गान्धर्व तन्त्र (शैव-शाक्त आगम - मन्त्र-रहस्य, यन्त्र एवं देवतोपासना सटीक)

24th CHAPTER
It describes the importance and fruit of
offering worship to the girls and the Prāyaścitta or
penance that is to be done by the devotee when he misses
performance of the daily worship. It lays stress on the daily
worship as compared with the occasional or purposeful and
instructs that, on the 14th, 8th or 15th days of the bright
half of the month as also on the 14th day of the dark half
falling on Tuesday Yajna or sacrifice should be offered to
Tripurā. Yajna is considered as a body in which meditation,
worship, muttering of the mantra and Homa constitute the
four hands, devotion head, faith heart, skill in action eyes,
knowledge of the Ātman the soul and Nyāsas the remaining
parts of the body. Such a 14th day of the dark-half of the month
on which Tuesday and the constellation Tishya fall simultan-
eously is the most sacred day for the devotee of Tripurā.
25th CHAPTER
This chapter is devoted to the description of the
sacred spots in India and the merits that a devotee gains
by offering worship in these places. The sacred places are river
banks, caves, mountain tops, sources of water, confluences of
rivers, forests, gardens, mountain feet, Tulasī-groves, cow-
sheds, root of the Aśvattha or Āmalakī, temple of Shiva,

shore of ocean, solitary places and those where the preceptor
lives or which help in the concentration of the mind, the
cities of Benares and Dwārikā, the Vindhya mountain, Āryāvarta,
Brahmāvarta, Prayāga, Pushkara, the river Karatoyā, Nandi
kunda etc It also tells that the devotee is not held
back from worship by the consideration of impurity arising
from death or birth and that he should offer worship mentally
in times of such a calamity
26th CHAPTER
It deals with Dīkshā or initiation. It is necessary for
the practitioner of mantras because it imparts right knowledge
and removes sins Before having been done by man to man
initiation was started by the holy line of nine divine teachers, viz
Prakāśa, Vimarśa, Ānanda, Jñāna, Satya, Purna, Svabhāva,
Pratibha, Subhaga, the first three living eternally in heaven,
the middle three partly in heaven and partly on earth and
the last three only on earth These receive their worship
between Vimalā and Jayani in Shrīchakra Qualifications are
laid down of both the initiator and the initiate The former
among other things must have all good qualities = be free
from vanity, greedless, healthy, pure, speaking truth and
knowing sacred laws of the Tantras The latter must be orthodox,
merciful, attached to the teacher, considerate and greedless.
He should aviod all acts of indecency especially when in

presence of the teacher and should have as much faith in
him as in his own God or Mantra and be respectful towards
him The months which are described for initiation are
given in the following order of importance:-
Assoon, Katak, Baisakh, Phagan, Maghar, Chet, Har,
and Magh Days of the lunar reckoning and the week days
prescribed for the said purpose are 15th, 5th, 2nd, 7th,
and 13th and 10th and Sunday, Thursday, Friday, Monday
and Wednesday.
The initiation is said to be of three kinds that of
mantras, that of Shakti and that of Shiva. The first involves
the use of mantras, worship, postures, meditation and con-
centration etc The second has a reference to that in which
the initiator infuses his own spiritual power in the initiate.
The third is that in which a spiritualist par excellence sanctifies
the person with no regard to qualifications merely by his
glance to the extent that the Reality becomes visible to him.
The end of the chapter explains the details of
initiation such as selection and preparation of a place for
initiation, making offerings to Vāstupāla together with
the Vedic recitation and blessings of the learned Brahmins,
sowing of seeds, and rendering worship to the Dikpālas with
a view to invoking their help in performing initiation, puri-
fication of the place, Shrichakra and the disciple with

