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MALUR SRI BALAMBIKA TEMPLE Address: Maruthi Extension 2nd stage, Kasaba Hobli, Malur Taluk, Kolar District, Karnataka - India Website : http://malurbalambikatemple.com Email : contactus@malurbalambikatemple.org Instagram: balambikadivyasangam
Issue 12 | Volume 15 | April 2026 Balavin Kural
Kshetra Varalaru series: "Sri Manasa - Shakti peetam at Tibet", by Smt. Indumathi OM Gurubyo Namaha. Sri Balambika Charanam. The next Shakti Peetha we are about to explore is located in Tibet—and is known as the Manasa Shakti Peetha. The Goddess enshrined there is revered as Dakshayani. While the shrine itself is named the Manasa Shakti Peetha, the presiding Goddess is Dakshayani, and the associated form of Lord Shiva is known as Amar. Among all the water bodies in the world, Lake Manasarovar is considered the purest. Since this Shakti Peetha is situated right next to it, a holy dip in the lake is believed to wash away all manner of sins. As Hindus, do we not hold the belief that such an act can liberate us from the cycle of rebirth itself? It is in such a sacred and exalted location that the Goddess of the Manasa Shakti Peetha resides. However, the nature of worship here differs; while regular rituals and pujas are performed for the Deity at the appointed times, there are no grand celebrations or festivals. This is because the shrine is situated amidst a landscape of perpetual snow-capped peaks. As you are likely aware, Lake Manasarovar is situated at an extremely high altitude. Consequently, the shrine is not worshipped in the manner of a conventional temple; nevertheless, it is unequivocally recognized as one of the sacred Shakti Peethas. Image courtesy https://myadhyatm.com/ manasa-shaktipeeth-dakshayani-shakti-peeth-tibet/
What's inside:
Cultural Connect: " Kaushitaki Upanishad" The Kaushitaki Upanishad, also rendered as Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad, constitutes an ancient Sanskrit text embedded within the Rigveda. It is classified as a Sāmānya Upanishad, denoting its universal acceptance ("common") across all schools of Vedanta. Key Facts Source and Association: The text is contained within the Rigveda, is associated with the Kaushitaki shakha, and is also designated as the Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad. Part of a Larger Work: It encompasses four chapters of the Kaushitaki Aranyaka or Shankhayana Aranyaka, which collectively consists of 15 chapters. Canonical Inclusion: The text is recognized as one of Robert Hume's 13 Principal Upanishads and is cataloged as number 25 within the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads. Chronology Although the precise chronology remains indeterminate, the text is presumed to have been composed prior to the middle of the 1st millennium BCE. Structure The Kaushitaki Upanishad is presented as a prose document partitioned into four chapters, each containing a variable number of verses: Chapter 1: 6 verses Chapter 2: 15 verses Chapter 3: 9 verses Chapter 4: 20 verses Chapter One of the Kaushitaki Upanishad commences by articulating the doctrines of rebirth, karma, and the transmigration of the Self (Atman), prioritizing the attainment of liberation via the fundamental principle of the "Oneness in Atman and Brahman". Chapter Two sustains this trajectory, asserting the intrinsic identity of all individual existence with Brahman, recommending the substitution of external ceremonial practices with internal introspection, and re-framing religion as cognizance rather than outward observance. Chapter Three further elaborates on the doctrine of the Atman, positing that true freedom is achieved through "knowledge and action," and characterizes a human being as Consciousness, Atman, and Self, consequently asserting that Prāṇa (life-force) is equivalent to prajñā (consciousness), which is immortal bliss. Finally, the concluding Chapter Four extends these conceptual discussions, proffering sixteen distinct ideas to elucidate the nature of Brahman (Atman) and integrating them under the paramount thesis concerning the coherence and unity of Brahman and the Self as the universal essence inherent in all living entities. References: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaushitaki_Upanishad [2]https://lakshminarayanlenasia.com/downloads/ KaushitakiUpanishad.pdf [3] https://oceanlibrary.com/kaushitaki-upanishad/ [4]https://www.hinduwebsite.com/kausitaki-upanishad.asp
