जपो जल्पः शिल्पं सकलमपि मुद्राविरचना
गतिः प्रादक्षिण्यक्रमणमशनाद्याहुतिवीधिः।
प्रणामस्संवेशस्सुखमखिलमात्मार्पणदृशा
सपर्यापर्यायस्तव भवतु यन्मे विलसितम्॥

japo jalpaḥ śilpaṁ sakalamapi mudrāviracanā
gatiḥ prādakṣiṇyakramaṇamaśanādyāhutivīdhiḥ |
praṇāmassaṁveśassukhamakhilamātmārpaṇadṛśā
saparyāparyāyastava bhavatu yanme vilasitam ||

japo jalpaḥ - mutterings be japa; śilpaṁ sakalam api – every movement of my hands; mudrā viracanā – locking of hands for mudras; gati – my movements; prādakṣiṇya kramaṇama – circumambulation; aśan ādi āhuti vīdhi – my eating is fire oblations; praṇāma saṁveśa – lying down is prostration; sukham akhilam – all enjoyments; ātma arpaṇa dṛśā – surrendering myself; saparyā paryāya tava bhavatu – be important part of your worship; yat me vilasitam – all my actions.

“Let my speech be your japa, my movement of hands be your mudras*, my locomotion be circumambulation for you, my eating and drinking be fire oblations for you, my lying down be prostrations for you, all my enjoyments be my surrender to You and let these actions of mine become the main part of Your worship.”

This verse talks about samayācāra worship. Śaṁkarācārya says in this verse, “Whatever I speak are your mantra japa-s. The movement of my hands are my mudras for you. Whenever and wherever I walk, they are my circumambulations for you. Whatever I eat and drink are oblations for you. Whenever I lie down, they are my prostrations for you. Whatever I enjoy, such enjoyments are surrendering myself to you. Thus, whatever actions I do, they are meant for you as your worship.”

This type of mental worship is called samayācāra. There are five aspects in samayācāra (dictionary meaning of samayācāra is conventional or established practice) and they are:

1. Considering Śiva and Śakti as a single entity. For example, Śiva is Śiva in His own right and She is also Śivā (Lalitā Sahasranāma 53 is Śiva). If Śiva is Bhairava, then She is Bhairavi. If He is Śaṁkara, then She is Śaṁkari. There are many such instances.

2. Both their forms are the same. In their Kāmeśvara and Kāmeśvari forms, they have the same four weaponries and crescent moon in their crowns. In Ardhanārīśvara form, they both occupy the same body in equal proportion. In reality, both are same (Lalitā Sahasranāma 999)

3. They both live in Meru peak (Lalitā Sahasranāma 775)

4. Both perform the same functions known as pañcakṛtya (Lalitā Sahasranāma 274) and they are sṛṣṭi, sthiti, saṃhāra, tirodhāna and anugraha.

5. Their blessings to the devotees are the same – dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa, the four puruṣārtha-s (objects of human existence).

Understanding their unity through one’s mind is samayācāra worship where, there is no external worship is involved. The mental worship is explained in Bhāvanopaniṣad through 37 verses.

When one wants to attain Her, his or goal can be achieved only through mental worship. In a true spiritual life, the transition has to happen from external worship to internal worship. The internal worship is done through mind and She can be realized only through the mind. Bliss and ultimate realization can be attained only through a purified mind. This verse explains the true mental state of an advanced aspirant. However, this verse does not speak about the mental state of a yogi. As far as a yogi is concerned, his mind will not even think about these mental worships, as a yogi has already become one with Her. It is sāmarasya (absolute union, as explained in Lalitā Sahasranāma 792) between the yogi and Parāśakti.

The typical mental worship is explained in detail in Lalitā Sahasranāma 98 Samayācāra-tatparā. Worshipping Lalitai in the cakra-s of kuṇḍalinī, beginning from mūlādhāra cakra is called samayācāra.  This is explained in Rudrayāmala, an ancient scripture, as told by Śiva Himself to Śaktī.  This nāma means that She likes samayācāra worship.  This worship can be done only mentally.  Initiation from a Guru is the first step in this worship.  This initiation will culminate in pūrṇa abhiṣeka (mantra bath) that will be performed by guru to the disciple.  The initiation by the guru will make the kuṇḍalinī ascend from the perineum to the six cakra-s.  Guru will guide his disciple at each level and at each cakra.  Guru will not perform the mantra bath on the disciple unless he is convinced that the disciple has attained a particular stage from where, the disciple could carryon on his own.  Guru also will not perform this ritual unless the disciple pursues the right path of Self realisation.  After this ritual of mantra bath, there is yet another ritual called mahā veda samskāra, a fire ritual.  This mahā veda saṃskāra will be done only on the day of mahā navami (ninth day of Dasara celebrations) which occurs once in a year. (After completing all such formalities, the sādhaka (practitioner) will have to go to an isolated place and commences his samayācāra meditation, i.e. meditation on the six cakra-s and the sahasrāra.  There is a prescribed procedure for this worship.

