meditations

Maa durga

Jai Maa

Durga Saptashati

durga saptashati

Maa Durga

In this devotional video in Hindi, Om Swami beautifully narrates the form of Mother Divine based on the classical Hindu religious text Lalita Sahasranama, Thousand names of Goddess Lalita. He uses verses from this eulogy to meditate on the form of primordial energy, the Cosmic Mother, the Creatress.

She is called Shri Mata. Mother Divine, the ultimate refuge. Shri Maharajni. She is not just the queen but an empress, the independent majesty in her own right. Cittagni kunda sambhuta. She emerges from the fire of knowledge in a devotee's heart. Dev karya samudta. When you are pure like devas, the Divine Mother manifests to lend immeasurable strength to your thought. Udyat bhanu sahasrabha. When she emerges, it flashes like the brilliance of a thousand rising suns.

Listen to the glories of Divine Mother and immerse in the bhava to meditate on her most beautiful form.

Meditating On The Divine Mother [Hindi]

 Ram Dass leads a 35 minute meditation, originally recorded January 1981, in Sydney Australia. 

Ram Dass guides a soma (divine nectar) meditation, focusing on drawing the living spirit in through the breath and body - and releasing the stuff in you that is keeping you from being with the universe: fears, negativity, doubt, inadequacy, anger, loneliness...replenishing your body with healing energy. Release the things you don't need in order to be in the spirit. 

Soma Guided Meditation With Ram Dass

One thing that is clear is that Mother Divine is not bound to any ritual or to any method. She is not a lower form of energy, where we can just chant the mantra and bind her and bring her in front of us. She is Mother Divine. She has the most divine form one can imagine. When you are in love, you don't maintain an account with the other person in which you keep record of who loves whom how much; you just love. Similarly, with Mother Divine no account is possible. I cannot say that I will call you two and half crore times, which is a lot of time, and therefore you should show me your form. It is just not possible. 

We have to realize where we belong in this creation. We are part of the divine but only qualitatively. Quantitatively we are one tiny drop. Earth is a tiny drop in the galaxy. Our galaxy is a tiny drop in the universe. The universe is a tiny drop in the multiverse. The scale of creation is extraordinarily infinite. To experience the divine, somewhere we have to be divine. I am expounding on the essence of Lalitha Sahasranamam on my faith and the basis of my faith is the direct experience. I beg for forgiveness to Mother Divine for this audacity to say that I will expound on the essence of Lalitha Sahasranamam. 

Listen to this discourse full of divinity on the Essence of Lalitha Sahasranamam by Om Swami.

01 Essence of Lalita Sahasranamam - Part 1

Lalita Sahasranamam can be done as an independent practice or as part of Sri Vidya. Ma (Mother Divine) is called Sri. Sri means where all the four types of sukhas live. Sri means somebody you can take aashrya (shelter), refuge in. She is situated on the left side of Siva. To really succeed on the path of self-realization or sadhana you have to understand your masculine and feminine aspects and these are forever changing in every human being. There are three aspects of Lalita Sahasranamam, first is devotion, second is meditation and the third is initiation. Devotion is absolutely critical, no matter how tough a yogi you are; devotion alone will make you humble. If you are not devoted to a god or a guru or even to a cause, you will be constantly battling with your own ego and anger all the time. Devotion is of utmost important. 

The first verse of Lalita Sahasranamam says that She is Sri Mata, the ultimate Ma. A mother is the embodiment of compassion. A mother is willing to accept anything. She is Maharagyni, meaning she is not the Maharani (The Queen); She is the Empress. 

Listen to this devotional discourse by Om Swami and gain insight on the Essence of Lalita Sahasranamam.

02 Essence of Lalita Sahasranamam - Part 2

The radiance of Ma is like thousand suns. Ma has four limbs, they are the four pursharthas, they are the four types of sounds, they are the four types of japa, they are the four types of avasthas and they are four types of guna. So the form of Ma starts with these most basic and fundamental attributes that are the very basis of existence of every single living entity on our planet and beyond.

She is holding a noose of passion. The bow she is holding is of mind. The five arrows she is holding are the five subtle elements also know as touch, taste, smell, sight and sound. From the perspective of sadhana, these are your only hurdles, only obstacles on the path of sadhana. You need to overcome these hurdles by rising above your passions, anger and desires. This will always be the first test of any sincere seeker. As you progress on the path of sadhana, you move from the form to the formless. She is much easier to attain when you worship her within you because then she becomes part of every single atom of existence. The magnitude builds to a level where you start to feel her presence.

It is not without reason that the Sahasranamam starts with the physical attributes of Mother Divine. 

Listen to this discourse by Om Swami on the deeper meaning of Lalita Sahasranamam.

03 Essence of Lalita Sahasranamam - Part 3

Durga Saptashati Sadhna Shivyog

Shree Durga Chalisa

Kilak Stotram from Saptashati Gaatha
Singer and Music by: Sanika Goregaonkar
Rhythm Arranger: Parag Goregaonkar


KILAK STOTRAM

Bhagavad Gita Lecture - Jun 10 2008

Sarada Nama Sankirtan

Srimad Bhagavadgita Chanting by Swami Sarvagananda of Ramakrishna Math

Srimad Bhagavat Gita

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5 of Srimad Bhagavadgita by Swami Sarvagananda

Chapter 5

Chapter 6 1. Shanknaad

9. Devya Kavacham

5. Raatri Sooktam

6. Devi Sooktam

8. Keelaka Stavaha

10. Devi Vaahana Singha Dhyanam

Ram Dass leads a meditation using the Heart of Aditya (the sun god) mantra: Aditya Hridayam Punyam Sarva Shatru Vinashanam.

Aditya Hridayam – Meditation

The Siddha Kuñjikā Stotram from the Rudrayāmala Tantra is said to contain all the secrets of the Devī Mahātmyam. It is said that a complete understanding of this alone is equivalent to the chanting or listening to the 700 verses of the Devī Mahātmyam!

Siddha Kuñjikā Stotram

Swami Satyananda Saraswati explains Devi Kavacham and Argala Stotram

3. Chandi Path: Devi Kavacham and Argala Stotram

This meditation is drawn from Theravada (Southern Buddhism) called "Anapana" - just bringing you to right here, and it's done through the breath. Out of all of our individual differences, what is common to us is we are all breathing in, breathing out. 


9. Devya Kavacham

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