On the necessity of mantrasiddhi and its primary means(puraścaraṇa in this context)

vīracūḍamaṇyām kālītantre ca:-

puraścaraṇahīnasya mantrasiddhirnajāyate।
ādau puraṣkriyaṃ kuryat niyamena yathāvidhi॥

vīratantre:

ādau mantrasya siddhyarthaṃ puraścaraṇamācaret।
tato siddhamanurmantri kāmyakarmāṇi sādhayet॥

uttaratantre:

sarvasvenāpi kartavyam puraścaraṇamuttamam।
anyathā nādhikāraḥ syat tasyapūjādiṣu priye॥

yoginīhṛdaye:

gurorājñāṃ samādāya śuddhāntaḥkaraṇo naraḥ।
tato puraṣkriyāṃ kuryānmantra saṃsiddhi kāmyayā॥
jīvahīno yathā dehaḥ sarvakarmasu na kṣamaḥ।
puraścaraṇahīno’pi tathāmantraḥ prakīrtitaḥ॥

yāmale:

akṛtvā tu puraścaryāṃ yo yatkarma samācaret।
tat tasya cābhicārāya jāyate nātra saṃśayaḥ॥

rāmārcanachandrikāyām:

saṃsāre duḥkhabhūyiṣṭhe ya icchet sukhamātmanaḥ।
pañcāṅgopāsanenaiva rāmaṃ bhajatu bhaktitaḥ॥
pañcāṅgopāsanaṃ bhaktyā puraścaraṇamucyate।
etat hi viduṣāmsreṣṭhaṃ saṃsārocchedakāraṇam॥
nānena sadṛṣo dharma nānena sadṛśantapaḥ।
nānena sadṛśaṃkiñcit iṣṭārthasya tapodhana॥

वीरचूडमण्याम् कालीतन्त्रे च:-

पुरश्चरणहीनस्य मन्त्रसिद्धिर्नजायते।
आदौ पुरष्क्रियं कुर्यत् नियमेन यथाविधि॥

वीरतन्त्रे:

आदौ मन्त्रस्य सिद्ध्यर्थं पुरश्चरणमाचरेत्।
ततो सिद्धमनुर्मन्त्रि काम्यकर्माणि साधयेत्॥

उत्तरतन्त्रे:

सर्वस्वेनापि कर्तव्यम् पुरश्चरणमुत्तमम्।
अन्यथा नाधिकारः स्यत् तस्यपूजादिषु प्रिये॥

योगिनीहृदये:

गुरोराज्ञां समादाय शुद्धान्तःकरणो नरः।
ततो पुरष्क्रियां कुर्यान्मन्त्र संसिद्धि काम्यया॥
जीवहीनो यथा देहः सर्वकर्मसु न क्षमः।
पुरश्चरणहीनोऽपि तथामन्त्रः प्रकीर्तितः॥

यामले:

अकृत्वा तु पुरश्चर्यां यो यत्कर्म समाचरेत्।
तत् तस्य चाभिचाराय जायते नात्र संशयः॥

रामार्चनछन्द्रिकायाम्:

संसारे दुःखभूयिष्ठे य इच्छेत् सुखमात्मनः।
पञ्चाङ्गोपासनेनैव रामं भजतु भक्तितः॥
पञ्चाङ्गोपासनं भक्त्या पुरश्चरणमुच्यते।
एतत् हि विदुषाम्स्रेष्ठं संसारोच्छेदकारणम्॥
नानेन सदृषो धर्म नानेन सदृशन्तपः।
नानेन सदृशंकिञ्चित् इष्टार्थस्य तपोधन॥

Some points to be noted from the above quotes

  • It is essential for kāmya rites
  • Without puraścaraṇa,one does not do pūjā etc(basically mantrasiddhi at its various levels is essential for the deity to be responding to the ritualist:This is the point being hinted at here)
  • The classic simile of a lifeless body being unable to perform any work;and a mantra that is not siddha is employed in the Yoginīhṛdaya
  • A yāmalatantra even goes as far as to say that one who does rites without doing puraścaraṇa,his rites are akin to abhicāra
  • Rāmārcana-candrikā,a text on Rāma worship notes that the puraścaraṇa ritual is also the cause of breakage of the bonds of saṃsāra;hence this is not merely recommended only for kāmya rites alone. And the ritual is also praised highly. This sentiment on the importance of mantrasiddhi at various levels is thus,not something that exists only in Śākta works but can be seen in Vaiṣnava works as well.

Śivaśatanāma stotra from Mahāliṅgeśvara tantra (with locations of some of the Śivālayas specified)

पार्व्वत्युवाच

देवदेव महादेव संसारार्णवतारक।
शिवलिङ्गार्च्चनं सर्वं श्रुतं तव मुखात् प्रतौ॥
इदानीं श्रोतुमिच्चामि शिवस्य शतनामकम्।
यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण मुच्यते भवबन्धनात्।

