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.
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 360day 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.