Panchagavya, performing Homa and disclosing the mantra
called Svapnamānava, i e , हिलि हिलि शूलपाणये स्वाहा to the disciple
and putting him to sleep afterwards The disciple
is instructed to carefully remember the dreams good or
bad he has seen in sleep The good dreams are those in
which the objects seen are a girl, an umbrella, a chariot,
a lamp, a palace, a river, saffron etc Bad dreams on the
other hand involve reference to an ass a crow, ditch etc
The preceptor has to make a hundred offerings with the
Astra matia in case the initiate sees bad dreams
27th CHAPTER
This also is devoted to the description of initiation
The seeker after initiation is to approach the initiator with
the request for initiation after having duly done worship
to gods and the manes Initiator is to enter the pavilion
raised for the purpose and instal a water-pot of gold or
silver or copper on the Shrichakra drawn on the earth The
water-pot is to be filled with fragrant substances and certain
herbs and varieties of earth, and wrapped with a couple
of cloths The same is to be placed on a stand. The stand,
the water-pot and the water respectively representing the
Fire, the Sun and the Moon are to receive worship through
their Kalās. The candidate for initiation is asked after this

to fill his hands with flowers and throw them so as to see
whether their throw is in the auspicious direction or other-
wise In the latter case the initiator is to ward off the evil
by performing a Homa After performing worship to the
attendant deities of Tripurasundarī sacrificial food is to be
prepared of which a part is to be offered to her and the
rest to the fire, care being taken that the fire is ablaze
The candidate is to have his face covered with a cloth
and then be besprinkled with the water from Viśeshārghya
and the initiator is to request the goddess to be kind to
the candidate and inspire him with her devotion After this
he has to receive instructions from the initiator as to the
line of action he should follow in future The initiator should
imagine that the fetters of sins binding the body of the
candidate have been burnt down with the fire of kuṇḍalinī
rising from the Mulādhāra to the Brahmarandra and also
enter his body through the Yogic power and unite his soul
with his own After having him seated on a diagram of the
alphabet, the initiator should bathe him with the water of
the water-pot, muttering the three Bījas of the Mūlamantra
and then dress him and oint him with sandal-wood and other
pastes He should also instruct the candidate to perform the
Mātrikā-nyāsa and the Mantra-nyāsa at the end of which
his face is to be unveiled and he sees things required for
the worship and takes food, while muttering the mantras of

the Tattvas, with the Mudrā of morsels. Then the initiator
acquaints him with the mantras of the Guru and Bālā and the
mantra of the candidate's choice or all mantras atonce In
doing the latter the initiator keeps his foot on the head of
the candidate He also gives him a new name of initiation
consisting of two or three syllables with the word आनन्दनाथ
coming at the end Having thus brought him up to the
same footing with himself in the spritual sphere, the initiator
should embrace him and smell him on the head In order to
keep his own spritual power intact the teacher should also
perform the Japá of the Mulamantra one thousand and eight
times The candidate should offer due and costly presents so
that his teacher may be satisfied

28th CHAPTER

In this are given the instructions regarding Purash
charana which is necessary for obtaining success in the
mantra Purashcharna means performance of the Japa of
a mantra either one thousand and eight times or fiftythou-
sand times This is necessary to remove the obstacles due
to lack of faith, scepticism and the demerits of the previous
lives This may be done either by the disciple or by the
teacher or by some worthy Brahmin in some sacred place
either on the 14th or the 8th or the 15th day of the dark
half of the month The practitioner is to keep a fast for

the previous day and perform worship to Brahmins or teachers,
Gaṇeśa, mother deities ad manes. The Japa is to be done
in a suitable place which is to be selected carefully by
testing the same with the help of the diagram called Kur-
machakra consisting of nine sections in which the alphabet
or the Mātṛkā is arranged in a prescribed manner The
rosary to be used is to consist of the beads of pearl, crystal
etc Beads may number a hundred, fifty or twentyeight
One of them which stands for the Meru should be the
biggest, the rest being gradually smaller in size and each
bead should have a knot The holy articles of food such
as curd, milk, Ghee etc should be taken and those of the
opposed character should be avoided The practitioner should
also observe sleeping on the earth, celibacy, silence, absence
of envy, three daily baths, avoidance of mean acts, daily
worship, daily charity, praising of the deity, occasional
worship, reliance on the teacher and the deity and avoid
the company of and eating with women, Sudra, outcast etc,
lying, cheating, deceitful talk, hearing the music and seeing
a dance etc Japa should not be done when the doer is without a
Pavitra in the hand naked, with the head covered, without
a seat, asleep, going or standing in the street, dark places
or talking It should not be continued on seeing, talking to
and hearing an outcast, sneezing, discharging the wind and
yawning Everyday such an amount of Japa should be done
from the morning till midday as has been fixed per day

