Sri VidyarVidy is one of the most comprehensive and popular Vidys in kt. In the context ofHinduspiritual practices,aVidy can be defined as theworshipofaGod/Goddess. Literally Vidy means learning; it is from the word-root vid - to know. Knowledge is calledVeda, and learning is called Vidy. This includes the knowledge to be gained, different stages in the process of gaining such knowledge, the purpose of such knowledge, the procedure and practices for learning, pitfalls and corrective measures and so on. Worship of a God is the gradual process of elevating the level ofconsciousnessof the worshipper into that of the God, realizing the God and His nature. Therefore the knowledge andworshipof each God is called a Vidy. Thus rVidy is the knowledge and worship of Mother Goddess r Devi. She is also called r Mta (Mother r), Tripura sundari.r means prosperity, auspiciousness,divinity. r Devi is the Divine Mother who bestows bliss and plentitude on Her devotees. InVeda, She is praised as r. Vedic knowledge diversified and developed into different schools like marta (following mritis likeDharmastras), rauta (studying ruti or Veda), Paurnika (following mritis like Purs) and so on.Tantrais another school of practices that combines methods of worship with philosophy and theology. With these developments, r Devi came to be known and worshiped in different forms. In Purs, r is called Laksmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. The worship of r Mta or Tripura sundari, developed as rVidy, one of the major cults in kt Tantras. The kaula-practitioners of rVidy differentiate it as r Kula Tantra, while rVidy Tantra is the general name used by all the rVidy practitioners.Tripura sundari literally means the most beautiful lady of three worlds. Mother r is said to be the most beautiful Goddess among all God-forms. Tripura sundari is worshiped in different names and forms, like Lalita,Bla, Rja Rjeswari.

Contents[hide] 1Lalit Upkhyna The Story of Lalita Tripura sundari 2Description of the Mother and Her Abode 3The Origin and Philosophy of rVidy 3.1Vedic and Paurnika Concept 3.2Advaita Philosophy 3.3Sublimation and Consecration 3.4Aspects of Agama 4Yoga and rVidy Tantra 4.1Mantra Yoga 4.2Laya Yoga 4.3Kunalini Yoga 5Geometry and Worship of r Cakra 5.1Trailokya Mohana 5.2Sarvasa Paripraka 5.3Sarva Sankobana 5.4Sarva Saubhgya dyaka 5.5Sarvrtha sdhaka 5.6Sarva raksha kara 5.7Sarva Roga hara 5.8Sarva siddhi Mya 5.9Sarva nanda Mya 6Practical side of rVidy 6.1rVidy and other Devats 6.2rVidy, kt and Mantra stra 6.3Some rVidy Practitioners and Lineages 7Mantra Vidys in rVidy 7.1Mla Vidys 7.2Anga Vidys 7.2.1Purvamnaya 7.2.2Dakiamnaya 7.2.3Pascimamnaya 7.2.4Uttaramnaya 7.2.5Urdhvamnaya 7.2.6Anuttaramnaya 7.2.7Nitya Devats 8Texts 9Notes 10Bibliographies

Lalit Upkhyna The Story of Lalita Tripura sundariInBrahmndaPur, the story of Lalita Tripura sundari is narrated by Lord Hayagrva (the horse-headed form of LordViu) to the great seerAgastya. Here is a brief of it.There is a popular story in which Manmatha, the presiding deity of desire, is turned into ashes by the fire of Lord ivas third eye. From those ashes, a demon by the name Bhansuraemerges. He acquires many powers through penance and defeats the army of Gods. He lived in his capital nyaka, constructed for him by Myura, the architect of demons.Unable to withstand the might of Bhansura, the gods had nowhere to go. Nrada advises them to worship akti, the divine Mother. The gods worship the mother and perform a sacrifice to propitiate Her. The Mother emerges from the fire altar to fulfill the wishes of the gods and to dispel their fear. Since She emerged from the fire altar, She is calledAgniKuna Samudbhava. As She emerged to protect the gods and to fulfill their aspirations, She is calleddevakrya samudyata. She is red in hue, the most beautiful Goddess. Lord iva assumes the form of Kmevara , and takes Her as His consort.She then set out for destroying Bhana and his armies. She is accompanied by Rja Mtangi, Her minister on the one side. Rja Mtangi is also called Rja ymala, Mantri and Nakuli. On the other side Vrhi accompanied Her, the general of the Mothers armies. Vrhi is also called Dandanta. They were followed by the gods and their armies.They announced war on Bhansuras capital, nyaka, and there was a fierce battle. Vrhi and ymala started demolishing the armies of Bhana and killing his generals. Bhana sent his sons to arrest the attack of the divine armies, the eldest of them beingCaturbhu(having four hands).BlaMah Tripura sundari, the child-form of the Mother, volunteered to fight Bhanas sons and killed them.After this, Bhanas brothers Viaga and Viukra, who were earlier vanquished and fled from the field, came back to fight r Devis armies. Bhana also applied a mystical contrivance to obstruct the march of Devis armies, called vighna yantra (literally the machine of obstacles). When the Mother was merely glanced with love by the Lord Kmevara , She gave birth to Gaea(this is described as Kmevara mukhloka kalpita r Gaevar). Gaea destroyed the vighna yantra much to the happiness of the divine armies. Then Bhana inspired demon Gajura to fight Gaea, who was also killed by Him. The divine armies of r Devi marched forward andViaga was slain in this encounter by Mother Mantri and Viukra by Vrhi.Bhana faced the Mother directly, attacking Her with weapons inspired by mystical powers. r Devi destroyed his weapons with weapons inspired by the ten forms of MahViu, that emerged instantly from the ten nails of Her hands. Weapon inspired by Pasupati (a form of Lord iva) demolished the demonic armies. Finally the weapon inspired by MahKmevara , destroyed Bhansura along with his capital nyaka.The Mother was applauded and worshiped along with Lord Kmevara .Description of the Mother and Her AbodeThe Mother is said to be red in hue (Aruna). Her abode is Manidwpa, the island of gems and pearls. It is also called r Nagara. It is not reachable even for Gods like Indra. It is through Her grace alone, that one can reach Her abode. She, along with Lord Kmeswara, is worshiped there by lakhs of Her attendantdeities. She is called Kmakal, the manifestation of desire. Out of desire for cosmic sport She acts. Out of desire for pleasing the Lord, and union with the Lord She plays. Ever smiling, blissful and granting the boons of Her devotees, She is praised as personification of grace, bliss and mercy. She rules the