Mahaa Tripura Sundaryaa Maahaatmyam samupaadishat, Tatprabhaavaanaham vedyi kinhitadvakshey na chaanyathaa/
Rahasya Mantra tadvakshey shrunu tatvam samaahtah, Na Brahmaa nacha Vishnurvaa na Rudrascha Trayopyami/
Mahitaa maayayaa yasyastureeyascha Maheshwarah, Sadaa shivo vaa jaanaati kimuta Prakrutaamaraah/
Sadaa Shivastu Dharmaatmaa Sacchidaananda Vigrahah, Akartyumanyathaa Kartaa Yasyastwanugrahaat/
Sa kadaachitta Devaaham Maanya maano Maheshwarah, Tanmayaa mohito bhutwaa twavashas–shavataatagaat/
Kinchidatra Viseshosti Vaktavyassopi tatkshunu/ Brahmaa deenaam trayaanaam cha Tureeyasteeshwarah Prabhuh/
Chaturnaamapi Sarveshaamaadi Kartaa Sadaa Shivah, Saiva Kaaranameteshaam Srishtisthitilayeshwapi/
Maadrahasyam kathitam tasmaascharatimadbhutam, Punareva prayakshaami Saavadhaanaah shrunu/
Atra sthitaapi Sarveshaam hridayasthaa Ghatod –bhava, Tattatkarmaanurupam saa pradattey dehinaam phalam/
Yatkinchidvartatey Lokey Sarvamasya vicheshtimam, Yatkinchittchantayatey kaschistwacchaanda vididhaatyasou/
Asyaa yevaavataarastu Tripuraadyascha Shaktyayah/
(Brahma-Vishnu-Rudraas as also Maheshwara and further Superior Sada Shiva too did not realise my Magnificence and after all how about Devas! Only the Superior Sada Shiva was free to act or react to do or undo as he enjoyed Devi’s confidence. Maheshwara once felt that he was the Para Deva then he had to to be turned out as a Corpse! However Maheshwara was no doubt senior to Tri Murtis but could not arrogate Superiority beyond that stage. Basically the five of them were answerable to the Deeds of Srishthi-Sthiti-Samhaaraas. But above all was myself being present in the hearts and Souls of every person or Devas or their manifestations. The Top Five were thus answerable to Devi and the rest was my own Vilaasa!
Hayagriva continued his narration to Agastya as follows: At the beginning Devi Kamakshi materialised three eggs; these three created Tri Purushas and Tri Shaktis: The First Egg manifested Gauri and Narayana; then the Second couple were Lakshmi and Brahma and the third in the series of were Vani and Shiva. Then Maha Devi made the arrangement herself and made the combination of Brahma and Vani; Vishnu and Lakshmi and finally Shiva and Parvati. Maha Devi also made three Abodes of Satya Loka to Brahma, Vaikuntha to Vishnu and Shiva to Kailasa and firmed up their duties as well of Creation-Preservation and Destruction.
Parvati’s sin, Kamakshi’s pardon and Gauri-Shiva’s Kalyana: Devi Parvati closed Shiva’s three eyes playfully once and the representations of Surya-Chandra-Agnis of the eyes were put off when the Universe was drowned in darkness and there was Pralaya. Shiva advised Parvati to atone for her sin by performing severe Tapasya by assuming the Form of ‘Baala’ keeping Tulasi before her for long spells of time on the banks of Ganga at Varanasi and later at Kanchipuri near Kampa Nadi. Tripura Sundari Kamakshi was pleased by her Tapasya and pardoned her sin and infused her Shakti into Parvati. Kamakshi also instructed Shiva as the latter was in Tapasya too to accept Manmatha whom Shiva destroyed in the past with his Third Eye since Manmatha disturbed Shiva’s concentration. Initially Shiva resisted Kamakshi’s instruction but being overpowered by her Superiority succumbed to her magnificence. Then Kamakshi Devi as Tripura Sundari blessed both Gauri and Shiva to get remarried again.
Brahma’s Seniority claim, Shiva beheads Brahma, atonesand Kamakshi’s pardon: In Brahma Sabha once when Tri Murtis, Dikpalakas, Devas and Maharshis were present, there was some confusion about the identity of Brahma and Shiva as both had Five Heads. Brahma claimed his seniority but Narayana stated that after all Brahma was generated from the lotus top that sprouted from his navel and thus was his son. Brahma retaliated that he was the Srithti Karta and that he created Rudras too. An argument developed resulting in confrontation when a ‘Jyoti Stambha’ or a huge Pillar of Light appeared. Narayana realised that the Pillar was Maheshwara but the quarrelsome Brahma attempted to reach its top and failed and Narayana sought to slide down to ascertain the foot of the Pillar and failed too. The arrogant Brahma disregarded Maheshwara too and the latter grew angry and out of the rage was materialised Bhairava who snipped one of Brahma’s Five heads and there was pandemonium all around. Bhairava tried to get rid of the Kapaala of the detached head of Brahma but it got stuck to him as the sin of ‘Brahma Hatya’. Bhairava visited several Kshetras from Kashi onward and finally reached Pancha Tirtha at Kanchipura; He found Vasudeva was engrossed in the meditation of Kamakshi seated south of her and Lakshmi was immersed in the Dhyana of Kamakshi as seated to the latter’s north. Bhairava realised that Vishnu and Lakshmi were in the dhyana of Kamakshi and went into a rapturous Yoga Samadhi. Sometime around mid night, Devi Kamashi appeared before Bhairava who pleaded her to be freed from the sin of Brahma Hatya as followed by the Brahma Kapala. She replied that he was indeed of her own Swaupa, blessed him and asked him to dip in the Pancha Tirtha next morning. Miraculously Bhairava got freed from the Kapala and simultaneously Shiva got rid of the begging bowl being the Brahma Kapala at Varanasi!
