LS - 151

151 Niranthara – She who is forever continuous

"Vahni koti prabham Sookshmam, koti koti heylineem,

Varadam raktha varnam cha Baalaam vande sanathaneem"

I salute Bala who is without beginning,

Who in micro form is brighter than billions of fires,

Who is as good as billion lights of the moon,

Who is of the red colour of blood,And who takes care of every one.

Ancient texts dwells on this,and it is said in many different ways, that she is the beginning and the end and in some texts they quote her as the mother of the universe so if she is the mother she cannot have a beginning and she cannot have an end.Let us look at this more closely.

Devi Bhagavatam begins thus:

"I meditate on the beginningless Brahmâvidyâ who is Sarvachaitanyarûpâ, of the nature of all-consciousness; May She stimulate our buddhi to the realisation of That (or who stimulates our buddhi in different directions)."

Why do we say she is forever continous?Is it that we say just to praise or is there some truth in it.I don't think so. It has to be in the texts and it has record of devi herself telling her bhakthas of who she really is.In Devi gita, devi explains who she really is:

"I create this whole world on this Unchangeable Eternal (Mountain-like) Brahma, (composed of Avidyâ, Karma, and various Samskâras) and enter first as Prâna (vital breath) within it in the form of Chidâbhâsa. O Mountain! Unless I enter as Breath, how can this birth and death and leaving and retaking bodies after bodies be accounted for! As one great Âkâs'â is denominated variously Ghatâkâs'a (Âkâs'â in the air), Patâkâs'a (Âkâs'â in cloth or picture), so I too appear variously by acknowledging this Prâna in various places due to Avidyâ and various Antahkaranas. As the Sun's rays are never defiled when they illumine various objects on earth, so I, too, am not defiled in entering thus into various high and low Antahkaranas (hearts). The ignorant people attach Buddhi and other things of activity on Me and say that Âtman is the Doer; the intelligent people do not say that. I remain as the Witness in the hearts of all men, not as the Doer. O Achalendra! There are many Jîvas and many Îs'varas due to the varieties in Avidyâ and Vidyâ. Really it is Mâyâ that differentiates into men, beasts and various other Jîvas; and it is Mâyâ that differentiates into Brahma, Visnu and other Îs'varas. As the one pervading sky (Âkâs'a) is called Mahâkâs'a Ghatâkas'a (being enclosed by jars), so the One All pervading Paramâtmâ is called Paramâtmâ, Jîvâtmâ (being enclosed within Jîvas). As the Jîvas are conceived many by Mâyâ, not in reality; so Îs'varas also are conceived many by Mâyâ; not in essence. O Mountain! This Avidyâ and nothing else, is the cause of the difference in Jîvas, by creating differences in their bodies, indriyas (organs) and minds. Again, due to the varieties in the three Gunas and their wants (due to the differences between Sâttvik, Râjasik and Tâmasik desires), Mâyâ also appears various. And their differences are the causes of different Îs'varas, Brahma, Visnu and others. O Mountain! This whole world is interwoven in Me; It is I that am the Îs'vara that resides in causal bodies; I am the "Sutrâtman, Hiranyagarbha that resides in subtle bodies and it is I that am the Virât, residing in the gross bodies. I am Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes'vara; I am the Brâhmâ, Vaisnavi and Raudrî S'aktis. I am the Sun, I am the Moon, I am the Stars; I am beast, birds, Chandâlas and I am the Thief, I am the cruel hunter; I am the virtuous high-souled persons and I am the female, male, and hermaphrodite. There is no doubt in this. O Mountain! Wherever there is anything, seen or heard, I alway exist there, within and without, There is nothing moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me. If there be such, that is like the son of a barren woman. Just as one rope is mistaken for a snake or a garland, so I am the One Brahma and appears as Îs'vara, etc. There, is no doubt in this. This world cannot appear without a substratum."she adds"And That Substratum is My Existence. There can be nothing else."

