Mahāmāyā Tantra
Chapter One (Prathamaḥ Paṭalaḥ)
Invocation
॥ Oṁ Namaḥ Paramadevatāyai ॥
॥ Oṁ Namo Durgāyai ॥
Sanskrit Text with Transliteration and Translation
प्रथमः पटलः
Lord Nārāyaṇa’s Contemplation of Creation
उस समय प्रभु ने वटपत्र रूप से वह व्यापक जलराशि के उपरीतम भाग पर भासित होकर अवस्थान किया। माया का स्मरण करते हुए यह निश्चित हुआ कि माया ने नारायण को तत्क्षण धारण किया। यह उनकी लीला है ॥४॥
sa tasmin vatapatra-rūpeṇa vibhāvaraḥ jalaraśer uparitam bhāsyamāno’vasthitaḥ।
māyāṁ smaran idaṁ niścitaṁ yat māyayā nārāyaṇaḥ tat-kṣaṇaṁ dhṛtaḥ। eṣā tasya līlā ॥4॥
Translation:
At that time, the Lord took the form of a Vaṭapatra (Banyan leaf) and floated upon the vast waters, appearing effulgent. As He meditated upon Māyā, it was resolved that Māyā immediately upheld Nārāyaṇa. This is His divine Līlā (cosmic play). (4)
विचचार तदा तोये स्वेच्छाचारः स्वयं प्रभुः।
विचरन्तं वटतले तोयेषु परमेश्वरम् ॥५॥
vatavṛkṣa-sthitas tatra mārkaṇḍeyo mahāmuniḥ।
dadarśa parameśānaṁ śivam avyaktarūpiṇam ॥6॥
Translation:
Then, the Lord, by His own will, moved about in the water, freely engaging in His divine play.
While He was thus floating on the waters, Mahāmuni Mārkaṇḍeya, who resided in the Vaṭavṛkṣa (Banyan tree), beheld Parameśāna Śiva, whose form was beyond manifestation.
Seeing the Supreme Cause, the great sage, overwhelmed with joy, began to offer his praises. (5-6)
The Hymn of Praise by Sage Mārkaṇḍeya
नमस्ते देवदेवेश सृष्टिस्थित्यन्तकारक।
ज्योतिरूपाय विश्वाय विश्वकारण हेतवे ॥७॥
nirguṇāya guṇavate guṇabhūtāya te namaḥ।
kevalāya vidyuddhāya viśuddha-jñāna-hetave ॥8॥
Translation:
“O Lord of the Devas, O Supreme God, You are the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe.
You are the form of pure light, the very essence of the cosmos, and the ultimate cause of all creation. (7)
I bow to You, who are beyond attributes (Nirguṇa) yet embodying attributes (Guṇavān),
Who are the very substratum of Guṇas (qualities),
Who are Kevala (pure and absolute),
Who shine like lightning (Vidyuddha),
And who are the ultimate source of pure knowledge. (8)
मामाधाराय मायेशाय परमात्मने।
नमः प्रकृतिस्थाय पुरुषायेश्वराय च ॥९॥
guṇatraya-vibhāgāya brahmaviṣṇuśivāya ca।
namo devyai mahādevyai śivāyai satataṁ namaḥ ॥10॥
Translation:
I bow to You, the foundation of Māyā,
Who is the Supreme Īśvara (Lord) of Māyā and Paramātmā (Supreme Soul).
I offer salutations to You, who pervades Prakṛti (Nature) and Puruṣa (the Supreme Being). (9)
I bow to You, who manifests as the threefold division of Guṇas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas),
And who takes the forms of Brahmā (the creator), Viṣṇu (the preserver), and Śiva (the destroyer).
I offer continuous salutations to Devi, Mahādevi, and Śivā. (10)
मायायै परमेशान्यै मोहित्यै ते नमो नमः।
śāntināṁ jñānarūpāyai prakāśāyai namo namaḥ ॥11॥
Translation:
I bow again and again to You, O Māyā,
The Supreme Sovereign, the bewitching illusion, and the enchantress of all beings.
You are Śānti (the peace of the sages),
You are Jñānarūpā (the very form of knowledge),
You are Prakāśa (the luminous light that illuminates all things). (11)
जगदाधार रूपायै जगतः त्राण हेतवे।
prasanno’si mahāmāye viśvamūrtiṁ vidhīyatām ॥12॥
Translation:
You are the very foundation of the world,
And You are the sustaining force behind the entire universe.
