Mahameru Picture

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Benefits Chanting Lalitha Sahasranamam

Lalitha Sahasranamam (1000 names of devi) is a secret and very sacred text or mantra in Hindu religion.This mantra has been revealed to mankind through the discussion between lord Hayagriva and the great saga Agasthya.
It is very popular and many of us recite it on a daily basis or at least on Friday.

Nama sahasram khaditham they ghatothbhava,
Rahasyaanam rahasyam cha Lalitha preethi dayakam,
Aanena sadrusam stotram na bhootham na bhavishyathi. 1

These 1000 names which were told, Oh Agasthya,
Are secret of the secrets and are very dear to Lalitha.
This type of prayer has never existed in the past or will never exist in future.

Sarva roga prasamanam sarva sampath pravardhanam,
Sarvaapath mruthyu shamanam akala mruthyu nivaranam. 2

This cures all diseases and gives rise to all types of wealth,
It cures all accidental deaths and is an antidote to untimely death.

Sarva jwararthi hananam deergayushya pradhayakam,
Puthra pradhama puthraanaam purushartha pradhayakam. 3

It is a cure for all types of fever, and gives rise to long life,
It will bless you with  son (that too first son) and gives three types of wealth.

Yidham visesharidevya sthothram preethi vidhatakam,
Japen nityam prayathnena lalithopasthi thath para. 4

This special prayer of goddess which pleases Lalitha Devi very much ,
Should be chanted daily after worshipping of Lalitha.

Pratha snathwa vidhathena sandhya karma samapya cha,
Pooja gruhe thatho gathwa chakra rajam samarchayeth 5

Take bath in the morning, finish the oblations of the dawn,
Go to the prayer room and first worship the Sree Chakra.

Vidhyam japeth sahasram vaa trishtatha shathameva cha,
Rahasya naama saahasra midham paschad paden nara. 6

Chant the Sri Vidya mantra either 100 times or 400 times,
And then these secret thousand names should be read.

Janama madhye sakruchapi ya yevam padathe sudhee,
Thasya punya phalam vakshye srunu thwam Kumbha Sambhava. 7

Oh, Sage born out of the pot, please hear the results,
Of reading these in the middle of life by devotees.

Gangadhi sarva theertheshu ya snayath koti janmasu,
Koti linga prathishtam thu ya kuryadh vimukthake. 8
Kurukshethre thu yo dadyath koti vaaram ravi gruhe,
Koti sournabharanam srothreeyeshu dwijanmasu 9
Ya kotim hayamedhanaa maharedh gaangarodhasee,
Achareth koopa kotiyom nirjare maru bhoothale. 10
Durbhikshe ya prathi dhinam koti brahmana bhojanam,
Sradhaya parayaa kuryath sahasra parivathsaraan. 11

The devotee would get the effect of taking bath in sacred rivers like Ganga,
Or One crore times and also the same effect as consecrating one crore lingas.
Or One crore times giving in Kurukshetra on Sundays giving,
One crore gold ornaments to the twice born who has learned Vedas,
Or doing one crore Aswa medha yagas in the shores of the Ganges
Or digging one crore wells with water in the deserts,
Or feeding one crore Brahmins daily during the famine,
Or doing with great attention training/teaching one thousand children.

Thath punyam koti gunitham labhyeth punyamanuthamam,
Rahasya nama saahasre namno apyekasya keerthanaath, 12

One crore times the good effect of doing all these matchless blessings,
Would be got even by chanting one name out of the one thousand secret names.

Rahasya nama saahasre namaikaapi ya padeth,
Thasya paapani nasyanthi mahanthyaapi na samsaya. 13

Even if one name among the thousand secret names is read,
All the sins committed by him would be destroyed without doubt.

Nithya karmanushtaana nishidhakaranadhapi,
Yath paapam jayathe pumsam thath sarva nasyathi drutham. 14

Even the sin caused by very bad act of not doing the daily sacred routines,
Would go away and all the sins would be destroyed speedily.

