'Pancharatra agama shastra' consist of almost 200 to 250 samhita of which hardly a few, may be, about 10 or twelve are so far published. These agama shastras are classified as: the Vaishnava, Shaiva, and Shakta. The Vaishnava agama shastra has "Lakshmi Tantra" as the Shakta cult that focus attention on 'Mantra- shakti'! Actually, the vaishnava agamas deal with Narayana, Vasudeva, or Vishnu and Lakshmi, Tara, or Dhara (since Buddha is considered an incarnation of Vishnu). Not many agama shastra Texts are available in print. However, many original manuscripts are available in Adyar Library, Chennai. A Telugu edition of 'Lakshmi Tantra' was first published by Oriental Library under the patronage of the then Maharaja of Mysore in 1888, or so . There is a Pancharatra Texts edited by F. O. Schrader. H. Daniel Smith has done some valuable work in this field. S N Dasgupta has given details of Jayakhya, Ahirbudhnya, Sadhakya, and other samhitas. (MLBD). The earlier Texts of H. Govindachari (1911), R. G. Bhandarkar (1965), Dr. S. R. Bhat and K. Rangachari on Pancharatra are important works. Some Western scholars have shown keen interest in these works and have given commentaries on Pancharatra. Some Publications are in Hindi with Samskruta Texts published from Varanasi.
As it is, 'Lakshmi Tantra' is of special importance to Vaishnavas. It is actually 'Shakti cult', no doubt, since it deals with the 'mantra' and its origin as sound, bijakshara, and short phrases or sentences like Om hrIm ShrIm ShreeH | Om hrIm Shreem klIM hsou || Om namo narayanaya | Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya | Om namo narayani'. These mantra are of high potency (muktidyotaka or mokshadayaka) that can redeem an adept. It is stated that Devi Lakshmi's kataksha, grace is required for redemption, mukti of the jiva. Devi Shree only can help the tormented jiva to cross the ocean of samsara! Only a sincere devotee who is blessed by Devi Lakshmi can get release from worldly bondage. May, be, in a sense, narayana or vishnu will not come to the rescue of the jiva unless Devi favors!
Incidentally, this Text of English translation of Samskruta mantra (verses) or shloka - Lakshmi Tantra Edited by Prof Sanjukta Gupta, Pub. MLBD. came to the author as though by divine grace for review in the Qly. Jl. of Sri Ranade Mandir "Pathway to God". The entire Text is not there since some chapters are missing. Some of the important ones are presented here. It may take a year-long tedious work to present them in blogs here!
"Lakshmi Tantra" is actually a very sacred scripture. It is a narration of Vasudeva and Lakshmi Devi particularly, the powers vested in Lakshmi! Sage Atri is revealing to his wife Anusuya what Lakshmi said in reply to questions raised by Shakra (Narada). This is a dialogue between Shakra (Indra) and Devi Lakshmi, indeed! Many interesting secrets about creation, sustenance and dissolution are revealed here and it may remind us of Shree Krishna speaking to Arjuna in the Gitopadesha, or Varaha Deva revealing the secrets to Sage Agastya. It covers a vast range of topics from the origin of the sound, sacred bijakshara and their mantra with the associated deities, means of exploring the 'Truth' and finally emancipation of the tormented jiva that seeks the help of Devi Lakshmi. It deals with creation under shuddha tattva and avataras of Gods, mishra and ashuddha tattva giving rise to all sorts of tamasic jivas. The best part of lakshmi Tantra is the secret of 'Evolution of Sound' and Letters (alphabets) as Mantra. There are many powerful mantra here that may run to thousands of pages as 'Mantrasara'. Devi, the Divine Mother called Matrika here is the source of sound that emanate at the navel and move toward the heart, throat and lips as- Shabdha brahman, and then para, pashyanti, madhyama and vaikhari. We will try to give a few interesting ones like the 'Sudarshana mantra' in the next few blogs.
No comments:
Post a Comment