Bala Meditation guide

(written by Atmanandanatha, and was located on devipuram.com)

Nivasatu Hridi Bala Nitya Kalyana Seela

(Bala Meditation guide)

Srividya uapasana is found everywhere throughout the world. People want everlasting happiness in life. They try many ways and finally land on the spiritual methods. Initially they find the Vedas and daily practices, further they read and try to understand through Vedanta’s- the Upanishads. These methods are intellectual with no sight of the real experience. So they search for a Guru and surrender to him. He instructs them on the time-tested, sure to bear fruit method, called the Srividya. The experience of the nature of the entire universe as a play of the Siva and sakthi and that every thing is in the form of Siva and sakthi is the goal of Srividya. This leads to an unlimited experience of bliss.

In this path of Srividya there are many steps like Japa, Pooja, homa, dhayna, Samadhi. Of these Japa is the foremost and the first step instructed to an aspirant. The mantras of Ganapathy and Bala along with guru paduka are the first set of mantras initiated to the aspirant by the Guru.

Many Tantras are unified in declaring that the mantra of Bala is of three letters. (Aim kliim sauh). The eighteen siddas of the yore also practised the Bala mantra in their own way by chanting ‘ayum kiliyum chauum’ and attained the eight siddhis. Their practical verbatim in Tamil  language runs ‘there is no more nourishing food other that milk; there is no more deity above Bala’. The sages of the yore on finding that this mantra being utmost beneficial and easily approached by all for the siddhi cast a curse on it and locked away the powers of this mantra. They have also revealed procedures for lifting this curse and unlocking the powers hidden in this mantra, which are revealed in the Tantras.

 By tradition the Bala mantra is initiated as a six letters. This is derived by adding the reverse order of the above three letters in the end of the aforesaid mantra (Aim kliim sauh sauh kliim aim). This mantra is devoid of any curse of lock on the powers. Later when the uapasana progresses the Srividya Pancadasi mantra is imparted to the aspirant. Then this Bala mantra takes the form of the Yoga Bala mantra – the Anga mantra (primary attendant) of the pancadasi mantra. There the mantra has a nine letter form which is derived by adding the three letters of the first said Bala, which is in the normal order, after the above six letter mantra.( (Aim kliim sauh sauh kliim aim Aim kliim sauh )This mantra is not chanted as such by most of Upasakas, the number to be chanted is one-tenth of the Srividya pancadasi mantra’s count.

Bala and Katapayadi number secret code:

The katapayadi secret code is as follows: ka denotes the number one, kha two, ga three, gha four, Gna five, ca six,  cha seven, ja eight, jha nine and ghna zero, the same number order for the letters from ta, pa and ya. In this order we find that ‘ba’ is three and ‘la’ is also three.

The first inference from this that is the code identifies the number of bijaskharas in the Bala mantra namely three. Since there are two three’s for ‘ba’ and ‘la’ , adding these we find number of bijaskhra’s in the Bala mantra(six) imparted by tradition. Multiplying them we find the number of bijaskhara’s (nine) in the anga Bala (Yoga Bala) of Pancadasi.

Subtracting them we find zero, which in Sanskrit is denoted as ‘pujya’, which can also be translated as ‘worthy of worship’. Hence inferred that ‘Bala’ is worthy of worship. Dividing them we get one, which denotes ‘ekam sat viprah bahuta vadanti’ -the Brahman which pervades this entire universe.

Bala is in the form of ganesa/graha/nakshatra /yogini/ pita/ rasi

Placing both the three’s  side by side we get thirty three, the number of divine beings in the devaloka, The eleven rudras, twelve adityas, eight vasu and asvini duo make up the divine pantheon ( 11+12+8+2=33). Each of these groups is also denoted as gana. We thus find the ‘Bala’ is ganesa rupini.

As seen in the first paragraph multiplying both three’s we find nine, the number of planets in the skies as per tradition, Hence ‘Bala’ is graha rupini

In the above calculation multiplying three thrice we find twenty seven the number of stars (nakshatras), so ‘Bala’ is nakshatra rupini

 Adding the two threes’ we find six the number of yogini’s (hakini etc.) in the six body cakras, therefore ‘Bala’ is yogini rupini

When we multiply the first two three’s and add the third three ({3X3} +3 =12) we find twelve the number of rasi’s (zodiac signs), so ‘Bala’ is rasi rupini.

