Sringeri Sharadamba

 The power and glory of Devi Shree Sharadamba, Sringeri (Karnataka) is a very illustrative and educative one. It brings out the secrets of creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe. It operates at three levels- Bhu (Earth), Bhuvah (Sky), and Suvah (Heavens). These three levels called vyahrutis or realms of activity of the supreme power Shaktiis called Devi Shree Sharadamba here. The term ‘Devi’ literally, etymologically, esoterically, symbolically means ‘that which lifts up’. It consists of-‘d+a=da, a+i=e, vi; here, the letter ‘a’ is ekakshara brahma, parabrahman and Para Brahmasvarupini or Para Devata is Sharadambe. The letter ‘e’ is the creative power (kriyashakti). And, as such, Devi Sharada is the creatrix and all that exists here is Her creation only. The trinity- Hari, Hara, Virinchi, sit at Her feet and await orders to perform their assigned duties. Now, having created creation, She, the ParA dEvata brahma svarUpi dEvi SAradAMba has entered all that She has created as prajnya (Consciousness), vak, and chaitanya. “Tad srushtva tadevanupravishat” (Rk Veda). All that exists here is Her will and power. Being Brahman, all that exist here is Brahman only. “Sarvam Khalvidam Brahmaa”. Now, the term ‘Sharada’ consists of the letters S+h+a, r+a and d+a- meaning, that which supports breath-in (puraka) sounding ‘sa’, breath-out (Rechaka) sounding ‘ha’, and the power of this vital breath ‘ra’ derived from Sun (Aruna Bhagavati). Thus, Devi Sharada is Prana Shakti, Vital Airs (breath) that sustains jiva. It is She, who lifts up all jivas giving LIFE (Light, Intelligence, Force and Energy). Thus, Devi Sharadamba is everything!

It goes to the credit of the Great Teacher Adi Shankaracharya who established the Shree Sharada Peetha as ‘Dakshinamnaya’ (Southern Gate) Peetha in the salubrious environs of the slopes of Western Ghats (Southern Sahyadri), on the banks of R. Tungabhadra, at Sringeri, in Karnataka where the Great Sage Rushyshrunga performed his penance.

 Now, coming to the ‘Power and Glory’ of the Deity seated on the Sri chakra consecrated by Sri Adi Shankara, Devi Shree Sharadamba is stated here as “Shree Chakrarupini”. Devi is the embodiment of pure Consciousness, cit-shakti.Devi Shree Shardamba presents Her Self in nine avaranas or nine realms and each Avarana is crowded with Devi Devatas who serve her devotedly and pray for Her blessing (anugraha). The mortals who want Knowledge (jnyan) and Sakti to cross the ocean of Sansar (Bhava Sagara) pray to Devi to bestow Her blessings on them. Devis is karunamayi and the Divine Mother who will not turn a deaf ear to the child’s prayers. But, Alas! The embodied atman as jiva is ignorant. It does not know who he is! Thus, in ignorance the jiva thinks that the physical body, the quixotic Mind, the senses and the perverted intelligence are the only self. But, the embodied pure Self is altogether different. It is the replica of Devi, the Divine Mother. The child is a part of the mother before delivery; but, just because it comes out of its mother’s womb, how can it be treated as different from its mother? The mother and the child are one and same.

The Bible says, “I and my Father in Heavens are one!” So it is essential to be always aware of this oneness. But, unfortunately, avidya, clouded intelligence, (svarupa jnyan), ignorance or ‘maya’ takes over. The jiva is so egoistic- full of desires, attachment, anger, and selfishness, that it has forgotten ‘the Mother’ and will not utter the word ‘Amba’. Thus, the jiva suffers and has no relief, mukti, from its sufferings. The pious who take to Devi worship in Sri Chakra puja, Chakra dhyana,and Archana, saparya, etc. will get redemption and find mukti. Devi Shree Sharadamba is both bhukti-prada and mukti-prada. And, as such, there is no other greater power on earth that can keep the jiva happy, successful, and contented, than Devi shree Sharadamba of Sringeri. A visit to Shree Sharada Devi and prostrating before Her with all humility, devotion, and total surrender with full knowledge and faith in Her powers and Glory will make any devotee happy and successful in life. The supreme Deity will bestow Knowledge of the Self, Atmajnyan, Brahmavidya and redeem us once for all from rebirth, earthly, mortal, existence of repeated births, sufferings and deaths, life after life struggling to make a living, not knowing who he is. It is like begging for just ten rupees, keeping a thousand Rupee Treasury Bill or Reserve Bank Note in pocket. Or, much worse, it is like sitting (worried about getting some money for food) on a Treasury Box, not getting up and opening the Box where all the riches are stored!

