Saundāryalaharī - Surge of Beauty

"Surge of Beauty" (Saundāryalaharī) - is a special work in the output of the great poet Shankaracharya, yogi and philosopher. It expresses the views of the South Indian Shakti school called Shri Vidya, and more specifically its doctrine called Samaya, so perfectly that its followers consider "Surge of Beauty" to be one of the most fundamental works of that school. It worships the Supreme Being in his feminine aspect of creative power, the Shakti. 

In the introduction (pages 7-42) the author of the translation presents the philosophy of Shri Vidya in a clear and orderly manner according to the traditional transmission. She explains in detail, among other things, the meaning and symbolism of the various geometric elements of the Shri Yantra, or sacred diagram (visible on the cover of the book), which is a symbolic representation of the inner (consciousness) structure of the universe, worshipped as the "physical" body of the Goddess. Later in the introduction he also discusses the theory of the 'Circle of Time' (kāla-cakra), the theory of centers (chakras) in the body, and other elements of Shri Vidya theory and practice. 

The core of the book is a translation of the entire "Surge of Beauty" in stanzas reflecting the metre of the original - 17-sylable verse, as well as an edition of the original Sanskrit along with a scientific transcription. Each stanza is further illustrated with a symbolic diagram accepted in the tradition and a particular iconographic form of the Goddess. 

The last part of the book (pages 246-296) are extensive footnotes to each stanza. 

The book is profusely and beautifully illustrated, much of it in color.  

Title: Saundarjalahari - Surge of Beauty
Original title: सौन्दर्यलहरी 
Author: Adi Shankaracharya
Translation, introduction, explanations: Dr. Anna Rucińska
Pages: 297
Binding: hardback
ISBN: 978-83-945731-2-6
Publisher: Vivaswan Foundation 
Year of publication: 2020
Price: 70 PLN 

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ISBN: 
978-83-945731-2-6
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