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.The moon is one of the most important planets in astrology. Apart from judging a person from the Lagna, Vedic astrology studies the planetary positions from the moon also. New Moon to Full Moon and back, the changing phases of the Moon rules the mind and our emotions. But Moon plays a lot deeper role in our lives than that. the following is the spiritual and cosmic significance of the phases of the moon. The Moon has 16 kalas, or phases. Out of these 15 are visible to us and the 16th is beyond our visibility. The 16 kalas are 1.Amrita, 2.Manada,3.Poosha, 4.Tusthi, 5.Pusthi, 6.Rati, 7.Dhruti, 8.Sasichini, 9.Chadrika, 10.Kanta, 11.Jyostna, 12.Shree, 13.Preeti, 14.Angada, 15.Poorna and 16.Poornamruta. Out of these, the first one, Maha Tripura Sundari is the Devi Para Shakti herself, and hence the kala ruled by her is not visible to the normal mortals. Hence we see only the other 15 kalas or phases ruled by the other nityas. In the Sri Chakra these 15 nityas are present in the innermost circle, and the Devi is in the central bundu.These 15 Nityas rule the famous 15 letters Devi mantra known as Panchadasakshari.These 15 Nityas in the form of the 15 Tithis (Phases) have two aspects each Prakashamsa, which rules the day portion of the Tithi, and Vimarshamsa, which rules the night part of the Tithi. At night they collect the divine nectar and during the day they release it. On Poornima or full moon day all the 15 Nityas are in the moon and the moon is shining brightly. On the 1st Thithi after the Poornima, i.e., Pratipada, one Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is reduced slightly in size. On the next Dwiteeya Tithi another Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is further reduced in size. This way they leave one by one till the moon becomes totally dark on the 15th day, which is called Amavasya or the new moon day. This is known as Krishna Paksha or the waning phase. After Amavasya they return one by 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. Kameswari to Chitra are the Nityas ruling the Krishna Paksha Tithis from Pratipada to Amavasya. In Shukla Paksha the order of the Nityas is reversed, i.e., Chitra to Kameswari. The Nitya of the Asthami or 8th Tithi, Twarita, is common and constant to both the Pakshas. Hence she adorns the crown of Devi. The inner triangle of Sri Chakra is known as the Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra and the Nityas are next only to Tripura Sundari in importance. For your information, Kameswari is Goddess Parvati, Vajreswari is Maha Lakshmi and Bhagamalini is Goddess Saraswati !!

One Krishna Paksha and one Shukla Paksha form a 30-day lunar month. 12 such months form a 360-day lunar year. Multiplied by 2 (the day and night aspects of the Nityas/Tithis) we have 720 aspects of the Nitya Devis in a year. This way, they rule the day, the night, the days, months, seasons and the years. Furthermore, each aspect of a Nitya rules 100 Nadis in our body. This way they rule the 72000 Nadies in our body, with ever changing moods and physical results in human lives. The Nityas or Eternities of Lalita represent the fifteen lunar days or tithis of the waxing Moon. Each has her own yantra, mantra, tantra and prayogas or ritual applications. The full circle of the Nityas also represents the 21,600 breaths a human being takes in a full day and night. As such, the Nityas are the Kalachakra, or Wheel of Time. The 15 Nityas are modifications of Lalita 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 Lalita. Each Nitya has her own vidya (that is mantra), yantra and group of energies (Shaktis). The 15 lunar tithis, are to be regarded as identical with the fifteen Nityas (Kameshvari to Citra). The sixteenth Kala called Sadakhya should be viewed as one with Lalita or the Supreme Deity Herself. In other words, one has to feel that what appears in Kalacakra is nothing but an expression of what exists eternally as Nityas in the supreme Sri Cakra itself. The tithi-cakra or the wheel of time is constantly revolving and the Sri Cakra is within it and not without. It should also be remembered that from the standpoint of an esoteric yogin the tithis are in the last analysis to be identified with the 21600 shvasas (breaths) supposed to be the average number of breaths per day of a normal human being. Hence Lalita or Tripurasundari is the 16th day or full moon, with her 15 digits. Each of the Nityas has a certain number of arms, the totality of arms (= rays) of the whole circle being 108. Because any unit of time is taken as a microcosm or parallel of any other valid unit, each of the fifteen Nityas thus has 1,440 breaths. This identity between space, time, Tripurasundari and the individual is elaborated at great length in the Tantraraja Tantra. The Nityas are the vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet and are identical with both time and space. For example, if the number of tattvas or consonants (36) are multiplied by the 16 Nityas the number of letters is 576. The multiples of this number provide the number of years in the different Yugas. So the circle of the matrikas and the Nityas is identical with the sidereal zodiac as well as mantra. The ancient scriptures Nitya Shodasarnava Tantram, Srividya Vilasam, Vamakeswara Tantram, Tantraraja Tantra and Mantra Ratnakaram have specified that the 15 Nityas must be worshiped in the Srichakra central triangle, anticlockwise, and the 16th Nitya, Maha Tripura Sundari mus be worshiped in the Bindu.

