Shri Vidya Saparya Paddhati (श्रीविद्यासपर्यापद्धति:)

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श्रीविद्यासपर्यापद्धति: (Shri Vidya Saparya Paddhati) The Brahmavidya Vimarsini Sabha which has been in existence for a little over eighteen months has been assisting, by means of periodical lectures and publication of books, persons who are worshippers of Sri Devi, in the better understanding of Sri Vidya and Advaita which are closely connect ed or, more correctly speaking, identical. The members of the Sabha as well as other Upasakas have long felt the need for a publication setting out an accurate and exhaustive worship of Sri Vidya, The Navavarana Puja was till now available only in manuscripts varying with each Upasaka and containing mistakes which have crept in when transcribing from one manuscript to another. The Sabha decided to undertake the publication of a book which whilst giving in detail the ritual proper of the Navavarana Puja should at the same time be free from mistakes and follow the Kalpasutras. For this purpose they appointed a Committee which under the guidance of the president of the Sabha, Brahmasri N. Subramania Iyer, a devotee of Sri Devi for over 30 years, brought out this publication and I have much pleasure in commending to the public, this work which is chiefly based on the South Indian manuscripts. Anumber of diagrams have also been included in the book explaining the positions of the various Devatas in the Srichakra and their worship.

This book, as the title implies, deals with the method of worship of Sri Devi. Sri Devi, Srichakra and Panchadasakshari are all identical, and Sri Vidya stands for all these three. Manu, Chandra, Kubera, Lopamudra, Manmatha, Agastya, Nandikesvara, Surya, Vishnu, Shanmukha, Siva and Durvasas have all specialised in this Vidya. Adi Sankaracharya was also an exponent of Devi worship and his Soundarya- lahari contains the quintessence of the Samaya worship. Sri Devi worship is the Upasana of the Supreme Brahman in its feminine aspéct of Sakti, the Creative Energy of the Universe. Brahman and Sakti are different only in name. They are identical, the former being the Prakasa aspect, and the latter the Vimarsa aspect, That the worship of Sri Devi is Vedic has been established by Bhaskararaya who interprets the Rig Vedic passage “चत्वार ईं विनति क्षेमयन्तः” ‘Panchadasakshari.’ The same idea finds expresas referring to sion in Natanananda’s commentary on sloka 17 of Kamakalavilasa. In Varivasyarahasya, Bhaskararaya refers to the Vedic origin of Sri Vidya as follows:-

कामो योनिः कमलेत्येवं संकेतितैः शब्दैः ।
व्यवहरति न तु प्रकटं यां विद्यां वेदपुरुषोऽपि ॥

Lakshmidhara commenting on the Arunopanishad, a part of Taittiriya Aranyaka, explains the word ‘Arunopanishad’ as अरुणायाः भगवत्याः प्रतिपादिका उपनिषत्. Appayya Dikshita begins his commentary on Bahvrichopanishad belonging to Rig Veda with the following sloka.

यस्यां देवी महावाक्यैः चतुर्भिर्भाव्यते परा ।
बहुचाख्योपनिषदं व्याख्यास्ये तां द्विलिङ्गिकाम् ॥

It is a source of delight that the ‘Lalita Sahasranamavali,’ the best of all Sahasranamas, is included in this book. Totally free from repetitions and superfluous verbiage, it stands unique among all Sahasranamas. Tradition has it that this stotra was composed by the “Vagdevatas” at the command of Sri Lalita. A perusal of this Nama- vali, printed herein, shows that, besides paying special attention to grammar, it strictly follows the commentary of Bhaskararaya and the Paribha- sha of his Guru Nrisimhanandanatha, which is itself based on the Chalakshara Sutras. This accounts for the variance of some of the Namas here as compared with other edition.

A companion volume of this book called ‘Para Puja Vasana’ embodying the lucid lectures (which I had the fortune to attend) delivered by the President of the Sabha with further annota- tions is under preparation, wherein the Advaitic aspect of Srichakra worship and everything connected with it will be clearly explained. It is expected to be published in a short time. The Brahmavidya Vimarsini Sabha has been fortunate in securing the services of Sri C. Sankara Rama Sastriar Avl., in the editing of this volume. Great credit is due to the Sri Balamanorama Press for the neat execution of this work.