S. N. Goenka by Daniel M. Stuart

Author:Daniel M. Stuart [Stuart, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala
Published: 2020-11-17T00:00:00+00:00

4. Mother Durga

Dark, skeletal, dreadful.

Torso, head, and skull cup.

How should I worship you, who bears the marks of ferocity and horror?

Dasahara229 has come once again today,

And this doubt is deep in my mind:

How should I pay respect to you, you who drink the blood of the dead?

That mute tongue, that meek heart,

It wails, it weeps, the fearful creature.

When the offering is made, you are satisfied. How hard-hearted can you be?

She creates the dance of destruction.

She arranges the spectacle of death.

Still she is called “mother,” though she devours living beings.

This terrifying atom bomb,

This bomb of destructive creation,

The red of your eyes, flaming, brings about annihilation.

You have erred, lost the path.

What were you yesterday? What have you become today?

You were gentle, peaceful, soft as moonlight, but have become a ferocious demoness.

When you see troubled humanity,

You are moved to remove the demonic.

But you yourself remain a demon, a poisonous snake—bitter, crooked, twisted.

You should understand the thing

That is your great defeat.

The weak take life, while the strong forgive.

You have eight arms, one hundred, one thousand,

A tall victory flag from the battlefield.

But as long as you have not conquered the self, all [other] victories are empty.

Once you have won such a victory,

Then no defeat is possible.

The victory that can change into defeat is an entirely illusory victory.

When is the victor fearless?

When does he sleep the peaceful sleep of conquest?

He indeed is mighty who is established in wisdom (sthitaprajña), victorious in defeat or victory.

When has anger quelled anger?

When has hatred tamed hatred?

Mother of violence and aggression, you are deliberately intoxicated by conflict.

Arise now, you senses.

Wisdom is awakened, a great blessing.

Not to become again either human or demon, make yourself a protector of the True Dharma.

The dark luster of your divine body has become weary,

Its brilliance obscured.

Stop now the dance of destruction and become the verdure of the fields.

Relinquish your fire, your storm,

The ferocious wail of death.

Put down the skull cup, sword, and scimitar, and take in hand the cup of deathless nectar.230

Enough, there has been much of the dance of destruction,

[Much] horrific howling and ferocious threats.

Now drop the cursing and vehemence, and bring auspiciousness, delighting in what is pure.

Become one who provides sustenance and removes suffering,

Become the autumnal Lakshmi, who brings happiness.

Fill the mind with unparalleled compassion, and, since you are a mother, offer your motherly love.

Calm the mind, bestill the heart.

Become sympathetic, merciful, protective.

Then every particle of the universe will vibrate with repeated tribute: “Glory to the Beautiful Mother!”

You must become the Perfection of Wisdom,

Loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy.

You must put down the pot of poison and take up the cup of deathless nectar.

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