Lunar Phases & the Nitya Devis The worship of the Nitya Devis connected with the phases of the moon is an important aspect of Tantrak worship. The Sun rules our soul and the Moon rules our mind. These two planets cause the lunar phases. According to Rishi Parashara Parashara the Avatara of !ord Rama is from the Sun and that of "rishna is from the Moon. #ndian mythology accords the status of a Devata to Sun and Moon in the celestial court of !ord #ndra. The moon is one of the most important planets in astrology. Apart Apart from $udging a person from the !agna %edic astrology studies the planetary positions from the moon also. New Moon to &ull Moon and 'ack the changing phases of the Moon rules the mind and our emotions. (ut Moon plays a lot deeper role in our lives than that. According to the #ndian sashtras like !alitopakhyana !alitopakhyanam m Tantrara$atantra Tantrara$atantra Dakshinamurti Samhita %asistha Samhita "amakala %ilasam and (hairava )amalam* the following is the spiritual and cosmic significance of the phases of the moon. The Moon has +, kalas or phases. -ut of these + are visi'le to us and the +,th is 'eyond our visi'ility. The +, kalas are/ +.Amrita 0.Manada 1.Poosha 2.Tusthi .Pusthi ,.Rati 3.Dhruti 4.Sasichini 5.6handrika +7."anta ++.8yostna +0.Shree +1.Preeti +2.Angada +.Poorna and +,.Poornamruta. These +, kalas are ruled 'y the +, Nitya Devis. They are called Shodasa Nityas. They are/ +.Maha Tripura Sundari 0."ameswari 1.(hagamalini 2.Nityaklinna .(herunda ,.%anhivasini 3.Maha %a$reswari 4.Shivadooti 9Roudri: 5.Twarita +7."ulasundari
++.Nitya +0.Neelapataka +1.%i$aya +2.Sarvamangala +.8walamalini and +,.6hidroopa 96hitra:. -ut of these the first one Maha Tripura Sundari is the Devi Para Shakti herself and hence the kala ruled 'y her is not visi'le to the normal mortals. ;ence we see only the other + kalas or phases ruled 'y the other nityas. #n the Sri 6hakra these + nityas are present in the innermost circle and the Devi is in the central 'undu. These + Nityas rule the famous + letters Devi mantra known as Panchadasakshari Mantra/ "a < Aie !a ;reem ;a Sa "a ;a !a ;reem Sa "a !a ;reem These + Nityas in the form of the + Tithis 9Phases: have two aspects each = Prakashamsa which rules the day portion of the Tithi and %imarshamsa which rules the night part of the Tithi. At night they collect the divine nectar and during the day they release it. -n Poornima or full moon day all the + Nityas are in the moon and the moon is shining 'rightly. -n the +st Thithi af ter the Poornima i.e. Pratipada one Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is reduced slightly in si>e. -n the ne?t Dwiteeya Tithi another Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is further reduced in si>e. This way they leave one 'y one till the moon 'ecomes totally dark on the +th day which is called Amavasya or the new moon day. This is known as "rishna Paksha or the waning phase. After Amavasya they return one 'y one on each Tithi and the moon starts shining again till its full on the Poornima when the last Nitya returns to it. This is called Shukla Paksha. "ameswari to 6hitra are the Nityas ruling the "rishna Paksha Tithis from P ratipada to Amavasya. #n Shukla Paksha the order of the Nityas is reversed i.e. 6hitra to "ameswari. The Nitya of the Asthami or 4th Tithi Twarita is common and constant to 'oth the Pakshas. ;ence she adorns the crown of Devi. The inner triangle of Sri 6hakra is known as the Sarva Siddhiprada 6hakra and the Nityas are ne?t only to Tripura Sundari in importance. &or your information "ameswari is @oddess Parvati %a$reswari is Maha !akshmi and (hagamalini is @oddess Saraswati -ne "rishna Paksha and one Shukla Paksha form a 17Bday lunar month. +0 such months form a 1,7B day lunar year. Multiplied 'y 0 9the day and night aspects of the NityasCTithis: we have 307 aspects of the Nitya Devis in a year. This way they rule the day the night the days months seasons and the years. &urthermore each aspect of a Nitya rules +77 Nadis in our 'ody. This way they rule the 30777 Nadies in our 'ody with ever changing moods and physical results in human lives. The Nityas or
also represents the 0+,77 'reaths a human 'eing takes in a full day and night. As such the Nityas are the "alachakra or heel of Time. The + Nityas are modifications of !alita with her three gunas and her five elements of aether air fire water and earth. As the moon remains itself though appearing differently according to phase so too does !alita. odiac as well as mantra. The ancient scriptures Nitya Shodasarnava Tantram Srividya %ilasam %amakeswara Tantram Tantrara$a Tantra and Mantra Ratnakaram have specified that the + Nityas must 'e worshiped in the Srichakra central triangle anticlockwise and the +,th Nitya Maha Tripura Sundari must 'e worshiped in the (indu. The following diagram makes it clear.