universe and all aspects are Hers. All the beings, including the gods, act by Her inspiration and mercy.In a verse meant for meditation on the Mother, She is described as:sindrrua vigrahm trinayanm mikya mauLisphurat tr nyaka ekharm smita mukhm pna vakoruhm pibym aLi pra ratna caakam raktotpalam bibhratm soumym ratna ghaastha rakta caram dhyyet parmambikmMeaning the seeker meditates on the Mother (Ambik), who is eternal (par), saffron-red in hue (Sindhrruna vigrah), having crown embedded with gems (mnikya mauli), with Moon as an adornment over the head (tra nyaka sekhar), three eyed (trinayan), ever smiling (mita mukhi), having high breasts (pna vakoruh), with hands holding jeweled wine cup and red flowers (PNibyam aLi prna ratna casakam raktotpalam bibrat), ever soft and peaceful (soumy), with Her red lotus feet rested on a gem-decked pedestal (ratna ghatata rakta caran).Arunm karun tarangitkshm dhruta pasa ankusa puspa bna cpm aNimdibhirvrutm maykhaiH ahamityeva vibhvaye bhavanmMeaning the seeker is meditating on the Mother, red in hue, colored and shining as Sun God, whose looks shower waves of grace and mercy, with hands holding noose, goad and cane-bow that shoots flower-arrows, with Goddesses with mystical powers in the outer rungs of Her palace-city.The first verse meditates on the Mother from head to feet. It is a general practice to meditate, describe and worship male forms or deities from feet to head upwards, and female forms or deities from head to feet downwards. Also, the Mothers feet are said to be the abode of devotee, his ultimate destination. The second verse is about the aspects of rVidy, which are explained through the powers of Goddesses, the weapons held.The Origin and Philosophy of rVidyLalita Sahasra nma inBrahmndaPur, the hymn that praises the Mother with Her 1000 names, gives comprehensive description of rVidy, its philosophy and methods. Besides, it is calledyogasahasra, which explains the secrets of all forms of yoga, andconsciousness studies.rVidy is a well developed form of ktTantra. The various constituent Vidys are well organized and arranged in a more systematic hierarchy compared to other sampradyas. aundarya Lahari, a hymn composed in praise of the Mother in a hundred verses, is said to be one of the most beautiful and profound explanations of rVidy. rVidy is followed by mrta as well as Tantric schools. There is no clear separation between them. mriti followers are said to be mrtas. They follow elements of tantra to the extent that they do not contradict mritis.rVidy is found in theRig Vedaas r Sukta, the hymn with 15 verses. It is said that this is fashioned after pancadi, the centralMantraof rVidy. r Sukta, with its application of single-syllable bjas (like m, km, srm), appears more in line with the kt Mantra stra than the classical Rig Vedic Mantra stra.rVidy tantra has two major Vidys, pancadi and Shodai. Pancadi is the mantra with 15 syllables. Shodai is the mantra with 16 syllables. Shodai is one of the 10 disciplines of kt tantra, called dasa mahVidys. The Vidy is called triputi, having three parts. They areAgni(fire), Surya (sun) andCandra(moon) khndas (parts). The Mother is said to shine in these three worlds.Also, Lalita, ymala and Vrhi symbolize the powers of r Devis divine will (icchakti), knowledge (jnna akti) and action (kriyakti). Lalita Herself is the power of divine will, her associates Mtangi and Vrhi represent the powers of knowledge and action respectively. This is evident from their roles Lalita is the ruler, Matngi the minister and Vrhi the general.r Sukta, for the same reason, praises the Mother as Sury (Sun) and Candr (Moon). It does not praise Her as Agni, but the Sukta itself is addressed to Agni.Vedic and Paurnika ConceptIn the Vedic theology, there are two maindeitiesthat we find: Agni and Indra. Agni is the central deity of the Veda, and Indra is the head-deity. Agni is the face of Gods, and all Vedic worship is offered to various Gods through Agni. Thus Agni is central. And the Lord of all deities is Indra, thus Indra is the head-deity or the Godhead.We can compare this, to the way in a family the husband is head of the family and the wife is the center of the family connecting and managing the entire family.InSaiva- kt parlance, we find iva-akti dual to be similar to this. iva is vara, the Lord. He is the guiding principle. akti is pervading, the principle of manifestation, causing creation, sustaining and dissolving it. She does it, inspired by and for the Lord. Vedic Indra can be seen as vara and Vedic Agni, the divine will, can be seen as akti in Saiva - kt parlance. The close association of the Mother with Vedic Agni is further explained through Her epithets like Agni Kuna samudbhava (discussed above), Agni Sikha (having fire for Her hair). The symbolism of Lalita Herself assuming the form of the power of divine will reinforces this idea.Further, triputi is directly related to the Vedic theology. In the Paurnika trimurty concept, Brahma, Viu and Rudra preside over creation, sustenance and dissolution functions. They are representatives of atva, Rajas and Tamas. According to Yska, they derive from the Vedic triplet Agni (Fire God), ditya (Sun God) and Vyu (Air God). The older kt schools like Candi (MotherDurga) speak of this triplet. In the more recent rVidy, the corresponding aspect of Vyu finds a replacement with oma (Moon God). Both Vyu and Soma are aspects of Rudra. However Vyu signifies strength while oma bliss, and therefore the corresponding God/Goddess being worshiped have these qualities too. Thus, while Candi is representative of power and anger, Lalita is a pleasant form.The three functions of creation, sustenance and dissolution, are further expanded into five functions. They are si(creation), sthiti(sustenance), laya (dissolution), tirodana (veiling of individualconsciousnessthrough mya) andanugraha(unveiling, making the individual realize the Truth beyond Mya). The Mother presides over these five functions, and hence is called Pancha Krtya Pryana. The representatives of these five functions are Brahma (creation), Viu (sustenance), Rudra (dissolution), vara (veiling) and Sadiva (unveiling, absolute truth). All these five derive their life force, the strength to act, from the Mother. These five deities are said to form her royal chair, with Brahma, Viu, Rudra and vara forming four legs and Sadivaforming the plank. Hence the Mother