The Saundaryalahari of Adi Sankaracarya is essentially a poem of intense devotion, despite the Tantric concepts contained in it. There is basically no difference between the Vedic ideals of Godhead and the Tantric. The conception of Siva and Sakti in Tantra is the same as the Vedic one of purusa and prakriti and the Advaitic Brahman and Maya.
In the words of Vivekananda, "The Absolute is formless, but energy is female. When the energy takes form, it is called Mother. Mother is the moving Power, disturbing into waves the water-calm of the Absolute." The formless infinite becomes finite in diversified creation due to Sakti, the Kinetic Power. To quote Arthur Avalon, "Power implies a Power-Holder. The Power-Holder is Siva. There is no Siva without Sakti, or Sakti without Siva. The two, as they are, in themselves are one. They are each being, Consciousness and Bliss."
Prayer is the path of purification of the mind and aids in developing in the individual worshipper the consciousness of being one with God. Indian hymns of prayer contain elements of auto-suggestion and self-hypnotism that help the spiritual aspirant in his upward path through Samipya, Sarupya and Sayujya, that is by creating a sense of nearness to the Divine, a desire to acquire the attributes of divinity, and ultimate identification of the individual self with the Supreme.
The Saundaryalahari of Sankaracarya is such a potent prayer. It makes the devotee feel that he is one with Siva and Sakti, and thus arouses the latent powers within him. The Mother of the universe is the fountainhead of beauty, riches, and knowledge. The devotee, sensing his identification with, her, becomes the lord of riches and learning and begets such a dazzling form that he is taken to be the god of love. And yet he does not get enmeshed in earthly bondage.
True worship is the worship in and by the mind. This is termed as Samaya worship. Through the Saundar yalahari, probably his only tantric work, Sri Sankara shows the pure Samaya way of awakening the power that lies dormant in every one of us, as Kundalini-sakti. With an awakened Kundalini, one lives a full life of achievement and at its end merges joyfully in the Supreme Bliss.
In placing this edition of Saundaryalahari, with English translation, Notes and Yantric diagrams, I invite all the readers thereof to take a holy dip in this ocean of bliss and beauty, bequeathed to us by the Great Master.
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