Mahānirvāṇa sundarī dhyānam!!!

महानिर्वाण सुन्दरी ध्यानम्!!!

Prologue – The Divine Mother Mahānirvāṇa Sundarī denotes the culmination of the cycle of life and death and complete evolution and merger into the super-consciousness Parabrahman denoted by Her.

Source – The document presented here is a submission by the learned commenter Prince.

The dhyāna ślokas are also available in the Nirvāṇa Sundarī kalpam book published by Shri Animesh Nagar ji.

We are extremely grateful for the contribution and are presenting the same document with some notes that we believe may add value to the description of the verses. A true interpretation of the dhyāna verses is way beyond our knowledge and we hope that great gurus like Tivra and others may add more inputs to help us better understand and absorb the essence of the Divine Mother.

जवाकुसुमस‌ङ्काशां कोटिमार्तण्डतेजसीम् ।

वक्त्रैः षोडशभिर्युक्तां विशालनयनत्रयाम् ॥ १ ॥

javākusumas‌aṅkāśāṃ koṭimārtaṇḍatejasīm |

vaktraiḥ ṣoḍaśabhiryuktāṃ viśālanayanatrayām || 1 ||

She resembles the Hibiscus flower red in color, possessing the lustre of a crore suns rising together,

She has blossomed with sixteen faces, each with three wide eyes.

The red hibiscus flower denotes Her passion to drive the entire Creation. The sixteen faces denote all the sixteen Nitya forms of Herself as aspects of Time.

अष्टाधिकशतैर्हस्तैर्युक्तां त्रिपुरसुन्दरीम् ।

ऊर्ध्ववक्त्रं रक्तवर्णां तदधश्श्यामवर्णकम् ॥ २ ॥

aṣṭādhikaśatairhastairyuktāṃ tripurasundarīm |

ūrdhvavaktraṃ raktavarṇāṃ tadadhaśśyāmavarṇakam || 2 ||

Equipped with one hundred and eight arms, She is Tripurasundarī.

The upper face is of a red color, and the one below that is of a dark/black color.

Rajas and Tamas tattvas are indicated. She denotes all that is revealed as well as that which is hidden in plain sight. All the revelations and secrets are embodied within Her.

तदधश्श्वेतवक्त्रञ्च तद्वामे पीतवक्त्रकम् ।

तदधो रक्तवदनं दक्षे हरित कुङ्कुमे ॥ ३ ॥

tadadhaśśvetavaktrañca tadvāme pītavaktrakam |

tadadho raktavadanaṃ dakṣe harita kuṅkume || 3 ||

And below that is a white face, and to its left is a yellow face.

Below that is a red face, on the right side is green and saffron-colored.

Sattva guṇa is indicated with the fair appearance. The yellow face indicates Her fierce action to punish all evil and enforce karmic deliverance upon the Creation as ordained. Her passion for Sustenance is subtly indicated by the red and green complexioned faces.

वामे लाक्षारसाभञ्च तद्वामे कपिलन्तथा ।

तद्दक्षाधो दाडिमाभन्तद्दक्षे श्वेतनीलकम् ॥ ४ ॥

vāme lākṣārasābhañca tadvāme kapilantathā |

taddakṣādho dāḍimābhantaddakṣe śvetanīlakam || 4 ||

On the left is a face in the color of lac-juice – crimson red, and to its left tawny color face;

Below its right is pomegranate-colored, and to its right is white and blue.

Her actions and presence in everything is represented in various hues of Her facial complexions. The six major Āmnāya transmissions as well as other minor Āmnāyas are also indicated.

वामे बन्धूकवर्णाञ्च पीतधूम्रकवर्णकम् ।

मध्ये वक्त्रं महादेव्या जपाबन्धूकवर्णकम् ॥ ५ ॥

vāme bandhūkavarṇāñca pītadhūmrakavarṇakam |

madhye vaktraṃ mahādevyā japābandhūkavarṇakam || 5 ||

On the left is in the Bandhūka-flower (red blooms) color, and another face of smoky yellow color. The central face of the Mahādevī is of the color of Japā Bandhūka (red hibiscus) flower.

