Mahashoda Nyasa

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Dear All,

Thou art the body of Shambhu with two breasts which are the

Sun and Moon. Oh, Bhagavati, thou art the all pervading stainless

one; therefore the connection between each, of thee as part and

whole is the nature common to both, the same lordship and supreme

bliss - Wave of Bliss (Woodroffe's translation)

 

The Sodha Nyasa (sixfold nyasa), which is part of the daily worship

of Tripurasundari, is here for the first time translated into

English, from the work called Nityotsava, itself a commentary on the

famous Kalpasutras of Parashuram.

 

Parashurama was a brahmana initiated by Lord Dattatreya into the

worship of Shri Shri Mahatripurasundari Lalita Devi. The Kalpasutras

provides a compendium for the worship of that Devi. Various forms of

nyasa, which means 'placing', enter into this and all other forms of

tantrika puja. The dialogue between Parashuram and Dattatreya is

contained in the Tripura Rahasya, a wonderful work which is

available in an English translation published by the Sri Ramana

Ashram in Tiruvannamalai.

 

The Sodha Nyasa in which Devi outspreads as Ganeshas, planets, 27

nakshatras (asterisms), yoginis of the seven dhatus or bodily

elements of ayurveda, sidereal zodiac, and sacred sites (pithas) is

described in very many agamas such as Vamakeshvara Tantra, Gandharva

Tantra, Jnanarnava, The 1,000 Names of Lalita, etc.. It is described

in detail in the Yogini Hridaya, itself said to form the latter part

of the Vamakeshvara Tantra.

 

The ritual centres the worshipper as one with She whose true nature

is Chit or Consciousness Shakti. She is triple in Her manifestation

as the three gunas -- represented by Her three Saktis of Iccha

(will), Jnana (knowledge), and Kriya (action) -- and rays out as the

15 Nityas or Eternities who express the phases of the Moon or

Candrakalas, and form the body of time.

 

According to the tradition, Shiva, without characteristics is

awareness. And Shiva is one with Shakti. Her parts as represented by

the Shodha Nyasa amount to 156, and comprise all visible

manifestation. She is Maya Shakti, the Matrika or letters of the

alphabet Devi, the heap of words and letters which delude men and

women, and also those letters transformed by awareness into mantra.

 

Her yantra is the Shri Chakra, which contains all letters within its

heap of petals, lotuses and lines. This yantra, which is a

diagrammatic representation of the human body, is within the wheel

of time.

 

Worship via this ritual is intended to assist a sadhvini or sadhaka

to realise her or his oneness with the Shakti, with the yantra, and

with time itself in all its manifestations.

 

 

Mahashodha Nyasa

In this wonderful abbreviated six way nyasa, obeisance to

Dakshinamurti, the Rishi, on the head; to the metre Gayatri in the

mouth; to the Devi Mahatripurasundari, to Ganeshas, Planets, (27)

Sidereal Constellations, Yoginis, 12 Rashis, the Sacred Sites

(pithas) in the heart; obeisance to the application of this Shri

Vidya limb nyasa, in the palm of the hand.

 

Aim Hrim Shrim Am Kam Kham Gam Gham Nam Am Aim obeisance to the

thumbs

Aim Hrim Shrim Im Cam Cham Jam Jham Nam Im Klim, index fingers

Aim Hrim Shrim Um Tam Tham Dam Dham Nam Um Sauh, middle fingers

Aim Hrim Shrim Em Tam Tham Dam Dham Nam Aim Aim, ring fingers

Aim Hrim Shrim Aum Pam Pham Bam Bham Mam Aum Klim, little fingers

Aim Hrim Shrim Am Yam Ram Lam Vain Sam Sam Sam Ham Lam Ksham Am

Sauh, front & back of hand

(similarly for heart &c. nyasa)

 

Meditation

Radiant as 1000 rising suns, with full, magnificent breasts, wearing

red garlands and clothes, smeared with red unguent, with red gems

and red ornaments, holding goad, noose, bow and arrows in Her

radiant four hands, with three beautiful eyes, with a gold ornament

on Her head -- thus we meditate on the Supreme Sundari, consisting

of Ganeshas, Planets, (27) Nakshatras, (6) Yoginis, (12) Rashis,

Pithas, and the letters of the alphabet.

Yours yogically,

Dattu