Śrī Chakra-rāja-nilayā श्री चक्र-राज-निलया (996)
She abides in Śrī Chakra. This is also known as Śrī Yantra and Chakra-rājā. This is the supreme amongst all the yantra-s. Uttara bhāg (the chapter containing the benefits of recitation, also known as phalaśruti) of Lalitā Triśatī elucidates Śrī Chakra in a comprehensive manner. Śrī Chakra is the body of Śiva and Śaktī. Śrī Chakra is compared to a human body and Śiva and Śaktī are compared to the soul within. Śrī Chakra is full of life and energy and should be worshipped with great reverence. Any god or goddess can be worshipped in Śrī Chakra as all of them have a place in it.
Saundarya Laharī (verse 11) describes Śrī Chakra. “Your abode (Śrī Chakra) is made up of nine mūlaprakṛti-s, the primary causative force of the universe, represented by the triangles in Śrī Chakra. There are four Śiva triangles, the apex of which facing upwards and five Śaktī 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 Chakra 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 Chakra.
One has to enter the Śrī Chakra from the outermost 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 Chakra. This enclosure is ruled by Tripurā Devi. Each āvaraṇa, known as enclosure is ruled by a presiding deity and has an independent yogini. Yogini of the first āvaraṇa is known as prakaṭa yogini. In the outermost walls there are ten goddesses representing ten siddhi-s (super human powers), in the middle wall, there are aṣṭa māta-s (eight devi-s like Brāhmī, Vārāhi, etc). Their spouses are the aṣṭa Bhairava-s (Asitāñga, Ruru, etc). In the inner wall there are ten goddesses representing the ten mudra-s (hand gestures) like, yoni mudra (nāma 982), trikhaṇḍā (nāma 983), etc. Therefore, in the first enclosure there are 10 + 8 + 10 = 28 goddesses. Entry into Śrī Chakra 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-saṁkṣobhaṇa that crusades for spiritual aspirations. This is the eight petal lotus. The presiding deity of this enclosure is Tripurasundarī 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 Chakra.
The fourth enclosure is known as sarva-saubhāgya-dāyaka, which provides all spiritual and material comforts. It has fourteen triangles and presided over by Tripuravāsinī. The concerned yogini is Saṁpradāya 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 sarvārtha-sādhaka, which makes the worshipper spiritually prosper and has ten triangles. The presiding deity is Tripurāśrī 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 āvaraṇa has again ten triangles and is known as sarva-rakṣākara chakra, which protects the worshipper from the inflictions of saṃsāra. This enclosure is known as inner ten triangles and the previous triangle is known as exterior ten triangles. This āvaraṇa 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 āvaraṇa is sarva-roga-hara chakra the remover of all mental afflictions. It has eight triangles also known as vasu koṇa representing the eight vasu-s (according to Bṛhadāraṇayaka Upaniṣad (III.ix.) aṣṭa vasu-s or eight Vasu-s are Āpa, the water; Dhruva, the pole-star; Soma, the Moon; Dhava or Dhara; Anila, the Wind; Anala or Pāvaka, the fire; Pratyusha, the dawn; and Prabhāsa, the light). The presiding deity is Tripurāsiddhā and the yogini is Rahasya yogini. Each of the triangles is presided over by a Vāc Devi, the authors of this Lalitha Sahasranāma. Vāmakeśvarīmatam (verses 60-63) says that all the Sanskrit alphabets are ruled by these eight Vāc Devi-s. 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 (nāma 986). After worshipping these eight goddesses, one proceeds to worship the armouries of Lalitāmbikā.
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 Lalitāmbikā are placed. The weapons are described in nāma-s 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 Atirahasya yogini. There are three goddesses who are worshipped at the three corners of the triangle and Lalitāmbikā is worshipped at the central point, the bindu.
Outside this inner most triangle the fifteen tithi nitya devi-s 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 are worshipped. Along with them several celebrated gurus are also worshipped. Worshipping guru is an important aspect of Śrī vidyā cult.
The ninth enclosure is the bindu. This is known as ‘sarvānanda-maya cakra’, the ultimate bliss, where self unites with ever existing and omnipresent Self (the Brahman) here. This is presided by Śrī Mahā Tripurasundarī also known through various other names such as Lalitāmbikā, Rājarājeśvarī, Mahā Kāmeśvarī, etc who is the ultimate Goddess of this universe, the Supreme Mother. The concerned yogini is Parāparāti rahasya yogini (Parāparāti rahasya means the supreme secret). Beyond this point, those who are not initiated into ṣodaśī cannot proceed. Those who are initiated into ṣodaśī are blessed to worship Her again at the bindu with Her ultimate mantra and trikhanda mudra. This chakra or the enclosure or āvaraṇa is the highly secretive in nature, where the conjugation of prakāśa and vimarśa (Śiva and Śaktī) form of creation takes place. Here Śaktī sits on the left lap of Śiva and They together shower Their grace on those who seek Them.
When a practitioner is afflicted with worldly ties, known as saṃsāra, enters Śrī Chakra, 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 āvaraṇa. If an absorbed practitioner again indulges in saṃsāra, he is re-created making his exit from the bindu to the outermost chakra.
Totally, one hundred and thirteen goddesses are worshipped in Śrī Chakra. Śrī Chakra is enclosed by Śrī Nagara, where exists twenty five forts. In between the forts there are huge places where all the other gods and goddesses reside. The nine coverings of Śrī Chakra are compared to six psychical chakra-s beginning from mūlādhāra to ājñā, sahasrāra, kula sahasrāra and akula sahasrāra. Śrī Chakra 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 Chakra.
This nāma says that She resides in this most perplexing Śrī Chakra.
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