Guest guest Posted January 20, 2009 Report Share Posted January 20, 2009 Mantra Vidyas Mantra vidya occupies central place in spiritual practice systems. In short, mantra vidya can be translated as the study and practice of worship through mantra. Mantra vidyas are taught and practiced within guru-sishya paramparas, and are not usually for open discussion. For this reason the article will only discuss the salient features of them, instead of the vidya as such. Also, some of the information is to be found within guru-sishya paramparas only, and textual references are given wherever otherwise possible. Mantra Vidyas and Mantra sastra Mantra vidyas are not the same as mantra sastra, though they overlap. While the latter is the science of sound and mantras, former is the usage of mantra sastra combined with various modes of worship. One does not have to be an expert in mantra sastra to practice a mantra vidya, but certainly needs to follow the stipulations of it. And over time with sadhana of vidya one understands the sastra. Aspects of Mantra Vidya Mantra is the sound-form of devata, and the worship of each devata is called a vidya. Thus each mantra vidya is usually referred to with the name of devata. Each vidya has samputikaranas. Samputikarana is a sequence of mantras laid down along with the steps of worship. Each samputikarana has a dhyana sloka, the form of devata to be meditated on, and a mula mantra, along with other mantras for different steps of the worship. The articles required for worship, methods and timings of worship, nivedana, austerities to be practiced during the days of worship are mentioned along with these. Each vidya has different methods of worhip like arcana, japa, homa. All these are not however mentioned as rules, they are told as the likes and dislikes of devata – because the entire school is about developing bhakti or love and devotion for devata and pleasing the devata. Mantras in any vidya are primarily of three kinds: astra, kamya and para. Astra vidya is weaponry, where weapons/contrivances are inspired by the power of mantras. The power of mantra is primary and the contrivance is nominal. It could be a shaft or just a grass leaf. Kamya mantras are for fulfilling specific desires. Para vidya is for salvation. While astra vidya is specific, it is said that kamya mantras while fulfilling desires, when practiced sincerely, cause elevation and eventually salvation. Alternately, when para vidya is practiced one’s desires are fulfilled too, though that is not the primary purpose. Usually every vidya worships a main deity, along with associate deities. The associate deities themselves are also worshiped separately through different vidyas, but are subordinate to the main deity in the vidya. Each vidya has primary and secondary beejas, represented by the main and associate deities respectively. In the Veda, Indra is the Lord of all devatas. Agni is the central deity while Indra the head-deity. Hence Agni vidya and Isvara (lordship of the main deity) concept are found intertwined in all the vidyas. The three main deities visible in Purana, Brahma, Vishnu and Siva are found in the Veda as subordinated to Indra. Agni, Aditya and Vayu of Veda are said to transform into the primary qualities (Rajas, Satwa and Tamas) of these three godheads respectively. In fact the major Puranic deities are combinations of the qualities of multiple Vedic deities. All the religions in Sanatana Dharma acknowledge the Devatas of swarga and the transcendental Trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Siva along with their Saktis. However the Isvara that is adviteeya or the one without the second, which is beyond these, is seen differently in different religions. Saktas call That as Sakti, Vaishnavas as Maha Vishnu and Saivas as Sadasiva. Veda calls That Indra. Usually, the different colors in which devatas are worshiped represent different tatvas (of the devatas and also the worldviews of those religions). Apart from this, Devatas are praised as either dark or crystal-hued, the former representing infinity and the latter pure consciousness. The weapons and form represent various yogic secrets and powers that the devotee eventually gets to realize. Secrecy of Mantra There are many reasons why mantra and mantra vidya are said to be private and secret, a few to mention: Mantra is the sound-form of the Devata one worships. Devata is the most private associate of a worshiper, and thus mantra, which is a form of the devata, is most private and hence secret too. Mantra vidya is experiential and not discussion oriented. Hence it is for the practitioner and not for the debater or curios reader. What is taught is usually very subjective and depends on the audience. Just the way every person has things private that he prefers to disclose to select few that he confides in or believes that understand him, the guru teaches mantra vidya to those disciples that he feels are fit. And each one is taught according to his needs and evolution. Mantra vidya is like any science in that it has its methods and laws. Just the way nuclear fission is for the scientist and not for a common man to fiddle with, mantra sastra is for a sastravetta – though the energy equations for fission are published in journals they still remain the scientist’s domain. Yes, their uses are for everyone – the packaged form that is given is for the user to use in the way mentioned. Popular methods of worship are like this. Slokas, stotras, nama mantras, bhajans are various versions that contain the seeds/names of the vidyas, and are used for popular worship. These are for the common man. That does not mean they are any less effective – they are the most effective ways, and safe. Greatest of sadhakas have always enjoyed those with great bliss. The difference is that while a mantra vidya requires specific austerities and knowledge of the science of chanting, these do not require those. While mantra vidya is dhvani pradhana, these are bhava pradhana, meaning devotion is all important in them. It is good to read them without errors, but errors in pronunciation or intonation are not harmful as they are in mantra vidya. Upadesa Since mantra vidya is experiential, speculative methods do not work and practicing a mantra needs upadesa from a guru, who is already well versed with the vidya. While practices vary from tradition to tradition, following the guru’s instruction is said to guarantee results. Along with practice, it is the devotion and faith that is primary, and irrespective of the accuracy of instruction devoted practice will ensure good results. However, not all mantras need such upadesa – it depends on the nature of mantra and the nature of sadhana. There are mantras like “Sivaya Gurave Namah” that do not need any upadesa and can be done basically to receive initiation from the Lord Dakshinamurthy Himself. Then nama can be chanted without specific initiation, though it is also done with due initiation. Mantras with beejas usually need upadesa, and are to be practiced along with austerities. Examples The primary vidya of the Veda is Agni Vidya, and all vidyas are derived from Vedic devatas. The most commonly practiced by dwijas is Gayatri Vidya, whose devata is Savita. In Sakta religion the most famous vidya is called Sri Vidya. The devata