Mahendri Kaumaari 3

6 7 Chamunda
MAHA MERU
from
2 Maheshwari
DEVIPURAM
by
Sri AMRITANANDA NATHA

Vaishnavi 4

Varaahi 5 1 Brahmi 8 Maha-Lakshmi

¹ Abhishekam is the ritual bathing of a murthi (temple or shrine image), yantra, guru or other human recipient.
² Panchamrita generally refers to a ritual mixture used in Hindu worship services. As its name implies, it is made of five
ingredients, usually milk, ghee, curd (yogurt), honey, and jaggery. Each of these ‘nectars’ has an origin in Hindu tradition.
The milk is that of Kamadhenu (the divine wish-fulfilling cow); the curd represents the white, smooth and cool luster of the
moon; the ghee is the food of the gods themselves, with a long Vedic past; honey, the extract of all herbs, is the essence of
Sri Vidya Trust
life with herbal healing powers; and jaggery, the extract of sugarcane, is both the representation and the epitome of sweetness. Devipuram,
³ Sankalpa is a conception or idea formed in one’s mind or heart; it is a thought, an ideal, an intention. The Vedas say that Anakapalle 531 001
the whole universe is evolved through sankalpa – the ceaselessly acting impulses of karma, driven by cosmic kama – and
hence it is only through sankalpa that the universe retains its karmic structure, appearance, and continuity.
Andhra Pradesh
34
 Mantras to the Eight Matrukas
Governing Beeja Avarana Name of The Mother I Bow to
First Edition January 2007 Direction Mantras Mantra Goddess Who Removes, Her
Second Edition September 2007 or Helps Us
to Overcome …
Published by Sri Vidya Trust, East Om aim am aam Brahmi maatre kama (lust) namaha
Devipuram hreem sreem souh sanjeevanyai
Ammulapalem Post (Via)
South Om aim am aam Maheshwari maatre krodha namaha
ANAKAPALLE 531 001 hreem sreem souh (anger) naashinyai
Andhra Pradesh
India West Om aim am aam Kaumaari maatre lobha namaha
hreem sreem souh (delusion) naashinyai
Tel: +91 8924 207652
Email: seva@devipuram.com North Om aim am aam Vaishnavi maatre moha (pride) namaha
Web: http://www.devipuram.com hreem sreem souh naashinyai
Southeast Om aim am aam Varaahi maatre mada namaha
hreem sreem souh (jealousy) naashinyai
Edited by Michael Bowden Southwest Om aim am aam Mahendri Maatre maatsarya namaha
hreem sreem souh (envy) naashinyai
Designed by: Imagic Creatives Pvt. Ltd. Northwest Om aim am aam Chamunda maatre papa (negative namaha
Bangalore 71 hreem sreem souh actions) naashinyai
Tel: +91 80 25356310/1/2
Northeast Om aim am aam Maha- maatre aishwarya namaha
Email: imagiccreatives@gmail.com hreem souh Lakshmi (attachment to
sreem wealth) keertyai

33
7 Chamunda is the War Goddess, a form of Chandi; “Chamunda Shava Vahana”
– She who lives in cemeteries, riding upon a revivified corpse. Propitiating
Chamunda will enable you to absolutely control all evils done to you and to
Maha Meru
eliminate those evils.

8 Mahalakshmi is the wealth of Sri Naraayana. She is Cosmic Awareness, and

shuns pettiness in all its aspects. Thus She represents the infinite wealth of the
Lord, and removes poverty of all kinds. The Ashta Aishwaryas and Ashta
Lakshmis are all under Her control and they all obey Her commands. It is
therefore appropriate to propitiate Her in order to get a feel for the spiritual
wealth of the Lord. She not only bestows material benefits, but also grants the
proper frame of mind for reaching the oceanic, infinite antaryami (One Residing
Within) of Divine Consciousness.

The simplest form of worship is abhishekam using Panchamrita² – pour a spoonful of

