Śrī Cakra-rāja-nilayā (996)She abides in Śrī Cakrā. This is also known as Sri Yantra and Chakra-rājā. This is the supreme amongst all the yantras. Uttar bhag (the chapter containing the benefits of recitation, also known as palashruthi ) of Lalithā Triśatī elucidates Śrī Cakrā in a comprehensive manner. Śrī Cakrā is the body of Shiva and Shakthi. Śrī Cakrā is compared to a human body and Shiva and Shakthi are compared to the soul within. Śrī Cakrā is full of life and energy and should be worshipped with great reverence. Any god or goddess can be worshipped in Śrī Cakrā as all of them have a place in it.
Soundarya Lahari (verse 11) describes Śrī Cakrā. “Your abode (Śrī Cakrā) is made up of nine mūlaprakṛtis, the primary causative force of the universe, represented by the triangles in Śrī Cakrā. There are four Shiva triangles, the apex of which facing upwards and five Shakthi triangles the apex of which facing downwards, the bindu, eight petal lotus, the sixteen petal lotus and three circles with four entries thus counting forty four.”
In all Śrī Cakrā has forty three triangles and the bindu. Apart from the triangles, there is an eight petal lotus and a sixteen petal lotus. All the forty three triangles and the bindu are within the two lotuses. Outside these two lotuses, there are three circular lines. Outside these circular lines there are three squares with four entries from each side. This is the formation of Śrī Cakrā.
One has to enter the Śrī Cakrā from the outer most square. All the three squares put together is known as ‘trailokaya-mohana’ that deludes the three stages of consciousness. This is the first enclosure of Śrī Cakrā. This enclosure is ruled by ‘Tripura Devi’. Each āvaranā, known as enclosure is ruled by a presiding deity and has an independent yogini. Yogini of the first āvaranā is known as Prakada yogini. In the outer most wall there are ten goddesses representing ten siddhis (super human powers), in the middle wall, there are ‘aśta mātās’ (eight devis like Brahmi, Varahi, etc). Their spouses are the ashta Bhairavas (Asitanga, Ruru, etc). In the inner wall there are ten goddesses representing the ten mudras (hand gestures) like, yoni mudra (nama 982), trikanda (nama 983), etc. Therefore, in the first enclosure there are 10 + 8 + 10 = 28 goddesses. Entry into Śrī Cakrā is to be made from the opening just below the apex of the innermost triangle, facing the worshipper. After worshipping all the twenty eight goddesses and after obtaining permission from them, one has to move to the next enclosure.
The second enclosure is known as ‘sarvāśa-pari-pūraka’ that enlivens the spiritual hopes of the practitioner. This enclosure is ruled by ‘Tripureśī’ and the yogini for this enclosure is Gupta yogini. The second enclosure is the sixteen petal lotus inside the three circles and no worship takes place in the three circles. Each of the sixteen petals is ruled by a goddess and each petal has one vowel of Sanskrit (Sanskrit has sixteen vowels). After worshipping these sixteen goddesses and after obtaining permission from them, one has to proceed to the next enclosure.
The third enclosure is known as ‘sarva-saṅkśobhaṇa’ that crusades for spiritual aspirations. This is the eight petal lotus. The presiding deity of this enclosure is Tripurasundari and the yogini is ‘Guptatara yogini’. There are eight goddesses in each of the petals. After worshipping them and after obtaining permission from them, one has to enter the first set of triangles of Śrī Cakrā.
The fourth enclosure is known as ‘sarva-saubhāgya-dāyakā’, that provides all spiritual and material comforts. It has fourteen triangles and presided over by ‘Tripuravāsini’. The concerned yogini is ‘Sampradāya yogini’. Each petal is ruled by a goddess. After worshipping them and after obtaining permission from them, one has to proceed to the next enclosure.
The fifth enclosure is known as ‘sarvārta-sādhakā’, which makes the worshipper spiritually prosper and has ten triangles. The presiding deity is ‘Tripurāśri’ and the concerned yogini is ‘kulottīrṇa-yogini’. Each triangle is presided over by a goddess. After worshipping them and after obtaining permission from them one has to proceed to the next covering.
