Lakṣmī Tantra Chapter 7—the Object and Subject of Knowledge
Channel: Consciousness Research Centre
Date: 2020-11-22

This series is classified Vivartha-vāda | Rāja-yoga | Suśupti | Viśuddhi-cakra
Śakra: “I prostrate myself before Thee, O Goddess Padmā. I have heard the list of the tattvas (cosmic principles) from Thy lotus mouth. Now deign to explain them to me.” 
Śrī: “O Śakra, I shall now describe the gradual development of the paddhati (courses) of the tattvas (cosmic principles). This tattva-paddhati is said to be pure, impure or mixed. Bhagavān (God) is known to be the eternal supreme Self: absolutely unlimited by form, place or time; pure like the cloudless sky; tranquil like a waveless sea; svaccha (pure) and svacchanda (absolute) consciousness—the great ocean, as it were, of ever-existent bliss. Nārāyaṇī is His supreme I-hood, His eternal Godhood. She is absolute, subtle, undifferentiated and without taint.” [7.1–4]
“When, as it were, in the great ocean of the six divine attributes, jñāna (knowledge), śakti (power), bala (irresistibility), aiśvarya (sovereignty), vīrya (valor) and tejas (indefatigability) simultaneously enter unmeṣa (the active state), that primary state consists of both the essence of existence and the state of existence, and is depicted in two ways: the essence of existence is Vāsudeva, and His state of existence is vāsudevatā (Vāsudeva-hood), which is called Śānti and is identified with Me, the eternal Goddess. I have already explained the Vyūhas such as Saṅkarṣaṇa etc. along with Their I-hood [in Chapter 6].” [7.5–7]
“These three Vyūhas together with Vāsudeva, the aggregate of all four Vyūhas—these four indicated by the term Bhagavat—are, O Sureśvara, the most sublime reality unrelated to other principles. The sky is parama vyoma (the great firmament); it is called parama ākāśa (the great space), where God Viṣṇu, the eternal supreme Self, divided Himself in two and sports with Me, Ramā. That space, where all six divine attributes become active, is called the supreme void. Puruṣa (samastipuruṣa, otherwise known as Hiraṇyagarbha) is inherent in bhoktā (the aggregate of enjoyers) and is omniscient and omnipresent. All the eternal jīvas issue from a particle of Him.” [7.8–11]
“At the time of dissolution, the jīvas who are karmātmānaḥ (identified with their deeds) are reabsorbed in this great Puruṣa. This is My state as mātṛdaśā (knower), which I have already described [in Chapter 6]. Mahālakṣmī is the name the learned accord to the essence of Śakti. Niyati (fate) is Mahāvidyā, and Kālī is kāla (time). The three guṇas—sattva, rājas and tamas—have already been mentioned. Sattva is regarded as sukhe (happiness), as being transparent, conducive to knowledge and laghu (light, subtle). Rajas is regarded as misery, full of movement, red and active. Tamas is known to be deluding, heavy (gross), black and repressive.” [7.12–15]
“O Vāsava, I have already revealed māyā, prasūti and prakṛti, the three fundamental sources of the material world. Bhūtāni (elements) are ten in number; and khāni (the senses) are thirteen. These twenty-three tattvas were clearly explained [in Chapter 5]. The aforesaid knower, who is My limited state, is pure consciousness. Illuminated by his inner consciousness, the knower exists like a mirror. Now listen with concentration to the knower’s four states of existence. The first is when the cognizer exists as śūnyamaya (void), as when a person is unconscious etc. Next, when in the state of suṣupti (deep sleep) the knower is said to exist in the form of prāṇa (vital air), because during the state of puruṣa’s deep sleep only prāṇa is manifested.” [7.16–20]

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