Dakshinamurthy is a form of Shiva depicted as a young guru, sitting under a banyan tree, facing south (dakshina direction) associated with death and transformation, He is surrounded by old sages (rishis) as students. The symbolism tells us that the Truth is always beyond age. Wisdom is not becoming intellectual with books but it is realized within. Dakshinamurthy is one of the most profound symbolic forms in Indian philosophy. He represents pure knowledge, silence, and direct realization of truth, especially in the tradition of Advaita. The core philosophy of Advaita is silence. Dakshinamurthy teaches us through silence. Words always create duality (subject and object), while Silence reveals non-duality. This idea is echoed by Adi Shankaracharya, who composed the famous Dakshinamurthy Stotram. The ultimate truth cannot be explained, but it must be experienced directly. Advaita (Non-duality) Central teaching says that “You are not separate from the universe.” The individual self or Atman is the Universal consciousness (Brahman). The world is not false, but it is misunderstood because of the Maya or illusion. Dakshinamurthy is our true inner teacher, Intuition and direct knowledge. Dakshinamurthy holds symbolic mudras showing destruction of ignorance or Avidya within us. He holds Chin Mudra which symbolically represents (joining the thumb and index finger) where the individual self is joining the universal self. Fire in his hand symbolically represents the burning of our ignorance. Scriptures in his hand represent the Knowledge of scriptures and its importance, but secondary to experience. Under the feet of Dakshinamurthy is a dwarf-like figure called Apasmara. Apasmara represents Ignorance (Avidya), Forgetfulness of our true Self, also our Ego and spiritual blindness. Dakshinamurthy is shown seated in deep stillness, teaching through silence. By placing his foot on Apasmara, he signifies victory of knowledge over ignorance, awakening of higher consciousness, control over the restless and distracted mind. Apasmara is not an external demon. Apasmara represents the part of us that forgets awareness, the mind that gets caught in fear, doubt, and illusion. If we observe the picture of Lord Dakshinamurthy’s foot, it is not crushing Apasmara violently, but the Lord is firmly grounding ignorance, by showing that the true wisdom doesn’t fight ignorance aggressively, but it stabilizes and transcends it through awareness. The Psychological & Neuroscience perspective shows that Dakshinamurthy’s philosophy aligns with modern insights where it is proven that the Silence activates our parasympathetic nervous system. Non-dual awareness reduces our ego-based stress patterns. Deep awareness within us shifts our brain from Analytical mode to experiential mode. When silence is observed, it is similar to deep meditative states where our Default Mode of Network with (ego and internal chatter) quietens down. Dakshinamurthy teaches that Clarity comes when our perception becomes still. Deeper Symbolism of Lord Dakshinamurthy Facing South is conquering fear of death. He is sitting under a Banyan tree representing eternal life and true wisdom. Youth teaching elders symbolises that truth is timeless. Dakshinamurthy is the silence within, that already knows everything. Balambika charanam Image courtesy https://www.starsai.com/
Devotee Speaks: "Dakshinamurthy", by Smt. Roopa V Rajan
