Text 9.7 (Commentary)

[Guhyagarbha-Tantra, Text section 9.7]

Surrounded by diverse kinds of manufactured cotton.
And by ornaments, garlands, potables, and savouries.
Offerings are excellently made with provisions—
A cloud-mass of songs, verses, dancing.
Gesticulations, and musical trappings.
The female consorts, the female gatekeepers.
And the female spiritual warriors
Make worthy offerings, just as they are desired. [7]

[Tibetan]

bcos-bu'i ras-ni sna-tshogs-dang /
rgyan-'phreng btung-dang bro-bas bskor /
glu-tshig bro-gar rol-mo-yi /
sprin-phung tshogs-kyis rab-tu mchod /
yum-dang sgo-ma sems-ma-yis /
ji-ltar 'dod-pa'i las-bzhin mchod / [7]

Commentary:

[The preparation of offerings (associated with the maṇḍala of the female consort)—(see p. 812):]

On the left side of the mudrā, (the maṇḍala) should be adorned with provisions and offerings, with or without visual support.^[1] Surrounded by (bskor) diverse kinds of (sna-tshogs) manufactured (bcos-bu'i) and cotton (ras) fabrics which have been dyed and (dang) by (bas) diverse ornaments (brgyan) including diadems and necklaces, by diverse garlands ('phreng) including pendants and half-pendants, by diverse potables (btung) including tea and ale, and savouries (dang bro-bas) such as meat, cheese-cake (thud) and cheese (da-phrum), one sings the sweetest of songs (glu) and beautiful verses (tshig) of praise, and executes dancing (bro) steps and gesticulations (gar) of the bands. Thus, the offerings are excellently made (rab-tu mchod) with provisions (tshogs-kyis) forming an inconceivable cloud-mass (sprin-phung) of (yi) musical trappings (rol-mo) such as conch-shells, cymbals, lutes, flutes, parasols, and victory-banners.

Moreover, the female consorts (yum-dang) on whom these offerings are conditional, the female gatekeepers (sgo-ma) who grant what Is wished, and the female spiritual warriors (sems-me yis) who bring about rejuvenatation should adorn (the maṇḍala) and thus make worthy offerings (las-bzhin mchod) of three kinds, just as they are desired (ji-ltar 'dod-pa'i ). These (three kinds of offering) respectively generate delight in this (blissful) display Itself, in the object of contact and the eye (or subject of contact). It is claimed that the foremost objects of offering made in this context are these outer, inner and secret female consorts who confer bliss.

[The latter (337.3-338.2), which concerns the rites of burnt offering, has two sections.]

[The first is an abbreviated teaching on the burnt offerings of the four rites. (It comments on Ch. 9.8):]

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Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Tibetan dmigs-pa'i rten yod-dam med indicates that the offerings may or may not be physically present.