Śrī Subhagodaya Stuti – Some Important Concepts of Śrī Vidyā

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Sri Subhagodaya Stuti was written by Sri Gaudapadacharya, Sriguru of Sri Adi Shakaracharya. Subhaga means Sri Maha Tripurasundari. Praise of Sri Maha Tripuradundari is known as Subhagodaya Stuti. This text is totally based on Samayachara method of Srividyopasana. In this work, the author has differentiated Samayachara and Kaulachara. There are total fifty two verses in this work. Some of the important points of this Stuti are translated and given in this present article.

1. Meaning of paravsata: As per vaidikachara, there are 26 tattwa-s. Sadasiva is 25^th tattwa and 26^th is the para tattwa which is with Sadasiva and is known as “Saadakhya kala”. In sahasrara Sri Devi stays with Siva and that state is called as “paravasta”.

2. As per Subhagodaya, Rudra grandhi is above Swadhishtana chakra, Vishnu grandhi is above Anahata Chakra and Brahma grandhi is above Ajna Chakra.

Note: This order is not in agreement with Sri Lalitha Sahasranama. As per Sri Lalita Sahasranama, Order is Brahma grandhi is above Muladhara, Vishnu grandhi is above Manipur and Rudra grandhi is above Ajna.

3. States of Kundalini: As per Taittireeyaranya (Aruna patha), kundalini has three states. They are 1) Kaumara 2) Yoshid and 3) Pativrata. Sahasra dala padma is in centre of Sricharka. This sahasra dala padma is known as “Hiranmayakosa”. This is Bindu sthana. A ray of light (jyoti) is present around this bindu. A sadhaka has to move the kundalini to this Bindu sthana. While kundalini starts its journey to this point it will cross all above given states ie. Kaumara, Yoshida and Pativrata. Kaumara state is the state where kundalani is in sleeping mode at Muladhara. Yoshida state is the state when it crosses Vishnu grandhi at Anahata. Pativrata state is the state when kundalini reaches Sahasra and stay with her console Siva. This place is also known as Chandra mandala. From here she bless the sadhaka with Amrita dhara. (Flow of amrita). At this stage, Sridevi and Siva unite and show no difference between them i.e. only one state that is Sadakhya kala. Hence, kundalini is known as “Mahakala Bhujagi”.

4. Place of Bindu in Srichakra: Bindu sthana is known as “Kula Griha” (Kula house). Also known as Sudha sindhu. This is the living place of Srimatha. For Samayacharis, sudha sindhu is sahasrara and for Kaulacharis sudha sindhu is Muladhara. Hence, for Kaulachari, bindu will be in innermost triangle of Srichakra but for Samayacharis bindu is out of the innermost triangle and is in sqaure which is above the innermost triangle. It is said that, worshipping bindu in trikona is Avaidika i.e. agaisnt Vedachara.

5. Some samayacharis say that, there is avyakta (=not visible) triangle in square which is resemblence of Rakti, in that there is bindu.

6. Rays of Agni, Surya and Chandra: There are 108 rays of Agni, 116 rays of Surya and 136 rays of Chandra. All these put together 360 rays which form as Hayana(=year). Placement of these rays in shat chakras is as follows:

These rays emanate from Srimata and form as avarana devatas. Hence, technically speaking there is no difference between Srimata and all other avana devatas.

Note: This could be the one of the reason for worshipping Srimahatripurasundari in each avarana puja of Srichakra puja.

7. Nada has four states. They are para, pasyanti, madhyama and vaikhari. These four states can be contemplated with Srichakra. Innermost triangle (=Sarva Sidhiprada charka) is Para, Pasyanti is Astakona (Sarva Rogahara chakra), Dasara dwaya (Sarva Rakshakara chakra and Sarvardhasadhaka chakra) are Madhyama and Chaturdasara (Sarva Saubhagyadayaka) is Vaikhari. That’s why Srichakra is also known as Nada.

8. Trimekhala (= Three circles in Srichakra): There are three cicles in Srichakra. Generally, they are between Bhupura and Sarvasaparipuraka chakra. But as per Subhgodayastuti, They are like follows:

Two circles at outside and inside of Sarvasankshobhana chakra i.e. 3^rd avarana, and

One at outside of 2^nd avarana i.e. Sarvasaparipurka chakra.

Above is as per Samayachara. As per Kaulachara, three circles are between Bhupura and Sarvasaparipuraka chakra.

9. Srividyopasana can be practiced by anyone without any restrictions of caste, creed and sex. Persons who worship Indra, tattwas etc without knowing and worshipping Srividya, they will be bound with yama pasa and enter into Andha-tamisra lokas.

10. There are Seventy seven (77=64+8+5) tantras which promulgate Srividya. Out of these seventy seven, 64 are based on Vama and Kaulachara. These tantras will give materialistic advantages but not give moksha. These are against Veda achara. Hence these are not to be practiced espectially by Dwijas.

