Cidgagana-Candrika

In the Cidgagana-candrika the eulogy of Devi as Adya Sakti is full of abstruse principles. Of course, the known principles of worship have been given in a very luculent way. The text of the Cidgagana-candrika is divided into four discourses or chapters. The first of the four chapters gives the central idea in a succinct manner. The other three chapters are more or less in the form of amplifications, actually serving as commentaries on the first. The principles given aphoristically in the first have been fully expanded and thoroughly commented upon in the last three chapters.

• In chapter I, the author deals mainly with Sivatattva, Prakasa-imarsatattva, Isvarasatattva, Brahmasvarupa, Pratyabhijna, Saktitattva, Bhedakana, Gunatraya, Isvarasakti, Jnana, Dhyana, Ekagrata, Srsti and Samhara, etc.

• Vimarsa-laksana, Vamasakti, Para-pasyantyadi-vakcatustaya, Dhama, Anahatasvara, Kala, Matrka, Nadabindu, Adyaspanda, Khecaricatustaya, Pancavaha, Unmani, Prakasa, Citta, Vasana, Paratattva, Samarasya, Sodasakala, Upasana~sadhana, etc., are the subjects chiefly discussed in the second chapter.

• In the third chapter there is a description of – Upasana, Pithotpatti, Pithacakra. Pujaprakara, Pancavahacakra, Kala, Kundali-tritaya, Sivamuti, Pankti, Divyaugha, Pancavrtti, Guruvrnda, Anandacakra, Prakasacakra, Vrndacakra, Mantrasakti, Mudra, Sivarupa, Sunyapada, Srsti, Antacakra, Vrndacakravyapti, Nada, Pancayoni, Purnapratha., Khandacakra, Vyomatattva, etc.

• The fourth chapter deals with sadadhva, Candika, Pujadravya, Pujarahasya, Vimarsasvarupa, Srutipramana, the sthula (gross) form of the Devi, Mantrasakti, the different forms of Kali, Nada, Sudhasindhu, Samvitpadma, Mayakarnka, Prakrtimayapatra, Pitha, Pretasena, Pujadhikarini, Kalisvarupa, Pancavahakrama, Murticakra, Turiyapada, Jnana-sadhana, Caranavidya, Samhara-krama, Mantrapitha, Vyomarupa, Yantra, Navacakra, Guruparampara, Gurupaduka, Jnansitha, etc.

The principles, which are already known to the Upasaka, such as Pancavaha, Dvadasasakti, Khecari, Gurukrama, the different forms of Adya Sakti that are worshipped, Pujakrama, Sadhva, Bhavana, the consequence of Bhavanla, the Mantra and Mantrasakti, Cara, Rava, Caru, the practical results of Mudra etc.– have been discussed as matters of importance in many slokas in every chapter of the book. In the concluding ten stanzas of the text, the author has explained the aim of his composing this book and he did not forget to indicate the effect which it might produce in near future. It has already been mentioned before that the author of the Kramastuti is Sri Siddhanatha (Sri Sambhunatha). He was one of the most learned men of the famous Trika school of Kashmir. As Kalidasa composed Cidgagana-candrika in the form of a commentary on Kramastuti, it may be stated that Cidgagana-candrika also belongs to the Trika school.
The book is part of the famous “Tantrik Texts Series” edited and introduced to the readers by Arthur Avalon (aka John Woodroffe). The complete series in 21 volumes has now been published by Cosmo.