Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922], at sacred-texts.com
NUMBERS of women with large eyes, like those of the antelope, 1 impatient for his love, ever follow him. Even the King becomes subject to his control. He becomes like unto Kuvera 2 himself. An enemy fears him as if he were a prison. Living in continuous bliss 3 the devotee is liberated when yet living, and is never again reborn. 4
Here ends the Hymn by Śrī Mahākāla, entitled Karpūrādistotra.
COMMENTARY
'Liberated' (Jīvanmukta)
And on death gets Videhamukti.
'No rebirth' (Muktah pratijanuh)
He gets Nirvāṇa in Brahman. The Mahākāla-saṁhitā says, 'Whoever constantly and with devotion reads this Hymn originating from Mahākāla, is free from danger, disease and death and in the end attains Kaivalya liberation.'
Here ends the Hymn named Svarūpastotra of Śrīmatī
Dakṣiṇa-Kālikā by Śrīmān Mahākāla.
Here also ends its annotation and Svarūpavyākhyā
entitled Vimalānandadāyini.
__________
OBEISANCE
To Kālī the spouse of Kāla, who destroys all sin and is Kāla. 1 She who is Tārā the Saviour the Supreme Brahmavidyā who is adored by the Lotus-born Deva. 2
She who is Śrīvidyā, desirous of the welfare of Sādhakas, on the path of Liberation, to whom Hari and Hara 3 make obeisance.
May that Devī the Mother, who appears in the form of all things, bring forth benefits for all such as sing Her praises.
COLOPHON
Of this King of Hymns wherein Mahākāla has described the true self of Kālikā, the Karpūrādya Hymn, untainted by worldly desire, which gives bliss to Devotees, the aforesaid Annotation containing its simple interpretation, as well as the Svarūpavyākhyā (Commentary) which gives pure joy was prepared by me Vimalānanda Svāmī for the enlightenment of Sādhakas in the Saka year 1837. Mayest Thou reside in the throat of him who reads it.
OṀ, TAT SAT, OṀ
94:1 Kuraṅga, which has beautiful large eyes.
94:2 Lord of wealth.
94:3 p. 95 Kelikalayā, by the various entertaining acts (parihāsādinā) of which there are sixty-four. The meaning here is that there is continuous bliss.
94:4 Kelihalayā ciraṁ jivanmuktah sa bhavati ca bhakhtah pratijanuh, The translation in the text reads pratijanuh to mean as K. B. says, Janmanivritti or cessation of birth. But Pratijanuh may also mean 'birth after birth.' According to this translation jivanmukta would not refer to the state immediately preceding Kaivalya but, as K.B. says, Jivadavasthānubhūtadevatā-sākṣātkāra-mukha in which case the translation will be, He living in continuous bliss obtains direct Experience of the Devatā and is reborn life after life as Her devotee. According to the translation adopted complete liberation follows and in the other case some lower though happy state.
95:1 The first Kāla is Mahākāla and the second is the produced Kāla.
95:2 Brahmā.
95:3 Viṣṇu and Rudra.