The Divine Feminine

Earlier this year, my friend Keith Lowenstein from All Faiths Seminary International invited me to speak at their Seeker’s Compass series. We brainstormed several ideas until we both unanimously agreed that the topic of the Divine Feminine would be a compelling one. The recording below is my attempt to capture the essence of the Saundarya Lahari by sharing an overview of this profound work of devotional poetry. Composed by 8th century Indian saint, poet, philosopher, scholar, commentator and teacher, Adi Shankaracharya, the Saundarya Lahari’s 100 verses extol the Divine Feminine in the form of Goddess Tripurasundari (lit. The Beautifier of the Three Worlds).

Goddess Tripurasundari

My Guru, Nitya Chaitanya Yati, had given me a signed copy of his commentary on the Saundarya Lahari in 1997. For 20 years it lay on my bookshelf unopened! As happens with the Guru principle, when causes and conditions are ripe, something wakes up in us prompting us on a new path of spiritual exploration. As soon as we begin to take our first steps, the world seemingly reciprocates by bringing in the right guides, teachers and teachings at the right times to offer guidance along the path. My own journey with the Saundarya Lahari has been a true testament to this type of unfoldment. Since 2017, I’ve been led to various teachers who have initiated me into its mantras, taught me to chant its verses in ragas, friends who have helped me keep up a sustained practice, and books that have helped me expand my understanding of the text.

My practice has involved memorizing the verses, singing and meditating on them. Even after practicing this way for several years now, I have to say I feel like I’ve barely dipped my toes into the water. It is an esoteric and complex composition that eludes the logical mind. Saundarya Lahari in Sanskrit literally means ‘waves of beauty’. Nataraja Guru refers to it as “An overwhelming subjective or objective experience of an item of intelligence or of beauty upsurging in the mind of man.” Chanting these verses opens me up in beautiful, unexpected ways. I sense the vastness of my inner being and my ego dissolves in the waves of beauty. It infuses in me a growing trust in Life itself and a recognition of divine perfection in everything.

In this session recording below, I share some of the history and context for the Saundarya Lahari, and give you a taste for the Indescribable that is praised in this work.

---

You can find other Myndtree blogs here. If this blog spoke to you, we warmly invite you to log in and share your thoughts below.