मुक्तकेशीं चन्द्रमौलीञ्चन्द्रमार्ताण्डकुण्डलाम् ।

देवदुर्लभरत्नैश्वविराजित किरीटिनीम् ॥ ६ ॥

muktakeśīṃ candramaulīñcandramārtaṇḍakuṇḍalām |

devadurlabharatnaiśvavirājita kirīṭinīm || 6 ||

She has loose hair, adorned with the crescent Moon as a crest-jewel, and earrings of the Moon and the Sun. She is adorned with a crown that shines with gems difficult for even the gods to obtain.
रक्तवस्त्रपरीधानां ब्रह्मचर्मोत्तरीयकाम् ।

विष्णुचर्मपरिधानां योगपट्टधरां पराम् ॥ ७ ॥

raktavastraparīdhānāṃ brahmacarmottarīyakām |

viṣṇucarmaparidhānāṃ yogapaṭṭadharāṃ parām || 7 ||

She is clad in a red garment, with a Brahma-skin as an upper shawl,

clad in a Vishnu-skin cloth, and She is wearing a yoga-band.

She powers the acts of Creation carried out by Lord Brahmā and Sustenance by Lord Viṣṇu.

मनोहरकटीदेशे किङ्किणीजालमण्डिताम् ।

वैदुर्यमुक्तामालाभिस्तनमध्यविराजिताम् ॥ ८ ॥

manoharakīdeśe kiṅkiṇījālamaṇḍitām |

vaiduryamuktāmālābhistanamadhyavirājitām || 8 ||

She is adorned with a net of small bells on her beautiful hip-region,

She is radiant between her breasts with garlands of cat's-eye gems and pearls.

छिन्नभैरवशीर्षैश्च कृतमालाभिशोभिताम् ।

रक्तपद्मकृतां मालामापादांवलम्बिनीम् ॥ ९ ॥

chinnabhairavaśīrṣaiśca kṛtamālābhiśobhitām |

raktapadmakṛtāṃ mālāmāpādāṃvalambinīm || 9 ||

She is adorned with a garland made of the severed heads of Bhairavas,

and She wears a garland made of red lotuses that hangs down to her feet.

All the trials and tribulations of karma that the group of Bhairavas mete out to us are carried out at Her behest. She embodies and powers all the Bhairavas.

अङ्कुशपाशबाणौ च पिनाकं शूलपट्टिशौ ।

सिद्धलक्ष्मीं कुब्जिकाञ्च भुवनेशीं च वारुणीम् ॥ १० ॥

aṅkuśapāśabāṇau ca pinākaṃ śūlapaṭṭiśau |

siddhalakṣmīṃ kubjikāñca bhuvaneśīṃ ca vāruṇīm || 10 ||

She holds an elephant-goad, a noose, an arrow, a bow (Pināka), a spear, and a lance (Paṭṭiśa),

She holds Siddhalakṣmī, Kubjikā, Bhuvaneśī, and Vāruṇī.

The elephant goad binds us to our true purpose of self-realization and attaining liberation. The noose reins us in when we stray away from our true purpose. The arrows denote the actions and thoughts of our mind and the bow denotes the mind which needs to be bent towards spiritual pursuits. The spear and lance rip through the triads impacting our progress.

The Divine Mothers Siddhalakṣmī, Kubjikā, Bhuvaneśī, and Vāruṇī fulfill all our material wishes and guide us on our spiritual journey through the unlocking of our kuṇḍalinī śakti, spiritual nāḍis and the granthas, to unleash the flow of the sacred kuṇḍalinī from the root mūlādhāra cakra to the crown sahasrāra.