Bahunathra kimukthena srunu thwam kalasi sutha,
Aathraika namne yaa shakthi pathakaanaam nivarthathe,
Thannivarthya magham karthum naalam loka schadurdasa. 15

Oh sage Agasthya, please hear from me how most people would get free,
By chanting according to their capability for getting rid of sins,
For these, without any doubt would remove sins committed in the fourteen lokas,

Yasthyakthwa nama sahasaram papa hani mabhhepsathi,
Sa hi seethe nivrthyartha hima shailam nishevathe. 16

Those who are desirous of getting rid of their sins,
If they hate to chant the thousand names,
It is like going to Himalayas to get rid of cold.

Bhaktho ya keerthyen nithya midham nama sahasrakam,
Thasmai sri lalitha devi preethabheeshtam prayachathi. 17

Devotees who daily sing these thousand names,
Would be blessed by Lalitha Devi by fulfilling their wishes.

Akeerthayennidham sthothram kadham bhaktho bhavishyathi. 18

How can he who does not sing them be a devotee?

Nithyam keerthanashaktha keerthayeth punya vasare,
Samkrathou vishuve chaiva swajanma thrithayeyane.
19

People who cannot sing it daily should chant it on special occasions,
Viz first of every month, first of the new year and the three birthdays.*
* Self, wife and son

Navamyaam vaa chathurdasyam sithaayaam shukravasare,
Keerthyen nama sahasram pournamasyaam viseshatha. 20

On Navami or on Chathurdasi or Fridays of the waxing moon,
And on the full moon day singing this is very special.

Pournamasyam chandra Bhimbhe dhyathwa sri lalithaambikaam,
Panchopacharai sampoojya paden nama sahasrakam. 21
Sarva roga pranasyanthi deergamayuscha vindhathi,
Ayam aayushkaro nama prayoga kalpanoditha, 22

On the full moon day facing the full moon and meditating on Lalitha,
Offer the five oblations and by reading the thousand names,
All diseases will vanish, long life would be given,
And accompany this with the Aayushkara prayoga*
* rite to get long life

Jwarartha shiirasimsprushtwa paden nama sahasrakam,
Thath kshnaath yaathi shiraamsthadho jwaropi cha. 23

He who has fever, if he touches his head and chants the thousand names,
At that moment the fever would descend away from the head and vanish.

Sarva vyadhi nivruthyartha sprushtwa bhasma japedhidham,
Thad bhasma dharanadeva nasyanthi vyadhaya kshanaath. 24

For getting rid of diseases touch holy ash and chant the thousand names,
And by wearing that ash all diseases would immediately be cured.

Jalam samanthrasya kumbhastham nama sahasratho mune,
Aabhishichedha graham grasthaan graham nasyanthi thath kshanaath. 25

Storing the water in a pot, and chanting the thousand names, oh sage,
And anointing oneself with that water would remove all problems created by planets*.
* Graha Doshas , Sade Sathi , Shani Dosha , Kala Sarpa dosha etc.

Sudha sagara madhyastham dhyathwa Sri Lalithambikaam,
Ya paden nama sahasram visham thasya vinasyathi. 26

Meditating on Goddess Lakshmi and goddess Lalithambika,
If the thousand names are read, effect of poison will vanish.

Vandhyaanaam puthralabhaaya, nama saahasra manthridham,
Navaneetham pradadyathu, puthralabho bhaved druvam. 27

For blessing with a son,for the lady who does not conceive,
Chant the thousand names and offer butter to the God,
By this she will be blessed with a son soon.

Rajakarshana kaamasche drajavasadha ding mukha, 28
Trirathram cha padeth ethad, sridevi dhyana thathpara,
Sa raja paravasyena thurangam vaa matham gajam. 29
Aarohya yathi nikatam dasavath prani pathya cha,
Thasmai rajyam cha kosam dadhya deva vasangatha. 30

For attracting the king (people with authority/Rulers) , face the palace of the king,And read the thousand names meditating on the Goddess,
And then the king would be under your control, would ride a horse or elephant,Come to your side, would salute and serve you,
And offer you his country or a state of his country*.
*Your words/requests will not be turned down by any one – even by people of influence or those who are in powerful positions in society.

Rahasya nama sahasram ya keerthyathi nithyasa,
Than mukhaloka mathrena muhye loka thrayam mune. 31

As soon as they see the face of one who chants,
The thousand secret names daily, the saints salute him.

Yasthvidham nama sahasram sakruth padathi bhakthiman,
Thasya yea sasthravasthesham nihantha Sharabheswara. 32

The enemies of the devotee who reads these thousand names.
Would be killed by arrows by Sharabheswara *.
*Your dis-tractors/enemies will not succeed against you.