Panchamrita onto the Sri Meru location corresponding to each of these Devis as you
recite their respective mantras, as given below. If you want a particular result, you can
make a corresponding sankalpa³ and worship that Goddess by chanting Her mantra 108
times.
These are just general hints for the people who don’t have much time to spare, but
still wish to maximize the benefits of their Sri Meru, to help them light the path of
their lives. May the Goddess bless all of you so.
32
An Introduction
The Maha Meru, or Sri Meru Chakra, is a three-dimensional projection of the
great yantra known as Sri Chakra, said to be the Mother of all Mandalas. The
sublime geometry of the Sri Chakra is revealed wisdom. It is not of human origin.
It is nothing less than the genetic code of the Cosmos. It is intelligent. As one
commentator aptly explained, “Sri Chakra is the technology of the Absolute,
skillfully fashioned in Divinity’s own self-image.”
1
Every yantric shape emits a very specific frequency and energy pattern. Sri Chakra
is said to contain within itself the essence of all other yantras, and thus it contains
the essence of all traditions. Certain powers, for example, are ascribed to the six-
pointed Star of David, the Christian cross, the five-pointed star, the Egyptian and
Meso-American pyramids, and so on. The Meru’s particular configuration is revered
in all Eastern traditions: It integrates the essence of Indian Mother Goddess worship,
Mahayana Buddhism, Chinese feng shui, the Eleusinian mysteries of the Ancient
Greeks, and so much more. Once received from a proper and well-intentioned
Guru, the Maha Meru can bring unbounded happiness and every good thing in life.
In its Maha Meru form, Sri Chakra radiates an aura of Love and Order, literally
creating a sacred space around itself. Wherever it is placed, it brings order, peace,
happiness, health, and wealth – in short, everything that is needed. Just keeping it
in one’s home will confer great blessings, because the Meru subtly connects itself to
the other major yantras in the world. Its mere presence is said to cleanse the home
of defects under both the vaastu and feng shui systems; to ward off and neutralize
negative energies and the “evil eye”; to protect against unfavorable planetary
influences; and to bring about healing, prosperity and peace of mind.
People of all beliefs, religions and sects may reap the benefits of peace, healing and
prosperity by installing the Maha Meru in their homes, offices, shrines and places of
worship, as well as in hospitals, healing centers, prayer halls and wedding centers.
2 31
5 Varahi is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Lalita Devi. Residing
at the Ajna Chakra, She has vast armies at Her command (ajna), with which
She can defeat any enemy. Positive use of Varahi’s powers enables us to treat
various diseases and internal enemies, such as kama (lust), krodha (anger),
lobha (delusion), moha (pride), mada (jealousy) and matsarya (envy), and bring
them under control. Thus Varahi can be used for effectively controlling diseases
and improving one’s quality of life. She can also be invoked to bring relief to
others, by chanting sankalpam³ with their names and doing japa (mantra
recitation) or prokshana (the actual or visualized sprinkling of energized water
on the person on whose behalf you are appealing) with the Varahi Mantra.
Varahi is especially useful in bringing relief to terminally ill patients, such as
those suffering from cancer and AIDS.
6 Mahendri is the Atma Shakti of Indra, the God of Rain. He sends his
thunderbolt, Vajra, to seed the clouds and bring the rain that fertilizes the
Earth. Thus all desires regarding the wellbeing of crops, control of floods and
other such natural calamities; anything related to rain and water and fertilization
of the earth – is best handled through the worship of Mahendri. She protects
crops, ensures better dairy products and is generally useful for those in the
agricultural industries, as well as for environmental control.
 subtle, unmanifest forms) under control. So for those who aspire to greatness,
through whatever means (for example, through business or enterprise in their
various forms); for those who must insist on the right things being done at the
