Thread by @Varanasiboy_

This thread is covers-
Lalitha Sahasranamam-Story & beauty of Lalita Devi
Bhaskararaya & his commentary in brief
Sri Chakra
Sri Vidya–Samayachara, Vamachara & Kaulachara (controversial & forbidden studies?? practiced using body’s sexual parts, wine, meat etc.)
Bhuvaneshwari Devi

Lalitha Sahasranamam, the crown jewel of the esoteric tradition of Sri Vidya, which in turn is the pinnacle of the Hindu Advaitic philosophy. Assorted names of Lalitha Sahasranamam are used in some studies - by using a combination of decipherments of metaphors, allusions,

symbolism, semiotics & etymo-linguistic studies that reveals key details about our universe.
Lalitopakhyana, part of 36th chapter of Brahmanda Purana gives the detailed account of Mother Lalitha, Her Origin & Her Deeds.

There is no prayer similar to this one, which would give pleasure & salvation. It is presented in the form of instructions imparted to the sage Agasthya by Hayagriva who is horse headed incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He describes Sripura City, panchadasakshari, Sri Vidya & deities.

Once Lalitha Devi addressed Vasini & other vagdevathas (goddesses of speech): "I command you - who know the secrets of Srichakra & of Sri Vidya & other Mantras to compose a hymn of 1000 names that reveal my greatness. Lead the way to let my devotes obtain My grace by chanting it"

It has got 72 sixteen syllable, 242 eight syllable, 278 four syllable word combinations followed by 138 of three syllables, 122 of five syllables, 34 of six syllables, 7 of nine syllables, 3 of eleven syllables, 3 of twelve syllables, 2 of seven syllable, & 3 of a single syllable

It gives several abodes to the Mother like Cintaamanigraha, Jaalandhara, Kadambavana, Malayacala, Mahakalidasa, Vindhyacala, group of 50 Pitas. The description of the form of the Deity is anthropomorphic, giving as it does detailed description of the various parts of the body.

The 1000 names are classified into 10 groups.
1. Sri Maatha
2. Mani pooraantharuditha
3. Sadgathi prada
4. Hrimkaari
5. Vividhaakaara
6. Gudanna preetha maanasa
7. Daraondolitha deerkhaakshi
8. Desa kaala paricchinna
9. Pushta
10. Naadaroopini

Lalita Devi in three stages is described as –
Bala – Bala Tripura Sundari Devi
Taruna – Lalitambika Devi
Praudha – Raja Rajeshwari Devi
Lalitha Tripura Sundari – Beauty (Sundari) of the Three worlds (Tripura) is extremely beautiful & described as –

Dark thick long hair with scent of Champaka, Asoka & Punnaga flowers
Musk thilaka on her forehead
Eyelids which appeared as if it is the gate of the house of God of love
Eyes like fish playing in the beauteous lake of her face
Nose with studs which shined more than the stars

Ears with sun and moon as studs
Cheeks which were like mirror of Padmaraga
Beautiful white teeth
Chewing Thamboola with camphor
Voice sweeter than the sound emanating from Veena of Sarswathi
A beautiful smile that Lord Shiva himself could not take his eyes off

Wearing Mangalasoothra and necklaces with beautiful shining studs
Breasts which were capable of buying the invaluable love of Kameswara
Having row of faint beautiful hair raising from her belly & stomach with three pretty folds, wearing red silk tied with a string with red bells

Having thighs which steal the heart of Kameshwara and knees which looked like crowns made of precious gems with voluptuous legs and upper part of the feet resembling the back of tortoise
Feet which resembled the lamps made of gems which could dispel worries from the mind of

devotees and a body with the golden red colour.
Lalithambika was given in marriage to Lord Kameshwara and made to stay in Sree Nagara at the top of Maha Meru Mountain.

The first one is called ‘Poorva Bhaga’ the middle portion which is called ‘Stotra’ which consists of 1000 Namas (names) and the last portion is called ‘Uttara Bhaga’.
The Poorva Bhaga talks about its origin. The Uttara Bhaga gives details of the benefits of this recitation.

