12. Śrīnagara pūjā श्रीनगर पूजा
Śrīnagara is situated outside Śri Cakra. Śrīnagara has twenty five high raised huge forts. In between any two forts, there are many gods, sages and saints protecting Śri Cakra and simultaneously worshiping Lalitāmbikā. Only after crossing Śrīnagara, one can enter Śri Cakra. Entry into Śri Cakra is restricted only to those who are in the process of realizing the Self, for which sādhana alone helps. There are forty four arcana-s (arcana means praising; this is done by offering flowers at the end of saying namaḥ). ॐ and tritātri (aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ) are to be prefixed and namaḥ at the end. For example, the first nāma should be recited like this à om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ amṛtāmbhonidhaye namaḥ.
1. अमृताम्भोनिधये amṛtāmbhonidhaye (Citśakti – the energy of Consciousness)
2. रत्नद्वीपाय ratnadvīpāya (manifestation)
3. नानावृक्ष महोद्यानाय nānāvṛkṣa mahodyānāya (liṅgaśarīra – individual soul, where karmic imprints are embedded).
4. कल्पवृक्ष वाटिकायै kalpavṛkṣa vāṭikāyai (saṃkalpa – notion formed in the mind, desire, etc)*
5. सन्तान वाटिकायै santāna vāṭikāyai* (thought processes)
6. हरिचन्दन वाटिकायै haricandana vāṭikāyai* (ego)
7. मन्दार वाटिकायै mandāra vāṭikāyai* (intellect)
8. पारिजात वाटिकायै pārijāta vāṭikāya* (citta – mind of the empirical individual)
9. कदम्ब वाटिकायै kadamba vāṭikāyai* (mind)
(*4 – 9 represent antaḥkaraṇa – mind, intellect, consciousness and ego; and thought processes. Apart from these, they also form modifications of pañcabhūta such as tanmatra-s such as sound, touch etc and five organs of perception or jñānendriya-s.)
10. पुष्पराग रत्नप्राकाराय puṣparāga ratnaprākārāya (flesh)
11. पद्मराग रत्नप्राकाराय padmarāga ratnaprākārāya (ojas – energy, vitality)
12. गोमेधक रत्नप्राकाराय gomedhaka ratnaprākārāya (virility)
13. वज्र रत्नप्राकाराय vajra ratnaprākārāya (bone)
14. वैडूर्य रत्नप्राकाराय vaiḍūrya ratnaprākārāya (skin)
15. न्द्रनील रत्नप्राकाराय indranīla ratnaprākārāya (hair)
16. मुक्ता रत्नप्राकाराय muktā ratnaprākārāya (procreative fluids)
17. मकरत रत्नप्राकाराय makarata ratnaprākārāya (bone marrow)
18. विद्रुम रत्नप्राकाराय vidruma ratnaprākārāya (blood)
19. माणिक्य मण्डपाय māṇikya maṇḍapāya (heart)
20. सहस्रस्तम्भ मण्डपाय sahasrastambha maṇḍapāya (sahasrāra)
21. अमृत वापिकायै amṛta vāpikāyai (dvādaśānta - twelve inches above sahasrāra)
22. आनन्द वापिकायै ānanda vāpikāyai (central point in lalāṭa or forehead; different form ājñācakra)
23. विमर्श वापिकायै vimarśa vāpikāyai (ājñācakra)
24. बालातपोद्गाराय bālātapodgārāya (opening of an eye referring to the sun)
25. चन्द्रिकोद्गाराय candrikodgārāya (opening of another eye referring to the moon)
(24 and 25 refer to joy and happiness arising out of material world)
26. महाशृङ्गारपरिघायै mahāśṛṅgāraparighāyai (the orifice in the upper palate; this is the point where organs of action, organs of perception and antaḥkaraṇa meet. Further, this is also the point where the three major nāḍi-s, iḍa, piṅgala and suṣumna; this is related to khecarimudra)
27. महापद्माटव्यै mahāpadmāṭavyai (heart and /or sahasrāra)
28. चिन्तामणि मय गृहराजाय cintāmaṇi maya gṛharājāya (purified antaḥkaraṇa; only purified antaḥkaraṇa can lead to liberation; purification of antaḥkaraṇa is more important than purification external organs).
