69 - The Greatness of Kamaksha 

Mohini said: 

1. The narrative of Kamodaka that is destructive of sins and conducive to the attainment of merit has been heard by me. O Brahmana, now I wish to hear the benefit derived from devotion of Kamaksha.1 

1. It is the most important Devi pitha. It is at a distance of about two miles from Gauhati on a beautiful hill called Nilacala over-hanging the Brahmaputra. The author of the NP. is so overawed with the wide expanse of the Brahmaputra that he thinks it to be a sea and the goddess (Tripura-bhairavi) is described as standing near the sea (sagaranupa-tata-ga) in V. 2 below, Devi Bhagavata VII. 38.15 states that it is the place where the private part of Tripura-bhairavi fell. According to mythological legend, when Shiva became too much grieved at the death of his first wife Sati, be carried her body on his shoulder. So, to bring him to normalcy, Vishnu cut to pieces Sati’s body with his discus Sudarshana and as Shiva went on wandering with Sati’s body, one after another, her limbs went on falling on the ground. Her private parts fell on the Nilacala and the Devi Bhagavata calls it the jewel among sacred places where Mahamaya ever abides’. 

Kamaksha is a centre of Tantrism. One wonders why the NP. which devotes a whole section to tantra, mantra etc. finishes the glory of Kamaksha within four (2-5) verses, when he waxes so eloquent on the Tantric worship of Radha (and of other deities like Rama, Narasimha, Hanuman and even king Karttavirya).

Vasu said: 

2. The greatest goddess Kamaksha is stationed in the eastern quarter. She is present on the shores of the marshy place near the Sea. She is the bestower of Siddhi on men in the Kali age. 

3. The devotee who goes there and observing restriction in the deity, worships Kamaksha and stays a night there seating himself steadfastly, shall then visualize her, O gentle lady. 

4. That goddess appears before men in a terrible form. He who is not moved with fear on seeing her, shall attain the desired Siddhi. 

5. If on seeing the goddess of Devas, Kamaksha of terrific features, the devotee sways from his seats instantaneouly, he shall then certainly become distracted in mind and behaviour. 

6. O fair-faced lady, Siddhanatha1, the son of Parvati stays there (engaged) in a severe penance. He is never seen by the people.  

1. This natha is Matsyendra-natha, the so-called founder of the Natha Sampradaya. It is understandable that Jnaneshvara, a 13th Cent. writer from the South, being far away from Assam and writing some four centuries after Matsyendra, should look upon Matsyendra as the human founder of Natha-Pantha. But Tibetan records show that it was sarahapa, the seventh ancestor of Matsyendra, who should be credited if at all with being the founder. Although I have discussed this problem in Marathi under the title “The spiritual lineage of jnaneshvara” in the Nava-bharata (a monthly), I would recommend Rahul Sankrityayana’s (Hindi) Introduction to Sarahapada’s Doha Kosha (Bihara Rashtrabhasha Parishad, Patna 1957). 

It is surprising why the last redactor of NP who comes from east India (Bengal-Orissa region) should be so ignorant about Matsyendra who was not much removed in time and space from him. 

7. During the three Yugas: Kruta, Treta and Dvapara he was directly perceived by every one. In the Kali age, as long as the first quarter of it does not pass off, he shall stay invisible. 

8-9. When a quarter of the Kali age has passed off and the surface of the earth has become terrible, he becomes visible and controls the people. O blessed lady, by his powers like Mohana (fascination) Uccatana (eradication) etc., he gains control over the people most of whom are Mlecchası (alien out-castes). He will spend the remaininig three quarters of the Kali age by keeping them submissive.

1. The inclusion of Mlecchas in the Natha cult is implied here, and the initiation of Matsyendra who was abandoned by his father and had become ‘casteless’, shows the breadth of outlook of the Natha cult in its early stage. 

