Sādhanamālā 1: 26-28 (no. 6) from B. Bhattacaryya, Sādhanamālā, 2 vols. (Baroda, 1925-28)
I have been studying this text and here offer a working translation with the Sanskrit and English given alternately. There is a Tibetan translation, but I have not included that text here.
The text relates to the image illustrated, inserted below at an approximately relevant point. The sculpture and the oldest copies of the MS date to the same period, but the religious roles are different in that the sculpture was not used, in my view, as a support for meditation practice. Rather, it seems to be a votive sculpture created by lay-followers who were making a gift (deyadharma) to a monastic establishment where the sādhana was being practiced.
A Tibetan breast-plate, dating to the 19th century and collected in Peking, has also been inserted below. This shows the mantra HRIḤ on a moon-like orb. These pieces were worn on the chest, in ritual contexts for which I have, at this point, no direct references.
As far as I'm aware, sādhana texts of this kind have not been subject to scholarly translation. If anybody knows otherwise, I'd appreciate a bibliographic citation in the comment box. Of course comments are also welcome if you think my understanding of the text is not right. Thanks are due to everyone who commented so far. If you think it appropriate to mention names, I can add them.
āryaṣaḍakṣarīmahāvidyāyai namaḥ
Obeisance to the noble Ṣaḍakṣarī Mahāvidyā
ādau tāvan mantrī sukhāsano=paviṣṭaḥ mukha-śaucādikaṃ kṛtvā
svahṛdi candra-stha-sita-hrīḥ-kāra-vinirgata-raśmibhir guru-buddha-bodhisattvān purato buddhādīn dṛṣṭvā
sampūjya-tri-śaraṇa-gaman=ādikaṃ kuryād ratna-trayaṃ me śaraṇam ity=ādinā ||
To begin, the mantra-practioner, seated comfortably, cleanses his mouth and so forth and then, in his heart, visualises the Buddha, [Dharma and Saṃgha] in the presence of the Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas and his guru by means of rays issuing from the white syllable HRĪḤ set in the moon. Then he should perform the going to refuge in the triple gem, worthy of worship, by saying: “The three jewels are my refuge, etc.”
yāvantaḥ sattvāḥ sattva-saṃgraheṇa saṃgṛhītāḥ aṇḍajā vā jarāyujā vā saṃsvedajā vā aupapādukā vā rūpiṇo vā arūpiṇo vā saṃjñino vā asaṃjñino vā n=aiva-saṃjñānā-saṃjñino vā yāvān kaś-cit sattva-dhātuḥ prajñapyamānaḥ prajñapyate
sarve mayā anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa-dhātau pratiṣṭhāpayitavyā iti ||
[And pronouncing the Bodhisattva vow][1]: “Whatever beings (yāvantaḥ sattvāḥ) are included (saṃgṛhitāḥ) in the totality of existence (sattva-saṃgraheṇa), whether born from eggs, wombs (jarāyujā), sweat or self-generated (aupapādukā), whether corporeal or non-corporeal, conscious or unconscious or being neither conscious or conscious, and whatever other domain of life is known to be known (sattva-dhātuḥ prajñapyamānaḥ prajñapyate), all of them I shall establish in the domain of nirvāṇa without a remainder.”
tataḥ oṃ sva-bhāva-śuddhāḥ sarva-dharmāḥ sva-bhāva-śuddho ‘haṃ iti vāratrayam uccārayet|
Then he should pronounce thrice as follows: “OṂ all phenomena are pure by nature, I am pure by nature”.
tadanu śūnyatāṃ muhūrtam ālambayet |
Afterward he should take emptiness as his point of reference for a moment.
tad-anantaraṃ svahṛdaye sitapadmopari candramaṇḍalaṃ
tasyo=pari sita-hrīḥ-kāraṃ tato niś-carad aneka-raśmi-śata-sahasraṃ
dhyātvā, tena sarva-sattvānām aśeṣ=ānādi-kāla-sañcitaṃ rāgā=di-kleśa-samūhaṃ viśodhyante |
Thereupon, he meditates on a lunar circle set on top of a white lotus in his own heart and on top of that the white syllable HRĪḤ emanating uncounted thousands of rays. By that, the aggregate afflictions of all sentient beings, such as passion, that have been accumulated from eternity, are purified.