of this vidya is Tripura Sundari. There are ten primary vidyas in Sakta called Dasa Maha Vidyas. Likewise there are different mantra vidyas in Saiva, Vaishnava and Ganapatya. Texts While Veda samhita has mantras and suktas in praise of devatas, the practice of these is to be found in Brahmana and Aranyaka. However the prototype of mantra vidya is to be found in Maha Narayana Upanishad, which has Gayatri Prakarana. Most popular forms of worship apart from the srauta forms are found in Tantra texts. Major Vidyas While there are mantra vidyas for many devatas, there are three major schools of Mantra Vidyas – Siva, Vishnu and Sakta Vidyas. Some of these are present directly in the Veda, some of them in seed-form and found in more detail in subsequent literature like Purana. However it is in the Agamas/Tantra texts that we find the description of these Vidyas in the most detailed way. There are three major schools of Agamas, Vaishnava, Saiva and Sakta. Though all of them are actually Agamas, because of the nature of content Saiva and Vaishnava texts are usually called Agamas and Sakta texts as Tantras. Vaishnava texts are of two schools – Vaikhanasa and Pancaratra. It should be understood that the forms and practices of Mantra Vidyas are highly symbolic and are hence usually kept within guru-sishya paramparas. The detail given is to give a survey of the vidyas and not really to explain those. Gayatri Vidya Gayatri Vidya is the primary vidya of a dwija. As the name mentions gaam-tri, Gayatri the mother protects as her devotees sing her (mantra). The devata of this vidya is Savita. Gayatri is the chandas of the mula mantra. In fact in every vidya the Gayatri for the specific devata is prescribed along with the mantra. Savita Gayatri is the most famous Gayatri mantra. In Gayatri vidya the Savita Gayatri itself is the mula. Texts Entire Gayatri prakarana can be found in Maha Narayana Upanishad, in the Taittiriya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajurveda. Gayatri is Para vidya, which aims primarily at salvation. However any kamya can be fulfilled through this. There are many versions of Gayatri, for different devatas. There are prayogas in Gayatri vidya. Some of them can be found in Atharva veda. Atharva gayatri is called Pratyangira. Besides the Veda, Gayatri vidya can be found in tantras like Rudra Yamala. This includes astra and other prayogas. Vidya In any vidya the dhyana sloka meditates on the devata of the mantra. But uniquely to Gayatri the dhyana sloka meditates on Gayatri Devi the mother Goddess/Sakti, while the devata of the mantra is Savita that is Sun God. Initiation into Gayatri vidya is a prerequisite for Vedic learning. It is said that Gayatri is the essence of the three Vedas Rig, Yajus and Sama. Atharva Veda has a different Gayatri and it requires a separate initiation/upanayana for learning Atharva veda. The seer of Gayatri is Viswamitra. The description and the verse for meditation throw sufficient light on the nature of the vidya. The mantra description mentions “Gayatri chandas (Gayatri is the metre), Viswamitra rishi (seer of the mantra), Savita Devata (deity), Sankhyayana sa gotra (actually the lineage of the rishi, but also indicative of the school), Caturvimsati akshara (24 syllables in the metre), tri pada (3 feet), panca seersha (having 5 heads)”. The vidya acknowledges Sankhya, one of the oldest schools. There are 24 syllables in Gayatri chandas, arranged in three padas or feet. These 24 syllables are said to be representative of the 24 cosmic principles enumerated by Sankhya philosophy. Dhyana sloka further explains her form – as having five faces colored mukta (pearl-white), vidruma (red), hema (golden), neela (blue-black) and dhavala (white). The five faces are indicative of five primal tatvas and their colors the essence of those (tatva-artha varnatmikam). Three feet are said to be symbolic of the essence of three Vedas. The meaning of Gayatri is explained in the sloka: “Yo deva savita asmakam dhiyo dharmadi gocaraah Prerayet tasya yad bhargah tad varenyam upasmahe” Meaning the sadhaka meditates on the Devata Savita for enlightenment. Upadesa and Alternative Gayatri needs initiation for practice. The alternative to Gayatri is Aditya Hridaya found in Ramayana, given by Agasthya maharshi. It is said that Aditya Hridaya is equally effective as Gayatri. In fact it is said to be equivalent of entire Sandhya Vandana. There is catushpada Gayatri, with four feet. The initiation into this is given only for a sanyasi. Gayatri is the crown of all vidyas. All vidyas claim to be like Gayatri –thus implicitly mentioning that Gayatri is the reference for comparison. Sakta Vidyas Sakta vidyas have grown in practice in the past millennium. It follows from a famous saying that in Kali Yuga the most effective forms of worship are Devi and Ganapati (kalau Candi Vinayakah). There are many sakta vidyas, but two schools of them are most popular – Lalita Sampradaya and Candi Sampradaya. Devatas like Lalita, Bala and Rajarajeswari are worshiped in Lalita sampradaya and devatas like Durga and Candi are worshiped in Candi Sampradaya. Philosophy Sakta Vidyas acknowledge Advaita Vedanta. However Sakta view of Advaita differs from Sankara Advaita or Vivarta Vada. Sri Vidya The most popular vidya in Sakta is Sri Vidya. The devata of this vidya is Tripura Sundari. Tripura Sundari as the name suggests, is the most beautiful of all the devatas. There are many vidyas/variants under Sri Vidya. Two major ones are Pancadasi (mantra with 15 syllables) and Shodasi (mantra with 16 syllables). Of these, Shodasi is counted under dasa maha vidyas. The original seer of Pancadasi is said to be lord Dakshinamurthy Himself. There are 12 variants in Pancadasi called Manu vidya, Candra vidya and so on. The seers of these include Agastya, Lopamudra, Durvasa and others. Pancadasi is said to be the Gayatri of Sri Vidya. The distinct feature of this is the 15 syllables are classified into three groups of 5 syllables each, called 3 kutas/khandas. These are Agni, Surya and Soma khandas (this is the reason she is called Tripura Sundari, as she presides over these three transcendental worlds). The mantra is said to be the sound-form and the body of the Mother Goddess, with Agni khanda as her head, Surya khanda as her trunk and Soma khanda as the lower half. Thus realizing the total essence of the mantra is realizing the Mother. The story of Lalita Tripura Sundari narrated in Brahmanda Purana symbolically explains the entire vidya, in which Devi kills Bhandasura, the king of Asuras. The three devis that wage this battle against the powers of ignorance, Lalita, Syamala and Varahi preside over the divine powers of Will (Iccha), Knowledge (Jnana) and Action (Kriya) and represent these three khandas of the Pancadasi. The yantra used in Sri Vidya is called Sri Cakra, which is said to be the sakta model of entire universe. The yantra is worshiped as the Mother. It has 9 levels or avaranas. Texts The Sri Suktam of Rig Veda. It has fifteen Riks, equal to the number of beejas in Pancadasi. Adding Sri Gayatri it becomes 16 Riks, equal to the number of beejas of Shodasi. Lalita rahasya nama found in the Brahmanda purana, is said to be the compendium of all sakta vidyas, though primarily the text for Sri Vidya. It is a consciousness