The Translation
The Glorious Sovereign Tantra of Mahākāla
Chapter 1: An Elucidation of Ultimate Reality
Homage to Glorious Mahākāla.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was residing in the company of the goddesses. The Goddess asked him, “What method saves beings who are drowning in the ocean of cyclic existence, and how does the deity liberate them from cyclic existence?”
The Blessed One replied, “I will address those points in terms of the means by which wisdom is present during the generation and completion stage yogas. Listen well, Goddess. The generation stage leads one to abide in cessation and reveals the correct path that grants the result. Then one should perform with certainty the type of consecration that involves the use of a consort. One should then practice the elimination of movement and then focus on that. The generation stage is endowed with the correct path through correlation with the physical person.
“Blessed One,” asked the goddess, “what is required to generate the vajra being, and why are the individual vases necessary?”
The Blessed One replied, “The fact of arising refutes nonexistence; this is the space vajra. It is utterly devoid of self and is the moment of bliss. It arises like the expansive feeling of happiness that arises when the entire population of a city that has been oppressed by force is released from bondage.”
“Blessed One,” asked the Goddess, “why is it necessary to stabilize the body? Is it not the case that it is no longer present after the blood and bodhicitta have combined in the pathway and one has been liberated from false appearances? Does it grant the result, or did you describe it in terms of practical application for those who wish to reveal it?”
The Blessed One replied, “The body is called ‘vajra.’ This is similar to the correlation between the illusory being and the physical person. ‘The blood after it has combined in the pathway’ means that blood has combined in the vajra’s pathway at the time that understanding of complete equality dawns through the movement of blood in the five aggregates via the lalanā, rasanā, and avadhūtī. ‘The functional body’ refers to the body that moves, lacks endurance, and is subject to impulses. That is the functional body. I spoke of having performed a function for those who are confused about functionality.”
“What is the Dharma?” asked the Goddess. “What teachings have you given from the collection of Dharma? Was this done for the happiness and welfare of human beings, for a specific purpose, or so that they might gain the desirable result of eliminating disease?”
The Blessed One replied, “I will explain how beings who have taken a human birth can easily attain the siddhis for whatever Dharma they practice. The eight great siddhis are the sword, collyrium, pill, and swift feet siddhis, together with rendering medicines effective, competence in mantras, and mercury and alchemy. In addition to attaining the eight great siddhis, a person can attain any other siddhi using the tantras of Mahākāla, and they will surely do so with ease.”
The Goddess requested, “Please speak, however briefly, about binding the target when it is employed for the collyrium siddhi.”
The Blessed One replied, “Its concealing is widely described as an excellent means of protection and the proper way to conceal oneself, even from the drumming of horse hooves.”
“Blessed One,” the Goddess asked, “how many channels are there in the vajra body, and how many moments of inhalation and exhalation are there?”
The Blessed One replied, “There are thirty-two channels. There is restraining inhalation and exhalation and releasing the breath that has arisen within the body, which is set in motion by the sun and the moon. To express the exact calculation, there are twenty-one thousand six hundred movements of breath, with a moment consisting of an inhalation and exhalation.”
“Blessed One,” asked the Goddess, “did you sanction what Kāmadeva revealed, the conditions that ensued when Nārāyaṇa, the fulfiller of desire, took on an illusory form and, for the sake of Lakṣmī and Sarasvatī, became a protector deity who delivered the destitute from darkness?”
“Goddess,” the Blessed One replied, “as the beings of Jambudvīpa cycle through cyclic existence, they give rise to delusion, desire, jealousy, and slander. Since that is the case, and since they have faith in what glorious Mahākāla has taught, like Nārāyaṇa, I have taught the practice of generating Kāmadeva and his retinue of sixty-four ḍākinīs.”
“Blessed One,” asked the Goddess, “what is the significance of the term mahākāla?”
The Blessed One replied, “The term mahākāla refers to the long duration of time that it takes to visualize and remain as Mahākāla, as well as the fact that one performs this every day and at the best time for doing so. Alternately, the term mahākāla refers to something that requires a long time, namely, performing the rites for Mahākāla in their entirety.”
“What do the syllable ma and the syllables hā and kāla signify?” asked the Goddess.
The Blessed One replied, “Ma refers to the fact that he is a compassionate being, and hā refers to the fact that he possesses insight, and to insight itself. Kāla is a combination of two syllables that together mean ‘time’ and that signify method and insight in union as great compassion.