29. पूर्वाम्नाय मय पूर्वद्वाराय pūrvāmnāya maya pūrvadvārāya (Rig Veda)
30. दक्षिणाम्नाय मय दक्षिणद्वाराय dakṣiṇāmnāy amaya dakṣiṇadvārāya (Yajur Veda)
31. पश्चिमाम्नाय मय पश्चिमद्वाराय paścimāmnāya maya paścimadvārāya (Sāma Veda)
32. उत्तराम्नाय मय उत्तरद्वाराय uttarāmnāya maya uttaradvārāya (Atharva Veda)
33. रत्नप्रदीपवलयाय ratnapradīpavalayāya (expansion of knowledge)
34. मणिमय महासिंहासनाय maṇimaya mahāsiṁhāsanāya (benefits of mantras)
35. ब्रह्ममयैकमञ्चपादाय brahmamayaikamañcapādāya (creation – mūlādhāra chakra)
36. विष्णुमयैकमञ्चपादाय viṣṇumayaikamañcapādāya (sustenance - svādhiṣṭhāna)
37. रुद्रमयैकमञ्चपादाय rudramayaikamañcapādāya (dissolution - maṇipūraka)
38. ईश्वरमयैकमञ्चपादाय īśvaramayaikamañcapādāya (tirodhāna or disappearance or concealment - anāhata)
39. सदाशिवमयैकमञ्चफलकाय sadāśivamayaikamañcaphalakāya (anugraha – recreation – viśuddhi)
40. हम्सतूलिका तल्पाय hamsatūlikā talpāya (mahāpralaya – total annihilation at the end of a yuga – deep sleep state – ājñācakra)
41. हम्सतूलिका महोपधानाय hamsatūlikā mahopadhānāya (avidya or spiritual ignorance)
42. कौसुम्भास्तरणाय kausumbhāstaraṇāya (sum total of ego of all the beings)
43. महावितानकाय mahāvitānakāya (avyakta, the state of prakṛti in its un-manifested form)
44. महामायायवनिकायै mahāmāyāyavanikāyai (mahāmāyā)
The above forty four refer to various aspects of both subtle and gross bodies and with this forty four, an entire body is formed. Each of these forty four nāma-s together create, sustain, dissolve, annihilate and recreate the universe. This is applicable to both macrocosm and microcosm. When we go past Śrīnagara, it means that our mind is purified, ego is annihilated, sensory organs are not used beyond the basic needs, the highest level of spiritual knowledge is attained and thus, our body, mind and soul are unified and become ready for liberation.)
English meaning for certain Sanskrit words: nidhi – storehouse; vāṭi - enclosed ground; dvīpa – island; prākāra – enclosure; maṇḍapa – a sort of decorated hall or temple; dvāra – entrance; valaya – round enclosure; vāpika – natural pond;
13. Dīpa pūjā दीप पूजा
 |
| base for lamps |
यावत्पूजा समाप्तिः स्यातावत् प्रज्वल सुस्थिरा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ dīpadevi mahādevi śubhaṁ bhavatu me sadā |
yāvatpūjā samāptiḥ syātāvat prajvala susthirā ||
Meaning: O! Devi in the form of knowledge and intellect! Please bless me with auspicious mindset of non-dualism. Till I complete this yajñā (navāvaraṇa pūjā), please protect me that I am not engulfed with avidayā (spiritual ignorance or duality).”
14. Bhūtaśuddhiḥ भूतशुद्धिः
Bhūta refers to our body and śuddhi refers to purification. By doing the following procedure, we first remove avidya (nescience) and consequently māyā. When these two are removed, ego is annihilated and “I” becomes “That”. In order to purify our body (gross, subtle and causal) this procedure is done. An example is quoted to explain this further. In a paddy grain, rice is covered by husk. When rice is covered by husk it is called paddy and when the husk is removed, it is rice. Thus there is no change in the nature of the rice. Paddy is compared to individual soul and rice is compared to the Self. Husk is māyā. Unless the husk called māyā is removed, the Self (rice) cannot be seen. This is possible only if all the three bodies – gross, subtle and causal - are destroyed. When these bodies are destroyed (not in literal sense), what we see is the Self. It is also said that that the individual self (covered by māyā) is situated at mūlādhāra and on attaining knowledge goes up through suṣumna to merge with Śiva at brahmarandhra (an orifice at sahasrāra). However, this theory is somewhat in contravention to the concept of kuṇḍalinī, which is worshiped as Parāśakti Herself. Lalitā Sahasranāma 110 says that Her subtlest form is Kuṇḍalinī.
