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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 4 | Volume 16 | August 2026 Balavin Kural
Kshetra Varalaru series: "Sri Guhyeshwari temple - Shakthi Peetam at Nepal", by Smt. Indumathi Salutations to the Guru. I seek refuge in Goddess Balambika. Today, we are going to look at the Guhyeshwari Shakti Peetam in Nepal. It is situated about one kilometer away from the famous Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu. Since it is a Shakti Peetam of the Goddess (Ambal), it implies that a part of her body fell there; specifically, it is believed to be the place where Sati Devi's knee fell. The name "Guhyeshwari" implies something secret or hidden (guhya). Consequently, the Goddess is worshipped there according to Tantric traditions - specifically those associated with Kali Tantra, Chandi Tantra, and Shiva Tantra. Although the temple is in Nepal, its architecture follows the Bhutanese or "Pagoda" style; one should not expect a traditional towering Gopuram or similar structures found in South Indian temples. Like the Pashupatinath Temple, this shrine is located along the banks of the Bagmati River. In the Lalita Sahasranamam, She is referred to as “Guhya-rupini” (One whose form is secret), which is why She bears the name Guhyeshwari. In this temple, the presiding Shakti is Guhyeshwari, and the accompanying Bhairava is known as Kapali. It is not a place visited solely by Hindus; followers of Buddhism also visit this temple. Regarding the deity, it is said that She is worshipped in the Tantric tradition under names such as Vajra Varahi or Vajra Yogini. Consequently, followers of the Vajrayana Buddhist sect also visit this temple; they hold this temple in reverence alongside Hindus. That highlights the significance of the temple. As for festivals, there are daily rituals like darshan and aarti. Navaratri is particularly special here, as the presiding deity of every “Shakti Peetha” is considered a manifestation of Goddess Durga. Therefore, Navaratri is a major occasion. Also, please note that a visa is required to visit this temple, as it is located in Nepal. Thank you, friends. Image courtesy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guhyeshwari_Temple
What's inside:
Cultural Connect: "Nirvana upanishad" The Nirvana Upanishad is one of the minor Upanishads traditionally associated with the Rig Veda and is generally classified among the Sannyasa Upanishads, texts concerned with renunciation and the spiritual life of the ascetic. The word Nirvana refers to liberation or the extinguishing of ignorance, attachment, and identification with the limited individual self. The Upanishad describes the qualities and inner realization of a true renunciate (sannyasin) who seeks freedom through knowledge of the Self. Central Teaching: The central message of the Nirvana Upanishad is that genuine renunciation is primarily internal rather than external. The spiritual seeker must move beyond attachment to possessions, social identity, desires, and the ego. The body is temporary, while the true Self (Atman) is pure consciousness and ultimately identical with Brahman, the Absolute Reality. The liberated person therefore ceases to define himself through ordinary distinctions and recognizes the same underlying reality within all existence. The Path to Liberation The Upanishad portrays the life of the renunciate through a series of symbolic descriptions. Knowledge is his protection, contentment, his companion, freedom from desire, his discipline, and realization of Brahman his ultimate goal. The seeker gradually abandons the distinction between "I" and "mine" and develops detachment from pleasure and suffering. When ignorance and ego-identification disappear through Self-knowledge, the seeker realizes the non-dual nature of reality. Nirvana, therefore, is not simply withdrawal from the world; it is freedom from ignorance that causes a person to experience himself as separate from Brahman. An Important Verse Nirmamaḥ śānto nirahaṅkāraḥ, svarūpānusandhānam eva sandhyā. Translation "Free from the sense of 'mine,' peaceful and without ego; continuous contemplation of one's true nature is his Sandhya." The verse expresses one of the characteristic teachings of the Nirvana Upanishad: true spiritual practice takes place within. Nirmama signifies freedom from possessiveness—the belief that things are "mine"—while nirahaṅkāra means freedom from identification with the ego. The traditional Sandhya is a prescribed daily spiritual observance, but the Upanishad gives it an inward interpretation: for the realized renunciate, continuous contemplation of the true Self (svarūpa) becomes the highest form of worship. Spiritual liberation therefore comes not merely from abandoning possessions or performing rituals, but from abandoning the deeper identification with "I" and "mine."
