50. गुरु वन्दनम् Guru vandanam:

This is offering our respects to our Guru, who has initiated mantras. Only few lineages do this worship here. Some traditions treat this section by reciting verses in Her praise apart from including verses in praise of Guru. Not only the Guru, but also Paramaguru and Parameṣṭhiguru (Gurytraya) are worshiped in this section.

Following verses are recited.

i) अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जन शलाकया।

चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः॥

ii) ब्रह्मानन्दं परमसुखदं केवलं ज्ञानमूर्तिम्

द्वान्द्वातीतं गगनसदृशं तत्वमस्यादि लक्ष्यम्।

एगं नित्यं विमलमचलं सर्वधी साक्षिभूतम्

भावातीतं त्रिगुणरहितं सद्गुरुंत् तं नमामि॥

iii) नमस्ते नाथ भगवान् शिवाय गुरुरूपिणे।

विद्यावतार संसिद्ध्यै स्वीकृतानेक विग्रह॥

i) ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjana śalākayā |

cakṣurunmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ ||

ii) brahmānandaṁ paramasukhadaṁ kevalaṁ jñānamūrtim

dvāndvātītaṁ gaganasadṛśaṁ tatvamasyādi lakṣyam |

egaṁ nityaṁ vimalamacalaṁ sarvadhī sākṣibhūtam

bhāvātītaṁ triguṇarahitaṁ sadguruṁt taṁ namāmi ||

iii) namaste nātha bhagavān śivāya gururūpiṇe |

vidyāvatāra saṁsiddhyai svīkṛtāneka vigraha ||

Meaning:

i) I pay my obeisance to my Guru, who has opened my eyes through knowledge, which remained blinded due to my spiritual ignorance.

ii) I prostrate my Guru, who in the form eternal Bliss, eternal prosperity, knowledge, beyond all dyads, infinite like the sky, knower of Brahman, incomparable, eternal, pure, unimpaired, beyond perception and the one who has transcended the three guṇa-s.

iii) O! Protector and adorable! You attain different forms in order to help me attain perfection in Śrī Vidyā and I prostrate before you, an incarnation of Śiva.
Now obeisance is offered to Guru-traya.

iv) अमुकानन्दनाथाय¹ मम श्रीगुरवे नमः।

अमुकानन्दनाथाय² गुरवे परमाय मे।

अमुकानन्दनाथाय³ गुरवे परमेष्ठिने॥

Amukānandanāthāya¹ mama śrīgurave namaḥ |

Amukānandanāthāya² gurave paramāya me |

Amukānandanāthāya³ gurave parameṣṭhine ||

Note:

Replace 1 with one’s svaguru dīkṣā nāma;

Replace 2 with one’s paramāguru’s dīkṣā nāma;

Replace 3 with one’s parameṣṭhiguru’s dīkṣā nāma.

Meaning:

I pay my obeisance to my Guru, Paramāguru (Guru’s Guru) and Parameṣṭhiguru (Guru’s Guru’s Guru). They are known as Gurutraya.

v) बाल भावानुसारेण ममेदं हि विचेष्टितम्।

मातृवास्तल्य सदृशं त्वया देवि विधीताम्॥

bāla bhāvānusāreṇa mamedaṁ hi viceṣṭitam |

mātṛvāstalya sadṛśaṁ tvayā devi vidhīuatām ||

Meaning:

I described the attributes of my Guru to You (Lalitāmbikā) like a child describing to its mother. O! Divine Mother! Please approve my description of my Guru with motherly love.

(This underlines the importance of Gurus and mantra initiation should be taken only from Self-realized Guru-s.)

If Guru is available in the place where pūjā is done, worship him with mṛgī mudra and yoni mudra.

51. सुवासिनी पूजा suvāsinī pūjā:

Suvāsin means a married woman living with her husband. For the purpose of suvāsinī pūjā in navāvaraṇa pūjā, suvāsin-s are classified into two types – initiated into Śrī Vidyā and not initiated into Śrī Vidyā. Suvāsin-s are invited to the place where navāvaraṇa pūjā is performed and they are worshiped as Lalitāmbikā. Viśeṣa arghya is offered to the invited suvāsin-s goes to prove that the invited suvāsinī or suvāsin-s are considered as embodiment of Lalitāmbikā and all respects paid to Lalitāmbikā are paid to them. This procedure is generally done only by those who follow dakṣiṇācāra and the worship is done only to their feet.

Lalitā Sahasranāma  970 says that Lalitāmbikā Herself is a Suvāsinī and the next nāma says that She is fond of worshiping suvāsin-s (Suvāsinyarcana-prītā). Qualities of suvāsin-s are described in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. Lalitāmbikā is also known Mahāsuvāsinī.

