Kramastotram
Hymn paying homage to the Krama

कौलार्णवानन्दघनोर्मिरूपामुन्मेषमेषोभयभाजमन्तः ।
निलीयते नीलकुलालये या तां सृष्टिकालीं सततं नमामि ॥१॥
Kaulārṇavānandaghanormirūpāmunmeṣameṣobhayabhājamantaḥ |
Nilīyate nīlakulālaye yā tāṃ sṛṣṭikālīṃ satataṃ namāmi || 1 ||
I perpetually (satatam) salute (namāmi) that (tām) Sṛṣṭikālī --the Kālī of Emission-- (sṛṣṭi-kālīm) who (yā) appears as the dense wave of bliss in the ocean of Supreme Consciousness (Kaula) (kaula-ārṇava-ānanda-ghana-urmi-rūpām), and hides (nilīyate) within that stage which embodies objectivity (Kula) (nīla-kula-ālaye…antaḥ), participating there both in revelation and concealment (unmeṣa-meṣa-ubhaya-bhājam). || 1 ||
Sṛṣṭikālī is Sṛṣṭicakram of the stage of objectivity
महाविनोदार्पितमातृचक्रविरेन्द्रकासृग्रसपानसक्तां ।
रक्तीकृतां च प्रलयात्यये तां नमामि विश्वाकृतिरक्तकालीं ॥२॥
Mahāvinodārpitamātṛcakravirendrakāsṛgrasapānasaktāṃ |
Raktīkṛtāṃ ca pralayātyaye tāṃ namāmi viśvākṛtiraktakālīṃ || 2 ||
I salute (namāmi) that (tām) Raktakālī --the Kālī of Passion-- (…rakta-kālīm) who manifests as desire (for perceiving) (raktī-kṛtām), and (ca) thus devoted to drinking the juice produced by the senses when they offer (reject) subjectivity with great vehemence (while they are extroverted) (mahā-vinoda-arpita-mātṛ-cakra-vira-indrakā-sṛj-rasa-pāna-saktām). While no dissolution manifests, and therefore perception is maintained (pralaya-atyaye), she persists as the shape of the universe (viśva-ākṛti…). || 2 ||
Raktakālī is Sthiticakram of the stage of objectivity
वाजिद्वयस्वीकृतवातचक्रप्रक्रान्तसंघट्टगमागमस्थां ।
शुचिर्ययास्तं गमितो’र्चिषा तां शान्तां नमामि स्थितिनाशकालीं ॥३॥
Vājidvayasvīkṛtavātacakraprakrāntasaṃghaṭṭagamāgamasthāṃ
|
Śuciryayāstaṃ gamito’rciṣā tāṃ śāntāṃ namāmi sthitināśakālīṃ || 3 ||
I salute (namāmi) that (tām) peaceful (śāntām) Sthitināśakālī --the Kālī who devours the previously maintained form of the universe-- (sthiti-nāśa-kālīm) who is standing withing the coming and going of the friction set in motion by the wheel of winds, moving through the nostrils (vāji-dvaya-svī-kṛta-vāta-cakra-prakrānta-saṃghaṭṭa-gama-āgama-sthām). Objective manifestation is consumed (śuciḥ) by this (yayā) flame (created by this friction) (arciṣā), and thus it returns to one’s true home (gamitaḥ…astam). || 3 ||
Sthitināśakālī is Saṃhāracakram of the stage of objectivity
सर्वार्थसंकर्षणसंयमस्य यमस्य यन्तुर्जगतो यमाय ।
वपुर्महाग्रासविलासरागात्संकर्षयन्तीं प्रणमामि कालीं ॥४॥
Sarvārthasaṃkarṣaṇasaṃyamasya yamasya yanturjagato
yamāya |
Vapurmahāgrāsavilāsarāgātsaṃkarṣayantīṃ praṇamāmi kālīṃ || 4 ||
I bow before (praṇamāmi) Kālī --i.e. Yamakālī, the Devourer of doubts-- (kālīm), who consumes (saṃkarṣayantīm) the body (vapus) of the ruler (yantuḥ) of yama (yamasya), who holds together all withdrawn objects (sarva-artha-saṃkarṣaṇa-saṃyamasya) - to prevent (yamāya) the re-emergence of the world (jagataḥ), out of her devotion to manifesting a Great Devouring (mahā-grāsa-vilāsa-rāgāt). || 4 ||
Yamakālī is Anākhyacakram of the stage of objectivity
उन्मन्यनन्ता निखिलार्थगर्भा या भावसंहारनिमेषमेति ।
सदोदिता सत्युदयाय शून्यां संहारकालीं मुदितां नमामि ॥५॥
Unmanyanantā nikhilārthagarbhā yā
bhāvasaṃhāranimeṣameti |
Sadoditā satyudayāya śūnyāṃ saṃhārakālīṃ muditāṃ namāmi || 5 ||