Sri Mata, Sri Maharagni & Srimat Simhasaneshwari. Why Does Kamakshi Sit in Padmasana? – Understanding Kamakshi Tattva In the sacred tradition of Sri Vidya, the Divine Mother reveals Herself through different manifestations, each expressing a unique aspect of the soul’s spiritual journey. Sri Lalitha Tripurasundari is the Divine Mother who brings the universe into manifestation. Sri Rajarajeshwari governs and sustains that creation through the Panchakrityas—creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and divine grace. Yet an important question remains: Who guides the individual soul (Jivatma) beyond the endless cycle of birth and death? The answer unfolds through the compassionate form of Shri Kamakshi. Unlike other forms of Ambal, Kamakshi alone is traditionally depicted seated in Padmasana (Lotus Pose). This posture is not merely symbolic of meditation—it represents the highest purpose of creation itself. While Lalitha Tripurasundari gently places one foot upon the earth to initiate creation, and Rajarajeshwari rests one foot upon the earth to govern it, Kamakshi withdraws both feet completely, signifying that Her role is no longer outward manifestation but inward liberation. Kanchi Mahaperiyava beautifully explains this through the story of Manmatha (Kama). Desire is the force that brings the soul into creation. Without desire, there would be no birth, no opportunity to perform Dharma, and no path of Sadhana. Yet the very same desire becomes the cause of bondage. Kamakshi transforms desire into Divine Love. The force that once bound the soul to the world becomes the power that draws it back to the Divine. The Padmasana itself reflects the sacred triangle of the Sri Chakra. Its three points symbolize Paradevata (the Divine Mother), the Guru, and the Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant). Their union culminates in the Bindu, where individuality dissolves into the realization of Brahman. Spiritually, Lalitha Tripurasundari represents the dynamic of Purusha, while Rajarajeshwari embodies Prakriti. Kamakshi completes this journey by revealing Sushumna, the central channel through which consciousness rises beyond duality. The journey is no longer towards creation or governance—it is towards Self-realization. The lotus itself offers a timeless teaching. Though it blossoms from the mud, it remains untouched by it. Likewise, the Divine Mother does not ask us to abandon the world. Instead, She teaches us to live amidst our duties, relationships, and responsibilities while remaining inwardly unattached. Through sincere Sadhana and Her boundless grace, worldly life itself becomes the field for spiritual awakening. Thus, Kamakshi Tattva completes the divine journey: Shri Lalitha Tripurasundari manifests creation. Shri Rajarajeshwari sustains and governs creation. Shri Kamakshi reveals the ultimate purpose of creation—awakening the Jivatma and leading it beyond Samsara to the eternal abode of Sripuram. The Padmasana of Kamakshi is therefore far more than an iconographic feature. It is a silent declaration that life is not meant for endless wandering through the cycle of birth and death, but for awakening. Creation culminates in governance, governance culminates in grace (Anugraha), and grace culminates in the soul rediscovering its eternal source at the lotus feet of the Divine Mother. Balambika charanam Adapted from the insightful reflections of Sai Srinivas Nandagopalan, PhD Scholar in Tantric Traditions. Image courtesy https://spirituallifespot.blogspot.com/ 2014/03/kanchi-kamakshi-amma.html
Devotee Speaks: "Kamakshi and Padmasana", 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 Dhruva Stambha: From Weakest to Strongest", by Thulasinathan Kandasamy In the astronomical design of our ancestors, while the entire night sky constantly shifts, rotates, and drifts into chaos, there remains one absolutely fixed, unmoving point: Dhruva Loka—the Polestar. But before Dhruva became a cosmic anchor, he was just a heartbroken, vulnerable five-year-old prince. Attempting to climb onto his father’s lap, he was harshly dragged away by his stepmother, Suruchi, who publicly humiliated him by declaring, "You do not deserve to sit upon the throne or your father's lap. Go into the wilderness and pray to the divine if you wish to rewrite your destiny." Looking to his father for support and finding only silence, Dhruva fled to the deep forests of Madhuvana with nothing but a deeply wounded