Bhuvaneshwari, in the abstraction of space

Simply put, the concept of Bhuvaneshwari is a little hard to understand. In order to understand the meaning of Bhuvaneshwari, be it the version of the Vedas, Puranas or that which the Tantrik's believe; we need to first relate to her abstraction. And for this we need to drop our world, our noise, our petty problems and look a little further. 

As we now dive deeper into a slightly more difficult subject I would like to state first that Goddess Bhuvaneshwari looks like anything but a human being. She is Akasa, the vastness of space entwined with the glow of light that merges into it seamlessly. She is the extent of our perception of space and given that that is a variable, she translates to being the very illusion that is built by the limitation of our sight. 

In the larger scheme of spiritual knowledge, the great Vedic sears describe the Supreme in three distinct parts. 

Satyam Rtam Brhat

Satyam is the essential truth of the supreme. Its the core of the supreme.
Rtam is that state when this core truth translates to active creation.
Brhat is the vast consciousness that it requires to translate satyam to creation - the source of energy, the charge that is needed for this transition.
And Bhuvaneshwari is the form of this energy. 

In the Puranas, she is known as Aditi, the wife of Sage Kasyapa who is the mother of all the Gods. She is the Shakti of sage Kasyapa. And this brings a vast infinite concept into a finite realm, measurable in our world. 

Another beautiful example of this translation of the immeasurable to the measurable is the story of Vishnu in the Vamana avatar. He measures the immeasurable, creating almost an illusion out of the vastness of space in his three strides. The Tantriks call her Maya, the great mother who has the ability to clothe her infinite vastness into finite form. Maya is the measure to comprehend the vastness of the Supreme and that is why Maya becomes a breathing reality. 

Now look at this beautiful picture, Bhuvaneshwari is the vastness of the space while Kali is the time that measures it. Bhuvaneshwari orders the events and the circumstances while kali orders the timing and the sequence. Bhuvaneshwari is the space i.e. akasa while kali is the sound vibration entwined within it. Bhuvaneshwari sets the stage for the cosmic dance of Kali with the great Lord Nataraja and they dance to the beat of time in the stage of space-consciousness and all the worlds are assembled here to witness this play of time and consciousness in our lives. 

Bhuvaneshwari echoes the breathing reality of creation that is a manifestation of the space we see around us and we are a minuscule part of it. We are the tiny droplets of the supreme consciousness who believe we are individual and not part of the larger whole, the great supreme consciousness. Such is the power of super consciousness. 

The Ten Sacred Brahma Vidhyas

Hinduism believes in a world of devatas who live in various strata of the visible atmosphere, the lower Kshudra devatas who reside closer to earth to the Uccha Devatas who live in higher planes. The vedas tell us how to live right and well so that we can ascend this ladder and move to higher levels in our own spirital progress post death if we are lucky. 

While leading our earthly existance these lower deities bless us with cheap wishes and so called benefits that we may look for but then we miss the real matter, the cardinal deities who are of higher spiritual discipline who actually help us in our progress and are not just mere wish fulfilling lower deities. 

In order to get the right direction, move towards the supreme higher deities and achieve Brahman as described in the Upanishads one must take the help of the Brahma Vidhyas, a spiritual discipline that leads up to this superior existance. Brahma Vidhyas are better known as Siddha vidhyas or Dasamahavidhyas are ten great disciplines that enable a person to progress spiritually. They are represented pictorially as ten great Goddesses/mothers whose worship and realization takes the aspirant to the next level. 

As an introduction, they are ten outstanding personalities of the divine mother and are represented in the following forms:

Kali
Tara
Tripurasundari
Bhuvaneshwari
Tripura Bhairavi
Chinnamasta
Dhumavati
Bagalamukhi
Matangi
Kamalatmika

Each of these Goddess describes a principle of life that we need to know, digest, accept, realize and fulfill in order to move on in our spiritual progress. 

Now the big question maybe what do each of these great mothers represent. This moved into the sphere of abstraction where we define a few things for our own understanding. The supreme energy is all enveloping, all encompassing and stitched into the process of creation. With this is born the idea of time and space. Space is vast and can be understood by bringing in divisions. 