श्रीसदाशिव उवाच

श्रृणु देवी प्रवक्ष्यामि यस्मात् त्वम् परिपृच्चसि।
यस्य स्मरणमात्रेण संसारान्मुच्यते नमः॥
अतिगुह्यं महापुण्यम् तव स्नेहात् प्रकाशितम्।
गोपनीयम् प्रयत्नेन न प्रकाश्यम् यथा तथा॥
मम नाम परार्द्धं च तथैव कथितं मया।
तेषां सारं समुद्धृत्य सारात्सारं परात्परम्॥
तत्र सारं समुद्धृत्य कथयामि शृणु प्रिये।
मम नामशतञ्चैव कलौ पूर्णफलप्रदम्।
केवलं स्तवपाठेन मम तुल्यो न संशयः॥
पीठादिन्याससंयुक्तमृश्यादिन्यासपूर्वकम्।
देवता-बीजसंयुक्तं शृणुश्व परमाद्भुतम्॥
नारदो’स्य ऋषि प्रोक्तश्चन्दो’नुष्टुबुदाहृतम्।
सदाशिवो महेशानि देवता परिकीर्तिता॥
षडक्षरं महाबीजं चतुर्वर्गप्रदायकम्।
सर्वातीष्टप्रसिद्ध्यर्थे विनियोगः प्रकीर्तितः॥
महाशून्ये महाकालो महाकालीयुतः सदा।
देहमध्ये महेशानि लिङ्गाकारणे वेष्टितः॥
मूलाधारे स्वयम्भुश्च कुण्डलीशक्तिसंयुतः।
स्वाधिष्ठाने महाविष्णुस्त्रैलोक्यपालकः सदा॥
मणिपूरे महारुद्रः सर्वसंहारकारकः।
अनाहते ईश्वरो’हं सर्वदेवनिषेवितः॥
विशुद्धाख्ये षोडशारे सदाशिव इति स्मृतः।
आज्ञाचक्रे शिवः साक्षात् चितिरूपेण संस्थितः॥
सहस्रारे महापद्मे त्रिकोणनिलयान्तरे।
बिन्दुरूपे महेशानि परमेश्वरः ईरितः॥
बाहुरूपे महेशानि नानारूपधरोह्यहम्।
कैलासे ज्योतिरूपेण कैलासेश्वरसम्ज्ञकः॥
हिमालये महेशानि पार्वतीप्राणवल्लभः।
काश्यां विश्वेश्वरश्चैव बाणेश्वरस्तथैव च॥
शम्भुनाथश्चन्द्रनाथश्चन्द्रशेखरपर्वते।
आदिनाथः सिन्धुतीरे कामरूपे वृषध्वजः॥
नेपाले पशुपतिनाथः केदारे पावकेश्वरः।
हिङ्गुलायां कूपनाथो रूपनाथस्तदूर्द्धतः॥
द्वारकायां हरश्चैव पुश्करे प्रमथेश्वरः।
हरिद्वारे महेशानि गङ्गाधर इति स्मृतः॥
कुरुक्षेत्रे पाशुवेशो वृन्दारण्ये च केशवः।
गोकुले गोपेशपूज्यो गोपेश्वर इतीरितः॥
मथुरायां कंसनाथो मिथिलायां धनुर्द्धरः।
अयोध्यायां कृत्तिवासाः काश्मिरे कपिलेश्वरः॥
काञ्चीनगरमध्ये तु मन्नाम त्रिपुरेश्वरः।
चित्रकुटे चन्द्रचूडो योगीन्द्रो विन्ध्यपर्वते॥
बाणलिङ्गो नर्मदायां प्रभासे शूलभृत् सदा।
भोजपूरे भोजनाथो गयायाञ्च गदाधरः।
झाडाखण्डे वैद्यनाथो वक्रेश्वरस्तथैव च॥
वीरभूमौ सिद्धिनाथौ राढे च तारकेश्वरः।
घण्टेश्वरश्च देवेशि रत्नाकरनदीतटे।
भागीरथीनदीतीरे कपिलेश्वर ईरितः॥
भद्रेश्वरश्च देवेशी कल्याणेश्वर एव च॥
नकुलेशः कालीघट्टे श्रीहट्टे हाटकेश्वरः।
कोचवधुपुरे चाहं जल्पेश्वर इति स्थ्तितं॥
उत्कले विमलाक्षेत्रे जगन्नाथो ह्यहं कलौ।
नीलाचलारण्यमध्ये भुवनेश्वर ईरितः॥
रामेश्वरः सेतुबन्धे लङ्कायां रावणेश्वरः।
रजताचलमध्ये तु कुबेरेश्वर ईरितः॥
लक्ष्मीकान्तो महेशानि सदा श्रीशैलपर्वते।
त्र्यम्बको गोमतीतीरे गोकर्णे च त्रिलोचनः॥
बदरिकाश्रममध्ये कपिनाथेश्वरोह्यहम्।
स्वर्गलोके देवदेवो मर्त्यलोके सदाशिवः।
पाताले वासुकिनाथो यमराट् कालमन्दिरे।
नारायणश्च वैकुण्ठे गोलोके हरिहरस्तथा॥
गन्धर्वलोके देवेशी पुश्पदन्तेश्वर्योह्यहम्॥
श्मशाने भूतनाथश्च गृहे चैव जगद्गुरुः।
अवतारे शङ्करो’हं विरूपाक्षस्तथैव च॥
कामिनीजनमध्ये तु कामेश्वर इतीरितः।
चक्रमध्ये कुलेशश्च सलिले वरुणेश्वरः।
आशुतोषो भक्तमध्ये शत्रुणां त्रिपुरान्तकः॥
शिशुमध्ये गुरुश्चाहं तथैव परमो गुरुः।
चन्द्रलोके सोमनाथः स्वर्भानुर्भानुमण्डले।
त्रैलोक्ये लोकनाथो’हं रुद्रलोके महेश्वरः।
समुद्रमथने चाहं नीलकण्ठस्त्रिलोकजित्।
जम्बुद्वीपे जगत्कर्ता शाकद्वीपे चतुर्भुजः॥
कुशद्वीपे कपर्द्दिशः क्रौञ्चद्वीपे कपालभृत्।
मीनद्वीपे मीननाथः प्लक्षद्वीपे कलाधरः॥
अहञ्च पुष्करद्वीपे पुरुषोत्तम ईरितः।
देवमध्ये वासुदेवो गुरुमध्ये निरञ्जनः॥
पुराणे परमेशानि व्यासेश्वर ईरितः।
आगमे नागभट्टो’हम् निगमे नादरूपधृक्॥
सर्वज्ञो ज्योतिषां मध्ये योगेशो योगशास्त्रके।
दीनमध्ये दीननाथ उमानाथस्तथैव च।
राजराजेश्वरश्चैव नृपानां नगनन्दिनि।
परम्ब्रह्मसत्यलोके ह्यनन्तो’स्मि रसातले॥
आब्रह्मन्तम्बपर्यन्तम् लिङ्गरूपि ह्यहम् प्रिये।
इति ते कथितम् देवी ममनामशतोत्तमम्॥
पठनात् श्रवनाच्चैव महापातककोटयः।
नश्यन्ति तत्क्षणाद्देवी सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः।
अज्ञानिनाम् ज्ञानसिद्धिर्ज्ञानिनां परमं धनम्।
अतिदीनदरिद्राणाम् चिन्तामणिस्वरूपकम्॥
रोगिणां पापिनाञ्चैव महौषधमिति स्मृतम्॥
योगिनां योगसारञ्च भोगिनाम् भोगमोक्षदम्।
एककालं द्विकालं वा त्रिकालं वा पठेद्यदि।
अथवा रजनीकाले निर्जने शिवसन्निधौ॥
यः पठेत् साधकश्रेष्ठः स एव श्रीसदाशिवः।
कृष्णां चतुर्दशीं प्राप्य पठेद्भक्तिपरायणः॥
स एव सर्वसिद्धीशो जायते भूमिमण्डले।
चतुर्द्दश्यांअमायां वा सोमवारे विशेषतः॥
यः स्वयं तत्प्रदोषे तु पूजयित्वा स्तवं पठेत्।
तस्य सङ्गे महेशानि तिष्ठामि च सदा प्रिये॥
यं यं काममुपस्कृत्य पठेत् स्तोत्रमनुत्तमम्।
तं तं काममवाप्नोति सत्यं सत्यं न संशयः॥
जले स्थले चाम्भरीके विदेशे शत्रुसंकटे।
वनमध्ये रणमध्ये सभामध्ये तथैव च॥
राजद्वारे महारोगे महाशोके महाभये।
सर्वत्रैवाशुभं हन्ति स्तवपाठप्रसादतः॥
आकर्षणम्वर्शीकार्यं मारणोच्चाटनादिकम्।
शान्तिपुष्टिस्तम्भनानि पाठमात्रम् प्रयोजते॥
अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं मोक्षार्थी मोक्षमाप्नुयात्।
बहुकिं कथ्यते देवी शृणु मत्प्राणवल्लभे।
असाध्यं साधयेत् सर्वं स्तवस्यास्य प्रसादतः।
अहञ्च जगदाधारो ममाधारस्त्वमेव हि।
त्वत्समा प्रकृतिर्नास्ति मत्समो नास्ति पुरुषः॥
तव योनीं समासाद्य सर्वमेव करोम्यहम्।
एतज्ज्ञानम् महेशानि पाषण्डे मा वदेत् क्वचित्॥
मूर्खाय भक्तिहीनाय दुष्टाय सुदुरात्मने।
शिवभक्तिविहीनाय शक्तिनिन्दापराय च॥
न प्रकाश्यं महादेवी प्रकाशाच्छिवहा भवेत्।
शिश्याय भक्तियुक्ताय शिवविष्णुपराय च॥
अद्वैतभावयुक्ताय देवीभक्तिपराय च।
शतनाम महास्तोत्रं देयं पुण्यं महेश्वरी॥

