MANTRAMAHODADHI (Ocean of Mantras)

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First Chapter

Having bowed to the Lord of Lakshmi and the lion-man original: "Lakshmi-Nrisimha," the deity Vishnu in his half-man, half-lion incarnation, the great elephant-lord original: "Mahaganapati," Ganesh, and the teacher original: "Guru", and having examined various Tantras scriptural treatises on ritual and worship, I shall speak of the Mantramahodadhi. (1)

Rising in the morning, one should meditate upon the lotus-feet of the teacher in one's mind. Having performed the necessary daily duties, one should go to the riverbank to bathe. (2)

After bathing according to the scriptural original: "Srauta," referring to Vedic ritual rules, one should perform the mantra-snana ritual bathing accompanied by the chanting of sacred syllables. Having performed the morning prayer original: "Sandhya," the daily ritual meditation—both that based on traditional practice and that focused on mantras—one should contemplate the Divine. (3)

Arriving at the door of the house, one should perform the dvara-puja worship of the doorway. Sprinkling the door with water consecrated by the weapon-mantra original: "astrambuna," water consecrated with the Astra-mantra, one should worship Ganesh. (4)

One should worship the Goddess Lakshmi on the right side and Saraswati on the left. Again on the right, one should worship the Remover of Obstacles original: "Vighna," Ganesh, and also the rivers Ganga and Yamuna. (5)

On the left again, one should worship the kshetrapala guardian of the sacred space and the rivers of heaven original: "Svar-sindhu," the celestial Ganga and Yamuna.

The author, desiring to compose the Tantra treatise named Mantramahodadhi and wishing for its completion without obstacles in order to uphold proper conduct, makes a promise to compose the text, beginning with a salutation to his chosen deity: "Having bowed..."

Lakshmi-Nrisimha is he who is possessed of Lakshmi and is the Man-Lion, a compound with the middle word omitted. The Guru teacher is Sri Nrisimhashrama. It is called Mantramahodadhi because great mantras are like waters contained within it. (1)

There, starting from the morning, the knower of mantras describes the duties: "In the morning..." This is clear. Through the stream of nectar flowing from the lotus-feet of the teacher, one should perform a mental bath, and so on; he will speak of this in the chapter on worship. (2-3)