Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara (Study)
by Seetha N. | 1985 | 67,146 words
The essay studies in English the Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara, focusing on its philosophical and devotional aspects. The Saundaryalahari represents an epitome of Shaktism (worship of the divine Goddess) by expounding the ultimate goal of liberation (moksha) through the non-dual knowledge of Nirguna Brahman, as taught by the Advaita philosophy....
The Shakta concept of Nyasa (mental appropriation)
[Some technical terms in Sakta tantras (10) Nyasa]
These fifteen letters mentioned are to be chanted through the process of nyasa i.e., mental appropriation of various parts of the body to the Almighty. appropriation accepted is as follows: is to be appropriated on Murdha (head) The mental The first letter second on Mula (at the pelvis), third on Hrt (heart), 4 th, 5 th and 6 th on two eyes and in between eye-brows. 7 th and 8 th on two 122. ears, 9 th on mouth, 10 th and 11 th on two hands, 12 th on back of buttock, 13 th and 14 th on two thighs, and 15 th on navel. In the case of mental appropriation of the alphabets beginning from a, the mode followed is explained below. All the Svaras together with Bindus (vowels) are appropriated on head with the spell "Blum vagdevatayai namah" The Kavargas, on 9 the forehead, chanting -"Kalahrim kame svari Vagdevatayai namah" the cavargas, in between eyebrows, saying "nblin-modini 121. "Vedhobharatyau madhavalaksmyau rudraparvatyau 9 rephanta varnasatkasyarthan kramaso vijaniyat." Varivasya-rahasya, 115, p.97 122. "Mulavidyapancadasavarnan murdhni mule hrdi caksustritaye srutidvaya mukha bhujayugala prstha (nyasya januyugala nabhi su vinyasya sodha cakre nyasya nyasya va". Periyapurana, I, 21.
vagdevatayai namah"; tavargas 144 "ylum vimalavagdevatayai namah"; on the throat, chanting 'Jmrin aruna vagdevatayai namah 'hslvyuh jayinivagdevatayai namah"; generative organ saying www tavargas on heart saying pavargas on navel saying ya ra la and va on "jhmryun sarvesvari vagdevatayai namah"; sa sa sa ha la and ksa on pelvis (Mula) saying "ksmr arim kaulini vagdevatayai namah'