The worship of the Nitya Devis connected with the phases of the moon is an important aspect of Tantriak worship.

The Sun rules our soul and the Moon rules our mind. These two planets cause the lunar phases. According to Rishi Parashara, the Avatara of Lord Rama is from the Sun and that of Krishna is from the Moon. Indian mythology accords the status of a Devata to Sun and Moon in the celestial court of Lord Indra. The moon is one of the most important planets in astrology. Apart from judging a person from the Lagna, Vedic astrology studies the planetary positions from the moon also. New Moon to Full Moon and back, the changing phases of the Moon rules the mind and our emotions. But Moon plays a lot deeper role in our lives than that. According to the Indian sashtras like Lalitopakhyanam, Tantrarajatantra, Dakshinamurti Samhita, Vasistha Samhita, Kamakala Vilasam and Bhairava Yamalam; the following is the spiritual and cosmic significance of the phases of the moon. The Moon has 16 kalas, or phases. Out of these 15 are visible to us and the 16th is beyond our visibility. The 16 kalas are: 1.Amrita, 2.Manada, 3.Poosha, 4.Tusthi, 5.Pusthi, 6.Rati, 7.Dhruti, 8.Sasichini, 9.Chandrika, 10.Kanta, 11.Jyostna, 12.Shree, 13.Preeti, 14.Angada, 15.Poorna and 16.Poornamruta. These 16 kalas are ruled by the 16 Nitya Devis. They are called Shodasa Nityas. They are: 1.Maha Tripura Sundari, 2.Kameswari, 3.Bhagamalini, 4.Nityaklinna, 5.Bherunda, 6.Vanhivasini, 7.Maha Vajreswari,

8.Shivadooti (Roudri), 9.Twarita, 10.Kulasundari, 11.Nitya, 12.Neelapataka, 13.Vijaya, 14.Sarvamangala, 15.Jwalamalini and 16.Chidroopa (Chitra). Out of these, the first one, Maha Tripura Sundari is the Devi Para Shakti herself, and hence the kala ruled by her is not visible to the normal mortals. Hence we see only the other 15 kalas or phases ruled by the other nityas. In the Sri Chakra these 15 nityas are present in the innermost circle, and the Devi is in the central bundu. These 15 Nityas rule the famous 15 letters Devi mantra known as Panchadasakshari Mantra: Ka E Aie La Hreem Ha Sa Ka Ha La Hreem Sa Ka La Hreem These 15 Nityas in the form of the 15 Tithis (Phases) have two aspects each Prakashamsa, which rules the day portion of the Tithi, and Vimarshamsa, which rules the night part of the Tithi. At night they collect the divine nectar and during the day they release it. On Poornima or full moon day all the 15 Nityas are in the moon and the moon is shining brightly. On the 1st Thithi after the Poornima, i.e., Pratipada, one Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is reduced slightly in size. On the next Dwiteeya Tithi another Nitya leaves the moon and goes to the sun and the moon is further reduced in size. This way they leave one by one till the moon becomes totally dark on the 15th day, which is called Amavasya or the new moon day. This is known as Krishna Paksha or the waning phase. After Amavasya they return one by 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. Kameswari to Chitra are the Nityas ruling the Krishna Paksha Tithis from Pratipada to Amavasya. In Shukla Paksha the order of the Nityas is reversed, i.e., Chitra to Kameswari. The Nitya of the Asthami or 8th Tithi, Twarita, is common and constant to both the Pakshas. Hence she adorns the crown of Devi. The inner triangle of Sri Chakra is known as the Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra and the Nityas are next only to Tripura Sundari in importance. For your information,