heart. Yet, instead of letting his pain degenerate into helpless self-pity, he did something radical: he gathered his scattered emotional energy and forged it into a singular, razor-sharp intent—a Sankalpa. Armed only with the twelve-syllable mantra given by Sage Narada, the child sat in absolute stillness. "For a mind completely anchored in the infinite, all-pervading divine, no external obstacle, darkness, or fear can ever exist." (Srimad Bhagavatam) Dhruva’s strength lay precisely in his absolute innocence. Unlike adults, his internal hard drive wasn't cluttered with decades of junk content, conflicting desires, or turbulent passions. His mind was pristine, a blank canvas of pure focus. To keep his body in the wild forest, the Vishnu Purana details how he systematically turned down the volume of the physical world. In the first month, he ate only fruits once in three days; by the third, only water once in nine days; and by the fifth month, he survived entirely on air, locking his innocent mind completely onto the divine form. He stood motionless on a single leg, withdrawing his consciousness entirely from the external world. The Purana poetically states that because he had controlled his own breath and unified his awareness with the cosmic pillar, his concentrated energy began to suppress the cosmic breath itself. The rivers slowed, the winds ceased, and the worlds gasped for air, forcing the deities to panic and seek the immediate intervention of Lord Narayana. Sensing the pure, unyielding weight of the child's Tapas, Narayana descended to the forest upon the wings of Garuda. The Lord stood right in front of the boy, radiating a light brighter than a thousand suns. Yet, Dhruva's eyes remained closed. He was so deeply absorbed in the internal vision of the divine within his own heart that he did not even realize the external manifestation was standing there. Amused and deeply moved, Narayana gently withdrew the internal form from the boy's mind. Dhruva’s eyes snapped open in startled awareness, and there, standing before him in the physical world, was the very form he had been meditating upon. Overwhelmed and tongue-tied, the child could not even find the vocabulary to offer a prayer. Narayana gently extended his divine conch, the Panchajanya, and touched it to the boy’s cheek. Instantly, the floodgates of wisdom opened, and Dhruva began to recite flawless, poetic praise. When offered any boon he desired, the boy who had entered the forest seeking a temporal throne realized that worldly validation was completely trivial compared to the stillness he had uncovered. Narayana blessed him with an unchangeable, sovereign position above the three worlds—the Polestar, the eternal anchor of the cosmos. As modern seekers, our daily wilderness is a digital attention economy designed to fragment our minds and leave us spiritually adrift. We are constantly fighting the clutter on our own hard drives. Dhruva's journey reminds us that true strength does not mean waiting for a world without friction. It means utilizing our Sankalpa Shakti to clear the noise and build an inner architecture so solid that outside storms cannot move our center. When the daily loops and anxieties try to pull us apart, we must remember the five-year-old prince who refused to bend. Let us stop drifting with the changing skies. Find your center, lock your stance, and become the unshakeable point in your own life. Image courtesy: https://www.templepurohit.com/ the-story-of-dhruva/
Devotee Speaks: "Kamakshi and Padmasana", by Smt. Roopa V Rajan Sri Mata, Sri Maharagni & Srimat Simhasaneshwari. Why Does Kamakshi Sit in Padmasana? – Understanding Kamakshi Tattva In the sacred tradition of Sri Vidya, the Divine Mother reveals Herself through different manifestations, each expressing a unique aspect of the soul’s spiritual journey. Sri Lalitha Tripurasundari is the Divine Mother who brings the universe into manifestation. Sri Rajarajeshwari governs and sustains that creation through the Panchakrityas—creation, preservation, dissolution, concealment, and divine grace. Yet an important question remains: Who guides the individual soul (Jivatma) beyond the endless cycle of birth and death? The answer unfolds through the compassionate form of Sri Kamakshi. Unlike other forms of Ambal, Kamakshi alone is traditionally depicted seated in Padmasana (Lotus Pose). This posture is not merely symbolic of meditation—it represents the highest purpose of creation