This website is dedicated to the highly revered Kashmir Shaiva master Abhinavagupta (924 to 1020 CE).
The majority of hymns and verses contained within are based on English translations given by Swami Lakshmanjoo (1907-1991), a master in the direct lineage of Abhinavagupta.
These invocatory verses are from the first chapter of Tantrāloka, composed by the illustrious teacher Abhinavagupta (950-1045 CE).
Recitation
vimala kalāśray-ābhinava sṛṣṭi mahā jananī
bharita tanuśca pañcamukha gupta-rucir janakaḥ |
tadubhaya yāmala sphurita bhāva visargam ayaṁ
hṛdayam anuttar-āmṛta kulaṁ mama saṁsphuratāt ॥ 1
naumi cit-pratibhāṁ devīṁ parāṁ bhairava yoginīm |
mātṛ-māna-prameyāṁśa śūlām-buja kṛtās-padām ॥ 2
naumi devīṁ śarīrasthāṁ nṛtyato bhairavākṛte |
prāvṛṇ megha ghana-vyoma vidyullekhā-vilāsinīm ॥ 3
dīpta jyotiś chaṭāpluṣṭa bheda bandha trayaṁ sphurat |
stat-jñāna śūlaṁ satpakṣa vipakṣotkartan-akṣamam ॥ 4
svatantrya śaktiḥ krama saṁsisṛkṣā
kramātmatā ceti vibhor vibhūtiḥ |
tadeva devā trayam antarāstām-
anuttaraṁ me prathayat svarūpam ॥ 5
tad-devatā vibhavabhā vimahā marīci-
cakreśvarā yitanija sthitir eka eva |
devīsuto gaṇapatiḥ sphurad indu kāntiḥ
samyak samucchalayatān mama saṁvidabdhim ॥ 6
itthaṁ sva-śakti-kiraṇau-ghanuti-prabandhān
ākarṇ-ya deva yadi me vrajasi prasādam |
tenāśu sarva-janatāṁ nija-śāsan-āmśu-
saṁ-śāntitākhila-tamaḥ-paṭalāṁ vidheyāḥ ॥
Translation
vimala kalāśray-ābhinava sṛṣṭi mahā jananī
bharita tanuśca pañcamukha gupta-rucir janakaḥ |
tadubhaya yāmala sphurita bhāva visargam ayaṁ
hṛdayam anuttar-āmṛta kulaṁ mama saṁsphuratāt ॥ 1
Salutations to the divine Mother in the form of supreme energy (parā śakti).
O divine Mother! From your abode of supreme purity you create this entire universe in an ever refreshing way. Salutations to Bhairava, the great father, whose nature is filled with the five energies of creation, protection, destruction, concealing and revealing. And my own mothers name was Vimalā, because she was residing in the purity of God consciousness, and my birth was a great festival not only for her, but for all my ancestors. So let the essence of my Being, which has come forth by the union of my mother and father, and which is filled with the supreme nectar of God consciousness (anuttara aṁṛta), blossom and vibrate in this whole universe.
naumi cit-pratibhāṁ devīṁ
parāṁ bhairava yoginīm |
mātṛ-māna-prameyāṁśa
śūlām-buja kṛtās-padām ॥ 2
Salutations to that Bhairava yoginī! The supreme energy (parā) which is the light of God consciousness and which is one with supreme Bhairava. To that supreme bhairava yoginī, established and seated on the central lotus which rest on the central spike of triśūla, I offer salutations!
naumi devīṁ śarīrasthāṁ
nṛtyato bhairavākṛte |
prāvṛṇ megha ghana-vyoma
vidyullekhā-vilāsinīm ॥ 3
Salutations to aparā devī, the inferior energy, who is situated in the gross body of Bhairava, the real dancer. Like lightening from the dense clouds of the rainy season, She is the light which has come out from the objective world, and which shines in the form of God consciousness.
dīpta jyotiś chaṭāpluṣṭa
bheda bandha trayaṁ sphurat |
stat-jñāna śūlaṁ satpakṣa
vipakṣotkartan-akṣamam ॥ 4
Let that sharp pointed triśūla of Bhairava – filled with will, knowledge and action – have predominance in knowledge only. And let that jñāna-śūla remain in such a way that it destroys the opposites of the highest state of bliss (jagadānanda). May that jñāna-śūla destroy all the three bondages by its flame of absolute divine God consciousness.
svatantrya śaktiḥ krama saṁsisṛkṣā
kramātmatā ceti vibhor vibhūtiḥ |
tadeva devā trayam antarāstām-
anuttaraṁ me prathayat svarūpam ॥ 5
O supreme Bhairava! You alone possess the three glorious energies of absolute independence, of the will of desiring the world of succession, and of the world of succession itself. Let these three glorious energies remain in my heart in such a way that they reveal to me that supreme nature of God consciousness.
tad-devatā vibhavabhā vimahā marīci-
cakreśvarā yitanija sthitir eka eva |
devīsuto gaṇapatiḥ sphurad indu kāntiḥ
samyak samucchalayatān mama saṁvidabdhim ॥ 6
May Gaṇeśa, who is known as Cakreśvara – the Supreme Lord of the triple wheel of energies – who is the only son of the Supreme Goddess, and who is glorified with the radiance of the full moon embodying the nature of the Self; let that Gaṇapti vibrate and penetrate my ocean of consciousness, and let that ocean shine everywhere and vibrate in such a way that it pervades the whole universe!
Concluding verse from Abhinavagupta’s Kramastotra
itthaṁ sva-śakti-kiraṇau-ghanuti-prabandhān
ākarṇ-ya deva yadi me vrajasi prasādam |
tenāśu sarva-janatāṁ nija-śāsan-āmśu-
saṁ-śāntitākhila-tamaḥ-paṭalāṁ vidheyāḥ ॥
O mother Divine! Having heard the spontaneous outpourings of my heart in the form of these incessant hymns, I pray You ordain that the sole outcome of this effort be a flood of Thy sweet grace in the form of infinite light, which will instantly tear asunder and dispel the darkness covering humanity.
For more information and to order a copy of the “Hymns to the Goddess” audio set (mp3 audio + PDF files of verses and translation) click here…