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प्रसन्नवदनम् ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये||
श्रीगुरुभ्योनमः
We have seen mantra and yantra related namas in the previous posts. Now let us see the tantra related namas. In this post, we will learn about Amma’s Tantra, Sri Vidya Tantra.
Sri Vidya Tantra
श्रीविद्यॆत्यहमाख्याता श्रीपुरं मॆ पुरं भवॆत्
श्रीचक्रं मॆ भवॆच्चक्रं श्रीक्रमः स्यान्मम क्रमः॥
(त्रिपुरारहस्यम् माहात्म्यखण्डम् – 53.46)
It is said in Tripura Rahasya that, Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari assures MahaLakshmi Devi “I will be addressed as Sri-Vidya; Sri-Pura will be my city; Sri-chakra will be my Chakra and the tantra (puja-krama) of Sri will be my tantra.”
The Sri-Vidya tantra, is the procedure of worshipping Amma with the help of Sri-yantra and Panchadasi mantra. The Sri-yantra, made up of nine enclosures/avaranas, has got nine presiding deities, one in each enclosure and Sri-tantra involves reverencing of these nine forms in order, MahaTripuraSundari, Tripura-amba, Tripura-Siddhamba, Tripura-Malini, Tripura-Sri, Tripura-Vasini, Tripura-Sundari, Tripuresi and Tripura, corresponding to the nine avaranas of the Sri-chakra (Brahmanda Purana 3.36).
Tripura is described in hte Kalika purana as below.
त्रिकॊणम् मंडलम् चास्यास्त्रिपुरम् तु त्रिरॆखकम्
मंत्रम् तु अक्षरम् ज्ञॆयम् रूपम् त्रयम् पुनः
त्रिविधा कुण्डलीशक्तिस्त्रिदॆवानाम् च सृष्टयॆ
सर्वम् त्रयम् त्रयम् यस्मात् त्रिपुरा तॆन सा स्मृता ॥
(Kalika puranam– 63.55-57)
Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari: Ever existing blissful Supreme Consciousness (ParamBrahma)
Tripura-Amba: Contemplates Tripura’s creation
Tripura-Siddhamba: Sets up stage (Siddham) for the Tripuras; creation of eight fundamental prakritis
Tripura-Malini: Symbolic of the orderliness of Tripuras
Tripura-Sri: Symbolic of the opulence of Tripuras
Tripura-vasini: Resides in Tripuras
Tripura-Sundari: Lady of the Tripuras
Tripura-Isi: Rules over the Tripuras
Tripura: She Herself becomes the Tripuras, enjoying the Kulamrita
The next nine namas starting from Kualmrutaika-rasika upto Samayachara-tatpara, correspond to the nine aavarana devatas/ Chakra-naayikas/ deities of the enclosures, worshipped during the Sri-Chakra archana. Let us see the correspondence between these nine namas of the stotra and the nine chakresis. It may be noted that Vagdevatas listed them in the Samhara krama, the order of involution.
All the nine names of the presiding deities (Chakranayikas) of avaranas of the Sri-chakra, are referred with three cities and contain Tripura. Vagdevatas however, grouped them according to the trika tradition, namely apara, parapara and para. Amma’s names associated with the avaranas from Trailokya-mohana-chakra upto Antardasara contain kula while those corresponding to the Bindu and Trikona chakras, contain samaya. What are these kula and samaya?
जीवः प्रकृति तत्त्वम् च दिक्कालाकाशमॆवच
क्षित्यप्तॆजॊवायवश्च कुलमित्यभिदीयतॆ ॥ (महानिर्वाणतंत्रम् – 7.97)
Jiva, Prakruti, directions (dik), time and five elements (Ether, Sky, Fire, Water and Earth) are known as kula. Thus, kula induces a sense of duality.
As we have already observed in the microcosmic context, the chakras starting from Muladhara, upto Ajna, are associated with the apara tattvas and these tattvas are the root cause of duality. Since Sri-chakra and corporeal body are structurally similar, this in turn means, chakras starting from the Bhupura to Antardasara, correspond to the apara tattvas. This is the reason behind Vagdevatas using Kula for the namas associated with these chakras.