Yo vabhicharam kuruthe nama sahasra padake,
Nivarthya thath kriyaam hanyatham vai prathyangira swayam. 33

He who does black magic against one who reads the thousand names,
Would be killed by Prathyangira devi herself for protecting the devotee*.
* Prathyangira devi – Most fierce and powerful avatar of Devi

Yea Kroora drushtya veekshanthe nama sahasra padakam,
Thaan andhaan kuruthe ksipram swayam marthanda bhirava. 34

He who sees with cruelty the one who reads these thousand names,
Would be made blind,immediately by Marthanda Bhairava himself *.
*Those who plan ill deeds against the one who chants this will be distracted or blinded by other thoughts that he will not be able to execute his plans.

Dhanam yo harathe chorair nama sahasra japeen,
Yathra kuthra sthiram vaapi Kshethra palo nihanthi thaam. 35

He who steals the wealth of one who reads these thousand names,
Wherever he hides would be killed by The Kshethra pala.

Vidhyasu kuruthe vadham yo vidwan nama jaapeena,
Thasya vak sthambhanam sadhya karothi Nakuleshwari. 36

He who argues with the learned man, who reads the thousand names,
Would be made dumb immediately by Nakuleshwari *
* Nobody can win argument against the devotee who chants Lalitha Sahasranamam

Yo raja kuruthe vairam nama sahasra japeen,
Chathuranga balam thasya Dandinee samhareth swayam. 37

The army of the king who attacks the one who reads thousand names,
As an enemy would be immediately destroyed by Dandinee herself.

Ya paden nama saahasram shan masam bhakthi samyutha,
Lakshmi chanchalya rahitha sada thishtathi thad gruhe. 38

He who reads these thousand names daily for six months with devotion.
Will have the fickle minded Goddess of wealth, live in his house permanently.

Masamekam prathi dhinam, thri vaaram ya paden nara,
Bharathi thasya jihvagre range nruthyathi nithyasa. 39

He who reads it daily for one month or at least three weeks,
Will have Saraswathi the goddess of intelligence dancing on the tip of his toungue.

Ya paden nama saaharam janma madhye sakrunnera,
Thad drushi gochara sarve muchyathi sarva kilbihai. 40

The one who reads these thousand names in the middle of his life,
Would be able to see everything and all his sins would be pardoned.

Yo vethi naama sahaasram thasmai dheyam dwijanmane,
Annam vasthram dhanam dhanyam nanyebhyasthu kada chana. 41

He who makes the thousand names as his,would be made the twice born,
Get food, cloths, wealth, cereals and all that he wishes.

Sri manthra rajam yo vethi sri chakram ya samarchathi,
Ya keerthayathi naamaani tham sath pathram vidhur budha, 42

He who learns the king of sri Manthras and offers it to Sri Chakram,
And sings these thousand names, would be considered as holy by the learned.

Thasmai dheyam prayathnena Sri Devi preethimichata,
Ya keerthayathi namaani manthra rajam na vethi ya. 43

To him the goddess would give with love, whatever he wants,
Who sings these names and learns the king of Manthras.

Pasu thulya sa vijneya thasmai datham nirarthakam,
Pareekshya vidhya vidhusha thasmai dadhya dwichakshana. 44

There is no point in giving this Mantra to animal like people,
And it should be given to those who are learned and wise.

Sri manthra raja sadruso yadha manthro na vidhyathe,
Devatha lalitha thulyaa yadhaa nasthi ghatodhbhava. 45

There are no chants which are equal to Sri Mantra Raja,
And there is no goddess equivalent to Lalitha, Oh Agasthya.
Rahasya nama saahasra thulyaa nasthi thadha sthuthi,
Likhithwa pusthake yasthu nama saahasram uthamam . 46
Samarchayed sada bhakthya thasya thushyathi Sundari,
Bahunathra kimukthena srunu thwam Kumbha sambhava. 47

There is no prayer as great as the secret thousand names,
And he who writes it in a book, these thousand names,
And submits to her, would make the pretty one happy,
And please hear much more about it, Oh sage Agasthya.

Naanena sadrusam stotram sarva thanthreshu vidhyathe,
Thasmad upasako nithyam keerthyedhida madarath, 48

There is no such prayer any where in literature of Thanthra,
And so those who practice Thanthra sing it with devotion daily.