Kameswari is Goddess Parvati, Vajreswari is Maha Lakshmi and Bhagamalini is Goddess Saraswati !! One Krishna Paksha and one Shukla Paksha form a 30-day lunar month. 12 such months form a 360-day lunar year. Multiplied by 2 (the day and night aspects of the Nityas/Tithis) we have 720 aspects of the Nitya Devis in a year. This way, they rule the day, the night, the days, months, seasons and the years. Furthermore, each aspect of a Nitya rules 100 Nadis in our body. This way they rule the 72000 Nadies in our body, with ever changing moods and physical results in human lives. The Nityas or Eternities of Lalita represent the fifteen lunar days or tithis of the waxing Moon. Each has her own yantra, mantra, tantra and prayogas or ritual applications. The full circle of the Nityas also represents the 21,600 breaths a human being takes in a full day and night. As such, the Nityas are the Kalachakra, or Wheel of Time. The 15 Nityas are modifications of Lalita 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 Lalita. Each Nitya has her own vidya (that is mantra), yantra and group of energies (Shaktis). The 15 lunar tithis, are to be regarded as identical with the fifteen Nityas (Kameshvari to Citra). The sixteenth Kala called Sadakhya should be viewed as one with Lalita or the Supreme Deity Herself. In other words, one has to feel that what appears in Kalacakra is nothing but an expression of what exists eternally as Nityas in the supreme Sri Cakra itself. The tithi-cakra or the wheel of time is constantly revolving and the Sri Cakra is within it and not without. It should also be remembered that from the standpoint of an esoteric yogin the tithis are in the last analysis to be identified with the 21600 shvasas (breaths) supposed to be the average number of breaths per day of a normal human being. Hence Lalita or Tripurasundari is the 16th day or full moon, with her 15 digits. Each of the Nityas has a certain number of arms, the totality of arms (= rays) of the whole circle being 108. Because any unit of time is taken as a microcosm or parallel of any other valid unit, each of the fifteen Nityas thus has 1,440 breaths. This identity between space, time, Tripurasundari and the individual is elaborated at great length in the Tantraraja Tantra. The Nityas are the vowels of the Sanskrit alphabet and are identical with both time and space. For example, if the number of tattvas or consonants (36) are multiplied by the 16 Nityas the number of letters is 576. The multiples of this number provide the

number of years in the different Yugas. So the circle of the matrikas and the Nityas is identical with the sidereal zodiac as well as mantra. The ancient scriptures Nitya Shodasarnava Tantram, Srividya Vilasam, Vamakeswara Tantram, Tantraraja Tantra and Mantra Ratnakaram have specified that the 15 Nityas must be worshiped in the Srichakra central triangle, anticlockwise, and the 16th Nitya, Maha Tripura Sundari must be worshiped in the Bindu. The following diagram makes it clear. In Krishna Paksha, worship the 15 Tithis from Kameswari to Chitra from 1 to 15. In Shukla Paksha, worship the 15 Tithis from Chitra to Kameswari from 1 to 15. The following are the mantras of the 15 Nitya Devis as per Tantraraja Tantra. The 15 Nitya Devis 1. Kameshvari: Means Lady of Desire Her Mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Am Aim Sa Ka La Hrim Nityaklinne Madadrave Sauh Am Kameshvari Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 2. Bhagamalini: Means The Flowering Yoni Her Mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Am Aim Bhagabuge Bhagini Bhagodari Bhagamale Bhagavahe Bhagaguhye Bhagayoni Bhaganipatini Sarvabhagavashankari Bhagarupe Nityaklinne Bhagasvarupe Sarvani Bhagani Me Hyanaya Varade Rete Surete Bhagaklinne Klinnadrave Kledaya Dravaya Amoghe Bhagavicce Kshubha Kshobhaya Sarvasatvan Bhagodari Aim Blum Jem Blum Bhem Blum Mom Blum Hem Blum Hem Klinne Sarvani Bhagani Me Vashamanaya Strim Hara Blem Hrim Am Bhagamalini Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 3. Nityaklinna: Means Wet Nitya, or Always Wet Her Mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Nityaklinne Madadrave Svaha im Nityaklinna Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 4. Bherunda: Her Mantra is: Aim Hrim Shrim Im Om Krom Bhrom Kraum Jhmraum Cchraum Jraum Svaha Im Bherunda Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah, 5. Vahnivasini: Her Name meaning the dweller in fire.