Below is the integration of Agasthiar’s Pancha Bhūta with Bālā Tripurā Sundarī, how the five elements dissolve into the ever young Goddess within. Agasthiar says: “Aindhum avalē; avalē aindhum”. The five are She; She alone is the five. Bālā is not above the five elements, but Bala is the secret harmony of all five elements. We see all the five elements with Bala. PṚTHVĪ (Earth) BĀLĀ AS STABILITY OF INNOCENCE. Siddhar insights are Earth is weight, memory, karma. When an unrefined earth element brings heaviness, depression, and inertia. Bālā’ in Action. Bālā lightens Earth. She removes karmic heaviness, brings childlike trust, softens rigid self-identity. Hence it brings out our Inner recognition: “I am held by the Mother.” Result: Safety without fear JALA (Water) BĀLĀ AS SWEET FLOW. Siddha Insight: Water is emotion, attachment, and longing. Bālā’s Action: She purifies emotion without suppression. Turns grief into tenderness. Desire into devotion. Loneliness into intimacy. Inner recognition: “What I feel is allowed by Goddess”. Result: Emotional healing. AGNI (Fire) BĀLĀ AS GENTLE TRANSFORMATION. Siddha Insight: Fire wrongly used creates anger, and burning thoughts. Bālā’s Action: She cools the fire without extinguishing it. Our Ego in fire becomes inner light. Effort becomes effortless clarity. Inner recognition: “I don’t need to fight to know.” Result: Peaceful intelligence. VĀYU (Air) BĀLĀ AS RHYTHM OF PRĀṆA. Siddha Insight: Air governs thought speed and anxiety. Bālā’s Action. She slows the breath naturally. Thoughts lose urgency. The mind becomes playful, not restless. Inner recognition:“Life breathes me.” Result: Mental lightness ĀKĀŚA (Ether) BĀLĀ AS EVER-PRESENT AWARENESS Siddha Insight: Ether is space, silence, consciousness. Bālā’s Action: She reveals awareness as sweetness, not void. Silence becomes loving, Emptiness becomes fullness. Inner recognition: “I am not empty—I am being held.” Result: Non-dual bliss. AGASTHIAR’S SECRET: BĀLĀ AS THE SIXTH ELEMENT Agasthiar reveals: The five elements dissolve into a sixth state, called Sukshma Chaitanya that is BĀLĀ. Bala is Consciousness before division, joy before desire, Knowledge before thought. BĀLĀ MANTRA AS PANCHA BHŪTA KEY ॐ ऐं क्लीं सौः Agasthiar’s inner mapping: AIM comprise Ether + Air (Awareness & movement), KLĪM comprise Fire + Water (Transformation & devotion) SAUḤ comprise Earth dissolving into bliss. FINAL REALISATION (Agasthiar’s Essence): “When the elements rest in love, the Goddess appears as youth. When effort ends, Bālā remains.” Bālā is not attained. She is remembered. Balambika Charanam
Know your Mythology: "The Alchemy of Grace: From Ashes to Infinite Power", by Thulasinathan Kandasamy In the sacred silence of the cosmos, there was once a moment of profound stillness—but it was the stillness of despair. The Puranas tell us that when Lord Shiva’s third eye reduced Kama (the Deva of Desire and Aspiration) to ashes, the universe fell into a cold, inert slumber. Without desire, there was no ambition; without longing, there was no growth. The world had lost its "will." The Devas, witnessing this stagnation, realized that true confidence and the impulse to create are not mere ego—they are the divine life-force itself. They journeyed to the blue-tinted Nilachala Hill, the heart of the earth, to seek the one power that can breathe life into ash: Maa Kamakhya. In the Kalika Purana, the Mother is described not just as a deity, but as the very soil of existence. A pivotal Shloka reminds us of her nature: “Kāmākhyāṃ kāmadāṃ devīṃ parvatasthaṃ sanātanīm | Kāmākhyāṃ pūjayedbhaktyā sarvakāmaprasiddhaye ||” "Worship Kamakhya, the eternal one dwelling on the mountain, the granter of all desires; through devotion to Her, every noble aspiration reaches fulfillment." The Devas pleaded for the restoration of life. The Mother appeared, radiant and serene. She did not simply "undo" what Shiva had done; she did something far more profound. She took the ashes of the burnt Kama and infused them with Her grace. By Her blessing, Kama was reborn as Ananga—the "Bodiless One." He was no longer in physical form. He became an internal, subtle, and invincible force. The Mother taught the world a "Savvy" spiritual truth: True power does not depend on external form. When we lose our outward status or confidence, the Mother invites us to find a resilient, inner strength that no fire can touch. While Maa Kamakhya represents this raw, creative surge that restores what is lost, She also manifests in our hearts as Goddess Balambika. If Kamakhya is the vast ocean of creative energy, Balambika is the refined, focused wisdom—the Jnana—that directs that energy. Balambika, appearing as a young child, reminds us that the "Restoration of