44
There should not be a pause of even one day in the
period of Puraścharana. At the end of Japa the offering
should be made to the extent of its 10th part in the puri-
fying fire. Tarpaṇa, Mārjana and the feeding of the Bramins
should be done respectively to the extent of the 10th part
of the Homa, 10th part of the Tarpaṇa and the 10th part
of the Mārjana. The five acts of a sacred bath, purging
of the sins, offering water to the Sun, sipping of water
and Prāṇāyāma come after the above. The large scale
worship is to be conducted at the end to complete the
Puraścharana. There is yet another way of performing the
same. According to this the practitioner is to keep a fast
previous to the day on which a Solar or Lunar eclipse
falls and stand in the river navel-deep and mutter the
mantra during the time of the eclipse, and after having
done so perform Homa etc.
29th CHAPTER
In the above the practitioner is instructed to mutter
the mantra of Devi with his wife at the time of midnight,
because anything done of religious merit at this time has
got far greater significance than if done at others. Perfor-
mance of Japa nine-hundred-thousand times of Devi is
calculated to qualify the practitioner for approach to her.
This is to be done in the following manner:-

Three-hundred-thousand times when the practitioner
has to concentrate his mind upon Kundalinī in the Mūlādhāra
centre coiling herself round a phallic mass of light called
Svayambhu. Again three hundred thousand times in the heart
with the mind fixed on Kundalinī with the Liṅga as above
called Bāna. Lastly the same number of times in the head
with attention fixed on Kundalinī with the Liṅga called Itara.
Mind loses its separate entity and becomes one with
the object of meditation when Japa is performed a crore
times. The serpent power lying dormant is to be awakened
and raised from centre to centre in the body of the
practitioner and these centres number nine and are located
in the Mūlādhāra, Liṅga, navel, heart, throat, middle of the
eyebrows and so on. The practitioner is advised further to
see that the mantra when muttered is not subjected to
the impurity, attendant on birth and death. Each breath
before its beginning and termination is said to have this
pollution. Immunity from such impurity is obtained by that
practitioner who knows the meaning of the mantra, the life
of the mantra and the Yonimudrā.
The meaning of the mantra of Devī Tripurasundarī is said
to be sixfold, i. e., literal meaning, traditional meaning, inner
meaning, Kaulika meaning, occult meaning and real meaning.
According to the literal meaning, the mantra is to be
understood as implying the union of Śiva and Śakti because

44
There should not be a pause of even one day in the
period of Puraścharaṇa At the end of Japa the offering
should be made to the extent of its 10th part in the puri-
fying fire Tarpana, Mārjana and the feeding of the Bramins
should be done respectively to the extent of the 10th part
of the Homa, 10th part of the Tarpana and the 10th part
of the Mārjana The five acts of a sacred bath, purging
of the sins, offering water to the Sun, sipping of water
and Prāṇāyāma come after the above The large scale
worship is to be conducted at the end to complete the
Puraścharaṇa There is yet another way of performing the
same According to this the practitioner is to keep a fast
previous to the day on which a Solar or Lunar eclipse
falls and stand in the river navel-deep and mutter the
mantra during the time of the eclipse, and after having
done so perform Homa etc
29th CHAPTER
In the above the practitioner is instructed to mutter
the mantra of Devī with his wife at the time of midnight,
because anything done of religious merit at this time has
got far greater significance than if done at others. Perfor
mance of Japa nine-hundred-thousand times of Devī is
calculated to qualify the practitioner for approach to her.
This is to be done in the following manner:-

