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The Sri Vidya tradition dates back thousands of years. The first yogi was Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati represents the Divine Mother principle, the universal creative force. The lineage of masters traces its origin to the Universal Mother. The Guru Lineage started with Lord Shiva, who gave the knowledge of Sri Vidya to Lord Dattatreya. Lord Dattatreya is revered as the Adi-Guru (First Teacher) of the Adinath Sampradaya of the Nathas, the first “Lord of Yoga” with mastery of Tantric techniques.
Sri means “most auspicious, beautiful, joyful,” and Vidya means “knowledge.” Sri Vidya, therefore, is the most beautiful and auspicious knowledge, which enables us to experience the supreme reality within us.
In Sri Vidya, the Mother Principle [Shakti] occupies a central position. Sri Vidya accepts and aims to provide both material prosperity and self-realization. In the principally Shakta theology of Sri Vidya, the goddess is supreme, transcending the cosmos that is her manifestation. She is a manifestation of the Almighty who manifests Itself sometimes in masculine and sometimes in feminine form. In the Dattatreya Tradition, his energy side [Shakti] is symbolized as His consort Anagha (also known as Anagha Lakshmi or Anagha Devi).
Irrespective of the manifestation, the original form of the Almighty (i.e., the fundamental energy) is beyond the differentiation of gender. Therefore, the Vedas have referred to the Almighty in neuter gender in addition to masculine and feminine genders. Generally, Dattatreya is depicted in his male form with the three heads representing the male Trinity; however, he sometimes is displayed together with his consort Anagha symbolizing his Shakti.
A legend in the Dattatreya Purana describes that when Lord Dattatreya, the combined incarnation of the Trinity, was a child of five years, many old sages spotted His greatness and started insisting on Him to show them the path of Yoga. The child Datta wanted to test them. He disappeared into a pond and remained there for one hundred years. Some of the sages waited for Him on the banks of the pond while the infant Datta was in a state of complete Samadhi for a hundred years.
Even after coming out of the pond, he continued to test the sages. Dattatreya, who was 105 years old then, brought out His Yogic energy and gave it the form of a woman. Because the energy came out from Him, He was its natural owner. He declared her His consort. She was born as a youthful woman. To test the sages, she drank wine and started dancing. Seeing her drink wine, some of the sages called her Madhumati. Others called her ‘Nadhi’ (meaning river) because her dance resembled the dancing movements of a flooded river. Others realized that she was none other than the Yogic Energy of Lord Dattatreya Himself and prayed to Him. Some others went away. Then Lord Dattatreya came out of Samadhi. She now appeared as an ascetic.
Lord Dattatreya named her Anagha [Sinless/Flawless]. Those who called her Madhumati and Nadhi had identified her as one who possessed sin. However, in reality, she was sinless. Therefore, Dattatreya named her Anagha. Those who had recognized her to be Dattatreya’s energy obtained the true vision of the Lord and could transcend all sorrows. In other words, because of her, their sorrows (Agha or sin and sorrow) disappeared. This was another reason why Dattatreya named her Anagha (the one who removes sorrows).
Agha means that which causes permanent suffering. Sorrow is caused by poverty, disease, fear of enemies, greed, ignorance, etc. That which removes sorrow by bestowing prosperity, health, affection, contentment, wisdom, etc., is Anagha. With all these ideas in mind, Lord Dattatreya called her Anagha. Those sages who could comprehend this could see her as the manifestation of energy and attained positive benefits.
Practically speaking, it is the path of yoga sadhana, where we discover our essential nature, and in the light of that pure reality, create a bridge between what is inside us and outside us. It is a path leading to finding the highest fulfillment and freedom while living in the world.
Sri Vidya, the worship of the Mother and Energy Principle, is based on a philosophy, which tells us that our body, mind, senses, and the universe are designed on the same pattern. What exists in the universe also exists in our body, and what exists in our body exists in the universe.
Sri Vidya holds that we are an integral part of this infinitely vast, energetic tapestry of life. We are one with the universe. We grow out of the universe in the same way a fetus grows from a fertilized egg. Like a tapestry, we become more elaborate and intricate with further weaving. Perennial and all-pervasive intelligence continuously add more and more beauty to the wonder of life that we are.
Anaghaa associated with Anaghaa Lakshmi is My Datta Form. Anaghaa Lakshmi is incarnating as a divine form of mother distinct from the combination of Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Kaali. Therefore, note that Anaghaa Lakshmi is the divine Shakti supporting the three forms of Maha Saraswati, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Kaali in their integrated state and is superior to all of them. Note that My Anaghaa form bears Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra in an integrated state. It is the base for those three and transcends them and keeps on the left side Anaghaa Devi, the personification of the three Shaktis. Anaghaa is a Shaakta Roopa (masculine form of Strength).
Sreepada Sreevallabha Charitamrutam .
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