10-11. The devotee should go to Siddhanatha and meditate on him with devotional feelings, for a whole year. Every day he must worship Kamaksha. He shall then gain the vision of Siddhanatha in the dream. At the end of the vision he shall have great concentration. He shall achieve Siddhi indicated by it and be a Siddha on the Earth. 

12. O auspicious lady, he will be wandering, fulfilling the desires of all the worlds. By means of the boon, he will attract all the articles in the three worlds. 

13. He is Matsyanatha (Matsyendra of the Natha cult) stationed there. O gentle lady, he has mastered the perfect knowledge. He performed a terrible penance, distributing among the people whatever they desired. But he never becomes visible. 

14. Formerly, he had roamed all over the worlds without his movement being impeded, for the period of many Yugas. Today the noble-minded personage is completely engaged in penance. O auspicious lady, he is not oppressed by the velocity of Kala (the force of the stream of time). 

15. O highly blessed lady, in the previous birth he had been born as the son of a certain Brahmana. He was born during the astrologically evil period of a ‘Gandanta’ (the tenth astrological Yoga). Hence the moment he was born in the continent named Pushkara, he was cast into the ocean by his father.  

16. As soon as he was thrown into the sea, thanks to a lucky coincidence, a certain fish swallowed the boy. For many Yugas, he remained there without ageing or dying duc to the flux of time. 

17. Thereafter, O gentle lady, once urged by his wife, the daughter of the mountain, Maheshvara, the incomprehensible deity accompanied her to the mountain Lokaloka for the instruction in the esoteric principles. 

18-19a. On its gentle and beautiful peak illuminated by jewels, the lord stood for half a moment with his mind engrossed in Hari. He enlightened spiritually goddess Uma by means of his Shakti. He drove away the Sattvas (animals, living beings) with three Talas (clapping of hands). 

19b-20. He then told her the Tattva (the real principle) in the form of the meaning of the twelve-syllabled Mantra which had been an esoteric secret. The daughter of the mountain bowed down to Mahesha, the destroyer of Mara. She understood the principle a little and sat there firmly. At that time the fish in the great ocean immediately jumped on to the peak.1 The Brahmana boy who was within its belly became a Tattva siddha (a person who realised the principle) and freed of all bondages.

1. The absurdity of the story-jumping of a fish from the great ocean to the peak of the Lokaloka mountain-top where Shiva was secretly instructing Parvati in an esoteric lore-is obvious. Jnaneshvara states that it was on a small island in the ocean where Shiva imparted that spiritual knowledge to Parvati and which was heard by Matsyendra from his fish-mother’s belly.  

21. O splendid-faced lady, coming out of the belly of the fish, he made obeisance in front of Shiva and Uma. Though he was aware of the truth Maheshvara asked him the cause of being within the womb of the fish. 

22-23. In front of them, he recounted everything in the manner it had happened. On hearing what had happened to him, Uma was pleased. Getting the permission of Mahesha, she made him her son. O fair-limbed lady, placing him on her lap she kissed his face and said: - “O, is this not my Son? He is Matsyanatha, (lord of fish). He has understood the principle. Hence, he is Siddhanatha for all. 

24-25. Let him go over the worlds according to his will. May he accord happiness unto us now.” 

Ever since that time this son of Ambika roamed about all the worlds as he pleased. He attained the Siddhapitha.1 He has occupied that seat as one engaged in penance. By mentally meditating on Siddhanatha, a man shall be one who has realised all his desires. 

1. Kamakhya is both Shaktipitha and a Siddha-Pitha.

26-27A. He will acquire learning. He will be drawing the multitudes of scholars in the current of his words (eloquent speech). He who hears this story which is the most sacred in the universe. (even though) it might have entered his ears (casually), realises whatever he desires on the Earth and goes to the heaven. His feet are worshipped by the Devas.

27B-C. Thus, O lady of beautiful eyes, I have told you about the greatness of Kamaksha alongwith the story of Siddhanatha. It is destructive of sins at the outset. O gentle lady, what else shall I recount to you?