Cakrarāja-rathārūḍha-sarvāyudha-pariṣkṛtā चक्रराज-रथारूढ-सर्वायुध-परिष्कृता (68)

Cakrarāja is the chariot of Lalitāmbikā in which She travels along with all types of weapons.  Weapons mean the ways of attaining suddhavidyā or pure knowledge which is called the knowledge of the Brahman.  This chariot consists of nine tiers.  There are other two chariots that accompany this Cakrarāja the details of which will be discussed in the next two nāma-s.  This Cakrarāja is said to mean the Śrī Cakra, the place of LalitāmbikāPariṣkṛtā means adorned.

A brief knowledge of Śrī Cakrā becomes a necessity to understand this nāma. Śrī Cakrā consists of nine partitions or angles broadly divided into five Śaktī cakra-s and four Śiva cakra-s.  The triangles facing upwards are called Śiva cakra-s, and the triangles facing down are Śaktī cakra-s.  Śrī Cakrā contains forty four triangles in which forty three goddesses (44th is Lalitai) and seventy nine yoginī-s (demi-goddesses) live.  All the gods and goddesses are said to reside in Śrī Cakra and that is why it is said that one can perform pūja to any god/goddess in Śrī Cakra.  The nāma 996 Śrī Cakrārāja nilayā confirms Her domicile in Śrī Cakra.

Cakrarāja also means the six cakra-s (mūlādhārā to ājña). Ratha means base or foundation.  Arūḍha means control and sarvāyudha means pure knowledge which is called suddhavidyā.  The six cakra-s form the foundation to attain pure knowledge through which mind can be controlled in the sixth cakra. The five psychic cakra-s represent the five basic elements and the ājña cakra represents mind.  Therefore to control the basic elements and the mind, pure knowledge becomes essential.  When cakra-s are controlled, siddhi-s are attained.  When we discuss about suddhavidyā let us also know what Śiva Sutra (I.21) says.  It says ‘śuddhavidyodayāccakreśatva siddhiḥ’.   This means that only through suddhavidyā (pure knowledge), mastery can be attained over śakti-s.  Śaktī-s here means the cakra-s.  When one is able to attain mastery over the cakra-s, through the pure knowledge, he can attain the state of Śiva.  State of Śiva means oneness with Śiva.  In this stage except Śiva nothing exists.  Possibly this could mean that he sees everything and everybody as Śiva.  This stage is called oneness with universal consciousness.  Suddhavidyā is possible only if māyā goes.  Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gīta “all sacrifice of work culminates in transcendental knowledge”.  The word transcendental means the knowledge of the Supreme.  The ultimate meaning is that when mastery over the cakra-s and mind is attained, there is nothing one needs to do except to be with the Brahman always.

One has to really admire Vāc Devi-s about their knowledge of expressing the secrets of Self-realization in such a subtle way.

Geyacakra-rathārūḍha-mantriṇī-parisevitā गेयचक्र-रथारूढ-मन्त्रिणी-परिसेविता (69)

In the previous nāma it is seen that two chariots always accompany the Cakrarāja chariot.  Out of the two, the first one is being discussed here, which is called Geyacakra chariot.  This is the chariot of Mantrinī Devi who is also called Śyamalā Devi, about whom we have discussed in nāma10.  Mantrinī Devi who owns geycakra worships Her is the literal meaning.  As Mantrinī is one of Her ministers, Mantrinī Devi holds Lalitai in high esteem and chooses to worship Her.  Worshipping is different from respecting. 

We have seen that there are seventy nine yoginī-s in Śrī Cakrāyoginī-s are the great worshippers of Lalitāmbikā.  These yoginī-s are also called mantrinī-s (different from Mantrinī or Śyamalā Devi).  They are the masters of Śrī Vidyā rituals.  This nāma   could possibly mean the Śrī Vidyā worship by these yoginī-s.   Geya also means important.  Geyacakra means important cakra, which is Śrī Cakra.  Those who meditate Her in Śrī Cakrā attain mantra siddhi easily.  Such a person who attained siddhi is called mantrinī.  She is worshipped by those who attained mantra siddhi of Pañcadaśī or ṣodaśī as these are the two main mantra-s of Lalitāmbikā.  The importance of worshipping Śrī Cakrā is emphasized here.  Human body is compared to Śrī Cakrā in many scriptures.  The nine partitions of Śrī Cakrā are compared to nine parts of our body -  the orifice in the crown cakra is head,  ājña cakra is forehead, viśuddhi cakra is neck,  anāhata cakra is heart, maṇipūra cakra is navel, the hip (possibly includes both svādhiṣṭhāna and mūlādhāra cakra-s) and thighs and the feet.  It is pertinent to note that the divine energy enters our body through the orifice in the sahasrārā and excess energy if any is grounded through our feet.

Śiva Sūtra (II.3) talks about the secret of mantra-s.  The illuminating “I” consciousness existing as an essential constituent of various mantra-s (like Pañcadaśī and ṣodaśī), whose essence is the knowledge of realizing the Brahman, is the secret of mantra.  Therefore mantra-s are not just the combination of letters, but the Śaktī Herself.  Hence these letters are called Mātṛka (Mātṛka means coming from or belonging to a mother. Please refer nāma 1 Śrī Mātā, the Supreme Mother).   In the initial stages of spirituality, chanting of mantra-s is considered essential. 

In this nāma, the importance of mantra and considering our own body as one with Śrī Cakra are emphasized.  Considering our body as the one with Śrī Cakra means that She is not different from us, the main principle of Self-realization.