The Secret Doctrine of Goddess Lalita
(Sri LalitaAṣṭottara Rahasyārthamu)
25. sṛṣṭikartrī, brahmarūpā 26.gōptrī, gōvindarūpiṇī 27.saṃhāriṇī, rudrarūpā 28.tirōdhānakarī, īśvarī 29.sadāśivā, ānugrahadā
She who is the Creator - She who is in the form of brahman.
She who protects - She who assumed the form of Govinda (Viṣṇu) for the preservation of the universe.
She who is the destroyer of the universe – She who assumed the form of Rudra for the dissolution of the world.
She who causes the disappearance of all things – She who protects and rules everything.
She who is sadāśivā, one who bestows auspiciousness – She who confers blessings.
These nāma-s describe in detail the manner in which śakti carries out the five functions. First, as brahman (Supreme Consciousness), She manifests this entire universe of sentient and insentient objects. The word brahman stems from the root word bṛhad, which means vast. Devī is brahmarūpini, the Supreme Consciousness. There is no difference between śakti and brahman. During the process of manifestation, śakti, the conscious power of brahman, appears as though split into many to appear as this world. Like the gold that molds itself into different ornaments, parā śakti (the great cosmic power) in the form of brahman molded Itself to appear as the world. Although we say “split,” in reality, there is no split. The great cosmic power, parāśakti, cannot be fragmented. It only appears as though It is fragmented when It appears as the myriad objects of the world. The mantra brahmarūpā indicates that Devī is the material cause of the universe. The mantra sṛṣṭikartrī indicates that She is the efficient cause (Intelligence) of the universe. Hence, śakti is both the creator as well as the creation!
Devī is also the sustainer and sustenance of the universe. The names gōptrī, gōvindarūpiṇī describes Her role in the universe. As govinda, She rules the world. The syllable “go” also means vṛtti, thought-modifications triggered by the mind and sense organs. As the controller of the mind and the senses, Devī is the ruler and sustainer of the world.
Similarly, as rudra, She withdraws the universe that She has spontaneously created from Herself into Herself. Everything dissolves in Her. Hence, at the time of pralaya (complete dissolution of the world), it is said that the world is not completely destroyed. It becomes un-manifest and merges back into its source (śakti). This is the meaning of saṃhāriṇī, rudrarūpā. When śakti manifests externally, we call it creation; when she un-manifests, we call it dissolution. What is real (Consciousness) does not disappear suddenly, and what is unreal (names and forms), does not appear suddenly. This is the fundamental principle of Advaita. The Sanskrit word rudra in this context means primordial sound, the anāhata nāda, the inner vibration. This vibration is the movement of prāṇa, the life-force. At the time of dissolution, this life-force leaves the micro and macrocosm, and merges back into the source, i.e cītśakti (Consciousness). That is why prāṇa is referred to as rudra. Hence, it is cītśakti Itself that manifests as the life-force at the time of creation, and un-manifests and merges back into its source at the time of dissolution.
In this manner, while performing these three functions (creation/sustenance/dissolution), parāśakti conceals Her Infinite nature as cītśakti and contracts Herself to appear as the finite world. In this state, She is called īśvarī, the one who commands, controls, and rules everything. Because of Her controlling and contracting power, we forget our real nature which is Pure Consciousness. Devī also has the power to withdraw and dissolve the world in Herself and reveal Her Infinite nature. She can bestow the Knowledge of the Self and remove the ignorance of an earnest seeker. She can contract Herself to appear as the finite individual or expand freely without any constraint to appear as the Universal Consciousness. In Her ability to contract or expand at will, She is known as sadāśivā, the Auspicious One. She pervades the entire universe as Consciousness, so there is really nothing in the Universe that is inauspicious. What appears as saṃsāra is only an appearance of Consciousness. Since Consciousness is ever present, It is sadāśivā.
This sadāśivā is the fifth stage in the transformation of śakti. This is Her natural state. The four stages we mentioned earlier are only pratiti siddham, only an appearance. They have no reality. Therefore, whatever we perceive as the world is unreal. Consciousness alone is Real. Unable to experience our Self in its full potential as Pure Consciousness, we reduce It to our body, mind, and senses. Identified with the body, we see the world as prakṛti (nature) that is subject to decay and death. We forget our true changeless nature and remain ensnared in the illusion of saṃsāra.