Her mantra is Om Hrim Vahnivasiniyai Namah. 6. Mahavajrswari; Her Mantra is Um Hrim Klinne Aim Krom Nityamadadrave Hrim Um Mahavajreshvari Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 7. Shivaduti: She is called Shivaduti because she makes Shiva her messenger (Duti). Her Mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Shivadutyai Namah Shivadutinitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 8. Tvarita: Her mantra is Om Hrim Hum Khe Ca Che Ksah Strim Hum Kse Hrim Phat. 9. Kulasundari: Her mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Aim Klim Sauh Kulasundari Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 10. Nitya-Nityamba: Her mantra is Ha Sa Ka La Ra Daim Ha Sa Ka La Ra Dim Ha Sa Ka La Ra Dauh Nitya Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 11. Nilapataka: Her name means Sapphire Banner Her mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Phrem Strum Krom Am Klim Aim Blum Nityamadadrave Hum Phrem Hrim Em Nilapataka Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 12. Vijaya: Her name means Victorious. Her mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Bha Ma Ra Ya Aum Aim Vijaya Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 13. Sarvamangala: Her name means all auspicious Her mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Svaum Om Sarvamangala Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah. 14. Jwalamalini: Her name means garlanded with flames Her mantra is Om namo bhagavati Jvalamalini devadevi sarvabhutasamharakarike jatavedasi jvalanti jvala jvala prajvala prajvala Hrim Hrim Hum Ram Ram Ram Ram Ram Ram Ram Jvalamalini Hum Phat Svaha. 15. Chitra: Her name means variegated

Her mantra is Aim Hrim Shrim Ckaum Am Chitra Nitya Shri Padukam Pujayami Tarpayami Namah.

Sri Matre Namaha Bhandaputra-vadhodhyuktha-bala-vikrama-nandhita The Seventy Fourth name in Lalitha Sahasranamam.

Bhandaputravadhodhyuktabalavikramanandita bhandasurasya putranam vadhe udyuktayah balayah vikramena nandita She is delighted in the Valor of Bala (who was) ready to slay the sons of Bhanda There were thirty sons of Bhandasura, viz., chaturbahu to Upamaya. Bala, nine year old daughter of the Goddess, slayed all the sons of Bhandasura Bala is the daughter of Lalitha and nine years old. Bhandasura had 30 sons. In spite of Lalitha advising her daughter not to go to the battle field, Bala prevailed upon her mother and waged a war against all the 30 sons of Bhandasura and destroyed them. In Sri Vidya cult, the first initiation is always the mantra of Bala. If one attains siddhi in Bala mantra, he can attain super natural powers by using certain rare herbs. Certain herbs have divine qualities and will confer certain powers to a person provided one has attained siddhi in Bala mantra. Bala is the anga devata of Lalithambigai. Lalitha, Mantrini and Varahi have anga devis, upanga devi sand pratyanga devis. Annapurna devi is the upanga devi and Ashvaruda devi is the pratynaga devi of Lalithambigai. The sons of Bhadasura represent the 30 tatwas. Unless we cross these tatwas, realization cannot take place. A small effort (referring to Bala) from us will destroy the evil effects of the tatwas. Bala also refers strength. She rejoices in the valour of Bala who slays the sons of Bhanda.