itself. While Lalitha Tripurasundari gently places one foot upon the earth to initiate creation, and Rajarajeshwari rests one foot upon the earth to govern it, Kamakshi withdraws both feet completely, signifying that Her role is no longer outward manifestation but inward liberation. Kanchi Mahaperiyava beautifully explains this through the story of Manmatha (Kama). Desire is the force that brings the soul into creation. Without desire, there would be no birth, no opportunity to perform Dharma, and no path of Sadhana. Yet the very same desire becomes the cause of bondage. Kamakshi transforms desire into Divine Love. The force that once bound the soul to the world becomes the power that draws it back to the Divine. The Padmasana itself reflects the sacred triangle of the Shri Chakra. Its three points symbolize Paradevata (the Divine Mother), the Guru, and the Sadhaka (spiritual aspirant). Their union culminates in the Bindu, where individuality dissolves into the realization of Brahman. Spiritually, Lalitha Tripurasundari represents the dynamic of Purusha, while Rajarajeshwari embodies Prakriti. Kamakshi completes this journey by revealing Sushumna, the central channel through which consciousness rises beyond duality. The journey is no longer towards creation or governance—it is towards Self-realization. The lotus itself offers a timeless teaching. Though it blossoms from the mud, it remains untouched by it. Likewise, the Divine Mother does not ask us to abandon the world. Instead, She teaches us to live amidst our duties, relationships, and responsibilities while remaining inwardly unattached. Through sincere Sadhana and Her boundless grace, worldly life itself becomes the field for spiritual awakening. Thus, Kamakshi Tattva completes the divine journey: Shri Lalitha Tripurasundari manifests creation. Shri Rajarajeshwari sustains and governs creation. Shri Kamakshi reveals the ultimate purpose of creation—awakening the Jivatma and leading it beyond Samsara to the eternal abode of Sripuram. The Padmasana of Kamakshi is therefore far more than an iconographic feature. It is a silent declaration that life is not meant for endless wandering through the cycle of birth and death, but for awakening. Creation culminates in governance, governance culminates in grace (Anugraha), and grace culminates in the soul rediscovering its eternal source at the lotus feet of the Divine Mother. Adapted from the insightful reflections of Sai Srinivas Nandagopalan, PhD Scholar in Tantric Traditions. Image courtesy https://spirituallifespot.blogspot.com
Know your Mythology: "The Dhruva Stambha: From Weakest to Strongest", by Thulasinathan Kandasamy In the astronomical design of our ancestors, while the entire night sky constantly shifts, rotates, and drifts into chaos, there remains one absolutely fixed, unmoving point: Dhruva Loka—the Polestar. But before Dhruva became a cosmic anchor, he was just a heartbroken, vulnerable five-year-old prince. Attempting to climb onto his father’s lap, he was harshly dragged away by his stepmother, Suruchi, who publicly humiliated him by declaring, "You do not deserve to sit upon the throne or your father's lap. Go into the wilderness and pray to the divine if you wish to rewrite your destiny." Looking to his father for support and finding only silence, Dhruva fled to the deep forests of Madhuvana with nothing but a deeply wounded heart. Yet, instead of letting his pain degenerate into helpless self-pity, he did something radical: he gathered his scattered emotional energy and forged it into a singular, razor-sharp intent—a Sankalpa. Armed only with the twelve-syllable mantra given by Sage Narada, the child sat in absolute stillness. "For a mind completely anchored in the infinite, all-pervading divine, no external obstacle, darkness, or fear can ever exist." (Srimad Bhagavatam) Dhruva’s strength lay precisely in his absolute innocence. Unlike adults, his internal hard drive wasn't cluttered with decades of junk content, conflicting desires, or turbulent passions. His mind was pristine, a blank canvas of pure focus. To keep his body in the wild forest, the Vishnu Purana details how he systematically turned down the volume of the physical world. In the first month, he ate only fruits once in three days; by the third, only water once in nine days; and by the fifth month, he survived entirely on air, locking his innocent mind completely onto the divine form. He stood motionless on a single leg, withdrawing