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Sri Vidya
Srividya is an ancient and influential school of Goddess-centered Shakta Tantrism.
Centering on the goddess's three manifestations
1.The beneficent deity Lalita Tripurasundari
2. Her mantra;
3.and the yantra known as Sri Chakra.

Srividya creates a systematic, esoteric discipline combining elements of the yogas

of knowledge, of devotion, and of ritual.

Sri Vidya is the knowledge of Sri, the Goddess, the knowledge that mattered or the
real knowledge, that lead to liberation, or the path or teaching, that lead to the
Supreme Truth. This intricate tradition guides the aspirant throughd the worship of
several Gods and Goddesses to the central point which represents the Mother
Goddess. The Sir Chakram or, in its elevated form the Maha Meru, is representative
of this progression.

In the Sri Vidya tradition, the Sri Chakra is the yantra (diagrammatic symbol) for
worship. When the Sri Chakra is elevated the Meru is formed. The Maha Meru is
identical in structure to the Sri Chakra. If the Meru is viewed from the top or is
compressed it takes the shape of the Sri Chakra. The structure of the Sri Chakra is
complicated. The Sri Chakra is made up a of series of nine triangles around the
central point or Bindu.

In the Sri Chakra, the journey is from the outer bhupura to the central Bindu, the
path indicative of ones own journey to the ultimate God head, step by step. This
form of ritualistic worship is called the Navavarana Pooja, avarana meaning veil.
Indeed the process resembles the removal of the veil of ignorance stage by stage
until the devotee merges with the Bindu or the Supreme Mother. Each level or
avarana is dedicated to a certain deity and offering worship, the aspirant is
elevated to the next plane. Each level or Chakra has its own presiding deities and
mudras.

The journey of the aspirant from the outer Bhupuram to the inner Bindu is
identified with the awakening of primordial energy in man, the rising of the
Kundalini in the Mooladhara and its journey to meet the Brahman in the Sahasradala
Padma in esoteric union. The Sri Vidya worship of the Sri Chakra or the Maha Meru,
the Navavarana Pooja in its highest form turns the body itself into the Sripuram,
the abode of the goddess and the rituals, into the journey of self-realization or
enlightenment. The upasakar transforms his body into the place of worship, burns it
in the sacrificial fire and reclaims it by the grace of Shiva and Sakthi. The
upasakar, in a sense, imagines himself as a female form, offering worship to the
Divine Goddess. The path traced by the energy from the mooladhara to its point of
union is identical to the progression through the pooja, from the outer charkas of
the Sri Chakra to the inner triangle and then to the center point, the Bindhu, the
Goddess Ambika with her consort Iswara

Sri Chakra Tantra

The tantra of Srichakra is called Srividya. This practical discipline holds that
the individual contains within himself all the essential dimensions of the
universe, that the entire universe unfolds itself in the development of the
individual. So tantra works with the human model of chakra organisation. The six
centers in the human body, in groups of two, represent the centers of cosmic
activity and consciousness whose presence activates the centers. The mooladhara and
swadhisthana centers represent emanation, the manipoora and anahata represent
preservation and the visudhha and ajna represent absorption. From the mooladhara to
the visuddha are 10 principles (the five senses of smell, taste, form, sound and
touch, and the five elements - earth, fire, water, air and space). The body centers
are also grouped into three knots (granthis) and represented by Rudra at the
swadhisthana, Vishnu at the anahata and Brahma at the ajna.

The whole tantra practice is the effort to raise the energy lying in the mooladhara
chakra towards the sahasrara chakra on the top of the head, through systematic
meditation on all the chakras. The supine energy rises up like a serpent through
the sushumna naadi, pierces through all the granthis and chakras, and unites with
the topmost center, the 1000-petaled lotus, thus flooding and illuminating the
body, mind and soul with bliss (brahmananda).

This is the ultimate aim of human life.