Here the reference is to Bala, a goddess of nine years old who slayed the thirty sons of Bhandasura. The thirty sons of Bhandasura are the impurities (mala) whom the devi Bala helps slay. It becomes imperative here to talk about Balambika whom I rever and who is by herself the soul energy of this universe.Jyoti (Balambika) is a member of the Shiva family. She is a part of the eternal godhead. When Shiva (static consciousness) united with Shakti (kinetic energy) Ganesha (sound) and Skanda (light) were born. Jyoti (spark of light) was also born out of this union. She represents the female principle of light since she is active in creation, while Skanda represents the male principle of light. She is predominantly made of light like Skanda and may be considered as Skandas sister. The human body is a temple. The breath through the right and left nostrils constitutes Shiva and Shakti. Lord Ganesha resides at the base of the spine from which Jyoti, or the Kundalini force, rises through the five chakras (Muladhara, Manipuraka, Swadhistana, Anahata, Visudhi, and Ajna chakra), or the six battle houses of Lord Skanda. When the Kundalini Shakti travels up the spine and reaches the Ajna chakra in the forehead, the merger with Shakti residing there represents the confluence of the power of the Mother, being given to and becoming part of the son. The battle between the higher self and the lower self rages in the six cakras, or the battle houses of Lord Skanda. After winning the battles, Jyoti reaches her mother in the sixth battle house of Skanda, known as Ajna Chakra. Skanda Purana tells us that Skanda was born after intense tapas of six sparks from Shivas forehead. That is why Skanda is considered by many to be not only the quintessence, but an improved version of Shiva. On the other hand Jyoti was born of one spark from the mothers forehead. When the divine child Skanda was entrusted with the mission to quell Surapadman, who embodied the demonic forces of the day, Mother fashioned out of herself a Vel and presented it to Skanda as an invisible weapon. The revelation now is that it is not an instrument but a deity in its own right. Until recently, the antecedents of Jyoti had not been very clear. In August 1978, the knowledge that it is none other than the Vel in the hands of Lord Skanda was imparted to the author by His Holiness Sri La Sri Pandrimalai Swamigal. Jyoti in her arupa or formless state is worshipped in all temples where Skanda is worshipped. Jyoti from now on also desires to be worshipped in the rupa form. The Velis Jyoti, the younger sister of Lord Skanda. She is Shakti Vel not only because Shakti gave it to Skanda but also because it is an energised weapon. The Vel has all the energy and the dynamism of Shakti. It has also been praised as Ratna Vel since she sparks like the precious stone ratna. She is called Jana Vel as she removes darkness and ignorance and provides the Jana, or true Wisdom. She has blazoned the trail ofjana travelled by sages, siddhas and those who are spiritually advanced. Since janaalways wins, she is called vetri or victorious Vel. Jyoti assists Lord Skanda in helping devotees to win their internal battles and to achieve spiritual progress leading to the liberation and

merger in the godhead. The Vel is arupa or the formless. Since it is made of fire it cannot be broken down or defeated. Jyoti has always been inseparable from Lord Skanda. There is no temple for Skanda without the worship of Jyoti in the form of Vel. Jyoti is also known as Saravanabavayai to indicate that she is always intertwined with Saravana or Skanda, and acts for him. In her formless arupa form of the Vel, she has a spearhead which is intelligence and consciousness and a slender rod or stem enabling her to move with speed. Jyoti takes after her mother in the form of Durga to punish the evil forces as well as to build and protect a just world order where love and brotherhood are developed. Jyoti presides herself over one of the six houses Lord Skanda namely Palamutircolai which corresponds to the Ajna Cakra. This house is situated near Madurai. Here Jyoti is also worshipped as Rakkayi particularly on the full moon days. Rakkayis form in rural areas is mainly a head with a face of fire, again reconfirming the form of a Vel with a head and slender form. The close association of Vel with her mother is the subject of Shodasam, a major devotional composition by the sage Agastya. For each day of the waxing and waning of moon he discovers and describes the role of the mother Manonmani (seen along with Shiva in the form of Chokkanathar in one of the principal sanctums in Madurai Meenakshi temple), consort of Shiva in the form of Sadasiva, and daughter Jyoti who are together in the Ajna cakra in our foreheads. The sage also recounts that how Jyoti was born of the Pranava pillar of Om. He calls her the young damsel who lives in the centre of the eyebrows. All life is Jyoti. She pervades in all the galaxies and is a growing flame. She is totality and Parabrahman and is in her fullness on Pournami, full moon days. A great Jyoti centre is Tiruvannamalai, a town that exemplifies the fire element of Shiva. At this great Shiva centre Jyoti is worshipped as she is made of fire, and there is a Jyoti festival every year during the month of Karttikai of the Tamil calendar. Jyoti is called hereArul Perum Jyoti, or the graceful and great Jyoti. Shiva as Nataraja, in his cosmic dance carries Jyoti in his left hand as fire. Jyoti lives with Nataraja in the golden stage, or what is called Ponnambalam. All creation is from Jyoti or fire. Jyoti becomes active from then on. Jyoti is also a representation or embodiment of divine light and love accessible to us on the Earth plane. Jyoti governs our words. Jyoti is the burning light in the lamps in all temples. We invite these lamps to come into our heats. Jyoti is said to be enveloped by seven screens. It is only after all the screens are removed she appears in all her radiance. A great exponent of Jyoti who merged with her in recent times was Ramalinga Swamigal. In addition Jyoti in her association with her mother in the form of Kanyakumari has been the protector, custodian and teacher of the great sages and siddhas. She has been worshipped as Jwalai Kumari and in the North India as Jwalamukhi for centuries. She is also called Janambal or Balambika meaning goddess of knowledge or child goddess. Siddha literature is abound with poems lauding the vibrant Jyoti. Jyoti iSs the female