The liberation signifying the two para tattvas namely, Siva-Sakti conjoined and Siva-Sakti in complete unison, correspond to Samaya. This is the reason behind Vagdevatas using Samaya for the last two Chakranayikas.
Parapara tattva, the middle one is associated with the Lalata chakra. This tattva, being in between apara and para tattvas, signifies a state beyond duality, but still does not correspond to the samaya state, a state of eternal unison with the Supreme Consciousness. The middle paraapara tattva is beyond duality but this state is lower than the samaya state. Hence it is called akula.
Now, let us look at the namas (in the order of involution):
कुल-अमृत-ऎक-रसिका – One who relishes only the nectar flowing in the path of kula
Bhupura/Muladhara - Trailokya Mohana Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura
कुलसंकॆतपालिनी – Kula sanketa /Tripura; Paalini - ruler
One who rules over kula and its constituents.
Shodasa dala padma/Swadhishtana - Sarvasaparipuraka Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripuresi
कुलाङ्गना – kula/Tripura; angana – Sundari
Ashtadala padma /Manipuraka – Sarva samkshobhini Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura Sundari
कुलांतस्था – Kula/Tripura; amtastha – one who dwells in
Chaturdasara /Anahata – Sarva saubhagya-dayaka Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura vasini
कौलिनी – Deity associated with Kula/Tripuras
Bahirdasara /Visuddhi – Sarvaartha-sadhaka Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura-Sri
कुलयॊगिनी – Kula/Tripura Yogini-union/connection
As we have observed, Kula means a group. Kula in the present context refers to the chakras/avaranas of the body/Sri-chakra. In general, there is no order or relatonship associated with the members of a group. However, the chakras/avaranas of Sri-chakra are ordered/connected. This nama having Yogini along with kula, refers to the binding/connection between the chakras. As Kulayogini, Amma maintains the order of these chakras/Tripuras. This nama corresponds to the Antardasara Chakreswari Tripura Malini, because mala or chain means order/connection.
Antardasara /Ajna – Sarva rakshakara Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura Malini
अकुला – One who is devoid of Kula
As observed earlier, kula induces a sense of duality. In akula state, all the apara tattvas of the aspirant merge into eight fundamental tattvas, corresponding to a state which is beyond duality. An aspirant, either could attain liberation by realizing the higher para tattva with sustained practice or fall on to the lower plane of apara tattvas, due to lack of control. Duality is synonymous with Bhava roga and this chakresi bestows ashta siddhis on aspirants by destroying all diseases.
Ashtakona/Lalata – Sarva rogahara Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripura Siddhaamba
समयांतस्था – One who is in Samaya; One who is ever conjoined with Lord Siva.
Trikona /Sahasrara – Sarva siddhiprada Chakra; Chakreswari – Tripuraamba
समयाचारतत्परा – One who is an ardent follower of Samaya tradition; One who is ever in the blissful conjugation of Lord Siva
Bindu/Brahmarandhra– Sarva anandamaya Chakra; Chakreswari – Maha Tripura Sundari
नित्यम् यस्तव मातृकाक्षरसखीम् सौभाग्यविद्याम् जपॆत्
संपूज्याखिल चक्रराजनिलयाम् सायंतनाग्निप्रभाम्।
कामाख्यम् शिवनाम तत्त्वमुभयम् व्याप्यात्मना सर्वतॊ
दीव्यन्तीम् इय तस्य सिद्धिः अचिरात् स्यात् त्वत्स्वरूपैकता॥
(दॆवीमहिम्नस्तवम् -15)
Amma not only grants wishes but also bestows liberation to those aspirants who worship Her reigning the Sri-chakra with the Saubhagya Vidya (Panchadasi) mantra.
Praying LalitaMahaTripuraSundari,
श्रीमात्रेनमः