Purpose of bhūtaśuddhi and mantras:
i) First, by inhaling through the left nostril, one should visualize that he is drawing jīvaśiva (life energy) from mūlādhāra and take it to sahasrāra through suṣumna. Now, one has to contemplate that jīvaśiva merges with Paramaśiva (the Self or Brahman) at sahasrāra and exhale through the right nostril. Now, we have to inhale through the right nostril (the nostril through which last exhalation was done as in i above). While inhaling यं (yaṁ) is to be mentally recited sixteen times. यं (yaṁ) is vāyu bīja. It is to be contemplated that by air, the mortal body with unfulfilled desires be dried up with air using vāyu bīja. Having dried, this purified body is to be burnt with agni bīja रं (raṁ). After having burnt the body, using amṛta (nectar) bīja वं (vaṁ), spirituous liquor (refer Lalitā Sahasranāma 106) known as sudhā (ambrosia) is drawn from sahasrāra and the burnt body (destruction of afflictions of the mind or destruction of three types of bodies as discussed above) be washed away with ambrosia and by using pṛthvī (earth) bīja लं (laṁ), divine body is created. Finally, this purified divine body is taken back to mūlādhāra. The body that is being taken back to the base chakra is a purified body without any mental afflictions. This is done by reciting bīja-s haṁsaḥ sohaṁ. The breathing patterns along with the respective recitations are given here.
i) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं मूलशृङ्गाटकात् सुषुम्नापथेन जीवशिवं परमशिवपदे योजयामि स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ mūlaśṛṅgāṭakāt suṣumnāpathena jīvaśivaṁ paramaśivapade yojayāmi svāhā ||
(Inhale through left nostril and while doing so visualize that jīvātman in mūlādhāra is being taken to brahmarandhra at sahasrāra to merge with Paramātman through suṣumna. Then exhale through the right nostril.
ii) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं यं* संकोच शरीरं शोषय शोषय स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ yaṁ* saṁkoca śarīraṁ śoṣaya śoṣaya svāhā ||
*bīja yaṁ (यं) is to be repeated 16 times.
śoṣaya – drying; saṁkoca – withering.
(Inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. During this, mantra in ii is to be recited mentally.
iii) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं रं* संकोश शरीरं दह दह पच पच स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ raṁ* saṁkośa śarīraṁ daha daha paca paca svāhā ||
daha – to burn; paca – baked (referring to ashes).
*bīja (रं) raṁ is to be recited 16 times.
(Inhale through left nostril and exhale through right nostril)
iv) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं वं* परमशिवामृतं वर्षय वर्षय स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ vaṁ* paramaśivāmṛtaṁ varṣaya varṣaya svāhā ||
(varṣa – showering)
* bīja (वं) vaṁ is to be recited 16 times.
(Inhale through right nostril and exhale through left nostril)
v) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं लं* शांभव शरीरं उत्पादय उत्पादय स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ laṁ* śāṁbhava śarīraṁ utpādaya utpādaya svāhā ||
(utpāda – coming forth, birth)
*bīja (लं) laṁ is to be recited 16 times.
vi) ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं हंसः सोहं अवतर अवतर शिवपादात् जीव सुषुम्ना पथेन प्रविश मूलशृंगाटकं उल्लसोल्लस ज्वल ज्वल प्रज्वल प्रज्वल हंसः सोहं स्वाहा॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ haṁsaḥ sohaṁ avatara avatara śivapādāt jīva suṣumnā pathena praviśa mūlaśṛṁgāṭakaṁ ullasollasa jvala jvala prajvala prajvala haṁsaḥ sohaṁ svāhā ||
(inhale through left nostril and exhale through right nostril)
(haṁsa though refers to swan, it has subtler meaning relating to energy of breath. haṁsa consists of two parts “ha” + “sa”, where ha means exhalation and sa means inhalation. haṁsa therefore means vitality which is the most essential component of existence. It is also said that haṁsa is said to beŚiva, whose seat is said to be the sky (infinity). The Self is also called haṁsa. “ha” + “sa” can also be explained as emanation and re-absorption activities of Śiva. haṁsa is the spontaneous sound that penetrates into suṣumna nāḍi causing Bliss and ultimate liberation.)
15. Ātma prāṇapratiṣṭhā आत्म प्राणप्रतिष्ठा
Avidya or spiritual ignorance is impurity causing duality. Such impurities have already been removed through bhūtaśuddhi. In such a purified body and soul, Brahman and His Power are being established. This is the concept of ātma prāṇapratiṣṭhā.
