srī devy uvāca
srutam deva mayā sarvam rudrayāmalasambhavam
trikabhedam asesena sārāt sāravibhāgasah


Devi’s Questions

One day the Goddess sang to her lover Bhairava,

Beloved and radiant Lord of the space before birth,
Revealer of essence,
Slayer of the ignorance that binds us,

You, who in play have created this universe
And permeated all forms in it with never-ending truth.
I have been wondering. . .

I have been listening to the hymns of creation,
Enchanted by the verses, and
Yet still I am curious.

What is this delight-filled universe
Into which we find ourselves born?
What is this mysterious awareness shimmering
Everywhere within it?



adyapi na nivrtto me samśaya parameśvara
kim rupam tattvato deva śabdaraśikalamayam


I have been listening to the love songs of
Form longing for formless.

What are these energies
Undulating through our bodies,
Pulsing us into action?

And this “matter” out of which our forms are made —
What are these dancing particles of condensed radiance?