The sixth āvaranā has again ten triangles and is known as ‘sarva-rakśākara’ chakra, which protects the worshipper from the inflictions of saṃsārā. This enclosure is known as inner ten triangles and the previous triangle is known as exterior ten triangles. This āvaranā is presided over by ‘Tripuramālinī’ and the yogini is ‘Nigarbha Yogini’. Each of the triangles is presided over by a goddess. After worshipping them and after their permission, one has to proceed to the next enclosure.
The seventh āvaranā is ‘sarva-roga-hara’ chakra the remover of all mental afflictions. It has eight triangles also known as ‘vasu kona’ representing the eight vasus (according to Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (III.ix.4) ashta vasus or eight vasus are fire, earth, air, the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars). The presiding deity is ‘Tripurasiddhā’ and the yogini is ‘rahasya yogini’. Each of the triangles is presided over by a Vak Devi, the authors of this Sahasranamam. Vāmakeśvarīmatam (verses 60-63) says that all the Sanskrit alphabets are ruled by these eight Vak Devis. Apart from what is said in the above scripture, all the triangles and lotus petals are inscribed with Sanskrit alphabets. This triangle is just outside the inner most triangle (nama 986). After worshipping these eight goddesses, one proceeds to worship the armouries of Lalithambigai.
The eighth enclosure is just outside the central bindu which is the innermost triangle. This is where the spiritual attainments begin and culminate at the bindu within. Outside this triangle, the weaponries of Lalithambigai are placed. The weapons are described in namas 8, 9, 10 and 11. After worshipping Her weaponries, one enters the eighth enclosure, known as ‘sarva siddhi pradhā’ and is ruled by Tripurāmbā and the concerned yogini is ‘athirahasya yogini’. There are three goddesses who are worshipped at the three corners of the triangle and Lalithambigai is worshipped at the central point, the bindu.
Outside this inner most triangle the fifteen tithi nitya devis are worshipped. Each tithi represents one lunar day. One’s guru lineage is also worshipped in three parallel lines drawn outside the upper portion of the inner most triangle. In this place, one’s guru, guru’s guru and guru’s guru’s guru is worshipped. Along with them several celebrated gurus are also worshipped. Worshipping guru is an important aspect of Sri Vidya cult.
The ninth enclosure is the bindu. This is known as ‘sarvānanda-maya cakrā’, the ultimate bliss, where self unites with ever existing and omnipresent Self (the Brahman) here. This is presided by ‘śri Mahā Tripurasundari’ also known through various other names such as Lalithambigai, Rajarajeshvari, Maha Kameshvari, etc who is the ultimate Goddess of this universe, the Supreme Mother. The concerned yogini is ‘Parāparāthi rahasya yogini’ (Parāparāthi rahasya means the supreme secret). Beyond this point, those who are not initiated into ṣodaśi cannot proceed. Those who are initiated into ṣodaśi are blessed to worship Her again at the bindu with Her ultimate mantra and trikanda mudra. This chakra or the enclosure or āvaranā is the highly secretive in nature, where the conjugation of prakasha and vimarsha (Shiva and Shakthi) form of creation takes place. Here Shakthi sits on the left lap of Shiva and They together shower their grace on those who seek Them.
When a practitioner is afflicted with worldly ties, known as saṃsārā, enters Śrī Cakrā, he is gradually endowed with knowledge and by the time he reaches the supreme bindu, he is totally transformed. The bindu stands for both creation and absorption. A practitioner stands totally absorbed when he enters the bindu from the first chakra. If an absorbed practitioner again indulges in saṃsārā, he is re-created making his exit from the bindu to the outermost chakra.
Totally, one hundred and thirteen goddesses are worshipped in Śrī Cakrā. Śrī Cakrā is enclosed by Sri Nagara, where exist twenty five forts. In between the forts there are huge places where all the other gods and goddesses reside. The nine coverings of Śrī Cakrā are compared to six chakras beginning from muladhara to ajna, sahasrara, kula sahasrara and akula sahasrara. Śrī Cakrā is not a mere geometrical representation of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealing and re-creation. It is the known expression of evolutionary cosmology which is superimposed on a miniscule existence of a human being. Scriptures point out that human body is just a replica of Śrī Cakrā.
This nama says that She resides in this most perplexing Śrī Cakrā.
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