Chandrakala vidyas are eight tantras. They are 1) Chandrakala 2) Jyotsnavati 3) Kalanidhi 4) Kularnavamu 5) Kuleswari 6) Bhuvaneswari 7) Barhasptyamu 8) Durvasamatamu. All four varnas i.e.Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra have authority to practice these tantras. But, first three varnas have to practice in Dakshina marga and others have to practice in Vama marga. Since these tantras have both Dakshina and Vama marga, they are known as Misrma tantras and should be avoided.

Last five tantras are known as Subhagama panchakaas. They are as per Vaidika marga. Vasista, Sanaka, Suka, Sanandana and Sanatkumara have promulgated these Vaidika marga tantras. Samayachara follows these agamas. These agamas are as per Vedas and hence Samayachara Srividya.

11. Rishi and Chandas: Initially, Srividya was practiced by twelve sadhakas. One of such sadhaka is Manmadha. This Manmadha has opened pancha dasakshari varnas to lokas. Hence he is mantra drashta and is Rishi of this Srividya. Taittereeya brahmana and aaranyakaas have pronounched that Rishi of Srividya is Manmadha. This pancha dasakshari is to be practiced in Gayatri chandas.

12. When and how this vidya is to be practiced?: Srividya is to be practiced during night time only. This is because, as per taittireeya samhita, kundalini will be activated during night time only. During that time madhu (sudha) will flood from Chandra mandala. Hence, Srividya is to be practiced during night time only.

Fifteen Chandra kala-s are there in Ajna Chakra. Sodasi kala is at Bindu sthana which is at Sahasrara. Hence Sahasrara is known as chandra mandala where Chandra bimba is present. This sahasrara is filled with moon light. During amavasya (=No moon day) this Sodasi kala is without Chandra bimba and is unable to cause flow of Sudha. For Samayacharis, square above the innermost triangle is Chandra Mandala/Sahasrara where bindu is present. Hence, on amavasya day one should not practice Srividya.

As per samayachara, bahya puja should not be practiced. One should not enter Srimannagaram (Srichakra) by reciting Rishi and Chandas. In internal worship, there is no Rishi and Chandas. This internal worship will lead the Sadhaka to become Srimata himself. Bahya puja is prohibitted for Trivarna-s i.e.Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaishya.

Note: Here it is important to remember SriLalitaRahasya Nama “Antarmukhasamardhya, bahirmukha sudurlubha”

13. If a Samayachari would like to practice Srividya with Rishi and Chandas, he can do so aloof. He should not accept any help from others and he should practice it alone and very secretively.

14. There is no bound on Samayacharis to worship shatchakras. They have to worship Sahasra kamala only. This Sahasrara kamala is Chandra mandala which is square above the innermost triangle where Bindu is present. They have to worship this bindu as SivaShakti rupini and as Sadakhya kala. This type of worship is called as Sahasra kamala worship. Hence, for Samayacharis there is no bahya and sodasopachara puja.

15. Kaulachara: Kula means Adhara chakra. Worshippers of this muladhara is known as Kaulacharis. At muladhara kundalini will be in sleeping state and also there will be Surya rays. Hence, this chakra is andhatamisra loka. Swadhistana chakra is present above this muladhara chakra. This chakra is also andhatamisra loka. Hence, kaulacharis have to worship these two chakras daily. There are two types of kaulacharis, purva kaulachari and uttara kaulachari. Purva kaulachari will worship Srichakra with bindu at innermost triangle. Uttara kaulachari will worship a live yoni i.e. a woman’s yoni. Kundalini here is known as Kaulini. These type of worships are to be avoided as they are against Vedas. As per Vedas, yoni means bindu. This bindu is located at chatuskona i.e.square which is above the innermost triangle.

16. Worshippers of manipura will get Sarshti rupa mukti, i.e. they will be able to create a place near to Srimannagaram and stay there.

Worshippers of anahata will get Saalokya mukti i.e. they will stay in Srimannagaram.

Worshippers of visudhi will get Saameepya mukti i.e they will be blessed to worship Srimata directly.

Worshipper of ajna will get Saarupya mukti i.e they will become embodiment of Srimata.

Worshipper of Sahasrara will get Saayujya mukti i.e. they will become Srimata themself. That means there will be no difference between Srimata and Sadhaka.

Srividyopasana will result in both bhoga and moksha. Both samayacharis and kaulacharis will get these two results. But, Saayujya mukti will be get by Samayacharis only.

A sadhaka who worship Srimata in Samayachara will become a yogi and he will flourish like Surya during day time, like Chandra during night time and like Agni during Sandhya time.

(This article is written by Mr. AUM Raviji and he can be contacted at raviaumr@gmail.com)