Connection of shAshtA(Iyyappa Swamy) to srIvidhyA tantrA

Connection of Sastha with Srividya Upasana

The below article was taken from my friend, Aravind Venkatraman's posting in his blog(http://shanmatha.blogspot.com/2009/09/connection-of-sastha-with-srividya.html) on Iyyappa.He shared and brought it to my notice.Thought,I can share with all of you in this Group...

Aravind can be contacted at:

Shri Maha Sasthru Seva Sangam94B, Third Street,Tatabad, COimbatore 12Email : aravindsai Ph: 99946 41801

Yours Yogically,

Mythreya Sreeraam Bhallyjayappalle---------------------------Connection of Sastha with Srividya Upasana You will find a brief explanation regarding this in my book "Shri Maha Sastha Vijayam"... and I shall try to throw some more light in the area:Sastha is the dear most son of Lalitha and the upasana of Sastha is always in Line with Shrividyopasana...Every Shrividyopasaka will know that the physical form of Laitha parameswari can be witnessed only at Kanchipuram. It is her Rajadhani... Lalitha parameshwari's

headquarters is Kanchipuram - the Shri Nagaram of Bhuloka.. The whole of Kanchi Kshetram is Shrichakraakara(in the form of Shri Chakram). and the Bindu is Kamakshi Sannidhanam.. Right behind Kamakshi is her beloved son with his consorts.. Poorna and Pushkala...I've heard from scholars like Harshanandanatha that a shrividyopaska entering the Kanchi Kshetram must worship all the deities with due Mudras and mantras and finally end the journey with Lord Sastha by worshipping him with Kalyana Shastru mantra and display the Khadga, pasham karavala and other mudras.In general the practice of Srividya - in the Saubhagya Vidya of Dakshinamnaya one can find Sasthru moorthi. Here he is worshiped in the forms Darma Sastha and Kirata Sastha..Sastha, (w.r.t to this area) helps the upasakas in begetting children and to overcome the enemies.You can see an explicit reference of Sastha in Lalithopakhyana, as the Son of Lalitha Parameshwari.

Shri.Manidasar of the illustrious Kambankudi family (also a devi upasaka) exclaims the glory of the Lord and concludes his songs praising "the son of Lalitha"Though you find these details and explicit references...The upasana of Sastha in the Shrividya cult is maintained with utmost secrecy that too only with a few specific schools of Shri Vidya...In the Sadi Vidya - Sastha is one of the Gurus in the OgatrayaFor example if you observe carefully you can find Sastha in the 9th avarana of Maha Prasada vidya (Mahaprasada Avarana has to be worshipped after Urdhwamnaya Puja -only by the Poornabhishiktas and that too - with Sri Guru's guidance)My Paramaguru who was an

exponent in Srividya (whose kuladevata was Shasta) worshipped the Lord 100% with the Srividyopasana paddathi.I dont know how many of us are aware of the fact the power house of all the Sastha Kshetrams lie at Karanthapuri(today - Kallidaikuichi) - in the banks of river Tamrabarani. The Kulathooril Ayyan there is worshipped in a stone peeta with Shri Chakram engraved on it...(Due to the merits accumulated for thousands of my previous births - the Lord gave me an opportunity to touch the Srichakram here and offer my worship with my own hands)And even at Sabarimalai - the Lord is seated on Srichakram and not on a Sasthru Yantram.There is an exclusive Srichakra puja paddathi for Sastha(which is unfortunately not available with anyone and Iam searching for it)And let me conclude this with a "Deva Rahasya" which was shared to me by a great Srividyopaska:

Devi has four powerful deities guarding her kingdom.. The two are the powerful deities Ashtamukha Gandabherunda Nrisimha and Sashaktika Maha Vamana. The third is Kalasamkarshini Kali and fourth is our Master - Lord Shasta accompanied by Purna and Pushkala.