Lalitarchana-Chandrika

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in l98l. Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jynarisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than Hundred till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Vastu-Shilpa-Kosha in Three Volumes. Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing "Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-K0sha" an encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multi- disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm—Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kala type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over IOO years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 108th (One hundred and Eighth) of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra—Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a Well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Collision College Study Center of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati. He is at present the Visiting Professor, Vivekananda Chair, University of Mysore.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academy and Sangita Nritya Academy; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita—Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi and Sahitya Academi.

He has been the recipient of Veda Sanman (for 2000) by the Maharshi Sandipani Veda-Vidya Pratishthan of Ujjaini (Govt. of India, Ministry of HRD).

Among his numerous English Publications are three volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan. Mumbai), Tibetan Tantric Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita. and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in Twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes. He has also authored books in Kannada and Sanskrit.

He is at present engaged in the 30-volume project Rgveda-Darsana (seven volumes of which have appeared).

He is also a musicologist, sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy Bangalore, is happy and proud to bring out this important work connected with worship of Sri—Chakra, which is well-known for providing success, prosperity, happiness and emancipation for its devotees. The present publication deals with the practical aspects of the worship of the Mother in the form of Sri-Chakra. It is Prayoga—Vidhi, which is not so well known, for it was not available till now. By publishing it, the Academy has done a service to the cause of Sri—Vidya.

We are grateful to Vidyalankara, Sastra Chudamani, Sangita Kalaratna, Sastra Vidhyanidhi, Vidya Vachaspati Prof. SK. Ramachandra Rao for having prepared this edition of the text from a manuscript and also providing introduction in English.

We are blessed by the Patronage of His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, the Jagadguru of Sri Sharada Peetham of Sringeri and Chief Patron of our Academy, and we are indebted to the keen interest in our work evinced by Shri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of Shri Sringeri Sharada Peetham and also the Academy’s chairman.

We thankfully acknowledge the Financial Assistance received from the National Archives of India, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

We also record our gratitude to the Omkar Offset Printers for the excellent production of this book.

Bhaskara-raya-makhin (between 1690 and 1785), who is the well known commentator on the celebrated text of the worship of the mother-goddess, Lalita- sahasra-nama (Saubhagya-bhaskara by name), has also written a gloss on Tantrik Upanishad called Bhavanopanishad. This Upanishad is an important manual for the upasakas of Srividya. It explains the esoteric significance of well -known Sri -Chakra, and also the spiritual mode of worship of Samaya (Kadi) school. Bhaskara-raya-makhin has also written a prayogavidhi to accompany his gloss on Bhavanopanishad. The Introduction provides details of what is known as "inner sacrifice" (antaryaga), which is the characteristic approach of the Samaya school.

This important but little known gloss (prayoga-vidhi along with the Bhavanopanishad) has been brought out here with elaborate introduction, comments and notes in English. Because this wisdom in hailed as Chandra-jnana (knowledge of the lunar phases and full moon, represented by the Panchadasi and Shodasi mantras), this research work dealing with it is called chandrika (moonlight). The deity adored by the Srividya upasakas is Lalita (otherwise called Raja-rajesvari). Hence the book is described as Lalitarchana Chandrika.

I am grateful to the chief editor and director of the Academy, Daivajna K.N. Somayaji for having entrusted the preparation of this book to me. I am also indebted to the Jagadguru of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswami, the chief patron of the Academy and to Shri V.R. Gowrishankar, the chief Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham and also chairman of the Academy.

I offer my thanks to the unfailing courtesy and co -operation of my friends, Shri Venkatesh Babu and Sri Nagendra of Omkar Offset Printers during the preparation of this work.