overview and is called Yoga Sahasra. Lalita Trisati, which has a commentary by Adi Sankara, is the stotra form of Pancadasi. Sri Vidya is found in tantras like Rudra Yamala. Upadesa and alternative The Sri Vidya needs initiation. However Lalita Sahasra nama, can be read as a stotra without initiation. Namavali, where each name is used as a mantra for worship, can be done only by one having initiation into the vidya. Usually the initiation of Pancadasi happens after an initial initiation into another Tripura Sundari mantra like Bala. Lalita and Bala are the Saguna and Nirguna versions of the vidya respectively. Hence the former also has nama mantras. Candi Vidya Candi is the other most popular Sakta vidya. Candi is also worshiped as Durga, Camundi, Mahisha mardini during the nava ratris for Vijaya Dasami. Candi navakshari (9 syllables) is the primary mantra of this vidya, though there are many vidyas as part of this. Devi Mahatmya of Markandeya Purana, which is also called Candi Saptasati, narrates the story of the Mother slaying Mahishasura. She assumes 9 different forms on nine days to eliminate the Asura along with his army. Texts Durga Suktam of Taittiriya Aranyaka. Candi Saptasati, though in sloka form, is treated as mantras and is used for Homa. Besides, Ratri Suktam, Devi Atharva Seersha are also used. Candi vidyas are found in tantras like Rudra Yamala. Upadesa and alternative The Candi/Durga vidyas, including Candi Saptasati need initition from a guru. The stotras like Mahishasura mardini Stotra, Durga Astottara, Durga Sahasraa can be read without initiation (not as namavali). Dasa maha Vidyas Vasistha Ganapathi Muni deduced the origins of all the sakta mahavidyas to the Veda Samhita, in his “Mahavidyadi Sutra granthavali”. The smarta-srautas follow the procedures laid down in Kalpa, epecially the Srauta Sutras. Tantrics follow the procedures laid down in the Agamas. These practices overlap, and are not exclusive. The seed mantras too, overlap. There are three systems of worship, samaya madhyama and kaula. While samaya acara is smarta-acknowledged, the other two are tantric. Kaula marga involves is more of vamacara tantra. Tantra texts like Rudra Yamala and Kularnava Tantra deal extensively with these vidyas, their philosophy, prayogas, austerities and results. Worship is to be done according to the taste and the nature of the worshiper. The austerities one should follow will also follow these to a good extent. Devotion is primary and one does not have to impose impossible austerities on himself to please devata. Devi is praised as sukharadhya, one who could be worshiped with bliss. However dasa maha vidyas is more of a conceptual classification and we do not find these clearly in the Tantra texts themselves. They overlap into each other. There are different stories that tell how the ten vidyas came, in Devi Bhagavata, Siva Purana and Tantra Texts. According to the one in Devi Bhagavata: when Sati devi wanted to attend her father Daksha’s yajna, Siva did not like it. When she insisted, He got angry. Then Sati took even more terrible form and Siva got afraid and started running. Then Sati assumed ten forms and stood in all ten directions so he cannot runaway. These ten forms are ten maha vidyas. The brief of these vidyas is given below. We can consider an example for the nature of symbolism, in the description of Kali that follows. Devi is actually worshiped as Agni-sikha and Agni kunda samudbhava, who emerged from fire altar. While male deities are to be worshiped from feet to head, Devi is to be worshiped from head to toe. Agni khanda as seen above as the first of triad in sakta vidyas is indicated here. Her feet are said to be the abode of bliss, and the goal of all sadhana. Agni vidya thus is inherent in all sakta sadhana. Agni of Veda is found as the combination of Agni and Sarpa in Purana (Kumaraswamy-Subrahmanya). Another common feature is that all vidyas speak of devata as having three eyes, the third eye standing for transcendental knowledge emerging from chit/tapas. Moon-adornment is another common feature. The Agni-Aditya-Soma is picturized here – Agni as the sikha or hair, Soma as adornment and Aditya as the face of Devi Herself. In fact yoga sastra is combined with mantra sastra in all these vidyas. There are primary beejas in each vidya. Tripura Sundari Tripura Sundari as the name suggests, is the most beautiful form of all devatas. The mahavidya of Tripura Sundari is called Shodasi, the 16 letter vidya. This is the most comprehensive vidya in Sakta. She is the most pleasant form of Sakti and is hence called Lalita. She is said to live in Mani Dvipa along with Kameswara the Lord, the glorious celestial Island that is beyond the reach of men, manes and gods. The Island is located in the midst of the ocean of immortality (sudha sindhor-madhye). Sri Cakra is said to be the model of Universe, which represents the Sri Vidya worldview. Thus Devi is called Sri Cakra Sancarini, the one that dwells in Sri Cakra. In fact the Sri Cakra is worshiped as Devi Herself. The worship is elaborate, and involves worship of Devi along with her major associates, and is comprehensive. Tripura Sundari is the most famous vidya and is been practiced by men like Adi Sankara. The seer of this is said to be Lord Dakshinamurty Himself. This vidya uses Lakshmi, Bhuvaneswari and Bala beejas. Bhuvaneswari Bhuvaneswari as the name suggests, is the presiding deity of all the worlds. Apart from being a Maha Vidya, Bhuvaneswari is the principal beeja of Sri Vidya, in fact of all Para Vidyas in Sakta. (There are different beejas for different worlds, and the one for Aditya loka is referred here.) Aditi, the Mother of Gods praised in Veda, is the same deity. Bhuvaneswari is a pleasant form of Sakti, and is praised as having Moon adornment, three eyes, ever smiling, holding varada (boon-granting mudra), abhaya (fear-dispelling mudra), pasa and anuksa. Bhuvaneswari is the supreme Goddess, beyond all worlds. Bhuvaneswari loka, is praised similarly as Mani dweepa, as unreachable to men manes and gods. This is a Sakta worldview and there is no presence of any other man there – there are lakhs of goddesses serving Devi. Devi Bhagavata describes these worlds. One can enter those worlds only by the grace of Devi Herself, and the moment one enters one becomes female, meaning one cannot enter a state of seeing Devi unless he transcends gender-consciousness. Kali Kali is ferocious and terrible form of Devi. Kali is the feminine of Kala, and the sakti of Kala. She is worshiped as laya karini, the one causing dissolution of universe. While Kali is praised in multiple forms, common attributes in those are that She is dark in hue, wearing a skull garland, naked, with a smile and extended tongue, standing on (life-less) Siva. However since Devi is devata and not literally a person these are not to be taken as physical attributes and are quite symbolic. For instance the word used for nudity is digambara, which means having the directions for Her clothes. This not only speaks of nudity but indicates the infinity of Her form that is covered only where directions end. Wearing skull-garland too, is interpreted in multiple ways – one is that Brahma is beheaded at the end of creation life cycle and the skulls in the garland are as many