Last Updated on November 28, 2011 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
The Chandi Path is the allegorical story of Surath and Samadhi – the former is a king, the latter a businessman. They both go through the angst of living – note this was not any different hundreds of thousands of years ago than it is now. They both find themselves grieving over things they are attached to, a way of life they were used to, which is no longer available to them – i.e. life’s various changes. They happen to have the good fortune of meeting with Medhas Rishi and seek his guidance. He narrates the Chandi to them, the summary is this – “Chant the Chandi – that is all there is for one to do, when you are ready, when the Divine Mother is ready, she will give you what you need and what you deserve. There is no need for angst, depression, anger, stress, tension, nerves and what have you.”
I feel I was not any different than Surath and Samadhi, neither is anyone else. My prayers brought me to Shree Maa and Swamiji and what they said in essence is exactly what Medhas Rishi said to Surath and Samadhi. “Chant the Chandi, it is a privilege, what more could one ask for”. Swamiji also taught the proper way to chant the Chandi per his lineage in Siddhasana with Pranayam.
I have now been chanting the Chandi since 2007. Initially it took me a week to chant the Chandi, over a matter of several months to a year and half, this improved gradually to where I was able to chant it in a matter of an hour and fifteen minutes. The Asana was very hard and painful, this too improved with time to where I could chant in one Asana and finish the Seedha Path.
Over the last 2 years I have been chanting the Chandi with Samputs. I was drawn to the Chandi Samput book that Swamiji has written and asked him about it, he encouraged me to chant it with the samput.
I have not resolved all my problems, have not answered the meaning of life and continue to float in the river of life. Chanting the Chandi has made me handle what life throws my way in a more mature, able, calm fashion. I have noticed the very same demons rise and fall in my being that is described in the various chapters of the Chandi and patiently wait for the fruition of the penance that is described in Chapter 13.
Raghu