Publisher's Note

We are glad to announce the publication of a comprehensive gloss of the Indraksi Stotra, an eulogy to the goddess of special light of thunder. Daily recitation of the stotra will develop fortitude and devotion among the people of faith. Sri Jankinath Kaul has explained the appellations of the Deity in his lucid style with authentic ordinance and confidence. This will evidently benefit our noble readers.

Foreword

There are many stotras of hoary antiquity that have traditionally come down to us as a potent panacea to alleviate the sufferings of ordinary man in his day to day life. One such stotra is the present work, Indraksi stotram. We have been told that in Kashmir it is popular amongst the devout and used as sidda mantra in every home. In South India also, it is very popular amongst faithful. It is usually recited along with Siva Kavacam to mitigate fevers of all kinds and restore normal health to the ailing patient.

In the Veda, Indra is the paramount God. He is higher than all the cosmos, Visvasmat indra uttarah, proclaim the Vedic Rsis. His sakti the executive power, his consort is Indraksi, the vision of Indra. Vision extended as in heaven, diviva caksur atatam, says the Veda. Indra is the overlord of our triple existence. His Force is Indraksi. He wields her as his weapon vajra. So she is known as Vajra Vairocaniya, the special light born of thunder. She is the thunder destroying all anti-divine forces. She is the hidden radiance in the heart of the cloud. Through her, Indra sees everything. Ruling over the Divine Mind, she acts through the human mind, in the sense behind the senses.

Jankinath Kaul, 'Kamal' who has translated and ably annotated this stotra is an accredited exponent of the Tantric lore. He has brought his intuitive perception to bear on the whole work. Is explanation of the Ahalya episode is revealing. His exposition of the number sixty-four in the enumeration of the names of the Deity merits attention. Each name of the Deity is brilliantly explained with rare insight. The whole translation is elevating and brings us into the vast sweep of the vision of Indra, Indraksi.

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