इति श्रीमहालिङ्गेश्वरतन्त्रे श्रीशिवपार्वतीसंवादे शिवशतनामस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम्

pārvvatyuvāca

devadeva mahādeva saṃsārārṇavatāraka।
śivaliṅgārccanaṃ sarvaṃ śrutaṃ tava mukhāt pratau॥
idānīṃ śrotumiccāmi śivasya śatanāmakam।
yasya smaraṇamātreṇa mucyate bhavabandhanāt।

śrīsadāśiva uvāca

śrṛṇu devī pravakṣyāmi yasmāt tvam paripṛccasi।
yasya smaraṇamātreṇa saṃsārānmucyate namaḥ॥
atiguhyaṃ mahāpuṇyam tava snehāt prakāśitam।
gopanīyam prayatnena na prakāśyam yathā tathā॥
mama nāma parārddhaṃ ca tathaiva kathitaṃ mayā।
teṣāṃ sāraṃ samuddhṛtya sārātsāraṃ parātparam॥
tatra sāraṃ samuddhṛtya kathayāmi śṛṇu priye।
mama nāmaśatañcaiva kalau pūrṇaphalapradam।
kevalaṃ stavapāṭhena mama tulyo na saṃśayaḥ॥
pīṭhādinyāsasaṃyuktamṛśyādinyāsapūrvakam।
devatā-bījasaṃyuktaṃ śṛṇuśva paramādbhutam॥
nārado’sya ṛṣi proktaścando’nuṣṭubudāhṛtam।
sadāśivo maheśāni devatā parikīrtitā॥
ṣaḍakṣaraṃ mahābījaṃ caturvargapradāyakam।
sarvātīṣṭaprasiddhyarthe viniyogaḥ prakīrtitaḥ॥
mahāśūnye mahākālo mahākālīyutaḥ sadā।
dehamadhye maheśāni liṅgākāraṇe veṣṭitaḥ॥
mūlādhāre svayambhuśca kuṇḍalīśaktisaṃyutaḥ।
svādhiṣṭhāne mahāviṣṇustrailokyapālakaḥ sadā॥
maṇipūre mahārudraḥ sarvasaṃhārakārakaḥ।
anāhate īśvaro’haṃ sarvadevaniṣevitaḥ॥
viśuddhākhye ṣoḍaśāre sadāśiva iti smṛtaḥ।
ājñācakre śivaḥ sākṣāt citirūpeṇa saṃsthitaḥ॥
sahasrāre mahāpadme trikoṇanilayāntare।
bindurūpe maheśāni parameśvaraḥ īritaḥ॥
bāhurūpe maheśāni nānārūpadharohyaham।
kailāse jyotirūpeṇa kailāseśvarasamjñakaḥ॥
himālaye maheśāni pārvatīprāṇavallabhaḥ।
kāśyāṃ viśveśvaraścaiva bāṇeśvarastathaiva ca॥
śambhunāthaścandranāthaścandraśekharaparvate।
ādināthaḥ sindhutīre kāmarūpe vṛṣadhvajaḥ॥
nepāle paśupatināthaḥ kedāre pāvakeśvaraḥ।
hiṅgulāyāṃ kūpanātho rūpanāthastadūrddhataḥ॥
dvārakāyāṃ haraścaiva puśkare pramatheśvaraḥ।
haridvāre maheśāni gaṅgādhara iti smṛtaḥ॥
kurukṣetre pāśuveśo vṛndāraṇye ca keśavaḥ।
gokule gopeśapūjyo gopeśvara itīritaḥ॥
mathurāyāṃ kaṃsanātho mithilāyāṃ dhanurddharaḥ।
ayodhyāyāṃ kṛttivāsāḥ kāśmire kapileśvaraḥ॥
kāñcīnagaramadhye tu mannāma tripureśvaraḥ।
citrakuṭe candracūḍo yogīndro vindhyaparvate॥
bāṇaliṅgo narmadāyāṃ prabhāse śūlabhṛt sadā।
bhojapūre bhojanātho gayāyāñca gadādharaḥ।
jhāḍākhaṇḍe vaidyanātho vakreśvarastathaiva ca॥
vīrabhūmau siddhināthau rāḍhe ca tārakeśvaraḥ।
ghaṇṭeśvaraśca deveśi ratnākaranadītaṭe।
bhāgīrathīnadītīre kapileśvara īritaḥ॥
bhadreśvaraśca deveśī kalyāṇeśvara eva ca॥
nakuleśaḥ kālīghaṭṭe śrīhaṭṭe hāṭakeśvaraḥ।
kocavadhupure cāhaṃ jalpeśvara iti sthtitaṃ॥
utkale vimalākṣetre jagannātho hyahaṃ kalau।
nīlācalāraṇyamadhye bhuvaneśvara īritaḥ॥
rāmeśvaraḥ setubandhe laṅkāyāṃ rāvaṇeśvaraḥ।
rajatācalamadhye tu kubereśvara īritaḥ॥
lakṣmīkānto maheśāni sadā śrīśailaparvate।
tryambako gomatītīre gokarṇe ca trilocanaḥ॥
badarikāśramamadhye kapinātheśvarohyaham।
svargaloke devadevo martyaloke sadāśivaḥ।
pātāle vāsukinātho yamarāṭ kālamandire।
nārāyaṇaśca vaikuṇṭhe goloke hariharastathā॥
gandharvaloke deveśī puśpadanteśvaryohyaham॥
śmaśāne bhūtanāthaśca gṛhe caiva jagadguruḥ।
avatāre śaṅkaro’haṃ virūpākṣastathaiva ca॥
kāminījanamadhye tu kāmeśvara itīritaḥ।
cakramadhye kuleśaśca salile varuṇeśvaraḥ।
āśutoṣo bhaktamadhye śatruṇāṃ tripurāntakaḥ॥
śiśumadhye guruścāhaṃ tathaiva paramo guruḥ।
