Balaa and Mahaganapthy(Reply to Mark's query)

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Dear Mark,

 

This is a good question!

 

 

 

 

 

Ganapati is one of the Dwadasha pramukha Upasakas[ 12 foremost proponents/ practitioners] of Srividya as is mentioned in Lalithopakhyana[ and many other references]- the others being- Surya,Chandra,Shiva,Vishnu,Kubera,Agastya,Skanda,Manmatha,Brahma,Indra and Agni . The same is also mentioned in the 97th Paadal(Verse) of Abirami Andhaadi of Abhiraami Bhattar also(To quote a recent reference).

 

Many people think it is auspicious(Shubakara) to worship Vinayaka the remover of obstacles first. This logically seems right but there is more to it.

 

 

 

Ganapthy has a complementary shakthi in shaktha known as Vighneswharee. This shakthi is also invoked in advanced worship modologies in srividya.

 

(Rajarajeshwari devi feeding baby Ganapthy)

 

Ganapthy resides in Muladhara and muladhara is the centre where all the gross sexual sins of a human being are stored and the energy there is first cleansed before undertaking a serious wroship like srividya. This is the subtle reaons amonsgt many others.

 

 

Ganapthy mantra thus cleanses the muladhara and then the 'vashamanaya' shakthi of the practioner to attract subtle and ethereal entities is also greatly enhanced.

 

Ganapthy mantra is also given in the beggining to people as a warm up before the main mantras and the rigour of regular upasana.

 

Gananatha also carefully filters out people who just turn to Srividya out of curiosity and also creates a revulsion to those who do not fit the label for srividya. This is yet another reason.( He is considered to guard the cakra which is the entry point of the kundalini. This should make you think his role in Srividya.I do not want say anything further)

 

Of course there are 'avarana' and 'Maatrika' reaons too which you must know from a competent Srividya adept once you are deep into the srividya upasana.

 

 

Below I have listed 32 forms of Ganeshas out of which only 16 forms are considered for srividya.This number 16 has close connection with Rajarajeshwari upasana of srividya as the tithi devatas are 15 in number and the 16th on the pournami is RAJARAJESHWAREE DEVI HERSELF.

 

The same symbolism is followed fo Ganesha in srividya and the 16 ganeshas are there to gaurd the 16 siddhis of the tithi and the final cosmis union with Rajarajeshwari devi Herself in the MAHAPARABINDU STHANA.

 

Why is Ganesha kept as the gaurd is yet another tantric secret which will be better elucidated to you by a competent srividya adept. My lips are sealed here as Iam not your guru and am myself learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As with the 64 forms of Shiva, 32 forms of Ganapati are recognized in the Agamic scriptures.1. Baala Ganapati - Red colored image of a four armed Ganesha2. Dharuna Vinayakar: Red colored image of an eight armed Ganesha3. Bhakti Vinayakar: Grey colored image of four armed Ganesha4. Veera Vinayakar: Red colored image of 16 armed Ganapati5. Shakti Ganapati: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganapati, seated with his consort to his left.6. Dwija Vinayakar: White colored image of four faced Ganesha with 4 arms.7. Siddhi Vinayakar: Golden colored image of four armed Ganapati.8. Ucchishta Ganapati: Blue colored image of six armed Ganapati with his consort.9. Vigna Vinayakar: Gold colored image of eight armed Ganapati10. Kshipra Ganapati: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha bearing a ratna kumbham.11. Heramba Vinayakar: Black colored image of ten armed

Ganesha with five faces, seated on a lion.12. Lakshmi Vinayakar: White colored image of eight armed Ganesha with two consorts.13. Makara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, 10 arms, bearing a ratna kumbham, with his consort.14. Vijaya Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Ganesha on the mooshika mount.15. Nritta Vinayakar: Gold colored image of Ganesha in a dance posture.16. Urdhva Vinayakar: Gold colored image of six armed Ganesha with his consort.17. Ekakshara Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with a third eye, seated on a lotus.18. Vara Vinayakar: Red colored image of 4 armed Vinayaka with a third eye.19. Dhryakshara Vinayaka: Gold colored image of four armed Vinayakar, decorated with Chaamara ear rings.20. Kshipraprasaada Vinayakar: Red colored image of six armed Ganapati.21. Haridra Vinayakar: Yellow colored image of four armed Ganapati.22. Ekadhanta Vinayakar:

Blue colored image of four armed Ganapati.23. Srishti Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganapati seated on his mooshika mount.24. Utthanda Vinayakar: Red colored image of 10 armed Ganesha with his consort to his left.25. Ranamochana Vinayaka: Crystal image of four armed Vinayakar.26. Dundi Vinayakar: Four armed image of Ganesha bearing a tusk, a garland, an axe and a gem studded vessel.27. Dwimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with two faces and four arms.28. Trimukha Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with three faces and six arms seated on a golden lotus.29. Simha Vinayakar: White colored image of Ganesha with eight arms (with an arm bearing a lions face).30. Yoga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha in the posture of a yogi.31. Durga Vinayakar: Red colored image of Ganesha with eight arms.32. Sankatahara Vinayakar: Red colored image of four armed Ganesha clothed in blue,

seated on a lotus peetham with his consort to his left

Now, Coming to Balatripuara sundari.

 

(Balatripura sundari)

This is a much confused deity and many even erroneously think Balatripura sundari and Mahatripura sundari(Rajarajeshwari are one and the same). Yes,they are same but only in the divine essence. It is just like saying Rama and Krishna are one and the same.

But there is a rupa and charitra Bheda(difference in the form and the 'history'/origin/inchoation).

Bala tripura sundari is the Daughter of Maha tripura sundari.

She too is an avarana deity and the mantra of Bala is the actual initiation of a person into Srividya.

It is like this:

Ganapthy stands at the door as the gaurdsman and when he opens the door Balatripura sundari receieves you smilingly as the receptionist!( Iam not being funny here! I just want to make things clear to you without going too much into srividya terms).

She is a receptionist too in a way as she is a 'para devata' in her own right and 'receives' messages from the upper realms(Upper avarana deities and Rajarajeshwari devi Herself)

Her mantra actually prepares a ground for the actual initiation into the Veejas(Beejas) of Panchadasakshari and the shodasi(and beyond). If one is able to tackle the puissance(shakthi) of this small veejaakshara Bala mantra then one is fit to receive the next mantra initiation. This too is decided by the Guru as to who is fit or not.

These days people just read from books and do it on their own without a guru but this is not advisable because only a true guru can see the person's aura and his level(as also what he/she was in his/her previous birth and where he left his previous life's sadhana,etc).

Some people opine that

Bala and ganapthy are the offsrpings of Devi and hence She will be pleased by their worship. This is true to an extent. Any mother will love praising their children and doing their sadhana but that is not the intention here in srividya. There are many other reasons and people who consider such are naiive and emotional.

Also Balatripurasundari who is young(7 years by some and 6 and 8 years by others) gives Mantra siddhi of the ensuing mahamantras of srividya.

If Bala is pleases 'amma' is pleased they say.

Bala is put as the first test to man's lust as she appears in different erotic forms and tries to trap the sadhaka and if he fails..well, you know what will happen right?(Both the guru and the godess will consider him unfit for worship this birth atleast and he has to pick up his thread from next birth...that is why srividya sadhana is not so easy...if a person does it from a book he will just be in an imaginary land even if he does mahashodasi as it will not have any effect other than pampering his ego. The true way lies in these prelimnaries and tests and the key to these lie with the Guru)

There is a kundalini prerepana theory too behind the intial initiation. I better not discuss such things here in this public forum for lack of permission and also because I might sound a bit precocious before revered elders in this group who know more and better than me but keep their angelic silence)

Hope my answer helped you in understanding it better and kindling you to make the journey yourself under a proper guru.

Your wayfarer,

Shreeram Balijepalli

 

 

dear subodhaji,why do gurus insist on chanting mahaganapathyand baala mantras before actual initiation in panchadasi.whateffect do they have on our spiritual and material life?also,are dakshinachara followers permitted to take meat and wine?thanksmark