Sri Suktam

 The Legend Of Goddess: Invoking Sri Suktam (Om Swamy)

·         Sri Suktam is also used in Sri-Vidya to make 16 different offerings

·         The purpose of Sri Suktam is to align the universal energy to further ones pursuit in the material world

The Origin of Sri Suktam: Verse 1

1.       Goddess Lakshmi emerged from Samudra Mantha

2.       Lakshmi that is she who is everyone’s Lakshya, goal

3.       From that soft ground where Lord Vishnu and Mother Lakshmi stood, two divine rishis emerged: Chiklita and Kardama and were regarded as sons of Lakshmi and Narayana

Rishi Chiklita then invoked the first verse

(The sage who invoked the verse is regarded as seer of the verse and different verses are invoked by different seers):

Hiranyavarnam harinim suvarnarajatasrajam
Candram hiranmayim Laksmim Jatavedo ma Avaha

(Invoke for me, O Agni, the goddess Lakshmi who is radiant like gold, beautiful yellow in hue, adorned with garlands of silver and gold, magnanimous like the moon, and an embodiment of wealth and prosperity)

 

Verse 2: The Temptress

1.       After the distribution of Amrit Vishnu tells Chiklita and Kardama that any divine entity is incomplete without a place in the Vedas and Yajnas

2.       He tells them that her sonic form will take thousands of years to complete as that is the natural evolution of wealth and prosperity

3.       In her material form she will be anapagaminin, fluid like water, forver moving

4.       So in paintings we will see her standing as it’s her (Goddess Sri) nature to not be stable but whenever she’s shown next to Vishnu she’s shown sitting hence wherever Vishnu is worshipped, Lakshmi stays

5.       Kardama and Chiklita did yajna for second verse and hence are called seers of this verse

 

Tam ma avaha jatavedo lakshmimanapagaminim
Yasyam hiranyam vindeyam gamasvam purusanaham

(O Agnim Invoke for me the Goddes who will stay by my side and bless me so I may acquire material wealth of gold, cows, horses and attendants)

 

Verse 3: The Rising of Kundalini

1.       Vishnu had now sent Chiklita and Kardama to get further instructions about innovation from lord Shiva

2.       Not only did wealth provides for individuals it also validates their existence

3.       He initiates them in the third verse and provides the steps for invocation

4.       The third verse is about ananga, formless, kundalini aspect. She lives in you that’s the third verse about

5.       Two things are formless: samriddhi – prosperity and kama – desire

6.       In separate verses there are hidden mantras and Sri- Suktam has 53 mantras in total

7.       Om Swami says: “Based on Lakshmi tantra and numerous texts and my own experience, too I can tell you that this verse alone can help awaken in anyone their kundalini with diligent practice and course”

8.       In Lakshi Tantra goddess says, “I exist in three different ways. I exist as Ashwa, horses also as Chariots and I exist as the sound of elephants.
When I enter yogi’s breath in the first phase of sadhana the sound they experience is the sound of neighing of horse, when I enter middle stage of breath, their consciousness experiences the sound of the rattling of wheels of the chariot. Towards the end in their mind they hear the sounds of elephants trumpeting”

9.       As in Samudra manthan, Uchchshravas the horse came before airavat the elephant, meanwhile churning itself was chariot, the middle stage

 

Asvapurvam rathamadhyam hastinadaprabodhinim
sriyam devimupahvaye srirma devi jusatam

(I invoke Sri, the resplendent mother divine who is the goddess of prosperity, most gloriously accompanied by her retinue of horses in front, chariots in middle and whose arrival is announced by the trumpeting of elephants.
May she come and bless me)

 

Verse 4: Molten Gold

1.       In two places goddess in the form Sri will live eternally: Earth and Gold

2.       Shiva gives the mantra to rishis for invocation and explains she is Kam-sosmitam, she is like molten gold
She is ardram, she represents soft, fertile land. She is jvalantim, radiating like fire.
She is Triptam, Bringing deep satisfaction wherever she appears
She is Tarpayantim, the path to fulfilment of all material desires

3.       The Sadhna brought more ambition even aggression in Chiklita while it made Kardama increasingly calm

4.       Chiklita questioned Shiiva that why I became so ambitious and aggressive whereas Kardama became more calm and liberated then Shiva explained that you ended up sitting to my left and Kardama to my right.

5.       Since you were on my left you got initiated into vamachara, the left hand path of tantra designed to grant material gains and worldly wishes whereas Kardama was on my right and he got initiated into dakshinachara, the right handed path, the aim of which is liberation

6.       Sri is the catalyst of four purusharthas-endevours of human existence which are dharma, arhta, kama and moksha

7.       Across the four endeavors there were 16 kinds of wealth, Shiva explained. Anyone mastering the 16 richs, verse of Sri Suktam would end up acquiring untold wealth of all kinds from all directions

8.       Artha: Investments, Business or vocation, houses as well as vehicles and destiny
Kama: A compatible life partner, physical pleasures, good health and a steady source of income
Moksha: Spiritual knowledge, liberation, lifespan and detachment thus completing the 16 kinds.

 

Kamsosmitam hiranyaprakaramardram jvalantim trptam tarpayantim
Padme Sthitham padmavarnam tamihopavaye sriyam

(I invoke Sri of the lustre of burnished gold, beautiful like the lotus she’s seated on, the ever smiling, benevolent, Mother Divine who is the Goddess of prosperity, an embodiment of Absolute Bliss, who is blazing with splendour. She grants the wishes of her devotees.)