Yebhir nama sahasthraishtu Sri Chakram yo aarchayedh sakruth,
Padmair va thulasee pushpai, kalhaarai vaa, kadambakai. 49
Champakair jathee mallika kara veerakai.
Uthpalai bilwa pathrer vaa, kunda kesara patalai. 50
Aanyai sugandhi kusumai kethaki madhavee mukhai,
Thasya punya phalm vakthum na saknothi Mahesvara. 51

Even Lord Shiva would not be able to tell adequately,
The effect of worshipping the Sri Chakra using the thousand names,
With lotus, leaves of Thulasi, Kalharraa, kadambha flowers,
Jasmine, Champak, Kara veera, Uthpala leaves of Bilwa.
Jasmine buds and Kesara flowers,
And other scented flowers like lots, Kethaki Madavee Mukha,

Sa vethi Lalitha devi saw chakrarchanajam phalam,
AAnye kadham vijaaneeyur Brahmadhyaa swalpa medhasa. 52

Only Goddess Lalitha can tell some thing about the result of worshipping her chakra,
And possibly Lord Brahma may be able to narrate it to certain extent.

Prathi masam pournamasya mabhir nama sahasrakai,
Rathrou yas chakra rajastha marchayeth para devathaam, 53
Sa yeva lalitha roopa sthad roopa lalitha swayam,
Na thayo vidhyathe bhedho bedha ckruth papakruth bhavedh. 54

In every month during the full moon day, if she is worshipped,
By the thousand names, in the night on the Sri Chakra,
He would himself have the form of The goddess Lalitha,
And he cannot be seen as another one, for it is a sin to see him as anything else.

Maha navamyam yo bhaktha Sri Devi chakra madhyagaam,
Archaye nnama saahasrai sthasya mukthi kare sthithaa. 55

That devotee who worships her on mahanavami day,
On the Sri Chakra using these thousand names,
Would certainly attain salvation.

Yasthu nama sahasrena Shukra vare samarchayeth,
Chakra rajo maha devim thasya punya phalam srunu. 56

If these thousand names are dedicated on Friday,
To the Sri Chakra of the goddess, please hear the benefits.

Sarvan kaamaan vpyeha, sarva soubhagya samyutha,
Puthra pouthradhi samyuktho bhukthwa bhogaan yadepsithaan. 57

All your desires would be fulfilled,
You would lead a life with all blessings,
You would be surrounded by sons and grand sons,
And enjoy all the pleasures of life.

AAnthe lalitha devya sayujyam adhi durlabham,
Prathaneeyam shivadhyaischa prapnothyeva na samsaya, 58

At the end you would get salvation under Lalitha, which is difficult to obtain,
And get all benefits of praying Gods like Shiva without any doubt.

Ya sahasram Brahmanaana mebhir nama sahasrakai,
Samarchaya bhojayedh bhakthya payasa poopa shad rasai. 59
Thadsmai preenaathi Lalitha swasamrajyam prayachathi.
Na thasya durlabham vasthu thrishulokeshu vidhyathe. 60

Dedicating these thousand names to thousand Devotees,
Feeding them with sweet Payasam, Vada made out of black gram,
And a meal which is blessed with all six tastes,
Would make one dear to Goddess Lalitha,
And she would bless you with her kingdom,
And there would be nothing in the three worlds,
That would be difficult to get to this man.

Nishkama keerthayedhyasthu nama Sahasramuthamam,
Brahma jnana mavapnothi yena muchyathe bandanath. 61

He who chants these thousand names,
Without any desires or attachments,
Would get the knowledge of Brhamam,
And would be released from the bonds of life.

Dhanarthi dhanam aapnothi, Yasorthi prapnuyath yasa,
Vidhyarthi cha aapnuyath vidhya, nama sahasra keerthanaath. 62

One who wants money would get money,
One who wants fame would get fame,
And one who wants knowledge would get knowledge,
By singing these thousand names.

Naanena sadhrusham sthothram Bhoga moksha pradham mune,
Keethaneeyamidham thasmad bhoga mokshadhibhir narai, 63

There is no prayer similar to this one,
Which would give pleasures and salvation, Oh sage,
For men by singing these thousand names,
Would get both pleasures as well as salvation.