Hence as an entity, as a sadhaka we need to understand and realize that the space is defined by the 8 directions that surround us - North, North East, East, South East, South, South West, West, North West, above and below. Time is defined by every breath we take during our life time. In order to understand and realize this knowledge we have been given ten senses to realize the true potential with our consciousness - Skin, eyes, ears, tongue, nose, mouth, foot, hands, anus and genitals. 

Its this combination of time, space, sense that we attribute to the dasa mahavidhyas at the beginning of our spiritual progress. All of these attributes that we are familiar with bring us closer to our own consciousness and sharpen it ten fold to reach a higher realm. 

While our initial journey may not be in the direction of attain supreme salvation and our sadhana may be tuned towards just one of the ten mahavidhyas, as we progress in this path, it opens our mind to the other great Vidhyas in this path. As the sadhaka keeps worshipping the great Mother and leaves all his worldly problems in her hands, this relationship between the aspirant and the divine mother grows, so much so that the aspirant depends and believes in the Divine Mother for solutions to every one of their problems, even the trivial ones. This leads to an intimate relationship between the seeker and the Goddess so much so that they forget the goal they originally started off with.  

The seeker realizes the presence of the Goddess, their attitude changes and its visible to everyone around them. This journey leads us to higher realms that the mind understands and digests. And the real truth lies in the fact that it cannot be explained to anyone, it can only be realized by one self. This is the fun in spiritualism, the real intoxication that keeps us going disconnecting us from our present birth and all its attractions. All the mind starts working on is how to go from one strata to the next and progress to reach the supreme with the blessings of the divine mother and not about how to get petty wishes coming true during our earthly life. 

Photo cortesy:
http://kamakhyamandir.org

Invocation to Goddess Lakshmi - Part 2

Om Prabhaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is radiant like the sun, surrounded by a golden hue she glows like a thousand brilliant suns.

Om Chandra Vadanaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is moon faced, composed and subtle in her beauty and is the virtue of goodness.

Om Chadraayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is like ambrosia, like the sacred moon in the night, subtle energy that prevails within me.

Om Chandra Sahodaryai namaha: I bow to Her, who is also considered the second moon that rose out of the ocean of milk when the great Gods were churning it.

Om Chaturbhujaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the four armed who is the personification of supreme truth

Om Chandra Roopayai namaha: I bow to Her, moon faced ever radiant Goddess Lakshmi who is luminous to all.

Om Indiraayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is seated on a golden lotus throne in the Ocean of nectar

Om Indusheetalaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is ever bright like the sun, who is sacred ambrosia like the moon, who is the power that rules our minds, who frees us from all our sins.

Om Aahlaada Jananyai namaha: I bow to Her, the source of all happiness who rules this universe and brings happiness to all her devotees.
Om Pustaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the ever youthful who is tender and always radiant.

Om Shivaayai namaha:
I bow to Her, the auspicious one who blesses this universe

Om Shivakaryai namaha: I bow to Her, the embodiment of auspiciousness, the primordial energy invoked by devotees.

Om Sathyai namaha: I bow to Her, the real truth, the all powerful, the ultimate reality.

Om Vimalaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the all pure and the most benevolent, most loving and the most powerful.

Om Vishwa Jananyai namaha:  I bow to Her, the mother of the universe, the compassionate and loving Goddess, the virtuous who brings happiness to all.

Om Pushtayai Namaha: I bow to Her, the one who glistens, the one who possesses all wealth. She blesses all her devotees with immense wealth and happiness.

Om Dharidhrya-nashinyai namaha: I bow to Her, who kills and destroys all inferior thoughts and actions that try to rule my mind

Om Preethi Pushkarinyai namaha: I bow to Her, O Lotus eyed Goddess who is so bewitchingly beautiful and compassionate, the graceful one who resides in my mind.

Om Shaanthayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is so calm and serene, who brings with her such peace and tranquility. The sky glows in the colors of the rainbow, seeing which the peacock dances bringing alive heavenly Paradise to earth.

