Introducing the sastra. Benedictory verses; Anasuya requests her husband to explain Laksml's supremacy;. Atri describes how Narada narrated Laksml's feats to the sages and how Indra asked LaksmT to tell him the secret of her greatness; Atri agrees to enlighten Anasuya. The pure creation Real nature of Vasudeva, the supreme soul, and of Laksmi; description of the six ideal attributes; fourfold nature of the pure creatiori. The three (phenomenal) gunas Transformation of" the ideal attributes into phenomenal gunas; explanation of the pure and impure creation; the role of jiva's karma. Vyuhas and their saktis Characteristics of each of the four Vyuhas, their special functions and nature: Narayana's Vyuhantara, Vibhava and Area emanations; Mahalaksmi's appearance, nature and qualities; emanations of MahasrI, Mahavidya and Mahamaya from Mahalaksml. Evolution of the material world from prakrti Emergence of the three cosmic divine couples, Rudra etc.; evolution of the Samkhya categories; creation of Manus and manavas. The six kosas of Sakti Description of these sheaths and of the cosmic realities. Tattvas and the jiva as the object and subject of knowledge . Jiva the cognizer; nature of the instruments of Imowledge; nature of the objects of knowledge. The avataras of Laksmi in the six sheaths Inseparability of Sakti in all Narayana's emanations; Srl's emanations corresponding with all Aniniddha's emanations. The exclusive incarnations of Sakti List of these with mythological background; merit of learning about them. The three types of God's avataras The absolute nature of God and its manifestation on the three levels of consciousness, namely susupti, svapna and jagrat. Viiakhayupa and the Vibhava incarnations. Nature of the supreme Vyuhas; description of the Viiakhayupa and of the Vibhava incarnations; explaining the need for these. The fivefold divine functions Causes of jiva's suffering; Sakti's five functions; the nature of delusion; the five categories of avidya; classification of other causes of misery; Sakti's three cosmic functions of creation etc. The true form of the jiva The fifth function of Sakti and jiva's epential nature; jiva's five functions corresponding with Sakti's. The true nature of ^akti (Laksmi) Sakti's transcendental as well as immanent nature. Various methods of attaining ultimate truth The four ways leading to the realization of" truth, details about the first two ways; nature of the first cosmic category, pralqid. Elaboration of the methods to attain ultimate truth Details about other cosmic categories; the third and fourth methods. The secret method of self-surrender, 'the fourth method of attaining the highest goal Definition of the highest goal and the six components of self-surrender. . The course of mantras and their characteristics Sabdabrahman's inert condition; thenada, bindu, madliyama and vaikhari states corresponding to the four Vyuhas res pectively; emergence of mantras from Sabdabrahman as their source, logos; mantras of Tarika etc. The origin of letters Emergence of the fifteen vowels from kriy^akti; emergence of the twenty-five primary consonants from the Person together with all other cosmic categories; emergence of the four dharanas from the four semi-vowels; existence of the five aspirates in the five Brahmans, i.e. Brahman and the four Vyuhas. Explanation of the matrkas Classification of the letters under each of the four Vyuhas. Analysis of the structure of a mantra and the qualities looked for in a preceptor and in a disciple Description of Laksmi's mantra-form The six sonic stages of creation; the mantra-course, padacourse and bhuvana^ourse; attainment of the highest goal through mantras; the grading of mantras. Description of matrka How to construct a matrka-pitha and distribute the letters on it; placing the letters on the body of matrka; worship of matrka; the seven bijas. The structure of taraka with its parts and the method of initiation in the practice of meditation Construction of taraka and its nature as the source of all names and forms; ahganyasa; laya-yoga; pura^carana; efficacy; prasada-mantra; samjha, astra, paramatman, pada