Sri Saundarya Lahari (The Descent)

If you wish to know about and experience the underlying Shakti (Energy) of life and creation in its most deepest unmanifest form, look no further , this is a text of great value for helping with modern life in re -connecting with the ancient wisdom that we have on board, within right now. It just a matter of practice, practices with an open mind. This text has been of immeasurable value in bringing me to my own shakti, why this body moves? what makes this body move? and how this body moves? And how it can also be stilled without want or need of anything, through this real understanding of Beauty in all its myriad of manifestations all the way in return to its source.. Devi. I acknowledge this text to be indeed a great treasure..of understanding and experiencing life and existence.

The Bihar school take on any of the texts they re-present is always worth reading. I love the Bihar school and Satyananda's approach that flows through all their works. I do find them more Vedic dressed up as Tantra, if you like Vedic in drag rather than deep heart-core Tantra... but then that's what you are going to get from a lineage of celibates... awesome work though, so much gratitude.

It is a very elaborate translation and commentary on Sankara's Saundaryalahari. The author must have some personal experience to write such a text. Even for one who is not exactly "on the same track" as the author, this text is widening the spiritual horizont to the realms of pure love and devotion.

Beuatiful commentary on the veneration of the goddess, though from ascetic perspective. There is a lot to enjoy for body and mind to meditate on.

An excellent translation of the ancient text. Every yogi would benefit from reading this book. Great pictures and diagrams, positive feminity!

Behar books are scholarly and well written. This book was not exactly what I was looking for. Saundarya Lahari is a vast and deep subject requiring an authentic teacher who can impart the teachings and practices to a worthy student.

The authors annotation itself gives the common Man a preview into the contents of the book and uses( majority of people being materialistic ) can use different shlokas for different reasons.I was introduced to this book by a neighbours mother-in-law in law who used to pray using this. Though I know of the shlokas and effects, I wanted an in-depth understanding of the book and it's shlokas with spiritual meaning. One of Shankaracharyas most powerful compositions it is said that he was tormented by an evil entity and used this shlokas to rid himself of that.Being of a scientific mentality used to defy all these ,but changed my opinion when it did work during a challenge by a believer. Mantras should be pronounced in authentic Sanskrit with some Vedic chants having symbols below and above to show how to intonate on words. Sound is nothing but a form of energy and as like all sounds, it induces vibrations in the surroundings. We are made up of matter and also vibrate at the same frequency as the sound emanating around us. Our OM sound has been researched and found to.be the primordial sound of the universe and vibrating in tandem, the person would be able to tap into the universes potential and obtain what he desires.Similarly are the shlokas in this book.

verfasst von einer weiblichen Swami , Saraswati Satyasangananda . Zur Meditation mit Yantras fand ich durch eine Vision , es war also mein eigenes Inneres , das mich zu dieser Praxis geführt hat .Ebenso riet mir meine innere Stimme , dieses Buch zu lesen . Es schildert , wie man mit Shri Yantra meditieren kann . Dabei werden die einzelnen graphischen Bestandteile des Yantras erläutert und in Beziehung zu einer Hymne von Shankara gesetzt , die an die verschiedenen Aspekte von Shakti gerichtet ist . So ergibt sich ein weites Anwendungsspektrum für viele Bedürfnisse . Dabei wird klar , dass der Göttin Shakti die Verbesserung der irdischen Lebensumstände ebenso am Herzen liegt wie das Fördern spiritueller Einsichten . Jede Art von Trennung wird überwunden und so stellt Shri Yantra letztlich die von der Göttin belebte ganze Welt dar . Die Praxis von Shri Yantra heilt auf diese Weise das Herz und hilft , die Welt im Licht der Göttin zu sehen .Swami Satsangis ( so die Abkürzung des Namens der Autorin ) Sprache - das Buch ist in Englisch verfasst - ist einfach und klar , auch da , wo es um tiefere Zusammenhänge geht .

This book is a practical guide for the use of the Soundarya Lahari. It is clear, concise, and generally complete for a safe (relatively) tantric praxtice to obtain specific spiritual and worldly desires. The information on each verse, and it'sapplication sometimes is limited as I have a comparative text from Karunamayi concerning the first verse and its use to clean the MUlhadara, Manipura and Anahata chakras with a diet, etc... In Karunamayi's explanation no use is mentioned of this verse being for the obataining of prosperity or overcoming obstacles, and In this book no mention is made of the use to clean the chakras, diet, etc... Two very different explanations -both valid but I suspect and feel that this book has not given other specific uses as to limit what people will actually use it to obtain. This doesn't necessarily apply to all the verses and I'm sure Karaunamayi would not give out the more advanced uses either to the general public. I have started to use the first verse without the required gold plate - which I will pick up in two days. Howver I did do 500 repetitions of the first verse yesterday in the lotus and have been using it for about a week. The results are interesting - much light in the third eye circling around, conscousness projection through my third eye, telepathic and spirit communication including physical and energetic touch on even mudane things as waking me up with "Time to get up" and a gentle slap in the face (which I needed- had to go out). I will further update this after I use the gold plate and mandala for the required 12 days -if my knees hold out for three or four hours in the lotus.Hari Shreeyam (M. Rephen)

Very informative and enlightening!!