 

Verse 5: The Curse of the Sage

 

1.       Devala Muni was son of Asita who was son of Rishi Kashyap

2.       Gandharvas were frolicking in the river where Devala was praying

3.       The disturbance escalated and the Gandharva known as Huhu pulled Devala’s leg and dragged him into the deep end of the river, initially Devala got alarmed thinking it was a crocodile yet when he saw Huhu he got angry

4.       Devala cursed Huhu stating that you’ll be born as a crocodile

5.       When Huhu prayed for forgiveness, Devala told that after a long time he will be redeemed by Vishnu

6.       Asita muni looked into future and told that as a crocodile Huhu will attack a devotee of Vishnu who will call out to him then Vishnu will come to save his devotee and he will slay the crocodile with Sudarshan and this will not sit well with Mother Goddess, Sri

7.       When Devala questioned why she’ll be angry, Asita Muni explained that every time Vishnu launches his discuss, it slits his finger causing blood to ooze out. That injury takes a while to heal.

8.       Mother goddess finds it unbearable that the ever benevolent and tender lord Vishnu is subjected to that pain, especially in this case where events aren’t arising out of the natural order of the things nut due to a curse by a young sage who couldn’t control his emotions

9.       And to express her disapproval and displeasure, she walks away from the offender. In other words our future generations will be bereft of all material wealth, success and comforts

10.   Several years later an elephant who was devotee of Vishnu had gone to drink water where he was attacked by Huhu, elephant called to Vishnu and seeing his plight Vishnu descended to earth in his mount, Garuda, launched Sudarshan and saved the Elephant

11.   Since Asita Muni had foreseen these events he went to his father Kashyapa Muni

12.   Wife of Asita muni Ekaparna was a staunch devotee of supreme goddess Durga

13.   In other lifetime goddess has done Tapasya to attain Shiva she lived on dried leaves, parna and eventually even gave up those and for that Tapasya she was named Aparna, the one who lived on leaves

14.   In her upbringing Asita muni’s wife had performed extreme penance and survived on one leaf and was given the name Ekparna – she who survived on one leaf

15.   Kashyap advised Asita muni to meet Vishnu and specifically ask for a tangible way to invoke Mother Goddess in the form of Sri

16.   So lord Vishnu directed Asita Muni to invoke the fifth verse which he invoked

17.   And she blessed him that the entire gotra will survive eons and beyond and will have her blessings

18.   And hence the descendants of Kashyap gotra are found to be in important positions

 

candrāṃ prabhāsāṃ yaśasā jvalantīṃ śriyaṃ loke devajuṣṭāmudārām ।

tāṃ padminīmīṃ śaraṇamahaṃ prapadye’lakṣmīrme naśyatāṃ tvāṃ vṛṇe ।।

(I seek refuge at the lotus feet of the Goddess who is as beautiful and bright as the moon, who blazes with illustriousness, who is adored by the gods and exceedingly munificent. May my misfortunes end. I invoke thee.)

 

Verse 6: The Haihaya Dynasty

1.       At the great churning of the ocean from which Ma Laskhmi had emerged there was another magnificent creature: The fine stallion Uchchaihshravas and was given to Indra

2.       Indra has visited Vishnu and they were engrossed in a discussion when Uchchaihshravas went and sat next to Lakshmi

3.       As Lakshmi was patting Uchchaihshravas she ignored Vishnu who has called out to her a couple of times not on purpose but she was so engrossed in patting

4.       Then Vishnu told with a tinge of anger that since you like this horse so much may you turn into a mare

5.       Hence Lakshmi took birth as a mare and that started the dynasty known as the Harihayas

6.       The most valiant king was Kartavirya Arjun also known as Sahasrbahu as he had the power of 1000 arms and defeated mightiest of kings including Ravana

7.       The Haihayas founded the magnificent city of Mahismati in present day Madhya Pradesh on the banks of Narmada

8.       One of the kings of this dynasty was known as Muchukunda who would be an ancestor of Lord Rama

9.       When Lakshmi asked about it lord Vishnu said only you’re capable of playing this role and to trust her on this stage

10.   Vishnu told her that the best way to hasten the entire process was by invoking Shiva and in order to not compromise the sanctity he suggested it’ll be better if Brahma advised her on the process of worship since she was the consort of Vishnu

11.   When Lakshmi explained the entire episode to Brahma he advised her to offer 10 thousand bilva fruit offerings to Shiva every day and to keep doing until Shiva appeared

12.   When Lakshmi asked the significance of Bilva fruit Brahma narrated the story that long before the churning once goddess Parvati was playing with yoginis, her companion energies and in the process sweat broke on her forehead and dropped on the ground the two yoginis Jaya and Vijaya saw this uncommon occurrence and out of it the saplings grew and eventually turned into trees that bore fruit and they named the fruit bilva as the saplings pierced the ground to grow

13.   She offered those fruits to Shiva and when Shiva got to know the origin of the fruit he took a special liking for them

14.   She offered the fruit daily as advised except when she ran out of fruit with two offerings still remaining then as she didn’t wanted to leave the sadhana midway she grabbed the nearby knife with the intention of presenting her breasts as the last two offerings and then shiva immediately appeared in the ardhanarishvara form

15.   Shiva told Sri that the only way she could be relieved of this curse was if she bore a son and assured that I’ll send Vishnu to you in the shape of a horse to satisfy this desire and then you’ll go back to Vaikuntha as soon as you beget a son

16.   Then lord Vishnu incarnated as Haryagriva where he assumed a human body with horse head and copulated with mare that was Lakshmi and started the Haihaya dynasty.