right times by the right people; for those who require a bit of aggression to
preserve their competitive edge – propitiation of Maheshwari is recommended.
3 Kaumari is the Atma Shakti of Kumara or Skanda, Ganesha’s brother, whose
wives are Valli and Devasena. He is Shanmukha, the Kundalini Shakti; the
serpent power itself. He resides in all six chakras, balancing them; he is also the
leader of the Devas’ armies. Worship of Kaumari is recommended for couples
who wish to obtain Santana, or progeny. By propitiating Kaumari – through
worship of the Yoni, which is the seat of Kundalini as Nagashakti – wellness
hormones are generated, and conditions suitable for conception are created.
4 Vaishnavi is the Atma Shakti of Vishnu, whose nature is Maya. Maya means
Hreemkaara; it is involvement in the world. So Vaishnavi, a form of Lakshmi
who creates these illusions of Samsara, can assist in improving one’s relationships
in life – between husband and wife, between friends; in all kinds of interpersonal
relationships.
30
It may be given as a loving and auspicious gift for newlywed couples embarking on
their lives together, for adult children setting out on their own, for friends and
relatives moving into a new home or embarking on a new endeavor; even as a
corporate gift from employers to valued employees – in each case, it will empower
the recipient in every possible way.
This very special Maha Meru comes to you from Devipuram, India – your Global
Resource for Goddess Worship, and seat of Sri Meru Nilaya temple, the largest,
most unique Maha Meru in the world. Here one can literally walk into and
circumambulate a true Sri Chakra, meeting life-sized murthis (divine images) of all
the yoginis within. The establishment of this extraordinary temple has an amazing
and inspiring story behind it – one that is intimately related to the creation of these
distinctive Devipuram Maha Merus. Guruji shares this story in an exclusive
conversation elsewhere in this booklet.
Devipuram Maha Merus are available in two sizes:
5” x 5” x 2.5” (complete with an elegant, specially designed box)
10” x 10” x 5”
The Maha Merus are currently available in the following metals and finishes.
• Bronze/ Bright Finish • Bronze/ Antique Finish • Bronze/ Silver Coat • Bronze/
Gold Coat • Pure Silver • Pure Silver/ Gold Coat • Pure Gold
3
When ordering Pure Silver and Pure Gold Merus, devotees are given the option to
supply the metal for making their Merus.
Only a limited number of these special Devipuram-inspired Maha Merus will be created.
Please send a query to merus@devipuram.com to obtain further details about the Maha
Merus and how they may be obtained; or contact us at +91-8924-207652. Also please
be sure to spread the word about these extraordinary Maha Merus to your friends, relatives
and fellow seekers!
4 29
provided here a simple puja designed for laypersons who are short on time but
would still like to perform a more serious and formal worship of their Maha Meru:
Abhishekam to the Eight Matrukas
The Bhupura – the square, outermost enclosure of Sri Meru, as described above – is
comprised of three walls which are, in turn, graced by the 28 Devis or yoginis known
respectively as the Ten Mudra Shaktis, the Eight Matruka and the Ten Siddhis.
In this puja we focus upon the Ashta Matruka, who govern the second or middle
Bhupura wall, in each of its cardinal and intermediate directions; thus it is to the eight
corners of the Sri Meru’s square enclosure that we shall direct our worship. The
names and associations of the Devis residing at each location tell us how and why they
are useful as intermediaries in helping us to obtain the grace of Para Shakti.
1 Brahmi is Brahma’s Atma Shakti, Saraswati, who symbolizes creativity in all of
its aspects, most prominently music and knowledge. In all efforts that improve
one’s quality of life in this regard – for example, education, learning and creativity
– worship of Brahmi is recommended.
2 Maheshwari is the Goddess of Shiva; She brings Mahat Tattva (i.e., the first
transformation of primordial nature, containing all other elements in their
addition. The Bindu is the true form of Shiva and Shakti since it is One, and naturally
the whole chakra is within it. Everything is contained in the Bindu.”