    As an embodiment of Sri Chakra, Devi Shree Sharadamba presents Her Self in all Her power and glory in nava avarana (the Nine Enclosures). These Avarana are governed by devi devatas such as nityas, yoginis, akarshinis, vashinis, etc. under the supervision of the supreme Deity. Devi Sharadamba is Samrajnyi, Raja Rajeshvari, Tripura sundari, para Devata, Para Bhattarika, Mahalakshmi, Varhi, jaganmata Parameshvari and what not or what else? All powers are vested in Her. She is the akshara-rupini, ‘matrika’, Devi is the embodiment of varnas (colours), gunas, alphabets, aksharas,mantra,Brahmana,Veda,and everything! She is presented here as the supreme Creatrix, jagaddhatri, dEvamAta. She is Gayatri presenting Her Self as twenty-four Deities in the Gayatri Mantra consisting of Twenty-four letters, each a bijakshara (seed-letter), representing a powerful Deity who is seated within the jiva to serve the supreme Lord as antaryamin seated in the heart.  Devi is Hridayeshvari. These deities are: AdyASakti, Bhavani, Tripureshi, Savitri,Durga, Kali, Chamunda, Varahi, Bala Tripurasundari,etc.

 The methods of worship of Devi in the nine avaranas are also explained here in brief. However, the devotees of Devi Shree Sharadamba have to seek the blessings of an attained person and seek his guidance. Here, Jnyananadanatha, the author of Sharda-Catuhshyati is our Revered Guru and he guides us. Please read this sacred script with cit-shuddhi, pure mind, devotion, full faith and understanding, and surrender to Devi. Everything will happen by itself! This is ‘akarta bhava’- “na aham karta, sarvam devi Sharada kartaa”.

In dEvi worship as Sri Chakrarupini, the devotee (sadhaka) will realize the oneness, at-one-ment. The devotee or upasaka is merged in the Sri Chakrapuja and gets the Bhava of oneness with Devi.

Nava-avarana (The Nine Enclosures)

This Navayoni Chakra is said to be completely filled with pure Consciousness, and hence, of the form Chidananda. ‘Chit’ means Chaitanya kalaa and Ananda and, it also means Vishwaahamtaa (experience of the world as Aham or oneself – Vijnana Bhairava). It is Mahat or great since it is full of chit and also because it is not limited by space, form and time. Hence it is greater than the greatest (mahatopi mahaan).

Baindava Chakra represents Maha bindu, which is actually sadashiva tattva. Since Shiva and Shakti Tatvas are placed above sadashiva tattva.This Chakra forms the seat of Shiva and Shakti viewed as Kameshwara and Kameshwari or both-in-one as Mahatripurasundari. This Dhyana of Mahatripurasundari has been given to us clearly by Acharya in the 8th verse of Saundaryalahari. This is what has been told in the name 'Baindavaastanaa' in Lalita Sahasranama Mahamantra.

Baindava Chakra is the seat of 'Aham' where 'A' is called samvartaanala (pralayagni, destructive fire that erupts during pralaya or the dissolution). All tattvas from Shiva to Prithvi and Jiva, rather, the entire universe merge into this 'A' kara at the end during dissolution. Hence, it is pralayagni, samvartaanala. In the term ‘Shiva’ (sa ha ieva SivaH), ‘ha’ is Chit-kalaa. Shiva first appears as a bubble, a point, or bindu from ‘cit-sagara’, the Ocean of Consciousness. This is the Mahabindu located at the center of the triangle; this is what is 'Aham' and represents Ambika Shakti. This Shakti is vested in all jivas, especially, the humans, manava, as Kundalini in muladhara; and, Purusha, Shiva in Sahasrar. It is the ardha-narishvara principle, in the sense that all the powers-that-be is inherent here and manifests as tri-bindu and trikona. Every jiva is a Shiva-Shivayuvati combine. It is the x and  y chromosomes in biological terminology. The male - female principle originates here with the appearance of binduintrikona. This expands to form a navayoni mandala with the nine triangles- four triangles (with apex upward) representing icCA, jnyana, kriyA and SAMta and five triangles (with apex downward) representing vAma, jyEShTA, roudrI, aMbikA, and parASakti, incidentally, also the power of creation of cells, blood, tissues, medha, and organs, etc in the body. Thus, Shakti-tatttva dominates creation with this one additional trikona in the navayoni chakra. Thus, Sri-Chakra is navayoni mandala. All the paraphernalia of retinue to serve the supreme Creatrix dEvi Tripura occupy positions in strategic points at the corners, joints, doors of the Sri-Chakra as the nityas, yoginis, vashinis, akarshinis, dvarpala, etc. and makes the Sri-Chakra a cosmic entity. Shiva-Shakti principle presented in Sri-Chakra here as the central triangle (trikona) with a point (Bindu) at the Centre (of Sri-Chakra) is meditated upon by all the upasakas who aim at liberation, merger in Shiva, or attain to saamya according to Samayachara; it is also,sadakhya, or aim oneness with the Creator, or merge in Him- shivasamavesha or Atma-Brahma bhavaikyata (Bhavanopanishat).