Chathurashrama nishtaicha keerthaneeyamidham sada,
Swadharma samanushtaana vaikalya paripoorthaye. 64

In all the four stages of life*,
Singing these thousand names,
And also following one’s own Dharma,
Would help reach his goal without any problem.
* 4 Stages – Baalyam , Youvanam , Grahasthashramam , Vanaprastham , Sanyasam

Kalou papaika bahule dharmanushtana varjathe,
Namanu keerthanam mukthwa nrunaam nanya paraayanam. 65

In the age of Kali*, when all Dharmas are forsaken,
Men would get salvation by singing these names and no other.
* This Yuga – Kali Yuga

Loukeekath vachanath mukhyam Vishnu nama keerthanam,
Vishnu nama saharaischa Shiva namaikamuthamam. 66

In the family life it is important to sing the names of Vishnu,
But better than singing names of Vishnu is singing names of Shiva.

Shiva nama sahasraischa devyaa namaikamuthamam,
Devi Nama sahasraani kotisa santhi Kumbhaja. 67

Better than the thousand names of Shiva are the names of the Devi,
And Oh Agasthya, the thousand names of Devi are one crore times better.

Theshu mukhyam dasa vidham nama sahasra muchyathe,
Rahasyanama saahasramidham sashtham dasaswapi. 68

There are ten important names *out of these thousand names,
And all these are praise worthy.
(* The names are : Ganga, Gayathri, Syamala, Lakshmi, Kali, Bala, Lalitha, Rajarajeswari, Saraswathi and Bhavani.)

Thasmad sankeethayennithyam kali dosha nivruthaye,
Mukhyam Sri mathu naamethi na janathi vimohithaa. 69

Singing them daily would cure the ill effects of Kali age,
And the name Matha is important and should not be forgotten.

Vishnu nama paraa kechith Shiva nama paraa pare,
Na kaschid aapi lokeshu Lalitha nama thathpara. 70

Better than the names of Vishnu are the names of Shiva,
But in all the worlds there is nothing better than names of Lalitha.

Yenanya devathaa nama keerthitham Janama kotishu,
Thasyaiva bhavathi sradhaa Sri devi nama keerthane. 71

Even if the names of other Gods are sung in crores of births,
It is equal only to singing of the thousand names with devotion.

Charame janmani yadha Sri vidhyaupasako bhaveth,
Nama sahasra padascha thadha charama janmani. 72

If you become at your last birth an Upasaka of Sri Vidhya,
By reading the thousand names, this birth would become your last.

Yadhaiva virala loke sri vidyachara vedhina,
Thadaiva viralo guhya nama saahasthra pataka. 73

In this world it is rare to find Upasakas of Sri Vidhya,
And it is also rare to find those who read the secret thousand names.

Manthra raja japaschaiva chakra rajarchanam thadha,
Rahasya nama patascha naalpayasya thapas phalam. 74

Chanting the king of chants followed by worship of Sri Chakra,
And reading the thousand names gets the same result as doing Austerity (Thapas)

Apadannama saahasram preenayedhyaa Maheswareem,
Sa chakshushaa bina roopam pasyedheva vimoodadhi. 75

Without reading these thousand names and trying to please the Goddess,
Is like a fool trying to see a form without the eyes.

Rahasya nama saahasram thyakthwaa ya sidhi kaamuka,
Sa BHojanam vinaa noonam Kshunnivarthi mabheepsathi. 76

Forsaking the thousand names and trying to get occult powers,
Is like satiating hunger after forsaking all meals.

Yo Bhakthaa Lalitha devya sa nithyam Keertheyadhidham,
Nanyadhaa preeyathe Devi kalpa koti shathair api. 77

That devotee who sings these names of Lalitha Devi,
Need not sing any other for she will be pleased,
Only by singing of this even for hundreds of eons.

Thasmad rahasya naamani, Sri Mathu prayatha padeth,
Yithi they kaditham Stotram rahasyam, Kumbha sambhava. 78

These thousand names are to be read for making the mother happy,
But this prayer which I told is a secret, Oh sage Agasthya.

Na vidhyaavedhinebrooya nnama bhakthaya kadachana.,
Yadhaiva gopyaa Sri Vidhya thadha gopyamidham mune. 79

The learned in Vedas, if they do not recite these names at least once,
The Sri Vidhya would be kept secret from them, Oh sage.

