SRIVIDYA - AN ANCIENT TRADITION

Sri Vidya is the knowledge of Sri, the Goddess, the knowledge that mattered or the real knowledge, that lead to liberation, or the path or teaching, that lead to the Supreme Truth. This intricate tradition guides the aspirant throughd the worship of several Gods and Goddesses to the central point which represents the Mother Goddess. The Sir Chakram or, in its elevated form the Maha Meru, is representative of this progression.

In the Sri Vidya tradition, the Sri Chakra is the yantra (diagrammatic symbol) for worship. When the Sri Chakra is elevated the Meru is formed. The Maha Meru is identical in structure to the Sri Chakra. If the Meru is viewed from the top or is compressed it takes the shape of the Sri Chakra. The structure of the Sri Chakra is complicated. The Sri Chakra is made up a of series of nine triangles around the central point or Bindu.

In the Sri Chakra, the journey is from the outer bhupura to the central Bindu, the path indicative of ones own journey to the ultimate God head, step by step. This form of ritualistic worship is called the Navavarana Pooja, avarana meaning veil. Indeed the process resembles the removal of the veil of ignorance stage by stage until the devotee merges with the Bindu or the Supreme Mother. Each level or avarana is dedicated to a certain deity and offering worship, the aspirant is elevated to the next plane. Each level or Chakra has its own presiding deities and mudras.

The journey of the aspirant from the outer Bhupuram to the inner Bindu is identified with the awakening of primordial energy in man, the rising of the Kundalini in the Mooladhara and its journey to meet the Brahman in the Sahasradala Padma in esoteric union. The Sri Vidya worship of the Sri Chakra or the Maha Meru, the Navavarana Pooja in its highest form turns the body itself into the Sripuram, the abode of the goddess and the rituals, into the journey of self-realization or enlightenment. The upasakar transforms his body into the place of worship, burns it in the sacrificial fire and reclaims it by the grace of Shiva and Sakthi. The upasakar, in a sense, imagines himself as a female form, offering worship to the Divine Goddess. The path traced by the energy from the mooladhara to its point of union is identical to the progression through the pooja, from the outer charkas of the Sri Chakra to the inner triangle and then to the center point, the Bindhu, the Goddess Ambika with her consort Iswara.

The Sri Vidya tratition to which Kamakoti Sastigal belonged was handed down to the Sathguru (Para Para Guru) and from him to Pookada Sundara Sastri (Paramesti Guru). Sri Naga Subramanya Sastri (Paramaguru) his disciple, handed down the tradition to Smt. Visalakshi Swaminathan (Guru) and from her to Shri Sharma. The guru paramparai was thus unbroken. And so it was that the Sakthi Peeta Brindavanam evolved, the only temple in the Sri Vidya tradtition with Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal as the Para Para Guru, the tradition continuing through his direct disciple. The Sakthi Peeta Brindavanam has as its central point the Supreme Goddess in her form as the Maha Meru representing man's ascent to the Supreme God head. Below the Meru is the Sri Chakra. The eight siddhis are present in the Meru, the manifestation of the consmic power. Surrounding the Goddess are the sages of enlightenment, masters who have traveled the path from mundane to sublime, conquering the senses to merge in the Supreme Truth. An outward physical manifestation of a philosophy the world needs to understand, a philosophy that goes beyond the religious to spiritual realms, accessible to every true devotee and aspirant.

Sathguru Sri Seshadri Swamigal (Parapara Guru)	Pooka Sundara Sastrigal (ParamestiGuru ) and Sri Nagasubramania Sastri (Paramaguru)	Sri Nagasubramania Sastri and Srimathi Vishalakshi Swaminathan (Guru)	Srimathi and Sri Swaminathan
Srimathi and Sri Sharma	Crafting the Meru	Crfting the Meru	Crafting the Meru

Abishekam for the Meru	Sandal Paste being applied by Devotees	Sri Sharma Worshipping the Maha Meru	Sri Chakra Maha Meru

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