Saundarya Lahari of Adi Shankaracharya (Audio CD with Book Containing the Text in Sanskrit, Roman Transliteration and English Translation - A Combination Ideal for Both Chanting and Understanding)

The hymn of Saundarayalahari contains 100 poems (Verses) of four lines each said to be written by Jagadguru Shri Adi Shankaracharya (8th Century Indian philosophy). Legend of this work is often substantiated by the distinct difference that is present in the two sets of poems “Anandalahari” –The waves of bliss (verses 1to 42) and “Saundarayalahari” –The waves of beauty (waves 43 to 100). The complete set is known as Saundarayalahari. Anandalahari deals with the Mantra, Yantra and Tantra practices of Shaktha cult. The Shaktha system is system of rituals accompanied by Meditation based on a non-dual interpretation of reality. These verses are on a metaphysical plane, describing the philosophical & spiritual aspects of Shakthi worship. A notable feature of this set of verses is that the verses are not interlinked in anyway, they stand apart. The language highly transcendental in nature.

Saundarayalahari, the second part is a description of the Supreme mother from crown to feet, as a description of the vision the Shri Adi Shankaracharya experienced. These verses are said to be written by Shri Shankaracharya himself. He made generous use of figures of speech of Sanskrit poetics. However, the term “Saundaryalahari” is now commonly applied to the entire hundred verses.