Kuṇḍalinī is aroused from the perineum and taken to mūlādhāra cakra.  She is in Her subtle form viz. mantra form in this cakra.  From mūlādhāra cakra, She is taken to the next higher cakra viz. svādhiṣṭhāna cakra.  She has to be mentally worshipped in this cakra.  She is in Her subtler form viz. kāmakalā form at this stage. After the worship at this cakra, She is adorned with rich clothes and ornaments. Remember that everything associated with Her is red in colour. She is then taken to maṇipūraka cakra.  At this stage, changes occur in the gross body of the sādhaka.  People around him start noticing these changes.  In this cakra, She is offered arghya, pādya, etc (washing Her hands and feet) and She accepts the offerings made by the sādhaka. Then She is made to adorn the throne that has been discussed in nāma 3.  In this cakra She is in Her subtlest form viz. Kuṇḍalinī.  Kuṇḍalinī energy gets the name of Kuṇḍalinī only from the navel cakra.  From this cakra onwards, She becomes very powerful.  It is to be remembered that this is a mental worship that happens within.

Then she is taken to the heart cakra or anāhata cakra, where She is offered betel leaves (karpūra vītikā -  nāma 26).  She is then taken to viśuddhi cakra where She is worshiped with ārati. Ārati means offering (showing) various types of lamps lit with pure ghee (clarified butter).  Each such ārati has its own significance.  For example pañca ārati means the five elements, ‘pūrṇa kumbha ārati signifies that everything was created out of totality and everything merges in totality.  From viśuddhi cakra, she is then taken to ājñā cakra, where is offered ‘karpūra ārati.  karpūra ārati means ārati lit with camphor.  Ārati with camphor has a lot of significance (Pure camphor is not easily available nowadays.  If pure camphor is not available, it is better to use a ghee lamp, which does not cause pollution.  The soot coming out of impure camphor affects the purity of the energy level that prevails during rituals.)  She is adorned with garlands of sweet smelling flowers and perfumes.  She is to be visualized as a bride at this stage.  She is then taken to sahasrāra where Śiva is waiting for Her.  When She enters sahasrāra, a veil is placed around them and the sādhaka awaits Her return.  Once She returns from sahasrāra, She is taken back to mūlādhāra cakra. 

This nāma means that She likes this type of worship.  Kuṇḍalinī meditation is highlighted here. Śaktī alone can take one to Śiva, the Supreme Brahman.  The Supreme Brahman is Śiva and Śaktī is māyā.  There is yet another interpretation possible for this nāma.  Kuṇḍalinī represents jīva-ātma or soul.  Soul is a dynamic energy where our karma-s are embedded.  When the soul merges with Paramātma or the Brahman, this is called Śiva-Śaktī union.  The merger of jivātma with Paramātma is discussed in this nāma.  Further it is also emphasized that emancipation can take place only if Kuṇḍalinī reaches sahasrāra.  Repeated practice of this samāyāchara worship is necessary to stay with Her forever. 

*Mudra-s are the configuration of fingers that represent the energy of the deity concerned. They are the secret signs of exchange between the practitioner and the deity and should never be used in public.  Mudra-s are highly powerful.  It is said that if one meditates on the radiance of the sun and of the moon and chants mantra-s, he is empowered by the triple mystery, then the rays of the universal will shine forth and all obstacles of ignorance will instantly dissolve in the ocean of mind.

Āgama śāstra can be broadly classified under three paths, vāma marga, tantra marga and kaula marga.  They advocate three types of sacrifices, rites, worship and knowledge.  There is another way of worship known as pañcaṅga, which consists of nyāsa (attribution of mantra-s in different parts of the body with fingers in order to sanctify the body), mudra, japa, pūja and worship of other gods and goddesses (such as Varuṇa for sanctifying the vessels, etc used in the rites). Mudra-s are also used to accomplish the mystical powers of various bīja-s.  Mudra-s represent the union of Śiva and Śaktī (left hand is Śaktī and right hand is Śiva) and the potential auspicious energy arising out of their union. 

To conclude, this verse says that one can attain Her only if he surrenders to Her. If the surrender is made through a purified mind, the aspirant’s mind will not identify his and his actions as something different from Her. For such an aspirant, She radiates by remaining in his or her body. As far as She is concerned, he or she is not different from Her and he or she also understands this fully.