Her display of her cosmic form to the devas is the clear indication of her continous nature.Let me bring before you her cosmic form, which made the devas tremble with devotion for her "THE MOTHER".The Satyaloka is situated on the topmost part and is Her head; the Sun and Moon are Her eyes; the quarters, Her ears; the Vedas are Her words; the Universe is Her heart; the earth is Her loins; the Bhuvarloka is Her navel; the asterisms are Her Thighs; the Maharloka is Her neck; the Janarloka is Her Face; the Taparloka is Her head, situated below the S'atyaloka; Indra and the Devas and the Svarloka is Her arms; the sound is the organ of Her ears; the As'vin twins, Her nose; the smell is the organ of smell; the fire is within Her face; day and night are like Her two wings. The four-faced Brahmâ is Her eyebrows; water is Her palate; the juice thereof is Her organ of taste; Yama, the God of Death, is Her large teeth; the affection is Her small teeth; Mâyâ is Her smile; the creation of Universe is Her sidelooks; modesty is Her upper lip; covetousness is Her lower lip; unrighteousness is Her back. The Prajâpati is Her organ of generation; the oceans are Her bowels; the mountains are Her bones; the rivers are Her veins; and the trees are the hairs of Her body. O King! Youth, virginity, and old age are Her best gaits, positions or ways (courses) paths, the clouds are Her handsome hairs; the two twilights are Her clothings; the Moon is the mind of the Mother of the Universe; Hari is Her Vijnâna S'âkti (the knowledge power); and Rudra is Her all-destroying power. The horses and other animals are Her loins; the lower regions Atala, etc., are Her lower regions from Her hip to Her feet.

Devi bhagavatam clearly explains why Devi is supreme and why she alone has to be worshipped, which again amounts to she being continous.

She is present everywere thus in every thing in this universe from the highest Brahmâ to the lowermost blade of grass, all moving and non-moving things. Verily everything becomes quite inert, if deprived of force; whether in conquering one's enemies, or in going from one place to another or in eating -- one finds oneself quite incapable, if deprived of force. Thus the omnipresent S’aktî, the wise call by the name of Brahmâ. Those who are verily intelligent should always worship Her in various ways and determine thoroughly the reality of Her by every means. In Visnu there is the Sattviki S’aktî; then He can preserve; otherwise He is quite useless; so in Brahmâ there is Rajasi S’aktî and He creates; otherwise He is quite useless; in S’iva, there is Tamasi S’aktî and He destroys; else He is quite useless. Thus, arguing again and again in one's mind, everyone should come to know that the Highest Âdya S’aktî by Her mere will creates and preserves this Universe and She it is who destroys again in time the whole Brahmânda, moving and non-moving; no one is capable to do his respective work be he Brahmâ, Visnu, Mahes'var, Indra, Fire, Sun, Varuna or any other person whatsoever; verily all the Devas perform the respective actions by the use of this Âdya S’aktî. That She alone is present in cause and effect and is doing every action, an be witnessed vividly. The intelligent ones call that S’aktî twofold; one is Sagunâ and the other is Nirgunâ. The people, attached to the senses and the objects, worship the Sagunâ aspect, and those who are not so attached worship the Nirguna aspect. That conscious S’aktî is the Lady of the fourfold aims of life, religion, wealth, desires, and liberation. When She is worshipped according to due rules, She awards all sorts of desires. The worldly persons, charmed by the Mâyâ of this world, do not know Her at all; some persons know a little and charm others; whereas some stupid and dull-deaded Pundits, impelled by Kali, start sects of heretics, Pâsandas for the sustenance of their own bellies. In no other Yugas were found acts as prevalent in this Kali Yuga, based on various different opinions and altogether beyond the pale of the Vedic injunctions. Behold again, if Brahmâ, Visnu and Maheswara be the supreme Deities, then why do these three Devas meditate on another One beyond speech, beyond mind and practise, for years, hard austerities; and why do they perform Yajñas (sacrifices) for their success in creation, preservation, and destruction? They know, verily, the Highest Supreme Being, Brahmâni Devî S’aktî eternal, constant and therefore they meditate Her always in their minds. Therefore the wise man, knowing this firmly, should serve in every way the Highest S’aktî. It is clearly witnessed in this world that if there be any substance wherein this conscious S’aktî does not exist, that becomes inert, quite useless for any purpose. So know this fully that it is the Highest Divine Mother of the Universe that is playing here, residing in every being.So She is Absolute.