17.   Post the fulfilment of the word given by Shiva she went to meet Brahma to express her gratitude for the guidance where Brahma praised her and told that with your arrival from the churning her sonic form Sri Suktam also emerged and asked her permission to bring to life the sixth verse of the powerful hymn

ādityavarṇe tapaso’dhijāto vanaspatistava vṛkṣo’tha bilvaḥ ।

tasya phalāni tapasānudantu māyāntarāyāśca bāhyā alakṣmīḥ ।।

(O Mother Divine, resplendent as the sun! As a result of thy glories and penance have the sacred plants like bilva come into existence. May the fruits of (such penance) destroy all inauspiciousness arising out of my impure thoughts and ignorant actions.)

 

This mighty verse brings confidence, good luck and purity of mind to anyone who chants this verse

 

Verse 7: The Clan of Maharishi Bhrigu

1.       The seventh verse was invoked by the Mrikanda Rishi and to understand the same we have to talk about Maharishi Bhrigu the founder of the present day Bhargava brahmins

2.       Bhrigu wanted to understand that who is the most forgiving in the trinity as he understood that only the most forgiving of them was truly fit to be the ruler of the world

3.       He went to all three in astral body as when he went to Brahma he was deep in dhyana and couldn’t wake him up when he went to disturb Shiva it turned out even worse as he ended up invoking the ire of Mahayogi and when he approached Vishnu he found him the most patient and welcoming and concluded that he must visit Vishnu in physical form to confirm his findings

4.       When he reached to meet Vishnu he was stopped by Lakshmi but he ignored her and directly went into his chamber and immediately slammed his foot on the sleeping Lord Vishnu’s chest

5.       To which Vishnu replied “O Bhrigu what’s the rush?” after which Bhrigu fell at his feet and asked for his forgiveness stating he just wanted to see who is the most forgiving

6.       In that precise moment Vishnu disappeared knowing that there would be a fallout which he didn’t wanted to be a part of as Lakshmi entered with rage and she cursed him that from this moment on my mercy shall forsake you forever, you and your clan should all live without me

7.       To which Bhrigu replied that I’m going to create a powerful scripture capable of foretelling future and people will make material offerings to acquire a reading from it and so he created the Bhrigu Samhita which became the foundation of astrology

8.       In due course Bhrigu became father and his son was called Mrikanda

9.       After realizing that his quarrel with Ma Lakshmi was not only avoidable but also inappropriate and hence he went to invoke Mother goddess through 7^th verse of Sri Suktam

10.   He pleaded to goddess to distribute yourself equally to all and based on their merit not on their birth and that’s what Krishna also told in Geeta that nobody belongs to a particular caste or varna, social class just because they are born into it. You become what you are based on your karma and that’s how Vishwamitra was able to become a brahmarishi

11.   Since Mrikanda rishi appeased the goddess she said that she won’t discriminate against his clan although some remnants of her course might remain for yugas to come but mostly it’ll be alright

12.   Mrikanda rishi was father of another magnificent sage called Markandeya rishi

 

upaitu māṃ devasakhaḥ kīrtiśca maṇinā saha ।

prādurbhūto’smi rāṣṭre’smin kīrtimṛddhiṃ dadātu me ।।

(With thy grace, O Mother! I’m living in a blessed country. May Kubera (the guardian lord of wealth) and Kirti (fame) come to me. May the Gods bestow upon me fame and prosperity.)

 

Verse 8: Lakshmi and Saturn trap Narada

1.       Out of 16 verses of Sri Suktam there are two verses from which no mantras have emerged. Out of such verse is the eight and the sixteenth. The sixteenth verse is what we call as phalashruti the outcome.
Think of that as a reward or a promise of a reward.

2.       Interestingly even though eight verse is not phalashruti still no independent mantra comes out of this verse

3.       This verse was first brought to life by the legendary sage Narada for firmly established in the devotion of lord Vishnu he has no desires the verse doesn’t ask mother goddess for anything, directly it doesn’t request mother goddess to appear nor does it ask for any specific gifts

4.       Instead, it simply appeals that thing such as hunger, thirst, want for power and wretchedness be taken out of life. It just seeks that things that bother us be removed.

5.       A reference is made in this word to Alakshmi, that which is not Lakshmi that which is undesirable she’s considered the elder sister of Lakshmi. The esoteric idea behind it is that to get what we desire, one has to go through plenty of grind and undesirable struggle. To go to effortlessness, one has to go through a lot of effort. Simply put, to get to Lakshmi you have to go through Alakshmi

6.       Narada chose this verse because he has never prayed to anyone other than Lord Vishnu. So, when the time came, he was the right person to invoke this mantra of Sri Suktam. For Narada had nothing to ask for.

7.       Once it so happened this Shani the planet Saturn and Ma Lakshmi met and somehow came about who among the two was greater?

8.       Vishnu saw this dilemma as on one hand Vishnu saw Saturn who was his nephew. This was because Saturn was the son of lord Surya and Surya was the cousin of Vishnu from the same clan – the Devas on the other hand was his own consort so he didn’t involve himself in this question.

9.       Then in the end they both went to Narada then Narada asked them to walk for him and then replied, “Saturn you look good when you are walking away and O Lakshmi you look best when come towards”

10.   The one thing to learn from Narada’s life is his dedication to his cause- spreading the glories of Vedic dharma and of Narayana, and never ever seeking anything from anyone or from anywhere else at all.

Now when you have that kind of single-minded focus, when your dedication is superior to that degree, when your devotion is so singular in nature, there may be ups and downs in your life and in fact there will be, but you will weather every storm.

 

11.   If you do Sadhna thinking that since this god or this guru or this person hasn’t solved my problems, I will go elsewhere now, you will never be able to solve your problems elsewhere now, you will never be able to solve your problems anywhere at all. If instead you say – let me, be patient, let me continue with this, something amazing will come about.