as the mahakalpas that elapsed so far. There is a yogic interpretation, that Devi wears the skulls of Her devotees, implying She always resides in the skulls of Her devotees. Usually these representations are only picturized differently in case of different devatas. In case of teevra devatas skull is shown and in case of satvic devatas bowl is shown. For example Gayatri Devi is shown as holding bowl and her description says kapala/skull. The same concept is shown differently in different cases to suit the context. Standing on Siva is also symbolic, of the state in which all manifestation is dissolved in the unmanifest. Kali is found as mantra in Veda while Purana has different stories. The most famous is in Candi Saptasati of Markandeya Purana. Durga created Kali on the day she fought Raktabeeja. Raktabeeja bas a boon that his clones emerge from every drop of blood that spills down. So Kali spread her tongue on the entire land so there is no blood spilling down. Thus Raktabeeja was slain. Kali vidya uses Kali beejas. Tara Tara is from the word-root meaning float, cross. Tara or Taresi is the goddess that causes bhava tarana (as she is also called bhava tarini) or crossing the ocean of life/causal transformation/transmigration. There is an opinion that Tara is primarily a Bauddha vidya, and was practiced more in China. One can get the siddhi of the vidya more easily when practices there. A unique aspect about this vidya’s practice in India is that its initiation should be given only by women. In occasions when a man has to do the upadesa to another man, it should be given indirectly through a woman. Tara is worshiped in multiple forms, like Neela Saraswati, Ugra Tara, Smashana Tara. Tara is said to be the presiding deity for knowledge and wisdom. Tara vidyas use Bhuvaneswari and Tara beejas. Chinnamasta Chinnamasta is said to be the most terrible form of Devi. As the name suggests, the head of this form is separated from the trunk. She holds her head in a hand. There are fountains of blood gushing out of the neck, the middle one drunk by her head, the other two by her two associates. This is a profound yogic significance and separation of “head” is indicative of a great siddhi where one fully transcends his gross-subtle sheaths of consciousness. Chinnamasta is called vajra Vairocani, the sakti of Vajra-weilding lord of devatas - Indra. Indra is the supreme lord of deities according to Veda, and Chinnamasta is thus seen evidently as developed from Vedic vidyas. Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni traces Chinnamasta back to the Puranic story of Renuka. Chinnamasta is said to be Renuka, the mother of Parasurama and wife of Jamadagni. Chinnamasta is a teevra devata and its initiation is not to be given easily. One would get great siddhis through the upasana, however the consequence of mistake too would be serious. Vasistha Ganapati Muni is said to have attained Kapala Bhedana as well as Swarna Siddhi through the worship of Chinnamasta. Improper practice of powerful Mantra Vidyas especially of Teevra Devatas can have devastating effects, right from mental derangement to destruction of families. Kamya, para and astra siddhis all are possible in this vidya. The primary beeja is of ferocity, anger, strength and nourishment. Bhairavi Bhairavi is from the word-roots bhaya (terrifying) and rava (voice), meaning having a frightening tone. She is the feminine form of Bhairava Siva. Bhairavi is an ugra devata, but is picturized as ever smiling. She is worshiped in many forms. Bhairava too is worshiped in many forms, like Asitanga, Ruru, Bhishana, Samhara, Bala, Kala, Naga. Bhairavi sadhana involves Naga vidya and snake-hiss is the primary beeja. Dhumavati Dhumavati is the only widow-form of all devatas. She is visualized as ash-hued, sharp and terrifying looks, long nose, with no kunkum/Tilaka on her forehead and ever interested in quarrel. She is a teevra devata and is described differently in different allegories. She is worshiped as Jyestha Devi or Tamas, Vriddha Kali, Katyayani, Dhumra Varahi (boar faced), Nisa (night) Devata. Dhumavati vidya involves many prayogas along with upasana. This vidya is associated with crows and it is said that towards siddhi one can see crows giving the message of success. Smoke-flaring is the primary beeja of this vidya (the name itself suggests this, Dhuma means smoke). Bagala Mukhi Bagala mukhi means having crane-like face. She is praised as golden-hued, wearing yellow clothes and holding various weapons. Bagala Mukhi is picturized as holding the tongue of the enemy, implying she presides over stambhana (blocking the enemy’s actions) vidyas. Apart from a lot of siddhis, Bagala Mukhi is worshiped for astra vidyas and prayogas. It is said that there is no better vidya for stambhana than Bagala. Bagala vidya uses beejas for stambhana. Matangi It is said that when Matanga Maharsi was doing tapas to please Kali, Devi appeared to him in this form and hence came to be known as Matangi. She is also called Syamala. While Kali is a terrible form, Syamala is a pleasant form. She is praised as syama-marakata varna or light emerald colored, and holding a parrot. It is said that towards siddhi of Matangi vidya one gets to see parrots around. The places where Matangi is worshiped, and around Matangi temples we see a lot of parrots. In fact it is not a coincidence that the different kshetras of devatas resemble the qualities explained in their stories. For example one gets to see crows around Dhumavati upasakas, parrots around Matangi upasakas, monkeys around Rama temples and so on. Towards southern Tamil Nadu, which is called Kumara Kshetra we get to see a lot of peacocks, towards Bengal which is a Sakti kshetra we get to see tigers and so on. Syamala Matangi is the mother of knowledge and arts, and is praised as jnana sakti swarupini. She is the minister of Lalita Devi, and the presiding deity for wisdom. She is worshiped in different forms, Raja Syamala, Sangeeta Matangi etc. It is said that Kalidasa worshiped Matangi for the poetic genius She bestowed on him. Matangi Vidya uses the Bhuvaneswari/Kali beejas. Kamalatmika Kamalatmika as the name suggests is Lakshmi-form of Sakti. Lakshmi is said to be born out of the Ksheera sagara or the ocean of bliss when it was churned by Devatas and Asuras. She was taken as consort by Vishnu thereafter. Along with Her are born Soma/the Moon, Amrta (the nectar of immortality) and so on. She is worshiped for prosperity and happiness. She is also called Kamala (lotus) and that is a yogic suggestion. According to Kavyakantha Vasistha Ganapati Muni, Kamalatmika is derived from the Vedic Madhu vidya. Kamalatmika is a pleasant form, and her grace is treated as the culmination of sadhana, as she bestows every siddhi along with desirelessness and eternal bliss (sampatti). She is worshiped as the last stage deity in all vidyas. For example She is worshiped as Siddhi dhatri in Durga Vidya, the last of nine forms of Durga. In fact She is the Sri of Sri Vidya. Auspiciousness is the primary beeja of this Vidya, though all Bhuvaneswari and Tripura Sundari beejas are used. Other Major Sakta Vidyas Durga Durga is a vast set of Mantra Vidyas. Durga is from the word-roots “duH” and “ga”, meaning one who cannot be reached, known, vanquished. This form is