Kalika Yogini Siddhi — Who May Do It, When, and the Temple Invitation Vidhan (Part One)

The speaker introduces a special vidhi-vidhan meant for every sadhak, new or old, and asks that it be practised for the whole of one's life. He says that we regularly do the sadhana, puja and worship of the great shaktis. But in life there should also be one shakti whose siddhi, or whose direct grace, remains with us — so that if ever some such need arises, we can complete our tasks through that prayog. The present teaching, he says, is the first half of that vidhan: who may do it, what benefits it gives, what rules apply, and how the initial vidhi goes. The actual performance of the puja he leaves for a later demonstration.

The first question, the speaker says, is who can do this sadhana. According to the deities of one's kul there are many distinctions among sadhanas: one person may do a certain sadhana while another may not. This sadhana, he says, everyone can do — and the reason is that it is a fully sattvik sadhana. Even onion and garlic are completely forbidden in it. He repeats this as the first rule of the sadhana: for as many days as it is done, onion and garlic stay forbidden. Because of this, every person — every householder too — can do it in the home.

The speaker says that in this sadhana one takes a sankalp for the grace and direct siddhi of one principal Yogini of Bhagavati Kalika — a yogini who is a wholly motherly (vatsalyamayi) form, entirely gentle, simple and kind. Which Kali, though, since there are many Kalis? He points to the Durga Saptashati: when Mata ParvatiThe daughter of the mountain and consort of Shiva; the questioner to whom much of tantra is expounded. went to the Himalaya mountain to do tapasya and the devas praised her, Bhagavati KaushikiThe Goddess who issues from Parvati's own sheath, whose roar undoes the messengers of Shumbha and Nishumbha. came out of her body and the body of Bhagavati Parvati turned black. She became famous as the Kalika of Himalaya. It is for the grace or siddhi of a yogini of that very form of Kalika, Jagdamba Parvati, that this sadhana is done. He stresses that one must know clearly which Kalika this is — there is a Kali in Kolkata, and there are Shakti Peeths of Bhagavati Kalika in other places too.

Asked what the form is, the speaker describes Bhagavati thus: she is four-armed (chaturbhuja). Her colour is black, but she is gentle (saumya). A crescent moon sits on her forehead. She has three eyes. Of her four arms, two are in the abhaya and vara MudraA symbolic hand gesture used in worship or iconography — such as Varada (boon-granting) or Abhaya (fearlessness-bestowing) — each carrying its own specific meaning.; one hand holds a KhapparThe skull-bowl, named to the region's peeth in certain offerings. and one hand holds a khadga. She is seated upon Mahadev Sadashiva; Mahadev Shiva lies below in the form of Bhairav. This, he says, is the form of Bhagavati.

The second matter, the speaker says, is what benefits this sadhana gives — and they are of many kinds. When Bhagavati's grace is obtained through this sadhana, whatever devi-devatas of your kul there are, if there is some difficulty or trouble there, they too will be strengthened (pusht) and will gain capability and power. If there is any trouble related to the Pitr, that too will be removed. And if the Yogini's grace is obtained, by her grace you will obtain wealth, dharma, artha and good fortune — everything. But, he warns, all of it must be in accordance with dharma. If you do any wrong deed, your own destruction will follow of itself, and you will be the one responsible for it.

The third matter, the speaker says, is that to do this sadhana you must also know what kind of Yogini the one to be made siddha is. In all the tantra texts, and wherever you hear, read or see that yoginis come and do such-and-such deeds or are very direct, their form is described as extremely intense. That, he says, depends on your sadhana. Since this is a simple, gentle sadhana, and the invitation is given in that gentle manner, the yogini will be completely simple and gentle. There is no need for you to be afraid of anything in it. Along with that, he repeats, it is a fully sattvik sadhana.

The speaker first sets out from when to when the sadhana may be done. The principal occasion is Kali Chaudas — the Chaturdashi night that falls before Diwali — which he calls the most important; Diwali is most important. The sadhana, though, begins from Dhanteras itself. In any other month, whenever you begin it, you start on the AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. tithi of the Krishna Paksha and complete it on Amavasya. He says this sadhana should be done again and again — if possible in all twelve months, from Ashtami through Chaturdashi to the Amavasya tithi. When doing it at Diwali time, begin from Dhanteras or from Chaturdashi and do at least a five-day or eleven-day sadhana; in other months, do it from Ashtami. It can also be done in all four navratris — the prakat and gupt ones, Shakambhari Navratri, Aghor Navratri and so on — though he says he would forbid it for Aghor, because that is not for householders; the other navratris are fine, and there one may do a nine-day sadhana. It can also be done in the month of Shravan.

On direction, the speaker says to try to have your face toward the north; that will be best. On clothing, you must always take red. If a man, there will be a red DhotiThe unstitched lower garment worn for ritual, stitched cloth being disallowed in many vidhis. and an ang-vastra, that is, a gamchha, and you sit with it fully wrapped around you. Women, he says, may certainly do the sadhana, whether unmarried or married — but they too should try to wear only a sari, a red-coloured one. If unstitched cloth covers the whole body from top to bottom, that is best, so wrap the whole sari around the body. If that is very uncomfortable, a red sheet or shawl can be placed over the head — that is, over the shoulders — to cover the body well; in the cold season everyone can do this anyway.