Confidence" requires a child-like purity. She holds the book and the mala, signifying that once our inner drive (Kamakhya) is restored, it must be guided by sacred knowledge (Balambika). As you read this in our temple magazine today, reflect on your own "ashes." Perhaps a project failed, a dream stalled, or your confidence wavered. The lore of Nilachala Hill tells us that setbacks are not endings; they are the "incubation period" for a higher version of yourself. When you pray to the Mother, do not just ask for things to go back to how they were. Ask Her to transform your challenges into Ananga—a power so subtle and deep that it becomes a "Tenacious Grip" on your destiny. In the union of Kamakhya’s vitality and Balambika’s wisdom, we find the ultimate secret: We are never truly defeated; we are only being refined. Jaye Maa Kamakhya. Om Sri Balambikayai Namaha. Image courtesy: https://chinnikurumaddali.wordpress.com/
Devotee Speaks: "Dakshinamurthy", by Smt. Roopa V Rajan Dakshinamurthy is a form of Shiva depicted as a young guru, sitting under a banyan tree, facing south (dakshina direction) associated with death and transformation, He is surrounded by old sages (rishis) as students. The symbolism tells us that the Truth is always beyond age. Wisdom is not becoming intellectual with books but it is realized within. Dakshinamurthy is one of the most profound symbolic forms in Indian philosophy. He represents pure knowledge, silence, and direct realization of truth, especially in the tradition of Advaita. The core philosophy of Advaita is silence. Dakshinamurthy teaches us through silence. Words always create duality (subject and object), while Silence reveals non-duality. This idea is echoed by Adi Shankaracharya, who composed the famous Dakshinamurthy Stotram. The ultimate truth cannot be explained, but it must be experienced directly. Advaita (Non-duality) Central teaching says that “You are not separate from the universe.” The individual self or Atman is the Universal consciousness (Brahman). The world is not false, but it is misunderstood because of the Maya or illusion. Dakshinamurthy is our true inner teacher, Intuition and direct knowledge. Dakshinamurthy holds symbolic mudras showing destruction of ignorance or Avidya within us. He holds Chin Mudra which symbolically represents (joining the thumb and index finger) where the individual self is joining the universal self. Fire in his hand symbolically represents the burning of our ignorance. Scriptures in his hand represent the Knowledge of scriptures and its importance, but secondary to experience. Under the feet of Dakshinamurthy is a dwarf-like figure called Apasmara. Apasmara represents Ignorance (Avidya), Forgetfulness of our true Self, also our Ego and spiritual blindness. Dakshinamurthy is shown seated in deep stillness, teaching through silence. By placing his foot on Apasmara, he signifies victory of knowledge over ignorance, awakening of higher consciousness, control over the restless and distracted mind. Apasmara is not an external demon. Apasmara represents the part of us that forgets awareness, the mind that gets caught in fear, doubt, and illusion. If we observe the picture of Lord Dakshinamurthy’s foot, it is not crushing Apasmara violently, but the Lord is firmly grounding ignorance, by showing that the true wisdom doesn’t fight ignorance aggressively, but it stabilizes and transcends it through awareness. The Psychological & Neuroscience perspective shows that Dakshinamurthy’s philosophy aligns with modern insights where it is proven that the Silence activates our parasympathetic nervous system. Non-dual awareness reduces our ego-based stress patterns. Deep awareness within us shifts our brain from Analytical mode to experiential mode. When silence is observed, it is similar to deep meditative states where our Default Mode of Network with (ego and internal chatter) quietens down. Dakshinamurthy teaches that Clarity comes when our perception becomes still. Deeper Symbolism of Lord Dakshinamurthy Facing South is conquering fear of death. He is sitting under a Banyan tree representing eternal life and true wisdom. Youth teaching elders symbolises that truth is timeless. Dakshinamurthy is the silence within, that already knows everything. Balambika charanam Image courtesy: https://www.starsai.com/
