Achārya Amr̥itavāgbhava, who experienced śāmbhava samāvēśa from none other than Lord Durvāsā, has recorded in a memoir, his direct experience of the vision of various divinities. In a chapter titled Divyadarśanaprakaraṇa, he records his experiences in chaste Sanskrit verses. Here is a condensed summary of this monumental work for the purpose of inspiration to other sādhakas to pursue mantrōpāsana with full zest.
“In the valley of Himālaya, when I lost my way and was overcome with confusion, three divine women appeared holding lanterns in their hands. Accompanying them was a divine male who held a flute in his hands. They showed me the way and disappeared with the speed of lightning. This incident occurred in Vikrama samvatsara 1985, on Māgha Amāvasyā, in Pūrṇagiri (Punna Giri near Nainital).
Yet another time, I saw a supremely divine Jyotirlinga in the cave of Amarnath which was tall like a kadalī-stambha. It spanned across heaven and earth and was embraced by śakti till the waist (of the liṅga). It was mithunātmaka or yugala in appearance and its height was unimaginable. The four lotus feet of the linga were clearly visible, but it was impossible to envision it beyond the region of the waist. The feet appeared like clear quartz embedded with the reddish hue of ruby. Having seen such a liṅga, my entire being was immersed in divine joy!
Towards my right hand, in the eastern direction, was present the Paramapuruṣa Lord Amaranātha and towards my left hand, in the western direction was the great goddess Parāśakti. For a moment, having forgotten the entire world, I sat there submerged in the radiance of the divine spectacle that stood before me. I had the vision of śāka (this special terminology connoted by Achārya is explained elsewhere on our website) based on the merit of the secret sādhanā taught to me by the great Guru Sage Durvāsā. This vision occurred during Vikrama samvatsara 1986, on śrāvaṇa śukla Chaturdaśī, on a Monday.
I am verily of the nature of śāka, having witnessed Goddess Shāradāmbā herself in the form of three birds colored śvēta, rakta, and śyāma (indicative of the three srotas of śyāmā, raktā or sundarī and śāmbhavī). This very form which was seen by sage śāṇḍilya after a thousand years of penance, I saw in nine days due to the grace of my Guru (Sage Durvāsā). This incident occurred in 1986, on āśvina śukla Navamī, within the premises of Shāradā temple in Kashmir.
The divine form of śāka materialized before me in the tīrtha of Shailaputrī (Devi Bal temple at Baramulla), within who I saw countless universes appearing like small bubbles of water, each one appearing as complex words and meaning (śabda and artha) or names and forms. Within one such universe, I also saw my current birth and the physical form. Having realized myself as Paramēśvara, the three praharas of the night passed as though a minute, while I remained immersed in the intoxicating bliss of ātmānanda. This incident occurred in Vikrama samvatsara 1986, on Kārtika śukla Daśamī.
In Mārtāṇḍa Bhavana (Mattan), I had a vision of śāka, which appeared brighter than the sun, moon, and fire. This incident occurred in 1986, on Māgha śukla Daśamī, during the second prahara of the night.
In the kṣētra of Kārkōṭa Nāga in Kashmir, I had the direct vision of the pañcakōśas discussed by the Vēdāntins. This vision occurred in 1987, on Chaitra śukla Pañcamī, during the early hours of dawn.
In Srinagar, in the sacred shrine of Shārikā, a Siddha who appeared to be a Kashmiri Pandit and identified himself as ‘Shivji’, graced me by revealing the hidden philosophical as well as the practical sādhanā tattva embedded within the verse ‘Māyā Kuṇḍalinī’ (from Dēvī Pañcastavī which also forms the guideline for one the important pārāyaṇas of śrīvidyā). Having blessed me with this secret, he disappeared. His appearance before me occurred in 1987, on Bhādrapada śukla Pañcamī.
Once I was on my deathbed, burning with a deadly fever and nearly unconscious with thirst. A mysterious Siddha of a dark complexion (kr̥iśna piṅgala) appeared before me and poured in my mouth the nectarine water from his kamaṇḍalu, imparting along with that the Sañjīvanī mantra of Tryambaka. I was cured instantly of my affliction. The Siddha held in his hand a trident and a kamaṇḍalu. He seemed to be the very personification of divine compassion. I know neither his name nor his identity. This incident occurred in a Dharamshala at Kulu (Sultanpuri) near śmaśānēśvara in 1988.
Once, immensely grieved by a terrible disease, I decided to end my life through prāyōpravēśa on the banks of river Ganga. Then, a Siddha who was fair as the moon and sporting a long flowing beard, appeared emitting a bright light, out of his own sweet will. He approached me and said, “Son, do not discard your body. Instead, take a vow to retain the body till the end of prārabdha karma, at the end of which it shall fall by the will of the Great Mother. You are a scholar of great merit and you know that you are still to exhaust the karma”. Having advised thus, the great man disappeared. This incident occurred in 1991 in Ropad (Punjab) on Mārgaśīrṣa śukla Trayōdaśī.
At a certain point, I lived within a hut on a hilltop near Tithwal (Kashmir). One afternoon, I witnessed the appearance of a divine umbrella (Chatra) which was studded with pearls, precious gems and floating by itself. This occurred in Vikrama samvatsara 2003 during āśvina māsa.
Once I was reciting Gaṅgālaharī composed by Paṇḍitarāja Jagannātha at a tīrtha named Kamkhal near Daksheshvar, on Birala ghat. I then had three visions of mother Gaṅgā in her divine form. Her complexion was like that of a champak flower and she shone with dark curly hair. It appeared as though she was swimming towards me. She wore a dazzling white garment that was fixed by a knot at her neck. The goddess disappeared after the completion of the recitation of Gaṅgālaharī. A Brāhmaṇa named Sri Bhagavati Prasad who was present there also saw the divine form of the Mother and was surprised beyond words. This occurred in 2004 during āṣāḍha.
Though I had the vision of various divinities, I was unhappy on account of not seeing the divine form of my iṣṭa dēvatā, Goddess Tripurasundarī. One fine day, when I completed my nityakarma, the Great Goddess appeared as a little girl, sitting on my shoulder, with her lotus feet swinging freely. I could see her feet which were adorned with beautiful anklets. One of the payals slipped from her foot and before it fell down to earth, I caught it with my hands. When I tried to put it back on her lotus feet, she suddenly jumped from my shoulders, ran away, and disappeared. I could only see her back but not the face. Who can understand the divine play of the great Mother? This incident occurred at the residence of a Brāhmaṇa named Deshraj Sharma in Motibagh of Delhi in samvatsara 2039”.
The great philosopher also describes his vision of Durvāsā and of the Supreme Goddess Mahātripurasundarī in a different work, which we shall examine in another post in the future.