I salute (namāmi) the joyful (muditām) Saṃhārakālī --Kālī of Dissolution-- (saṃhāra-kālīm), who (yā) is the endless (anantā) womb of all objects (nikhila-artha-garbhā). She is always present (sadā-uditā) beyond the mind (unmanī), yet, to manifest (satī…udayāya) as a void (śūnyām), she closes her eyes and withdraws the notion of objectivity (bhāva-saṃhāra-nimeṣam…eti). || 5 ||
Saṃhārakālī is Sṛṣṭicakram of the stage of cognition
ममेत्यहंकारकलाकलापविस्फारहर्षोद्धतगर्वमृत्युः ।
ग्रस्तो यया घस्मरसंविदं तां नमाम्यकालोदितमृत्युकालीं ॥६॥
Mametyahaṃkārakalākalāpavisphāraharṣoddhatagarvamṛtyuḥ |
Grasto yayā ghasmarasaṃvidaṃ tāṃ namāmyakāloditamṛtyukālīṃ || 6 ||
I salute (namāmi) that (tām) voracious awareness (ghasmara-saṃvidam) called Mṛtyukālī --The Destroyer of Death-- who suddenly emerges (akāla-udita-mṛtyu-kālīm) and devours (yayā…grastaḥ) death, which is nothing but the pride of delighting in the expansions of the activities of ahaṃkāra (aham-kāra-kalā-kalāpa-visphāra-harṣa-uddhata-garva-mṛtyuḥ), which culminate into the notion of “mine” (mama ...iti). || 6 ||
Mṛtyukālī is Sthiticakram of the stage of cognition
विश्वं महाकल्पविरामकल्पभवान्तभीमभ्रुकुटिभ्रमन्त्या ।
या नात्यनन्तप्रभवार्चिषा तां नमामि भद्रां शुभभद्रकालीं ॥७॥
Viśvaṃ
mahākalpavirāmakalpabhavāntabhīmabhrukuṭibhramantyā |
Yā nātyanantaprabhavārciṣā tāṃ namāmi bhadrāṃ śubhabhadrakālīṃ || 7 ||
I salute (namāmi) that (tām) pure and blessed (bhadrām) Bhadrakālī --the Auspicious Kālī-- (śubha-bhadra-kālīm) who (yā) scorches the world (viśvam) by the flame of the Infinite Power emerging from her dance (nātya-ananta-prabhava-arciṣā). This flame appears as the terrified raising of the eyebrows during the destruction of saṃsaric existence to put an end to the great cycle of time (mahā-kalpa-virāma-kalpa-bhava-anta-bhīma-bhrukuṭi-bhramantyā). || 7 ||
Bhadrakālī is Saṃhāracakram of the stage of cognition
मार्तण्डमापीतपतङ्गचक्रं पतङ्गवत्कालकलेन्धनाय ।
करोति या विश्वरसान्तकां तां मार्तण्डकालीं सततं प्रणौमि ॥८॥
Mārtaṇḍamāpītapataṅgacakraṃ
pataṅgavatkālakalendhanāya |
Karoti yā viśvarasāntakāṃ tāṃ mārtaṇḍakālīṃ satataṃ
praṇaumi || 8 ||
I forever (satatam) bow to (praṇaumi) that (tām) Mārtaṇḍakālī --Kālī of the Sun-- (mārtaṇḍa-kālīm) who (yā) renders sour the taste of worldly enjoyment (viśva-rasa-antakām), and causes (karoti) the wheel of the Sun - the senses - acting like drunken insects (āpīta-pataṅga-cakram…mārtaṇḍam), to rush into that which fuels time --i.e. into ahaṃkāra-- (kāla-kalā-indhanāya), like moths (rush into a fire) (pataṅgavat). || 8 ||
Mārtaṇḍakālī is Anākhyacakram of the stage of cognition
अस्तोदितद्वादशभानुभाजि यस्यां गता भर्गशिखा शिखेव ।
प्रशान्तधाम्नि द्युतिनाशमेति तां नौम्यनन्तां परमार्ककालीं ॥९॥
Astoditadvādaśabhānubhāji
yasyāṃ gatā bhargaśikhā śikheva |
Praśāntadhāmni dyutināśameti tāṃ naumyanantāṃ paramārkakālīṃ || 9 ||
I salute (naumi) that (tām) Infinite (anantām) Paramārkakālī --Kālī of the Supreme Sun-- (parama-ārka-kālīm) whose abode is appeased (praśānta-dhāmni) because it stores the twelve suns whether they emerge or dissolve (asta-udita-dvādaśa-bhānu-bhāji). The auspicious ray of Light (bharga-śikhā) experienced at the top of the head like a flame (śikhā-iva) dissolves in Her abode (gatā), advancing (eti) towards the extinguishing of its splendour (dyuti-nāśam). || 9 ||
Paramārkakālī is Sṛṣṭicakram of the stage of the subject
कालक्रमाक्रान्तदिनेशचक्रक्रोडीकृतान्ताग्निकलाप उग्रः ।
कालाग्निरुद्रो लयमेति यस्यां तां नौमि कालानलरुद्रकालीं ॥१०॥
Kālakramākrāntadineśacakrakroḍīkṛtāntāgnikalāpa
ugraḥ |
