Nila Suktam

[This is also known as Vishnu Pathni Suktham and Adithi Suktham. Nila Devi or Adithi who is the creator of the world is addressed here. Though it is well known that Lord Vishnu has two wives Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Bhudevi, the fact that he had a wife called Nila Devi or Adithi is not well known. Nila Devi is supposed to have born as Radha, when Lord Vishnu took the Krishna avathara. This Suktha is taken from Thaithreeya Samhitha. I have taken this Suktha text from the book by RL Kashyap (2007) Veda Manthras and Sukthas and published by Aurobindo Kapali Shasthri Institute of Vedic Culture, Bangalore.]

Stomathrayasthrimse bhuvanasya pathni,
Vivasvadwathe abhi nom grunahi,
Gruthawathi savithar aadhipathyai payasvathi,
Ranthir aashaa na asthu.

Oh,one among thirty three thousand, you protect the world,
You are breathed by Vivaswan, please hear our prayers and respond,
Oh creator,rich in clarity and knowledge,
Engulf me with your love from all directions.

Dhruva disaam vishnupathni aghora,
Asya eeshaana sahaso ya manotha,

Make all directions stable,
oh consort of peaceful Vishnu,
Who is the god of strong and adored by all.

Brahaspathir mathariswotha,
Vayu sandhuvanaa vata,
Abhi no granathu.

Let Brahaspathi, the wind god
And matharishva be pleasant towards us.
May all of them bless us.

Vishtambho dhivo
Dharuna pridhvya,
Asyeshana jagatho Vishnu pathni
Visvavayachaa ishayanthi subhoothi
Hiva no asthu adithir upasathe.

The consort of Vishnu props the heaven,
Supports the earth,
Rules the world,
She occupies everywhere,
Impels the desirable and
gives happiness to all,
Let Adithi be peaceful to us and place us in her lap.

Important Mudras for Me to use in Lunar Practices of Yoga

These are the most important mudras for me in my development of a Lalita-Kali Lunar Sadhana. These mudras come from two books  Mudras for Healing and Transformation and Mudras of India.  I have been using them in my Lunar Hatha Classes.

I use them with these affirmations for the Goddesses of the Moon which are called Nityas. There are 15 Lalita Nityas and 15 Kali Nityas.  The Lalita and Kali Nityas themselves can be meditated upon and worshipped in different forms and colors for the attainment of different ends. In daily worship (puja) of the Nityas, each has her own nyasa and ritual sequence and they are to receive puja on the lunar days associated with them. are the vowel letters associated with each Nitya and day of the Moon.

As a sterotype and over-simplication Kali Nityas are dark and forbidding, and  the Lalita Nityas are bright and  positive. But it is not always the case.  We will find in this lunar practice that sometimes Lalita’s nitya is fierce and sometimes Kali’s nitya is gentle.

In this Lalita-Kali Sadhana we look at each day of the lunar cycle as an expression of a different aspect of the goddess and then an aspect of ourselves because we are also the goddess and we are always changing, evolving and transforming.

Yoni Mudra - Gesture of the Womb
For PMS and Female Reproductive Health

Bhagamalini – Nitya of the Flowering Yoni
"I honor my sensuality"

Trimurti Mudra - Gesture of the Trinity
For Menopause and All Life Transitions

 Virodhini - Goddess of Self Acceptance
"I honor my True Self"

Matangi Mudra - Gesture of the Goddess of Transformation
For Activating Samana Vayu

 Virodhi - Nitya of Self-Acceptance
"I honor my True Self"

Matangi Mudra - Gesture of the Goddess of Transformation
For Activating Samana Vayu

Kali Mudra - Gesture of the Goddess of Spiritual Purification
For Balancing the 5th Chakra

Nilapataka - Nitya of Celestial Power
"I honor my spirituality."

Ida Mudra - Gesture of the Lunar Nadi
For Balancing the Lunar Channel of Energy

 All the Nityas and all the Affirmations

 

Pranidhana Mudra - Gesture of Surrender
For Learning to Let Go

Shivaduti - Nitya of Communication
"I honor my truth."

All goddesses with the Last Quarter Moon

Ushas Mudra - Gesture of the Dawn
For Opening to New Possibilities

All goddess with the New Moon and Waxing Crescent Moon

Pushnapanjali Mudra - Gesture of Offering Flowers
For Cultivating Non-grasping - Aparigraha

Bhagamalini - Nitya of the Flowering Yoni
"I honor my sensuality"

Nityaklinna - Nitya of Wetness
"I honor my receptivity"

Sakshi Mudra - Gesture of Witness Consciousness
For Cultivating Self-Study - Svadhaya

 Jvamalini - Nitya of Flames
I honor my brilliance

Kulla - Nitya of Reflection
"I honor my insights."

Dipa - Nitya of Illumination
"I honor my inner light"

Sakshi Mudra - Top View

Chin Mud"Ira - Gesture of Consciousness
For Cultivating Surrender to the Divine - Ishvara Pranidhana

Kulasimdari - Nitya of Inner-Knowing
"I honor my intuition"

Nilapataka - Nitya of Celestial Power
"I honor my spirituality"

Ugraprabha - Nitya of Introspection
"I honor my insticts."

Dipa - Nitya of Illumination
"I honor my inner light."

Dirgha Svara Mudra - Gesture of Expanded Breath
For Expanding Life Force Energy - Pranayama

 Kameshvari - Nitya of Desire
"I honor my desires."