candraloke somanāthaḥ svarbhānurbhānumaṇḍale।
trailokye lokanātho’haṃ rudraloke maheśvaraḥ।
samudramathane cāhaṃ nīlakaṇṭhastrilokajit।
jambudvīpe jagatkartā śākadvīpe caturbhujaḥ॥
kuśadvīpe kaparddiśaḥ krauñcadvīpe kapālabhṛt।
mīnadvīpe mīnanāthaḥ plakṣadvīpe kalādharaḥ॥
ahañca puṣkaradvīpe puruṣottama īritaḥ।
devamadhye vāsudevo gurumadhye nirañjanaḥ॥
purāṇe parameśāni vyāseśvara īritaḥ।
āgame nāgabhaṭṭo’ham nigame nādarūpadhṛk॥
sarvajño jyotiṣāṃ madhye yogeśo yogaśāstrake।
dīnamadhye dīnanātha umānāthastathaiva ca।
rājarājeśvaraścaiva nṛpānāṃ naganandini।
parambrahmasatyaloke hyananto’smi rasātale॥
ābrahmantambaparyantam liṅgarūpi hyaham priye।
iti te kathitam devī mamanāmaśatottamam॥
paṭhanāt śravanāccaiva mahāpātakakoṭayaḥ।
naśyanti tatkṣaṇāddevī satyaṃ satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ।
ajñāninām jñānasiddhirjñānināṃ paramaṃ dhanam।
atidīnadaridrāṇām cintāmaṇisvarūpakam॥
rogiṇāṃ pāpināñcaiva mahauṣadhamiti smṛtam॥
yogināṃ yogasārañca bhoginām bhogamokṣadam।
ekakālaṃ dvikālaṃ vā trikālaṃ vā paṭhedyadi।
athavā rajanīkāle nirjane śivasannidhau॥
yaḥ paṭhet sādhakaśreṣṭhaḥ sa eva śrīsadāśivaḥ।
kṛṣṇāṃ caturdaśīṃ prāpya paṭhedbhaktiparāyaṇaḥ॥
sa eva sarvasiddhīśo jāyate bhūmimaṇḍale।
caturddaśyāṃamāyāṃ vā somavāre viśeṣataḥ॥
yaḥ svayaṃ tatpradoṣe tu pūjayitvā stavaṃ paṭhet।
tasya saṅge maheśāni tiṣṭhāmi ca sadā priye॥
yaṃ yaṃ kāmamupaskṛtya paṭhet stotramanuttamam।
taṃ taṃ kāmamavāpnoti satyaṃ satyaṃ na saṃśayaḥ॥
jale sthale cāmbharīke videśe śatrusaṃkaṭe।
vanamadhye raṇamadhye sabhāmadhye tathaiva ca॥
rājadvāre mahāroge mahāśoke mahābhaye।
sarvatraivāśubhaṃ hanti stavapāṭhaprasādataḥ॥
ākarṣaṇamvarśīkāryaṃ māraṇoccāṭanādikam।
śāntipuṣṭistambhanāni pāṭhamātram prayojate॥
aputro labhate putraṃ mokṣārthī mokṣamāpnuyāt।
bahukiṃ kathyate devī śṛṇu matprāṇavallabhe।
asādhyaṃ sādhayet sarvaṃ stavasyāsya prasādataḥ।
ahañca jagadādhāro mamādhārastvameva hi।
tvatsamā prakṛtirnāsti matsamo nāsti puruṣaḥ॥
tava yonīṃ samāsādya sarvameva karomyaham।
etajjñānam maheśāni pāṣaṇḍe mā vadet kvacit॥
mūrkhāya bhaktihīnāya duṣṭāya sudurātmane।
śivabhaktivihīnāya śaktinindāparāya ca॥
na prakāśyaṃ mahādevī prakāśācchivahā bhavet।
śiśyāya bhaktiyuktāya śivaviṣṇuparāya ca॥
advaitabhāvayuktāya devībhaktiparāya ca।
śatanāma mahāstotraṃ deyaṃ puṇyaṃ maheśvarī॥

iti śrīmahāliṅgeśvaratantre śrīśivapārvatīsaṃvāde śivaśatanāmastotraṃ sampūrṇam

Some of the locations of the more obscure Śivakṣetras specified here
Ādinātha refers to the temple at Maheshkhali,Coxs Bazar Bangladesh most probably.
Vaidyanātha refers to the Jyotirlinga temple at Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand
Bhadreśvara is in the Chandannagar area(just before Chandannagar on the Howrah Bandel rail line)[another link about the temple]
Kalyāṇeśvara is near Belur. This particular place was revered by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Kocavadhupūra is Jalpaiguri’s Jalpesh temple.
Candranātha is the Chandranath temple in Chittagong on Chandranath hill.
Siddhinātha is the famous Malleshwar Siddhinath temple in Mallarpur in the Birbhum district.
bhāgīrathīnadītīre kapileśvara = refers to the shrine of Kapileśvara in Murshidabad district,30 miles North of Tarapith. This was worshipped by the great Tārā sādhaka Śrī Bamakhepa as well.