The number three denotes the main three pitas (seats of divine powers) kamagiri, purnagiri and jalandhara. Hence ‘Bala’ is pita rupini.

The essence of the above is that Bala is all pervasive and our constant japa with full belief on our guru imparted mantra is the sure road to the goal of self realisation.

Bala is matruka :

In the daily ritual of nyasa, the barest minimum requirement is matruka nyasa- both outer (bahir) and inner (antar).  In the antar matruka nyasa for svadhitana we find the ‘Ba’ in the starting letter, and ‘la’ is the final letter. Hence it is clear that the word ‘Bala’ is formed from the first and last letters of this charka. Thus we infer that Bala is the presiding deity of this charka. Sva + adhistana- one’s own + abode (original seat) is the translation of the name of the charka. We can now admire that Sri Bala also takes the form of the yogini of this charka –kakini. This is the first place of entry of the cit sakthi - kundalini from her basal abode muladhara. The Upastha (genitals) –organ for enjoyment is associated with is charka. Summing up we find that Bala is the foremost, Blissful, Primordial energy, Sri Lalitha in her child hood form.

In the fifteen nitya devis we find the mantra of vijaya, the twelfth nitya, as ‘bh m r y oom’. It is amazing to see that the consonants in this mantra are between ‘ba’ and ‘la’ and ‘oom’ is placed in the left ear, which is indicative of sakthi pradhanya(left) and tradition(ear-karnaat karnopadesena sampraptam avaneetalam’). Parasurama also gives this as the first mantra during deeksha, ‘vijaya’ means ‘vi’-special and ‘jaya’- victory, the special victory is the atma labha(jaya). So this mantra can be meditated as an expansion of ‘bala’.

In the bahir (outer) matruka nyasa ‘Ba’ is placed in the stomach and ‘la’ in the back of neck. Stomach is the organ for digesting the food received, thus absorbing the nutrients needed for the body and rejecting the unwanted. This indicates that we have to imbibe the main idea that the whole world is in the form of the divine couple, rejecting the idea of dualism. The back of neck is the medical part called ‘Medulla oblongata’, the controller of our involuntary movements like breathing, heart beat, etc. This is the main area of the control in the living system. Linking the above we find the perception that the whole world is the play of the divine couple should be our daily breath.

In the tatva parayana each tatva is associated with a matrukakshra. ‘a’ for siva, ‘ka’ for sakthi, ‘kha’ for sadasiva etc up to ‘ksha’ for prthvi. The vowels ‘aa’ to ‘ah’ are explaining the splendour of siva tatva. ‘aa’ is Ananda sakthi ‘i’ is ichha sakthi, ‘I’ is Ikshana etc. ( see paratrisikha for further details) In this order we find ‘ba’ is pada tatva, ‘la’ is rupa tatva and the vowel in both ‘aa’ is Ananda. ‘Pada’ is the organ for locomotion and hence is figurative of a path. Summing up we find the path to the Ananda rupa of Atma is ‘Bala’.

As seen above both ‘ba’ and ‘la’ are the third of the tatvas, correspondingly the third of dasamahavidya is sodasi or Srividya so she is the root of this maha mantra. The third mahabhuta also is agni. Since Tripurabhairavi of the Dasamahavidyas is fiery and denotes tapas, we can admire that the bala mantra forms the basis of the Tripurabhairavi and her expansion as tripura sundari (sodai) of the Dasamahavidyas. 

The meaning of Bala mantra:

The meaning of Bala mantra has been explained in many ways by our revered teachers. The first Vagbhava Bija is a vowel ‘Aim’- which can be split up as ‘a’ + ‘i’ + ‘a’ + ‘m’. The first ‘a’ represents the Rig-Veda starting with ‘agni miide..’ and its essence in the mahavvakya  ‘pragynanam Brahma’ ; ‘i’ the yajur veda starting with ‘ishetvorje..’ and its essence in the  mahavakya ‘aham brahmaasmi’;

‘a’ the sama veda starting with ‘ agna aayaahi..’ and its essence the mahavakya ‘ tatvamasi’ and ‘m’ the atharva veda starting with ‘sanno devi..’(Sam + Na :) and its essence the mahavakya ‘ayamaatmaa Brahma’. Thus this indicates first stage of the aspirant, in search of the unlimited bliss, which is the surrender to a guru, imparting the mahavakyas and showing a path for sadhana.