Pasu thulyeshu na broyajjaneshu sthotramuthamam,
Yo dadhadhi vimoodathma Sri vidhya rahithaya thu. 80

People who do not tell this prayer are like animals,
If they give Sri Vidhya to the foolish without this prayer.

Thasmai kupyanthi yoginya, sonartha sumahaan smruth,
Rahasya nama saahasran thsmad sangopyedhidham. 81

The Yogis would be very angry with them,
For this would lead them to problems,
And that is why these secret thousand names,
Are kept as great secret from every one.

Swathanthrena mayaa noktham thavapi kalasee bhava,
Lalitha preranaa deva mayoktham stotramuthamam. 82

Of Sage Agasthya, I would not have told them to you independently.
But for the advice given to me by Goddess Lalitha to tell you these.

Keerthaneeya midham bhakthyaa Kumbhayone nirantharam,
Thena thushtaa Maha devi thavabheeshtam pradasyathi. 83

Please recite these with devotion, Oh sage Agasthya,
And the goddess will be pleased and fulfill your wishes.

Sootha Uvacha:

Sootha said:

Yithyukthwa Sri Hayagreevo dhyathwa Sri Lalithambikaam,
Aananda magna hrudaya sadhya pulakitho bhaved. 84

After telling thus, sage Hayagreeva meditated on Goddess Lalitha,
Was drowned in happiness and became enraptured.

Ithi Sri Brahmanda purane Uthara Kande,
Sri Hayagrrevagasthya samvade, Sri Lalitha sahasra nama stotra,
Phala srutheernama uthara Bhaga.

Thus ends the telling of effect of reciting Lalitha Sahasra Namam
Called The portion after,
Which is in Brahmanda Purana in the Uthara Kanda,
In the discussion between Sage Hayagreeva and Sage Agasthya.


The worship of Devi in Sri Chakram

The Sri Chakram, Sri Mahameru platform should always face East flat on ground. You should sit facing North and to the right of platform. The force of gravity of the northern direction will help you in your pooja. Likewise in the temple where the deity faces East. Coconut oil with cotton wick should be used for lighting lamp (Thiruvilakku Jothi). Ghee and gingerly oil can be mixed and used. Flowers without smell should not be used. It is not necessary to light incense sticks and camphor for pooja. You require only mantrams for pooja. Both Sri Chakram and Sri Mahameru possess same quality. It is the residing power of the great power that directs, protects, destroys their make and ceaselessly work. This chakram is based on our body only. The Sri Chakram Yantra was installed by Sri Athi Shankarar in many temples in Tamilnadu. You can take Sri Adi Sankarar as your Guru or whoever you think a guru who has the qualities. This form of worship leads our mind to gradually evolve into Para Psychological levels. Instead fixing our thought on a picture of image or a concept, our elders thought worshiping Sri Chakram is better. That is why, they place this chakram beneath the chief idol in the sanctum sanctorum of the temples. Only those who are endowed with purva punya will have inclination to worship Sri Chakram.

The worship of Devi in Sri Chakram is regarded as the highest form of the Devi worship. Originally Lord Shiva gave 64 Chakrams and their Mantrams to the world, to attain various spiritual and material benefits. For his consort Devi he gave the Sri Chakram and the highly coveted and the most powerful Shodashakshari mantram, which is the equivalent of all the other 64 put together.

Shiva along with Shakti is engaged in the eternal dissolution and recreation of the universe. The Bindu in the center of the Sri Chakram is the symbolic representation of the cosmic spiritual union of Shiva and Shakti. Apart from that the Sri Chakram also embodies countless number of deities and represents the whole of creation. Hence by worshipping the Devi in Sri Chakram one is actually worshipping the highest ultimate force in the Tantrik form.

Meru is a 3D object while Sr iChakram is a 2D rendering of the Meru!

The Meru is the three dimensions of the Sri Chakram. If we returned to the two dimension Sri Chakram, and imagine that the Bindu in its center is the peak of a mountain. The imagine that the mountain is built up in tiers, each tier being one of the circles of triangles or lotus petals, with the outermost square representing ground level. Now, imagine a vertical spine down the center of the mountain, then at each point that the spine and a tier intersect, there is a chakra. The peak represents Mount Meru, abode of the Gods.