Parārthārcādhikāra (public worship in public temples) in Śaiva Siddhānta

Paraphrasing SK Ramachandra Rao’s Shiva Kosha,worship of Śiva is of two types

  • Svārtha(home worship/worship in one’s private shrine)
  • Parārtha(worship in a public temple on behalf of others/another person)

The former category of worship is allowed to all in Saiddhāntika Āgama,but the latter category is restricted by the Āgamas to a particular subsection of brahmins alone who are descended from a set of sages directly initiated by Śiva Himself:The sages mentioned vary,but they are usually

  • Kauśika
  • Bharadvāja
  • Kaśyapa
  • Gautama or Nandi(the ape faced attendant of Śiva)
  • Agastya or Atri

This implies only these brahmins who are descendants of the above sages and have been born in families with a heritage of performing the rites of public worship according to the Siddhānta āgama in an unbroken chain,generation after generation,can offer public worship in temples that run according to the Siddhānta. These brahmins in the living tradition are to be revered as forms of Śiva Himself. More crucially,these brahmins belong to a set of gocaras which are in their fold alone now,this marks them out from other ordinary brahmins belonging to these gotras.

A brief investigation about the views and role of Raghunandana and Ānandabhaṭṭa on the existence of Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas in the Kali Yuga

Warning note:This post is not intended to argue against varṇāśrama,but is meant as a preliminary inquiry into the how people viewed themselves in an idealized hierarchical setup.

Anandabhatta presented the Ballālacarita to the influential Kayastha landlord of Nabadwip (navadvīpādhipati) Buddhimanta Khan in 1510 CE. In the 23rd chapter of the second part of the Ballālacarita he is clearly aware of various lines with well recognized kṣatriya and vaiṣya status that are clearly lines of the recent Kaliyuga and not some pre-Mahapadma-Nanda or pre-Paraśurāma era.(some notable kṣatriya lines of unambiguously this era that he names seems to be: Mauryas,Chauhans,Paramaras,Chalukyas,Silharas,etc). He lists the kṣatriya lines as Sūryavaṃśin,Candravamśin,descendants of Kadru and Vinātā and from Prithu. He also names a Candravamśi line of vaiśyas and gives a partial contemporary list of famous vaiśya communities before scathingly mentioning the suvarṇa-vāniks,who were reduced to śudra status by Ballālasena in the course of their conflict with him.
Raghunandana is born in 1510 CE with his literary activity centred in Nabadwip(and presumably patronized by the same influential Kayastha landlords’ line) and lived uptil 1580(using Kane’s dating at the time). Given the changing political scenario at that time(Bengal coming under Mughal rule) it is more likely he recieved local Kayastha landlord patronage(which was influential and powerful enough to integrate even Rajputs from outside Bengal into it:The case of Purandar Basu Khan integrating the Rajput chieftains Surasimha and Rudrasimha into the Kayastha samaj of Western Bengal(Dakshin Rarh)) rather than needing to Muslim patronage. He(Raghunandana) likely did not have access to the same resources as Anandabhatta and thus stated,extrapolating from what he saw around him in his specific region of Bengal that there were no varṇas except brāhmaṇas and śudras (and he extrapolates this situation backward to being in vogue since the time of Mahāpadma Nanda the son of Mahānandin). I do not have enough data to speculate on why he did not have more data about jātis of other regions and their statuses or the social setups of other prāntas. I am reproducing his quotation from Kane’s work below(from the Śuddhitattva).

Gaṇapati as Brahman who humbles Vāyu Agni and other Gods and shows a Viśvarūpa form

This section is taken from the Gaṇeśa Purāṇa,11th chapter of the Krīḍā khaṇḍa. The relevant one is being posted here

इन्द्र उवाच:

न दृष्टो’स्य गुणोत्कर्षस्तावन्मान्यो भवेत्कथम्।
क उवाच:

ततो दिदेश वायुं स नयैनं व्योममण्डलम्।
तस्याज्ञानुपदं वायुर्युगान्तसदृशो ववौ।
आन्दोलयन्सर्वलोकं भ्रामयन् कुधरान्भृशम्॥
अकालप्रलयः किं नु प्रारब्धो लोकनाशनः।
इत्येवं भृशसंविग्ना ऋषयश्च चकम्पिरे॥
भग्ने वायौ तु संप्राह शुम्भाणं पाकशासनः।
दहैनं त्वं बटुं शीघ्रं द्रष्टव्या शक्तिरद्य ते।
तदाज्ञां शिरसा गुह्यं जगाम तमुषर्बुधः।
निर्दहन्निव त्रींल्लोकान्प्रलयानलसन्निभः॥
भस्मीकर्तुं दुमान्सर्वान्शोषयन्सर्वसागरान्।
तं दहन्तं जनान्सर्वान्दृष्ट्वा कश्यपनन्दनः।
तत्क्षणादगिलद्रोगी भेषजं गुटुकामिव।
गिलिते तादृशे वह्नौ क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः॥
सहस्रलोचनो लोकां’लोकयत्सर्वलोचनैः।
तावद्ददर्श तं तत्र सहस्राधिकलोचनम्॥
असंख्यशीर्षमुकुटमनन्तश्रोत्रसंयुतम्।
अनन्तहस्तचरणमनन्तोदारविक्रमम्॥
शशिसूर्याग्निनयनं शिरस व्यापनभस्तलम्।
सप्तपातालचरणम् सप्तलोकैकमस्तकम्॥
असंख्यसूर्यसंकाशमसंख्येन्द्रसुसेवितम्।
असंक्श्यकेशसंयुक्तं नानाब्रह्माण्डरोमकम्॥
आमूलाग्राद्यथा वृक्षे भवन्त्यौदुम्बराणि वै।
औदुम्बरे वा मशकाः संख्यातीता भवन्ति हि॥
तथैवैकैकरोमाञ्चं संख्यातीताण्डसंयुतम्।
पस्यंस्तत्रवैकतरं भ्रान्तःशक्रो विवेश ह॥
पश्यन्ति स्म स तन्मध्ये त्रैलोक्यं सचराचरम्।
अरण्यकदलीकोशपत्रे पत्रे यथा फलम्॥
असंख्यातं जगत्तत्र पश्यति स्म शचीपतिः।
बभ्राम भ्रान्तचित्तो’सौ नालभन्निर्गमं ततः॥

indra uvāca:

na dṛṣṭo’sya guṇotkarṣastāvanmānyo bhavetkatham।
ka uvāca:

tato dideśa vāyuṃ sa nayainaṃ vyomamaṇḍalam।
tasyājñānupadaṃ vāyuryugāntasadṛśo vavau।
āndolayansarvalokaṃ bhrāmayan kudharānbhṛśam॥
akālapralayaḥ kiṃ nu prārabdho lokanāśanaḥ।
ityevaṃ bhṛśasaṃvignā ṛṣayaśca cakampire॥
bhagne vāyau tu saṃprāha śumbhāṇaṃ pākaśāsanaḥ।
dahainaṃ tvaṃ baṭuṃ śīghraṃ draṣṭavyā śaktiradya te।
tadājñāṃ śirasā guhyaṃ jagāma tamuṣarbudhaḥ।
nirdahanniva trīṃllokānpralayānalasannibhaḥ॥
bhasmīkartuṃ dumānsarvānśoṣayansarvasāgarān।
taṃ dahantaṃ janānsarvāndṛṣṭvā kaśyapanandanaḥ।
tatkṣaṇādagiladrogī bheṣajaṃ guṭukāmiva।
gilite tādṛśe vahnau krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ॥
sahasralocano lokāṃ’lokayatsarvalocanaiḥ।
tāvaddadarśa taṃ tatra sahasrādhikalocanam॥
asaṃkhyaśīrṣamukuṭamanantaśrotrasaṃyutam।
anantahastacaraṇamanantodāravikramam॥
śaśisūryāgninayanaṃ śirasa vyāpanabhastalam।
saptapātālacaraṇam saptalokaikamastakam॥
asaṃkhyasūryasaṃkāśamasaṃkhyendrasusevitam।
asaṃkśyakeśasaṃyuktaṃ nānābrahmāṇḍaromakam॥
āmūlāgrādyathā vṛkṣe bhavantyaudumbarāṇi vai।
audumbare vā maśakāḥ saṃkhyātītā bhavanti hi॥
tathaivaikaikaromāñcaṃ saṃkhyātītāṇḍasaṃyutam।
pasyaṃstatravaikataraṃ bhrāntaḥśakro viveśa ha॥
paśyanti sma sa tanmadhye trailokyaṃ sacarācaram।
araṇyakadalīkośapatre patre yathā phalam॥
asaṃkhyātaṃ jagattatra paśyati sma śacīpatiḥ।
babhrāma bhrāntacitto’sau nālabhannirgamaṃ tataḥ॥

Basically there are two things happening in this section of this text(I am summarizing):

(1)Indra ordering Vayu and Agni to fetch him,and them displaying all their power and failing to move the boy like Vināyaka(not a single hair of Him moves,and Agni himself gets swallowed like a pill). He then himself goes out with His thousand eyes shining like fire to Vināyaka. This part echoes the 3rd and 4th khaṇḍa of the Kena Upaniṣad.

(2)A ‘universal vision’ of the great Vināyaka,who is brahmasvarūpa. He has more than a thousand eyes,uncountable ears and crowns,eyes of suns,moons and fiire and His hairs filling space,feet being the seven netherworlds,looking like uncountable suns,attended upon by uncountable Indras,and his bodily hairs were several brahmāṇdas…and Indra entered one of them saw the moving and unmoving beings in one of those brahmāṇdas and his mind started wandering and could not find his way out,and then he bowed to Vināyaka.

On right view,Buddhist-coloured deities and Hindu practice

Ths is a novice’s attempt to answer about why the practice of some deities:tArA,chinnamastA(to a small extent vajrayoginI too),vilAsinI also is soiterologically relevant:

[Edit:Please do not take this as some word of shAstra or AchAryavAkya or something,I am not any guru,I am just thinking my thoughts out loud after asking my question and trying to process what I got]

An example of animus Buddhists displayed to Hindu systems can be seen about. This ritual consumption of brahmin flesh(a huge NO in any Hindu system that will ever exist) stems from two sources:(1)A kApAlika background is suggestible,as noted by the offering of brahmapuShpa to gain power as recorded by the author(I am not saying that that system existed in toto like that at Adi Shankara’s time but it transmits some relevant information about a cult with similar practices) and (2)actual dvesha for brAhmaNas,the gurus and systemizers of a lot of the native systems in the first place from where they took our mantras from:Hence these deities under the influence of the Bauddha transmitters took on Bauddha dresses in various aspects(like Rishi,etc)

With deities worshipped by such people,how is it that our people gain mukti?Taking leads from this article suggested by the author of the Kamakotimandali blog suggests that without a proper understanding of the tattvic scheme,such Bauddha upAsakas in the 36 tattva scheme would attain at best Buddhi tattva,mahAdevIing the chintAmaNI she is, granting the sAdhakas according to their view. Or worse,worldly siddhi mainly only more often.

Another thing is that in Hindu views,the deity with the same iconography is interpreted differently. An example is here where the image which is considered that of Arya achala is interpreted as that of krodharAja rudra trampling some demonic yakSha. Sometimes the descriptions in the Astika version are superficially different(sarvasiddhi and sarvabuddhi rather than sarvabuddhaDAkinI).

So the transmissions which have come back to Hindus with that Buddhist dress have in key,a different understanding than the Buddhists of what they are worshipping+when they got back the tranmissions from those who achieved only siddhi,their correct understanding put them on higher states of AdhyAtma than the Bauddhas they got it from.(albeit coloured by the ‘shunya’ type of language they inherited)[because they could understand the tattvas better and the devI granted them a place in those higher tattvas]. Another core difference is a practical respect in terms of ritual to brahmins(in the bhojana anga of the Hindu method of attaining siddhi in mantras).

Addendum by @TheRajarshi:

1. The necromancy practices are still prevalent even among H Kapalika-s (few are there still) but neither done in public nor publicized.
2. The actual consumption is mostly a tokenism in ritual setting to gain powers. 3. The mention of “brahmin” is because brahmins were the ones who had the tapa-shakti, other Vs did not. Same way even today in H viracara when taking a kapalapatra one cannot take random one…. else there is no Shakti in it, and becomes useless. Specific type of kapalas are useful. Guru decides basd on nature of sadhaka/na. Same logic baudhas were using. A kapala of a an individual who was a good yogi/sadhaka is highly prized. Or a chandala for certain rituals.
3.The icons of baudha deities trampling on H (IMO) was result of assimilation + abhicara practices which each group was doing on the other. But by time of Kalacakra tantra the Baudhas had come full circle and accepted H deities without any modification/distortion – post-Islam.
4. Coming to practical upasana Vajrayanists also produced terrific siddhas (not lower level at all if one knows how to judge the level of a siddhi) as did Hindus.