This Maha-Bindu is also identified with the body’s uppermost yogic center, the
Sahasrara Chakra – the Thousand-Petaled Wheel at the crown of the skull. It
further corresponds to the seat or throne (peetha) of the Maha-Devi Sri Lalita,
located in the city of Tripura atop Mount Meru at the center of the Universe. As
the great sage Bhaskararaya wrote in Saubhagyabhaskara, his authoritative
commentary on the Sri Lalita Sahasranama: “Outside and beyond the countless
myriads of world systems, in the center of the Ocean of Nectar, upon the Isle of
Gems (Ratna-Dvipa), more than a thousand crores [i.e. tens of millions of miles] in
extent, there rises the supreme city of Srividya […] which is called Sri Chakra”.

A Simple Puja for Maha Meru

The Maha Meru requires no formal prayers or worship, nor must it be kept only in
vegetarian homes – a reverential attitude toward it is enough. Its effects, for example, The Merus of Devipuram
may be enhanced simply by playing soft music in its proximity. A Conversation with Guruji

Those who know how to perform a proper Sri Chakra puja (formal devotional
worship) using the Meru can accrue unlimited benefits – but this is a complicated
and lengthy procedure, and not very easy to learn, requiring much time and effort
under the instruction and guidance of a qualified Guru. However, Guruji has
28
Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati (Dr. N. Prahalada Sastry), affectionately known as
“Guruji,” was born in Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, the first child of Sri
Narasimha Rao and Srimati Lakshminarasamma. Blessed with divine experiences early
in his childhood, he developed a spiritual inclination that was to intensify later in life.
5
Having graduated from Andhra University with a Master’s degree in Nuclear Physics, center and hold it in a spherical shape. Thus, the concept of Bindu encompasses not
he received his doctorate from the University of Bombay while working at the only the center but also that which surrounds the center. Maha means Great or
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. Guruji spent 23 years involved in defense Eternal. Thus the term Maha-Bindu indicates the Great or Eternal Point; the Seed
projects at TIFR, but over time grew uncomfortable with the destructive nature of his of all Creation, as yet unmanifest.
research. In 1977, he received his first initiation – from Sri Bala Tripurasundari
The sage Punyananda explained in his Kamakalavilasa that the supreme nature of the
herself – at the Balaji Temple in Hyderabad. It proved to be a major turning point in his
Sri Chakra is fully contained in the Bindu – that it is the cause of the nine successive
life: Delving more deeply into spiritual practices, he soon thereafter received Sri Vidya
avaranas and the source of the initial phonic emanations of Shakti as Brahman. One
Poorna Diksha from Sri Swaprakashananda Natha Thirtha Avadhutha of Anakapalli,
modern adept states it thus: “The Bindu alone is the Sri Chakra. All the rest is just an
at which time he was given the diksha name of Amrita. After a two-year sabbatical as
a professor of physics at Lusaka University in Zambia, Guruji returned to India in
1981, resigned from TIFR and settled at Vishakapatnam to concentrate upon Sri Vidya
upasana and worship of the Devi, while also gradually developing means to help
improve quality of life for humankind as a whole. During a Devi yagna in 1983, Guruji
was approached about building a temple to the Divine Mother on the parcel of land that
would eventually become home to Devipuram. With Her blessings, he built the
Kamakhya Peetam on a hillock there and a Siva temple on the peak in 1984. Construction
of the Devipuram’s Sri Meru Nilaya temple began in 1985 and was completed in 1994,
whereupon the kumbhabhishekam (consecration) was celebrated with great pomp and
piety. The temple is unique in allowing devotees to perform puja to the Devi themselves,
without distinction of caste or creed. With numerous loving disciples all over the world,
6 27
• The Sarvasa Paripuraka Chakra or “Wheel Fulfilling All Desires,” consisting
of Sixteen Lotus Petals;
• The Sarva Sanksobhana Chakra or “Wheel Agitating/Churning All,”
consisting of Eight Lotus Petals;
• The Sarva Saubhagyadayaka Chakra or “Wheel Granting All
Auspiciousness,” consisting of Fourteen Triangles (Chaturdasa Kona);
• The Sarvartha Sadhaka Chakra or “Wheel Accomplishing All Purposes,”
consisting of Ten Triangles (the so-called Outer Dasara);
• The Sarva Raksakara Chakra or “Wheel Granting All Protection,”
consisting of Ten Triangles (the so-called Inner Dasara);
• The Sarva Rogahara Chakra or “Wheel Removing All Diseases,” consisting
of Eight Triangles (the Ashta Kona);
• The Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra or “Wheel Granting All Powers,” consisting
of the Inverted Primary Triangle (the Trikona); and finally
• The Sarvanandamaya Chakra or “Wheel of Complete Bliss,” which is the
peak (koota) of the Universe – or the yantra’s Maha-Bindu.
Bindu in Sanskrit means point or center; it also means seed or drop. A drop
contains forces, the interplay of gravity and surface tension, which emanate from its
26
Guruji and his wife, Srimati Annapoornamba (lovingly known as Guruji Amma) have
dedicated their lives to the service of humanity, establishing the Sri Vidya Trust for this
purpose. (For a full biography, please visit http://www.devipuram.com)
Interviewer: What is the origin of the Devipuram Maha Meru?
Guruji: In 1984, before the Sri Meru temple was built at Devipuram, there was a
small hillock where I would often spend time in meditation. On the slopes of this
hillock, I noticed a formation very similar to that of the Kamakhya Peetam in
Assam. One day while in meditation, I had the experience of lying on this peetam
while four others performed a homam, with flames emanating from my body. During
purnahuti, I felt a heavy object being placed on my heart. Awakening from my
meditative state, I was prompted to dig at that very spot, where I unearthed a
yantra resembling a Maha Meru, but of a unique design like none I had seen before.
It had some significant differences from the typical Sri Chakra Meru.
I later discovered, through meditations and circumstances, that a magnificent
yagna had been performed at that very location more than 250 years earlier. This
Maha Meru became my inspiration for building the Sri Meru temple, which – at
108 feet wide and 54 feet high – remains the largest Maha Meru in the world.
Q: Is Maha Meru primarily a Hindu Yantra?
A: I would prefer to say that it’s a universal yantra, belonging to all religions –
7
yantras resembling this one include the Sri Chakra of Hinduism, and the Mahayana
Mandala of Buddhism. Chinese feng shui employs similar yantras. The Egyptian
Pyramids are yet another form of this yantra; the Greek Eleusinian Mysteries
involved still another.

So I have found this yantra to be a universal concept, existing in all religions. As a

fairly recent example, there was a gentleman in the United States called Bill
Witherspoon, who used to meditate for four or five hours a day. At some point he
saw a huge Sri Yantra in his meditation, and he built that same yantra in the
Arizona desert, measuring a mile on each side. For anyone who meditates, including
the Himalayan masters, these yantras keep appearing again and again and again, in
various religions and in various forms.