Anasūya says in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa (ayodhākāṇḍa, Canto 117, verses 22 to 24). “O! Proud Sītā! Worlds that are attended with great prosperity await those women to whom their husband is dear, no matter whether he lives in a city or a forest, whether he is propitious or adverse.  In the eyes of women who are blessed with a noble disposition, the husband is the highest deity, no matter whether he is ill-mannered or licentious or entirely devoid of riches.  Though deeply pondering, I do not see for a woman, a friend greater than her husband and more capable of yielding one’s desired object at all places like the imperishable fruit of one’s austerities.”

Again in Canto 39 verse 22 says (Rāma’s mother Kausalyā speaks to Sītā thus) “Neither noble birth nor good turn, nor learning, nor gift nor even marriage ties capture the heart of such women, who are in fact devoted to good conduct, truthfulness and the percept of their elders and keep within the bounds of decorum laid down for their family, their husband is the most sacred object and he alone excels all.”

Yet again Sītā says (Sundarakāṇḍa – canto 24 – verse 9), “I am devoted to my husband, Śrī Rāma, the foremost of the Ikṣvākus, in the same way as the highly blessed Śacī waits upon Indra, as does Arundhatī upon sage Vasiṣṭha and Rohiṇī (the foremost of the twenty seven spouses of the moon god, presiding over the same number constellations appearing in the sky) on the moon god, as does, Lopāmudrā upon sage Agastya and Sukanyā did upon sage Cyavana, as Sāvitrī did upon Satyavān and Śrīmatī upon Lord Kapila, as Madayantī did upon King Saudāsa and Keśinī upon King Sagara, and as Damayantī, daughter of Bhīma, was devoted to her husband, Nala.”

Based on the above references in Rāmāyaṇa, suvāsini not merely means the one who is well dressed, but also endowed with the above qualities. Some are of the view that suvāsinī pūjā is done only for Lalitāmbikā as Mahāsuvāsinī. However, one should follow what his or her Guru says. But, in general it is better to perform suvāsinī pūjā at the end of navāvaraṇa pūjā and also during navarātrī, puraścaraṇa at the end of homa (Havana), and all other auspicious occasions. Suvāsinī pūjā, if possible should be done by the sādhaka and his or her spouse.

Procedure:

1) Invite suvāsinī and offer her a seat. She should wash her feet thoroughly before taking the seat offered. If suvāsinī is not initiated into Śrī Vidyā, Bhuvaneśvarī mantra and Bālā mantra should be initiated to her through a simple initiation procedure. Recite Bhuvaneśvarī mantra followed by Bālā mantra (om hrīṁ followed by om aiṁ klīṁ sauḥ - ॐ ह्रीं followed by ॐ ऐं क्लीं सौः) and ask her to repeat. The purpose of this initiation is that viṣeśa arghya is generally not given to those who are not initiated into Śrī Vidyā (at this point of time). Secondly, worshiping a suvāsinī means worshiping Lalitāmbikā and it is expected that such a suvāsinī is a devotee of Lalitāmbikā. If Bhuvaneśvarī and Bālā mantras are initiated, it means that the suvāsinī is initiated into Śrī Vidyā cult.

2) Wash the feet (pādaprakṣālana) of suvāsinī, first with water followed by milk and again by water and dry her feet with a towel. For this purpose, a plate is used to keep her feet. At the end of pādaprakṣālana, this plate is removed and replaced with a plank to enable her to keep her feet on the plank. Now apply turmeric paste to her feet (this is known as nalaṅgu), place kumkum on both the feet followed by offering akṣata and flowers.

3) Then a new saree with blouse (top) is given. (Generally, suvāsin-s are decided much earlier and blouse pieces and sarees are given to them in advance, so that they can wear the clothes offered to them and attend the function.)

4) Now recite the following mantra and offer viṣeśa arghya to her in a small cup called alipātra (like ātmapātra). While receiving alipātra, she should receive the cup in her left hand using only the thumb, index and ring fingers (this appears like a tripod). This mantra is to be addressed to her.

अलिपात्रं इदं तुभ्यं दीयते पिशितान्वितम्।

स्वीकृत्य सुभगे देवि यशो देहि रिपून् दह॥

alipātraṁ idaṁ tubhyaṁ dīyate piśitānvitam |

svīkṛtya subhage devi yaśo dehi ripūn daha ||

(O! The auspicious one! This cup containing nectar (viṣeśa arghya) is given to you. Please drink this nectar and bless us to overcome our desire, anger and other afflictions and lead us to a happy and reputed life.)

Now worship her with yoni mudra.