Procedure:
Keep the right palm on the heart and recite the following mantra three times.
ॐ ऐं ह्रीं श्रीं आं सोहं ॥
om aiṁ hrīṁ śrīṁ āṁ sohaṁ ॥
After this, one has to do prāṇāyama three, ten or sixteen times with the initiated mūlamantra, either Pañcadaśī or Ṣoḍaśī. (ideal ratio of prāṇāyama inhalation – holding – exhalation is 1:4:2). Prāṇāyama is done here to concentrate on Her during the entire period of navāvaraṇa pūjā. Prāṇāyama always helps in purification of the mind.
16. Vignotsāraṇam विग्नोत्सारणम्
This is a prayer to remove all obstacles. The obstacles are afflictions of the material world such as desires, attachments, illusions, etc. All these obstacles are being removed with Śiva’s command. The following mantra is to be recited.
अपसर्पन्तु ते भूता ये भूता भुवि संस्थिताः।
ये भूता विघ्नकर्तारस्ते गच्छन्तु शिवाज्ञया॥
apasarpantu te bhūtā ye bhūtā bhuvi saṁsthitāḥ |
ye bhūtā vighnakartāraste gacchantu śivājñayā ||
August 03, 2013 09:10 PM
14. Bhūtaśuddhiḥ भूतशुद्धिः
1) As per the "sutra", bhutasudhhih starts by saying "Swaasasameeram pingalaya antaraakrishya". That means, first bhutasuddhi starts with inhale through pingala i.e. right nostril but not through left nostril.
2) Here if we observe the whole process, the serial of bijas is yam, ram, vam and lam which is against the serial as per matrukas i.e.yam, ram, lam and vam. The reason behind vam in place of ram is that, as explained in introductory para of this topic, vam is amrita bija, and after burnt of sankocha sareeram, the ashes will become wet with paramamruta varsham. Then sambhava sareeram will born the bija of which is lam i.e. pritvi bija.
August 04, 2013 09:55 AM
It is said in Nityotsava
श्वाससमीरं पिङ्गलाय नाड्या अन्तराकृष्य
śvāsasamīraṁ piṅgalāya nāḍyā antarākṛṣya
This is what you have mentioned and as per this, what you say is right. But have a look at the following explanation.
Piṅgala nāḍi – sun – right nostril; iḍa nāḍi – moon – left nostril.
There are six inhalations and exhalations.
First inhalation is uniting individual soul with the Supreme Self. Moon represents the individual soul which is contemplated to unite with the Self, which is the sun. As individual soul is drawn towards the Self, hence left nostril is used.
Second inhalation is through right nostril to dry the bodies referred in the article. Only sun rays can burn and hence the right nostril is mentioned, as sun has the capacity to burn. Here, burning does not mean complete burning of the body. It refers to the energisation of the body with sun light.
Third inhalation is through left nostril to dry the burnt body. This is generally known as “vastrakhāya” which means it is dried not under the direct sunlight. Herbs are dried only this way in order to preserve their medicinal properties. The same concept is applied here.
Fourth inhalation is to make the nectar flow from candrmaṇḍala near sahasrāra. Unless inhalation is done through the right nostril (sun), sudhā (nectar) cannot flow, as the consistency of sudhā needs to be loosened in order to flow down. If inhalation is done through the left nostril, loosening of its consistency is not possible.
Fifth inhalation is about recreation of the burnt and dried body (of impurities and not in literal sense). Creation is possible only with the sun and hence inhalation is through the right nostril (sun).
Sixth and final inhalation is to place the individual soul at mūlādhāra. In the first inhalation, the individual soul was taken to the Self using left nostril. Using the same left nostril, the individual soul is placed in its original position after purifying it through the above process.
Haṭhayoga Pradīpaka (II.7) says that in any prāṇāyama, one should begin inhalation with the left nostril (iḍa nāḍi).
Yoga CūḍāmaṇiUpaniṣad (98) also says that first breath should be drawn through the left nostril and exhaled through right nostril. If this practice is followed for two months, energy channels are purified within two months.
Since the purpose of bhūtaśuddhi is only purification, it would be advisable to follow what is described in the texts. Most of the texts follow what is described in Haṭhayoga Pradīpaka and Yoga CūḍāmaṇiUpaniṣad, as they are logical.