is called PanchaBrahmsansna. Pancha is five, sana is seat, asna is having sit on the seat. The five Brahmas are the five deities mentioned.Without Her, they are lifeless corpses. That is why the Mother is also called Pancha Pretsansna or seated on the seat of five corpses. Preta means corpse.AdvaitaPhilosophyWhile kt is Advaitic in nature, there is a difference between ankara Advaita and Advaita of kt Tantra.There are three main schools that explain the relation between universe andBrahman. One is ramba vada, which says universe has a beginning and an end. Nyya and Vaisesica follow this. The other schools hold that universe is eternal, its dissolution and next cycle of creation are linked with the continuity of the seed of creation. The second school is Parinma Vda, which says that the universe is a transformation of Brahman, emerges and dissolves in Brahman. The way a spiders web comes from it, the universe comes from Brahman. Brahman is the essential substantial (updana) cause for the universe. nkhya,Yoga,KarmaMimmsa follow this. The third is Vivarta vda, which says that universe is a manifestation, an appearance over Brahman. ankara Advaita comes under this. According to him, Brahman is the nominal (nimitta), substantial (updana) and undifferentiated (abhinna) cause for the world. ankara Advaita holds that Mya bounds and releases the being. World as it appears, appears because of Mya, and it is not what the world really is. The world, in reality, isBrahmanonly. Thus when one realizes Brahman and gets beyond the veil of Mya, then only Brahman remains, not the world. kt Tantra holds that tman is same as Brahman, like other versions of Advaita, but the universe is real and eternal. It is not just an appearance that gets dissolved with realization. The Mother is primal rhythmic energy, akti and not Mya.rVidy is popularized by ankara. The Vedic followers (who follow mritis anddharmasstras) of rVidy go by ankara Advaita. tman is always liberated, but appears to be bound because of ignorance caused by Mya over the individual soul. Here tman is to be called self. Soul is actually the subtle body that is constituted of subtle senses, mind and intellect. The Causal being of the universe, vara, associated with His consort Mya, rules the universe. The veil of Mya is lifted through the grace of daiva and the individual being identifies its oneness with tman which is beyond Mya.Sublimation and ConsecrationThe primary difference between Vedic and kt Tantra philosophies lies in the fact that in Vedic philosophy desire is seen to be transcended. Though desire is not sought to be suppressed by force, it is not seen as a means to transcendence it is sees as something that is to be grown over.In kt, Nature, whether it is desire or natural tendency or instinct, is seen as a divine manifestation of the Mother akti. It is through fulfillment of it, with the sense that it is divine, as a form of worship of the Mother, that one seeks to please the Mother.The Vedic practitioners of kt Tantra take a middle path, by praising the Mother as Mya who creates these tendencies to bind the being, seek to be liberated from these by Her grace.Aspects ofAgamaThere are two major schools of literature in Hinduism. One is the Vedic literature, consisting ofVedas, various subjects that the Vedas deal with, Purs, Dharma Sstrs and so on. They deal with theology, spiritual philosophy, procedure and philosophy of rituals, various paths to salvation, code of conduct and righteousness, world views, the subjects one needs to learn to be able to understand such as the science of chanting, grammar, etymology,astronomyand so on. There is another stream of literature that deals primarily with the methods of worship. Though some of these are found in the Brhmana and Aranyaka portion of the Veda, Mimmsa (inquiry into the message of Veda),KalpaSutrs (code and procedure for rituals), most of the elements practiced in popular Hinduism are from Agamas.Agamas expound many aspects, including personal worship,temple constructionand architecture, Iconography, worship in temple, Vstu and so on. It is not an exaggeration to say that most of the popular aspects of Hinduism are found in Purnic and Agamic literature. Primarily Agamas are of three schools Vaishnava,Saivaand kt. They are followed by Vaishnavites, Saivaites and kts respectively.Agamahas three parts,Mantra, Tantra and Yantra.Mantra is a divine word which is chanted repeatedly as part of worship. Yantra in general, is a contrivance inspired by the power of a mantra. In many cases it is a geometric shape, carved on a metal plate or stone or crystal or floor. In case of rVidy, it is rCakra. Tantra is the entire philosophy and procedure of worship. The Tantra expounding rVidy is called rVidy Tantra, and is found in many kt texts like Prapancha sra and Rudra Yamala.Uniquely to rVidy, the name of the Vidy or the Goddess or Yantra does not have a separate name. It is not popularly called Lalita Vidy or Tripura Sundari Vidy. The tantra is called rVidy, the Yantra rYantra, the city of the Mothers residence is called r Nagara. However r as we saw means divine and it is like saying divine Yantra, divine city and divine Vidy, without a specific name of the deity. Every other Vidy, is explicitly referred to, with the name of its presiding deity, Candi or Viu or Gaapati.Yoga and rVidy TantraThough Yoga is a very technical subject and its discussion is mostly restricted to teacher-student disciplines, any introduction to Tantra without the mention of Yoga is incomplete.There are three major forms of Yoga, Mantra yoga, Laya yoga and Kunalini yoga. The aim of all the three is the same, though the methods vary slightly. rVidy tantra involves all these three forms of yoga and integrates them.Mantra YogaSoundis produced through contact, vibration and obstruction. This is called hata. However cosmic hiss if one can hear is eternal and existent. This is calledAnhata. It is not produced by us but only heard. A yogi can hear this. In sdhanaone makes thesoundoneself (by doing mantrajapa), in a rhythm, resonant with the vibrations of his ndis and his breath. Through this one will be able to discover the deeper vibration. This way of merging individual with cosmic is called mantra yoga.Mantra is said to be the sound-form ofDevata(god-form). One realizes Devata through the chanting of mantra in mantra yoga. Mantra yoga concentrates on nada (sound) to strike rhythm between individual and cosmic vibration, to activate the right ndis, to expose one into the cidksa or daharksa (causal space). abda (sound) is the tanmatra (subtle attribute) of mahbhuta (primal element) kasa (space). And through abda one tries to turn his vision inwards from kasa to daharksa, through chanting the mantra, by producing sound to slowly listening the anhata sound without producing it. Eventually when mantra yoga is achieved, one achieves laya yoga also, since his consciousness is directed to daharksa where his devata resides.Pancadsi, the root mantra of rVidy is said to be the sound-form of the Mother. The mantra is divided into three ktas or parts with five syllables each. The first is called Vgbhava Kuta, the Mothers head. The second is called Madhya Kta, the trunk from neck to navel. The third is akti Kta, the part below navel.Saraswati Skta of theRigvedasays that Vk or word is of four forms par (eternal), pasyanti (experienced by seer in a state of deep consciousness),madhyama(when it translates as idea in the intellect) and vaikhri (when it is verbally expressed). Realizing par Vk or Nda Brahman through a regulated chanting of mantra, first externally then mentally and then finally without producing it, is mantra yoga.Laya YogaMeditation is the means in laya yoga. One controls mind through the control of breath, so that full concentration is possible in meditation. Through meditation, ones consciousness merges in the object of meditation and one realizes Atman. The state, in which the difference between the one who meditates the act of meditation and the object of meditation dissolves, is called samdhi or syujya.One also observes during meditation ones own being, the different sheaths of consciousness. There are five kosas or sheaths of consciousness of being - annaMya (physical), prnaMya (vital-life), manoMya (mental), vijnnaMya (intellect-knowledge) and nandaMya (causal - blissful). The first is gross, next three constitute subtle and the fifth causal being. The causal being is vara who resides in all beings, along with Mya His consort. She veils the unmanifest form of the divine, Brahman. The Mother is MahMya, who covers the world with veil of ignorance and lifts the veil out of grace, causing the entire play of creation. This is the cosmic sport She does for the Lord, Her lla. Her play, action can be seen in karanksa the causal space. She is the moon of that space, and is called Cidksa candrika.Gross (sthula), subtle (skshma), causal (krana) and absolute (turiya) are the four states in whichBrhmanmanifests. Realizing eternal through meditation is laya yoga. In Laya yoga one, through meditation, identifies himself progressively with the inner sheaths, and finally with the inner most being tman. The Mother is said to reside in and beyond the five sheaths Panca kosntara sthita. Thus the seeker achieves oneness with the Mother through laya yoga.Kunalini YogaIn Kunalini yoga, one realizes divine consciousness through the activation of the hidden energy of Kunalini. There are six centers (cakras) in the spinal channel. Kunalini is said to be initially coiled up at muldhara. She is the Mother. She passes through these six from muldhara at the bottom of spine to ajna at the forehead, then to the crown of the head (sahasrra) where individual consciousness fully unites with cosmic consciousness. There, the Mother is said to unite with the Lord. This involves the opening of three knots or granthis in the path, called Brahma granthi, Viu granthi and Rudra granthi. There is one granthi per two cakras. Muldhara (pelvic) and swadhisthna (navel) associate with Brahma granthi, manipura (heart center) and anhata (midway between neck and solar plexus) associate with Viu granthi, visuddha (throat) and ajna (center of forehead) associate with Rudra granthi. These three are the triputi discussed above.The worship of rCakrawith nine levels is also a means to this in rVidy. Kunalini is said to be completely activated, with the Mother uniting with the Lord at Sahasrra, when the devotee reaches thebinduof rCakra.The union of Mother Kunalini with the Lord is the liberation of seeker from Mya. This is possible withanugrahaor grace as discussed above, and completes the cycle of births. This is the same as realizing Nada Brahman in mantra yoga, and syujya of laya yoga.Geometry and Worship of r CakrarCakra is worshiped as the Mother Herself. In rVidy, there is usually no other idol worshiped other than rCakra. Even if an idol is worshiped, rCakra is worshiped along with idol. All the upacras or offerings are done to the rCakra.The worship of rCakra is done through Devi Khagamla (literally garland of swords, indicating energy) hymn, which enumerates the deities in each level. In an elaborate worship of r Cakra, each deity at each level is invoked, worshiped and offered oblations. However in a regular worship, it can be done in a much abridged way and Goddesses at each level are worshiped together.rCakra is a model of universe, which represents a kt world view. rCakra or r Nagara is said to be the abode of the Mother, and She is its ruler. It has nine levels called varans. The nine levels are said to be nine levels in evolution of the seeker, beginning from the outer most to the inner most where the Mother resides. rVidy tantra explains the Goddesses at each level (or the epithets or aspects of Mother at each level), the method of worship, and the mystical powers one attains through their worship. In the inner most level calledbinduresides the Mother with Lord Kmevara . The various petals or lines and their number in each varana signify the number of Goddesses worshiped.rCakra is worshiped in two and three dimensional forms. Planar rCakra is called Bhu prastra (bhu earth, meaning flat). Three dimensional rCakra, where the outer most level is the base and each inner level is in elevation over the outer one, with bindu (the inner most triangle) as the peak, as if forming a cone, is called meru prastra (meru is a mountain, and the name indicates that the figure is similar to a mountain/cone). In anardhameru or half meru, some of the nine levels are depicted in the same altitude.Further, the nine are divided into three levels of three enclosures each. The outer most three comprise rushti Cakra (the orbit of creation). The next three comprise Sthiti Cakra (the orbit of sustenance). The inner most three