On Jagadguru Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa,the most famous exponent of the Kāmarūpa school of Dharmaśāstra

On Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa’s life:Gleanings from his own works

Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa,the most famous exponent of the Kāmarūpa school of Dharmaśāstra is,in the tradition of many Sanskrit authors,quite rectinent on his personal life. However he mentions the following details

  • Dāyakaumudī:He was born at a place in the Southern part of the Lauhitya(Brahmaputra)
  • He was in a large part taught by his father(the benedictory verse of the Śrāddhakaumudī)
  • He was a smārta devotee of Nārāyaṇa and pays obeisances to Śiva,Durgā and Sūrya also. This last bit can be gleaned from the Daśakarmakaumudī where the term ‘śrīvāsudevamārādhya…’ is used.
  • He mentions in the end of his Śuddhikaumudī that he accomplished this work in 1534 śakābda(1612 CE)
  • In the colophon to his Grahaṇakaumudī he mentions that he was patronized by Lakṣmīnārāyaṇa of Kāmarūpa.

Siddhāntavāgīśa’s life:Gleanings from other sources

  • Bṛhatrājavaṃśāvalī states that Cilārāya the brother of Naranārāyaṇa brought Puruṣottama Vidyāvāgīśa(the author of the grammatical work Ratnamālā) and Pītāmbara from Gauḍa
  • He was also said to be a court poet of Naranārāyaṇa and probably served in the court of Balinārāyaṇa as well.
  • Maṇgaladair Buranji introduces him as the Dīkṣāguru of the king of Daraṇga,who donated a large amount of property in his province and his descendants still live there.
  • Nagendranath Vasu in his Social History of Kamarupa states that his kaumudīs were followed by the kings,citing the Bṛhatrājavaṃśāvalī,which noted that those who violated the rules and regulations of society as laid down for the various varṇas and āśramas of human society and life by Jagadguru Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa were punished by the king.

Works of Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa

He is traditionally said to have composed 18 kaumudīs(digests of smṛtiśāstra),which are listed popularly as;

  • Daṇḍakaumudī
  • Pretakaumudī
  • Vṛṣotsargakaumudī
  • Pramāṇakaumudī
  • Śrāddhakaumudī
  • Durgotsavakaumudī
  • Ekādaśīkaumudī
  • Śuddhikaumudī
  • Pratiṣṭhākaumudī
  • Saṃkalpakaumudī
  • Prāyaścittakaumudī
  • Tīrthakaumudī
  • Pañcadīkṣākaumudī
  • Sambandhakaumudī
  • Tithikaumudī
  • Dāyakaumudī
  • Ācārakaumudī

Hiramoni Goswami(on whose introduction this article is based) cites Taranath Goswami’s list as follows

  • Dāyakaumudī
  • Śrāddhakaumudī
  • Malamāsakaumudī
  • Nirṇayakaumudī
  • Sambandhakaumudī
  • Tattvakaumudī
  • Āhnikakaumudī
  • Vivādakaumudī
  • Aśaucakaumudī
  • Tithikaumudī
  • Pretakaumudī
  • Śuddhikaumudī
  • Pañcayajñakaumudī
  • Dīkṣakaumudī
  • Janmāṣṭamīkaumudī
  • Vṛṣotsargakaumudī
  • Saṃskārakaumudī

Hiramoni Goswami also cites Ghanakanta Sarma’s list of Pītāmbara Siddhāntavāgīśa’s kaumudīs which runs into 28

  • Dāyakaumudī
  • Śrāddhakaumudī
  • Malamāsakaumudī
  • Nirṇayakaumudī
  • Sambandhakaumudī
  • Tattvakaumudī
  • Āhnikakaumudī
  • Vivādakaumudī
  • Aśaucakaumudī
  • Tithikaumudī
  • Pretakaumudī
  • Śuddhikaumudī
  • Pañcayajñakaumudī
  • Vṛṣotsargakaumudī
  • Dīkṣākaumudī
  • Janmāṣṭamīkaumudī
  • Saṃkrāntikaumudī
  • Daśakarmakaumudī
  • Tīrthakaumudī
  • Pramāṇakaumudī
  • Patrakaumudī
  • Prāyaścittakaumudī
  • Jyotiṣkaumudī
  • Daṇḍakaumudī
  • Divyakaumudī
  • Sākṣyakaumudī
  • Vyavahārakaumudī
  • Kṛtyakaumudī

Some other works of his that are unpublished amongst digests are Grahaṇakaumudī,etc.(apparently the recently published Śivarātrikaumudī is a part of Durgotsavakaumudī:oral communication). He also is credited with writing commentaries on Vācaspati Miśra’s Dvaitanirṇaya(Dvaitanirṇayadīpikā) and on the tantric digest Śāradātīlaka(Guḍārthaprakāśikā). Very few of his works have been published in print.

Review of Samanya Dharma by Nithin Sridhar

Book title: Samanya Dharma

Author:Nithin Sridhar

This book gives a good introduction to dharma,and what dharmas are common to all humans,but specifically to those who are Hindus(since devotion to devas and gurus is definitely a part of some of its definitions,which are more expanded versions of the more concise definitions that don’t explicitly state it). It notes the seeds of these ideas in various shrutivAkyas and then nicely,in various places puts them as elucidated in various smR^itis and purANas,and notes their social benefit and usefulness/importance in yoga of all forms(pAta~njala,bhaktimArga,etc) and sAdhanA.

This is a book that is useful in educating Hindus about the basic dharma-s that they need to follow,especially in an era where certain classes of middle-class people do not have anything substantial to explain dharma beyond ‘way of life’ platitudes,and claiming ‘anything goes’ in Hinduism. All in all,a very good,neat little book that I would recommend to any Hindu(and in whatever language they know/speak).

 dharmaviduttamAbhyAm hariharAbhyAm namaH|

(Obeisances to Hari and Hara,the best of knowers of dharma)

On Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa’s so called universalism

It is often said that he said ‘joto mot toto poth'(As many faiths, so many paths). However,from reading Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita,one of the earliest unbiased records on his life,we find a more nuanced picture than the uncritical universalism a lot of people(secularists of Bengal,Ramakrishna mission monks themselves,etc).

He also says next after that

It’s like going to the Kali temple on different roads. Even so, some paths are pure, while others are dirty. One must take a pure path.cvama

Are paths like Islam or Christianity pure?No. Since they are explicitly vedaviruddha and brAhamaNaviruddha. As nArAyaNa utters in the kUrma purANa:na vedabAhye puruShe puNyalesho’ pi sha~Nkara(kUrma purANa 1.15.109). The kUrma also advises

 

So such paths would squarely fall in the domain of ‘impure’ paths,and by Ramakrishna’s standard,to be avoided for sAdhakas. Even in the domains of Astika sAdhanA,Ramakrishna himself was deprecatory of practices involving miThuna(though he did vAmAchAra sAdhana on a pa~nchamuNDi Asana). He again says

Narendra refers to the Tantrik sects of Ghoshpara, Panchanami and others. Thakur describes their practices and condemns them. He says, “They can’t follow spiritual practices correctly. They just satisfy sensual desires in the name of religion.”