said to be the origin of all the ferocious forms of the Mother, such as Candi and Kali. There are nine forms of Durga called Nava Durgas. They are Saila Putri, Brahmacarini, Candra Ghanta, Kushmanda (Asta Bhuja Devi), Skanda Mata, Katyayini, Kala Ratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhi Datri. These are worshiped during Nava ratri before Vijaya Dasami (Dussera). Durga is worshiped in many traditions. The two major traditions Sri Vidya and Candi, worship Durga. Durga is found in Veda, in different places. The Vedic mantras used to worship Durga are addressed to Agni (found in Rig Veda and a set of them, called Durga Sukta, is found in Taittireeya Aranyaka). The Vidya using these mantras is called Jatavedasi Durga. Similarly there are other vidyas, like Astakshari Durga, Sulini Durga, Asuri Durga, Vana Durga, Veera Durga, Jaya Durga and so on. Durga Vidyas are used as Para, Astra and Kamya, and worshiped in both smarta and Tantra traditions. Saraswati Saraswati is worshiped in different ways in Vedic and Tantric schools. Saraswati finds mention in Rig Veda multiple times. She is praised as a Devata and also as a river (“ambi tame nadi tame devi tame Saraswati” - RV). She is the ruler of Vak, the divine word. Word being the representative of eternal, Saraswati is the Devata associated with all forms of knowledge and truth consciousness. Saraswati Sukta expounds the study of Vak. She is also called Arnava the vast, Vag-devi, Vageeswari, . Saraswati finds mention in some form, in almost all major vidyas. For example in Nava Durgas, She is associated with Kala Ratri. Saraswati is also worshiped as Neela Saraswati, a form of Tara Maha Vidya. She is one of the three forms of Gayatri (Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati). Another form of Her, Ila is associated with Krishna (Ila pati). Vageeswara is an epithet of Hayagriva. Buddhi, Her aspect, is associated with Ganapati. Siva is said to be the sibling of Saraswati. Jnana Prasuna is the form in which the Mother is associated with Him at Kalahasti, Saradamba at Sringeri and so on. She is also closely associated with Indra in the Rig Veda. In Sakta Tantra, Saraswati beeja is extensively used in many vidyas like Tara, Tripura Sundari (esp. Bala) and Matangi. Varahi Varahi is not widely practiced in the recent times. She is one of the seven Matrikas. Also in Tripura Sundari Vidya She is the general of Lalita (iccha-jnana-kriya sakti is the triplet Lalita-Matangi-Varahi, corresponding to Devi, Her minister and general respectively). She has multiple names like Varahi and Vartali. There are multiple vidyas or forms of Varahi. Pratyangira Pratyangira is the form of Mother found in Atharva Veda. It is said that Pratyangira of Atharva Veda corresponds to Vana Durga and Bhadra Kali. Dark in hue and having many hands and faces, She has a terrible form. Besides mantra Vidya, there are prayogas in Pratyangira. Application of Pratyangira is called Kritya. Vishnu Vidyas There are a variety of Vishnu Vidyas, both Agamic and Smarta. Vishnu is the main deity of these vidyas, and is worshiped in different forms. Vishnu is found in the Veda as the pervasive power subordinated to Indra. However the Puranic Maha Vishnu is a combination of Vishnu, Aditya, Suparna of the Veda. Though Vishnu worship is very old, there has been a lot of synthetic development in Vaishnava traditions in the past millennium in every dimension, Vedanta, Bhakti and Karma, both in depth and breadth. In the recent centuries Vaishnava took more bhakti-form, but it has a rich tradition based on Mantra Sastra. And Vaishnava Vidyas as we see today are mantra vidyas which externally appear as bhakti schools. In fact Bhakti is bhava pradhana while mantra Vidya is upasana pradhana. The Pancaratra texts expound the Mantra Sastra underlying Vaishnava and the various Vaishnava mantra vidyas. There are five forms in which Vishnu is worshiped: Arca, Vibhava, Vyuha, Antaryami and Para. Every form is said to be one of these. Arca is the form suited for arcana or worship, includes incarnations like Venkateswara and murti’s. Vibhava is the form through which the glory of the lord can be known and praised. Vyuha is the four-fold forms of Sankarshana, Vasudeva, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. Antaryami is the pervasive form. Para is the eternal, un-manifest form. In these forms, He is worshiped as residing in Vaikuntha, Ksheera Sagara, in the hearts of all beings and descending in different forms. There are different Vidyas in Vaishnava, like Narayana, Vishnu, Govinda, Vasudeva, His various incarnations. Vishnu Vishnu is praised as having four hands, holding Sankha, Cakra, Gada and Padma, sleeping on the coils of Ananta, in the ocean of sweet milk. Lakshmi is His consort. All these are yogic symbols, some pertaining to Kundalini Yoga and some to Mantra Yoga. Moreover, there are different Mantra Vidyas under the umbrella of Vishnu Vidya, such as Sudarsana (the Cakra), Ananta and Suparna. Vishnu is pervasive energy. He is called sthiti karaka, the one who causes all the states of existence. In fact in many aspects like pervasiveness and representing the causal energy, Vishnu is extremely similar to Devi. Owing to this, they are said to be siblings. Similarity is sibling relation and complementariness is consort relation. This is why Vishnu and Devi are said to be siblings while Devi is said to be Siva’s consort. The following are some of the popular Vishnu Vidyas. Ten Avataras The ten famous incarnations of Vishnu, are forms of worship. There are said to be fifty one incarnations, major and minor put together. Out of them twenty one are important. They include those like Vyasa Maharshi too. Out of these, ten are major. There are a few variations and versions in the list of ten avataras. One of them is Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki. Another school enlists Balarama instead of Buddha. All these forms, major and minor, are worshiped to some extent. However only some of them are developed as full fledged Mantra Vidyas. Gayatri Vidya employs a set of mudras, which include Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Simhakranta and Mahakranta (basically pervading/occupying – the way Vamana did). These five imply the first five of the ten incarnations. There are also mala mantras/stotras to worship all the ten forms. All the ten forms are worshiped in idol and yantra forms, with appropriate mantras. These yantras are installed for different purposes. However Rama, Krishna and Narasimha of these have developed as Vidyas more than others. Matsya: The incarnation in which Vishnu assumes a form with human-like upper half and fish-like lower half. Vishnu is worshiped in this form, though not widely. Matsya yantra, a yantra is inspired by the power of worship of Vishnu in this form, is installed in houses and buildings for various purposes. This is one of the many manifestations of worship of Vishnu in Matsya form. Matysa Rupa Vishnu Vidya is also practiced, though not widely these days. Kurma: This is the amphibian or turtle incarnation in which Vishnu bore the Mandara Mountain when it was employed to churn the ocean of milk. This form too, is worshiped rarely in the recent times. Kurma Yantra is installed for wellbeing. Varaha: Varaha is the great