वाराहीं ब्राह्मीं नारसिंहीञ्चामुण्डां वैष्णवीन्तथा ।

भैरवीं छिन्नमस्ताञ्च अर्धनारीश्वरन्तथा ॥ ११ ॥

vārāhīṃ brāhmīṃ nārasiṃhīñcāmuṇḍāṃ vaiṣṇavīntathā |

bhairavīṃ chinnamastāñca ardhanārīśvarantathā || 11 ||

She holds the goddesses Vārāhī, Brāhmī, Nārasīṁhī, Cāmuṇḍā, and also Vaiṣṇavī;

Bhairavī, Chinnamastā, and also Ardhanārīśvara.

The Divine Mothers Vārāhī, Brāhmī, Nārasīṁhī, Cāmuṇḍā, and also Vaiṣṇavī;

Bhairavī, Chinnamastā and other mātṛkā śaktis promulgate the act of Sustenance and the continuation of the Creation.

खड्गं शूलं गदां चक्रं पद्म नीलोत्पलन्तथा ।

रक्तोत्पलं त्रिदण्डञ्च मुशलञ्चाक्षमालिकाम् ॥ १२ ॥

khaḍgaṃ śūlaṃ gadāṃ cakraṃ padma nīlotpalantathā |

raktotpalaṃ tridaṇḍañca muśalañcākṣamālikām || 12 ||

She holds a sword, a spear, a mace, a discus, a lotus, and also a blue lotus; a red lotus, a triple staff, a pestle, and a rosary.

The sword, spear, mace and discus destroy our afflictions and bad karma. The lotuses denote evolution of the consciousness and the triple staff/trident denotes piercing the triads. The pestle grinds the afflictions and purifies us. The rosary denotes peace and calm arising out of devotion and faith.
पुस्तकं सतपि शक्तिं तोमरं हरवज्रकम् ।

छत्रं ध्वजं भिन्दिपालं कृपाणं कलशन्तथा ॥ १३ ॥

pustakaṃ satapi śaktiṃ tomaraṃ haravajrakam |

chatraṃ dhvajaṃ bhindipālaṃ kṛpāṇaṃ kalaśantathā || 13 ||

She holds a book, a spear (satapi), a lance (Tomara), and a thunderbolt (Haravajra); an umbrella, a banner, a sling/javelin (Bhindipāla), a dagger, and also a water-pot (Kalaśa).

The book denotes knowledge, the spear, lance and thunderbolt are weapons used once again for piercing the triads as needed. The umbrella grants relief against a torrent of bad karma pouring on us. The banner instils the confidence that the Divine Mother is with us! The sling, dagger etc are for our protection and the water-pot denotes life and sustenance.

पताकान्तर्जनीं मुण्डं कपालं यमदण्डकम् ।

गरुडं कुक्कुटं गृधं शिवां श्वानं षड्स्रकम् ॥ १४ ॥

patākāntarjanīṃ muṇḍaṃ kapālaṃ yamadaṇḍakam |

garuḍaṃ kukkuṭaṃ gṛdhaṃ śivāṃ śvānaṃ ṣaḍasrakam || 14 ||

She holds a pennant, displays the threatening gesture, a beheaded head, a skull-cup, and the staff of Yama; a Garuda, a rooster, a vulture, a female jackal, a dog, and a six-pointed star (Ṣaḍasraka).

The raised flag and the threatening gesture with the raised index finger denote victory over all evil. The beheaded head, skull cup and the staff of Lord Yama denote detachment from all material aspirations and an empty mind denoting complete surrender on to the Divine Mother to reveal our true nature. The Eagle, rooster, vulture, jackal and dog denote pecking at all left over karma and removing all remaining animalistic tendencies if any. The six-pointed star once again denotes Her supremacy over the six Āmnāya transmissions.

