There are at least twenty Trailokya Mohana Kavachas, related to various Devatas like Ganesha, Vatukanatha, Tripura Bhairavi, Kali, Tara, Bagalamukhi, Dakshinamurti, Bhuvaneshwari, Vajravarahi and Sri Mahatripurasundari. Probably Sri Prasad is referring to the Srividya Trailokyamohana Kavacha. There are three popular versions of Trailokyamohana Kavacha related to Sri Mahatripurasundari. The first one is from Vamakeshwara Tantra. The Phalasruti of this Kavacha mentions that by reciting this Kavacha, one gains mastery over the mind and body and is blessed with the state of Samadhi. This is an elaborate Kavacha which discusses the ten Avaranas of Srichakra and its devatas. The second version is from the Shodashi Khanda of Rudrayamala. This Kavacha is more popular with the Upasakas of Guhya Shodashi. There doesn't seem to be a printed version of this Kavacha.
I had obtained a copy of this from Sri Dattatreyanandantha, the disciple of Sri Karapatri Swamiji. This Kavacha lists 108 Srividya mantras and the sixteen avaranas of Srichakra. I am told that one edition of the Yati Danda Vidhana of Karapatri Swamiji carried this Kavacha. This Kavacha, consisting of 532 Shlokas, assures Purashcharana Phala of all the 108 Srividya mantras to the person who recites the Kavacha. Members having a copy of Yati Danda Ishwariya Vidhana can clarify further. The third version Trailokyamohana Kavacha is from the Panchami Khanda of the Rajarajeshwari Parishishtha of Rudrayamala. This is the most popular among the three. This has been published by Brahmasri Chidanandanatha of Guhananda Mandali. This version however gives a different pAtha for some of the mantras like Panchami, Purna Shodashi
etc., compared to the Sampradayika Pathas. Another version of the same Kavacha has been published with the Sampradayika Patha by Balamanorama Press which is available with many elderly Upasakas now. This copy lists eighteen additional Shlokas. Several Srividya manuals in Tamil, Kananda, Malayalam and Devanagari have published this Kavacha. This Kavacha again lists different Srividya mantras (32 types I think) worshipped by various Upasakas like Manu, Kubera etc. The Phalasruti assures similar results as the previous one. These three Kavachas also promise the Upasaka, the capability to infatuate the three worlds. This could, in a spiritual sense mean mastery over the three Gunas, leading to the state of Nirguna. All the three Kavachas warn the Upasaka of harmful results if Srividya mantra is recited without reciting these Kavachas. But this seems to
be for the sake of conveying the importance of the Kavacha. Whether the recitation of these are mandatory or not is simply decided based on the Guru's Adesha. Quoting H H Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal's words, "chakrarAjArchanaM devyAH japo nAmnAm cha kIrtanaM. These are the only mandatory duties for a Srividya Upasaka. The remaining time, if any, should be spent in the study of Vedanta, so that the desired result of Srividyopasana – Chitta Shuddhi – occurs steadily. One need not spend time in various Stavas, Tantrik practices and Kavachas, if the goal is only Moksha. The Upasaka should be clear of the fact that the Upasana is simply for Chittashuddhi which qualifies one for Jnana and further for Moksha." This same quote may also be seen in Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrsimha Bharati Mahaswamigal's biography by Sri Srikantha Shastrigal. The same is also evident from the Uttara Pithika of
Sri Lalita Sahasranama Stotra. The discussion about Shaiva Siddhanta, which now has hopefully ended with the secular quote "All paths lead to the same supreme", was not targeted at any particular philosophy or to establish the Supremacy of Advaita over other systems. The universality of Advaita Darshana has been clarified repeatedly by great masters like Adi Shankara, Vidyaranya and Madhusudana Saraswati. The intention was to simply indicate that paths which advocate thoughts backed by practices which are clearly condemned by the Smrti, like some of the Pashupata practices which are disapproved by Harita, shanka and Likhita, are not worthy giving a thought, at least by the smArtas, who follow and believe the Smrti. Also, the debate described in the previous mail from Madhaviya Shankara Vijaya was not meant to claim the historical
correctness of the debate. It was quoted merely because of its logical correctness. Somehow, the Suta Samhita quote which describes all other Vaidika Darshanas as being supplementary to Advaita because of their adherence of Amshika Satya has gone unnoticed! That way, no Darshana or Acharya is ever disrespected by an Advaitin. But that does not compel one to accept Darshanas which are either contradictory to the Smrtis or lack clarity and pramANa as representing the true picture. Namastripurasundaryai.