Navayoni Chakra

 The Navayoni Chakra with eight angles (ashtakona) is surrounded by the sixteen vowels- ‘a’ to ‘aM’ and‘aH’. The rays of light,called mayukha, emanate from the bindu.The navayonimandala is transformed by these radiant energy into dashaara chakra. The letters situated in this Chakra are the seed-letters potent enough to create and sustain the jiva. These are the bijaksharas- ya, ra, la (the Fire, water and earth principles). Two more added to these as akash and air- 'sha' and 'sa' make it the founding blocks panchabhutas, the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether); these are in subtle forms as the five tanmatras (smell, taste, form, touch and sound). These principles of Creation, Srushti Tattva are presented in Sri-Chakra.  'Shiva' signifies Purusha tattva and Shive as Shakti, mula prakruti,‘Matrika’ (the Divine Mother of Letters, Saraswati) signify Shakti tattva.

 Thus,Dashaara Chakra is Shiva-Shakti Maya principle. This principle applies to all the other enclosures or AvaranasofSri-Chakra.It is this principle that binds jiva to eternal cycle of re-births; and the upasakas who desire liberation take to Sri-Chakra upasana;  Chakradhyana, Meditation on Sri-Chakra, helps to break the chain and get rid of the shackles of Sansar.

Dvidashaara Chakra

The next Chakra is the dvidashaara. It represents the 10 indriyas or sense organs and the residing letters are kavarga and chavarga letters. These two dashaara Chakras are thus twofold reflection of the great Mahatripurasundari seated on the Sadashiva or Mahabindu.

Chaturdashara Chakra

 Next follows Chaturdashara Chakra, formed due to the collective light emitted from the previous 4 chakras namely bindu, trikona, ashtakona and dashaara-1 along with the light from dashaara-2. Since chaturdashaara is farther away from those four Chakras, only their collective light will be seen here, but a clear and distinct perception of the individual lights and hence the corresponding Chakras will not be possible. However, dvidashaara being very next to it is clearly perceivable from chaturdashaara. This chaturdashaara is due to the pulsation in Jnana and Kriya Shaktis. It thus represents 10 indriyas, four antahkaranas (manas, buddhi, ahamkara, chitta). The presiding letters are 'ta' to 'bha'.Earlier it was seen that Baindava Chakra was presided over by Ambika Shakti. Ashtaara Chakra to chaturdashaara chakras indicate a dominance of Raudree Shakti.

Chatushkona Chakra,

 Thus, Chakra till now, is an extension of the powers of Raudree Shakti.The chatushkona Chakra, which comes next is due to Jyeshtaa Shakti and mekhalaatraya is due to Vaamaa Shakti. This bhoomitraya also includes the adjacent sixteen and eight-petal lotuses.Srichakra has been until now visualized as an abode of various Shaktis. An alternate visualization is its Kalaa form. The inner triangle and bindu represent Chit-kalaa.

The kalA associated with Ashtaara, Antardashaara, Bahirdashaara and chaturdashaara are respectively shantyaateeta, shanti, Vidya, pratishtaa and nivritti. Ambika and other Shaktis that were spoken till now are actually powers of Prakasha. Now association of Srichakra with powers of Vimarsha is as follows. In the nine avarana or enclosures of the Srichakra, the nine residing Vimarsha Shaktis are Naada, bindu, kalaa, Jyeshtaa, Vaamaa, Raudree, Vishaghnee, Dootaree and Sarvaanandaa. Bindu and naada are actually of the form of Santa Shakti which is attribute-less and hence also the corresponding Chakras – Chaturdashaara and the sixteen petalled lotus. Eight petalled lotus, presided by kalaa, is of the form of Iccha Shakti. Chaturdashaara chakra presided over by Jyeshtaa of the form of Jnana Shakti. Raudree and the rest, respectively reside in shaaras-inner and outer, Ashta kona, trikona and Bindu, all of the form of Kriya Shakti.