“There are eight yoginīs who appear in this tantra and are respectively identified as the queens of the yogas of paralyzing, expelling, paralyzing an army, and hostile rites. They are generated through the visualization of Caṇḍeśvarī, Carcikā, Kālikā, Kulikeśvarī, Khaṇḍaruhī, Dantotkaṭī, Pracālī, and Maheśvarī.
“Someone with insight into grasping, for whom time is essential, seeks liberation. For them, there is no meditator and no object of meditation. The visualizations are not produced by anything. Then, through mastery over the afflicted mind, the mind is freed of imputation. They can assume the form of Vetāli without generating it, and, when moving among the five families, they can accomplish any rite just as it was taught. They can pursue one after the other whether or not it is the appropriate particular lunar day, guaranteeing the attainment of any siddhi. Such are the fruits of this Dharma instruction.”
This is the first chapter in The Glorious Sovereign Tantra of Mahākāla, “An Elucidation of Ultimate Reality.”
Chapter 2: The Features of the Fire Pits
“Now I will present a chapter on the features of the fire pits.”
“My Lord,” the Goddess asked, “how should one accomplish, for the sake of beings, the rites associated with the eight siddhis that eliminate suffering?”
The Blessed One replied, “The exhalation is blocked as it flows in the lunar channel and then held. By doing this one will undoubtedly attain the eight great siddhis. When someone intent on bringing this to fruition does this, they will attain siddhi.
“For a killing rite, one should perform a fire offering with dark-blue flowers in a square fire pit that is one cubit wide. For a paralyzing rite, the pit should be circular and two cubits wide. For an enthralling rite, one should build a triangular fire pit one cubit high in a hole one cubit deep that has been excavated from purified ground. The fire offering, made using red flowers, should be performed by well-trained officiants who are seated on a bearskin.
“The explanation of the specifications for the fire offering pit used to attain the foot salve siddhi are to purify the ground for a circular pit measuring one cubit high and then excavate to a depth of five cubits. The explanation of the fire offering for the collyrium siddhi are to purify the ground in the shape of a snake’s head measuring two and a half cubits and excavate to a depth of seven cubits. This is the fire pit for the collyrium siddhi. The instructions for the pill siddhi are to purify the ground measuring the size of an elephant’s foot and excavate to a depth of ten cubits. This is the fire pit for the pill. For the alchemy siddhi, one should purify an area of ground measuring two and a half cubits and shaped like an earring and then excavate to a depth of three cubits. This is the fire pit for the alchemy siddhi. The fire pit for becoming a king is one cubit high and circular in shape. Once the ground has been purified, one should excavate to a depth of eight cubits. This is done to accomplish the siddhi. By following these procedures, the siddhis are certain. If one uses white flowers for any of the fire offering rites described here, one will gain the results related to each of these siddhis.”
This is the second chapter in The Sovereign Tantra of Mahākāla, “The Features of the Fire Pits.”
Chapter 3: The Mantras
“Now I will present the chapter on the mantras. Of the two types of mantras, the system of mantras related to Śiva are identified in this tantra by the syllable oṁ. These mantras represent Śiva’s delight as a protector of the Buddha’s teachings. He pronounced the following mantras of great wisdom as part of his promise to the Buddha:
“The mantra for the two-armed form is oṁ mahākāla hūṁ phaṭ svāhā.
“The mantra for the four-armed form is oṁ hrīṃ hrīṃ hūṁ hūṁ phaṭ phaṭ.
“The mantra for the six-armed form is oṁ mahābhairava sarvasiddhidāyaka ḍaṃ hūṁ kuṃ dhvaṇṭaḥ.
“The mantra for the eight-armed form is oṁ āḥ hūṁ phaṭ hrīḥ haḥ.
“The mantra for the ten-armed form is oṁ hī kaṃ hūṁ kīla kīla mahānādākārālavikarālakṣīgṛīhaḥ daha daha paca paca siddhidākāya svāhā.
“The mantra for the twelve-armed form is oṁ daṃṣṭrotkaṭabhair avāya saṃ saṃ saṃ ru ru ru ru hūṁ hūṁ hūṁ phaṭ svāhā. It can be used for any rite, is revered by all the buddhas, is effective throughout the threefold world, and will accomplish whatever one wishes.