Three-hundred-thousand times when the practitioner
has to concentrate his mind upon Kundalinī in the Mūlādhāra
centre coiling herself round a phallic mass of light called
Svayambhu. Again three hundred thousand times in the heart
with the mind fixed on Kundalinī with the Liṅga as above
called Bāṇa. Lastly the same number of times in the head
with attention fixed on Kundalinī with the Liṅga called Itara.
Mind loses its separate entity and becomes one with
the object of meditation when Japa is performed a crore
times. The serpent power lying dormant is to be awakened
and raised from centre to centre in the body of the
practitioner and these centres number nine and are located
in the Mūlādhāra, Liṅga, navel, heart, throat, middle of the
eyebrows and so on. The practitioner is advised further to
see that the mantra when muttered is not subjected to
the impurity, attendant on birth and death. Each breath
before its beginning and termination is said to have this
pollution. Immunity from such impurity is obtained by that
practitioner who knows the meaning of the mantra, the life
of the mantra and the Yonimudrā.
The meaning of the mantra of Devī Tripurasundarī is said
to be sixfold, i.e., literal meaning, traditional meaning, inner
meaning, Kaulika meaning, occult meaning and real meaning.
According to the literal meaning, the mantra is to be
understood as implying the union of Śiva and Śakti because

the constituent syllables of the same represent either Śiva
or Śakti Hence the first part of the mantra called Vāg-
bhava, i. e., हसकलह्री represents Vāmā Śakti, Brahmā Goddess
of wisdom, volition and Pūrvāmnāya, the second called
Kāmarāja, i, e , हमकहहलह्री Jyeṣṭhā Śakti, Viṣṇu, Goddess of
earth, cognition and Dakshiṇāmnāya and the third called
Śaktı, i. e., सकलह्री Raudrī Śaktı, Rudra, action and Paśchimā-
mnāya The syallable at the end of all these parts represents
Ambikā Śaktı, Śambhu, Śāntā, all the three aspects volition
etc and Uttarāmnāya
All these parts are further viewed as represen-
tatives of the three acts of creation, sustenance and
destruction In this way in the Vāgbhava with reference
to the creation as beginning, ह denotes Brahmā, स Goddess
of wisdom with reference to the same as continuing
(considered as sustenance) क denotes Viṣṇu, ल Goddess of
earth, with reference again to the same as ending, ह denotes
Rudrāṇī and र Rudra and the syllable ई denotes Śiva Sakti
and their combination (Anākhya) In the Kāmarāja ह & स
represent continuity as beginning, क & ल continuity as
continuous ह continuity as ending and ई as Anākhya. Addition
of ह in this part indicates that it refers to the stage of
continuity In the Śaktı स as abbreviation of हस denotes
destruction as beginning, कल destruction as continuity, ह
destruction as ending and ई the same as before

According to the Sampradayartha ह denotes sky क are
र fire स water and ल earth, giving birth respectivly to sky
etc The goddess of the mantra is to be meditated upon
as identical with the whole universe The fifteen syllables
of the mantra respectively represent also the 15 qualities
of the elements i e, 1 of the sky, 2 of the air, 3 of the
fire and 4 of the water and 5 of the earth The mantra
when analyzed into its constituents including both vowels
and consonants resolves itself into the 37 parts as 5 vowels
(4 अs + 1 ई) and 6 consonants हसकलहर in the first part,
as 6 vowels (5 अs + 1 ई) and 7 consonants हसकहलहर in the
2nd part, as 4 vowels (3 अs + 1 ई) and 5 consonants सकलहर
in the 3rd part, as 3 Bindus at the end of these parts and
as a whole. These 37 constituents represent the 36 categories
both individually and collectively The 6 हs in the mantra
represent the sound as effect (fivefold) and as cause. The
3 ईs and the Bindu at their end stand for the 4 forms
of touch, 3 रs represent 3 aspects of form, 2 सs represent
2 kinds of water gross and subtle and the 3rd स stands for
the connection between water and nectar. 3 लs represent
the earth as existing in the 3 worlds 3 कs also represent 3
classes of cognisers— Aśuddha, Suddha and Miśra, 12 अs
represent Jivā as such, Jīva as breath, Jīva as spirit, 3 Bindus,
purusha, Rāga, Vdyā, Kalā Nīyatī, Kāla, Māyā, Śuddhavidyā,
Ishvara and Sadāshiva and 3 Nādas, Sānti, Śakti and Śambhu