Sri Chakra Worship

The Srichakra can be worshiped by external rites (bahir yaga) either at home or in
public places like temples, etc, either for one's own benefit (svartha) or for the
good of the Community (parartha). Though the prescribed ritualistic worship is
elaborate and tedious, an individual is allowed to worship the same according to
his abilities (yathashakti). The Srichakra can also be worshiped by 'inner
sacrifice' (antar yaga), by means of articulations of the mantra and meditation on
its symbolism. The Shodashakshari mantra, however, is revealed only to those who
can surrender at the feet of a guru. Lastly, the body can be looked upon as the
temple with the mother goddess installed in it, and worship offered only mentally
(bhavana).

Undertaking any ritual without being aware of the bigger picture is a futile
exercise. It can be likened to the fate of a donkey which painstakingly bears a
load of sandalwood without enjoying its fragrance. So an understanding of the
significance behind traditional rituals is imperative for them to bear fruits. The
Srichakra worship is an admirable conception of the universe within and without,
which has stirred the Indian mind and facilitated spiritual progress in this
ancient land of ours.

Sadhana-Sadhaka
Mantra, Yantra and Tantra form the three corners of the triangle of Sri-Vidya.
Mantra is visualized in the Yantra. The worship of the Yantra, internal and
external, and the practice of kundalini Yoga and other Sadhanas constitute the
Tantra or modus operandi. The chief mantra of Sri-Vidya is Panca-dasaksari, and the
chief tantra is the meditation of the identity of Mantra, Yantra and Tantra with
the Devi Herself. If Sakti worship is done with understanding and appreciation and
with love in the heart, then Mantra, Yantra, offerings, the procedure and
paraphernalia of Puja are all transformed into forms and expressions of Cit-Sakti.
The object is to effect the transformation of the materials and acts of ordinary
experience into forms revealing the play, the power and the bliss of the Divine
Mother. The Sundaryalahari says that if the worshipper practises Atmarpanam,
ordinary talk is converted into Japa, normal work with the hand becomes Mudra,
walking becomes Pradaksina, eating becomes Homa, Lying down Pranama-in fact
whatever action is naturally done is transformed into worship. The Sri Vidya
Upasaka should follow certain disciplines. He should not find fault with other
paths or criticize them, while being steadfast in his own. The practice of Japa
should go on as an under-current at all times. He should not ask for favours or
accept them. He should do his duties in the world and the worship of the Deity
without attachment to fruit. He should be fearless. He should not acquire wealth
and possessions with the motive of selfish enjoyment and he should consider nothing
as higher than realization of the Self. Sakti worship properly understood is a
synthesis and harmony in which diverse and sometimes conflicting tendencies of
human endeavour have been accommodated and each in union with the rest has been
assured its fullest development and satisfation. An adept in Sri-Vidya can be a
Sakta at heart, a Saivite in outlook and a Vaisnavite in practice. That such a
reconciliation is not only possible by necessary was revealed to us in Sri
Ramakrishna, the Avatara Purusa of the age. He has proved that all paths pursued
with devotion lead to the one God, that Mantras are efficacious, that Yantras are
potent, that Devatas and higher powers exist, that Siddhis do come and that step by
step the Divine Mother leads the Sadhaka to higher and higher levels of perfection
till he reaches the goal.

Panchadashakshari Mantra
Sivah saktih kamah kshitir atha ravih sithakiranah
Smaro hamsah sakrastadanu cha para-mara-harayah;
Amee hrllekhabhis tisrbhir avasanesu ghatitha
Bhajante varnaste tava janani nam'avayavatham.
- 32 -
Soundarya Lahari

She who is mother of us all,

The seed letter �ka� of my lord Shiva,
The seed letter �a� of goddess Shakthi,
The seed letter �ee� of the god of love,
The seed letter �la� of earth,
The seed letter �ha� of the sun god,
The seed letter �sa� of the moon with cool rays,
The seed letter �ka� of again the god of love,
The seed letter �ha� of the sky,
The seed letter �la� of Indra , the king of devas,
The seed letter �sa� of Para,
The seed letter �ka� of the God of love,
The seed letter �la� of the Lord Vishnu,
Along with your seed letters �Hrim�,
Which joins at the end of each of the three holy wheels,
Become the holy word to worship you.