Dipa - Nitya of Illumination
"I honor my inner light"

Vipracitta - Nitya of the Subconsious
"I honor my dreams."

Mandala Mudra - Gesture of the Circle
For Attaining Spiritual Union - Samadhi

 All goddesses having to do with the full moon

Avahana Mudra - Gesture of Invocation
For Cultivating Heartfelt Acceptance

Kali - Nitya of Emotions
"I honor my emotions."

Sarvamangala - Nitya of Good Fortune
"I honor my good fortune"

Shakti Mudra - Gesture of the Goddess
For Awakening Spiritual Energy - Shakti

All goddesses and moon phases

Shakti Mudra - Side View

Shakti Mudra - Top View

Uttarabodhi Mudra - Gesture of Highest Wisdom
For Cultivating Self-Mastery - Vashitvam

Medha Prana Kriya Mudra - Gesture of Mental Vigor
For Welcoming Thoughts and Feelings

 Matra - Nitya of Self Knowledge
"I honor my inner knowing"

Abhaya Hrdaya Mudra - Gesture of the Fearless Heart
For nourishing the heart and lungs, bringing vitality and calm

 Kapali - Nitya of Skulla
"I honor my dark side."

Abhaya Hrdaya Mudra - Top View

Abhaya Hrdaya Mudra - Side View

Ardhachandra Mudra - Gesture of the Half Moon

All goddesses having to do with the half moon

Bhairava Mudra - Mudra of Ferocity and Terror

 Mita - Goddess of Fearlessness
"I honor my Fearlessness."

Ugra - Goddess of Fierceness
"I honor my Fierceness."

Bherunda - Goddess of Ferocity
"I honor my ferocity."

Chandra Mudra - Mudra of the Moon

 All nityas and goddesses for all moon cycles

Chandrakala Mudra - Mudra of the Crescent Moon

 All goddesses having to do with crescent moon

Lolita Mudra - Gesture of Moving Hither and Thither

 Tvarita - Goddess of Swiftness
"I honor my agility."

Padma Mudra - Gesture of the Lotus Flower

 All goddess/nityas

Rudra Mudra - Gesture of Roaring or Howling

 Kali - Nitya of Emotions
"I honor my emotions"

Shakti Mudra - Gesture of the Creative for or Goddess of Vitality

 All goddesses/nityas

Shakti Mudra

Yoni Mudra II  - Gesture of Origin or the Vulva

All goddesses/nityas

I have written these affirmations to go with the Lalita Nityas

LALITA  NITYAS - WAXING MOON - START AT THE NEW MOON

1. Kameshvari – Nitya of Desire

"I honor my desires"

2. Bhagamalini – Nitya of the Flowering Yoni

"I honor my sensuality."

3. Nityaklinna – Nitya of Wetness 

"I honor my receptivity."

4. Bherunda – Nitya of Ferocity

"I honor my ferocity."

5. Vahnivasini – Nitya of Fire  

"I honor my passions"

6. Vajreshvari – Nitya of the Thunderbolt

"I honor my intensity"

7.  Tvarita – Nitya of Swiftness 

"I honor my agility."

8.  Shivaduti – Nitya of Communication 

"I honor my truth."

9. Kulasundari – Nitya of Inner Knowing 

"I honor my intuition."

10. Nitya – Nitya off Internal Presence  

"I honor my courage."

11. Nilapataka – Nitya of Celestial Power 

"I honor my spirituality."

12. Vijaya – Nitya of Victory

"I honor my accomplishments."

13.Sarvamangala – Nitya of Good Fortune

"I honor my good fortune."

14.Jvamalini – Nitya of Flames

"I honor my brilliance."

KALI - WANING MOON - START THE DAY AFTER THE FULL MOON

1. Kali –  Nitya of Emotion

"I honor my emotions."

2. Kapali – Nitya of Skulls 

"I honor my dark side."

3. Kulla  - Nitya of Reflection 

"I honor my insights."

4.Kurukulla – Nitya of Enchantment

"I honor my attractiveness."

5. Virodhini – Nitya of Self-Acceptance

"I honor my true self." 

6. Vipracitta – Nitya of the Subconscious

"I honor my dreams."

7. Ugra – Nitya of Fierceness 

"I honor my fierceness."

8 Ugraprabha – Nitya of Introspection 

"I honor my instincts."

9. Dipa – Nitya of Illumination 

"I honor my inner light."

10. Nila – Nitya of Contemplation

"I honor my thoughts"

11.Ghana – Nitya of Destruction 

"I honor my strength."

12. Balaka – Nitya of Self-Indulgence

"I honor my needs."

13. Matra – Nitya of Self-Knowledge

"I honor my inner knowing." 

14. Mudra – Nitya of Expression 

"I honor my creativity."

15.Mita – Nitya of Fearlessness

"I honor my fearlessness."

New Moon Nityas

Mudra, Mita, Kameshvari and Bhagamalini

Waxing Crescent Nityas

Nityaklinna, Bherunda, Vahnivasini and  Vajreshvari

Waning Crescent Nityas

Nila, Ghana, Balaka, Matra and Mudra

1/4 Quarter Moon Nityas

Tvarita, Shivaduti and Kulasundari 

Waxing Gibbous Moon Nityas

Nitya, Nilapataka, Vijaya and Sarvamangala

Waning Gibbous Moon Nityas

Kapali, Kulla,Kurukulla and Virodhini 

Full Moon Nityas

Jvamalini, Chitra and Kali

Last Quarter Moon Nityas

Ugra, Ugraprabha and Dipa