Sambodhi 1983 Vol 12

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, H C Bhayani, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 70

Tripura Tanira (Sri Vidya) • Its Philosophy and Path of
sādhana
65
According to this Tantr.z the supreme transcendental Reality (Braliman) which is really nameless and formless conceived through religious imagination becomes goddess in Saguna form The Nirguna Brahman of the Upamşads comes down step by step and assumes the foun of a goddess, and becomes an object of worship in the form of Universal Mother All the paraphernalia fo worship are then offered to her. This concept of the highest as Mother is a special feature of Sākta Tantra and it lias its own significance Mother, always murishes a more charitable attitude, forgives the faults of her childien and offers them an opportunity to reform their ways. This attitude of forgiveness and compassion, love and pity are more natural to Mother than to father, Thus, supreme Brahman in the personified form becomes afectionate Mother, worshipped in the name of Maha Tripurusundarl. She is also known by various other names, such as Srividya Sri Lalita Pañcadasākşari, şodasi, Kāmesvart and so forth. She is conceived as the most high, higher than Sarasvati, Lakşmi, higher than Brahma, Vişnu, Isvara and even Sadasiva. 7. Worship of Universal Mother in the Saguna forin with ceremonial pomp is only a suppoit for meditation on the highest, which is strictly beyond thought and mind. The Mother is really the highest Brahman in empiric dress. The significance of the description of the highest Braliman in Saguna forin is to indicate that she is near enough to us and yet far away, she is in the world and also beyond it and that she is both immanent and trauscendent. In this form she is described as resplendaut as the newly rising sun. She is also three eyed and holds in her four aims, noose, goad, arrow and bow. She can be worshipped either in female form or male form in the male form she is worshipped in the form of Lord Siskrşua.71 This Saguna aspect is only for those who are ordinary mortals, highly emotional and unable to meditate on the highest attributeless Brahman.
The beautiful description of goddes Tripura in Saguing form and signi: (icance of its worship is found in many texts such as Saundaryalahari and Tripuramahımnastotra. This kind of description is mainly to rouse our enotion of devotion and strengthen it by furnishing suitable support for meditation. Tripura is described from head to foot in these texts. This is really intended to show that the Supreme Being is also Supremely beautiful and when it gets embodied in human form, for the benefit of dull witted mortals, the beauty that is its essene naturally shines through every tissue and filament.72
Sambodhi XII-I