boar form in which Vishnu upheld the earth after the apocalypse, for the new cycle of creation. This is a relatively more popular form, and widely worshiped. Vishnu is not only worshiped in Varaha form of Vishnu but combinations of forms, such as Varaha-Narasimha. Devi is also worshiped in Varaha form, and called Varahi. Narasimha: Narasimha is a very widely worshiped form of Vishnu. It is in this form that He slays Hiranyakashipa. This is a terrible form. However He is said to shower boundless grace when worshiped in this form. Nrsimha tapini Upanishad praises Him as “stuhi srutan garta sadam yuvanam mrganna bheemamupahatnum ugram”, the terrible beast that resides in a cave. Since He is a lion form, it is said that He is the lion that resides in the secret cave of heart (this is the grand cave, Aho bila) – with whose presence no small animal (worldly pains, weaknesses and difficulties) will dare to come near. The kshetras or abodes in which He is worshiped in this form, are usually caves too. As a granter of all boons, remover of difficulties, granter of peace, purity, bliss and siddhi, Narasimha is worshiped in multiple ways for multiple purposes. There are a variety of Mantra Vidyas in Narasimha, such as Yoga Narasimha, Lakshmi Narasimha, Ugra Narasimha. They also belong to different chandas, such as Gayatri, Anushtub, and Ashtakshari, used for different purposes. Vamana: Vamana is the short Brahmin kid form in which Vishnu eliminates Bali’s kingship on earth. He asks for three steps of land and occupies earth and ether, presenting a cosmic form. He is called Trivikrama, as He expands and pervades all the three worlds. However Vamana is not widely worshiped with the name Vamana /Trivikrama, though the name appears multiple times in any worship of Vishnu. However Vedic Suparna is said to be the original form of Puranic Vamana (Suparna Sukta begins as – “Asya Vamasya Palitasya HotuH”). Thus this form is worshiped right from Vedic tradition. It is when Vishnu took the form of Vamana, that He is born to Aditi, and came to be known as Aditya. It is also because of this that He is called Upendra, the younger brother of Indra. These epithets in Veda came to be explained in Purana through these stories. Short stature (Vamana) and pervasive nature (Trivikrama, Vishnu) of Suparna took the form of Puranic Vamana. The bird-form of Suparna took the form of Puranic Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu. This is an example of how the Mantra Sastra of Veda is explained through Puranic symbolism. Bhargava Rama: Parasu Rama or Bhargava Rama is the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, in which He slays Kartaveerya. More than being worshiped as a deity, Parasu Rama is known as the giver of a variety of Astra Vidyas (this is explained through the fact that He taught astra vidyas to those like Bhishma of Mahabharata). Kartaveerya is a Mantra Vidya too, and Parasu Rama is a set of those. He is the son of Renuka. Renuka is said to be Chinnamasta, a Sakta vidya. Again, Chinnamasta is Vajra Vairocani – the consort of Vajra wielding Indra. Thus the entire set of symbols is found in perfect correlation. Rama: Rama is one of the most developed and practiced Vidyas today. Rama vidya is said to be Taraka, the one that helps us cross the ocean of happening/occurring. Rama is called Taraka Brahman. Rama is a Para Vidya, and an umbrella of Vidyas in fact. Rama is a comprehensive Vidya. On one side, Rama is similar to Tara, a Sakta Vidya in that both are Taraka. On another side, owing to the completeness and beauty Rama is said to be similar to Sri Vidya. Rama and Ramayana is also said to be the Puranic expression of the Vedic Gayatri Vidya. The similarity is striking too, with Rama the Surya Vamsa king being meditated on. There are 24 syllables of Gayatri corresponding to the 24 cosmic principles of Sankhya, and Ramayana has 24 sargas and 24000 slokas in all. The beejas corresponding to various Vedic Devatas are also found in correlation with Rama Taraka Vidya. Rama Taraka Vidya praises Rama as associated with Jambavan, Hanuman, Sugreeva, Angada, Lakshmana, Bharata, Satrughna, Sita. These correspond to various Vedic deities like Manyu, Vayu, Rudra (all the three being Hanuman), Surya (Sugreeva), Indra (Angada), Sri (Sita, Sakti). Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna together form Vishnu with Sankha, Cakra and Ananta. The entire set of symbols is expounded in Veda in the form of Gayatri Vidya, with Savita as the object of meditation. Rama Taraka uses Bhuvaneswari/Taraka beeja. Hanuman: Anjaneya is a set of powerful Mantra Vidyas. Hanuman of Ramayana is a combination of aspects of three Vedic deities, Rudra, Manyu and Vayu – who represent Destruction, Anger and Strength respectively. The Anjaneya mula derives from Manyu Sukta of RigVeda. Besides having monkey-form and also being terrible Hanuman is said to be extremely attractive and handsome. He is called Sundara. In fact, Sundara Kanda of Ramayana is named so, because it is the story of Sundara (Hanuman). This too, has to do with the nature of Mantra Vidya – bliss is the aspect of Maya beeja which corresponds to Ananda maya kosa, and this beeja is central to Anjaneya vidya. Hanuman is given the highest position only after Vishnu, in some Vaishnava schools like that of Madhvacarya. In Vedanta, Hanuman-Rama is said to be the jiva-Para symbolism. There are multiple vidyas in Anjaneya, or multiple forms in which He is worshiped – Panca mukhi, Abhaya, Veera and so on. One is said to achieve every siddhi with the worship of Hanuman. Krishna: Krishna is another comprehensive Vishnu Vidya. The way we find correspondences between Rama, Gayatri Vidya and Sankhya darsana, we find correspondences between Krishna, Matangi Vidya and Yoga darsana. Rama and Krishna are the only Purna or complete incarnations of Vishnu, the remaining incarnations being amsa or partial. There are 16 kalas or aspects of divine. Only these two incarnations have all the 16 aspects. In the case of Ramayana, the 16 are shared between Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna. It is not so in the case of Krishna, and He represents all the aspects Himself. Thus He is said to be the most complete of all the incarnations. This is also the reason why, Krishna Vidyas will not have too many associate deities/symbols mentioned. This is unlike Rama Taraka where all the associate deities are mentioned. Manmatha is said to be the son of Krishna/Vishnu. This is because the Lord sustains desire in world for the cosmic sport. Another dimension to this is that Manmatha/Kamaraja beeja is central to Krishna Vidya. Vishnu is called Gopta and Gopati in Vishnu Sahasra. While Gopati means the ruler of dawn, Gopta means the ruler/protector of the universe (Goptri is the corresponding epithet of Devi). From this word, the one who is ruled by Him came to be coined as Gopi. Gopi jana vallabha, a very popular and powerful name of Krishna, comes thus. He is also Ila pati, the lord of revelation. The names Gopati, Gopala, Ila pati reflect His nature as the giver of knowledge. The name Yogeeswara implies the Vidya to follow Yoga darsana. Matangi Vidyas have similar nature – She is Mantrini the giver of knowledge. In the triplet of Lalita-Syamala-Varahi, Syamala represents Jnana Sakti. There