According to the inner meaning, the mantra reminds
of the identity between Śiva, the teacher and the disciple.
According to the Kaulika meaning it reminds of the
identity between the mantra, the diagram, the deity, the
teacher and the disciple. Identity between the mantra and
the diagram is thus established—
3 लs = 3 rectangles, 3 सs = 3 circles enclosing the
two lotuses, thrice three parts of ह्रीं i. e. हर्ड = 9 triangles,
3 हs = one 14 sided figure and 2 decagons, 3 कs = the centre.
Identity. between the diagram and the deity is shown
as below -
One hundred and eleven deities that are worshipped
in the different parts of the diagram attend upon the Devi
and hence she is the main deity of the chakra. She is also
manifest in the form of the planets counting nine as she
constitutes the essence of the moon, the sun and the fire,
volition cogination and action, Sattva Rajas and Tamas.
She appears in the form of constellations representing
sense organs (5) active organs (5) sense and action objects
(10) mind, wisdom, ego, chitta, matter, qualities, and spirit.
The six Yoginis Dākinī to Hākinī as presiding deities
of the six constituents of the body skin, etc. and the eight
mothers Brāhmī etc. as presiding over vowels, gutturals,
palatals, linguals, dentals, labials, semi vowels and aspirates
are mere representations of the Devi. As one with the ten
vital currents, limited soul and supreme soul she appears

as twelve signs of zodiac.
The above forms of Gaṇeśa are also traceable from
the mantra. The three parts of the mantra respectively
represent Vaikharī, Madhyamā and Paśyantī as presiding
over the three groups of sixteen letters each (थ to स, क to त
थ to स.). Hence Devī the deity of the mantra stands as
the mistress of all the forms of speech.
As the mantra has three parts, three Bindus and
three Nadas, it reminds of her planetary form. Again as it
possesses three parts having 5 letters (ह र ई Bindu and Nāda)
at the end of each in addition to the remaining letters
numbering 12 she is to be considered as one with constel-
lations. As the 6 letters suggestive of Śakti, i. e., 3 ह्रीँs and
3 लs, represent Yoginīs she assumes their form. Similarly
all the letters of the mantra excepting the 3 ending ह्रीँs
counting twelve stand for the 12 signs of zodiac and hence
she appears in the form of Rāshis also.
The identity between the teacher and the taught
This can be acquired and realized just as that between
the deity and her body either as mantra or as chakra, which
has been described above.
According to the occult meaning the mantra reminds
the practitioner again and again to be attentive to the idea
of identity between his self and Kuṇḍalinī which wakes
up in the Mūlādhāra and rises from there to the lunar seat
in the head.

According to the real meaning the practitioner has to
merge himself in the Transcendental Self.
30th CHAPTER
The three parts of the incantation of Devī known by
the terms Vāgbhava, Kāmarāja and Śakti together with the
Hamsa-mantra are described in this chapter. ह and स of हंस are
said to be representative of the vital breath and the soul,
existence and intelligence, Śiva and Śakti. This mantra is called
Ajapā because it is not to be muttered but to be meditated upon
so much so that the practitioner is to realize his unity with
the Transcendental Self. Of the Mātṛkā of the Sanskrit
alphabet, vowels constitute the breath, and Bindu and
Visarga consciousness. Every incantation becomes lifeless
as it were, if not possessing Bindu, Visarga, ह, स and ई श्रीं ह्रीं.
हंस ऐँ क्लीं सौः ह्रीँश्रीँ is supposed to vitalise every mantra as
do Bodhinī and Dīpinī. Meditation on Kuṇḍalinī in the form
of a flame, if accompanied by the 3 Kūṭas above referred
to, leads the practitioner to acquire respectively extraordinary
wisdom, power of charming and immunity from the effect
of poison.
The meaning of Kāmakalā and what it stands for
and other details regarding the same are given at the end
of the chapter.