Q: What is the specifically Hindu interpretation of Maha Meru?

A: It is worshiped as the source of the Cosmos and of all power. It creates and
sustains the entire Cosmos, and we should therefore strive to understand, worship
and realize this power and intelligence that runs the world. The Khadgamala yoginis
[i.e. the goddesses that inhabit Sri Chakra] emanate like rays from Sri Lalita, the
Maha-Devi [Great Goddess] at Sri Meru’s center. All gods worship Her power in
order to share it and to do good; all demons worship Her power in order to loot and
exploit. The Meru is one form of the power and beauty found in the principles of
8 25
The Structure of Maha Meru
The form of Devipuram’s Maha Meru is both beautiful and deeply significant; its
every curve and line is charged with layer upon layer of wisdom and meaning. As a
first step toward gradually fathoming these depths, why not take some time to
examine the structure of your new Meru. You will note that it is comprised of nine
avaranas (enclosures or divisions). Each of these successive avaranas has its own
distinct shape, name and guardian deities. Each is raised in graded elevations, with
those lower and closest to the outer edges being the Devi’s more tangible and
concrete manifestations, and those higher and closer to the center becoming
progressively more subtle and transcendent in nature:
• The ground-level enclosure of Sri Chakra is known as the Bhupura; literally,
the earthworks, as would surround an ancient walled city. It is visualized as a
square chaturasra consisting of three parallel lines or walls, one inside the other.
Each side of this enclosing square has a door or portal at its midpoint, through
which one may visualize entry into the Meru’s precincts.
• Immediately inside the Bhupura are the Trivalaya, three concentric circles or
girdles. The space between the innermost square wall and the circumference of
the outermost circle (i.e., between the Bhupura and Trivalaya) is the Trailokya
Mohana Chakra or “Wheel Enchanting the Three Worlds.” Inside these three
circles rise, in successive levels:
24
geometry and symmetry that govern the world. Aspects of Her immense powers are
variously called Yoga-Maya, Durga, Kali, Vaishnavi, Chandika, Lakshmi, Saraswati,
and so on; like the fruits of a wish-fulfilling tree.
Various scriptures – such as the Shakti Upanishads, the Brahmanda Purana, the
Sri Chakra Samhita, the Sri Chakra Yoga Sara, the Sri Chakrartha Sara and others –
all state in a single voice that merely seeing the Sri Chakra washes away all sins and
grants auspiciousness. A mere touch burns away sin like a wad of cotton wool
consumed by a fire. Even if one does no puja, just keeping it in the home attracts all
good to the home. And if one worships the Supreme Power in the Meru with
devotion, there remains no desire unfulfilled; one experiences infinite enjoyment,
both here and in the hereafter. People of all castes and religions, especially women,
may – without the slightest doubt – keep it in their homes and worship it in any way
they can. There is no siddhi that cannot be attained by regular worship of a faultless
Meru.
Q: Should the Maha Meru be kept in places other than the home or
temple?
A: It can be kept anywhere. If kept in the home, it will connect itself to all the other
yantras in the world through its Bindu and attract organizing, peaceful and loving
vibrations from wherever they are in the world. It is also a good thing to keep in
9
hospitals, as it has healing properties. Or it can be kept in the office, because it
attracts wealth, abundance and organization in the office. It is good to keep in
public places too, because there will be an aura of grandeur and peace coming from
this yantra. So it’s a universal symbol, which can be kept anywhere and everywhere.
Q: Should we do puja to the Maha Meru?
A: You can do puja if you wish to, but that does not imply that it needs puja. When
the Maha Meru is taken from the Guru’s hands, it is already energized with his
vibrations and powers. Since it then connects itself with the all other yantras in the
world, it continuously receives vibrations and powers from all over the world,
including the cosmic centers of power. It receives abundance and grace, and
redistributes them in its own vicinity. Thus, by itself, it does not need any puja as
such. However, the nature of the vibrations it radiates can be enhanced very
positively if you play soft music in the place where it is kept – similar to what we see
in the entrance lobbies of hospitals and hotels, and so on, where soft music is played
to bring about a peaceful attitude in the people who enter these places.
To this narrative, Guruji adds the following statement:
You may ask, “How do I know that you really talked to Devi and that She answered you
thus? Are you a prophet?”
No, I am not a prophet trying to change the world. I am too small for that. I am only
saying that I happened to talk to Her in meditation. Thousands of people do that, and
they are not all prophets. I am just another person like you, who believes in doing good
to others.
Well, it is your doubt. You have every right to choose the answer you like. But it is also
my experience, so I have every right to tell about it. If you believe in me, that I am telling
the truth in this instance, then you may benefit. If you don’t believe what I say, you
don’t lose anything; and I am not angry with you. Because She is already with you. So
accept, and be happy. Or don’t accept, and be happy. Either way I want only your
happiness and spiritual growth.