The Basics of Sri Yantram:
Before starting the worship it is advisable to know about the way the Sri Yantram is constructed, what all it represents, about the 9 Avaranas, the deities, their gunas and significance, so that your worship is more meaningful. The following are the authentic details as given in various Tantra & Mantra scriptures.

Five downward pointing triangles representing Devi intersect with four upward pointing triangles representing Siva, forming 43 triangles including the central triangle..

From the five Shakti triangles comes creation and from the four Shiva triangles comes the dissolution. The union of five Shaktis and four Fires causes the chakra of creation to evolve.

At the centre of the Bindu of the Shri Yantram is Kamakala, which has three bindus. One is red, one is white and one is mixed. The red bindu is Kurukulla the Female form, the white bindu is Varahi the Male form, and the mixed bindu is the union of Shiva & Shakti – the individual as the potential Sri Chakram. Varahi, the father-form, gives four dhatus to the child and Kurukulla, the mother-form, gives five dhatus to the child. Theses represent the nine dhatus of the human body.

Varahi’s four fires are the 12 (4 x 3) sun Kalas, the 12 Zodiac constellations. Kurukulla’s five triangles are the 15 (5 x 3) Kalas of the moon, 15 lunar Tithis. These nine triangles also represent the nine stages of growth of the human child in the womb.

Surrounding the 43 triangles formed by the intersection of the nine triangles is the 16 petals circle. Surrounding the 16 petal circle is an 8 petal circle. After that the 3 lines and at the outermost part of the Sri Yantram there are 3 lines called the Bhupura. The 43 triangles constitute the six inner sections called Avaranas, the two circles of petals are two more avaranas and the Bhupura of 3 lines is the last Avarana.

These 9 Avaranas of the Sri Yantram have various presiding Devis. They are the Devi’s Parivar (retinue) of total 108. In the Sri Chakram pooja they are systematically worshipped one by one with their names and mantras. The presiding Deity of Srichakra, Devi, is Known as Lalita Tripura Sundari. The form of Devi Kamakshi of Kancheepuram is the closest resemblance of the Devi as described in the scriptures.

The Meru Chakra or Sri Chakra is a three-dimensional Sri Yantram, the embodiment of Sri Lakshmi (abundance) and Tripura Sundari (beauty). It is the yantra of Sri Vidya, sacred knowledge of the Goddess. It can also be seen as the unification of Masculine Divine and Feminine Divine: Shiva and Shakti, Lakshmi and Narayana, Purusha and Prakriti.

In Hindu devotional practice, three kinds of external symbols are used for worship of the Supreme Being, who is actually formless and nameless. The most external is that of divine images cast in human form, with paraphernalia symbolizing supra-human divinity.

The most subtle is that of the mantras or divine names with certain sounds. A mantra is divine power clothed in sound. Between these two come the yantrams or chakranjs , representing the deity in geometrical diagrams. Worshippers of Shakti consider the Sri Chakram the holiest and most significant of divine symbols.

The Sri Chakram is conceived as Shiva-Shakti in the macrocosmic as well as microcosmic aspects, as the cosmos and as the individual. The diagram consists of a series of nine triangles superimposed around a small central circle, Bindu, forming 43 konas or triangular projections. In the centre is the Bindu , representing Shiva-Shakti in union in the causal state from which all other parts of the diagram representing the cosmos are evolved.

The Bindu is in a central triangle with apex downwards – alternatively, it is below the base of the central triangle with its apex upwards, depending on whether it is a samhara-chakram or srishti-chakram. Enclosing it and super- imposed on one another are the four Shiva triangles with apex upwards and five Shakti triangles inclusive of the central one, with apex downwards. These are surrounded by two circles of lotuses, one with eight petals and the other, with 16. Outside these, there are three circles around and a rectangular enclosure of three lines for the whole figure, with four entrances on the four sides.

In the Bindu, Shakti i s represented as Maha-Tripura-Sundari, the great mother. The Bindu contains the potentiality of the universe within itself. It is spoken of as three to indicate the three stresses when the unified non-dual Shiva- Shakti becomes separated into the two aspects: prakasa, the aham or I-consciousness, and vimarsa, the idam or this-consciousness.