comprise Samhra Cakra (the orbit of dissolution).The geometry and worship of rCakra is comprehensive and exhaustive. It explains the entire kt world view, its enumeration of the world, its philosophy and practice. Therefore we can only give a cursory glance at it, because otherwise it would become a book by itself.The outer most level of rCakra is square shaped, with three concentric squares and four gates on four sides. The next two levels are lotus petals, with sixteen and eight petals respectively. The next five levels are basically nine triangles drawn into each other, producing a total of forty three. These are seen as five levels of 14, 10, 10, 8, 1 triangles as we move inwards. The inner most or ninth level is bindu or a dot. This is also counted as a triangle, making the total count 44.In each level, the Mother is described as causing those tendencies that bind beings at that level. If one successfully transcends the binding at one level, that is, when he seeks to proceed further without limiting oneself to the powers he gets at that level, then he will move to an inner level. Though all the levels of rCakra are worshiped every time, one actually transcends or gets elevated to these levels gradually.Trailokya MohanaThis is the outermost enclosure and has three concentric squares, with four gates on four sides. It is called so because most of the apparently mystic powers can be got here. It is said that even the Gods stop here without proceeding inwards, because their desires are fulfilled by the powers achieved at this level.The three lines represent ten Mudra, Matrika and Siddhis (mystical powers).Mudrs are gestures, positions of fingers and hands, which are used for expressing various experiences. In case of worship, they are used as part of worship, to invoke certain experiences. The Mother is called dasa mudra samrdhya in Lalita Sahasra nma, meaning She is worshiped through ten mudrs. They are Sarva Sankobhini, Sarva Vidrvini, Sarvakarini, Sarva Vsankari, Sarva Unmdini, Sarva Mahnkua, Sarva Kecri, SarvaBja, Sarva Yoni and Sarva Trikhanda.Matrikas are the seven primordial forms of the Mother, from which all the sound forms originate. They are Brhmi, Vainavi, Mahevari, Aindri, Kaumri, Vrhi and Cmundi.There are ten mystical powers of the Mother which are personified as Goddesses. They are Anima, Laghima, Mahima, Isitva, Vasitva, Prakamya, Bhukti, Iccha, Prpti and Sarva kma siddhis. They include small powers like victory over hunger and sleep, to great ones like getting every wish granted, knowing things far off in distance and time.This enclosure is also called bhupura or earthly (physical).Sarvasa PariprakaThis varana is called so, because at this level every desire of the devotee is fulfilled. This level of r Cakra has sixteen lotus petals. Correspondingly as this enclosure belongs to desire and their fulfillment, the Mother is praised as the one who attracts through the primal natural tendencies. The sixteen forms of desire are enumerated here. Praising the Mother as karini (one who attracts). This is where the effect of the Mother Mya is seen, as She attracts the beings with desire making them bound with their senses, and other faculties. The sixteen forms are Kma (desire in general, but specifically sexual),Buddhi(intellect), Ahankra (ego), abda (sound - hearing), Spara (touch), Rpa (form - vision), Rasa (feel), Gandha (odor),Citta(impression), Dhairya (courage),Smriti(memory), Nma (name),Bja(seed), tma (self), Amrita (immortality), Sharra (body).Desire is the primary obstacle in detachment and liberation of being. While the smrta way is to transcend desire, the kt way is to fulfill it and consecrate it as a form of worship. Thus, fulfillment of desire is seen not only not negatively but rather positively in kt.Sarva SankobanaThis varana is named Sankobana because the Mother here is praised as the one who causes agitation, instability, commotion. This enclosure has eight lotus petals, named Ananga kusuma, Ananga mekhala, Ananga Madana, Ananga Madantura, Ananga rekha, Ananga vegini, Ananga ankua and Ananga mlini. It is Ananga (Cupid or Manmatha), the God of love, who agitates creatures in these ways.This is the enclosure of mind.Sarva Saubhgya dyakaIn the fourth enclosure, akti is worshiped as the granter of all kinds of prosperity. This level of r Cakra has fourteen trangles. The Goddesses or the forms of Mother in this enclosure are Sarva Sankobhini (agitator of all), Sarva Vidravini (slayer or the one who dissolves), Sarvkarini (one who attracts), Sarva Ahldini (one who refreshes), Sarva Sammohini (one who mesmerizes), Sarva Stambhini (one who immobilizes), Sarva Jrumbhini (one who causes growth and expansion), Sarva Vsankari (one who controls all actions), Sarva Ranjini (one who pleases), Sarva Unmdini (one who intoxicates), Sarvrtha sdini (one who fulfills all needs and desires), Sarva sampatti purni (granter of all kinds of prosperity), Sarva mantra mayi (one whose forms are all mantras), Sarva dvandva kayankari (one in who all dualities dissolve into oneness).Sarvrtha sdhakaIn the fifth enclosure, the Mother is worshiped as the one who grants all whishes. In fact artha is not just a desire but a purpose. Thus the Mother grants all that we want, we need, and we need to fulfill. This level in r Cakra has ten triangles. The ten corresponding forms in which the Mother is worshiped here are Sarvasiddhi prada (granter of all powers), Sarva sampat prada (granter of all kinds of wealth), Sarva priyankari (one who grants all that pleases), Sarva Mangala kri (one who grants all kinds of auspiciousness), Sarva Kma prada (granter of all wishes), Sarva dukha vimocani (absolver from all kinds of sorrow and unhappiness), Sarvmrutyu prasamani (one who prevents all kinds of (untimely) death), Sarva vighna nivrini (one who prevents all obstacles), Sarvnga Sundari (one who is beauty personified, with each limb being perfect), Sarva Saubhagya dyini (granter of prosperity and well-being).Sarva raksha karaIn this enclosure, the Mother is called the protector. It has eight triangles. The corresponding forms of Devi are Sarvjna (one who knows everything), Sarva akti (one who is all powerful), Sarvavarya prada (one who grants all worldly possessions and occult powers), Sarva jnna mayi (one who is knowledge personified), Sarva vydhi vinini (one who prevents all kinds of ailments), Sarva dhra swarupa (one on who rests the