Essay name: Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara (Study)
Author:
Seetha N.
Affiliation: University of Kerala / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies in English the Soundarya Lahari of Shri Shankara, focusing on its philosophical and devotional aspects. The Saundaryalahari represents an epitome of Shaktism (worship of the divine Goddess) by expounding the ultimate goal of liberation (moksha) through the non-dual knowledge of Nirguna Brahman, as taught by the Advaita philosophy.
The author, his life, date and contributions
29 (of 39)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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: 52 : 28. Navaratnamalika:- As the name indicates, nine lines are jewelled in praise of Kali, giving importance to tantric concepts like lunar plane, solar plane, fiery plane, etc. 29. Gayatryastaka:- Gayatri, as worshipped by Yogins is extolled in eight stanzas. E.g. "Pranayamaparayanaih budhaganaih sansevyamanan sivam 30. Śrīrāmabhujanga is composed in Bhujahgaprayata metre in 29 lines, and is highly rich in prasa. "Namo visvakartre, namo viśvahartre Namo visvabhoktre, namo visvabhartre Namo visvanetre, namo visvajetre Namo visvapitre, namo visvamatre." 31. Laksminrsimhapancaratna in five stanzas explains the illusory world, in which the devotee's function is to meditate upon Goddess Laksmi and God Nrsimha. 32. 80 "Tava hitamekan vacanañ vaksye, srnu sukhakamo yadi satatan
svapne drstañ sakalan hi mrsa jagrati ca smara tadvaditi
cetobhrnga bhramasi vrtha bhavamarubhumau virasayan
bhaja bhaja lakeminarasimhanagha sarasijamakarandah."
Laksminrsimhakarunarasastotra: - Detachment from worldly
life is instructed in the thirteen stanzas of this work,
because worldly life never gives pleasures to one;
worldly life is compared to several unpleasant things
like a deep cave, a deep well, an ocean, a tree of sins,
a serpent, a wild fire, a spider-web, a wild elephant etc.