12.   Without perseverance and focus, sadhana yields few results. And yet at it’s core it is fueled by devotion and hope.

 

kṣutpipāsāmalāṃ jyeṣṭhāmalakṣmīṃ nāśayāmyaham ।

abhūtimasamṛddhiṃ ca sarvāṃ nirṇuda me gṛhāt  ।।

(With thy grace and my efforts, I shall ward off inauspiciousness and distressing poverty as hunger, thirst and the like. O Lakshmi! Dispel from my home every misfortune and insufficiency.)

 

Verse 9: The legend of Medha Muni

1.       This beautiful verse of Sri-Suktam is almost universally used to make a devotional offering of incense or any kind of fragrance in most Vedic rituals. And the sage who invoked this is known as Medha Muni.

2.       This verse is also considered as one of the most widely used and potent verses.

3.       Once the king who has lost a battle and a merchant who disowned by his family reached to Markandeya and he guided them to Medha rishi.

4.       Medha Muni made them sit and narrated to them the glories of Mother goddess. This subtext in purana came to be known as Devi Mahatmya, the glories of mother comprising of 700 verses and it is popularly known as Durga Saptashati.

5.       The king’s name was Suratha and the merchants name was Samadhi after telling them the glories of Mother he asked them to go at the bank of nearby flowing river and do the Durga Saptashati daily and more importantly asked them to chant the Navarna mantra.

6.       So, he initiated them in the Navarna mantra, one of the most awakened and famous mantras of Ma Durga. The mantra of ‘aing hreeng kleeng chamundaye vicche’

7.       Both Markandeya and Medha had been ardent worshippers of the nine-letter mantra. It should therefore come to no surprise to anyone that Medha Muni chose the ninth verse – after his practice of the Navarna mantra. Not only that, the ninth verse has nine words (tamih-opahvay are two words)

8.       In case you are genuinely pressed for time, know this: the Navarna mantra carries the same potency of Adya Shakti, of the primal energy of Mother Goddess, as does this verse.

9.       On the path of awakening, devotion is the only way because devotion alone will soften you. The only thing that is eternal in my life is my divine and me, Bhagavan and bhakta. Everything has its place, but everything is also secondary- because they will come and go

 

gandhadvārāṃ durādharṣāṃ nityapuṣṭāṃ karīṣiṇīm ।

īśvarīṃ sarvabhūtānāṃ tāmihopahvaye śriyam ।।

(I invoke Sri, Mother Divine who’s the supreme controller of all beings, who can be perceived through heady fragrance, who is beyond defeat and threat, who is ever virtuous and abundant.)

 

Verse 10: Yakshinis Humble Veda Vyasa

1.       The peerless sage Parshara was passing through the woods when he stopped on the banks of the wide Yamuna River as the boatman was busy eating, he asked his daughter Matasyagandhi, the one who smelled like fish, to take the sage across the river.

2.       The rishi sat in the boat and looked up at the skies and he realized that this particular moment was one that came once in a million years.

3.       So he asked Matasyagandhi, “Will you bear my child?” she got shocked and couldn’t comprehend what she heard but as Parashara reiterated his proposition, affirming its seriousness.

4.       After contemplation she asked for two boons in return. First, that she would live like a queen so she could have all the resources required to bring up her child and second, she wanted to permanently get rid of the constant smell of fish from her body. “Granted” said Parshara.

5.       He asked Matasyagandhi to anchor the boat next to a tiny island in the vast Yamuna. A shroud of clouds descended, making the thick fog thicket, and right there, Parshara fathered a son of Matasyagandhi – whose name was later changed to Satyavati. The son she birthed was called Krishna Dvaipayan. Krishna means somebody who is dark, shyaam varna and Dvaipayan means that his residence, his ayana was on a dvipa, an island. That is, he was born was on a island.

6.       When the child grew old he asked for his father and even after she denied him several times he resisted, continued and asked her permission to let him go as one day when she saw no hope in deterring his intentions she told him that his father was none other than Parashara himself.

7.       Krishna was barely seven years old at that time said, “I must go to my father”, “But you are my only son” she cried stating that she needs him than Krishna replied that her desire to be the queen of some kingdom was about to bear fruit and that she would not really need him.

8.       Finally, she let him go on the condition that in case she needed him in any emergency or otherwise, he would show up and do whatever she would ask of him. He gave her his word and left.

9.       He headed towards his father and met him where the rishi told him what took you seven years and that his time to leave this planet is coming soon, but still more than a decade left so I’m asking you to devote your life to sadhana. Parashara held the hand of Krishna Dvaipayan and drew him a bit closer. “My son”, he said “the culture of Bharatvarsha is under threat. Things are getting disunited; so, I need to consolidate the Vedas, so I need to consolidate the Vedas. I have compiled the mantras of the Atharva Veda, which is yet not recognized as Veda, so I need you to go to Hastinapur, the capital of India and start building your network there. Get the scholars on your side, consolidate the Vedas and get them accepted so that ordinary people, normal people, can start chanting.

10.   Samaveda is the book of songs. Rig Veda is the book of stutis, hymns and odes. Sri -Suktam is from Rig Veda. Yajur Veda is a book of rituals. Atharva Veda is the book of mantras – all the mantras for normal sadhana are in there.

11.   Invoking the mantras if Rig Veda would take extraordinary sages, like the ones we have been talking about, who would do nothing else but spend their entire lifetime invoking, sometimes, just one mantra

12.   Parashara said, “For that compilation you will be known as Veda Vyasa” as Vyasa means compiler. The name stood for someone who has combined and consolidated the Vedas.