“Present a bali offering every day with this mantra of the fourteen-armed form to attain any siddhi: oṁ yama jagatakṣobhaya kṣobhaya tāla patāla khāhi khāhi gṛhṇa bali grahāḥ grahāḥ | oṁ maṁ caṁ mahābhairavāya svāhā.
“The mantra for protecting oneself is oṁ maṁ maṁ raṁ hūṁ hūṁ maṃ rakṣa pālāya hūṁ vajra phaṭ.
“The mantra for protecting others is oṁ dharaṇī dhara dhara hūṁ hūṁ [insert name] rakṣā kuru svāhā.
“The mantra for the sixteen-armed form is oṁ hrāṃ hrāṃ yaṃ maṃ karāla virālākṣa vaṃ karāla mahāyogeśvara sarvadāyaka svāhā.
“One should thoroughly cook black gram, fill it generously with alcohol, meat, and blood, and present it every evening as a bali offering while reciting the following mantra:
oṁ śrīṃ kṣīṃ gṛhṇa baliṃ hūṁ phaṭ | madyamāṁsapuṣpadhūparaktatalapātale aṣṭanāgadevayakṣarākṣasa gṛhna idaṃ baliṃ hā hā hā hūṁ khāhi khāhi kha kha hūṁ jaḥ pheṃ pheṃ haṃ haṃ mahāḍadharahāsa garjja garjja kṛṣṇavarṇī ehe hūṁ svāhā.
“If one does this for twenty-one days, an auspicious sign will appear. If one does this for one month, siddhi will be granted. If one does this for a year, one will be granted whatever one wants.
“All one’s misdeeds will be exhausted by simply reading the king of mantras oṁ hrīṃ hrīṃ hūṁ phaṭ, and if one continually recites it, one will easily attain any siddhi. If one recites it five thousand times, one will accomplish the pacification rite. If one recites it ten thousand times, one will enthrall a woman. If one recites it one hundred thousand times, one can enthrall a king. If one recites it five hundred thousand times, one can undoubtedly enthrall any of the gods and yakṣas. If it will attract them, it goes without saying that one can use it on a man or woman. This is the enthralling mantra.
“The general mantra is oṁ mahākāla hūṁ hūṁ phaṭ phaṭ svāhā.
“The fire mantra is oṁ mahānandeśvara hūṁ phaṭ svāhā. If one visualizes the target in the mouth of the flames, they will die.
“The mantra for killing is oṁ kṣīṃ śrīṃ ho kṣaḥ [insert name] māṁsamāraya phaṭ.
“Caṇḍeśvarī’s mantra is oṁ kṣīṃ he caṇḍeśvarī hūṁ śrī svāhā.
“Kulikeśvarī’s mantra is oṁ lāṃ kaṃ kulikeśvarī he pheṃ svāhā.
“Maheśvarī’s mantra is oṁ māṃ maheśvarī hūṁ śrī heṃ pheṃ.
“Kālikā’s mantra is oṁ kili vikarāla śrīḥ kṣīṃ kṣīṃ hūṁ phaṭ svāhā.
“Carcikā’s mantra is oṁ caṁ carcaya carcaya hūṁ hrīḥ.
“The goddess Khaṇḍā’s bali-offering mantra is oṁ camuṇḍe daha daha paca paca idaṃ baliṃ gṛhṇa gṛhṇa hūṁ pheṃ heṃ phaṭ svāhā.
“The Goddess Umā’s mantra is oṁ hrī hāḥ hūṁ śrī phaṭ svāhā.
“The mantra for consecrating body, speech, and mind is oṃ āḥ hūṃ.
“The mantra for any act of killing is oṁ hūṁ kṣiṃ śrīṃ oṁ ghaṃ [insert name] hi māraya māraya hūṁ phaṭ.
“The expelling mantra is oṁ kṣiṃ ha hāṁ [insert name] ucchaṭaya hūṁ phaṭ.
“The mantra for paralyzing an enemy is oṁ maṁ jaṁ kṣaṁ.
“One should incant a mouse’s tail seven times with the mantra oṁ jaṁ hūṁ hastistaṃbhaya phaṭ. An elephant will be paralyzed when struck with it.
“One should incant the flesh of a cow with the mantra oṁ khaḥ haḥ phaṭ ghoṭakastambhanam. A horse will be paralyzed when struck with it.
“One should incant tiger skin with the mantra oṁ muḥ hāṁ sarvapaśūn staṁbhāya mohāya hūṁ phaṭ. Buffalo, dogs, elephants, cows, jackals, tigers, and bears will undoubtedly be paralyzed when struck with it.