principle of Shanmukha and is known as Shanmukhi. She is also addressed as Kaartikeyi and Kumari. Jyoti Mantras Om Jaya Jaya Maha Veera Bhagavan Sri Skanda Namo Namaha Om Jaya Jaya Maha Jyoti Shakti Saravanabhavayai Namo Namaha In his instructions, Skanda explained that these mantras, when said in devotion, harmonise the Shiva Shakti, or Ying-Yang energy within each person. The Vel, Skanda says is symbolic of the spine, at the top of which is the head, inside of which flows Jyoti-Light, or the arisen Kundalini. Those who wants God realisation should begin at the bottom of the spine, coccyx. I am the Strength and Force who guides the kundalini from the bottom to the top of the spine. When the kundalini rose and finally burst forth, the Goddess Jyoti appeared. First see the Jyoti as the face in the Vel, then the whole Goddess explodes as the power rises, and She will stand in Her glory. Bliss is felt, the blessing then overflows to the Earth, helping to raise the consciousness of the humanity. All this happens within, but is symbolised without as the Vel of Skanda. I am the Leader, the General, who guides these forces up the spine. You who earn for liberation, look to me, follow my words, and victory will be yours. Turn away from the orders of the general during battle, and defeat is the result. When there is war, the army must listen to general. Jyoti has been dormant for aeons and the time has come for her revival. In the New Shakti Age She will be destroying the evil in the Kaliyuga. Two more mantras describing Her bring out this fact. Om Shreem Adi Brahmeswariyai Namaha Om Shreem Hreem Kreem Kleem Jyotiswariyayai Namaha The first mantra calls Her the creator and the next one finds in her radiance and luminosity the attributes of bountifulness of Mahalakshmi, Goddess of material and spiritual wealth, Bhuvaneswari, representing all the revolving planets and worlds: Durga, the ruler and the eternal mother. Jyoti is described by Agastya as graceful Jyoti, Ananda (blissful or supremely happy) Jyoti, and Arupa (formless ) Jyoti. Worship of Jyoti Worship of Jyoti can be done internally through the practice of Kundalini Yoga. As the great Tirumoolar has said

 North, South men wander about seeking him East and West celestials go about looking for him but fix divine mantra ( AUM ) to Muladhara and rouse (kundalini) fire upward to stream. There shall you as radiant light be. Jyoti is to be worshipped on the day of the full moon, especially in the evening and at night time. Jyoti in her form as Saravanabhavayai or Vel is to be worshipped with her brother on all days honouring Him. Thus Karttikai days are special. The most important day for worship of Jyoti or Saravanabhavayai is the day of her birth when the Universal Mother fashioned the spark born in her forehead in to Veland gave it to her young son on the eve of the battle with Surapadman. This is the day of Visaka Nakshatra in the month of May. Sage Kapila opened his third eye on the 60,000 sons of King Sagara who tormented the sage. By the outpouring of the flames they were destroyed to ashes. The local inhabitants prayed the fire and it got submerged in to the Pacific Ocean. So Devi has a special place for balambika and entrusts her with the job of slaying the bandasuras sons and such is her strength that balambika is the vital force of mankind.