Kālāgnirudro layameti yasyāṃ tāṃ naumi kālānalarudrakālīṃ || 10 ||
I salute (naumi) that (tām) Kālī who is known as the destroyer of the consuming fire of time (kāla-ānala-rudra-kālīm), for the terryfing (ugraḥ) Kālāgnirudra (kāla-agni-rudraḥ) - who is the collection of all the internal fires which govern the wheel of the senses when they are overshadowed by temporal succession (kāla-krama-ākrānta-dineśa-cakra-kroḍī-kṛta-anta-agni-kalāpaḥ), dissolves (eti…layam) in her (yasyām). || 10 ||
Kālāgnirudrakālī is Sthiticakram of the stage of the subject
नक्तं महाभूतलये श्मशाने दिग्खेचरीचक्रगणेन साकं ।
कालीं महाकालमलं ग्रसन्तीं वन्दे ह्यचिन्त्यामनिलानलाभां ॥११॥
Naktaṃ mahābhūtalaye
śmaśāne digkhecarīcakragaṇena sākaṃ |
Kālīṃ mahākālamalaṃ grasantīṃ vande hyacintyāmanilānalābhāṃ || 11 ||
I venerate (vande…hi) that Inconceivable (acintyām) Kālī --Mahākālakālī, the Destroyer of the Lord of Time-- (kālīm) who, appearing as a fire in the wind (anila-anala-ābhām), completely (alam) devours (grasantīm) the Lord of Time (mahā-kālam) on the Cremation Ground (śmaśāne) where the great elements dissolve (mahā-bhūta-laye) at Night (naktam) together with (sākam) the multitude of the wheel of powers which pervade the sky of all directions (dig-khe-carī-cakra-gaṇena). || 11 ||
Mahākālakālī is Saṃhāracakram of the stage of the subject
क्रमत्रयत्वाष्ट्रमरीचिचक्रसञ्चारचातुर्यतुरीयसत्तां ।
वन्दे महाभैरवघोरचण्डकालीं कलाकाशशशाङ्ककान्तिं ॥१२॥
Kramatrayatvāṣṭramarīcicakrasañcāracāturyaturīyasattāṃ
|
Vande mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālīṃ kalākāśaśaśāṅkakāntiṃ || 12 ||
I venerate (vande) Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī --i.e. The Kālī of the union of subject, object and cognition-- (mahā-bhairava-ghora-caṇḍa-kālīm), who has the beauty of the moon on the sky of all powers (kalā-ākāśa-śaśāṅka-kāntim). She exists as the fourth state known as Turya, for She can spin the wheel of the marīci-s which manifests as the threefold sequence of manifestation, maintenance, and withdrawal (krama-traya-tvāṣṭra-marīci-cakra-sañcāra-cāturya-turīya-sattām). || 12 ||
Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī is Anākhyacakram of the stage of the subject
Notes:
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|
Sṛṣṭi |
Sthiti |
Saṃhāra |
Anākhya |
|
Prameya |
Sṛṣṭikālī |
Raktakālī |
Sthitināśakālī |
Yamakālī |
|
Pramāṇa |
Saṃhārakālī |
Mṛtyukālī |
Bhadrakālī |
Mārtaṇḍakālī |
|
Pramātā |
Paramārkakālī |
Kālāgnirudrakālī |
Mahākālakālī |
Mahābhairava-ghoracaṇḍakālī |
Sṛṣṭikālī - Is the first moment of perception of objectivity
Raktakālī - Is the eagerness to maintain the perception of objectivity
Sthitināśakālī - Is the cessation of that perception
Yamakālī - Is the appeased state of leaving objective perception
*
Saṃhārakālī - The impressions of the objective world have a fading nature in the mind
Mṛtyukālī - The previous impressions are completely faded and the yogin begins to feel oneness
Bhadrakālī - Destroys the remaining doubts that prevent the yogin from rising on the upward path.
Mārtaṇḍakālī - Dissolves the twelve senses into ahaṃkāra
*
Paramārkakālī - Consumes ahaṃkāra
Kālāgnirudrakālī - Starts to destroy succession
Mahākālakālī - Consumes time and the sense of space
Mahābhairavaghoracaṇḍakālī - She is Anākhya, the Nameless, also called Turya, the Bliss of the Self
Sanskrit
source:
Kashmir Series of Texts and Studies: Tantrālokavivekaḥ