are vidyas like Sangeeta Matangi, Sahitya Matangi. Also, She is said to give the boon of great poetry when worshiped as Ucchistha Candali (In Vamacara chanting is done with Tambula in the mouth. In Krishna worship in Vallabha tradition, Tambula is offered as naivedya, to indicate this. Moreover the Mother is praised as Tambula purita mukhi, the one whose mouth is always red because of chewing Tambula). Matangi Vidya uses Vak-bija the most. Yoga symbolism in Matangi Vidya is indicated through Her name Nakuli (Nakuli means mongoose, an enemy of snakes. The way Subrahmanya’s vehicle peacock and Vishnu’s vehicle Garuda with their nature of enmity with snakes are yogic symbols, Nakuli too is.). In fact the names Syam and Syamala for Krishna and Matangi are same for the reason that they are similar vidyas. Also, in general any form of the Lord with His consorts represents Prakriti-Purusha relation. For instance Rama-Sita, Siva-Gauri. In case of Radha-Krishna, it is more of jiva-para than prakriti-Purusha relation. Radha is seen more as uttama jiva rather than as Prakriti Herself. In fact in Vaishnava Sri does not assume as much importance as Sakti in Saiva-Sakta traditions. This is because Vishnu Himself is the pervasive energy, and also the immutable Brahman. Vishnu is not represented as the mutable-immutable dual. Thus it can be understood that He is a combination of Sakti and Siva if we should take parallel to Saiva-Sakta traditions. Though Siva and Sakti are inseparable, immutable and pervasive energy are represented as two halves of Brahman. In Vaishnava they are not only inseparable but not explained in terms of two halves. It is just the One. There are multiple Krishna Vidyas, such as Gopala, Santana Gopala, Bala Krishna, Jagaduru Krishna. Hayagriva: Hayagriva is the horse-headed form of Vishnu, in which He protects the Veda and teaches it to Brahma. Vishnu is generally worshiped as black in hue, but in Hayagriva form He is crystal-white. He is said to be the origin and goal of all forms of knowledge. There is an exclusive text Hayagriva Pancaratra that deals with Mantra Vidyas of Hayagriva. According to Brahmanda Purana, it is the same form in which He taught the secrets of Sri Vidya to Agastya. Venkateswara: Venkateswara is said to be the most powerful incarnation of Vishnu in Kali Yuga. He is worshiped as the giver of boons, worldly or otherwise. Venkateswara in Vaishnava is said to be the parallel of Bala Tripurasundari in Sakta. That is why He is called Balaji. Venkateswara as the name implies, is the destroyer of sins (Vaen-kata). He is an arca-avatara, meaning incarnation meant for worship. The sole purpose of this incarnation remains showing grace over His devotees, unlike many other incarnations where He descends to control Adharma. Sudarsana: Sudarsana (cakra) is a powerful astra Vidya in Vaishnava. Sudarsana is Vishnu’s weapon. In Mahabharata Agni gives it to Sri Krishna during Khandava Dahana. From Purana we have examples like Ambarisha who practiced this Vidya. In Ramayana Sudarsana takes the form of Satrughna (as the name suggests evidently that it is the weapon that destroys the enemies). Saiva Vidyas Saiva is another ancient and vast school of Mantra Vidyas. Siva is worshiped in various forms. There are Agamic and Vedic vidyas in Saiva. Though there is mention of Siva/Rudra in Rig Veda, it is Yajurveda which is primarily associated with Siva. He is the lord of yajna and His praises for this reason, are found in Yajurveda. Sri Rudram or Rudradhyaya or Sata Rudriya as it is variedly called, is found in the middle of Yajurveda. It is found with slight variation, in Sukla and Krishna Yajurveda. There are two parts of Sata Rudriya, called Namaka (as “namaH” recurs in the hymn) and Camaka (as “ca me” recurs in the hymn). The former is praise of Rudra while the latter is prayer to grant gains worldly and other worldly. Namaka mantra which appears in the middle of namaka is the central to many vidyas in Saiva. Besides, there are twenty eight Saiva Agamas. They come in two forms, Siddhanta Saiva and Kashmir Saiva. Kashmir Saiva follows Pratyabhijna darsana. There are different levels in which Rudra/Siva is worshiped. In general Siva means auspicious, and He is the giver of auspiciousness. There are all kinds of Vidyas in Saiva – Para, Kamya and Astra. In general it is said that victory over desires, vairagya and peace develops with the worship of Siva, though one can achieve anything he wants through such worship. Though Siva is worshiped in many forms, He is not primarily an incarnation deity the way Vishnu and Devi are. His forms are His aspects rather than incarnations. Rudra and Maha Kala There are three worlds, prithvi (earth), rodasi (sky) and antariksha (space). The rulers of these are Vasus, Rudras and Adityas. There are eleven Rudras; however Rudra is referred to in singular too, as a representative of all of them. There are different listings of the eleven names; one of them is Bhava, Kapali, Pingala, Bheema, Virupaksha, Vilohita, Shastra, Ekapada, Ahirbudhnya, Shambhu and Chanda. He is the destroyer, and the ruler of the slain/departed. For this reason He is also said to roam in the burial grounds, wearing skull garland. However, Rudra is cosmic form and His attributes have deeper significance. Any jiva after leaving the body is said to go to Candra loka or the world of Candra/Soma. Rudra is the ruler of this world. The being lives here for a year according to human scale. Each day in this world is as long as a month in human scale, with Sukla paksha as the day and Krishna paksha as the night. (This is the reason departed souls are offered food once in a month for a year after departure, because that would amount to feeding them every day in their scale.) At the end of the year, they enter Aditya loka. Aditya/Vishnu is the ruler of this world. Here the jiva assumes divine body. Each day in this world is as long as a year in human scale, with uttarayana as day and dakshinayana as night. (This is the reason after a year after departure pitris are offered food once a year - because that would amount to feeding them every day in their scale.) Thus Rudra delivers jiva from the world of death to the world where there is no death. He is also the one who can grant immortality and liberation, by delivering from the cycle of happening. For this reason He is called Mrutyunjaya. In Bhakti schools He is called Kapali because He “wears” or resides in the kapala of devotees. In cosmology He is said to behead Brahma and wear the skull of Brahma, and the number of skulls in the garland He wears represents the number of kalpas that elapsed so far. This is the reason He is also called Maha Kala. The feminine form of Kala is Kali, a form in which Devi is worshiped. The concept of time as a destroyer of everything is visible in this symbolism. Time and space are two important aspects of eternal, from which the transcendental concept takes root. Being the destroyer of everything, He is Himself without destruction. He is the third of the three Gods that preside over creation, sustenance and dissolution. Wearing tamas as the form that represents dissolved state, He is Himself beyond the qualities Satva, Rajas and Tamas. The epithets like Vyomakesa (having space for hair) and Digambara (having directions