13.   Later Vyasa had a son and when at a young age he chose to leave the home and continue his tapas it made Vyasa helpless and then he went to Parashar asking him that even after having so much knowledge how come I was so deeply attached to my son? Then Parashar instructed that I have been preparing you for the main sadhana and now it’s time that you start the primary sadhana, and for that, here is the Sri Suktam, which came at the time of the great churning of the ocean, blessed by Lord Narayana himself. He is one of the sages who has invoked verses in this, as has Brahma invoked verses and other sages too. So, it’s time for you to pick the next verse and bring it to life.

14.   Vyasa went back and started to invoke this verse with extraordinary detachment. He found his happiness, his joy, his devotion and much else, from the sadhana of this verse. Parashara Rishi went on to give him another verse of Sri-Suktam, and then the full sadhana of Sri Vidya.

 

manasaḥ kāmamākūtiṃ vācaḥ satyamaśīmahi ।

paśūnāṃ rūpamannasya mayi śrīḥ śrayatāṃ yaśaḥ ।।

(O Mother Divine, Goddess of prosperity, May we enjoy the fulfilment of our noble desires, may we be blessed with the veracity of speech, wealth and abundant foodgrains. May prosperity and fame reside in thy devotee.)

Verse 11: When Mother Goddess asked for a Boon

1.       The world was a material place before she even emerged from the ocean. KardamenaPrajabhuta – from a very moist ground she come about. Everything, her praja, subjects of prajnan, all creation, all flora and fauna emerged from the moist ground.

2.       As the verses were being brought to life by the sages it troubled goddess Lakshmi and she said “O Narayana if my sonic form is brought to life by everyone else, how would I maintain my constant bond with you” she said “I cannot help but confess my disquiet, for it seems you are intent on bestowing me to the world, my essence laid bare for all to behold”

3.       She continued “You are Padmanabha, carrying a lotus in your solar plexus, and I Padmini, seated on a lotus. I beseech you to invoke at least one verse, so I remain intertwined in eternal union with you”

4.       The Vishnu said “How can I deny what’s rightfully yours Kamale, I will take an avatara, reincarnate as a sage and invoke a verse of Sri Suktam”

5.       One day while Kardama was in deep meditation, Vishnu appeared before him in Chaturbhuja and said “Ask whatever it is you wish for”

6.       The sage said that he never got to experience bonding with Vishnu as a family. “I was born fully aware of my surroundings, and then upon invoking the second verse, I was sent away to invoke the third and the fourth with Chiklita. I long to serve you” he said “I pine for you how a father misses his son” Kardama replied and he asked for Vishnu to be born as his son.

7.       A few months later, Swayambhu Manu along with his consort, Shatarupa and their daughter Devahuti paid a visit to the sage. When they entered his hut, he spread a mat on the floor inviting them to sit. Manu and Shatarupa sat but Devahuti didn’t she thought, “My parents have brought me here because they would like me to serve this sage and be his other half”

8.       At this moment he decided that Devahuti was fit to be the mother of an incarnation of Vishnu. For, the most important trait that’s needed to ne one with God is humility and she had it in plenty.

9.       Kardama said “It is my good fortune that your goddess like daughter would like to be my wife and she is also going to bear an extraordinary child but I will not be able to play the role of a traditional husband as praying to Vishu and penance are the two integral parts of my routine. So, if my lifestyle and intentions are acceptable then I’m ready to solemnize the marriage”

10.   After the marriage was over Kardama went into Sadhna but as he has promised few years passed and Devahuti kept serving him as their marriage continued first, they had nine daughters – Sati Anasuya who became the consort of sage Atri was one of them. Most of the daughters were married – seven of them to the seven great sages, the saptarishis and Kardama and Devahuti spend good few years, two or three decades raising their daughters. And then eventually, Lord Vishnu was born as Kapila Muni, the same brilliant saint and scholar who is the key propounder of Sankhya yoga.

11.   Sankhya comes from the Sanskrit word meaning to count Sankhya yoga talks about Purusha and Prakriti; three modes of material nature or sattva,rajas and tamas; three states of consciousness and so on.

12.   When Kardama offered the verse of Sri Suktam for invocation to Kapila Muni he decided that he wanted sage Kardama to be known as the seer of the mantra.

13.   To be sincere to a cause or someone for a short while is something, many can do, but to demonstrate lifelong sincerity is rare and Kardama had done just that, he was also once offered a place among the seven sages to be one of the saptarishis, but he had turned it down. His humility and sincerity was not lost on Vishnu. Nothing is lost on Vishnu.

14.   It is no coincidence that he is the seer of the eleventh verse of Sri Suktam, and his own name finds a mention in the verse itself. In this verse lord says, “I hereby set the protocol to honor our parents”. This is one of the best verse for the householders.

15.   The eleventh verse of the Sri Suktam is one of the least romantic verses, but it’s one of the most potent ones because it was invoked by the lord Vishnu himself. This verse is particularly useful for a householder who wishes to have a peaceful family life.

16.   Kardama rishi gave up his body soon after initiating Kapila muni into the path of sadhana. When somebody’s awakened they know why are they doing something and they don’t cling to it once it’s done.

17.   Ekadashi, the eleventh day of the lunar calendar, is the day of Vishnu, and this is the eleventh verse of the hymn. When somebody wants to pray to Lord Vishnu on Ekadashi then the Sri Suktam is very powerful, because you are acknowledging the presence of feminine energy, the feminine principle, divine energy and the Mother Divine herself. If those who are upasakas or just believe in the form of Devi, or feel affinity towards it, should chant this whole Suktam on Ekadashi, it’s even more powerful.