The third matter, the speaker says, is that the Mala is extremely important. If you have a TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. RudrakshaA sacred seed strung into rosaries and worn during shiva worship. mala, that is best. If you do not have a mala at present, this mantra's Japa may be done on a mala of laung (cloves), of kaudi (cowries), or of shankh. The very best is a rudraksha mala of tantrokta rudraksha — nine-mukhi Bhairavi rudraksha. He insists it is Bhairavi rudraksha, not Bhairav rudraksha, that this needs, with a red GomukhiA cloth rosary bag, shaped like a cow's face, used to conceal the hand and rosary while chanting mantras in public.. If none of these arrangements can be made, he says to start the initial sadhana anyway whenever you wish, and later to contact him to learn about the mala and all the further special vidhan; that further vidhan he does not give here. For the present, use at least a panchmukhi rudraksha mala after doing its full Prana Pratishtha by the proper vidhi (which he says is taught separately). If you cannot do the pratishtha, bathe the mala at least five or seven times in raw cow's milk while taking the names of Bhagavati and Mahadev — that too purifies it, and that much will do at minimum.

The asan, the speaker says, should be of red wool — that is best — or you should keep a red blanket as the asan. Next, a murti of Bhagavati Kalika exactly like the form he described is best; if a photo is kept instead, it too should show that form. If you keep neither photo nor murti it is no matter, but he says the sadhana will call for one, and it should show Bhagavati in that same form — with particular care that it is the blessing-mudra form, or else a photo of Dakshineshwari Kalika. Dakshina Kalika will do, he says: Dakshina Kalika is herself the Adya Kalika, the Adya Kali, the Adya Shakti.

Beyond the monthly Ashtami-to-Amavasya sadhana and the Dhanteras start at Diwali, the speaker adds that whenever a Grahan falls, the mantra that will be given for this sadhana is to be repeated as much as possible. Japa is to be done for the whole grahan period. Grahan-kaal, he explains, means from when the eclipse is about to begin until it is released. When you obtain the TantroktaStated in the tantras, as against a vedokta form of the same rite or mantra. RudrakshaA sacred seed strung into rosaries and worn during shiva worship. mala, the japa will be done on that mala; as long as you have not got it and have no mala, you can still do the japa in that way. How many malas to do daily, and the full vidhi, he says he will clarify later.

The speaker says the invitation (amantran) vidhi is done one day before the sadhana is to begin. It is done at the Kali temple nearest to you, but that temple must be in your own town: the amantran is not to be given in a shamshan temple or the like. A temple of Bhagavati Kali is best, and one should try to give it in her temple; otherwise it may be given in a Shiva temple, beside Bhagavati Parvati. These two temples, he says, are the only options. The samagri: a garland of red jawa (hibiscus) flowers, well made; a lotus flower; some bel patra if possible; sweets — five kinds if it can be managed; a chunari; a gamchha; paan, supari and AkshatUnbroken raw rice grains, held in hand along with water and flowers while taking a Sankalpa.. Go to the temple in the morning with all of this arranged on a thal — or on a leaf-plate (pattal) if no thal — so that it looks beautiful. Add rose ittr if possible, some DakshinaThe offering made to a guru or officiant that completes a rite; a ritual is held incomplete without it. on the thali, and two lamps, both of ghee. Paan-supari sits on top of everything in the thali. If possible, also carry a good ripe red pomegranate. Light the first lamp, then take all the samagri in your hands and pray to Bhagavati: "O Jagdamba, O Mata Parvati, O Mata Kalika, Jagdamba who dwells in Himalaya — I, taking my name and GotraA family's patrilineal lineage name, stated together with one's own name during a Sankalpa., have come to give you an invitation." Then, stating name and gotra, one asks that from tomorrow one motherly Yogini of hers, in the form of a mother, become established with the sadhak for ever; that she be a helper in every dharmic work of this life, fulfil every dharmic and worldly wish, complete the sadhak's tasks whenever called, and in the end help lead the sadhak to Bhagavati's loka; that she do good in every way. One is not to weep about one's sorrows and troubles. One says that today the invitation is given for the siddhi of one such yogini, asks Bhagavati to grant the grace of one of her principal yoginis, and asks that from tomorrow, when the sadhana begins, she command that yogini. He adds that the permission (aagya) of Shiva-Bhairav is also necessary: one asks Mahadev too to give the order that the sadhak may receive the yogini's grace, that she come to the puja place, be gracious, remain seated with the sadhak for ever, do good to home and family, and give right guidance. Having said all this clearly, hand the thal to the pandit and ask him to offer the whole puja in your name and gotra. It is offered only in your own name and gotra — not in the family's name and gotra. Everything is offered there. After the offering, the lotus flower is placed at Bhagavati's feet or on her kalash; when all is done, give the pandit some dakshina again and ask him to put that lotus back in your thal and return it. Bring the lotus home: the next day the puja begins on that very lotus, placed on a red chunari, and its worship comes first of all. That, he says, completes the first day's work.

The speaker asks women to keep one more thing in mind, whether unmarried or married, and especially the young-generation girls who are going to do this sadhana: do not walk off to give the invitation wearing jeans and a top. There should be a suit — at least a salwar suit, with a red dupatta; one goes only in red clothes. All the mothers and sisters, he says, should go wearing a sari, and the invitation is given with the pallu on the head. Do not give the invitation "in style" without the pallu on the head. If possible, a sari worn seedha-palla is best. The reason, he says, is that if the vidhan is done properly, its effect comes sooner and comes well.

For the next day, the speaker says, the main puja begins from AshtamiThe eighth tithi of a fortnight, held especially favourable for shakta rites. — or, if done at Diwali time, from the Chaturdashi one day before Diwali, the Chaudas: on the day whose night is Chaudas, the puja is begun. As to the hour: do it any time after 6 in the evening, and if possible after 10 at night, which is best. On lamps: the first day's puja, he says, will be shown in full separately, and in it a coconut lamp has to be made; that whole vidhan he withholds here. After that, once you have completed the 11-day sadhana, or the 9-day one, you light one brass lamp every day — so bring and keep a new brass lamp. These, he says, were the initial vidhi-vidhan; the puja vidhan itself he leaves for later.