This is also corrected now. Once again thank you for pointing out the mistakes and improving the quality of this article.

You are correct. The Śrī Viṣṇu Sahasranāma should be recited before and after this Stotram for optimum benefits.

Thank you for the input. I totally agree that japa mālas should not be worn. I remove my sarva siddhi māla when I go to sleep and take a bath. Otherwise it is generally always on me. Of course, I do remove it when I check in at the airport as it beeps due to the silver. Another suggestion I would give to those purchasing these malas, is to buy beads that have silver cappings and a silver chain. Most beads do not have holes in them since the fruits are not allowed to fully ripen and fall on the ground and commercial farmers are too eager to pluck them early and sell. Drilling holes may damage the bead, so silver cappings are a better trade-off vs purchasing a māla with threads. Everything that is desired and can be achieved is possible with the 1 to 14 Rudrākṣas. Die-hard collectors with deep pockets can go for the higher mukhis and pay a fortune for these olive fruit beads! But those looking for benefits should consider only the 1 to 14 as per their requirement or get the sarva siddhi māla from their trusted vendors. There are many fakes so best to stick ONLY to the Java beads as they're numerous in numbers. Avoid the Nepali beads other than the 5 mukhis which are almost free and constitute about 80% or more of all naturally formed beads. No one will bother faking a 5 Mukhi, whereas they would use that to create a 10 mukhi! It is difficult to fake an odd mukhi compared to an even mukhi. Regarding the manuscript, all I have are the mantras that I took from it and these will be published shortly with the proper vidhis and description of the mantras, dhyāna etc.

I have made the changes as per the suggested corrections Dear Jothi. Thank you very much for your valuable contribution. You will always remain close to our heart and on behalf of all our readers, I pray for your well-being and spiritual ascension.

The Stotram should be recited as is. The six versions are mentioned here for reverence purposes. If you have been directed by your guru towards anuṣṭhāṇa, then by all means follow it.

Not knowing is my natural state.everything will be in the hands of the almighty Guru.

Mind blowing. These are all should be done under the guidance of a well learned Guru and his blessings only can make this kundalini awakening possible. These are all creation of the very mind which we try to control. What sadhana did Sri Ramana maharishi, sri Nityanand did? Just surrender. That doesn't mean I am negating out all these abstract matters but these are not for a common man. Just practising kriya yoga Will enough for us.

Thank you for sharing authentic information on Rudrākṣas! Quite a lot of information found online and in books are biased as they're written or sponsored by Rudrākṣa vendors. In my discussions with a few scholars, senior accomplished upāsakas and ācāryas, they have revealed that there is no difference in the benefits seen between Nepali and Indonesian/Java beads. They do, however, lay a lot of emphasis on doing consistent and disciplined anuṣṭhānam to reap the maximum benefits of possessing and wearing Rudrākṣas. Without anuṣṭhānam, the benefits will be greatly diminished. Here are a few more points that I've gathered from various discussions: Rudrākṣa mālās that are used for japa-count should not be worn, and vice versa. Some suggest Rudrākṣa mālās can be worn 24×7 - making it a part and extension of the body. Others recommend that it should be removed and kept aside while attending to “impure” activities. It can also be exclusively only during spiritual practices. The benefits of Nepali beads over Indonesian/Java beads is mostly claimed by Rudrākṣa vendors, as there is a huge price difference between the two types of beads. There are far too many fake Rudrākṣas available in the market, especially with the higher face Nepali beads. The only way to ensure that the Rudrākṣas are genuine is through X-ray testing. The traditional tests are being circumvented very easily these days. It's important to buy Rudrākṣas from genuine vendors who provide lab certification from an authentic lab. The 15-21 face beads are mostly being marketed by Rudrākṣa vendors at very high price, while the scriptural references for them is questionable. Some vendors claim that the benefits are as per their research and rare manuscripts. They claim to be researching the benefits of the beads up to 32 face. Such claims should be viewed with a lot of skepticism, as there are no proper scriptural references. Lastly, Krishna ji, I request you to please share the manuscript that describes the tāntric method of energizing the Rudrākṣas for the benefit of all.

Namaste Kamila ji, Whatever Guru says is final....there is no point in asking this question in an open forum as it would tantamount to doubting your Guru's teachings.

It is very important for you to answer this question for yourself. Maa Kali and Lalita are the same. The culture is different but they are the same. Don't be in a rush to decide either, and don't feel pressured to choose either or. But whichever you choose, please stay with Her. There are misconceptions in both traditions. People will make assumptions about Kali and Lalitambika. But I assure you, they can both be overwhelmingly loving or terrible. Both want your undivided attention. Both want your heart. Both are capable of fulfilling your need for love. Don't worry about anything else except, can you devote eternity to being in love with this Goddess?