Namaste. Regarding the nityā Devis of the waning moon, we see them sometimes assigned to specific forms of Kālī, while the list of Devis stays constant. For example, Kāmakalā Kālī or Dakshina Kālī will be associated with them, while Lalitā seems to be most regularly identified with the brightening moon nityās. In the comment fragment I’ll paste below, for an example (from Tripuraghna iirc), the darkening moon nityās are associated with mahāpratyangirā. While of course all including Lalitā are Kālī, I am curious if these perhaps kula-specific meanings of the nityas, is very dependent on which ultimate form of Kālī they are called rays or limbs or modifications of. Example: “ This indicates the balance between good and evil. Full Moon is Lalita. New Moon is Maha Pratyangira. Lalita has 16 Nitya devis. Maha prartyangira also has her own Nitya Devis to subjugate Lalita Nitya Devis when necessary for the balance between good and evil. The 16 Nitya Devis of Pratyangira are in the same position as the Devi Khadgamala: Kāli, Kapālini, Kulle, Kurukulle, Virodhini, Vipracitte, Ugre, Ugraprabhe, Dīpte, Nīle, Ghane, Balāke, Mātre, Mudre, Mite and Paramātmike. These are the Nitya Devis of Maha Pratyangira. They are the dark part of the moon. They control the divine game where sometimes Lalita must yield to Pratyangira and other times Pratyangira must yield to Lalita. The last case would be when the malicious devotee desists from using the Shri Chakra's energies for evil. Seeing the devotee's regret, Maha Pratyangira stops subduing the malicious devotee and allows him to enjoy Lalita's energies.”

Namaste Wide Awake. This is taught in the Kulakaulinīmata: "This is the Lion of Destruction, who causes fear and destroys it. This is the form He assumes to accomplish universal destruction. This is the form of the body of the Person which arises and falls away. This form is hard to behold and bestows the accomplishment of heroes. This is Yamāntaka, who gives and removes fear." From one perspective, Him being the "Lion of Destruction" is because He is the consort of Kālī who is known in the scriptures of the northern transmission as Vaiṣṇavī and Mahālakṣmī. But also, the powerful and royal image of the lion indicates an unsurpassable and supremely potent power, which is the very nature of the supreme reality itself: simultaneously its power of grace, the bestower of grace, and the result of grace which is the immersion into the fullness of one's true nature. As is proper for the Kālikākrama, His destructive nature is emphasized. The sense of this is explained in the Jayadrathayāmala Tantra: "Knowledge, the object of knowledge and the knower, and that which is like the womb of cognition - it all dissolves away in the Supreme Abode which is the ultimate reality devoid of ego." The devouring of time is the withdrawal of all sequentiality and duality into the eternal present of the bliss of stillness. That is to say, the realization of the oneness of all things prevails. The Jayadrathayāmala also says: "His body is Nṛsiṃha and is fierce, greedy to devour the three worlds." That He "causes fear and destroys it" is the meaning of the name Bhairava itself. He creates the fear of transmigratory existence in the hearts of men in the form of grace, and likewise saves from that fearful existence. Likewise, as the support of all things, He is the creator and sustainer of transmigratory existence as well. Again, from the: "He is Himself the Lord of the Heroes, the destroyer of the bonds of phenomenal existence. Transmigratory existence is born of transmigratory existence. Ultimate, eternal being experienced through the wine that ends transmigratory existence should be grasped within being. It reduces everything born from the krama of the ocean of Māyā to ashes." He assumes the form of the individual subject and destroys it. The letter Ṁ indicates the supreme subject which is the basis of and assumes the forms of the subject, means of knowledge, and object and yet remains undivided by them. The letter Ma is puruṣatattva, this supreme subject in a contracted form. The former contains the trace of the latter, which is to say it is the same basic concept but in an elevated, less concrete (that is to say, it is close to the essential nature of the supreme reality) form. The Jayadrathayāmala gives further descriptions: "The Supreme Sky that is tranquil is completely full and omnipresent, eternal, free of being and nonbeing, its form beyond all cause. Unborn, endless, omniscient, all-pervasive, imperishable Śiva, the benefactor of all the universe. He is Akula, present everywhere in all directions, located all around. This manifest universe is His belly. Undivided, He possesses great light. He should be known to be Mādhava, the Lord of Kula who is the Sun of Kula, Unborn, imperishable, tranquil, He generates emanation and brings about withdrawal. Fierce, greatly terrible and most excellent, He is Kulabhairava." Now about Guhyākālī, Her maṇḍala is that of the classical Mahārtha system, though with some variation. The classical Krama/Mahārtha system followed a pentadic pattern, and so Guhyākālī is worshipped in five forms pertaining to this five-fold structure of reality: sṛṣṭi, sthiti, saṁhāra, anākhya and bhāsā. Each one has its own visualization. The classical texts do not mention Guhyakālī specifically, but I'm willing to bet only a small portion of Guhyakālī sādhakas actually know the complex intricacies of the Mahārtha. She is also the weapon limb of Kubjikā, whose vidyā is used to cause death and destruction, and to retaliate against black magic done to the sādhaka. For that reason She is also directly equated to Pratyaṅgirā. However, this vidyā is referred to as "the death of death, born from the fire that burns the worlds." in the Kubjikāmata Tantra. The "fire that burns the worlds" is the energy of the bliss of consciousness which burns at the center of Kubjikā's maṇḍala; the mythical fire which burns at the bottom of the ocean (the bindu in the center of the central triangle). The implications of the destructive power it has to withdraw all things into itself should be obvious given what I have already said here. It is the "end of death", like Nṛsiṃhabhairava. So, the Tantras teach that She can give both worldly results and liberation.