entire universe), Sarva ppa hri (one who cleanses and absolves from all kinds of sins), Sarva nanda mayi (one who is bliss personified), Sarva raka svarpini (the protector), Sarvepsita phala prade (granter of all desires, granter of the fruits of all deeds/worship/sacrifice).Sarva Roga haraThe seventh enclosure has eight triangles, and akti is worshiped as the one who removes all kinds of ailment. Ailment can be biological, but inVedanta, the cycle of transmigration itself is called an ailment. The Mother, as She is calledBhavaTrini, makes one easily cross the sea of phenomenal existence, its ups and downs. The eight deities of this level are called Vg-Devats, who preside over speech. They are Vsini, Kmevari, Modini, Vimala, Aruna, Jayini, Sarve vari and Kaulini.Sarva siddhi MyaThe eighth enclosure is a triangle. Here the Mother is called Kmakala, the personification of fulfillment. She signifies the desire of vara for cosmic sport. She is worshiped in eight forms in this level, with the names Banini, Capini, Paini, Ankuini, Mah Kmevari, Mah Vajrevari, MahBhgamlini and Mahr Sundari.Sarva nanda MyaThe ninth or inner most enclosure is the bindu. It is called a dot, and also a minute triangle with edges almost falling into each other. The Mother resides here, united with Lord Kmevara , and is called iva-akti-eka-rupini. Here iva and akti are united, and are undifferentiated.She is worshiped with nine names in the bindu, Tripura, Tripurei, Tripura Sundari, Tripura Vsini, Tripura r, Tripura Mlini, Tripura Siddhi, Tripurmba and Mah Tripura Sundari.

Practical side of rVidyrVidy is most popular in Tamil Nadu andAndhraPradesh, two of the major states in south India. There are two major schools in kt, Candi and Lalita. The Mother is worshiped asDurga, Candi, Camundi in Candi tradition, and as Lalita, Bla, Rajarajeswari in Lalita tradition.There are many common aspects in both the traditions, with minor variations. Both are navarna, worshiped in nine levels. There are nine forms of Durga and She is worshiped in those nine forms in the navratri before Vijaya Daami (Dussera festival). In fact, Candi Vidy itself is navarna, in the sense that the two main mantras have nine letters. The concept of nine levels of worship in Lalita tradition is visible in the nine levels of r Cakra.It can be said that Candi is an older tradition, and rVidy is a more recent and refined form. Tantric practices were extreme in India, with animal sacrifices and similar practices. di ankara is said to have pacified those deities by installing r Cakra in famous kttemplesthrough out the country, and prohibiting animal sacrifices in those places[1]. These include akti phas like Kmakhya (Guwahati, Assam) and Jogulamba (Alampuram,AndhraPradesh) where such practices were rampant[2]. Apart from these, he visited and installed r Cakra in many other temples like r ailam, Kncipuram, Kany Kumri, Kashmir and so on.Though rVidy was an older school, it gained popularity with di ankara andAdvaitaphilosophy. Today rVidy followers go by ankaras Advaita[3].rVidy and other DevatsThough Tripura Sundari is the deity of rVidy, most of the Goddesses like Lakmi, Durga, Prvati are worshiped in r Cakra. Not only forms of Devi, but in general any God can be worshiped in r Cakra. Besides, there are rVidy samputikaranas (compositions of verses/mantras) for different Gods. For example, when Gaeaand Dakiamrti are worshiped in rVidy tradition, they come to be known as rVidyGaea and rVidyDakiamrti respectively.In case of a Goddess, this difference is not usually maintained. That is to say, Lakmi is worshiped in r Cakra but not called rVidyLakmi. Durga is not called rVidy Durga or Candi-Durga when She is worshiped in rVidy or Candi traditions. This is because, She is either worshiped with the same verses meant for r Cakra worship or with Lakmi hymns, and not with separate verses. In case of rVidyGaea, the worship is done with verses which are a combination of rVidy and GaeaVidy. Same is the case with rVidy Dakiamrti.Though these are mainly schools of sdana, there are temples too, where those forms are primary deities. There is a temple for rVidyGaea in Bangalore. There is another installation of rVidy Gaapati in veta rngchalam.rVidy, kt and Mantra straMost traditions in kt overlap, and rVidy shares several mantras with other kt traditions. Bhuvanesvari, Candi, Kli, Mtangi mantras are found in rVidy, and are independent Vidys. Similarly rVidy mantras are found as part of other traditions like Candi. rVidy mantras are based on and are part of the kt mantra stra, its bjas and mtrikas. In turn, the kt mantra stra is based on and is part of the broader understanding of mantra stra that is common to all the traditions including Vainava, aiva, rauta andBauddha. kt's contribution to mantra stra is not only the variety of mtras but the foundational mtrikas.Some rVidy Practitioners and LineagesrVidy is practiced by many great seers. The Purnic seers likeAgastya, Durvsa and Lopamudra (the wife of Agastya) followed rVidy. di ankara was a great exponent of rVidy. TheSoundarya Laharihymn composed by him, is famous and chanted even today by many devotees both practitioners of Mantra stra and followers of popular religion. There are many commentaries and translations of Soundarya Lahari, a few authors to mention - Lakmi dhra pandita, KaivalyramaSvmi, Acyutnanda Svmi, ViuTrthaand Narasimha hkur. Practice of rVidy is coming down for centuries, in teacher-disciple tradition. In some cases it is imparted from parent to the eldest offspring, in others it is from another teacher. di ankara also gave a commentary on Lalita Trisati, the hymn-form of Pancadsi.Klidsa, a renowned poet and devotee of Devi, is said to have primarily worshiped Kli and Mtangi. However his praises of the Mother include multiple forms, including Tripura Sundari he calls Her Aruna (red in Hue, Lalita) and also Kli (black).di ankara established four monasteries in India, called Amnaya mahs (Amnaya means Veda, and mah in this context is monastery). Each of these specializes in one of the fourVedas. He also installed Devi in different forms, apart from Lord iva in thesemahs. To this day, all these are worshiped according to rVidy. Apart from these, he established many other monasteries like Kancimah. Devi is worshiped according to rVidy School, in all these. For example, radmba is worshiped in rngerimah. Kmaki is worshiped in Kancimah. Besides, there are many other ramas like Siddhesvari Pha of Kurtalam (a monastery), Kailsa ram of Hrishikesh, LalitaPha, rVidy Vimarsana Pha and innumerable local ramas that primarily worship according to rVidy discipline.rVidyranya Swamy of 14th century AD was a great saint and scholar of di ankaras tradition. He gave a commentary on the Veda, along with many other works like Vednta Pancadsi. rVidyrnava, a compilation on the philosophy, practices and secrets of rVidy, is said to be his work.BhskaraRya from Bijpur area of Karntaka was a great rVidy practitioner in the recent centuries. He belonged to 18th century. He lived in Vransi for many years, and there are many stories about his devotion and the Mothers divine grace over him. He was famous as a practitioner and an exponent of rVidy in his times, and later. His name marks a lineage of practice in rVidy. To this date, many generations after his times, Bhskara Rya lineage is famous. Bhskara Rya Mandali of Chennai, are among the practitioners of his school. Bhskararyas commentary on Lalita Sahasra nama is said to be one of the greatest commentaries.r Muthuswamy Dikshitar who lived in 18-19 centuries was another exponent of rVidy tradition. He was a multi-faceted personality, a genius. He was a great musician, a devotee, a Vedntist, expert in Mantra stra and a scholar. He belonged to Dakiamrti tradition of rVidy practice. (There are three main traditions in rVidy, called Dakiamrti, nandaBhairavaand Hayagriva traditions.) He called Devi Kamalmba, and composed kritis (songs in Carnticmusic) that extol the greatness of Her. Since they follow the progression in the worship of rCakra, they are called as Navavrana Kritis. Kamalmba is the main deity in the temple at Tiruvvur whom he worshiped during his stay there. It was during that time he composed the songs, which expound rVidy Tantra in an unmatched way. The songs that praise the deities in each enclosure of rYantra, are composed in a separate Rga. So, nine Rgas were used to compose the songs. Another uniqueness of these hymns is that they have different vibhaktis [Vibhakti is the suffix added to noun, that determines the role and state of noun, such as singular/plural, subject/actor. In Sanskrit, verb/noun is self-sufficient, and does not depend on other words. For instance, Rma, Rma did, By Rma, Rmas, to Rma all these are independent words like Rmah, Rmasya, Rmou, Rme. And these words are formed by appending different vibhaktis to the word-root Rma. There are eight vibhaktis and one common to all. These nine forms are used by r Dikshitar in his songs corresponding to the nine enclosures of r Yantra].Another great exponent of kt Tantra of the previous century is Kvyakntha Vasitha Gaapati. He is said to have worshiped many forms of Devi, including rVidy, Chinnamasta and Tra. He contributed greatly in spreading and popularizing worship of Devi, initiated thousands of seekers into these schools. His disciples have in turn done that, along with establishing ramas for the same. He was an associate of Ramana Maharhi of Aruncalam (Tamil Nadu). He produced great literature not only on kt but on Vedic knowledge in general. His consort was a teacher herself, and was primarily a rVidy practitioner. Kapli stry, a disciple of both r Aurobindo and Kvyakntha Vasitha Gaapati, was a rVidy practitioner too. He was the author of Siddhanjana, a commentary onRigveda.The previous head of Kancimah, laterCandraekharendra Sarasvati, was a great exponent of rVidy. He also gave an elaborate commentary on theSoundarya Laharihymn.There are different levels of practice in rVidy. Usually, practitioners are initiated withBalamantra first. After some practice, they will be initiated to Pancadsi or odasi, and Khadgamla. Khadgamla is the hymn, which is used to worship r Cakra. It enumerates the names of deities in each enclosure of the r Cakra. They are worshiped in the order they come in the hymn. Beyond, there are different stages like Pduka dka (roughly translated as the worship of Devis shoes). However, many will be happy in continuing their worship at one of these stages, without necessarily taking the later initiations. There are seers who do Pancadsi, odasi, Khadgamla, Pduka dka or even Bla alone. Tdepalli Rghava Nryana stry and AddankiKrishnaMurthy of previous century are examples of people who worshiped Bla. There is also a practice of worshiping Devi with r Sukta.Worship is done in many modes. Some worship everyday and some do collective worship on occasions. However some serious practitioners follow dka, for a certain period of time. During that, they follow severe austerities, worship Devi with red flowers and kunkum (vermilion), wear red clothes during worship and sleep on the floor. Being red in hue Herself, such practice is said to please Devi.In recent years in Andhra Pradesh there started a practice of collective worship of Lalita, chanting and worship with Lalita Sahasra Nama hymn. This is done in various occasions and regularly (weekly) in groups by many. They include Laka Kunkumrcana, in which a hundred thousand names of the Mother are chanted along with worship with Kunkum. (Sahasra nma hymn having thousand names is chanted hundred times ten times each by ten persons). While there is a general trend of rise in kt practices, most of them follow rVidy. There is also a general practice to worship Lakmi in r Cakra domestically.Though there is a different Yantra for different kt deities like Durga and Lakmi, it came to be a practice that any form of Devi is worshiped in r Cakra in rVidy procedure. In some places both Candi Navarna and rVidy procedures are followed, for example Knci. The main priests of all thesetemplesare usually initiated into rVidy.There are many practitioners of rVidy today. They not only initiate many seekers into the path and guide them, but popularize the school through lucid explanations and popular discourses, collective worship. Some of the famous teachers and practitioners include Dr r Vrabhadra Mahdev and r Samavedam anmukha arma. r Mahdev is primarily a teacher and practitioner of rVidy. ranmukha arma has reached out to people through his discourses, about the practice of religion. His discourses include praises and expounding the philosophy of all the major schools, Viu, Devi and iva. He is a living example of how, having experienced the deeper reality, one can easily understand and see the same spiritual philosophy in different religions or theistic schools like Vaiava, aiva, kt. The same holds true in case of many seers Vasiha Gaapati,Ramaa Maharshi, r Aurobindo, Kapli stry, Candra ekharendra Sarasvati.Mantra Vidys in rVidyThere are several mantra Vidys that are practiced as part of rVidy worship. Broadly, there are two kinds of mantras mla Vidys (the central or root Vidys) and anga Vidys (subsidiary Vidys).Mla VidysThere are four main or mla Vidys in rVidy(a) Gyatri: Vedic Gyatri, the primary Vidy that one is initiated into, before the rVidy mantras like Bla or Pancadsi.(b) Bla: The three lettered Vidy. The presidingdevata, Bla Mah Tripura Sundari, is a child. Bla is said to be one of the most attractive and wonderful forms of Devi. Holding book andjapamala and sitting in a white flower, She presides over knowledge and bliss, and grants all the boons that the devotees ask for. It is a general practice to initiate rVidy practitioners into Bla before initiating them into Pancadsi. However there are several sdaks who are happier practicing Bla Vidy alone and have attained salvation. There are multiple Bla mantras, such as the Mla mantra and Bla Hridayam.(c) Pancadsi: Pancadsi is the famous fifteen lettered rVidy mantra. Dakiamrti is said to be the seer of Pancadsi. There are several variations to Pancadsi. There are twelve major variations, and are called dvdasa Vidys in Pancadsi. First two of them are the famous ka-adi Vidy (begininning with ka) and ha-adi Vidy (begininning with ha). The remaining ten are said to be practiced by, and hence named after Manu, Candra, Kubera, Agastya, Nandikesvara, Surya, Indra, Viu, ankara and Durvsa.The Pancadsi is set of three putis or groups of bjas. Each puti is said to represent a level of consicousness, a kuta in mantra stra, and a granthi in Kunalini yoga and in general a level in sadhana. Each puti ends with Mya or Bhuvanesvari bja. Symbolically Devi is called Tripura Sundari, since there are three Bhuvans or Puras She is ruling. Presiding Devats of mantras with Myabja are usually pleasant forms, and Tripura Sundari is one of the most pleasant and beautiful forms.(d) odasi: odasi is the sixteen lettered rVidy. Pancadsi with an additional bja (usually rbja) becomes odasi. Tripura Sundari, the presiding Devata is said to be sixteen years old. Practitioners say that there is no form of Devata which is more beautiful and pleasant than odasi. The very incarnation of Devi in this form is to restore desire, creation and bliss in the world.Anga VidysThe several subsidiary Vidys of rVidy are arranged into six Amnays. Amnay means Veda/Agama, and in Saiva there are five Amnays. They are represented by the five faces of iva facing Purva (eastwards), Dakia(southwards), Pascima (westwards), Uttara (northwards) and Urdhva (upwards). In rVidy there is a sixth Amnaya called Anuttara. Each Amnaya is associated with a guru mandala and several Vidys,astrakamya and par. Besides, all the Vidys are grouped at different levels. Some of the major Vidys are listed below.PurvamnayaThe Purvamnaya contains Vidys for three gurus sva-guru, parama guru and paramesthi guru four peethas or seats of Devi, called Kmagiri, Purnagiri, Jalandhara and Odyana Gaapati , various forms of ymala, Mrityunjaya, PratyangiraDakiamnayaDakiamnaya contains Vidys for eight Bhairavas nine Siddhs three Vatuks (celibates) the two feet of Devi, the praka and vimara forms of Bagala, Vrhi, Dakiamrti and PaupataPascimamnayaPascimamnaya contains Vidys for ten Duti Devats (messenger Devats) three mandals (the Agni-Surya-Soma mandals representing three putis of rVidy) ten vra Bhairavs or warriors sixty four siddhas forms and associate Devats of Viu nine grahs Sura mantras or mantras for Devats like IndraUttaramnayaUttaramnaya contains Vidys for Mudra Navakam or mantras for nine mudrs Viravli or the five presiding Devats of the universe (Brahma, Viu, Rudra, vara and Sadaiva) Forms of Durga, Candi, Kli etc.UrdhvamnayaUrdhvamnaya has Vidys for Mlini or Mtrika varna mla (the alphabet mantras) Guru Mandala par Vidys like par Smbhavi, Paramba, par odasi, Khecari, Ajapa, Tvrakmba, NikalaAnuttaramnayaAnuttaramnaya has Vidys for Catupt or Gyatri of four feet odasi Various forms of nysa, sankalpa and pduka VidysNitya DevatsThere are fifteen Nitya Devats who preside over each day between a full moon and a new moon day. Each Nitya Devata is worshiped through a Vidy named after Her. They are Kmevari Bhgamlini Nityaklinna Bherunda Vahnivsini Mahvidyevari ivaduti Tvarita Kula Sundari Nitya Nla Ptaka Vijaya Sarva Mangala Jvla Mlini VicitraTextsThe Tantric texts like Rudra Yamala expound rVidy. KhadgamlaStotra, is the map and worship of r Cakra. Besides there are several r Kula texts in the oral traditions, either as compilations or as part of the mantra stra texts like Mantra Mahoddhi, Mantra Mahrnava and kt texts. A few of these texts are listed below - Kmakala vilsa Tantrarja tantra Tripurrnava tantra rVidyrnava tantra Jnanrnava tantra Dakiamurti samhita Gandharva tantra Nitya shodashikarnava Yogini hridaya.BrahmndaPur has the story of Lalita slaying Bhansura. The Lalita Sahasra Nama in Brahmnda Pur expounds rVidy.BhskaraRvya's Varivsya Rahasya, a commentary on the Sahasra nvma is a comprehensive text on rVidy. Lalita Trisati, which is also found in the same Pur, is the hymn form of Pancadsi Mantra. r Sukta, a hymn ofRig Vedafound in its Khila part is also used in rVidy worship. In fact Tripura TapiniUpanishad, an entire Upanishad is dedicated to Her. di ankara's prapanca sra tantra mentions some of the rVidy mantras. DeviBhgavatadescribes Manidvpa, which according to rVidy is the Mother's abode.Notes1. There is no direct relation between elimination of animal sacrifice and rVidy. However, it became a general smrta practice to worship rVidy, and also discourage animal sacrifices.2. This is known from the Sthala Purs of these shrines.3. There is a historic debate about ankara's relation to rVidy, and it is said that Saundarya Lahari, TriSati Bhaya are not originally authored by ankara. It is also said that the ankara lineages worshiping rVidy is a practice later than ankara himself. However, the ankara lineages and smrtas in general do worship rVidy.Bibliographies1. r Lalita DeviCaritraby Jagadguru r Siddheswarananda Swami, Published in Telugu by Swayamsiddha Kali Peetham, Guntur2. r Guru Samsmarana, The Souvenir on Centenary of r C V Swami Sastriji