'Shreevidya' is incorporated in 'Soundaryalahari' written by Sri Shankaracharya. Who is this Shankaracharya is not very clear since there are almost five or six famous Acharyas of this name starting from 500 B.C, 1st Century BC and and 1st Century A.D and 6th or 7th Century A.D. Actually, it is something like the Veda that is 'heard' (shruti) than written from memory (smruti)! It is Lord' Shiva only who is believed to be the original source! It is stated that the original script was there in Kailasa with Lord Shiva. When a young lad wrote something about the beauty of Devi Parwati and went to show it to Shiva, the Lord pointed to the large volume and gave it to him. But, Nandi, the doorkeeper grabbed it back and only a few pages came in the hands of Shankara! This is the original Soundaryalahari.
The Text of Soundaryalahari is by itself Shreevidya. There is no difference between the two since the subject matter of both is the same. The First few verses describe the Sri Chakra. the Verses from 42 to 100 or 103 are symbolic presentation of the description of Devi. Here Devi is not a person, but personified 'Beauty'! There is much secret involved in the wordings and so far, no expert has decoded these secrets yet! It is difficult to express the beauty of Devi in words. Many of the Commentators have tried to bring out as much secret as possible form the scripts. Sri Chakra is a maze that one has to traverse to reach the ultimate! The centre of the Chakra where Bindu and trikona are located are symbolic of creation with Devi represented by 5 Triangles pointed downward and 4 triangles pointed upward. The Point or Bindu is the gross form of the subtle-most absolute silence (mahattanta shanta), an Abstract state of Parabrahman. Both parabrahman and Para Bhattarika are formless at this state and become explicit as Bindu and trikona in gross form on Sri Chakra. All that is created is outside of the Bhu Pura, (the City of the Dwellers) outside the three Squares with four openings! Thus, the Sri Chakra is the central theme of both Shreevidya and Soundaryalahari.
There are references to Soundaryalahari in some manuscripts on palm leaf Nandi Nagarakshara, written in Old Kannada Script. Later, commentators like Dindima, Jakkanamatya, Lakshmidhara Acharya and others have given different versions of Soundaryalahari. Etymologically, 'Shree' means, 'Rich' and 'Resourceful'. The esoteric aspect of 'Shree' is the 'Power' ('Shakti') behind creation, sustenance, dissolution and merger. In a way, Devi 'Shree' is the Knowledge, Information, Technology, and the Ability to Transform one to another (KITKAT). Everything is 'vidya', 'Knowledge'! But this is elaboration, dissipation, dispensing, or expansion called 'Vimarsha'. Shiva is 'purusha' and His creative power (kriya shakti) 'Shive' is 'vimarsha'. The purusha and prakruti, together create the entire phenomenal objective world of vyakti, vishaya, vastu prapancha. This is explained in the very Soundaryalahari of Sri Shankaracharya as "ShivaH Shaktya yukto bhavati...." This 'soundaryalahari is the 'Flow of Beauty'! This is also the play (lahari) of Shive who is Incarnate Beuuty! The Knowledge of the Cosmic entity is expressed in a nutshell in the single syllable 'SrIM'. The syllable 'S' stands for the Deity Shree Para Bhattarika. Raja Rajeshwari, the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe. She commands Hara (H) Hari (R), and Virinchi (Im)- 'HrIM' to carry out the functions of creation, sustenance, dissolution, and merger of all that is created! This is the sum and substance of Srividya.
Description of Sri Chakra takes away a larger part of the Text and will be dealt in detail later. Suffices it to state here that the Shiva as purusha is static and Devi is dynamic. Devi resides in Manipura and often comes down to muladhara chakra and svadhishthana chakra to create and goes back to stay in her Palace of jewels surrounded by a number of Attendants expressed in syllables, and symbols. Each and every Lotus Petal (padma Dal) of the Sri Chakra has to be explained carefully. Devi is guarded by nityas (the deities of Days and nights of the two Paksha Masa (each name for a day and night from First day, pratipada to Amavasya (New Moon) and again from first day (pratipada) to Full Moon (Pournima). The adept has to cross the three Square walls, and then the three Circles and then the outer Padma dala chakra and inner padma dala chakra and enter the inner precincts getting permission of Deities guarding the doors (Dvara Palikas). Finally, the Devi will come down to receive the child (shishu) in Her arms and take it Shiva, Finally, both Devi (Parvati) and the child (Ganapati) rest on Shiva's laps!
(to be contd.)
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