Namaste dylan! Could you elaborate on Divine mother sri guhya kali's consort sri swachanda narsimha and on sri guhya kali herself, what and how does she function in tantras?

Yes prince, it was out of respect and love I said that, not because i felt offended. Just plain texts cant express the tone, hence it might lead to misunderstanding but my tone was humble.

dear dylan and friends, i would like to ask about the mystery behind the 5 aim bijas in sequence - aim aim aim aim aim

oops sorry, i did not mean it that way. what i meant was if there was differing opinions please correct me. we all should learn from each other and we all are definitely in the position to correct one another for the greater collective

Let us all put a collective sincere prayer to the Divine Mother for them to return as soon as possible and further guide us. More importantly, let us pray that they are safe and well.

Does anyone know why the portion of the angas of Devi Mahatmya which enumerates the details of each manvantara, who is the manu etc, is so often omitted from version of Devi Mahatmya? It is in some scholarly editions such as Thomas Coburn’s, but it seems to be not present or edited out of the versions available online. I may not be recalling the correct position of this part of the text, found in Markendeya Purana after the seven hundred verses iirc. It always struck me as particular, because within, for each manvantara, a few “families” of souls are mentioned, by family name. And, they are mentioned because which family will be the devas and and which will be the asuras each manvantara is being pronounced. This would add perhaps a whole other layer to how reincarnation and transmigration occurs, something maybe like an unexpected sub-basement or rooftop. I would love to understand what’s going on with that, and also, why do so many versions of modern Devi Mahatmya manuals and book, omit this Rahasya or the manvantaras? Iirc, it is easier to find in older version of Markandeya Purana, such as the text available from Forgotten Books

Thank you! I am going to move Tamil up in priority to learn. honestly it is pure laziness on my part that I have not. My dad is from Chennai, and I work in TN some times. Really have no excuse for not speaking at least a little bit by now. Why did you learn from a young age, if I may ask?

Might it be possible to go into further detail of the dhyanam for Mahatripura Bhairavi on her panchasimhasana throne? My current understanding is that, while the south and north quadrant lions face in their respective quadrant’s directions, the lion of the western/ pascima quadrant faces east, as does the lion of the purva quadrant. One confusion I have is the “these two of the Eastern Throne”, which seems to be referring to the two Bhairavis of the pascima throne. Please pardon my ignorance. For the benefit of successful sadhana, is it possible to add detail to Mahatripura Bhairavi and her lion as well? Best wishes Tivra. Thank you so so much for everything!