Is any initiation required for reciting soundaryalahari and Lalitha Trishati?

July 16, 2005

I have been around in this group for quite sometime and I very often

visit the site and see the messages. I have a couple of questions.

I had been reciting lalitha sahasranama daily since an year or so

(without initiation). Recently, I had the privilage to speak to one

devi upasak (sri vidya upasak) from Madurai over the phone. When I

asked him a few questions, He said "Devi is very pleased with your

reciting the LS . But it would be proper to get initiated from a Guru

to recite it. He was actually placed in the Devi's Garbhagraham in a

temple at that time, where he does all the devi pujas. He immediately

chanted a few sanskrit hyms and started with a few verses of the LS

and said that he has initiated me. It was a surprise for me and I felt

very thankful.

With this background, I would like to know if any initiation is

required in respect of reciting Lalitha Trishati (especially because

it is said to contain the secret letters of shodashakshari mantra) and

the soundaryalahari. I would be thankful if some of the members can

throw some light on this.

Additionally, I would like to get initiated into devi upasana. How

can I find a guru? How do I know whether I have the credentials to

have the initiation and when?

July 16, 2005

Hi This is Raghuraman

I started reciting Lalitha Trisathi accidently without knowing anything about

that then.It was in the year 1984 when i was in my college.I use to miss some

thing if I donot recite it for a day.I Surrendered totally to her and I got

srividya initiation by 1993 . Leave it to her surrender to her and she will take

care of you. She knows when to send you a guru.there is no difference between

Guru,Easwari and mantra. She is our mother and she knows how to take care of

children .So recite and relax. she will take care.

R.Raghuraman

July 16, 2005

Do not worry about further initiation.

If you analyze the happenings, SHE felt that you need some guidance

and put you in touch with the SVU. Remember one thing, SHE is the

SVU and the SVU is HER. There is no difference.

Leave it to HER and continue with LSN. SHE will take care of

everything. At each stage of your development, you will receive

guidance, if you are not able to translate the messages SHE is

passing on to you.

In case you are not doing the following, it will be prudent to begin

at this stage.

Now you are properly initiated, do a Guru Vandhanam first. Pray for

permission to chant LSN of the Guru who initiated, Vaak and

Vaakvasini devathas (who created LSN) and the Supreme Guru, Shiva

(or Dhankshinamurthi).

Go the SS home page and the KS series page. Start practicing the

kara nyasa and anga nyasa in conjuction with LSN.

http://shaktisadhana.50megs.com/Photo%

20Gallery/khadgamala/sridevikarangasanyasa.html

Make sure you do the dhikbandhanam (hrudhayaya namah......asthraya

phat..boorbuvasvarom ithi dhikbandhah) before the start of LSN chant

and after finishing LSN, do the dhikvimogam (same as before except

say boorbyvasvarom ithi dhikvimogah).

When done with LSN, do a neivedhiyam of something....honey, sugar

crystals or whatever suitable.

Then, ask HER to take leave (yathaasthaanam) in your mind.

Funny that you ask for directions for devi upasana....as if you are

not doing it already!! :-)

LSN is a great first step. If not done already, study the bashyam

for LSN as well.

Also please remember, getting initiated might seem easy....but in

reality it is a responsibility. If one is initiated in any sadhana,

it does not matter even if the Sun fails to rise or set, the Sadhaka

must do the japam of all the mantras (s)he has been initiated into.

So, will suggest taking one step at a time. :-)

July 16, 2005

Hi Arun:

*** He immediately chanted a few sanskrit hymns and started with a

few verses of the LS and said that he has initiated me. It was a

surprise for me and I felt very thankful. ***

I think, then, then this gentleman is the one to whom you should

address your questions. He knows you in person, he knows what level

you're at, and your specific needs at this juncture.

*** With this background, I would like to know if any initiation is

required in respect of reciting Lalitha Trishati ***

Again, I think you should ask the gentleman you initiated you.

Strictly from my point of view -- I was told that LT was created

specifically as a kind of stopgap measure for those who do *not* have

initiation, but feel compelled to enter into a more serious level of

practice.

*** especially because it is said to contain the secret letters of

shodashakshari mantra ***

I believe it is the Panchadasi Mantra.

*** and the soundaryalahari. ***

Again, you should ask the opinion of the gentleman you initiated you.

In my understanding, anyone can chant Soundaryalahari, but -- as with

LS -- initiation simply ramps you up to a different level of

comprehension of its meaning and intensity of practice.

*** I would be thankful if some of the members can throw some light

on this. ***

That's my take, at least.

*** Additionally, I would like to get initiated into devi upasana.

How can I find a guru? ***

Begin by asking the opinion of the gentleman you initiated you.

*** How do I know whether I have the credentials to have the

initiation and when? ***

You won't get anything real, in any event, until you have the

credentials to receive it. You can broadcast any frequency at a radio

receiver, but the radio receives nothing until its tuning frequency

matches the broadcast frequency. Mantra facilitates that kind of fine

tuning.

DB

July 16, 2005

You do not find the Guru; the Guru finds you.

arun_ak56 <arun_ak56 wrote:I have been around in this group for quite

sometime and I very often