#n "rishna Paksha worship the + Tithis f rom "ameswari to 6hitra from + to +. #n Shukla Paksha worship the + Tithis from 6hitra to "ameswari from + to +. The following are the mantras of the + Nitya Devis as per Tantrara$a Tantra. The 15 Nitya Devis 1. Kameshvari: Means G!ady of DesireE ;er Mantra is E Aim ;rim Shrim Am Aim Sa "a !a ;rim Nityaklinne Madadrave Sauh Am "ameshvari Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah. 2. Bhagamalini: Means GThe &lowering )oniE ;er Mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim Am Aim (haga'uge (hagini (hagodari (hagamale (hagavahe (hagaguhye (hagayoni (haganipatini Sarva'hagavashankari (hagarupe Nityaklinne (hagasvarupe Sarvani (hagani Me ;yanaya %arade Rete Surete (hagaklinne "linnadrave "ledaya Dravaya Amoghe (hagavicce "shu'ha "sho'haya Sarvasatvan (hagodari Aim (lum 8em (lum (hem (lum Mom (lum ;em (lum ;em "linne Sarvani (hagani Me %ashamanaya Strim ;ara (lem ;rim Am (hagamalini Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E
3. Nityaklinna: Means Get Nitya or Always etE ;er Mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim Nityaklinne Madadrave Svaha im Nityaklinna Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E 4. Bheruna: !er "antra is: GAim ;rim Shrim #m -m "rom (hrom "raum 8hmraum 6chraum 8raum Svaha #m (herunda Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami NamahE 5. #ahnivasini: ;er Name meaning the dweller in fire. ;er mantra is G-m ;rim %ahnivasiniyai Namah.E $. "ahava%rsari' ;er Mantra is GHm ;rim "linne Aim "rom Nityamadadrave ;rim Hm Mahava$reshvari Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E (. )hivauti: She is called Shivaduti 'ecause she makes Shiva her messenger 9Duti:. ;er Mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim Shivadutyai Namah Shivadutinitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E *. Tvarita/ ;er mantra is G-m ;rim ;um "he 6a 6he "sah Strim ;um "se ;rim Phat.E +. Kulasunari/ ;er mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim Aim "lim Sauh "ulasundari Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E 1,. Nitya-Nityama: ;er mantra is G;a Sa "a !a Ra Daim ;a Sa "a !a Ra Dim ;a Sa "a !a Ra Dauh Nitya Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E 11. Nila/ataka: ;er name means Sapphire (anner ;er mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim Phrem Strum "rom Am "lim Aim (lum Nityamadadrave ;um Phrem ;rim
15. hitra: ;er name means variegated ;er mantra is GAim ;rim Shrim 6kaum Am 6hitra Nitya Shri Padukam Pu$ayami Tarpayami Namah.E
