Posted on: 21 October 2015

Digital Book :
Saundarya Lahari
The Ocean of Beauty of Sri Sankara Bhagatvatpada
English translation by Pandit S.Subrahmanya Sastri and T.R.Srinivasa Ayyangar
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Madras - 1937

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The Soundarya Lahari meaning "Waves Of Beauty" is a famous literary work in Sanskrit written by Adi Shankara. Its hundred and three shlokas (verses) eulogize the beauty, grace and munificence of Goddess Parvati / Dakshayani, consort of Shiva.

The Soundarya Lahari is not only a poem. It is a tantra textbook, giving instructions on puja and offerings, many yantras, almost one to each shloka; describes tantric ways of performing devotion connected to each specific shloka; and details the results ensuing therefrom. There are many interpretations and commentaries but best of these are arguably those that provide word-to-word translations, as also the yantras, the devotion to be performed and the results of the devotion.

- Wikipedia

Image:
Standing Parvati
Chola period (880–1279)
ca. first quarter of the 10th century
Tamil Nadu
Copper alloy

© The Metropolitan Museum of Art


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Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada was a true Vedanti. One who has perused his Upanisadic and Brahma Sutra commentaries in some detail would vouch for the fact that he treats Agamas/Tantras with utter disdain and does not accord them a pramaNic status. By that logic, it is highly unlikely that 'Saundarya Lahiri' was his work. It should have come from a later day acharya bearing the same name.

The later day acharya should have represented the Sakta agamic school, which explains why Goddess Parvati is eulogised in this work.