Let us await for more responses on this from others.
August 04, 2013 12:48 PM
Dear Sir,
I feel, nityotsava is related to Srividya and what we are doing puja here is also part and part of Srividya. I am not denying your point here. In sastras there are different opinions on same topics. One example, in Arunam,(aaranya paathaka) it was said that "Asta Chakra Navadwara". But we use Shasta or sapta chakras apart from sukshma chakras. Hope, I have conveyed what I am intentned.
Regards,
August 05, 2013 12:45 AM
Purpose of Hatha Yoga and Tantra Yoga are not the same. It's like saying - I boil milk this way before drinking, so I will also boil curd because curd is derived from milk. Doesn't make sense, does it?
One should stick to the pramana specific to Srividya as the Upasana here is of Srividya and this is not Hatha Yoga. That's why these things need to be learned from a "teacher" who has gone through the grind, understands the intricacies, is equally well-versed in scriptures and practical realization. Amateurish information and assumptions made on the fly without proper logic can be harmful in Sadhana.
Purnananda Yati, Krishnananda agamavagisha all teach pranayama starting from pingala and not ida. Please do not twist and turn teachings without proper understanding of the significance. Approach to Bhutashuddhi is different in different cases. While Hatha yoga uses sthoola panchaka, tantra uses sukshma and susukshma panchakas, pancha makara being one of them. The entire approach of Bhutashuddhi is different in the case of Tantra as elements here are not mere physical or astral elements like in Hatha Yoga but enlightened vibhutis of Devi, its a whole different deal. While Hatha Yoga starts with Muladhara, the energies in Tantra are more heart-based (hence starting from Pingala) as sadhak would have already undergone shaktipat and Devi would have appeared in navel chakra. Please approach a Guru who knows what he is talking to understand such intricate details.
August 05, 2013 11:25 AM
12. Śrīnagara pūjā श्रीनगर पूजा
Srinagara puja described here is related to antahkarana puja, that will be very much suitable to saadhakas who follow samayachara sampradaya.
In case of Dakshinachara sampradaya, this puja is called as Mandira puja. Here Mandir refers to the place where Srichakra and other deities placed. Before worshipping Srichakra and other associated deities (i.e.chaturaayatana) it is customary to worship mandir (peetham).
In fact, in this Dakshinachara also, antaryaagam will be performed after Viraja homam. After performing the viraja homam, the saadhaka will become identical with deity and his chaitanya will be known as Srimata only. In navavarana puja, this process will be taken up step by step like, first puja will be started with this gross body and this gross body will be transformed into subtle body while puja progressing. And after completion of this puja completely, the saadhaka enjoys ultimate bliss and experience that bliss in the state of mental consciousness with gross body. Ofcourse, this whole process can be understood with the full details of navaavarana puja. Hope, Sri Raviji will cover this in his upcoming series.
By considering the above, we can see that proper practice of dakshinachara will lead to samayachara.
14. Bhūtaśuddhiḥ भूतशुद्धिः
Step 1: Jivasiva will meet parama siva at sahasraara.
Step 2: By reciting Yam bija 16 times, this gross body will be dried up/withered.
Step 3: By reciting Ram bija 16 times, this gross dody will be burnt.
Step 4: By reciting Vam bija 16 times, spirituous liquor to be drawn from Sahasraara.
Before proceeding to step 5, I would like to know one point here. By having burnt this body, where this sahasaraa exists? Ofcourse, Step 1 to 3 are bhaavana only. Even then, without this body (mentally), how can we visualize sahasraara mentally?.
Why the bijas should be recited 16 times only?. Why not any other number of times?
In case of agni bija, Ram, is it not sufficient to recite only one time? Because agni is powerful and gets fire immediately after it lit up.
The procedure given in the text is exactly as per the Sutra without any deviation. Comments above are doubts only, anyone may clarify.
16. Vignotsāraṇam विग्नोत्सारणम्
While reciting this mantra following procedure is to be followed here:
a) Make sound by using right index and middle finger on the left palm. Move both hands roundly in the air while making sound.
b) Hit ground floor with left leg ankle
c) Put head slightly upward and see aggressively into the air
Above three steps should be followed simultaneously.
August 05, 2013 11:27 AM
Can I know the contact details of this anonymous? This is for my academic interest only.
My contact details are:
AUM.Ravi - 9440907930
E-Mail: aumravi@ntpc.co.in