दामिनीं सोमगङ्गाञ्च वृक्षं डमरू जम्बुकम् ।

वरदं धारयन्तीञ्च दक्षहस्तोर्ध्वतः क्रमात् ॥ १५ ॥

dāminīṃ somagaṅgāñca vṛkṣaṃ ḍamarū jambukam |

varadaṃ dhārayantīñca dakṣahastordhvataḥ kramāt || 15 ||

She holds the lightning bolts, the Moon and the Ganga river, a tree, a drum (Ḍamarū), a jackal (Jambuka); And (She holds) the boon-granting gesture (Varada) in the upper right hands, sequentially. 

The lightning bolt serves as the ultimate destructive force or all persisting karma. The moon and the ganges serve as calming balm to relieve us. The tree denotes the stages of ascension and the drum denotes all the vibrations of the universe as sound mātṛkā śaktis. The jackal serves as a deterrent for inimical forces and our own tendency to slip. The Varada mudra displayed by the Divine Mother grants all our wishes and ensures the successful completion of all tasks.

त्रिपुरां दक्षिणाकालीं उग्रतारामुमान्तथा ।

ऐन्द्रीं माहेश्वरीं लक्ष्मीं कौमारीमुग्रचण्डिकाम् ॥ १६ ॥

tripurāṃ dakṣiṇākālīṃ ugratārāmumāntathā |

aindrīṃ māheśvarīṃ lakṣmīṃ kaumārīmugracaṇḍikām || 16 ||

She holds Tripurā, Dakṣiṇakālī, Ugratārā, and also Umā;

Aindrī, Māheśvarī, Lakṣmī, Kaumārī, and Ugracaṇḍikā. The Mātṛkā śaktis and higher Mahāvidyas governing the actions of the Divine are signified.

ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवानग्निभैरवं शारदां तथा ।

शार्दूलं केशरीं व्याघ्रं सिंहं मर्कटहस्तिकौ ॥ १७ ॥

brahmaviṣṇuśivānagnibhairavaṃ śāradāṃ tathā |

śārdūlaṃ keśarīṃ vyāghraṃ siṃhaṃ markaṭahastikau || 17 ||

She holds Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Agni, Bhairava, and also Śāradā; a tiger (Śārdūla), a lion (Keśarī), a tiger (Vyāghra), a lion (Siṃha), a monkey, and an elephant.

All primordial acts – Creation, Sustenance, Destruction etc are signified by the Lords Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva (Rudra). The various energies generated are signified by Agni and Bhairava. Higher knowledge and grace is denoted by the Divine Mother Śāradā. The various big cats and other mammals and their presence and continuance is also by the grace of the Divine Mother.        

कुठारञ्चर्म खट्वाङ्गं पर्वतं शवमस्तकम् ।

श्मशानं तक्षकं काकं मकरञ्च शिलान् तथा ॥ १८ ॥

kuṭhārañcarma khaṭvāṅgaṃ parvataṃ śavamastakam |

śmaśānaṃ takṣakaṃ kākaṃ makarañca śilān tathā || 18 ||

She holds an axe, a shield/skin, a club with a skull (Khaṭvāṅga), a mountain, a dead body's head; a cremation ground (Śmaśāna), the serpent Takṣaka, a crow, a crocodile (Makara), and also stones/rocks. Her eminence prevails over the insentient matter, birds, fish, amphibians etc.

शङ्खमुद्गरवीणाञ्च खेटकं मांसखण्डकम् ।

चैत्यं सरस्वतीं सिन्धुं मार्जाल गृह कच्छपम् ॥ १९ ॥

śaṅkhamudgaravīṇāñca kheṭakaṃ māṃsakhaṇḍakam |

caityaṃ sarasvatīṃ sindhuṃ mārjāla gṛha kacchapam || 19 ||

(She holds) a conch, a hammer (Mudgara), and a Vīṇā (lute), a shield (Kheṭaka), a piece of flesh; a sacred tree/shrine (Caitya), Sarasvatī (the goddess), a river (Sindhu), a cat, a house, and a turtle.

