directly describe the ātmā, rather its methodology is torefute everything that is not ātmā. The knowledge of the Self is obtained only through the teacher-disciple tradition using scripture as the means. Scripture is like a bridge between the teacher and the student. A teacher is one who is knowledgeable and capable of teaching others. Scripture is the only medium through which the Knowledge of ātmācan be transmitted. For the teacher, Knowledge is in the form of experience (Self-realization). For the student, Knowledge is in the form of receiving (listening) and contemplating on the teaching.

6. śivajñāna pradāyinī

She who bestows the knowledge of śiva.

It is said that the scripture is the only source of jñāna or Self-Knowledge. But the scripture expounds on dharma (virtuous actions) as well as jñāna. How can we then say that scripture is the only source of Self-Knowledge?

This nāma answers this question. Knowledge corresponding to śiva, the Supreme Consciousness, is the Knowledge of the Self. Since Devī bestows this Knowledge, She is called śiva jñāna pradāyini. Knowledge is of two types: śivam and aśivam. All types of knowledge pertaining to the material world and the actions performed in the material world (dharma) are aśivam. They do not help the seeker attain śiva. Even though dharma appears to be superior to other types of knowledge, upon some reflection, it will soon become clear to us that even dharma is not Supreme Knowledge because it produces only temporary results, such as the attainment of svarga (heaven). Hence, even dharma does not liberate us.

When we continue to reflect on the transient nature of the world and realize that all types of knowledge associated with it are aśivam and dismiss them, we are left with what is śivam, the Supreme Knowledge of the Self. Everything that is aśivam (saṃsāra) dissolves in śivam. Knowledge of the Self is the only means for the dissolution of saṃsāra and attainment of śiva. Therefore, the real goal of the scripture is Self-Knowledge. Knowledge of dharma is, at best, only a distant aid (for purification of the mind) to Self-Knowledge. Hence, there is no need to be concerned that the scripture provides conflicting knowledge (jñāna versus dharma).

7. paśupāśa vimōchanī

8.muktidā

She who liberates the ignorant from bondage.
She who gives liberation.

Devi appears in the form of a Guru to give Self-Knowledge, which is the essence of the scripture. This nāma describes how this Knowledge benefits us. The benefit is paśupāśa vimōchanī, freedom from the bondage of ignorance. That which is bound by a pāśaṃ (rope) is a paśu (beast). This includes four-legged and two-legged creatures like animals and humans. Humans are bound by many ropes (kleśa-s) or afflictions: avidyā (ignorance), asmitā (ego), rāga (likes), dveṣa (dislikes), and abhīnavesa (fear of death). These afflictions are the five ropes that bind us in saṃsāra. The first affliction, avidyā, is the lack of knowledge that I and everything I perceive are One (Consciousness). Like a thick curtain, avidyā veils our true nature, which is Pure Consciousness. As a result, we perceive Consciousness as limited to our body. This ignorance leads to asmitā (ego) and the feeling of separateness. This feeling of separateness is the second rope that binds us in saṃsāra.

Likes and dislikes are the two additional ropes that bind us. We are happy when our desires are satisfied and miserable when they are not. As long as we are identified with the body, we are subjected to likes and dislikes. Obsession with our likes and dislikes strengthens our identification with the body and our fear of death. This is the fifth affliction. avidyā is tamas (ignorance), asmitā is moham (infatuation), rāga is mahāmoha (attachment), dveṣa is tāmisram (darkness), and abhīnavesa is andha tāmisram (dense darkness). These five afflictions are the five hells that humans are trapped in. While the first affliction (avidyā) is somewhat visible to us, the last one (abhīnavesa) is completely invisible.

Bound by these five afflictions, the jīva is reduced to a beast. The first affliction, avidyā, is the source of the other afflictions. If avidyā is removed, the rest of the afflictions will fall away on their own. ātmajñāna (Self-Knowledge) is the only means for getting rid of avidyā. The moment Devī graces the jīva with Self-Knowledge, along with avidyā, the rest of the kleśa-s disappear. The jīva is freed from the beast-like qualities that bind it in saṃsāra.

This freedom is liberation. It is the mokṣa that Devi bestows on us. Hence, Devi is revered as muktidā, the one who liberates. Several questions might arise at this point. Is it really possible to attain mokṣa, for instant Knowledge to arise? Isn’t Knowledge a vṛtti, a thought-modification, a mental activity? Even if the mind attains Self-Knowledge, can it really dissolve the physical world? Don’t we need to make some physical effort to get rid of the world after the Knowledge arises?

There is no scope for such doubts to arise. Knowledge of the Self is not like other types of knowledge. Even if it is a vṛtti, it is not khaṇḍa (divisive) vṛtti. It is the undifferentiated vṛtti of the Infinite Consciousness. It is devoid of all divisions (names and forms). It permeates not only the mind of the seeker, but also everything he or she perceives. Names and forms lose their separate existence. Consciousness alone remains. Names and forms derive their existence from Consciousness, and have no existence of their own. Therefore, the moment the Knowledge of the Self arises, ignorance disappears. Together with ignorance, the world, also disappears. Therefore, no separate effort is required to get rid of the world when Knowledge arises. The instant Knowledge arises, one is free from bondage, and the moment one is free from bondage, one is liberated!

9. bahirmukha sudurlabhā;

10. antarmukha samārādhyā

She who is difficult to attain by those whose attention is directed outwards.
She who is worshipped internally.

As discussed earlier, the instant Self-Knowledge arises, the seeker is automatically freed from bondage. Liberation is Self-Knowledge. There is no difference between them. Self is the ātmā, the intuitive “I Am” awareness that every human being experiences from the time of birth. One cannot deny one’s own existence. Since ātmā is our very nature and it is readily available to us at all times, there is no need to make a special effort to attain it.

In the mantra bahirmukha sudurlabhā, the word sudurlabhā means that which is difficult to attain. Devī is hard to attain since She is the Knowledge that transcends everything. If She cannot be attained, there is no hope for liberation. Although She is all-pervading, She is difficult to attain. Why? This is because our attention is always flowing outward (bahirmukha) and never inwards.

We live our lives obsessed with the external world. Because our attention is always focused on external objects, even though Devī’s presence is right here and everywhere, we fail to notice Her. Even if an object is right in front of us, it remains unavailable to us if we fail to notice it. Even if it is very close to us physically, it is as good as being at a great distance if our attention is elsewhere and not on it. Therefore, we end up seeing what we see, but not what is actually present.

In this manner, seeing other things instead of what is actually present is bahirmukha. We see names and forms, build relationships, and suffer pain and pleasure. We perceive objects and completely overlook the substratum on which they appear. The substratum is Devī, Pure Consciousness, that pervades everything. Because our vision fails to grasp Her even though She is present everywhere, She appears difficult to attain. We can only blame our finite mind for this.

How can we solve this problem? How can we attain Her? We can attain Her only if our attention is turned inwards. Attaining Her or worshiping Her means being continuously aware of Her presence. When our attention is totally focused on Her presence, we can easily attain Her. Like the objects in a dark room that reveal themselves as soon as a lamp is lit, Devī reveals Herself as soon as our attention turns inwards. Therefore, even though it appears as though She is hard to attain, for the one whose attention is turned inwards, She is easy to attain.

The words “inwards” and “outwards” do not mean inside and outside our minds. As long as feelings, such as “this is my son, this is my friend, this is my enemy, etc.” arise in our mind, it is outward-facing or bahirmukha. When our attention is on sat-cīt, Existence-Consciousness, and not on names and forms, it is antarmukha, inward-facing.