'Meditation' in 'Soundarya Lahari'

 'Soundarya Lahari' has some of the most beautiful verses that several interesting secrets. The first 41 verses are extremely important and the verse 14 speaks about meditation on 'Sri Chakra'. Some important techniques of meditation are: mayukha dhyana, matruka dhyana, and bijakshara dhyana. There is also 'Bhuti tattva' (Principle of Five Elements- pancha mahabhuta tattva).

1. The Earth (Prithvi) is the base, the main support  'mula adhara 'chakra'. The bijakshara are: a -ha+ EM,  hrIM, shrIM, Em klIM hsou.

2. Jal (Aps)-manipura chakra-  All the 50+2 akshara ('a' to 'ksha') of Samskruta svara and vyanjana.a, ha, hsou, shrIM,

3. Agni (Fire Principle)- 'svadhishthana chakra'- 50 akshara (alphabets) + ou, ham saH

4. vayu (Air Principle)- 'anahata chakra'- 50 alphabets + yam, ram, lam, vam.

5.akasha- (Space Principle)- 'vishuddhi chakra' -  all alphabets except am, aH, - 5times +eM hrIM= seventy two seed letters.

6th Principle is 'manas'. ajnya chakra- 16 vowels (svara)- four times. 64.

 These will together make 360 seed letters/ powerful creative syllables/ bija akshara. Here, the Creative power of Shiva is 'e' , i.e., Shive. It (alphabet 'I' is also known as art of creation (abhivyakti)'kamakala'.

The adept should meditate on 360 bijakshara keeping in mind the sun, moon, fire, chit-shakti (jyotsna loka) with letters 'ham', 'saH'.

The maha mantra is: Om Ham sah so'ham svaha ||

This meditation may last up to 48 months since each chakra takes at least 6 months to attain some perfection and success (siddhi). The meditation starting from muladhara to sahasrar chakra will be 7 x 6= 42 months. Manas may take another six months or more! Thus, a person will get ashta siddhis at the end of this meditation, when done regularly with devotion and adherence to the rules/shastra.

There is Sri Krishnananda Ashram started by Sri Brahmananda from Belagavi in the early decades of last Century, about 22 km from Bengaluru city on the way to Airport near Chikka Gubbi Railway Station where this Meditation is taught. Seven caves for seven chakras with mantra inscribed inside is there and a Hexagonal structure with a pyramid also to sit inside and meditate. This will energize us in just two mins. 

(Chakra dhyana to be contd.)

[Ref. Sou. la. Ed. A. Kuppuswami].