Shri Vidya

IAST|Śrī Vidyā (also spelled "Shri Vidya") is the name of a Hindu religious system devoted to the goddess Lalitā Tripurasundarī or simply IAST|Tripurasundarī ('Beautiful Goddess of the Three Cities'), a tantric form of the goddess IAST|Śrī (also called IAST|Lakṣmī). [For description of the system and translation "Beautiful Goddess of the Three Cities" see: Harvnb|Flood|1996|p=187.] The Sanskrit word "IAST|vidyā" means "knowledge" or "lore", [For definition of _sa. विद्या (IAST: "IAST|vidyā") as "knowledge, learning, lore, science" see: Harvnb|Apte|1965|p=857.] so the literal translation of "IAST|Śrī Vidyā" is "Knowledge of the Goddess Śrī". A thousand names for this form of IAST|Devī are recited in the IAST|Lalitā Sahasranāma, which includes IAST|Śrī Vidyā concepts. [For presence of influence in the "IAST|Lalitā Sahasranāma" and a brief summary of some IAST|Śrī Vidyā practices, see: Harvnb|Sastry|1986|pp=vii-ix.]

In the theology of the IAST|Śrī Vidyā the goddess is supreme, transcending the cosmos which is a manifestion of her. [For goddess as supreme and beyond the manifest cosmos, see: Harvnb|Flood|1996|p=188.] The school has an extensive literature of its own. [For extensive literary tradition of the IAST|Śrī Vidyā school, see: Harvnb|Bhattacharyya|1999|p=329.] The details of the beliefs vary in different texts, but the general principles are similar to those found in Kashmir Shaivism. [For thematic similarity to Kashmir Shaiva tantras, see: Harvnb|Flood|1996|p=188.]

The goddess is worshipped in the form of a mystical diagram (Sanskrit: "IAST|yantra") of nine intersecting triangles, called the "IAST|śrīcakra" ("Chakra of IAST|Śrī") that is the central icon of the tradition. [For description of "IAST|śrīcakra yantra" see: Harvnb|Flood|1996|pp=187-188.]

The name "IAST|śrīvidyā" is also used to refer to a specific mantra used in this tradition having fifteen syllables. [For the 15-syllable "IAST|śrīvidyā" mantra, see: Harvnb|Flood|1996|p=187.] This mantra is called the "IAST|pañcadaśī" ("The Fifteen syllabled") [For "IAST|pañcadaśī" as name for the fifteen-syllable mantra see: Harvnb|Sastry|1986|pp=8, 36..] and the "IAST|pañcadaśākṣarī" ("The Fifteen Syllables"). [For "IAST|pañcadaśākṣarī" as name for the fifteen-syllable mantra see: Harvnb|Joshi|1998|p=5.] She is also worshipped with a mantra of sixteen syllables called the "IAST|ṣodaśākṣarī" by some people, which according to different published interpretations is obtained either by adding the syllable "IAST|śrīṁ" [For "IAST|Śrīṣodaśākṣarīvidyā" ("She who is in the form of the holy formula of sixteen syllables") as a name for the goddess and as a "mantra", and addition of syllable "IAST|śrīṁ", see: Harvnb|Joshi|1998|p=210.] or the syllable "IAST|śrī" [For "IAST|Śrī ṣodaśākṣarī vidyā" ("She who is of the form of the sixteen-syllabled mantra") as a name for the goddess and as a "mantra", and addition of syllable "IAST|śrī", see: Harvnb|Dev|1996|p=254.] to the fifteen-syllable mantra. Another published source says that the sixteenth syllable is kept secret and communicated only to adepts. [For secrecy of the sixteenth syllable, see: Harvnb|Tapasyananda|1990|p=27.]

It must also be noted that the ultimate mantra in the system is "Shodashi" having 32 syllables. Though all mantras are avainlable in -print they are useless for practice as they have to empowered by a competent teacher who will give life to it.But the underlying principle of the whole practice is to realise the ultimate unity of the Devata, the mantra, the teacher and the practitioner. See Parasurama Kalpasootra that is accepted by many of the practitioners as the base text."Mantra devatA guru AtmAnAm aikyam".There are various schools of srividya. The left handed path; the right handed practice etc. ie. Vama, Dakshina, Samaya etc. Considerable controversy exists between the practitioners of each of the branches regarding superiority, though serious practitioners just follow their teaching without criticising other methodologies.

This is a path that insists on equal respects for all paths in as much as Parashurama Kalpasootra injuncts "sarwa darshanaaninda" - "One shall not insult any other path". This is a cardinal principle that has run though Hinduism generally like a golden thread. The path, as does Hinduism, believes all paths lead to the ultimate reality.This path also emphasises the value of visualisation by stating that "Bhaavanaadhaardyaat nigrahaanugraha sheshi" "One gets the power to bless or curse based on his/her visualisation ability".

Notes

References

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