Dhumavati

In the beginning, Darkness was hidden by darkness, only Non-Being existed. From the Non-Being the Being was born. Into the Non-Being shall the Being dissolve again.'' The primal state before creation is also the ultimate state after creation is withdrawn. This then again becomes the primal state for the next cycle of creation. This primal state is Dhumâvati.

Dhumâvati has killed Her husband (Being is put to sleep). She is the only widow Goddess. She is the Goddess of inconscience. She is the power of perversion and the force of distortion. She is depicted as utterly ugly and abominable. Pale in face, long in limbs, sparse in teeth, breasts sagging, decrepit, uncouth, fickle, with dirty clothes, and dishevelled hair, She bestrides on a cart with a raven for its banner.

The Non-Being is a non-being only when we are speaking in terms of time. After a time, a tree emerges from the seed of Non-Being. Hence it is really the Being in its potential form. Dhumâvati is not absolutely dark. She has a smoky hue, darkness impregnated with the embryo of light. The smoke carries hidden particles of the heat of the flame. Thus Being and Non-being are different states of the Reality.

  

Dhumâvati is the Maha yoga nidra of Vishnu. The all-pervading primordial principle gets free from his couch of infinity (ananta), on the milky ocean of bliss (kshira samudra) and withdraws into yoga nidra. This sleep will be a precursor of a great awakening, a harbinger of a newer projection of Godhead. Dhumâvati is the womb of all unmanifested worlds.

All time collapsed to a point, Dhumavati has killed her husband. She is the only widow Goddess - who is worshipped to annihilate all enemies. In the pure form of Her upasana, the enemies are: Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha, Mada, Matsarya. In the impure form, She is the prayoga of tantra. Her upasana takes two forms. The first form is elimination of all plans of actions, to merge into total silence: Sarva Samkalpa Varjanam. The second form permits thoughts and desires. However, there should be no gap between arising of a desire and its execution. If there is a gap, an uncontrollable fear leading to death occurs. Whatever the desire may be, it must be executed.

Dhumâvati upâsana is alright for those who have achieved siddhis with all the earlier vidyâs, have tasted savikalpa samâdhi and at least occasionally gone to nirvikalpa smaâdhi. It cannot be recommended for lesser mortals who are more likely to misuse this great vidyâ. The purpose of sâdhana is to manifest the Existence concealed in Non-Existence, the bliss hidden in pain!