O Mahāmāyā, be pleased with me and reveal to me the form of the Cosmic Being (Viśvamūrti). (12)
Manifestation of Brahmā and the Seven Ṛṣis
इति स्तुत्वा मुनिस्तत्र विरराम सुप्रणम्य च।
kṛtāñjalipuṭo bhūtvā daṇḍavat praṇipatya ca ॥13॥
tat utthāya deveśaṁ nābhipadma-samudbhavam।
raktavarṇaṁ caturvaktraṁ dadarśa paramaṁ śiśum ॥14॥
sṛṣṭiṁ niyojayāmāsa taṁ brahmāṇaṁ sureśvaraḥ ॥15॥
Translation:
Having thus praised the Lord, the sage remained silent,
Folding his hands in reverence and prostrating himself completely. (13)
As he rose, he beheld the Supreme Lord,
Emerging from a lotus that had sprouted from the navel of Nārāyaṇa.
The divine form was red in complexion, with four faces, appearing as a radiant child. (14)
Then, the Lord of the Gods (Sureśvara) appointed Brahmā for the task of creation. (15)
ध्यात्वा ब्रह्मा तदा तत्र सप्तर्षीन् परमेश्वरि।
janayāmāsa sanakān mānasās te tataḥ priye।
vinā śaktiṁ na śaktās te sṛṣṭi kartum maheśvarāḥ ॥16-17॥
Translation:
Then, Brahmā meditated upon creation and,
O Parameśvarī, he manifested the Seven Ṛṣis (Saptarṣis).
From his mind (Mānasa), he created the Sanaka sages,
But without the Śakti (Divine Energy), even they were unable to create. (16-17)
Commentary:
This passage establishes the primordial nature of Mahāmāyā, illustrating her as the Supreme Cause (Parameśānī) and foundation of all existence. The hymn by Sage Mārkaṇḍeya presents a deep philosophical insight—Māyā is both the illusion and the reality, the binding force and the liberating light.
The reference to Brahmā’s creation of the Seven Sages (Saptarṣis) aligns with Vedic cosmology. However, the text makes a critical revelation: without Śakti (the Divine Feminine Power), even Brahmā and the Ṛṣis were powerless to create. This underscores a central theme in Śākta philosophy—Śiva without Śakti is Śava (lifeless), and creation is impossible without Divine Energy.
This passage marks the beginning of cosmic manifestation, as Brahmā embarks upon his duty under the guidance of Mahāmāyā and Nārāyaṇa.
Brahmā’s Creation of the Sages and Living Beings
करके, अपने मानस से सनकादि ऋषियों की सृष्टि किया। वे सभी महातपस्वी ऋषिगण शक्तियुक्त नहीं थे। अतः कोई भी ऋषि सृष्टि करने में समर्थ नहीं हो सका ॥१३-१७॥
kṛtvā, ātmanaḥ mānasāt sanakādi ṛṣīn sṛṣṭavān।
te sarve mahātapaḥ ṛṣayaḥ śakti-yuktāḥ na āsan।
ataḥ ko’pi ṛṣiḥ sṛṣṭiṁ kartuṁ samarthaḥ na abhavat ॥13-17॥
Translation:
Thus, Brahmā, through his mind (Mānasa), created the Sanaka and other sages. However, although they were great ascetics endowed with immense tapas (austerity), they were not infused with Śakti (Divine Power). Hence, they were unable to undertake the act of creation. (13-17)
मौनं सृष्टिरतो श्रेया ततो मौनमकल्पयत्।
ततः कश्यपनामानं मुनिपुङ्गवंजीजनत् ॥१८॥
mauṇaṁ sṛṣṭi-rataḥ śreyā tato mauṇam akalpayat।
tataḥ kaśyapa-nāmānaṁ muni-puṅgavaṁ jajāna ॥18॥
Translation:
Realizing that creation is only possible through Śakti, Brahmā then conceived the idea of Śakti.
Subsequently, he created the great sage Kaśyapa, the foremost of the sages. (18)
पुनः सृष्टौ च तं पुत्रं सह्या प्रोवाच मन्त्रतः।
जनयामास च कन्याः कपयौवनसमन्विताः ॥१९॥
punaḥ sṛṣṭau ca taṁ putraṁ sahyā provāca mantrataḥ।
janayāmāsa ca kanyāḥ kapayauvana-samanvitāḥ ॥19॥
Translation:
For further creation, Brahmā ordained his son (Kaśyapa) with a sacred mantra and instructed him accordingly.
Thereafter, he also brought forth young maidens endowed with youthful beauty. (19)
नियोज्य मुनये तास्तु सह्या प्रोवाच सृष्टये।
नानायोन्याकृतास्तासु समस्ता जीवजातयः ॥२०॥
niyojya munaye tāsu sahyā provāca sṛṣṭaye।
nānā-yony-ākṛtās tāsu samastā jīva-jātayaḥ ॥20॥
Translation:
Brahmā entrusted these maidens to the sages for further procreation and instructed them in the process of creation.
