Ananda Vardhini Kali is the supreme goddess who resides in every being in the form of ‘ananda’ or bliss. She herself being the epitome of bliss blesses the sadhaka to multiply their bliss to great extent. ‘Anand’ is the highest form of all achievement therefore the goddess sustains the sadhaka to primarily attain and then remain in the state of ananda to great possible extent.

Etymology

Ananda Vardhini Kali is composed of three words, Ananda (bliss) + Vardhini (to increase) + Kali (supreme goddess). Therefore, the amalgamation of her name implies that she is the supreme goddess who expands, increases, elevates the state of bliss in the worshipper. Kali is tamas dominant supreme goddess and her default path is through vama marga, therefore, she bestows ananda from all these modes of nature; satwa, raja, and tamas.

Iconography

As per “Siddha Dharma”, she is little different than the Mahakali form that is going to be explained in the next section. She in her original state is rajasic in nature but in her tamasic form, she is portrayed as a wrathful deity with her tongue hanging out from her mouth. But, in her Ananda Vardhini form, she is portrayed not with the tongue hanging but with kechari mudra performed inside. The khechari mudra that is performed inside suggests that she is elevating her consciousness to her sahastrahar chakra implying, she herself is in a state of bliss. Becauce she is in a state of bliss she therefore can bestow bliss to her worshippers.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, she has two hands that hold a lotus flower and a skull cup. She is portrayed sitting on top of a lotus flower. She is portrayed with three eyes, crescent moon and her complexion is navy blue. Her face is portrayed in a blissful state. Her adornment is of rajasic nature because ananda is the hallmark of rajas path.

The origin story of Ananda Vardhini Kali

As per “Siddha Dharma”, when Shumb and Nisumbh had taken custody of the three worlds, the daitya kings went in war with goddess Parvati, they invoked a daitya “Raktabeeja” who was so powerful that the blood of Raktabeeja had the capacity to create another Raktabeeja clone. The blood if touched the ground could clone itself repeatedly. Every time he was slain by the goddess, the scattered blood drops would create more of him. He multiplied at an extreme level so Ma Parvati assumed her  Kalika form and fights with him. She then slays him and doesn’t let the blood drop and touch the ground. Instead, she drinks his blood and in the process killing Raktabeeja. She then devours the daitya’s army and goes berserk. She becomes extremely uncontrollable and starts creating havoc in all directions. Lord Shiva to balance his shakti, lays down on the ground and purposefully lets Ma Kalika step on his chest. When she steps him, she comes to her senses and she releases her tongue outside.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, after Ma Parvati in the form of Ma Kalika cools down, Lord Shiva in a playful banter asks, what happened to her? Ma Parvati then acknowledges her stepping on lord Shiva in a very remorseful way. Lord Shiva smiles and then asks her to come back to her original Kalika form. She then transforms herself into Ananda Vardhini Kali, her original form. Her original form is that form of the goddess which resides in the  Bindu and is always in the state of bliss. She is in a state of bliss because she has become one with Shiva.

Meaning of Ananda

As per “Siddha Dharma”, ananda is the original state of any being. All things and beings when in their original state are in the state of bliss. For instance, from the perspective of existence, the stone though being a non-living entity still has an existence. It exists in an immobile state in the state of bliss. It doesn’t need anything from this universe to attain the state of bliss because it eternally was, is and will always be in the state of bliss. Our existence is beyond mind and body. We are intrinscially an existence and nothing less nothing more. We are as minute as the Bindu in the Sahasrara chakra and as vast as the universe itself. That Bindu which is inside the Sahasrara chakra is the source of all ananda because in the Bindu, the kundalini Shakti merges with Shiva and we then assume our original form that is beyond everything i.e. ananda. That ananda is non-dual and there is no ananda besides that ananda. That ananda is the reservoir of all ananda in this universe.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, there is a vital difference between the existence of stone and humans. Stone in its natural state is bliss but we humans are the existence who is the furthest from bliss because we have different layers of identification. Transcending all forms of identification would ultimately lead to a state of bliss. If there were only ananda in human’s life, this creation would never go forward. The ananda is something that is kept hidden from humans for the sake of creation. It is kept hidden by Mahamaya herself but when she senses that a person is eligible for ananda, she unveils it through her form “Ananada Vardhini Kali”.