All sound vibrations generated by various instruments evoke the sound alphabet Mātṛkā śaktis who denote the various aspects of our lives.

मातुलुङ्गं तुरङ्गञ्च सूर्यमष्टास्र घण्टिकाम् ।

स्रुक्स्रुवौ सुमुखीं देवीं मयूरं महिषञ्च गाम् ॥ २० ॥

mātuluṅgaṃ turaṅgañca sūryamaṣṭāsra ghaṇṭikām |

sruksruvau sumukhīṃ devīṃ mayūraṃ mahiṣañca gām || 20 ||

She holds a citron (Mātuluṅga), and a horse, the Sun, an octagon (Aṣṭāsra), a small bell;

a spoon for libation (Sruk) and a ladle (Sruva), the goddess Sumukhī, a peacock, a buffalo, and a cow. The conveyances and utilities that serve the purpose of uniting us with the Divine Mother are also signified. Even that which remains and is not inferred, is also a part of the Divine Mother.

अभयं वामतोहस्तैर् धारयन्तीञ्च सुन्दरीम् ।

आनन्दभैरवं देवं श्मशानोर्ध्वकृतासनाम् ॥ २१ ॥

abhayaṃ vāmatohastair dhārayantīñca sundarīm |

ānandabhairavaṃ devaṃ śmaśānordhvakṛtāsanām || 21 ||

And the beautiful (goddess), holding the gesture of fearlessness (Abhaya Mudrā) with her left hands (starting from the top); She is seated upon the laying Ānandabhairava, in a posture above the cremation ground. The Divine Mother conveys that death is not the end and assures us of higher existence.

श्मशानाधो रक्तपद्मं शून्यपद्मं विचिन्तयेत् ।

सदाशिवस्यनाभिस्थपद्मनालामृतोत्थिता ॥ २२ ॥

śmaśānādho raktapadmaṃ śūnyapadmaṃ vicintayet |

sadāśivasyanābhisthapadmanālāmṛtotthitā || 22 ||

One should meditate on the red lotus and the void lotus (Śūnyapadma) below the cremation ground. (She) arose from the nectar of the lotus-stalk situated in the navel of Sadāśiva (Eternal Śiva). She is the Divine Mother Śakti who is the essence of the entire Creation and is also a complete void. All states exist within Her at the same time. She is the power of Śiva and they are inseparable and one and the same.

अधः सिंहासनं दिव्यं तदधः पञ्चप्रेतकम् ।

तदधौ दशदिक्पाला रक्तपद्मखगान्तरे ॥ २३ ॥

adhaḥ siṃhāsanaṃ divyaṃ tadadhaḥ pañcapretakam |

tadadhau daśadikpālā raktapadmakhagāntare || 23 ||

Below Her seat is a divine lion-throne, and below that (is) the five corpses (Pañcapretaka).

Below that are the Ten Guardians of the Directions in the midst of red lotuses and birds. The descent of the super-consciousness into the Creation and the five primordial acts of Creation, Sustenance, Destruction, Concealment and Revelation are signified. The cardinal directions and the gravitational forces as well as all other subtle forces necessary for the universes to exist, are denoted.

ज्योतिपुञ्जं शून्यमध्ये ज्वालाव्याप्त दिगन्तरम् ।

तदन्तरे स्थितां देवीं ध्यात्वामोक्षमवाप्नुयात् ॥ २४ ॥

jyotipuñjaṃ śūnyamadhye jvālāvyāpta digantaram |

tadantare sthitāṃ devīṃ dhyātvāmokṣamavāpnuyāt || 24 ||

One should meditate on the cluster of light (Jyotipuñja) arising in the middle of the void, the intermediate space pervaded by flames. Meditating on the Goddess situated within that space, one attains liberation.

This article is written by Krishna Vallapareddy and can be contacted at Krishna@manblunder.com