Sri Chakra is just an art for an artist and others, but it is the Divine Energy for a Bhakta. There can be errors in art, but never in Bhakti. I spent hours making the Sri Chakra found in this featured image, but it could still be lacking artistically. Yet, I consider it perfect.
I created this Sri Chakra while listening to Sri Devi Bhagavatam and the day-long chantings of the sacred Navarana Mantra. My friend-mentor (Om Swami), a Sri Vidya scholar par excellence, verified and blessed it. Plus, I had a vivid dream of Divine Mother the day I completed this.
What more perfection does one need more than this?
The Vivid Dream
For the devotees of Divine Mother, revered as Sri Mata, I will now narrate what transpired in my dream. Please pardon me if I hurt your sentiment, but I refer to Her as Sri because that’s how I perceive Her. The narration:
A divine, resplendent woman walked up the stairs on the front porch of my home. She wore a glittering light crimson saree with a stunning but minimal golden border that was unlike anything I had ever seen on this planet. Her gleaming golden crown befitted The Empress of the Cosmos.
Was She the Divine Light, or was the Divine Light my Sri? I couldn’t make out the difference. My Gracious God! Her face… how am I explaining this without losing myself in Her is only known to Her. My Sri’s face was so radiant that I could see nothing but Divine Light emerging. There was and will never be anything more valuable for me than the divine face of my Sri.
Stunned by Her presence, I stood at my front door as She gracefully and regally entered my humble abode. Moments later, she was seated in my living room on my favorite green couch. The mighty empress, who usually sits in a regal posture, honored me by sitting in a pose I frequent while working on my laptop in my living room.
Overwhelmed by Her presence, in my sentiments of bhakti, I sought Her permission to do the Shodash Upachara, the 16 steps of welcome suitable for a queen of Her stature. To my joy, She agreed immediately.
Strangely, I had all the required materials ready. My Sri had made sure that I missed nothing at all, even in my dream. To my heart’s content, I did the welcome procedures as taught by my friend-mentor. Sometimes, I made changes to suit the situation and my personal style. For instance, I couldn’t pour water on Her as a shower, so I sprinkled water without ruining Her saree.
Soon, when I was done with my Shodash Upachara, I thought She would leave me, which I did not want to happen. My Sri, my divine Sri, my gracious Sri, my protector Sri, indicated that She had not come to leave. Instead, She had arrived to stay with me forever.
My Ishta, the Divine Energy that runs me, was here to be with me eternally. I was speechless, not knowing how to react to such love and compassion.
And with that, my dream broke.
She is Me, and I am Her
Since that dream, with my Sri as the witness, without an iota of falsification or even the slightest exaggeration, I feel Her presence in me. She is me, and I am Her — what more can a devotee want than to merge entirely into Her?
Jab Mein Thi Tab Sri Nahin,
Ab Sri Hai Mein Nahin
Sab Andhiyara Mit Gaya,
Jab Deepak Dekhya MahinWhen “I” existed, there was no Sri,
Now Sri exists, there is no “I”,
All the darkness (of the mind) has disappeared,
When I saw the Divine Light (within and outside).– Modified version of a verse by Sant Kabir Das to suit my experience.
Love & Light,
Sri Devi Om