So if you can do pooja to the Meru, well and good. If you can’t, you just play some
soft music to it. It will absorb the vibrations and emit divine music that protects
and heals, that wards off evil and brings prosperity. And not merely currency, but
all forms of divine blessings of peace – love, truth, non-violence; principles that
empower everyone.
10 23
“But be careful; don’t bring the wrong organizing principles into your life. If your
compass is wrong, you will reach an unwanted destination. So the geometry and
accuracy of Sri Chakra are important. Also be careful about from whom you are
taking it, because it is their life and thoughts that you are also invoking into
yourself. That Guru must genuinely desire your well being from the core of his/her
heart. Don’t get a chakra with faulty geometry, because geometry is a statement of
the principles organizing the Universe.
“Do I harm if pujas are not done properly to me? Do I harm myself? I am the whole
of the Cosmos. Out of the billions of galaxies, if in one of them – in a medium-sized
galaxy, around an average star you call the Sun, on the tiniest speck you call Earth,
in one life form out of billions, in one miniscule slot of time you call a day out of the
infinite cycles of time called kalpas – if one person does or does not remember me,
is it going to affect me in any way? What an idea, that I should harm you if you don’t
do puja! I could not be less bothered!
“So go tell the doubters these things that I have told you. If they don’t listen, don’t
worry. I won’t be – I can’t be – angry with them, because I tolerate partial truths
also. That is the nature of my Maya.”
22
Q: Many people are fond of keeping a Maha Meru in their homes as a
kind of protection for their families. Why is that?
A: The Maha Meru represents the Cosmic Power as it manifests itself through
human beings. Life itself is derived from this yantra, and when it is kept in the home
it enhances the quality of life for all the people living there. Actually the temples
made by human beings are constructed of rocks, cement, steel and things like that
– whereas the temple that the Goddess has made, is simply the body of human
beings, ourselves. In a sense, your body is itself a Sri Chakra, a yantra in which the
Awareness, the Goddess, lives. If you can live in your body, if your awareness can
live in your body, then why can’t it live in your home?
Q: But what do you say to people who are afraid to bring a Meru into
their home (or other environment)? After all, there are those pundits
who say a Meru should never be kept in the home.
A: These fears are mainly induced by certain members of the orthodox Brahmin
community, who insist that the power should be kept with them only. We’ve got
to get over this barrier of fear. We want to give, to share the power with everyone.
So I would tell these people to please not succumb to the misinformed, thoughtless
statements being made by these so-called pundits, and thus miss the chance to
obtain the power than can alter your destiny in every way.
The Vedas say Matru Devo bhava: “There is no duty higher than worship of the
11
Mother” – and the Mother is available to everyone as the Meru, Her highest form;
other forms being icons or women empowered as the Goddess. So keep a Meru in
your home; give it as a gift; think of it as a long-term investment – like having a
good spouse! Don’t compromise on quality. Pay any price, because it is priceless.
The Meru is a symbol of our power to overcome evil, and to create unlimited
wealth, health and happiness. The Meru is Gayatri, who protects those who utter
Her name; it is Savitri, who conceives all good karmas for Her worshipers.
Q. Just to clarify, does this statement apply to everyone? Can the
uninitiated also keep Sri Chakra Merus in their homes without incurring
the wrath of the Goddess?
A. Yes, absolutely. How can nectar become poison? It is not in its nature to harm.
It is in its nature to bless. The hand that blesses does not strike.
Whether we know it or not, whether we acknowledge it or not, Adi Para Shakti is
already in our homes, in our bodies, in our minds, in our notions of I and mine, in
our families, in all that we see – because She is the All-Pervading Awareness. We
cannot lose Her without losing our life, because She is verily the life within us.
Does the fact that we breathe require initiation? She has already initiated us into
life as the Mother who gave us SRI, which means everything. She extracted the
seed from our father, giving ecstasy to him; She assembled us from life-giving
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answer: I will not harm. I have already initiated all living beings by my presence
within them. It is because I am within them that their eyes see, their ears hear, their
skins touch, their tongues taste, their noses smell, their minds think, their hormones
create desires, their limbs move. All this is part of initiation, for what does initiation
mean? It means invoking divine life. That has already been done by me for every
being, living and non-living alike.
“If a guru initiates, it is just a gateway to me, because – just as you can’t unlock a
lock that is already open – you can’t put life into an already living being. If some
qualities of your life are reduced or missing, you can improve them by healing. If
certain qualities are not existing or living in you now, they need to be invoked:
Compassion, kindness; being loving, truthful, indifferent to insult, serving all, and
the like.
“If one form of me is already within you, then where is the harm in bringing another,
which is merely a different way of looking at me? Hayagriva told Agastya of the
immense benefits that accrue if Sri Chakra is brought into the home. Healing,
riches, happiness abounds; negativities are removed at the source. There is no
higher blessing than keeping my highest form – the seed of the Cosmos; the organizing
principle of the Cosmos – in your home, to help you in improving every good
quality around you. It will organize your life along the most excellent lines!
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 substances of Her own body, gave us our hormones and endocrine system, our
bones, flesh, skin, blood and all; She made us atom by atom, molecule by molecule;
and most importantly, She put Her awareness into us.

