Shri Vidya

Shri Vidya (ISO: Śrī Vidyā; lit. ''knowledge', 'learning', 'lore', or 'science'';^[1] sometimes also spelled Sri Vidya or Shree Vidya) is a Hindu Tantric religious system devoted to the Goddess. Shri Vidya developed out of various influences, especially Kāśmīr Shaivism, and its doctrines remain similar to this tradition.^[2]

The Shri Yantra (shown here in the three-dimensional projection known as Shri Meru Chakra or Maha Meru) is central to most Tantric forms of Shaktism.

In the principally Shakta theology of Śrī Vidyā the goddess is supreme, transcending the cosmos that is her manifestation.^[a] She is worshiped in the form of a mystical diagram (Sanskrit: yantra), a central focus and ritual object composed of nine intersecting triangles, called the Shri Yantra or Śrī Cakra.^[3]

The south Indian tradition of Sri Vidya generally focuses on Lalitā Tripurasundarī (Beautiful Goddess of the Three Worlds) as the main form of Mahadevi. Apart from Mahātripurasundarī, other important deities in this tradition include Gaṇapati, Bālā, Rājamātaṅgī, Mahāvārāhī, and Parā. The most important source for this branch of Sri Vidya is the Paraśurāma Kalpasūtra. A thousand names for this form of Devī are recited in the Lalitā Sahasranāma, which includes Śrī Vidyā concepts.^[b] The sect accepts and aims to provide both material prosperity and self-realisation. It has an extensive literature.^[4]

The most important scholar of Sri Vidya is undoubtedly Bhāskararāya (1690–1785), who wrote over 40 works from a Sri Vidya perspective.^[5][6] He is the author of key Sri Vidya texts like the Saubhāgyabhāskara (a commentary to the Lalitā Sahasranāma), Varivasyārahasya (a work on Sri Vidya mantra and worship) and the Commentary on Nityāṣōḍaśikārṇava.

Shri Vidya Traditions

Sri Vidya practices are primarily divided into Kaula and Samaya, as referenced in the Lalita Sahasranama. Kaula is further subdivided into different schools: Dakṣiṇācāra, which focuses on external rituals; Mishramachara, a combination of ritualistic and meditative practices; and Vamachara, or left-hand practices. On the other hand, Samayachara emphasizes on meditative practices on Tripurasundari and the Sri Yantra.

The Dattatreya Sampradaya is one of the most important living traditions in Shri Vidya.^[7] This tradition follows the Parashurama Kalpasutra, a manual that outlines the practices of Shri Vidya as taught by Dattatreya to Parashurama.^[8] The teachings were later documented by Sumedha, providing detailed guidance on mantra, nyasa, and homa rituals that are central to the spiritual path in this tradition.

Major texts

• Bhavana Upanishad
• Parasurama Kalpasutra
• Sarada Tilaka
• Saundarya Lahari
• Tripura Rahasya
• Lalita Sahasranama

References

Notes

1. For goddess as supreme and beyond the manifest cosmos, see: Flood 1996, p. 188.
2. For influence on the Lalitā Sahasranāma and a brief summary of some Śrī Vidyā practices see: Sastry 1986, pp. vii–ix.

Citations

1. Apte 1965, p. 857.
2. Flood 1996, p. 188.
3. Flood 1996, pp. 187–188.
4. Bhattacharyya 1999, p. 329.
5. Brooks 1990, pp. x–xiv.
6. Brooks 1992, p. 23.
7. "Srividya Sadhana - Srividya Sadhana". 2024-10-09. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
8. "Parashurama Kalpa Sutra - Srividya Sadhana". 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-10-20.

Works cited

• Apte, Vaman Shivram (1965), The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary (Fourth revised and enlarged ed.), Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, ISBN 81-208-0567-4.
• Bhattacharyya, N. N. (1999), History of the Tantric Religion (Second revised ed.), New Delhi: Manohar, ISBN 81-7304-025-7.
• Brooks, Douglas Renfrew (1990), Secret of the Three Cities, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0-226-07570-9.
• Brooks, Douglas Renfrew (1992), Auspicious Wisdom: The Texts and Traditions of Srividya Sakta Tantrism in South India, State University of New York Press, ISBN 978-0-7914-1145-2.
• Flood, Gavin (1996), An Introduction to Hinduism, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-43878-0.
• Sastry, R. Ananthakrishna (1986), Lalitāsahasranāma, Delhi: Gian Publishing House.

Further reading

• Dempsey, Corinne G. (2006), The Goddess Lives in Upstate New York: Breaking Convention and Making Home at a North American Hindu Temple (1st ed.), New York: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-518729-8.
• Dev, K. V., ed. (1996), The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother, San Ramon, California: Mata Amritanandamayi Center, ISBN 1-879410-67-2.
• Joshi, L. M. (1998), Lalitā Sahasranāma, New Delhi: D. K. Printworld (P) Ltd., ISBN 81-246-0073-2.
• Melanathuru, Venkata Subrahmanyam, Śhrī Vidya Upasana, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.
• Tapasyananda, Swami (1990), Śrī Lalitā Sahasranāma, Mylapore, Chennai: Sri Ramakrishna Math, ISBN 81-7120-104-0.