British Musem breast plate with mantra HRIḤ, 19th century
(number 1893,0320.105)
tat punas tatr=aiva praveśayet|
Afterward he should make (the syllable) re-enter right there (to his heart).[2]
 |
| British Museum image of Lokeśvara (number 1967,0213.1) inscribed with the Pratītyasamutpāda Gāthā as follows: ye dharmā hetu prabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃ vādī mahāśramaṇaḥ Whatever condition springs from causes, the Tathāgata has explained their cause and their confinement also. So is the teaching of the great Śramaṇa. |
tat pariṇatam ātmānaṃ lokeśvara-rūpam sarvā=laṅkāra-bhūṣitaṃ śukla-varṇaṃ catur-bhujaṃ vāmataḥ padmadharaṃ, dakṣiṇato akṣa-sūtra-dharaṃ, aparābhyāṃ hastābhyāṃ hṛdi saṃpuṭāñjali-shtitaṃ dhyāyāt|
Then he should mediate on himself transformed in the form of Lokeśvara, white of colour, ornamented with every decoration, four armed, on the left holding a lotus, on the right holding a rosary, the lower two hands cupped in front of the heart;
dakṣiṇe maṇidharaṃ tad-vad-varṇa-bhujānvitaṃ padmāntaro=paristhaṃ vāme that=aiv=āparapadma-sthāṃ ṣaḍakṣarī-mahāvidyām|
on the right, seated on another lotus, Maṇidhara, of similar colour and arms,
on the left, seated on yet another lotus in the exact same manner, Ṣaḍakarī Mahāvidyā.
tataḥ oṃ mahāsukha vajrasattva jaḥ huṃ vaṃ hoḥ suratas tvaṃ alalalalala hoḥ aḥ aḥ aḥ aḥ ity adhiṣthāna-mantra-rājam uccārayet|
Then he should prnounce the king of empowerment mantra-s: MAHĀSUKHA VAJRASATTVA JAḤ HUṂ VAṂ HOḤ SURATAS TVAṂ ALALALALALA HOḤ AḤ AḤ AḤ AḤ
evaṃ dhyātvā tato lokeśvar=ātma-hṛdaya-candra-maṇḍalād akṣa-sūtr=ākāraṃ śukla-varṇaṃ mukhena nirgatya nābhau praviśantaṃ cakra-bhramaṇa-yogena imaṃ mantrarājaṃ sarva-buddha-hṛdaya-cintāmaṇi-kalpaṃ paśyed animittayogena|
Having meditated so, he should then visualise this king of mantras in the form of a rosary, white in colour, coming out of his mouth from the lunar circle set in the heart of Lokeśvara himself and entering (his) navel, striving to make it like a turning wheel. And striving to do so without preconceptions, he should visualise the king of mantra-s as a wishing-fulfilling stone in the heart of all the Buddhas.
tato japaṃ kṛtvā
bhramaṇa-praveśan=ādikaṃ prāpy=ācireṇ=aiva kālena śrāddhaḥ kṛpāvān guru-bhakto yogī sidhyati | oṃ maṇipadme hūṃ iti jāpamantraḥ||
Then performing the japa, having achieved the (afore mentioned) rotating and entering (of the mantra),
the yogī, compassionate, faithful and devoted to his guru, thereafter succeeds in a truly short time. The japa mantra is: OṂ MAṆIPAME HŪM.
tata utthānakāle imaṃ mantrarājam uccāryottiṣṭhet|
Then, when it is time to get up (from meditation), he should rise having spoken this king of mantras:
oṃ vajrasattva samayam anupālaya vajrasattvatvenopatiṣṭha, dṛḍho me bhava, sutoṣyo me bhava, supoṣyo me bhava, anurakto me bhava, sarva-siddhiṃ me prayaccha, sarva-karmasu ca me cittaṃ śreyaḥ kuru, huṃ ha ha ha ha hoḥ bhagavan sarva-tathāgata-vajra mā me muñca, vajrībhava mahāsamayasattva āḥ|
OṂ Vajrasattva! Preserve the pledge! Be present as Vajrasattva! Be steadfast for me! Be content in me! Be fulfilled for me! Be loving to me! Bestow all powers on me! Make my thought better in all deeds! HŪṂ HA HA HA HA HOḤ. Lord! Vajra of all the Tathāgatas, abandon me not! Be the bearer of the immutable, Oh being of the great pledge! ĀḤ.
evam uktvā yathāsukhaṃ vihared iti|
Having spoken thus, let him go at his pleasure.
āryaṣaḍakṣarīmahāvidyāsādhanaṃ samāptam|
The Sādhana of Mahāvidyā of the noble Āryaṣaḍakṣarī is concluded.
[1] The sentence is a Bodhisattva vow quoted directly from Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra 3.
