Memorable few noteworthy lines …
Little drops of rain gathers the mighty ocean!
The release of the Sri Chakra puja vidhanam by Sri Chaitananda Natha Saraswathi (Aiya), a pinnacle to all devotees, without exception to caste or creed, in true inclusiveness, and the revelation of the Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari Namavali.
It was the year 1984……….
Aiya’s Guru, Shri La Shri Amirthananda Natha Saraswathi (Guruji), had told him the best gift Aiya could give him is to spread the Sri Chakra puja and Devi worship to all beings without exception and liquidate the sting of systemic cultural division. Though, like many of us, Aiya was born into a very conventional family but had no compunction in casting aside cultural differences as he identified himself and realized the divine in all beings. His reverence to his Guru and his eternal bhakti blossomed as the purpose, with overwhelming urge, to publish a Sri Chakra Pooja vidhanam (learning text). Spiritual materials kept piling up and journey to light up the lives and ways to live for others was about to begin swift motion.
Aiya and family were residing in Webster, New York and had maintained the daily external rituals in addition to his intense sadhana. He decided to initially compile a text in the Thamil Language as a starter. Spiritual materials kept building. The disciples were just three; slowly but surely the flow of disciples increased and the need to document a puja text was glimmering in the horizon.
First and foremost challenge was to acquire the equipment to print his findings. His Guruji’s teachings of the Sri Chakra Pooja, the multitude of texts related to this Pooja, stanzas of praise of the deities and his insight would come to be nexus of this publication.
Word compiling software applications and hardware equipment for domestic use was just in its infancy state. The next viable option was to obtain a conventional typewriter with Thamil fonts. Needless to say such typewriter was not available in the USA. His underlying sentiments, unflinching determination and devotion to spread this Pooja to devotees was obviously seen by the MOTHER and resulted in his disciples, Siva and Gayathri from Boston, importing a Thamil typewriter from India and presenting it to him. So, the memorable task was put into motion…….
Aiya spent all his free time compiling this book…… just the type writer, simple mono chromic copying machine and his true ebullient nature with purpose to fulfill Guruji’s desires and his own devotion.
All was going well in the making of this book, the MOTHER interjected and directed Aiya to include a 16 line coalesced names of praise of HER and Chaithananda at the juncture of the Chathurana Pooja and the Nithayakala Pooja. This Namavali is “Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari” and Chaithananda as the original Rishi who perceived it. Each opening of each nama (name) is seeded with Panchadasi mantra thus completing the intonation of the Panchadasi mantra; very much synonymous with the Lalitha Thiruthasi where the 300 namas are coalesced with the Panchadasi in group of 15 namas.
At this point let us dwell to the meaning of Chaithananda and the reasons why the MOTHER endowed Aiya as Chaithananda Natha Saraswathi on his Purna Dhiksha.
Generally, Chaithananda is associated as the terminology for the super consciousness. But is more than that! It is that ubiquitous primordial pristine energy and the intelligence of that super consciousness. In a casual conversation with Aiya one day he revealed that the MOTHER had given him the purna dhiksha. A few days after the initiation by HER Aiya received a letter from Guruji by mail with this initiation! Of course it was not an event of serendipity but the design of the MOTHER to formalize the initiation by his own GURU. SHE not only ordained this name to him but explained the reasons for the choice of this name for him. SHE told him he is a fully realized soul and therefore he is also HER, therefore Chaithananda; additionally SHE revealed that Aiya’s sharp intonations of mantras and each word of praise to the MOTHER has a profound resonating effect, which is also Chaithananda! Thus the augmentation- Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari]
The first book in Thamil of 50 copies were released in 1985. It had a red binding cover and was dearly referred as the red book. This puja vidhanam has now been translated into English, Telugu, Karnataka and Sanskrit languages, progressed through many editions and used worldwide by many devotees.
Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari Namavali
Asya Sri Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari Maha Manthrasya Chaitanyamrta rusiye namah sirase. Anustup chandase namah mukhe.Sri Chaitanya Maha Thirupura Sundari devathayai namah hrdyae
Aim angusttapayam namah, Klim tarjanibyam namah, Souh madhyambhyam namah, Aim anamikabiyam namah, Klim kanisthikabhyam mamah, Sauh karatala kara prsthabhyam namah.
Aim hrdayaya namah, Klim sirase svaha, Sauh sikkyai vasat,
Aim kavacaya hum, Klim netratraya vausat, Sauh astraya phat.
Bhuh, bhuvah, suvah om iti digbandahah.
Om Aim Hrim Srim KAruna lavanya saumya murthyae namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim Ekaksara hrdaya prakasayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim I kara svara madhyayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim LAghu shyamala marakata pravarthinyai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim HRIM karamrta rupinyi namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim HAri hara virincisvara nilayayi namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim SAkalatmananda sarvavastha karinyai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim KAlpa sutra saramsa bodhiyai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim HAsta manorupekshu dandayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim LAmbikagra kalalaya mandirayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim HRIMkara svara sthiti kartayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim SAkalanada prapanca karanayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim KAlpa kotyanda roma nilayayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim LAya janamrta saramsayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim HRIMkara paranandaisvarayai namah
Om Aim Hrim Srim Chaitanya Lalitha Maha Thirupura Sundaryai namah.
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