Om Shukla Malyaambharayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is so pure and radiant, wearing a garland of imperishable fragrant white flowers.

Om Shriyai Namaha: I bow to Her, the Goddess of all the wealth in the universe.

Om Bhaskaryai namaha: I bow to Her, the radiant one, shining like the sun, virtuous and ever dazzling

Om Bilvanilayaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is seated on her divine lotus seat, under the serene shade of the bilva tree.

Om Varaarohaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the sweet and compassionate mother who is always ready to grant boons and wishes.

Om Yashasvinyai namaha: I bow to Her, the slender and beautiful goddess who is reputed to be the embodiment of highest knowledge, the path to ultimate reality.

Om Vasundharaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the daughter of this earth, who is the embodiment of creation, preservation and destruction.
 

Om Kudarangayai namaha

Om Harinyai namaha: I bow to Her, who is doe eyed, slender and gentle like the deer

Om Hemamaalinyai namaha: I bow to Her, who shines so bright with the golden garlands she wears around herself.

Om Dhanadhaanya karyai namaha: I bow to Her, the killer of all poverty who bestows wealth and food grain over her devotees.

Om Siddhaye namaha: I bow to Her, who magically protects and saves all her devotees, defeating all evil 

Om Straina Sowmyaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the beautiful one who showers her compassion and protection towards women.

Om Shubha Pradaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the auspicious one, who is the fountain head, from whom all wealth in this universe is generated.

Om Nrupaveshma Gathanandayai namaha: I bow to Her, the flamboyant Goddess who loves to live in palaces, within those who have large hearts.

Om Varalakshmyai namaha: I bow to Her, who is bountiful and compassionate to all those who worship her with devotion

Om Vasupradaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the ever giving, who grants all kinds of wealth to her devotees.

Om Shubhaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the auspicious one who brings good fortune and prosperity.

Om Hiranya Praakaarayai namaha: I bow to Her, the shining one, resplendent with the glitter of gold all around her.

Om Samudra Tanayaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the daughter of the ocean of milk, one among 14 gems that emerged from its depths.

Om Jayaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the victorious one, faultless, brilliant and omniscient

Om Mangalaadevyai namaha:  I bow to Her, the auspicious and good one who takes form as a deity and resides within my heart as pure consciousness.

Om Vishnuvaksha Stala stithayai namaha: I bow to Her, the one who resides in Lord Vishnu's chest, who is his beloved.

Om Vishnupatnyai namaha: I bow to Her, the divine consort of Lord Vishnu, the preserver of this universe

Om Prasannakshyai namaha: I bow to Her, who is lotus eyed, golden hued, who holds gracefully a lotus flower in her hand

Om Naaraayana Samaashritaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who resides in Lord Vishnu's chest, who sort refuge within his being

Om Daaridrya Dwamsinyai namaha: I bow to Her, who brings richness and prosperity to all, who destroys all kind of inferior thought or action in the minds of her devotees.

Om Devyai namaha: I bow to Her, who is divine and gracious protecting and blessing this universe with riches

Om Sarvopadrava Nivaarinyai namaha: I bow to Her, who dispels all evil and frees her devotees from distress.

Om Navadurgaayai namaha: I bow to Her, the goddess who is the embodiment of the 9 Durgas.

Om Mahaakaalyai namaha: I bow to her, who is the terrific, taking the form of Ma Kali, the 8 handed Goddess, who destroy all evil

Om Brahmavishnu Shivatmikayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is the very embodiment of the trinity, who has within her being the presence and power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva

Om Trikaala Gyana Sampannayai namaha: I bow to Her, the all pervasive Goddess who controls all time [past/present/future] and is present in all the three worlds at the same time.

Om Bhuvaneshvaryai namaha: I bow to Her, the controller of the whole universe, the all powerful who rings the bell of victory and possesses the pitcher of nectar in her hand.

Om Udaaraangaayai namaha: I bow to Her, who is all potent and full of energy, who is endowed with a beautiful and graceful body, sensuous and powerful at the same time.

Om Mahalakshmi Devataayai namaha: I bow to Her, the supreme Goddess, the divine one, the radiant one, the pure one.

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