….looking on a woman as one’s mistress, the attitude of a ‘hero,’ is beset with difficulties. Tarak’s father used to practice this rite. It is a very difficult path. It is impossible to maintain the correct spirit in this path.

Many of these people conduct themselves according to the Radha Tantra. They practise spiritual disciplines with the five basic elements – earth, water, fire, air, and ether – through the use of excrement, urine, menstrual flow, and semen. It is a very dirty practice, like entering a home through the toilet.

 

…when you come across a wicked person, salute him from a distance. Chaitanya Deva did the same thing. He would restrain his spiritual feelings in the presence of those of a different nature. At Srivas’s home, he forced Srivas’s mother-in-law out of the room, dragging her by the hair.

Note the use of physical force to evict those averse to devotion.

His preferred path as noted elsehwere in the Kathamrita

The path of devotion enjoined by Narada is best suited to this age.

And he truly was an embodiment of that mArga. As seen from quotes like

It(Kashi) brings liberation[10], dear. But I don’t want liberation, I want only love and devotion for God

guNarahitam kAmanArahitam pratikShaNavardhamAnam,,,,says nArada in his sutras. A bhakta does not have even mokSha-kAma,what to speak of worldly kAmas.

I have seen so many faiths, so many paths. Now I don’t like them anymore – they just argue with each other.

This corresponds well with the sutras vAdo nAvalambayaH| and bAhulyAvakAshatvAdaniyatvAt| of the nArada bhakti sutras(The sAdhaka should not take to disputation,for it leads to endless arguments and no certain conclusion).

And when Ramakrishna spoke about ‘harmony between religions’ it was usually situations like this

This book contains beautiful stories of devotees. But the book is dogmatic. It runs down other beliefs.

Is someone who condemns even the mild sectarianism of the bhaktamAla is going to accept the sectarianism inherent in the Mosaic counter-religions exemplified by Islam,etc?

One holy book of the Vaishnavas is the Bhaktamala. It is a beautiful book. It contains nothing but stories about devotees. But it is one-sided. It goes so far in one place as to make the Divine Mother[5] adopt a Vishnu mantra.

“Once I praised Vaishnavcharan a lot and asked Mathur Babu to invite him to his house. Mathur was very hospitable to him – silver plates for the refreshments. And what did Vaishnavcharan say to Mathur Babu but that without a Krishna mantra nothing would help! Now Mathur Babu is a devout worshiper of the Divine Mother of the Universe. His face reddened. I nudged Vaishnavcharan.

“I think you can find such things in the Srimad Bhagavata also. Such as that without a Krishna mantra it is as difficult to cross the ocean of the world as it is to try to cross a mighty ocean by holding a dog’s tail. All sects talk highly of their own sects alone.

“Shaktas also try to disparage Vaishnavas when they say, ‘Sri Krishna is the pilot of the river of the world; he alone can take one across.’ To this Shaktas reply, ‘Of course this is true. Will the supreme Mother, empress of the universe,[6] row one across Herself? She has engaged this Krishna to do the job.’” (All laugh.)

“What arrogance people show because of their beliefs! There are weavers in my village and in Shyambazar and other places, most of them Vaishnavas. They talk very big. They say, ‘Which Vishnu do they worship? The Vishnu who preserves! We don’t touch him.’ Or ‘Which Shiva? We accept Atmarama Shiva, the Atmarameshwar Shiva.’ One of them says, ‘Tell me which Hari you worship.’ Thereupon another says, ‘No, why should we? Let someone else answer.’ They work at weaving and talk so big.”

“Rati’s mother – the attendant of Rani Katyayani, a member of Vaishnavcharan’s group – was a bigoted Vaishnava. She used to visit here frequently. Her devotion for God was unusual. But as soon as she saw me eating Mother Kali’s prasad she ran away.

“He alone is a real person who has harmonized. Most people are single-minded. But I see all these as one. Shaktas, Vaishnavas, and Vedantists worship the same one Reality. He who is formless also has forms. All are only His different forms.

Brahman without attributes is my father, and God with form is my mother.

Whom shall I blame? Whom shall I worship? The pans of the scale are of equal weight.

“The Tantra also speaks of the same Being as the Vedas. The Puranas also speak of the same Being – Existence-Knowledge-Bliss Absolute. The Absolute belongs to the same as the phenomenal belongs.

“The Veda says, ‘Om Sat-chit-ananda Brahman.’ The Tantra says, ‘Om Sat-chit-ananda Shiva – Shiva only, only Shiva.’ The Purana says, ‘Om Sat-chit-ananda Krishna.’ The Vedas, the Puranas, and the Tantras talk of the same Sat-chit-ananda. And the Vaishnava scriptures also say that Krishna Himself has become Kali.”

His references to harmony were usually of this nature. Scarcely between even Bauddha upAsanA,let alone hostile counter-religions which seek to uproot our traditions. It points to an immense loss of common sense when Ramakrishna’s remarks are extended beyond their intent(ativyApti-dosha).

As for the alleged practice of Islam and Christianity,I have found no mention of any Christ-centred sAdhanA,and he only repeated Islamic mantras for a few days given by a certain Govind Rai. It’s extremely unseemly to ignore his central legacy(of that of a nAradIya style bhakta to devI bhava-tAriNI,disparaging vAma and other impure paths) and instead paint him as someone who was lacking in discrimination. Shri Ram Swarup deals with this issue better than I could in his book on this affair.

homa vidhAnaM for nitya homa

I am uploading a homa vidhAnam I use for daily homa: nitya homa vidhAnam

Also,the keshavAdi chaturviMshati mUrti and their corresponding shaktis are

1. keshava and shrIdevI
2. nArAyaNa and lakShmI
3. mAdhava and kamalA
4. govinda and padmA
5. viShnu and padminI
6. madhusUdana and kamalAlayA
7. trivikrama and ramA
8. vAmana and vR^iSAkapiH
9. shrIdhara and dhanyA
10. hR^iShIkesha and dhanyA
11. padmanAbha and yaj~nAmbA
12. dAmodara and indirA
13. saMkarShaNa and hiraNyA
14. vAsudeva and hariNI
15. pradyumna and satyA
16. aniruddha and nityA
17. puruShottama and AnandA
18. adhokShaja and Atmaj~nA
19. nArasiMha and sukhA
20. achyuta and sugandhA
21. janArdana and sundarI
22. upendra and vidyA
23. hari and sushIlA
24. shrIkR^iShNa and sulakShaNA