Verse 21

Hymn to Kali, by Arthur Avalon (Sir John George Woodroffe), [1922], at sacred-texts.com

p. 93

VERSE 21

O MOTHER, this Hymn of Thine is the source from whence originates Thy mantra. ¹ It sings of Thy real self, and contains injunctions for the worship of Thy two lotus Feet. He who reads it at midnight or at time of worship ² even his random talk ³ becomes the nectar juice of poesy.

COMMENTARY

'Thy real self' (Svarūpākhyaṁ)

Speaks of the Dhyāna of both Thy gross and subtle aspects.

'Reads' (Paṭati)

That is recites aloud. The Viśuddheśvara-Tantra says, 'Oh Devī, the reading of a Hymn (Stotra) mentally, or the recitation of a Mantra loudly is as ineffectual as water in a broken jar.'

'Nectar of Poesy' (Prasarati kavitvāmṛtarasah)

He becomes full of the sweetness of Poesy. The Kālīkulasarvasva says, All whose difficulties and dangers are destroyed by a single reading, as it were flies in a flame. His speech flows like the Ganges full of prose and poetry.'

Footnotes

93:1 Manusamuddharaṇajanuh—that is, cause of mantroddhāra: formation of Mantra of Devī. The mantra is made known, and then impressed with the life and consciousness (caitanya) of the sādhaka (mantra-caitanya).

93:2 Pūjā.

93:3 That is, even his meaningless delirious talk, as in fever or madness, etc. (K.13.).