 

kardamena prajābhūtā mayi sambhava kardama ।

śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule mātaraṃ padmamālinīm  ।।

 

O Kardama! Make her who was born to Kardama (i.e., to you) abide with me. Make the Goddess of Prosperity who is the mother of the universe and wears garlands of lotuses, dwell in our family. 

 

Verse 12: The Penace of Mudgala

1.       In the Aja dynasty there was a sage called Mugdala. He got the title of Raja Rishi and was considered at par with Vishwamitra since both were born as kshatriyas but by penance ascended to higher consciousness

2.       Mudgala was the king of Panchala kingdom and was married to Nalayani the daughter of King Nala and Damyanti

3.       Mudgala was deeply devoted to Vishnu and his wife took great interest in listening to the glories of Vishnu and gradually she found herself pining for Vishnu and started imagining how marvelous it would be if she were the consort of Lord Vishnu

4.       Nalayani pressed her desire and stated that in this lifetime Mudgala was her husband but, in some lifetime, she would like to be Vishnu’s consort and wondered if there were anything she could do, or any Sadhana that would make her desire possible

5.       “You can’t have Vishnu by praying to Vishnu “Mugdala said as “Mother Goddess won’t approve of it. So, you have to pray to Shiva and you can do it once I’m gone, which is not too far in the future. I’ve been asked to invoke this verse of Sri Suktam so that Divine Mother becomes a part of the elements in consciousness, in creation, as well as in people’s families. Once that’s done, I’ll drop this mortal frame”

6.       The Ajas spread throughout India with a predominant concentration in present day Rajasthan. That’s also a theory how the city of Ajmer got its name. The brilliant Aja people congregated as Brahmins in Karnataka. In that region there’s a place called Mudgala where variations of the surname are found – Mudgil, Modgil and so on. But mostly Mudgalas stayed in Panchal region.

7.       Sage Mudgala invoked the beautiful twelfth verse with extreme devotion to Vishnu however lord Vishnu was incomplete without Mother Goddess and he also invoked Chiklita as well, the manasputra of Vishnu and Lakshmi born at the time of great churning

8.       It is important to note that Mudgal and Nalayani’s daughter was Ahalya who was married to Gautam rishi who composed remarkable treatises. Call it fate or a weak moment but Ahalys consummated her relationship with Indra. Gautam cursed Ahalya and turned her into a boulder when he found out about her infidelity.

9.       When lord Vishnu reincarnated as Rama, he touched the boulder with his big toe and turned it back into Ahalya. At Ram’s instructions and upon self-realization too, Gautam took back Ahalya.

10.   “This is an unusual bond, Ahalya” Lord Ram said “Your father always prayed to me. Your mother always prayed for me. Your husband is a mahatapasvin, a siddha who invoked me and my feminine energy. You are one of the reasons why I had to take this avatara – I had to liberate you and your mother is one of the reasons why I’ll have to take the next one, because with every breath she has been praying for me. She has been through several lifetimes already, but in every lifetime, she picks up from where she let off”

11.   Nalayani continued praying to Lord Shiva and one day after ages Shiva manifested his form and asked her what she wanted, “O Shiva, you know what I want, O want Vishnu as my husband”

12.   Lord Shiva said “Although it’s not possible to be Vishnu’s consort but you’ll have his attributes distributed amongst various people. Lord Vishnu is to take avatara again and when he reincarnates, you will have his presence around you, throughout your life. He will guide you, he will be there for you, throughout your life” Nalayani was later born as Draupadi.

13.   She got five husbands, because it was not possible to have all attributes of Lord Vishnu in just one person- the wisdom, the beauty, the form, the valor, the strength and so on and throughout her life she had Krishna, the complete incarnation of Vishnu by her side.

14.   The effect of Sadhna is intact but some of the stories also illustrate is the fact that it can take lifetimes.

Words from Om Swami:
“Each Verse of Sri Suktam has been invoked by a different sage over thousands and thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years to make a hymn so potent and so powerful. I don’t know of any other hymn which is as elaborate in it’s invocation and as well endorsed from a traditional Vedic point of view, as the Sri Suktam. Just think about it: to have all the glorious sages, all these amazing seers and the Lord himself. At divine mother’s behest and asking, and her own instructions, a hymn has been invoked where each verse is its own mantra and each verse then holds multiple mantras. Just think about it, what a treasure we are sitting on.

And now to put it in perspective, in Sri Vidya, this is the only one of the foundational steps. In Sri Vidya you have Sri Suktam, Lalita Sahasranamam, and panchadasi mantra; and if you want to have the energy of Divine Mother, then you use Shri Yantra as well. But without Sri Suktam, you can’t invite her, you can’t invoke her, you cannot make the 16 offerings you would normally do to make her energy really a part of you. It is with her grace alone that one can pray to her. Besides, no sadhana ever goes waste. It’ll yield its own results in its own time. And I think that in itself, deserves celebration.

 

āpaḥ sṛjantu snigdhāni ciklīta vasa me gṛhe ।

ni ca devīṃ mātaraṃ śriyaṃ vāsaya me kule ।।

(Let the waters produce oily products (like butter) in my house. O Chiklita, dwell in my house and make the Goddess of Prosperity, the Divine Mother, also dwell in my family.)

Verse 13: The Tribes of Rudra

1.     One of the illustrious sages, Rishi Pulastya one of Narada’s brothers had a son called Visharva.

2.     Visharva was a saint who entered into a tribal marriage. He married twice, first he married the daughter of sage Bharadwaj named Ila Vada or Ida Vida and later married Kaikeshi who was the daughter of a powerful Rakshasa. King Sumali

3.     Through Ila Vida, Vishravan had a son named Kubara, who was a bridge between the Rakshasas and humans. And through Kaikeshi another son called Ravana. Although Kubera and Ravana were half-brothers, Ravana was more Rakshasa-like

4.     Both Kubera and Ravana were staunch worshipers of Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva had stated them that I don’t want anything from you but my people should not be harmed. His peoples were ganas and also Varanas. They were never hunted, touched or killed. And that is why it was a big deal when Ravana attacked the Vanara army.

