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material covering. There is but one Light, one Spirit, whose manifestations are
many. A flame enclosed in a clear glass loses but little of its brilliancy. If we
substitute for the glass, paper, or some other more opaque yet transparent
substance, the light is dimmer. A covering of metal may be so dense as to exclude
from sight the rays of light which yet burns within with an equal brilliancy. As a
fact, all such veiling forms are my. They are none the less true for those who
live in and are themselves part of the myik world. Deva, or heavenly and shining
one for spirit is light and self-manifestation is applicable to those descending
yet high manifestations of the Brahman, such as the seven Zivas, including the
Trinity (trimkrti), Brahma, Visnu, and Rudra. Dev%2Å‚ again, is the ##title of the
Supreme Mother Herself, and is again applied to the manifold forms assumed by the
one only My, such as Kl%2Å‚, Sarasvat%2Å‚, Laksm%2Å‚, Gaur%2Å‚, Gyatr%2Å‚, ##Samdhy, and
others. In the sense also in which it is said,1 Verily, in the beginning there
was the Brahman. It created the Devas ; the latter term also includes lofty
intelligences belonging to the created world inter1
Brhadranyaka Up. (ix. 2-3-2). #
INHABITANTS OF THE WORLDS
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mediate between *śvara (Himself a Purusa) and man, #who in the person of the
Brhmana is known as Earth#deva (bhkdeva).1 These spirits are of varying degrees.
For there are no breaks in the creation which represents an apparent descent of
the Brahman in gradually lowered forms. Throughout these forms play the divine
currents of pravr#tti and nivr#tti, the latter drawing to Itself that which the
former has sent forth.2 Deva, j%2Å‚va and jada (inorganic matter) are, in their real,
as opposed to their phenomenal and illusory being, the one Brahman, which appears
thus to be other than Itself through its connection with the updhi or limiting
conditions with which ignorance (avidy) invests it. Therefore all being which are
the object of worship are each of them but the Brahman seen though the veil of
avidy. Though the worshippers of Devas may not know it, their worship is in
reality the worship of the Brah#man, and hence the Mahnirvna-Tantra says3 that,
as all streams flow to the ocean, so the worship given to any Deva is received by
the Brahman. On the other hand, those who, knowing this, worship the Devas, do so
as manifestations, of Brahman, and thus worship It
1 In like manner, the priest of the Church on earth is called by Malachi (ii. 7)
angel, which is as Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagitæ says: From his announcement of
the truth and from his desire and office of purifying, illuminating, and
perfecting those committed to his charge ; the brhmanical office, in fact, when
properly understood and given effect to.
The hierarchies have also their reason and uses in Christian theology: Totus
conatus omnium spirituum est referee Deum. Deus in primis potenter assimilat quod
vicina sunt ei; assimilata deinceps assimilant. Ita pergit derivatis deitatis ab
ordine in ordinem et ab hierarchia in hierarchiam et a melioribus creaturis in
deteriores pro capacitate cujusque in deificationem omnium. ( Coletus de CSlesti
Hierarchia Dionysii Areopagitæ, chap, iii).
2 3 Chapter 11, verse 50, a common statement which appears in the Bhagavadgit and
elsewhere.
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INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA ZSTRA
mediately. The sun, the most glorious symbol in the physical world, is the myik
vesture of Her who is clothed with the sun. In the lower ranks of the celestial
hierarchy are the Devayonis, some of whom are mentioned in the opening verses of
the first chapter of the text. The Devas are of two classes: unborn (ajta) that
is, those which have not, and those which have (sdhya) evolved from humanity as
in the case of King Nahusa, who became Indra. Opposed to the divine hosts are the
Asura, Å„#nav, Daitya, Rksasa, who, with other spirits, represent the tamasik or
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