“The snake-paralyzing mantra is oṁ mahānanta hūṁ haḥ. If one incants silver with this mantra seven times and hits a snake with it, the snake will be paralyzed.
“The mantra for rendering a person mute is oṁ mukhaṃ stambhaya [insert name] vaṃ phaṭ.
“The mantra for paralyzing swords and the like is oṁ hrīḥ maṁ raṁ camuṇḍa haḥ śrī hūṁ phaṭ.
“The mantra for paralyzing a dice player is oṁ mahilala bhilala bhilala ha hoḥ.
“The mantra for bewildering a woman is oṁ ghaṃ hūṁ.
“The great bali offering mantra that subdues enemies is oṁ haḥ kaha kaha malinimukhe prasādhaya prasādhaya mahākāla buddhajñāṃ prahitosi māraya māraya kāraya kāraya sarvaduṣṭāṃ praduṣṭān gṛhṇa gṛhṇa mara mara kha kha khāhi khāhi śīghraṃ daha daha paca paca hūre hūre maṃ raṃ hūṁ phaṭ | idaṃ baliṃ graha graha śrī svāhā.
“This is for hostile and contentious people who act in opposition to the Buddha’s teaching. One should incant a bowl make of a human skull and full of food with this mantra and present the bali offering on the eighth day of the waning moon, and they will instantly die, contract a deadly fever, or be incinerated, or their head will split open. This great bali offering mantra overcomes enemies.
“The killing mantra is oṁ camuṇḍe hana hana daha daha hūṁ phaṭ.
“The mantra for killing enemies is oṁ hūṁ māṁ maṃ māraya svāhā.
“hūṁ phaṭ | atha bhagavān bodhisattvā mahāsattvā mahākāruṇikā | tadyathā | oṁ kārālavikaṭeśvara hūlu hūlu kili kili mahākaṅkālahala kṣāṁ śrīṁ vaṁ caṁ maṁ haṁ hūṁ mahānandeśvarāya svāhā. This mantra should be recited seven times a day while washing the face, and one will be attractive to everyone. All one’s enemies will be pacified, all one’s actions will succeed, and whatever one desires will be granted twofold. This is the mantra for Mahākāla, the dhāraṇī that brings delight in every sādhana.
“oṁ mahākāla hūṁ hūṁ hūṁ phaṭ svāhā. One brings about the result by accomplishing the entire collection of ritual actions.”
This is the third chapter in The Glorious Sovereign Tantra of the Black Protector, “The Mantras.”
Chapter 4: Consecration
“Now I will present the chapter on consecration. The disciple must first recite the mantra for the two-armed form of Mahākāla ten thousand times and then receive initiation. The sage is first consecrated with the vase following the specific set of five consecrations in which they are furnished with a bell and vajra, sprinkled with water, and so forth. The sixth consecration is bestowed according to the vajra stages. The seventh consecration is the specific point at which they unite with an insight consort. The disciple copulates with the yoginīs during the eighth consecration, during the ninth semen is produced, and during the tenth they are consecrated with sky water. Accomplishing the sequence of these eleven consecrations in the correct way will give rise to the respective states. Just like those slain by the tawny-colored one, the sage should secretly maintain this sequential accomplishment of quiescent wisdom using the five ambrosias and the insight consorts. One should perform this practice with a mother, a sister, a woman with deformed legs, a dwarfish woman, or a hunchbacked woman. All these designations should be understood as instructed.
“Once all that is complete, one should approach the eminent master for the appropriate consecration. The guru should examine the disciple and then give it. Then the disciple should say, ‘Master, since you possess the method, and since, Your Eminence, we have acted according to your every word, please teach us the correct path for abandoning the suffering of beings. Blessed One, please grant us the proper understanding of the consecration rite through its specific stages so that it might benefit beings, and so we might have the correct understanding of the time and duration of the rite.’ ”
This is the fourth chapter in The Glorious Sovereign Tantra of Mahākāla, “Consecration.”
Chapter 5: The Deity Consecration
“Now I will present the deity consecration. First, the goddesses and the like perform the vase consecration, and the eight goddesses grant the ambrosia. After water to drink and water to cool one’s feet are offered and praises are made, the vases are empowered with the mantra oṁ kalaśābhinayanaṃ snānaṁ oṁ śūnyatādhiṣṭhite svāhā.