5.     Once Ravana with his cousions went to Kubera’s kingdom Lanka and saw that Lanka was a magnificent place as there was so much affluence, it was mostly made of gold and other precious things. People were healthy and rich and there was abundance in everything. Ravana was a brilliant man, a genius, extremely suited for politics and ruling where Kubera was a good person he was kind and gentle. Ravana knew that you can’t rule just being kind and gentle. So gradually he created a mutiny and took over Lanka and threw Kubera out of the kingdom.

6.     Kubera was disheartened by this and to seek solution he went to lord Shiva ho directed him towards the rishi Markandeya. Where Markandeya told him about Medha rishi as he had invoked the goddess of opulence, Sri.

7.     Medha rishi told him about one of his ancestor who was a Yaksha and his name was Pinga and he had invoked and propitiated Divine Mother. He had pleased her to such a degree that she blessed him with all the wealth in the world and she is the reason why the Yakshas were made the treasurers and not the Rakshasas.

8.     Then Medha muni told that I’m going to give you the verse because of which she was called Pingala. When she gave all the wealth and the promise of more eternal wealth to your ancestor, Pinga, she was lovingly given the name Pingla.

9.     “You will have to invoke the Devas, you’ll have to invoke Agni and you’ll have to call her with this verse and when she’s happy you’ll be blessed” told Medha muni.

10.  Kubera did intense penance of Sri Suktam and invoked the 13^th verse  but still the humble and altruistic Kubera refused to be recognized as the seer of the verse and instead he insisted that the great sage Medha be acknowledged as the original rishi of this verse.

11.  As Kubera was blessed by mother divine he went on to build another kingdom which was even more glorious than Ravana’s lanka. Ravana soon set his eyes on this kingdom but as time progressed, he got caught up with the Surpnakha episode as mentioned in Ramayana, that he could not focus on anything else. And before he could capture Kubera’s new kingdom, Ravana lost everything he had including his own life.

12.  Such is the glory of Divine mother and the amazing hymn this is as each verse carries such tremendous potency and is invoked by different sages; each of them doing things differently and with different ideas, motives and objectives and purposes to make this hymn what it is.

ārdrāṃ puṣkariṇīṃ puṣṭiṃ piṅgalāṃ padmamālinīm ।

candrāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha ।।

(O Jataveda! Bring to me the extremely benign Lakshmi who is reddish in complexion, who dwells in lakes and who possesses the Moon’s brilliance and gold in abundance.)

Verse 14: Attachment Torments Veda Vyasa

1.     The king Shantanu lost his heart to Satyavati, Veda Vyasa’s mother who by the virtue of Parashara’s boon, smelled not like a fish but fragrant as an exotic flower now.

2.     When Shantanu got attracted to her smell and her youthfulness, he approached her with the desire to marry. Satyavati realized that the king seemed double her age and having a son Devarata who was soon to be anointed the king, she was initially disturbed but told the king that only her father could make that decision.

3.     When he approached her father, he asked him to marry her but also stated it’ll be like a recreational hunting and soon your son will become the king and she’ll never be an empress hearing which the king left but the boatman knew that he’ll come back as kings don’t have the capacity to let go of anything they fancied.

4.      When Devara saw his father distressed he enquired and once he realized the reason he went to the boatman and gave him his word that I’ll never take up the position of king and I will forever remain celibate and never marry and for this sacrifice he was given the name Bhisma. The word Bhisma means strong, undeterred, determined and even aggressive to some degree but also very grounded.

5.     Shantanu eventually married Satyavati and sired two sons- Chitrangada and Vichitravirya. Soon afterwards Shantanu was killed in battle and Chitrangada, too lost his life at the hands of a Gandharva, a man from the same tribe as Yakshas and Rakshasas.

6.     Vichitravirya was now made king, and he married two princesses called Ambika and Ambalika. As luck would have it Vichitravirya could never have children and eventually died of a virulent disease within a few years of ascending the throne and now Satyavati was left al alone, with no husband, sons or any heir to the throne. She pleaded with Bhisma to either marry someone and procreate, or to be the king at least, but he reminded her his lifelong vow of neither becoming a king nor marrying.
Left with no choice, Satyavati summoned her son, the remarkable Veda Vyasa to help her.

7.     At that time, however Vyasa was doing a Kaula sadhana using the left-hand path. And were certain rules he had to follow, including smearing ash from cremation grounds and living a certain way, not tying his hair and all that. So when he was called it was a big dilemma for him and he decided to honor the word he’d given to his mother as a child.

8.     When Ved Vyasa reached Satyavati was taken aback, even terrified to see her son in such a state but then she explained him the situation and told I need you to sire two children with the widowed and childless queens Ambika and Ambalika. If Bharatvarsha is to survive, we need a good king to rule this country. Initially he tried to tell her that due to his Sadhana it wasn’t the best time for this task but seeing how insistent Satyavati was, he gave in.

9.     Ambika decked herself up when she was called to visit Ved Vyasa as he was waiting in a chamber. The moment she saw him, however she was startled to see a man who looked downright ugly, bearded with matted locks and a fiery look in his eyes. Ambika closed her eyes during the process of procreation. She did not open her eyes even once. As far as she was concerned, this was something she had to do for territorial, political or moral reasons to comply with orders that were passed in order to produce an heir to the throne. Ved Vyasa stayed quiet.
Afterwards, Ambalika went into Ved Vyasa’s chamber and shuddered deeply on seeing his form and she too could not handle his fierce looking eyes, face and figure.

