Now, in the Bhagavad Gita, in the 15th chapter, there is talk of Purushottam Tattva. Purushottam God is beyond even the physical man. They can also be known only through spiritual knowledge, right? Only the ignorant, i.e., the knowledgeable one, can know me. God has said this (15/19); then how? (There is no talk of taking refuge in Para Shakti Maa here)
(2) Divine Esha in Geeta 7/14: Where is Gunamayi Mama Maya Duratyaya? If Maya is Gunamayi-Trigunatmika, then how is she divine? The translation has given a supernatural or wonderful meaning. (3) In 7/25 Nahan Prakash: Yogamaya Samavrut in etc. – Where is it said that Yogamaya is the supreme nature?
(4) And nature in 4/6: Swamadhisthaya Sambhavami Atma-Mother. – What is the nature here, Para? And the illusion of self is Yogamaya, isn’t it? (5) In Hargauri Kalpan, Gauri-Mata Parvati is the supreme knowledge or supreme nature. I think it represents.
Yes, the Gita does not mention the Divine Mother except passingly. Instead, it speaks of the Divine Grace and surrender that alone can ultimately lead us through the Divine doors.
The Upanishads however, do not speak much of Grace or surrender except in a few, very few verses. They are largely focused on the path of tapasya wherein one transits from Avidya to Vidya. But the Gita, after revealing these basic truths, primarily gives us and endorses, with a finality, the path of surrender. Sri Krishna repeatedly assures that to Arjuna. True, the transition from Avidya to Vidya would still be there, but much more as an act of Grace, leaning down in response to the soul’s call and surrender. There are plenty of examples and stories even of Asuras gaining liberation even as they were opposing the Divine. Essentially, we cannot limit the Divine into one fixed formula.
Besides, there is beyond Avidya and Vidya, Ignorance and Knowledge, the Shakti, the Supreme Power of the Lord, which is beyond the rules of the game and acts according to its own vision.
It is daivi Prakriti which the Lord enjoys, but the same becomes the trigunatmika Prakriti in the lower nature. In this sense, even the trigunatmika Prakriti emerges from the Lord just as the water of a vast river flows into our home and becomes limited in force, quantity and capacity, though not in essence. So too Avidya and Vidya are not two separate forces with separate origins. They are both from the One Lord, like Diti and Aditi are both children of the same parents and wives of the same Rishi.
Yes, Yogmaya is the Paraprakriti, the Maya of the Lord in its origin. The same applies to Hara Gauri. But we must remember that Vidya and Avidya belong to the Cosmic Manifestation. Beyond them is the Transcendent Mother, the Supreme Shakti of the Supreme Lord as Saccidananda.
Affectionately,
Alok Da