This stanza gives indirectly the most holy Pancha dasakshari manthra which consists
of three parts viz., ka-aa-ee-la-hrim at the end of Vagbhava koota, ha-sa-ka-ha-la-
hrin at the end of kama raja koota and sa-ka-la-hrim at the end of Shakthi
koota.These parts are respectively called Vahni kundalini, Surya Kundalini and Soma
kundalini.

If you cannot do a detailed worship, simply worship the Sri Yantra 108 times with
the simple Devi Mantra:

"Om Aim Hreem Shreem Sri Lalita Tripurasundari Padukam Poojayami Namah"

Or better still with the Panchadasakshari Mantra, which is one of the greatest
mantras of Devi and next only to the Shodasi Mantra:

"Ka E i La Hreem - Ha Sa Ka Ha La Hreem - Sa Ka La Hreem"

Sri Lalitasahasranama and Panchadasakshari Mantra

85 Om Srimad vagbhava kootaika swaroopa mukha pankajayai Namah -

Salutation to Her whose lotus face represents the Vagnhava Koota of the Pancha
dasakshari mantra which is the subtle form of the Devi
86 Om Kantathaadhah kati paryanta Madhya koota swaroopinyai Namah -

Salutations to Her whose middle region from the neck to the waist is represented by
the central part (Kamaraja Koota) of the same Mantra

87 Om Shakthi kootaika taapanna Katyadho bhaaga dharinyai Namah -

Solutations to Her whose form below waist is identical with the last part (Shakti
Koota) of Pancha Dasakshari Mantra

88 Om Moola manthrathmikhayai Namah � Solutations to Her who is the original Mantra

(Moola Mantra, here Panchadasakshari) itself

89 Om Moola koota thraya kalebarayai Namah � Solutations to Her whose body is the
three parts of the basic manthra i.e. pancha dasakshari manthra

Sri Vidya - Wikipedia

The name srividya is also used to refer to a specific mantra used in this tradition
having fifteen syllables.[8] This mantra is called the pa�cadasi ("The Fifteen
syllabled")[9] and the pa�cadasak?ari ("The Fifteen Syllables").[10] She is also
worshipped with a mantra of sixteen syllables called the ?odasak?ari by some
people, which according to different published interpretations is obtained either
by adding the syllable sri?[11] or the syllable sri [12] to the fifteen-syllable
mantra. Another published source says that the sixteenth syllable is kept secret
and communicated only to adepts.[13]

It must also be noted that the ultimate mantra in the system is "Shodashi" having
32 syllables. Though all mantras are avainlable in -print they are useless for
practice as they have to empowered by a competent teacher who will give life to it.
But the underlying principle of the whole practice is to realise the ultimate unity
of the Devata, the mantra, the teacher and the practitioner. See Parasurama
Kalpasootra that is accepted by many of the practitioners as the base text."Mantra
devatA guru AtmAnAm aikyam". There are various schools of srividya. The left handed
path; the right handed practice etc. ie. Vama, Dakshina, Samaya etc. Considerable
controversy exists between the practitioners of each of the branches regarding
superiority, though serious practitioners just follow their teaching without
criticising other methodologies.

This is a path that insists on equal respects for all paths in as much as
Parashurama Kalpasootra injuncts "sarwa darshanaaninda" - "One shall not insult any
other path". This is a cardinal principle that has run though Hinduism generally
like a golden thread. The path, as does Hinduism, believes all paths lead to the
ultimate reality. This path also emphasises the value of visualisation by stating
that "Bhaavanaadhaardyaat nigrahaanugraha sheshi" "One gets the power to bless or
curse based on his/her visualisation ability".

Lalitha Sahasranama and Sri Vidya

98 "Samayachara that para" - She who likes Samayachara i.e. worship stepwise from
mooladhara Chakra

441 �Kaula Marga that para sevitha" - She who is being worshipped by people who
follow Kaula Marga

Sri Khadgamaalaa Sthotram Audio

Sri Devi Khadgamala [ Frequently Asked Questions ]

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