5) Suvāsinī after receiving alipātra in her left hand as described above, should join the thumb, index and ring fingers (exactly in the same way as explained above, but with the right hand here) and take a few drops of viṣeśa arghya from alipātra and should place the drops on her head twice. These drops are meant for her Guru (if she is not initiated into Śrī Vidyā, then these drops are meant for Śiva). If she is initiated into Śrī Vidyā, she should recite her Guru pādukā mantra. After doing this, she has to drink a portion of viṣeśa arghya and returns alipātra with viṣeśa arghya back to the sādhaka with the following mantra. If she does not know the mantra, someone who knows the mantra can recite the mantra on her behalf.

वत्स तुभ्यं मया दत्तं पीतशेषं कुलामृतम्।

त्वच्छत्रून् संहरिष्यामि तवाभीष्टं ददाम्यहम्॥

vatsa tubhyaṁ mayā dattaṁ pītaśeṣaṁ kulāmṛtam |

tvacchatrūn saṁhariṣyāmi tavābhīṣṭaṁ dadāmyaham ||

(Suvāsinī, who is the embodiment of Lalitāmbikā grants the wishes of the sādhaka and gives back the balance of viṣeśa arghya as prasāda to him/her).

After having given the alipātra with remaining viṣeśa arghya (this is known as ucchiṣṭa, meaning remains of the food), she shows yoni mudra to the sādhaka.

6) Now the sādhaka has to do ṣoḍaśa upacāra to the suvāsinī thus.

i) Offer flowers at suvāsini’s feet by reciting this mantra.

4 - अकिलाण्डकोटि ब्रह्माण्डनायकि श्री राजराजेश्वरि ललिता महात्रिपुरसुन्दरी परा भट्टारिका महादेव्याः सुवासिनी स्वरूपेन आवहयामि नमः ॥

4 - akilāṇḍakoṭi brahmāṇḍanāyaki śrī rājarājeśvari lalitā mahātripurasundarī parā bhaṭṭārikā mahādevyāḥ suvāsinī svarūpena āvahayāmi namaḥ ||

ii) Again offer flowers at suvāsini’s feet by reciting this mantra.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। आसनं समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | āsanaṁ samarpayāmi ||

iii) Offer viṣeśa arghya in her hands.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। अर्घ्यम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | arghyam samarpayāmi ||

iv) Offer sāmānya arghya in her hands.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। आचमनियं समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | ācamaniyaṁ samarpayāmi ||

v) Now do prokṣaṇa on her using water from vardhanī kalaśa. During this process, śrīsūktam and durgāsūktam can be recited, if time permits.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। मन्त्रस्नानं समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | mantrasnānaṁ samarpayāmi ||

vi) Offer her saree, etc. (as they are already offered to her, now it can be done through bhāvanā (contemplation).

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। वस्त्रम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | vastram samarpayāmi ||

vii) Now offer her ornaments (generally bangles, mirror, etc are given).

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। आभरणान् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | ābharaṇān samarpayāmi ||

ix) Now offer her sandal paste in a cup.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। धिव्य परिमल गन्धम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | dhivya parimala gandham samarpayāmi ||

x) Now offer haridrākumkum.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। धिव्य हरिद्राकुम्कुम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | haridrākumkum samarpayāmi ||

xi) Now offer her dhūpaṁ.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। धूपं आग्रापयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | dhūpaṁ āgrāpayāmi ||

xii) Now offer her dīpaṁ.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। दीपं दर्शयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | dīpaṁ darśayāmi ||

xiii) Now offer her food. What is offered as naivedya can be given to her as a token. But, generally, during this time, she is offered with lunch. Others should wait till she completes her lunch. Lunch should be served to her in a secluded place (not to cause any embarrassment to her).

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। महानैवेद्यम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | mahānaivedyam samarpayāmi ||

xiv) Offer her water during lunch. Generally a new tumbler (drinking glass) is purchased for this purpose and is given to her.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। मध्ये मध्ये अमृत पानीयम् समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | madhye madhye amṛta pānīyam samarpayāmi ||

xv) Now offer water to wash her hands.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। आचमनीयं समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | ācamanīyaṁ samarpayāmi ||

xvi) Now offer her betel leaves with karpūravītikā.

4 - सुवासिन्यै नमः। कर्पूरताम्बूलं समर्पयामि॥

4 - suvāsinyai namaḥ | karpūratāmbūlaṁ samarpayāmi ||

Now, prostrate before the suvāsini and take her blessings. Suvāsini is to be sent-off with great respect. Few perform dhampati pūjā instead of suvāsini. In dhampati pūjā, both husband and wife are to be worshiped. They are worshiped as Pārvatī and Parameśvara. In suvāsini pūjā it is preferable to seek the blessings of an elderly woman. Similarly in the case of dhampati pūjā, it is preferable to invite elderly couple/s. After suvāsini pūjā and or dhampati pūjā, kumārī pūjā is to be done.