06/28/2023
Sree Matre Namaha
Khadgamala is one of the most powerful hymns praising Lalitha Parameswari. There are four hymns that are very important in Sri Vidya. Among them, Lalitha Sahasranamam is a complete mantra, ta**ra, yantra swaroopa (form) of Goddess Mother. It partly describes the mantra, partly describes the Sri Yantra, but mostly focuses on the ta**ra, which is the method of worship.
The Khadgamala describes the yantra swaroopa of Goddess Mother, which is Sri Chakra. The name Khadga means sword, which is used for cutting. Strangely, many people are afraid to recite the Khadgamala, thinking that it will cause harm, and that too if recited without initiation, it will have bad consequences. In truth, if one understands the inner meaning, Khadgamala is very powerful. Khadga represents knowledge; that kind of supreme knowledge, by holding which, ego, the greatest obstacle in your life, can be cut.
This is the essence of the Dhyana Shloka lines:
"Thaadrusam khadgamaapnoti yena hastha sthitenavai, Ashtaadasa mahaadveepa samraatbhoktaa bhavishyati."
In Dasa Mahavidya also, Chinnamasta is one of the deities that represents the same concept. It does not literally mean that she will cut off one's head. In fact, if you take the inner meaning, all knowledge is gained by the head. Once the knowledge is gained, the ahamkara makes you feel that you have gained something. This limiting of 'everything' to only 'something' is called ahamkara.
Ahamkara is not just feeling egoistic. For example, feeling that "I am this body," which is made only of blood, mucus, bone, and flesh, is also ahamkara. Thinking that one is a Brahmin is ahamkara. Thinking that one is fit for nothing, that one is just a manav, a mere mortal, is also ahamkara.
So, ahamkara can also be the identification with self-deprecation. Even if one says that one is just a jiva (living being) and cannot do anything, that is also ahamkara. Only when one believes oneself to be a jiva, which has the Supreme within, and surrenders to that Supreme, then the ahamkara is removed. When that happens, it results in the ahamkara becoming mahadahankara, which means being one with everything.
The Khadgamala is a wonderful prayer, and by reciting this, one can recognize the problems within ourselves. All the syllables are so formed that by pronouncing them, the energy will be raised to remove the ahankaram in us. This is reflected near the end of the Khadgamala, where it says Maha Mahesvari, Maha Maha Rajni. So it starts with Hreemkaarasana Garbhitaanala and ends with Maha Maha Tripura Sundari, which means that one is not just a panchabhooti deha (5-element body); within us resides Ambal (Mother), in the form of Hreem. Hreem is the kind of power or fire that burns away the ego. When the ego is shattered, oneness with the universe is achieved.
Such is the greatness of Khadgamala. Within it, one will come across one hundred and two deities of the Sri Yantra who reside in the navaranas (nine avaranas).
In addition to that, one will come across all the bhaktas and upasakas who use the Khadgamala to worship Parameswari, such as Mitresamayi and Sasthisamayi. One will also encounter the Nityadevatas like Kamesvari, Bagamalini, and Nityaklinne. Then one will come across the Angadevatas starting with Hridayedevi, Sirodevi, and Sikhadevi.
