Mahā Yajña
The great Mahā Śambhu smiled and said:
I am aware why you have all come here. Pralaya (destruction) is of three types. (i) Avāntara Pralaya (ii) Mahā Pralaya and (iii) Kāma Pralaya. I am the one who is responsible to rescue the world from Mahā Pralaya. Viṣṇu is the one who rescues from Avāntara Pralaya. It is Lalitā Parameśvarī who rescues from Kāma Pralaya.
These three kinds of Pralaya take place in a cyclic pattern in every Kalpa. Now, Kāma Pralaya has taken place because of the destruction of Kāma and subsequently due to the actions of Bhaṇḍāsura. Only Lalitā Devī can rescue from this situation. Parāśakti alone can create another Lalitā Devī. Therefore, take shelter in Her. Beg Her to help you.
Hearing this, the devatas did not know what to do. They again prayed to Mahā Śambhu to teach them the method of appeasing Parāśakti.
Mahā Śambhu explained:
This is called as Mahā Yajña (the great fire sacrifice). I am (assuming the form of Vāyu) the Hota (the priest who makes the offerings in a Homa) in this Yajña. My cidagni itself is the fire in this Yajña. The last of the seven seas, i.e., Jala Samudra (Water Sea) has now dried up. The huge pit so formed itself is the Homa Kuṇḍa (fire-pit where Homa is performed). The remaining six great oceans constitute the six drops of ghee which is used as offering.
Sṛṣṭi (creation) is of five types:
- Manasā Sṛṣṭi
- Jarāyuja Sṛṣṭi (creation taking place through the womb. e.g. human beings)
- Aṇḍa Sṛṣṭi (creation taking place through eggs)
- Svedaja Sṛṣṭi (creation taking place through sweat) and
- Udbhijja Sṛṣṭi (creation taking place by sprouting)
These five Sṛṣṭis (creations) are the sacrifice animals in this Mahā Yajña. Bhūmi (land), Parvata (mountains), Jala (water), Vāyu (air) and Ākāśa (space) these five are the substances used in this fire sacrifice. Agni element (one of the five elements) being a part of my cidagni cannot be a substance to be offered.
At the end of this great fire sacrifice, all of you (the performers of the Yajña) should jump in to the homa kuṇḍa (fire pit). While doing so, you must possess absolute devotion. Then, Lalitā Parameśvarī will manifest. She will be seated in a chariot called Cakrarāja-rathā. She will create Parabrahman in the name of Kāmeśvara and will have Him as Her consort. This couple will re-create the entire universe, which will turn out to be more beautiful than the previous creation. Lalitā Parameśvarī will bring Manmatha back to life.
She will create four weapons, namely:
- Ikṣu Dhanus – a bow of sugarcane (Manorūpekṣukodaṇḍā – is one of the 1000 names of Lalitā)
- Five Puṣpa Bāṇas – flower arrows (Pañcatanmātrasāyakā is one of the 1000 names of Lalitā)
- Pāśa – noose (Rāgasvarūpapāśāḍhyā – is one of the 1000 names of Lalitā) and
- Aṅkuśa (elephant-goad, a hook, especially an elephant driver’s hook) (Krodhākārāṅkuśojjvalā is one of the descriptions of Lalitā)
With the help of these weapons, she will destroy Bhaṇḍāsura. She will bring Manmatha back to life. She will give you fresh bodies. If you all agree, I will begin this great sacrifice myself
The devatas became very pleased and begged Mahā Śambhu to be the Hota and carry on the sacrifice. Parāśakti and Mahā Śambhu disappeared. The devatas also returned to their abode. After some time, Mahā Śambhu, accompanied by Parāśakti started chanting the Lalitā Mahā Mantra and entered the Universe in the form of the seven layered Vāyu.
Parāśakti assumed the form of Mahā Śambhu's Kriyāśakti (energy of action). With the help of Kriyāśakti, Vāyu blew the Jala Samudra with all his energy. The Jala Samudra became totally dry. In the pit thus formed he kindled the cidagni with the help of fire emanating from the third eye. This Agni raged from the Pātālaloka (a region in the nether-world) to the Brahmaloka.
He decorated the periphery of the homa kuṇḍa with the stars just as one decorates a sacrificial fire-pit with flowers. After this, he performed the Yajña as ordained by the Vedas. He used the Pralaya Meghas (clouds appearing during pralaya), namely Puṣkala and Aavartaka as Sruk and Sruva (the two spoons which are used to offer ghee in fire worship). As the homa progressed, the cidagni emanating from it spread to vast area.
He then offered the first six oceans and then the five-fold creations to this Agni. In the end, the gods too decorated themselves and sat on the Sruk and Sruva, ready to be offered to Agni. Mahā Śambhu offered them to Agni. After this, Mahā Śambhu discarded his Vāyu form and assumed his real form. He then chanted 8 special mantras and performed 8 homas.
Source: 5th Day (14-10-99) of Sri Devi Navaratri Festivals ’99, Avadhoota Datta Peetham – Mysore