Kshetra Varalaru series: "Kshetra Varalaru of Sri Manasa Shakti peetam at Tibet", by Smt. Indumathi OM Gurubyo Namaha. Sri Balambika Charanam. The next Shakti Peetha we are about to explore is located in Tibet—and is known as the Manasa Shakti Peetha. The Goddess enshrined there is revered as Dakshayani. While the shrine itself is named the Manasa Shakti Peetha, the presiding Goddess is Dakshayani, and the associated form of Lord Shiva is known as Amar. Among all the water bodies in the world, Lake Manasarovar is considered the purest. Since this Shakti Peetha is situated right next to it, a holy dip in the lake is believed to wash away all manner of sins. As Hindus, do we not hold the belief that such an act can liberate us from the cycle of rebirth itself? It is in such a sacred and exalted location that the Goddess of the Manasa Shakti Peetha resides. However, the nature of worship here differs; while regular rituals and pujas are performed for the Deity at the appointed times, there are no grand celebrations or festivals. This is because the shrine is situated amidst a landscape of perpetual snow-capped peaks. As you are likely aware, Lake Manasarovar is situated at an extremely high altitude. Consequently, the shrine is not worshipped in the manner of a conventional temple; nevertheless, it is unequivocally recognized as one of the sacred Shakti Peethas. Image courtesy https://myadhyatm.com/ manasa-shaktipeeth-dakshayani-shakti-peeth-tibet/
Cultural Connect: "Kaushitaki Upanishad" The Kaushitaki Upanishad, also rendered as Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad, constitutes an ancient Sanskrit text embedded within the Rigveda. It is classified as a Sāmānya Upanishad, denoting its universal acceptance ("common") across all schools of Vedanta. Key Facts Source and Association: The text is contained within the Rigveda, is associated with the Kaushitaki shakha, and is also designated as the Kaushitaki Brahmana Upanishad. Part of a Larger Work: It encompasses four chapters of the Kaushitaki Aranyaka or Shankhayana Aranyaka, which collectively consists of 15 chapters. Canonical Inclusion: The text is recognized as one of Robert Hume's 13 Principal Upanishads and is cataloged as number 25 within the Muktikā canon of 108 Upanishads. Chronology Although the precise chronology remains indeterminate, the text is presumed to have been composed prior to the middle of the 1st millennium BCE. Structure The Kaushitaki Upanishad is presented as a prose document partitioned into four chapters, each containing a variable number of verses: Chapter 1: 6 verses Chapter 2: 15 verses Chapter 3: 9 verses Chapter 4: 20 verses Chapter One of the Kaushitaki Upanishad commences by articulating the doctrines of rebirth, karma, and the transmigration of the Self (Atman), prioritizing the attainment of liberation via the fundamental principle of the "Oneness in Atman and Brahman". Chapter Two sustains this trajectory, asserting the intrinsic identity of all individual existence with Brahman, recommending the substitution of external ceremonial practices with internal introspection, and re-framing religion as cognizance rather than outward observance. Chapter Three further elaborates on the doctrine of the Atman, positing that true freedom is achieved through "knowledge and action," and characterizes a human being as Consciousness, Atman, and Self, consequently asserting that Prāṇa (life-force) is equivalent to prajñā (consciousness), which is immortal bliss. Finally, the concluding Chapter Four extends these conceptual discussions, proffering sixteen distinct ideas to elucidate the nature of Brahman (Atman) and integrating them under the paramount thesis concerning the coherence and unity of Brahman and the Self as the universal essence inherent in all living entities. References: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaushitaki_Upanishad [2]https://lakshminarayanlenasia.com/downloads/ KaushitakiUpanishad.pdf [3] https://oceanlibrary.com/kaushitaki-upanishad/ [4] https://www.hinduwebsite.com/kausitaki-upanishad.asp