Ananda and the Panchkosha

As per “Siddha Dharma”, our human body has so many layers of identification and sub-bodies. These five sub-bodies are also called Panchkosha. The first body a human possesses is the annamaya kosha (physical body) then the pranamaya kosha (the energy body), manomaya kosha (mental body), vigyanamaya kosha (deep mental body), and finally anandamaya kosha (the body of bliss). Since we have other four bodies hidden inside the annamaya body, therefore, we also have ananda in each body. The ananda of each body is separate from others. The three main bodies for ananda are anamaya kosha, manomaya kosha, and anandamaya kosha.
As per “Siddha Dharma”, the ananda of the physical body or the annamaya kosha is maithuna (sex). The highest ananda that can be attained from the annamaya kosha is maithun and the ananda emancipating from it. The ananda of annamaya kosha is the lowest form of ananda in the ananda ladder because without the experience of this ananda other Ananda doesn’t become fruitful. It is exactly like stepping the first rung of the ladder to reach the top. After a sadhaka has transcended the ananda of annamaya kosha, the next important ananda is the manomaya ananda.

The manomaya ananda is categorized in the form of happiness, abundance, pleasure, fulfillment, devotion, etc. Success in any endeavor breeds ananda inside and that ananda is of manomaya kosha. When an action creates a phenomenon than that brings ananda. For instance, when a person takes vows to achieve something and achieves it, the person feels a moment of bliss. This bliss like the maithuna is also temporary because it is just moment bound. The last is the anandamaya kosha.

As per “Siddha Dharma”, when a person transcends all inner bodies and then reaches the Bindu inside the Sahasrara chakra, the kundalini shakti then merges with the Shiva and they become one. When they become one, the person feels bliss and that bliss is ultimate because it is never-ending, on-going and eternal. The oneness in the Bindu is the real maithuna and the bliss that a person experience becomes the real bliss. The physical sex or maithuna and ananda of annamaya kosha transform itself into the oneness of Shiva and Shakti and the bliss of existence. This form of the ultimate bliss of annamaya kosha is taken as the real ananda.

Ananda and Avarana Pujana

As per “Siddha Dharma”, we humans have different layers of identification inside us. Panchkosha is the highest form of identification. It is the five layers that shroud the existence. Besides that, we also have chakras as layers. To make things clear, let’s take onion for example. An onion has so many layers that cover its core. The core is different from the pulp because the core can generate life but the pulp cannot. To reach the core of the onion, one has to peel many layers. Similarly, we also have many layers inside us, and that layers are collectively called as avarana (curtain).

Our chakras, panch kosha, mind, body all fall under avarana. These avaranas shrouds and covers the Bindu or the point of the existence of humans. When all these avaranas are lifted, the person then reaches bliss. The bliss is hidden inside humans but is not attained by humans easily. We have to work for that. It is exactly like ghee hidden inside the milk. There is no ghee without milk as ghee is the essence of milk. To produce ghee, the milk has to go through a process.  The whole “Siddha Dharma” and its ritual is all about lifting those avarana to attain Ananda or milk going through a process to become ghee.

Guru-disciple tradition

As per “Siddha Dharma”, His Holiness Mahasiddha Ishaputra received this wisdom from his guru Mahasiddha Siddhant Nath Ji. He himself is from Kaula Siddha kula and the tradition of Mahasiddha Matsyendra Nath Ji. This Deeksha is also the entry-level Deeksha of Kaulachara, therefore, the main Siddha of this Deeksha is Mahasiddha Matsyendra Nath Ji himself. Mahasiddha Matsyendra Nath Ji is also credited with reviving this Deeksha in kali yuga.