The second Kamaraja Bija is ‘kliim’ can be split as ‘k’+ ‘l’ + ‘iim’. ‘k’ indicates sakthi tatva, ‘la’ the prthvi (earth) tatva . Since siva tava is inherent in sakthi tatva we find that this represents the complete 36 tatvas.  ‘iim’ is the kamakala tatva the cause of the whole creation by heavy penance. This is the further development of sadhana as indicated by a Pooja paddhati instructed by the Sri Guru. 36 tatvas indicate the tatva sodhana  , the kamakala indicate the kamakala dhayna in the Pooja paddhati.

The final Bija is ‘sauh’ which can be split as‘s’+ ‘au’ + ‘h’. ‘s’ represents the thirty one tatvas from prthvi to maya; ‘au’ the suddha Vidya, isvara and sadasiva ; ‘h’ the visarga the sakthi and siva tatvas. Thus this is a miniature universe of all the 36 tatvas. ‘s’ is the letter for sakthi, the universal creatrix, ‘h’ the visarga the created universe and ‘au’ the equalising factor which  shows their  singular identity ( between the Creatrix and the universe). This final bija can be inferred as the zenith of sadhana wherein on constant practice as instructed by the Sri Guru the aspirant enjoys unlimited bliss on understanding the this universe is the play of siva sakthi.

Bala in LalithOpakhyana:

LalithOpakhyana is the final part of the last of the eighteen purana – the Brahmanda purana. Therein we find a descriptive narrative of the tale of Sri Lalitha devi- Bhandasura’s origin, his conquest, devas yaga, the emergence of Sri Lalitha from the citagni kunda, creation of her army, destruction of the forces and of Bhandasura, creation of Srinagra etc. In the middle we find that Bhandasura deputes his 30 sons to fight the sakthi army. Here we find Sri Bala suddenly, out of the blue, her emergence is hidden. She requests permission to fight the son’s of Bhandasura, rides her chariot drawn by swans (karni ratha) and slays them by the Narayanastra. This is praised by the vasini vagdevatas in the Lalitha sahasranama as ‘Bhanda putra vadothyuktha Bala vikrama nanadita’. The thirty sons of Bhandasura represent the stain caused by the activities of the five organs for knowledge and the five organs for action (total ten) in the three states (waking, sleep and deep sleep). The stain is the limited knowledge that the individual is separate. Bala represents the action packed knowledge of the unlimited Bliss removing the notion of individual consciousness.

Bala meditation guide:

The usual mediation verse ‘Aruna kirana jalaih..’ is imparted to the most aspirants. Sri Bala is described as of red effulgence engulfing the universe, holding a book, rosary (made of sapthika) , the gestures of dispelling fear and granting boons, seated on the red lotus with a prayer to occupy the aspirant’s heart. 

While doing japa aspirant is instructed to meditate on the form while chanting the bijas. A method is suggested herewith, by the grace of the Sri Guru, on this procedure.

Initially while chanting ‘Aim’ meditate on the upper hand holding the rosary and book of white hue. ‘Kliim’ can be meditated as the lower arms showing the gestures of dispelling fear and granting boons of red hue. ‘Sauh’ can be meditated on the total form of the devi especially the feet of golden hue. This is the procedure for the upasaskas of the three bija Bala mantra.

The six bija Bala mantra upasakas can further meditate thus. While repeating ‘Sauh’ meditate on the feet and that the individual merges in it by the grace of the Sri Guru. While repeating ‘Kliim’ (in the meaning of the mantra above ‘kliim’ is the universe) meditate as pervading the universe, which is the body of the devi. Finally while repeating ‘Aim’ (‘Aim’ is written as a triangular letter in Sanskrit- triangle represents the yoni - the source of creation – the para siva tatva) meditate as being absorbed in the source of creation which is the parasiva tatva. Thus a dhayna Samadhi can be experienced by the aspirants chanting the six bija Bala mantra.

Further dhayna can be done by the nine bija Bala upasakas as thus: While repeating ‘Aim’ meditate on the creation of the universe from above the parasiva tatva , ‘kliim’ can be mediated as the creation of this subtle and palpable universe and finally ‘sauh’ can be meditated as play of the siva sakthi in the above expanded universe.

This is dedicated to the lotus feet of the Sri Guru who is the unseen guiding spirit in the road of Sadhana