The Essence of the Manifested World Tantra (1935) - Page 24

With a cool sunrise, quieted by the rays of the rising sun,

Whose water-body is agitated by the reflection of the rays of the full moon.

Pure with the endless coils, shining with ten thousand hoods,

Lying down is the Wielder of the Bow Vishnu, while Shiva, Hari, and the Lotus-born Brahma were there.

They praised with joyful hearts the Lord who hears in the wide expanse Vishnu.

Pleased by their beautiful hymns and praises, He revealed His own form.

Resembling the petals of a blue lotus, with blue curly hair,

Forehead like the disc of the eighth-day moon, with long eyebrows.

The mantras are of the form Hrim, Hlnom, Krom. Their placement is in the navel, heart, and the middle of the eyebrows. The root placement is at the root support and the crown. The method of meditation is stated starting with "In the Ocean of Milk." Its literal meaning is clear.

Now, the other meaning: The "form" is Maya. The "appearance" is the manifestation of consciousness in that. Because of the qualities of purity and depth, the one who shines in the consciousness of the form called the Ocean of Milk is "lying down." A third meaning is that the appearance is the gate. Evidence for His existence in that intelligence is "fish and conch." By the words "fish" and "conch," the powers of action and knowledge, which are markers of Brahman, are indicated by their similarity in being undisturbed. Another reason for the expression of bliss, which is the characteristic of His nature, is "the wind." The winds, which are the inner controllers, are the mental modifications that are the revealers of happiness; being united with them, there is no heat distress.

Having established the existence of the Lord in the intellect, it states the specific cause of that manifestation: "rising sun." By the diffusion and illumination of discrimination, the rise of worldly existence is calmed. Having described the world as dependent on discriminative knowledge, it states the expression of bliss which is its result: "full moon." Due to the connection with the form of supreme bliss, the water-body—the mental modifications that are the shelters—is agitated, meaning it has turned inward without abandoning the objects.

Therefore, "endless enjoyment" original: "ananta-bhoga" is so called because He enjoys the infinite Brahman. The infinite forms of mental modifications appearing again and again is the meaning of "ten thousand hoods." He is "lying down," meaning manifest. It states the cause of His being the Magician, where He is manifest, by calling Him "Wielder of the Bow." Maya is the bow, as it provides shelter and delights.

"Hearer in the wide expanse" original: "vistarashravasam" is so called because He has hearing in the Vedas, which are the wide expanse, or He has extensive fame. It mentions His being worthy of praise as "Lord." He is pleased by the beautiful mantras and praises.