31st CHAPTER
This chapter gives the details regarding the Homa
or sacrifice These are offerings to be made, formation
of the Kunda and the diagram, sacrificial pots, the incan-
tations meant to invoke the fire etc Particular objects
obtainable from making particular offerings are also fully
mentioned together with the measure and weight of the
latter at the end of the chapter
32nd CHAPTER
How a particular ring is to be prepared and how
the same is to be worn by a worshipper of Devi are
mentioned in this chapter The ring like the letters of the
Sanskrit alphabet is to be considered as identical with the
Sun, Moon and Fire. Hence the same is to be made up
of gold, silver and copper as representing Sun, Moon and
Fire The metals named above are to be in the ratio of 12,
16 and 10. The ring is to be washed with the five products
of cow and five Amritas on a bright Tuesday. The alpha-
bet should be written in the form of a lotus and the
9 pots full of perfume, water and jewels should occupy
the place of the 8 leaves and the centre of the lotus.
In the central pot should be placed the ring the three
parts whereof should be worshipped as Moon, Sun and Fire
with the three Bijas of Devi and with the three groups

of letters 16 vowels, 24 consonants क to भ , and ten other
consonants य to क्ष
Nayāsa of Sammohini and Mātṛkā comes after this
The goddess of the latter is to be meditated upon as
three-eyed, moon-white and wearing the emblems rosary, goad,
arrows, noose, two lotuses, bow and book After offering
the worship with flowers, lamps etc , together with that of
attendant deities and muttering the mantra thousand times,
the ring should be put in hand The Sampāta Homa also should
be done after this The disciple who is to wear the ring
should be bathed with the water of the 9 pots above referred
to when placed on the lotus of the Mātṛkā. When thus
qualified, he is to wear the same on the index finger. It
may be made of 9 jewels which are sacred to the 9
planets which represent the 9 classes into which the Sans-
krit alphabet is divided.
33rd CHAPTER.
This chapter deals with the invocation of the presence
of Devi It is said to be possible in three ways in the diagram,
in the image and in the disciple The disciple should make
an image either of a jewel or of gold or of silver and have Devi
invoked in it. The image should be taken out every month
and worship conducted through it with the 64 articles of the
same The diagram should be washed with the five products

of a cow placed in an altar on a conch After this he
should do other items of worship and having washed the
same diagram with different juices and waters and put the
same on a golden seat Then Devi is to be invoked and the
diagram retouched and electrified with the mantra श्रां ह्री etc
Then is the worship to be done with the necessary `articles
Recitation of the hymns completes the worship.
34th CHAPTER .
In this the reader finds the details given about the
worship of Devi as done by the follower of Kulāchāra
Among many other things, he has to observe that he does
not keep fasts, does not see a naked lady or one with
visible breasts, that he avoids anything painful to women,
that he eats modestly so as to keep healthy, that when
sacrificing an animal he gets it beheaded by someone else
while reciting the mantra उद्बुध्यस्व etc. He is further directed
not to be too much given to hunting, nor to indulge in
gambling but to strictly watch the conduct of women at
home. He alone is to make use of the liquor, who is not
adversely affected by it but who on the other hand is
uniform in treatment to all beings, is equally affected by
honour or dishonour, by friend or foe, by stone or gold and
who speaks smilingly and with steady eyes The best sign
of success in worship is afforded by detachment, thurst

for release, renunciation, control over everything, the practising
of the eight-limbed Yoga, avoidance of enjoyment, mercy
towards all beings, acquisition of omniscience etc.
35th CHAPTER
The worship of Devī through the medium of a lady
forms the subject-matter of this chapter. This is strictly to
be done in privacy and at night. In laying stress on the
use of the necessary material for this sort of worship
instances are quoted of Vishnu, Indra, Pushpadanta, Datt-
ātreya and Balarāma. Various powers are said to be obtain-
able from this worship. But the worshipper is to do ever
function with the help of his wife.
36th CHAPTER.
In this chapter the follower of Kulāchāra is instructed
to have his wife initiated like himself by his own teacher
who is to treat her as his own daughter. The Kula worship
is to be celebrated on the 8th and 14th day of each half
of the month through a diagram drawn on an earthen pot
with red lead. The diagram is to consist of a hexagon in-
side a lotus. The image of Devī is to be drawn with the
same material in the middle of the hexagon. The name of
the person to be hypnotized is to occupy the cheeks of
the image. The Mantra of Devī ऐं क्लीं सौः comes before
and after. The Kāmabīja, i. e, क्लीं should be prominent in