During Shankaracharya’s period, Tantra was being advocated by some sects in a negative format, like a black magic, exorcism, to kill and cast evil eyes etc. Shankara was determined to re-establish dharma in its sanatan order, and thus started establishing mathas successfully. This enraged some sects, who were jealous of Shankara’s growing supremacy, and they planned to kill him. Sensing this, Shankara invoked the energies of Devi, Mother, to save him so that he could continue on his mission. The power of Devi manifested, gave Shankara the darshanam, and the power to compose the science of mantra-tantra Shastra, enumerating the positive side of the Tantra Shastra (science), which would uplift mankind from “Medication to Meditation”, and Shankara also secured from Devi the power to describe her in full glory, from hair strand on her head to her toenail, describing her beauty and the corresponding attributes which are benevolent in nature and are nourishing too.
This gave rise to 41 verses of Ananda Lahari, enumerating the Mantra Shastra, and 62 verses of Soundarya Lahari, enumerating the description of Mother in full glory. The whole text came to be known as “SOUNDARYA LAHARI”
Can be chanted by anyone, and everyone must chant to develop an ability to remove distresses from life and gain a sense of peace and harmony, wholeness and fulfilment.
The ‘effect’ of Soundarya Lahari, or any other practice for that matter, depends primarily on you. The knowledgeable adept would say the effects you experience are a combination of self-effort and divine grace! The latter is not in your control, but we certainly keep the capacity to attract the Grace through well-intentioned effort.
However, if you make a sincere effort – constantly improving your understanding of the shlokas, the metaphysics behind them, the meaning behind its allegory and poetics, combining that with a vigilant understanding of your self and the world around you, your interaction with the world (especially the way you perceive and treat women), gaining a deeper sense of connection with the divine oneness (call it devotion if you would)-it would certainly attract the Grace of Mother Divine.
Well, at some point, you might forget which part is the ‘effort’ and which part the ‘effect’ because it’s a glorious continuum. Just remember, your mind is central to it all!
SRI SOUNDARYA LAHARI & ITS IMPACT ON MIND, PSYCHÉ, LIFESTYLE
1)The invocation of the Supreme Shakthi Devi Lalitha Maha Tripura Sundari has been recorded by the Shakta tradition. The Sri Soundarya Lahari is most relevant to us today, as it can help to alleviate the crisis we face in our daily lives when we are poor, destitute and hungry, when we are stuck with the disease, grief and loss, or when we want to acquire name, fame and good fortune.
2) Sri Soundarya Lahari can also alleviate mental conflicts such as fear, turmoil, insecurity, depression, disappointment, lack of self-confidence, despair, worry and anxiety.
3) Sri Soundarya Lahari can be utilised for the cure of a disease that is “Adhidaivika” in nature, due to some unknown, mysterious causes that no medicines can heal. Most modern-day ailments, which are not infectious, come under this category.
4) Shakthi has to be worshipped and revered if you are to experience her full benefits. She is present in everything, you will have to inculcate an attitude of reverence for all that you are, all that you have and all that you experience. A culture that regards Shakthi as energy to exploit, use and strip naked can never attain her full glory, which is of immense and unimaginable potential. From the day you were born, you have been surviving on her handouts, on Her Benevolent nature. The air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, the homes you live in are all gifts She has bestowed upon this Earth. The iron, steel, gold, silver, gems and wealth are all her creations. No creature has used nature for this sort of benefit, apart from man!
5) Shakthi is abundant with prosperity which She reflects through Her Cosmic Nature. She is always replenishing the creation which She has given birth to. So, if you wish to experience the full flow of Her Benevolence, you will have to develop an attitude of reverence towards Her, not Arrogance. That is the secret key to release and realise the power of Shakthi.
Therefore, the Mantras of Sri Soundarya Lahari should always be chanted with great reverence, as an act of worship and with due respect. It is this attitude of reverence and worship that will unlock the closed doors of inner experience and unleash the full force of its magnitude.
6) From the viewpoint of Shakthi, there is no sadhana, as there is no bondage or liberation. There no place for sadhana and sadhak, because the all-pervading, eternal and illumined form of Shakthi is the only reality. She is knowledge and absence of knowledge, and to know her is the Highest knowledge. Just as one makes the body agile through the practices of as an as and pranayamas, so that it can assume any posture, in the same way, the mind must become agile and capable of assuming any attitude. Eventually, the mind has to transcend itself, and the process of transcending the mind has to be selected skillfully.
This process may often appear to be beyond logic or any kind of rationalé. The experience is also beyond logic and therefore, it is natural that the process, too, will appear illogical. But if it works why bother about our intellect? Knowledge alone is not enough; it is an experience that has to take place. Sri Soundarya Lahari can be utilised to achieve the agility of mind necessary for the free flow of spiritual energy in all dimensions of one’s being. The mind blocks, it assumes a particular attitude and is unable to break out of it. The mantras and yantras of Sri Soundarya Lahari allow one to transcend these habits and patterns.
7) The sadhana of Sri Soundarya Lahari can be taken up at any age, but the earlier one commences the better, to allow the full Grace of Devi to shine in one’s life. It can be chanted by mothers while the child is in the womb, to encourage the expansion of awareness in the foetus itself. This sadhana is complete in itself.
8) With the chanting of Sri Soundarya Lahari, it will be observed that one becomes established in yamas and niyamas as a natural outcome of this sadhana without any great effort. Pratyahara and Dharana then follow as a consequence because they develop side by side.
9) An important aspect to keep in mind is the “bhava” or the right emotion/attitude with which one practices. The mind should be soft, tender, and fluid, not rigid and tense. This is possible only when Faith and Devotion to Shakthi are developed along with the practice. The chanting of Soundarya Lahari enables one to maintain the correct attitude of mind, and form the right emotion, needed to connect, as it develops the experience of divinity within. The bhava or mental attitude is what makes the sadhana truly beautiful. If the bhava is soft, tender and loving, one will become “Sundaram” or beautiful, an embodiment of Devi oneself.
10) Any number of hidden meanings may be revealed to the sadhaka, according to his perception and understanding, as the Grace descends. As the sadhaka becomes immersed in the sacred mantras of Sri Soundarya Lahari, many esoteric truths may emerge from this treasure trove, which is a mine of bhakti, jnāna and Upasana.
11) The Sri Soundarya Lahari sadhana provides a wonderful way to resolve your difficulties and distresses faced in life, whether as a “grihastha”(a householder), or a “sannyasin” (a renunciate). It is a sadhana of worship and prayer, which is the highest attitude a mind can assume. This attitude comes when the mind comes under the influence of the soul or Atman. The same gross mind constituted of the 26 tattwas, which is subject to time, space and object is refined to the highest degree and begins to act in conjunction with the heart and soul. Such a mind projects the higher traits of love, compassion, devotion, surrender, faith and belief because these are the qualities of the soul.
12) By performing Sri Soundarya Lahari Sadhana in this way, you are simultaneously practising, Raja Yoga, bhakti yoga, jnāna yoga, hatha yoga, karma yoga, intended to draw out your highest potential.
Anil Rao is a Yoga Psychotherapist, Mantra Trainer and Healer with a 15 years of experience in these fields. He has procured his Yogic Education from the prestigious Bihar School of Yoga, in Yogic Psychology, Mantra Yoga, and has mastered Yogic treatments for Hypertension, Stress, Anxiety, Fears, Lung problems, Thyroid imbalances, Migraine. He can be reached out at 7507377042 (whats app)