Thus, through various forms and species, all living beings were born from them. (20)
Nārāyaṇa’s Dialogue with Mahāmāyā
उत्पादयामास तदा प्रजापतिरक्षुण्डितः।
ततो नारायणो देवस्तुष्टो मायामुवाच ह ॥२१॥
utpādayāmāsa tadā prajāpatiḥ akṣunditaḥ।
tato nārāyaṇo devas tuṣṭo māyām uvāca ha ॥21॥
Translation:
Thus, the undeterred Lord Brahmā continued the process of creation.
At that moment, Nārāyaṇa, pleased, addressed Mahāmāyā with these words: (21)
वटपत्रस्थितां स्वं यतो मां विद्युताम्बसि।
वटो धर्मस्वरूपासि जगत्यस्मिन् समाश्रिता ॥२२॥
vaṭapatra-sthitāṁ svaṁ yato māṁ vidyut-ambasi।
vaṭo dharma-svarūpā asi jagaty-asmin samāśritā ॥22॥
Translation:
“O Sanātanī (Eternal One)! Just as You upheld me in the cosmic waters while I lay upon the Vaṭapatra (Banyan leaf),
In the same way, may You now uphold the world as the very embodiment of Dharma.” (22)
The Revelation of the Supreme Mahāmantra
मन्त्रमार्गेऽथ ने चास्याः प्रवक्ष्यामि धूणु प्रिये।
नावेन्दुसंयुक्तं वाक्यं धर्मायोच्च तत्परम् ॥२३॥
mantra-mārge’tha ne cāsyaḥ pravakṣyāmi dhūṇu priye।
nāvendu-saṁyuktaṁ vākyaṁ dharmāyo’cca tat param ॥23॥
Translation:
“O **Priye (Beloved One)! Now, I shall reveal the sacred path of the mantra,
Which is the supreme mantra of Dharma, containing the syllable ‘Na’ along with the crescent moon (Bindu).” (23)
षडक्षरो महामन्त्रो धर्मस्याराधने मतः।
मं कामं समुद्दिश्य पूजयिष्यन्ति मानवाः ॥२४॥
ṣaḍakṣaro mahāmantraḥ dharmasyārādhane mataḥ।
maṁ kāmaṁ samuddiśya pūjayiṣyanti mānavāḥ ॥24॥
Translation:
“This Ṣaḍakṣara Mahāmantra (six-lettered mantra) is considered the highest mantra for the worship of Dharma.
Through this, humans shall worship Mahāmāyā, seeking the fulfillment of their desires.” (24)
मचिरादेव लप्स्यन्ति सर्वकामं न संशयः।
एवं ते कथितं देवि यथासम्भवविस्तरात् ॥२५॥
macirād eva lapsyanti sarva-kāmaṁ na saṁśayaḥ।
evaṁ te kathitaṁ devi yathā-saṁbhava-vistarāt ॥25॥
Translation:
“O Devi! Whoever worships with this mantra shall soon attain the fulfillment of all desires, without any doubt.
Thus, I have revealed to You everything, expanding upon it according to possibility.” (25)
न कस्मैचित् प्रवचव्यं किमन्यत् श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥२६॥
na kasmai cit pravacavyaṁ kim anyat śrotum icchasi ॥26॥
Translation:
“This knowledge should not be disclosed to anyone undeserving.
Now, what else do You wish to hear?” (26)
Conclusion of the First Chapter
।। इति महामायातन्त्रे प्रथमः पटलः ।।
Translation:
Thus ends the First Chapter of the Mahāmāyā Tantra.
Commentary:
This passage highlights an important shift in the cosmic narrative—creation was incomplete without the intervention of Śakti. Although Brahmā created sages, they lacked the necessary power to propagate creation. Only when Kaśyapa and the divine maidens (representing Śakti) emerged, did true creation begin to take form.
The dialogue between Nārāyaṇa and Mahāmāyā reveals a profound mystical truth—Mahāmāyā, who had previously sustained Nārāyaṇa during the cosmic deluge, is now entrusted with sustaining Dharma in the manifested world. This metaphor of Vaṭapatra (Banyan leaf) and Dharma signifies the eternal balance between Śakti and the Universe.
The Ṣaḍakṣara Mahāmantra, introduced here, serves as the key to spiritual fulfillment. It is through Māyā (Mahāmāyā) that one attains both worldly success and ultimate liberation.
This chapter also marks a philosophical transition—from pure existence to structured Dharma, laying the foundation for the manifested world, governed by Divine Will and Śakti’s energy.