Saundaryalahari

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The Saundarya lahari is a famous literary work written by Adi Shankara. Its hundred shlokas (verses) eulogize the grace and munificance of Goddess Parvati / Dakshayani, consort of Shiva.

The Saundarya lahari actually contains 103 shlokas. It also gives 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.

The Saundarya Lahari is often viewed as being composed of two parts. Verses 1 - 41 describe the mystical experience of the union of Shiva and Shakti and related phenomena. In fact, it opens with the assertion that Only when Shiva is united with Shakti does he have the power to create. This part of the text is often referred to, quite appropriately, as the Ananda Lahari, the wave of bliss. Verses 42 to 100 are more straightforward---they describe the physical beauty of the Goddess and are sometimes referred to as the Saundarya Lahari itself. Many scholars, however, refer to the entire text with one common name, namely, Saundarya Lahari.