It came from Shiva, who passed it to Nandi. From Nandi it went to Hayagriva & then to Sage Agasthya.
Maharishi Vyasa then conveyed it to the world.
Being overjoyed by the conversation with Hayagreeva & out of the curiosity & anxiety to know it.
Om Aim Hreem Sreem Sri Mathre Nama

Of all the Bhashyas or commentaries, the one written by Bhasurananda Natha, more familiarly known as Śrī Bhāskara-rāya Makhin is the one most widely known. Sri Gambhiraraya & his wife Smt Konambika (Konamamba) were the parents & was born in 1690 in Bhaga, Maharashtra.

Setubandha is a technical treatise on Tantric practice. It is his magnum opus. It is a commentary on a portion of the Vāmakeśvara-tantra dealing with the external & internal worship of Śrī Tripurasundarī. This work was completed either in 1733/1741 AD.
Sowbhaagya Bhaaskaram

Sri Chakra, the most intricate geometric pattern found in the vast literature of Hinduism. Understood by a few, mastered by a handful of blessed souls, but revered by many. There are millions of people in the world who are doing Sri Chakra Puja. But very few understand

the meanings of the mantras & procedures, why they are being done, what is a good way of doing things. The mysteries of every mantra & every procedure in the Sri Chakra puja was described in Parashu Rama Kalpa Sutra to convey a deeper understanding of the ritual.

He divided Sri Chakra Puja into 4 clearly defined time slots: Lalita, Rajashyamala, Varahi & Para.
Puja to Lalita Devi is to be done in the morning in the creative center, Rajashyamala in the heart during midday, Varahi in the evening at the eyebrow centre, .........

& Para Shakti at midnight in the crown.
Here I’m not going in the details of Puja.
The Sri Chakra is deemed to be the map of the Universe; the ultimate periodic table of spirituality.

Sub­structures of Sri Chakra, starting from the centre outwards.
9.The Sri Chakra starts with a Center, the Bindu, a dimensionless point. It is the seer; never seen.
8.Surrounding that is the first triangle, the seen, which includes the seer.

7.Surrounding that there are 8 triangles. 6,5.Surrounding that there are two sets of 10 triangles each. 4.Surrounding that there is the 14 ­triangle figure. 3.Surrounding that there is an 8­ petalled lotus. 2.Surrounding that, there is a 16­ petal lotus.

1.Surrounding that there are three circles and a square enclosure with three lines in it. The square enclosure has four entrances.
These are the main circles or subsets of the Sri Chakra. The Sri Chakra is composed of 3 sets of

3. Looking from outwards going in, the first 3 ­ the square, the 16 and 8 petalled lotuses, constitute Sristi, the creative aspects of the Awareness.
The 14 cornered figure, the 10 cornered figure and the other 10 cornered figure represent the Sthiti, the maintenance.

The 8 cornered figure, the triangle & the center point represent the Laya, the reabsorption.
The BinduThe center of every experience is yourself. That is Siva, called the invariant point. The word bindu means three things: point, seed & mind. All that is experienced is Shakti.

For general recitations, guru is not needed however for tantric practices (other Acharas) a person needs strict permissions from guru and he should be under severe observations.

The Brahma Yamala, a Tantric text, says there are three currents of tradition (dakshina, vama, and madhyama) characterized respectively by the predominance of each of the three gunas (sattva, rajas, and tamas).

According to this text, dakshina is characterized by sattva, and is pure; vama, characterized by rajas, is mixed; & madhyama, characterized by tamas, is impure. The Tantras of each class follow a particular line of spiritual practices.
PanchamakArA rituals of kaulAchAra/vAmAchAra

This is a combination of five rituals ‘pancha’ means ‘five’ and ‘makaras’ mean five acts whose name begins with ‘ma’ sound.

They are -
Maithuna (Sex) – With multiple Yoginis for practices
Madya (wine)
Mamsa (meat)
Matsya (fish)
Mudra

Vamachara left hand path. From antiquity through modern times, it is the complex system of self-attainment.
The term Dakshinachara (Right-Hand Path) is used to refer to Tantric sects that do not engage in these heterodox practices.
The primary authority for .........

kaulAchArIs / vAmAchArIs in performing physical Yoni-Puja of their female counterparts is the book named ‘Yoni-Tantra’. Yoni-Tantra is a book composed in 16th century in Bengal.
Is Vamachara marga Dharmic? Still a big question.