10.  Later in the evening Satyavati asked Veda Vyasa, “Will I have two amazing sons through my daughter in laws? Will they be worthy of becoming kings?”
“Mother, I did tell you that this was not the best idea but since you insisted, I followed your orders” Vyasa spoke with a great deal of concern in his voice. “Ambika closed her eyes during the union, so her son would be born blind. Ambalika became pale in terror. She almost passed out. So, her son will be a frail soul. He is going to possess a pale body. I am not expecting too much from them.

Ved Vyasa took leave and in due course, Ambika gave birth to Dhritarashtra who was blind. And Ambika gave birth to Pandu who was always sick and frail.

11.  Since both were unfit heirs to the throne, Satyavati called Vyasa again to sire another son with Ambika. Reluctantly, Ved Vyasa agreed and she gave her word that Ambika would not close her eyes. Also, now Vyasa was looking like a magnificent sage now since he was no longer doing the left-hand sadhana. Ambika however was alarmed as soon as she found out that she had to meet with the frightening sage again and hence she sent one of her handmaids instead. It was dark room and neither Vyasa or handmaiden could see each other and Vyasa did find it strange that the lady he was with now had no inhibitions or reservations of any kind. She had totally surrendered to the will of the sage and did everything in her power to serve and please him.
“Will the child be fine this time?” Satyavati asked “The extraordinary child is going to be extremely wise and totally fit to rule” the sage said.
She promised Vyasa that she wouldn’t bother him again, and let him go, however, upon discovering that Ambika had sent one of her handmaids instead. The son born to the maid was the legendry Vidur. He was the sanest person in the whole of the Kuru kingdom, a frugal but thoughtful speaker, who remained an advisor to the Kuru king till the great war of Mahabharata.

12.  Later Dhritarashtra would marry the princess of Gandhar called Gandhari and Pandu would take two princesses as his wives- Kunti and Madri.

13.  In Shrimad Bhagavatam, Veda Vyasa makes a confession to Devarishi Narada, “Devarshi, I have read all the major scriptures performed Sadhanas but one thing I’m quite guilty of and something I can’t forgive myself for, however is the increasing realization in my heart that I am so attached to the Kingdom of Hastinapur as it is ruled by my children and I’m so attached that I know it doesn’t befit me. It does not suit me and still here I am. O Narada how have you remained detached? Please impart me your wisdom” To which Narada replied “You’d better go to your father who is the only one who can advise you. And he is waiting for you. He is still holding on to his body because he needs to speak to you”.
Ved Vyasa maintained a constant connection with his sons throughout his life. He had gone there even before the great war and even earlier to warn Draupadi to be careful with her long hair. He had also gone to advise Karna.

14.  Vyasa left to meet with his father sage Parashara, immediately throughout the years Parashara’s ashram was attached a few times and he had a limp now had gone old.
“My son, Krishna Dvaipayan, do you know why I am still on this old body? I had lost my father, Sage Shakti very early on and I was brought up by my grandfather, the great Vashishta. I always knew when you were born that even though I was leaving you behind, you would make a connection with. You would come back to me. I always thought that whenever that happened, I had to be there for you. So, first things first. Attachment is very natural. I am attached to you and that is why I am still here. But attachment does not mean that it’s bad. Attachment depends on how you use it, what do you do with that energy of attachment you have. Do you use attachment to shape somebody phenomenal? Or do you use the attachment constantly, just to cling to your loved ones? And you are going though all these emotions as you have not completed your sadhana and all these years have been merely the preparation. I am yet to impart the main sadhana and for that you have to do two things.
One, I am going to give you the next verse of Sri Suktam which will bring completion to your sadhana.
Two, I have waited all my life to give you Sri Vidya. So, now I am going to give you the whole sadhana of Sri Vidya, starting from Mother divine, the 15 Nityas- Kameshwari to Maha Nitya, and the Vidya is closed with Sri Suktam” and also the sage added “I need you to get Atarva Veda-compiled by Atharva rishi – documented properly, and accepted as a mainstream Veda. Your main task is to consolidate the learnings of all the Vedas. I need you to consolidate these and bring them under one umbrella. Otherwise, this nation, this dharma will fall apart”.

15.  Vyasa insisted to stay longer with his father but Parashara said. “A painful death awaits me, because I have intervened the workings of nature I was supposed to die when the ashram was attacked, but I did not, I extended my life. Now some creature of the forest will take me” And it so happened that Parashara was once passing through the woods with his disciples when a pack of wolves attacked them and Sage Parashara saw his death in the form of wolf. He sat cross-legged closed his eyes and went into deep dhyana. The wolves devoured him.

16.  Vyasa brought the 14^th verse to life with great penance and went on to complete his mission. Throughout his life he consolidated the Vedas, documented the 18 puranas, Brahma Sutras, Shrimad Bhagavatam and even Devi Bhagavatam. Because he was an ardent and first true worshiper in human form of Sri Vidya, he also created an amazing sadhana with Sri Suktam.
Vyasa is considered as one of the Chiranjeevis, immortals and Guru Purnima is celebrated in his honor.

 

ārdrāṃ yaḥ kariṇīṃ yaṣṭiṃ suvarṇāṃ hemamālinīm ।

sūryāṃ hiraṇmayīṃ lakṣmīṃ jātavedo ma āvaha ।।

(O Jataveda! Bring to me the extremely benign Lakshmi of a golden complexion who dwells in lakes, who is the bestower of plenty, who wears a garland of gold, who is resplendent like the sun and abounds in wealth.)