his consciousness entirely from the external world. The rivers slowed, the winds ceased, and the worlds gasped for air, forcing the deities to panic and seek the immediate intervention of Lord Narayana. Sensing the pure, unyielding weight of the child's Tapas, Narayana descended to the forest upon the wings of Garuda. The Lord stood right in front of the boy, radiating a light brighter than a thousand suns. Yet, Dhruva's eyes remained closed. He was so deeply absorbed in the internal vision of the divine within his own heart that he did not even realize the external manifestation was standing there. Amused and deeply moved, Narayana gently withdrew the internal form from the boy's mind. Dhruva’s eyes snapped open in startled awareness, and there, standing before him in the physical world, was the very form he had been meditating upon. Overwhelmed and tongue-tied, the child could not even find the vocabulary to offer a prayer. Narayana gently extended his divine conch, the Panchajanya, and touched it to the boy’s cheek. Instantly, the floodgates of wisdom opened, and Dhruva began to recite flawless, poetic praise. When offered any boon he desired, Narayana blessed him with an unchangeable, sovereign position above the three worlds—the Polestar, the eternal anchor of the cosmos. Dhruva's journey reminds us that true strength does not mean waiting for a world without friction. It means utilizing our Sankalpa Shakti to clear the noise and build an inner architecture so solid that outside storms cannot move our center. When the daily loops and anxieties try to pull us apart, we must remember the five-year-old prince who refused to bend. Let us stop drifting with the changing skies. Find your center, lock your stance, and become the unshakeable point in your own life. Image courtesy: https://www.templepurohit.com/the-story-of-dhruva/
Cultural Connect: "Nirvana upanishad" The Nirvana Upanishad is one of the minor Upanishads traditionally associated with the Rig Veda and is generally classified among the Sannyasa Upanishads, texts concerned with renunciation and the spiritual life of the ascetic. The word Nirvana refers to liberation or the extinguishing of ignorance, attachment, and identification with the limited individual self. The Upanishad describes the qualities and inner realization of a true renunciate (sannyasin) who seeks freedom through knowledge of the Self. Central Teaching: The central message of the Nirvana Upanishad is that genuine renunciation is primarily internal rather than external. The spiritual seeker must move beyond attachment to possessions, social identity, desires, and the ego. The body is temporary, while the true Self (Atman) is pure consciousness and ultimately identical with Brahman, the Absolute Reality. The liberated person therefore ceases to define himself through ordinary distinctions and recognizes the same underlying reality within all existence. The Path to Liberation The Upanishad portrays the life of the renunciate through a series of symbolic descriptions. Knowledge is his protection, contentment, his companion, freedom from desire, his discipline, and realization of Brahman his ultimate goal. The seeker gradually abandons the distinction between "I" and "mine" and develops detachment from pleasure and suffering. When ignorance and ego-identification disappear through Self-knowledge, the seeker realizes the non-dual nature of reality. Nirvana, therefore, is not simply withdrawal from the world; it is freedom from ignorance that causes a person to experience himself as separate from Brahman. An Important Verse: Nirmamaḥ śānto nirahaṅkāraḥ, svarūpānusandhānam eva sandhyā. Translation: "Free from the sense of 'mine,' peaceful and without ego; continuous contemplation of one's true nature is his Sandhya." The verse expresses one of the characteristic teachings of the Nirvana Upanishad: true spiritual practice takes place within. Nirmama signifies freedom from possessiveness—the belief that things are "mine"—while nirahaṅkāra means freedom from identification with the ego. The traditional Sandhya is a prescribed daily spiritual observance, but the Upanishad gives it an inward interpretation: for the realized renunciate, continuous contemplation of the true Self (svarūpa) becomes the highest form of worship. Spiritual liberation therefore comes not merely from abandoning possessions or performing rituals, but from abandoning the deeper identification with "I" and "mine."