Tripurā devī

Tripurā devī is associated with Mercury. The seventh bhāva from the signs of Mercury are owned by Jupiter Tripurā devī and is worshipped on Thursdays instead of Wednesdays (Mercury). Tripura hṛdaya is the three syllables ऐं क्लीं सौः (aiṁ klīṁ sauḥ) and the Agni Purāṇa recommends Her worship with these bīja. However the last syllable is modified in the purāṇa mantra and is –
ॐ ऐं क्लीं सौं त्रिपुरायै नमः

om aiṁ klīṁ sauṁ tripurāyai namaḥThose wishing to retain the original bīja may use the following mantra instead.
ॐ ऐं क्लीं सौः त्रिपुरायै नमः
om aiṁ klīṁ sauḥ tripurāyai namaḥ

Tripura Sundari (Beauty of Three Worlds), also called Shodashi (“Vermilion-hued”), Lalita (She Who Plays) and Rajarajeshvari (Queen of Queens), is one of the group of ten goddesses called mahavidyas.

The goddess Tripura Sundari in her aspect as Shodasi is represented as a sixteen-year-old girl, and is believed to embody sixteen types of desire. The Shodasi Tantra, a treatise on the Tantra, describes Tripura Sundari as “Beauty Of Three Worlds”. She is described as being of dusky color, and is depicted in an intimate position with an aspect of Shiva. The couple are shown on a bed, a throne, or a pedestal resting on the significant male gods of Hinduism like Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Indra.

The Indian state of Tripura derives its name from the goddess Tripura Sundari. Her main temple, the Tripura Sundari temple is also located on top of the hills near Radhakishorepur village, a little distance away from Udaipur town. Kashmiri Pandits have a collection of five ancient hymns, collectively known as Panchastavi, that were composed ages ago in praise of Tripura Sundari. These ancient hymns still remain very popular among this community.

Tripura sundari or Lalita is the goddess associated with Sri Vidya. The panchadashakshari mantra is the most guarded secrets of Sri Vidya, Usually a Guru gives it to the highly deserving disciple. As it is said in Lalita sahasranama, ‘Na shathaya na dushtaya na vishwasaya karhichith sri mathra bhakti yuktaya sri vidya raja vediney’ means, that this divine knowledge or vidya should not be taught or given to a person who is wicked, depraved or unfaithful. It should only be taught to a deserving person as this is the King of all Vidyas. Before the panchadashakshari mantra is given the disciple is given Bala Mantra in which the goddess is visualized as 9 year old girl. However even after the pachadashakshari mantra is given there are more stages in which Shodashi the 16 letter mantra is given and then Maha Shodashi. Also there is Kameswari and Kameswara vidya where 64 lettered mantra is used. All these remain till today also in secret as it is imparted only to deserving disciples. The final stage reaches where the disciple is announced as Para Bhattaraka which means the Emperor of the whole universe. It is however to be noted that all famous personalities in the history have received Sri Vidya which includes Mahatma Gandhi, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Vivekananda (who was given Bala mantra by Ramakrishna and then subsequently Panchadashakshari mantra by Chattambi Swamigal), Meera Bai, Kabir, and the list goes on. Sri Vidya thus itself identifies as the supreme vidya available. The Sri Vidya sadhak (disciple) is identified as Bahu Tantra Vith, the one who is adept in all the other tantras. Lalita holds five flowery arrows, noose, goad and bow. The noose represents attachment, the goad represents repulsion, the sugarcane bow represents the mind and the flowery arrows are the five sense objects.

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