Again, the Sri Chakra Meru is but one of Her forms, the others being (2) our own
physical bodies; (3) the psychic chakras in our subtle bodies, from Muladhara to
Sahasrara, seven in number; (4) the world we live in; (5) Hamsa Gayatri, the breath
of life which goes in and out as long as we live; and (6) Siva Linga, symbol of union
of Shakti (the Yoni base) and Siva (the Linga characteristic of the Godhead). These
forms are not different; they are all one and the same, they all represent Sivayor
Vapuh. The moment any one of them is present, all others are present in them as
well.

So forget what people say. I asked Divine Mother Herself, in my meditation, this
question: “Will you harm some one if they take a Meru home without initiation?”
She said “I will not harm.” [A full account of Devi’s words to Guruji follows this
The Divine Mother Speaks conversation.]

When Guruji addressed the Goddess in his meditation, asking whether Her Meru The gifting of this Meru involves a gifting of Power. There is no need to fear,
could harm the uninitiated, She replied thus: provided that it is received from a well-intentioned Guru, because his life force
“I know you are not asking the question for yourself, for you already know the goes into it then, and provided that it is accurate.
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Q: Accurate in which way? it usually doesn’t happen. It’s usually a brass thing coated with gold, and merely
A: Well, to get the sorts of benefits we’ve discussed, three conditions must be called panchaloha – we are avoiding that.
satisfied: (1) The Meru must be perfect, having 28 marmas as points, not as triangles
When you use a zinc and tin mixture, which is brass, it oxidizes and reduces to the
(a marma is a joint of three straight lines); (2) it must come from a Guru who has the
color of zinc, which is black. When a bronze Meru is left unattended and gets
best of intentions towards you; and (3) it must be placed in the puja room, or else
oxidized, it looks silvery. What happens with the inauthentic so-called panchaloha
in a prominent, well-lighted place in the home with Vedic or mantric chants being
is that the outer gold layer eventually wears or washes off and becomes flat – that’s
played to it; or simply soft music. Light and sound are two higher forms of worship.
how you come to know that it is made out of brass. We avoid this problem by
Then the Meru will act like an antenna, first attracting the Supreme Power, and keeping it permanently as either gold or copper. For big temples and other places,
then retransmitting it all around your home, bringing good to all. we can go in for pure gold or gold and silver. The molds we’ve made allow us to
Q: Why is the Maha Meru hollow? manufacture to any specifications.
A: That’s a legitimate question. It was intentionally made hollow, because when
the Guru gives the Meru to a disciple, he traditionally fills it with various life-giving
substances, such as roots and herbs, energizes them, and then seals them off inside
and gives that to the disciple. That is why it is kept hollow.

But so many questions have been raised about the hollowness of the Sri Chakra!
Even when I was building the Sri Chakra temple here at Devipuram, people
complained that it was hollow. But it has to be hollow! There is no other way!
Why? It is hollow because it is supposed to represent a viyat chakra – a wheel
in space.