In certain Vedic works, e.g., Shrautasutras of Katyayana (IV.3.17), Gobhila-Grihyasutra (II.5.6.9-10), Taittiriya-aranyaka (IV.7.50) to mention only a few, sexual intercourse is regarded as a part of religious rites. Drinking of wine appears (e.g., Shatapatha-brahmana V.1.2.9;

Aitareya VII.1.5 etc.) to have been in vogue in sacrifices. The Vajapeya and Sautramani seem to be the precursor of the Chakra of the Tantric devotees. (Dr. Savitri Vashist, Tantra and Religion, Jaipur, 2002, p. 92).

Tara-rahasya 3. 8:
vAmAchAraM parityajya pUjanaM vA japa~ncharet.
sa gachchhennarakaM ghoraM yAvadindrAshchaturdasha..
"The one who is doing puja or japa [of Devi] without Vamachara, goes to the terrible hell for a period of 14 lives of Indra."

Shava sadhana is a Tantric Sadhana (spiritual practice) in which the practitioner sits on a corpse for meditation. Shava sadhana is part of the Vamachara (heterodox, Left-hand path) practice of worship, which is followed by the esoteric Tantra.

It is regarded as one of Tantra's most important, most difficult and most secret rituals. Tantric texts as well as oral tales detail the process of the ritual and also tell its importance. The purpose of practicing the ritual range from knowledge, propitiating a deity,..........

material motives, even dark objectives to gaining control over the spirit of the deceased. There are strict rules that need to be followed in the ritual, even in selection of a suitable corpse for the ceremony.

DEVI TRIPURASUNDARI, Rajeshwari, Simhasaneshwari, Lalitha, Bhuvaneshwari. In this iconography tantric devi, shes' seated on (/corpse) Shiva , holding 4 weapons in her four hands from far right clockwise-bow (Dhanushya) South Indian & elsewhere versions include a sugarcane bow...

or just a sugarcane staff, pasha (or reins to pull back or capture enemy), ankusha (goad) to control enemy & arrow with terminal part as lotus.
4 gods Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra & Shiva respectively make 4 the legs of the golden throne she's seated upon.

Sarada Tilaka Tantram primarily with the Tantric worship of gods and goddesses, such as Bhuvanesvari, Tvarita, Durga, Bhairavi, Gayatri, Ganapati, Surya, Visnu, Nrsimha, Purusottama, Siva, Daksinamurti, Aghora.

Bhuvaneshwari Devi maintains the 4th position among all the 10 significant of Dasha Mahavidya. She is an incarnation of Supreme Goddess Aadi Parashakti. She rules or commands the whole universe, possessing controlling influence of turning situations according to her desire.

She plays the role of creator and protector and fulfils all the wishes of her sadhaks. She also protects devotees against the negative influences of the planet Moon. During the beginning of time the Tridevas – Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra did not know who they were and what was...

their purpose. At this time a flying chariot appeared before them & heavenly voice directed them to board the chariot. As the Tridevas boarded the chariot & it started flowing with mind's speed & took them to a mysterious place which was an island of gems surrounded by...

ocean of nectar & pristine sylvan forests. As they stepped out of the chariot, the Tridevas were transformed into women, much to their astonishment. As they explored the island they came across an Imperial city protected by nine enclosures and guarded by fierce Bhairavas, ...

Matrikas, Kshetrapalas and Dikpalas. As they entered the city they were amazed by its prosperity and soaring infrastructure and finally reached the Imperial Palace known as Chintamanigriha, guarded by Yoginis. For this was Śrīpūra (alias Devipattana), .....

the capital of Devi Bhuvaneshvari, the Empress of Manidvipa, the abode of Adi Parashakti. When they entered the palace they witnessed Devi Bhuvaneshvari, the queen of all worlds. Her complexion was red. She had three eyes, four arms, braided hair and was clad in red ornaments.

She wore a garland of lotuses and Her body was anointed with red sandalwood paste. She held a goad & a noose with Her left hands, while her right hands displayed abhaya and varada mudras. She was decked with ornaments and wore a crown with a digit of crescent moon as crest jewel.

She had also created many worlds --
Satyalok
Taplok
Gyanlok
Maharlok
Anandlok, which is Swarglok
Bhuvarlok
Bhulok........where we live and read our tweets....

Thread Completed!

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti hiii: