Lalita Trishati Parayanam and Srichakra Meru in house

Dear Swami,

Iam doing the parayanam of lalitha trishati and sahasranama.. But Iam not initiated with any mantra... But my friend says that 'devotion that matters' and leave rest to devi and she will take care of rest. So Iam continuing my parayanam... But still when I read some books which says initiation is a must, I get confused

Is this right to do the chanting? Also can we keep Srichakra / Meru in our house?

Balakumar

Guntoor

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First let me clarify - that "MY ANSWER TO THIS QUERY IS NOT GOING TO PLEASE MANY OF YOU ". But my Gurunathar has told me... "when you find something wrong - against Sasthras - record your objection and point out the mistake once. Even then if they continue, then its their fate"

So with my Gurus words Iam answering this query.

There is a difference between stotras and maala mantras... Stotras are praises of a particular deity and can be chanted by all... But certain stotras are called Maala Mantras which definitely needs initiation / upadesham for chanting. Any stotras which has Rishi and Nysam had to be taught by a Guru.

You have lots and lots of Stotras on every devata but people always want "the forbidden fruit"

People today are of "Know All" attitude and their Ego does not permit to get upadesham from a particular person as his/her Guru. (A small test if you get annoyed or irritated by reading this line, then please excuse me - you are also in the same zone)

Lalita Trishati is one such powerful Maala Mantra and only people having Srividya Upadesham can chant it. This is not for common folks...

Lalitha Trishati has 300 Names which is divided into 15 groups of 20 naamas each. The Srividya Moola mantram of Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari has 15 letters and for each letter 20 names are attributed and so 15 x 20 =300. So it is very obvious that initiation into Srividya is the basic qualification to Chant Trishati.

And you say your friend says "Devotion That Matters" - when devotion is the factor where does the question of breaking the rules come? A true devotee will never go against the will of his Lord. The same Lord say Lalita in your case have clearly instructed that this has to be secretly maintained and must be given only as upadesham.. So how can you act against Her instruction and gain pray to Her ?

Please read the Poorva Bagam and Uthra Bagam of Lalita Trishati. 

When Agasthya approaches Hayagreeva to teach him the important stotra (Lalitha Trishati), Hayagreeva hesitates because that one stotra is extremely secret.

Then Lalitha herself appears before Hayagreeva and asks him to teach Agasthya, the most secret of the stotras called Laltha Trishati. Then Hayagreeva teaches him the Lalitha Trishathi stotra.

When Agasthya himself is not exempted from Guru Upadesha, how can people like us take this as granted? 

And today we have Cassettes, CDs, MP3s and even Youtube having Trishati..... 

Doing things which are prohibited in the Sasthras will not only stop the results expected but also will yield Nishpalam ie Negative Effects.

Please understand.. IAM NOT THREATENING but iam talking out of consideration towards you... 

There are many "So called " Gurus who give permission to their disciples (?? !!) to chant whatever they want. They may say "No upadesham required"... Infact by saying so they become partners in sharing the sin. Who can give permission for acting against Shasthras ? 

Today many astrologers or the oracles simply suggest "Chant Trishati for 41 days" ; "Do Srichakra Puja" (They neither have any knowledge on what is Srichakra Puja nor who is Lalitha) 

My question is, for an ordinary headache a simple crocin or anacin will do.. you need not go for a brain surgery

Do not attempt to make any mistakes and then blame God.

Please understand Bhakti Maarga is Different from Mantra Marga or Upasana Maarga.... For being an Upasaka one needs bhakti but Being a Bhakta itself will not qualify you to act yourself as an upasaka. 

There are numerous other stotras on each and every deities which can be chanted by everyone- you can chant it heart-fully.. Instead of chanting the Stotras without upadesham, you chant all these stotras and pray to her that I only only this, Iam 200% sure that Devi will immediately bless you and grant all your wishes - BECAUSE OF YOUR SINCERITY

After reading all this.. do you want me to answer the the next question of keeping a Meru in the house ?


If there is atleast one  "YES" then I shall answer it

Salagrama Puja at Houses

One of my friend visited my house and saw our saligramam we need 

to reconfirm and wish to know what type of saligramam we have in our house. And wish to know the name etc., 

But as below mentioned saligrama is Vishnu's, how Iyers who are generally Shaiva like us having the same. I have seen my grant father, father praying rudram while performing pooja. Do sivalinga will also have holes in it ??? 

Is it necessary we need keep close the saligram and Linka after Pooja and archana?? Iam having close room for my temple so I never closed after pooja. Kindly 

clarify

A Devotee

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Salagrama is a small roundish black stone with a small hole and has some distinctive marking like Chakra or shankha etc. These Salagramas are worshipped as Vishnu himself. 

A home with a Salagramam is regarded as a temple. Nitya Abhisheka and Aradhana is recommended for the Salagrama. The Salagramam when properly worshiped will nullify the evil effects of black magic within a radius of 5 miles from its location.

You can read the origin of Salagramam from my book Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam - the first chapter of Sastha Jananam - ie the river Gandaki originated from Mohini Avatara Vishnu's body - so the sacred stones from this river is considered as vishnu himself. Its actually the shell of the worms in the river Gandaki and its body is covered by a stone cover or shell known as Vajrakita and they came to be called as Salagramas.

gandakyAs cha iva dEsE cha sAlagrAma Stalam mahat

pAshanam tad bhavam yath thath sAlagrAmam iti smrtham

Near the Gandaki River, there is a big place called Shalagram. The stones which appear in that place are called Shalagramam

There is a detailed work called Salagram Kosha - which explains the significance and varieties and methods of worship for a Salagrama.

Each house may a have a different Salagrama as per the family tradition. You may esquire your family elders regarding this. Iam afraid that I cannot judge which salagramam you are having without seeing it personally. From the description you are giving, I think its general Maha Vishnu Salagrama.

The Salagramas used for puja at home generally has a hole. Having the rekhas, marks etc is not a must. Please note that even if it has a crack or split, it is still auspiciousa and can be worshiped. If it is broken into two -  it can be worshipped as two separate Moorthis. And this is directly opposite in the case of Shiva linga - even if there is a small crack in a Shiva Linga it should not be used for worship.

And coming to an important question  - How Iyers are worshipping Salagrama ? 

IYERS ARE NOT SHAIVAITES !!!

Iyers or Smarthas are people who treat every God as a manifestation of one Supreme being. Just because Smarthas adore Bhasma(vibhuti) and associated with Adhi Shankara, most of the people (including Iyers) are of the opinion that we are Shaivaites - which is not at all true.

Smarthas are people who believe in One Supremacy and worshiped it in different forms. We dont differentiate between Shiva and Vishnu. Adhi Shankara taught this principle. And you can see the Stotras of Shankara that he praises Vishnu than a staunch Vaishnavite.

Each Smartha House had a complete Set of Panchayata - which includes -

1.Shiva Linga

2.Vishnu Salagrama

3.Ganapati Sonabadra

4.Surya Spatika

5. Devi Swarnamuki

According to the family tradition one deity may gain primary position and other are placed around it.

Please read my article on Panchayatana Puja 

http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2009/11/panchayatana-puja.html

We dont differentiate between Shiva and Vishnu and So its no wonder worshipping a Vishnu Salagrama by an Iyer. 

Even the Shringeri Acharyas worship the Nrisimha Salagrama which is handed down in the lineage by Adhi Shankara himself. The Shri Chankr at Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram is engraved on a Salagrama Stone.

Strict Acharas has to be followed regarding Devata Puja. Worshipping framed pictures and doing Yatha Sthanam after the puja is totally a different procedure. 