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Q: How are these Devipuram Maha Merus going to be produced and
distributed?
A: A limited number of copies of the Meru are being made by the Srividya Trust at
Devipuram. It is like a collectible. It has a price tag on it. We’re making it in
different sizes – 10” x 10” x 5” and 5” x 5” x 2.5”; and other smaller sizes will also
be available. We’re also making ceramic Merus, made out of earth and fired at high
temperatures, which will be available at lower cost and in larger quantities.
The “designer” type of Meru can be made in bronze, silver, gold, panchaloha
[a traditionally holy five-metal alloy] – all sorts of possibilities exist. The material
of which it is made can have a say in what it promotes. Gold makes it a Meru,
because gold is supposed to be like Sun’s seed. It brings untold prosperity. Hiranya
garbha garbhastham Hema bijam vibhavasoh. Silver is the seed of Siva. It promotes
progeny and peace of mind, with fine arts and education. Copper destroys poverty
and gives enough to survive above mere wants. Tin wards off and prevents evil
from happening. Thus we recommend bronze, an alloy of copper and tin as a good
choice for most. It can be plated with gold for better results. And in fact, Devipuram
Merus are mostly available in this form.
We prefer bronze instead of panchaloha – where they say they put in some gold, but
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And by the way, even if you are determined to make it totally solid, even if you
think you’ve made it totally solid, still it is ultimately composed of atoms and
molecules. And atoms and molecules have nuclei at their centers, which are like
the Sun in the solar system – the electrons and neutrons orbit through relatively
vast spaces around the nucleus. Even if you go to the nucleus itself, it is still not
solid; it consists of stage particles. In fact, the whole nucleus is very hollow and
inside it there are only probability waves traveling through. Thus even the supposedly
“solid” atoms and molecules that make up the manifest world consist mostly of
empty space. So it is not true to say that the Meru has to be solid – because there
is nothing that is solid. Somehow this concept requiring solidity does not really
stand up in light of scientific views.
Q: You said earlier that the Devipuram Meru design is significantly
different from that of a typical Meru. How so?
A: This particular style of Meru was inspired by the design of the original that we
unearthed here in 1984. It is embellished with the symbols of the Chatura Ayatana
(“Four Seats”) deities – Ganapathy at Nairuti (southwest), Vishnu at Ishanya
(northeast), Surya at Vayu (northwest) and Shiva at Agni (southeast). These four
symbols, taken together with the Bindu (Devi), represent the Shakti Pancha Ayatanam
(“Five Seats of Shakti”). The Shakti Pancha Ayatanam are present right in the Meru
itself, thus making it very unique. People doing Shakti Pancha Ayatana puja need not
obtain each of the idols individually, as the Meru itself contains them all.
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Another unique feature is that the Meru I found had extra diamond-shaped plates
above the star shapes having fourteen, ten, ten and eight corners. They served to
demarcate the triangles from the undefined areas, which seemed so much more
logical. This was unusual. In fact, it differs from most Sri Chakra Merus to the
extent that I don’t know whether it can be called a conventional Sri Chakra Meru
at all. But since I found it at the same place where I had darshan, I attach great
significance to it.
And on the other hand there was the accuracy – three lines joined without forming
triangles – which was very good. This characteristic does qualify to make it a good
Sri Chakra. Finally, the Devipuram Meru is unique in the sense that a lot of care has
been taken to ensure that the yantra is accurate. That accuracy comes from the very
definition of the yantra found in the texts that define Sri Chakra in Hinduism and
Vajrayana Buddhism. We spent a lot of time – about nine months – in checking
out the precision of this yantra, which is manufactured in Bangalore with the help
of the former director (he has asked to remain anonymous) of a company known
for its accuracy and testing. This Meru has been made under his personal supervision,
and with my guidance.
So it can be said that a lot of technical time and effort have been invested into
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making this a fault-free yantra, and moreover that it comes from the hands of a
Guru who received it directly from Kamakhya Devi at Devipuram.
Q: Have you personally found the Devipuram Maha Meru to be very
auspicious?
A: Yes indeed. When the first perfect sample came into my hands, the very next day
I did a Chandi Yagna at Kalayarkovil near Madurai in a power factory, in the
presence of a thousand people, and presided over by the Meru – demonstrating its
intention to supply power to the people. The next day it received puja at Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Kovil, demonstrating Her powers of attraction to all beneficent
divinities. On the third day, it was taken to Kanya Kumari – showing Her potential
to create oceans of beauty. And then it went ’round all the shakti kshetras made by
Parashurama in God’s own land of Kerala, proof of the lineage it belongs to. Then
in Bangalore it witnessed a marriage of a computer professional. And finally it came
to Devipuram for a Guru Puja Utsavams on Guru Poornami Day. Then Sringeri
Peetha’s Vedic University received a second Meru for the Sharada Peetham at
Sweta Srigachalam, on the banks of the Uttara Vahini Krishna River. What a
sequence of coincidences! I can only conclude that it was all planned by Her, not
me. All of these yagnas, and everywhere it went the highest good happened. I am
totally convinced about its nature and capacity to do good. I can, without the
slightest doubt, recommend this Meru to everyone.
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