and vyapaka mantras. Tara- and Anutara-mantras Names of letters; synonyms for Tara. Eluddatiori of the seven vidyas, viz. tara, Tara, Anutara, vagbhava, kama, Sarasvati and Mahalaksmi-bijas. . Duties of an adept Hrllekha-mantra, its efficacy and five forms; teaching a disciple this mantra and his subsequent duties. , Daily duties of an adept Abhigamana; upadana; ijya; svadhyaya; yoga; importance of following this routine. Distinction between kriyasakti and bhutisakti, otherwise called Agni and Soma respectively Kriyasakti as Surya, as Agni, as Soma, as SudarSana; Sudarsana's bija and pinda. The two aspects of Sakti, viz. Soma and Surya, and further elucidation of the Sudarsana-mantra The Sudarsana (kriyasakti). SudarSana's efficacy; his Gayatri-mantra, mudra, grasanamantra and dhyana. Tarika in the three states of existence, viz. the gro.ss, the subtle and the absolute states Ahga, upahga and other mantras Mantras of Tarika's ahga, upahga, alainkara, astra, adhara, adharesa, avyaktapadmamandala and cidbhasana; mantras of the ksetre^as; mantras of Gane^a and others. The hand postures and method of ritualistic bath Appropriate times for mudras; mudras of Maha^rl, Sakti, yoni, LaksmI, Kirti, Jaya and Maya; of ahgas and upahgas; of alamkaras; of Ananta; of prthivl; of kslrarnava; of dharma etc.; of the three dhamans; of cidbhasana; of ksetresa etc.; of Sri-bija; of Jaya and Vijaya; of Yamuna; of Samkhanidhi and Padmanidhi; of Gane§a; of Vagl^vari; of guru; of pitaras; of siddhas; of varabhaya; of Visvaksena; of avahana and visarjana; of kamadhenu; three modes of bathing. The purification of the body (Bhutasuddhi) Gradual involution of the body and its emergence from its sources; mantra-nyasa. Description of the images and the process of the mental sacrifice Visualization of the inner seats of Sakti; the Purusa-sukta and the §ri-sukta; the mental sacrifice. External sacrifice (construction of the platform . for worship; mandala of nine lotuses) Preliminary preparation, collection and consecration of the requisites for worship; visualization of God's retinue. External worship. Further details with a descrip tion of some lesser deities Layayaga; objects offered to the goddess; visualization of the Supreme Couple on the lotus. Various requisites for external worship Six forms of worship; rules concerning the repetition of mantras; description of a rosary. The daily duties of an adept The rosary; mantra-repetition; significance of the bell; details of sacrifice including subsequent duties, anuyaga. The initiation and abhiseka ceremonies. Meaning of diksa, its variations and the rite itself. The rite of purascarana, the ritual worship of the mantra of Tarika Different methods of worshipping the mantra of Tarika. Dhyanas of Tarika placed on main parts of the body; on the five elements comprising the body; Tarika envisaged as know ledge and its object; as located in the thirty-two lotuses of the inner body; visualizing All as merged in Laksmi-Narayana; regulations for yogins; methods for controlling one's mind. Revealing the secret mantras of the Tarika group . Revelation of Sri's various manifestations Mantras of the first four primary manifestations; retinues of Laksml, KIrti, Jaya and Maya; their mudras. Mode of worshipping the Laksmi-mantra and results obtained. Mode of worshipping the Kirti-mantra and results obtained. . Mode of worshipping the Jaya-nuintra and results obtained. . Mode of worshipping Maj'a-mantra and results obtained. Pratistha of an image of Laksmi- Narayana . The power of the Sri-sukta. Application of the SrI-sukta; constructing a mantra by using each noun mentioned in the hymn; its efficacy; prapatti; efficacy of the Laksml-mantra. . A brief summary of the Cosmogony . The mantras. . Summarizing ritual performances . . Bhutasuddhi and Ahganyasa '. A Yogin's vision of his inner body . Missing . Summary of the four states of sound and conclusion .
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Pāñcarātra -- Criticism, interpretation, etc. Lakṣmī (Hindu deity) Hindu philosophy.