These three stresses are technically called Nada, Kala and Bindu. Bindu is the potential universe ready to separate into various categories. All these three stresses, mudras of Shiva-Shakti together, is represented by the central red line with an imaginary line across it to represent the polarity in that supreme category as Shiva-Shakti.

The Bindu , the creative Shakti , is the Mahatripurasundari , the ‘pride of Shiva’ or Shiva as prakasa – luminosity or consciousness – who realises Himself through Her, the vimarsa shakti.

The rest of the Sri Chakram represents the whole of the cosmos, Brahmananda , as evolved from the Bindu, standing for Tripurasundari or creative cosmic power… Just as Tripurasundari the Divine Mother is Shakti , depicted as the consort of Shiva, the Supreme Being, the Kundalini is the segment of that cosmic power as the Shakti of the Jiva, which is an amsa or particle of the Supreme Shiva embodied as the individual (microcosm). It is this Shakti that evolves in the individual the counterparts of all the 25 cosmic categories…

As the Supreme Will, Shakti is described as Consciousness-Bliss. The Saundarya Lahiri describes the universe in its subtle and gross forms as the trans- formation of Shakti. Though undergoing actual trans- formation into all these elements in their gross macro-cosmic aspect as the universe and in their subtle micro-cosmic aspect as the six chakrams in the body, Shakti is not lost in the effects – she retains her identity as the Supreme Will or Consciousness-Bliss.

Meru and Sri Chakra
There are nine chakras in the Sri Chakram. These nine Chakras have each a distinct form and a distinct name. Proceeding from the outermost to the inner, let us describe the Chakras.

The outermost is a square Chaturasra of three lines, the lines one inside the other,
opening out in the middle of each side as four portals. This is known as the Bhupura, the earth-stretch. This is the ground-plane if Sri Chakram is considered as graded elevations, Meru.
Through the portals in the Bhupura one enters the precincts. Immediately inside the square are three concentric circles which serve as three girdles trivalaya.
The space between the sides of the square and the circumference of the outermost circle, between Bhupura and Trivalya, is known as

1.Trailokya Mohana Chakra, the Enchanter of the Triple World.
Inside the 3 girdles are:
2. Sarvasa Paripuraka Chakra – 16 Petals – Fulfiller of all Desires;
3. Sarva Sanksobhana Chakra – 8 Petals – Agitator of all;
4. Sarva Saubhagyadayaka Chakra – 14 Triangles [Chaturdasa Kona] – Giver of all Auspiciousness;
5. Sarvartha Sadhaka Chakra – 10 Triangles [Outer Dasara] – Accomplisher of all Purposes;
6. Sarva Raksakara Chakra – 10 Triangles [Inner Dasara] – Giver of all Protection;
7. Sarva Rogahara Chakra – 8 Triangles [Ashta Kona] – Remover of all Diseases;
8. Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra – Inverted Primary Triangle – Giver of all accomplishments and
9. Sarvanandamaya Chakra – Bindu – Full of all Bliss.

2D Srichakra Yantra

1st Avarana the outer square with three lines and 4 gates is brown. The outer line is white (though the colour of the 10 deities here is like molten gold), the middle line is orange red like the rising sun and the inner line is yellow like the colour of butter.
2nd Avarana the 16 petal lotus is pink like lotus flower.
3rd Avarana the 8 petal lotus is red – the colour of Bandhuka flowers.
4th Avarana the 14 cornered triangle is colour green like the colour of glow worms.
5th Avarana the outer 10 corners triangle is red like Japakusuma flowers.
6th Avarana the inner 10 corners triangle is colour blue (though the deities here have the lusture of 1000 rising suns).
7th Avarana the 8 corners triangle is colour red like Dadini flowers.
8.The innermosst triangle is white.
9.The Bindu the central point is red like Sindoor.

Tripurasundari Maha Mantra: “Om Aim Klim Saum”

Sri Chakram is the most calm, harmless, genteel and non aggressive of all the yantrams. In fact a Sri Chakram is helpful where there are fierce elements disturbing the peace or creating bad effects, in order to reduce the effect.

One should approach the Divine Mother without any reservations. One need not express one’s want, difficulties, complaints, problems to her for she knows your needs better and will give you what you need and at the same time she will also protects you.

All Gods In Chakram Picture

All Gods In Chakram Picture

Nine Layers Picture

Nine Layers Picture