“The goddesses, who are given the water consecration and the five ambrosias, will be filled with the six perfections. The goddesses will then let forth a rain of flowers. One will smell musk and sweet fragrances. Then one will be consecrated by Nārāyaṇa and the rest. One will be protected by all these deities’ samayas, and they will not abandon them even if it costs them their lives.”
Thus is the fifth chapter in The Tantra of Mahākāla, “The Deity Consecration.”
Chapter 6: The Practice
At that point, the foremost goddesses such as Vajrabhūtinī and the others experienced doubt and were disheartened. They all asked the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please clear away our doubts. We have doubts about reaching accomplishment through song and the nine dramatic sentiments as explained in this chapter. What is the purpose of song and dance? What is conduct for one who is consecrated as the deity? How are they represented by the mudrās of anger and the like? How do you explain all the seed syllables in the chapter on mantras? What doubts have arisen about the seed syllables of these goddesses? What power do the seed syllables of the embodied beings have? Blessed One, how do samaya holders act?”
The Blessed One responded, “a ko yi gha ṇa pi ṭa ṭa yi ra hā hā kā re ma hā kā la | uccha la ya yi kakko le gha ṇa ḍa ma ru vajra ji yā yi | kā ru ṇe yā yi | na ro li yā yi | ta hiṃ ma hā māṃ sa ni ba bha re khā hi yā yi | pi ba yi ma ya ṇā ghaṇṭe | ha re kā li jñā ja ra pa yi sa yi bā yi yā yi | duṃ du ta ra mā ga pa i patte | ka stu ra kā ta tha ri sihla ca u sa ma lā gā bi yā yi | si li ni | bha ra māṃ sa kī ta hi la hi yā yi | nā ṭe gīṃ taṃ e ko na mu yi | lī lā bha ra ṇa mā lā gha ri yā yi | ta hiṃ pa ṇi yā yi | sa hā gā thi ṇa kun du ru pa yi yā yi | ḍā ma ru nā da uccha li yā yi.
“ ‘Dancing’ means to be in union with Mahākāla, in whatever manner is pleasing, at dawn and with a mind immersed in meditative concentration. The mind steeped in familiarity refers to nothing other than the mother yoginīs who are the suchness of all buddhas. These dances and songs give rise to supreme bliss. This is precisely what protects oneself and protects the gathering. It is the five ambrosias, and it is the mantra focused on power, the recitation of which effortlessly performs activities in the world. One should therefore always receive the siddhi.
“They should dance in the middle, over and over. The lord of the assembly himself first apprehends the smell of a vulture, and second the smell of Lakṣmī and Nārāyaṇa wafting toward his nose. Third, he enjoys the various smells of musk, saffron, and the like. This is the stage of a lord of yoga. After that, the song’s blessings create the sounds of bees, geese, cuckoos, and frogs. If one dances, all the sounds will be the same.
“Then there is the song’s blessing for the assembly. External beings, beginning with kinnaras and Nārāyaṇa, should follow samaya. All the symbols should be continuously displayed at the edge of a town, in a grove, or in a forest. The siddhis will then be certain.”
“Blessed One,” the Goddess asked, “please explain how those who are interested in benefiting the beings of Jambudvīpa and those who are interested in practicing alchemy make correct use of the methods for enthralling rites and so forth.”
The Blessed One replied, “One must correctly understand the four mudrās of the goddesses. I will teach everything only after that.”
The Goddess again said, “Please give a trustworthy explanation of the correct stages. Blessed One, will this not allow beings to gain great benefit?”
“Goddess, I will explain this beginning in chapter eight. Those dwelling among the five families are guaranteed to attain their siddhis every day.”
This is chapter six in The Tantra of Mahākāla, “The Practice.”
Chapter 7: The Emergence of the Deities
“First, one should perform the ritual offering, confess one’s misdeeds and so forth, cultivate the four abodes of Brahmā, and the rest. Then, using the mantra oṁ śūnyatājñānavajrasvabhāvātmako ’haṃ, one should purify all illusory phenomena.
The Eight-Armed Form
“Mahākāla has three faces with blazing yellow hair that flows upward. His beard and eyebrows are ablaze, his fangs are bared, and he terrifies with his laughter. His main fearsome face is black, the face on the left is white, and the face on the right is blue-black. He wears a tiger skin as his lower garment and is garlanded with human heads. He is short, his belly hangs down, and he is adorned with the ornamented hoods of the eight nāgas.