Thus, the Sri-chakra constituting of vaamaa, Jyeshta, Bhagamalini, and other Shakti svarupa of the Self-effulgent (Prakasha) Parabrahman is an extension of ‘Kamakala’, (tri-bindu). Just as clay is the material basis of earthen pots, cups and plates (existence), Srichakra as an extension of Kamakala (the desire to become many, bahusyam) is the basis of creation of the entire universe. This is presented in a cosmic diagram Sri-chakra embodying the powers and glory of devi Sri tripurasundari, called Shree Sharadamba.The Srichakra as 'Akula Chakra' is situated in the body at muladhara, the place of origin of Sushumna nadi. This akula Chakra is just like the kula-sahasrara at the top of the head with a thousand-petalled red lotus; its petals are facing upward as against the downward bent Lotus that need be energized to bloom out and upward with activation of Kundalini.When the hidden energy flows through the Sushumna nadi and terminates at Sahasrara in the head the kula-sahasrara, the thousand-petal white Lotus blooms like thousand watt bulbs in thousands come suddenly to light! All the Chakras, except the Akula Sahasrara, are Lotus with different number of petals (dala) are called Kula padmas (See Diagrams).

CHAKRAS

 The Muladhara Chakra has four red petals, which face downwards. Between the lotus shines the Swayambhoo lingam. Around this Linga, along with Varadaa, shree, shandaa and saraswathi, Bhagavati Kundalini is to be meditated. This lotus represents earth element. 2 1/2; angulas above this, there is a lotus with eight petals called taijasa padma(yellow). The residing Shaktis are Anangakusuma and others. Mahamantra hrillekha resides at its center. Then the well-known sequence of chakras follows starting from Swadhishtana chakra. 4”(angula) above throat is the subtle lambika padma (called Indra naadi for people familiar with Dasha Mahavidya Yoga this should strike a chord. This is the abode of Bagalamukhi (some authors misplace Bagala in throat which is actually the abode of Matangi and, some in navel which again is the abode of mahataara). In this lotus, vashinI and the eight Vagdevis  reside. Then follow Ajna and Sahasrara. These are shown in diagrams at the end (we hope to upload diagrams later). 

Srichakra may be visualized with each of its nava avarana (nine mandalas or chakras) corresponding to these yogic Chakras with Bindu at Ajna. On a more subtle note, Srichakra is visualized at bindu, ardhachandra, rodhini etc. upto unmanee which are located above Ajna, one above the other. These are different pronunciations of the nAda visualized suitably while meditating o the three nada and the fourth, aggregate nada of the three kutas of the Srividya mantra. Another alternative is to meditate on the entire Sri-Chakra in Maha-bindu, above all Chakras and even unmanI. This is possible by highly advanced Sadhakas and is the very essence of Samayachara. This is the highest and the most desirable of the three.

 These three visualizations are respectively called Sakala, Sakala - Nishkala and Nishkala Bhavanas of Srichakra. Each of the navaavarana nine chakras of the Sri-Chakra has a significance of its own.

Atma-Brahma Bhavaikyata

The purpose of study of Srividya and chakropasana is ‘Atma-brahma bhavaikyata’. This is what is advocated in Bhavanopanishat. This human life is supposed to be one of animal propensities, pashu vrutti, just eating, copulating and sleeping, if one does not realize the real purpose of life.“Parameshvara darshanam eva purushartha sadhanam”, says Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa. One must visualize God within and feel oneness with Him. This is possible only from ‘para vidya’, Srividya and the internal worship (antaryaga) of Sri Chakra. Sri Krishna chides Arjuna and says, “Do not neglect Atman; realize Atman by visualizing Atman. Atman cannot be understood by study of scriptures or mind, intellect, or by hearing (lectures). Nothing that is interesting to senses and mind can help in realizing the Atman. He further instructs, “sarva dharman parityjya maamekam sharanam vraja”. “Leave everything and take refuge in Me.” 
  Further, He says, “Those who do not realize me or try to know Me are like pashu.” It is true that almost all the people live like animals, just eating sleeping and mostly seeking entertainment when one gets some time after struggling for their livelihood. Nobody is interested in salvation, mukti, moksha or liberation and, in fact many do not know what liberation is!. But, supreme bliss, eternal happiness is attained from dhyan, meditation.

 [Note: As reagrds Chakras,the divine motherSharadamba,as Shaktisharvaani, resides here. The distance between muladharachakraandsvadhishthana Chakrais said to be 5 inches (angula). Between this, at a height of 1” (1 angula) is Kanda. Between this, is located in mahayoni yoni trikona. Sushumna Nadistarts from this center. The shining Red Lotus, Akula Sahasrara, surrounds this place. Hence,may be, sushumnanadi does not actually start in Muladhara. At the center of the Akula Sahasrara resides 'mahadevi', Kuladevi. An inch (1 angula) above Akula Padma lies another Red Lotus with eight petals and eight granthis (knots) in which Brahmani and the other eight matrikas reside with Asitaanga and the eight Bhairavas. Kundalini, the serpent power (so called, due to the sleeping posture of three- and- a- half inch coiled up serpent), also called Kaulikee Shakti is located here. This is the center of the kulapadma. This Red Lotus is also known as Vishnu Chakra].