Guruji's teachings

Bala Mantra Meditation Guide

How the Bala mantra grows from three letters to nine, and how to rest the mind on each one.

Written by Atmanandanatha, first on devipuram.com, and shared on the blog of Sri Amritananda Natha Saraswati (Guruji) by Vira Chandra on 25 April 2016. Originally published at amritananda-natha-saraswati.blogspot.com. This page is a short summary with one quote. The full article is at the link.

In short

Bala is the child form of Sri Lalita. Her mantra and the Ganapati mantra are usually the first a student receives.
The Bala mantra has three letters (Aim kliim sauh). Tradition gives it as six letters, and a nine letter form is used later with the Pancadasi mantra.
The author uses the old Katapayadi number code to show why Bala is worth worshipping, and how she links to planets, stars, signs and seats of power.
Each of the three bijas has a meaning. Aim points to the guru and the Vedas, kliim to the path of practice, and sauh to the play of Shiva and Shakti.
In the story of Lalita, Bala defeats the thirty sons of Bhandasura. The author reads this as the end of the sense of being a separate self.
The post ends with a simple way to picture the goddess while chanting each bija.

A line from the post

"The essence of the above is that Bala is all pervasive and our constant japa with full belief on our guru imparted mantra is the sure road to the goal of self realisation."

From "Bala Meditation guide" by Atmanandanatha, shared on Guruji's blog at amritananda-natha-saraswati.blogspot.com.

How this shows up in Kaula practice

In this lineage, Bala is where a student starts. The mantra is given by the guru, and the work is steady repetition with trust. The post says the same: the road is constant japa, not clever ideas.

The meditation in the post is quiet and inner. You picture the goddess, one bija at a time, and let the mind settle. That is the inner side of worship, the kind you can do anywhere, with no tools.

Later, the same goddess is also met through outer worship, such as the yantra and the fire offering. The post keeps to the inner path. It is not a substitute for being given the mantra by a teacher.

Common questions

What is the Bala mantra?

It is the first mantra many Sri Vidya students receive, along with the Ganapati mantra. In its basic form it has three letters: Aim kliim sauh.

Why does the Bala mantra have three, six and nine letters?

The post says the tradition gives it as six letters, made by adding the three in reverse. The nine letter form, called Yoga Bala, is used as an attendant mantra of the Pancadasi.

Who is Bala in Sri Vidya?

Bala is Sri Lalita in her childhood form. The post calls her the first, blissful, primal energy.

What do the three bijas of Bala mean?

The post reads Aim as the guru and the four Vedas, kliim as the path of practice, and sauh as the full universe as the play of Shiva and Shakti.

How do you meditate on Bala?

The post describes a red goddess holding a book and a rosary, seated on a red lotus. You picture one part of her form with each bija while you chant.

Read the original: Bala Meditation guide, on Guruji's blog. Author credit: Atmanandanatha, first on devipuram.com. Posted on the blog by Vira Chandra. This page does not speak on behalf of Devipuram.