for clothes), Visvarupa (having universe for His form) indicate the infinite nature of Rudra. Thus these epithets and Kala epithet together portray the space-time continuum of the Universe, and the Universe as the physical form of Rudra. In general, Rudra delivers between causation and the One beyond cause. He is also the transformer between eternal and transient, infinite and finite. This is depicted in different ways in different stories. The Siva Linga itself is a symbol to represent transformation between un-manifest and manifest. Ganga’s descending from heaven to earth and Siva bearing and delivering Her to earth, is another instance. In the journey of jiva Rudra soothing the soul and delivering to heaven is another. Thus Rudra is essentially the transcendental principle and the means to transcendence. Sadasiva and Isvara In Saiva-Sakta parlance, there are five activities in the cycle of creation – srusti (creation), sthisi (sustenance), laya (dissolution), tirodhana (veiling) and anugraha (unveiling). The Devatas responsible for these are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva respectively. The last three functions, of laya, tirodhana and anugraha are performed by three aspects of Siva – Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva. Siva is worshiped in all these forms. Rudra is the time/destroyer aspect. Isvara is the lord of universe, the causal being. Sakti is His consort. He resides in causal space. It is through Sadasiva’s grace that one realizes Brahman. Sadasiva Himself is Brahman the eternal, and is beyond gross subtle and causal. In Mantra yoga as the seeker evolves, he worships Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva respectively, and eventually unites with Sadasiva. Mantra Rupa Siva is usually portrayed as holding damaru, from which all the creation is said to have emerged. It is also the abode of Nada and the alphabet. Siva is said to be Omkara Himself. There are two main forms in which He is worshiped – as Sakala and as Nishkala. He is Sakala when He is associated with Kala or Devi. Nishkala is pure Omkara, in the absolute un-manifest form or Brahman. Associate Deities Siva’s closest associate is Devi, His dynamic aspect. She is Kali when He is Nishkala, Maya when He is Isvara, Rudrani when He is Rudra and Parameswari when He is Sadasiva. Thus She is always complimentary to Him and inseparable. She conducts the cosmic sport inspired by and to please Him. Rudra represents tamas, and in Veda the deities representing Satva-Rajas-Tamas are Agni-Aditya-Vayu. Thus Rudra is associated with Vayu. This is further indicated through the arrangement of Sri Rudram into forty nine sections, which is actually the number of Maruts (that represent Vayu). Siva is also called Krittivasa and is thus related to Agni. He holds Agni in His right hand and is called Jataveda Pani. Devi is Agni Sikha too, and Kumaraswamy is Agni Himself. Siva Pancakshari Siva Pancakshari or the five lettered Vidya of Siva is the most popular of Saiva Vidyas, and is said to be the most effective. This is actually a part of namaka mantra, but composed with different procedures (nyasa etc) and verses for meditation. There are variants to Pancakshari Vidya, such as Sakti Pancakshari. Sri Rudram While Pancakshari is the Vidya meant for japa, Sata Rudriya is the primary hymn for the procedural worship of Siva consisting of japa, homa, abhisheka. While the entire Rudram is done usually, there are different compilations with each Mantra from Namakam and applied for different purposes like prosperity, victory over enemies, curing diseases, attaining liberation and knowledge and so on. Homa or Abhisheka with Satarudriya is said to be the best way to get Siva’s grace. Uniqueness in Rudram is that while there is a Purascarana for every Mantra vidya, there is nothing of that sort for Rudram. Ajapa As the name suggests, “Ajapa” is meditation without japa, or seedless meditation. However there is the entire procedure of nyasa, dhyana and mantra for this, to take one into the state of ajapa-aradhana. Ajapa is a relatively rare Vidya. While most Vidyas worship a Devata for revealing self, Ajapa is the worship of self or hamsa. This is done in the advanced stages of sadhana. Nishkala Nishkala is the worship of absolute, the un-manifest form of Brahman. It is also called Para Nishkala or Suddha Pranava. Usually only sanyasis are initiated into this vidya. In Saiva traditions, this is an advanced initiation and though one is not a sanyasi, this can be given with specific initiation as an advanced deeksha. Pasupata Siva is called Pasupati because He is the controller of Pasus. Pasu is one that is bound by Pasa. He delivers jivas from their bindings. Pasupata uses namaka mantra with various other mantras for different purposes. There are a variety of Vidyas in Pasupata, like Kanya Pasupata, Pasupata Astra and Mrutyunjaya Pasupata. This is central set of Vidyas in Saiva, consisting of Kamya Astra and Para - all forms. Mrutyunjaya Siva is called Mrutyunjaya because He grants immortality to jivas. This Vidya is practiced to get liberation, and is thus a Para vidya. Dakshinamurty Dakshinamurty is primarily worshiped by seekers pursuing jnana marga. Dakshinamurty is a satvic form. He gives knowledge. He teaches Brahma Vidya to rishis through silence. The questions His disciples have, they find those already answered by Him, by flashing the answers in their minds without their asking. Holding Agni in one hand, He is in Samadhi always. Dakshinamurty is also praised as one who delivers devotees from the faults of kali yuga. He is worshiped in multiple forms, like Medha Dakshinamurty, Sakti Dakshinamurty. These forms are worshiped for different purposes, such as sastric knowledge, spiritual wisdom, wealth and liberation. Besides, the combination of Dakshinamurty vidya with Sri Vidya is called Sri Vidya Dakshinamurty. Candramauleeswara Candramauleeswara is a pleasant form of Siva. He has moon adornment, and holds a deer in His hand. The deer is symbolic of the jiva bewildered at the cosmic play, and He soothes it. While some of the Saiva vidyas are said to be for men only, Candramauleeswara can be worshiped especially by women. Bhairava Bhairava is the male aspect, having Bhairavi for His consort. Bhairava is a widely practiced set of Vidyas. Though Bhairava is essentially a terrible form, there are a different Vidyas in this – like Ananda Bhairava, Kala Bhairava, Asitanga, Ruru, Bhishana, and Samhara Bhairava. Veerabhadra Veerabhadra is a terrible form of Siva. Veerabhadra is described in different forms, as a leader of one of His armies, as an aspect of Siva and also as an incarnation of Siva. As the name suggests He is Veera, the ferocious, and Bhadra – the protector. Bhadra Kali is His consort. Apart from being worshiped as an aspect of Siva, Veerabhadra is also found as the ruler of shrine-towns (Kshetra Palaka) where Siva is the presiding deity. There are both prayoga and sadhana oriented vidyas in Veerabhadra. Sarabha Sarabha is said to be the most terrible of Siva’s forms. This form is half-bird and half-lion. He is also called Sarabheswara or Sarabha Saluva. Sarabha is a more prayoga oriented Vidya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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