But these Salagramam, Shivalingam etc has Nitya Sannidyam of the Devatas and even a small Anachara may result in adverse effect. Thats the reason our ancestors were very careful in handling with these and so closed the Puja gruham immediately after the puja

Connection of Sastha with Srividya Upasana

sidharth kris

could u plz tell me the details of connection of sastha with srividya upasana....

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Connection of Sastha with Srividya Upasana

You will find a brief explanation regarding this in my book "Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam"... and I shall try to throw some more light in the area:

Sastha is the dear most son of Lalitha and the upasana of Sastha is always in Line with Shrividyopasana...
Every Shrividyopasaka will know that the physical form of Laitha parameswari can be witnessed only at Kanchipuram. It is her Rajadhani... Lalitha parameshwari's headquarters is Kanchipuram - the Shri Nagaram of Bhuloka.. The whole of Kanchi Kshetram is Shrichakraakara(in the form of Shri Chakram). and the Bindu is Kamakshi Sannidhanam.. Right behind Kamakshi is her beloved son with his consorts.. Poorna and Pushkala...

I've heard from scholars like Harshanandanatha that a shrividyopaska entering the Kanchi Kshetram must worship all the deities with due Mudras and mantras and finally end the journey with Lord Sastha by worshipping him with Kalyana Shastru mantra and display the Khadga, pasham karavala and other mudras.
In general the practice of Srividya - in the Saubhagya Vidya of Dakshinamnaya one can find Sasthru moorthi. Here he is worshiped in the forms Darma Sastha and Kirata Sastha.

Sastha, (w.r.t to this area) helps the upasakas in begetting children and to overcome the enemies.

You can see an explicit reference of Sastha in Lalithopakhyana, as the Son of Lalitha Parameshwari. Shri.Manidasar of the illustrious Kambankudi family (also a devi upasaka) exclaims the glory of the Lord and concludes his songs praising "the son of Lalitha"

Though you find these details and explicit references...

The upasana of Sastha in the Shrividya cult is maintained with utmost secrecy that too only with a few specific schools of Shri Vidya...
In the Sadi Vidya - Sastha is one of the Gurus in the Ogatraya

For example if you observe carefully you can find Sastha in the 9th avarana of Maha Prasada vidya (Mahaprasada Avarana has to be worshipped after Urdhwamnaya Puja -only by the Poornabhishiktas and that too - with Sri Guru's guidance)
My Paramaguru who was an exponent in Srividya (whose kuladevata was Shasta) worshipped the Lord 100% with the Srividyopasana paddathi.

I dont know how many of us are aware of the fact the power house of all the Sastha Kshetrams lie at Karanthapuri(today - Kallidaikuichi) - in the banks of river Tamrabarani. The Kulathooril Ayyan there is worshipped in a stone peeta with Shri Chakram engraved on it...
(Due to the merits accumulated for thousands of my previous births - the Lord gave me an opportunity to touch the Srichakram here and offer my worship with my own hands)

And even at Sabarimalai - the Lord is seated on Srichakram and not on a Sasthru Yantram.
There is an exclusive Srichakra puja paddathi for Sastha(which is unfortunately not available with anyone and Iam searching for it)

And let me conclude this with a "Deva Rahasya" which was shared to me by a great Srividyopaska:

Devi has four powerful deities guarding her kingdom. The two are the powerful deities Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Nrisimha and Sashaktika Maha Vamana. The third is Kalasamkarshini Kali and fourth is our Master - Lord Shasta accompanied by Purna and Pushkala.

A special thanks to you - because of your question, I had a great opportunity to contemplate on these wonderful informations and on my mother Lalitha and her Laalitha Sudha.

ஓர் ஆறும் விம்சதியும் ஓர் தசமும் ஓர் ஏழும்
சீராயிணை சேர்ந்து ஸ்ரீ புரத்தில் வாழுமெங்கள்
பாராளும் லலிதை பெற்ற பாலகா உனை மறவேன்

Swamy Sharanam
V.Aravind Subramanyam
www.mahasastha.com