The Secret Doctrine of Goddess Lalita
(Sri LalitaAṣṭottara Rahasyārthamu)
27. dhyānadhyātṛ dhyēyarūpā
She who can be attained through imagination.
She who is to be attained through meditation.
The meditation suggested in the previous verse is for mature seekers with sharp and highly refined intellects. Others may find it difficult to grasp. Even if they are able to grasp it, they my not be able to retain or abide in it. The subtler a thing is, the harder it is to grasp it, even if it is present directly in front of us. The eyes may see it, but the mind may not register it. Imagination is necessary in such situations. The formless all-pervading nature of Devī can be grasped only through imagination and visualization. That is why Devī is called bhāvanā. The more one visualizes and meditates on Her, the more Her shining presence is revealed.
What does the word bhāvanā mean? It is a popular term in Ayurveda, often used in the context of amalgamating different types of herbs to make different types of medicines. The process whereby one substance acquires the attributes of another substance is called bhāvanā. Another word for bhāvanā is vāsanā (impression). The term īśāvāsya means applying the essence of Ishwara on the entire world, so that the world is experienced as Ishwara or Consciousness.
We must apply the same understanding here as well. We must ascribe (bhāvanā) the qualities of ātmā, sat-cīt (Existence-Consciousness), to the world and perceive the world as ātmā. As we mature in such contemplation, names and forms will fade into the background and sat-cīt will appear in the foreground. The form of Devī as sat-cīt will appear everywhere at all times. To make sure she does not appear and disappear like a bolt of lightning, we must meditate on Her continuously without a break. Devī is accessible through relentless meditation. Mediation is one-point concentration. Like the uninterrupted flow of oil, if we meditate on the nature of Devī continuously without a break, She will be established in our minds firmly as sat-cīt. Everything - the mind that thinks, the words that express, and the body that acts – will be experienced as sat-cīt.