INTRODUCTION In the past two decades, we have become more conscious of our heritage, culture and religious places.

We have established replicas of almost all important worship places in Jammu and outside. People in the recent past have shown great interest in Sharada temple located in POK region. The information relating to it has been scanty and people have been seeking more information about it and transmitting the same through visuals, written material to others. Pt. Brijnathji the devotee of MATA SHARADA was asked by his friends at Srinagar to write about Sharada philosophy and worship methodologies - all he knew about it and consequently he completed the present manuscript in 2007 with a note that the last section of the book Sahasranam and Namavalli part be edited by Dr. Chaman lal Raina, who was in USA at that time. Unfortunately, Pt. Brijnathji passed away the same year-2007 . When Pt. Chammanlal learnt abour the passing away of Pandit Brij Nath Ji in 2010 he also enquired about the MSS and took the manuscript to Ajmer and got it typed under his supervision. He also edited the Sahasranam- a portion of the said manuscript with the help of Rashtra Pati awardee and Sanskrit scholars Pandit Satya Narain Shastri of Ajmer ,and Dr Niranjan Sahu,Ph.D in Sanskrit . Thus the publication of the book was made possible to get it published in the present form. The present book is based on an old Sanskrit manuscript available in Shri Ranbir Sanskrit library. The book basically is divided in two sections . The first section deals with the historical part while as the second section deals with the ritualistic part the performance of the Homa Yagnya,and Archana laudation, in the dative form. In the first part a detailed account of the place where Rishi Shandilya must have perfomed tapasya /his austerities as also the places where he must have stayed before establishing the Sharda shrine at the Shardi hill.

Page 2--- the first sholoka refers to Madhumati river bank and not the confluence of three holy rivers . The above mentioned Madhumati river that comes from a different source of Harmukh mountain range and passes through the sundervan area in north of Bandipur town at Kalusa . Page-9------my son, look yonder towards the North West where river Vitasta flows and is joined by the river Madhumati at the base of the hillock there. Build your ashram and a suitable place for Tapasya,within the Ashram. I shall see you there. My companion who is with me here will rise as Ganga in the Harmukh lake and flow down to make confluence with Madhumati and Vitasta rivers. Invoke me and my presence at the peak of the hill and I shall fulfill your yearning desire. As per the details given In the Maniscript Shandilya perfomed tapasya at the bank of river Madhumati where he was visited by goddess Sharada along with her companion Vak. If one observe the photograph given in the book, two Shillas are worshiped in the Sharada Temple of Kalusa Bandipore most probably representing Shri Sharada and the Vak Devi. The said village is located on the bank of river Madhumati in the Bandipre area.

The second section deals with the worship part-- Sharada Panchang which is the fivefold description of Shri Sharada in Sharada Patal Sharada Satotra( kavach), sharada Puja Paddati, Sharada Chakra Upasana and Sharada Sahasranama-

In the whole book the Sanskrit part is transliterated as well as translated in English except for the Sahasranama and Namawali part . Shri Chammanlal ji is

already working on the transliteration of Sahasranam and Namawali and it may be possible to include it in the next edition.

The book under review authored by a dedicated Indology research scholar Pt. Brij nat h tikoo is centered around the Upasana in all aspects of Godess of learning Shri Sharada Mata. The Sanskrit parts of the book have been transliterated in Roman script with lucid explanations in English which will be beneficial espec ially to our future generation and the scholars of Hinduism i n the western world. The author has taken care of both the historical aspect of Sharda Peeth-at Kalusa Bandipore as well as Shrdi Hill (POK) and the scriptural/ritual part of Shri Sharada ---the goddess of learning. The author has given the topography of the areas where Shandalya Muni must have meditated and subsequently blessed by the goddess and was directed to establish Sharada Peeth at the confluence of holly rivers itasta and Madhumati, to be joined by her companion Vak in the shape of Ganga. She bestowed upon him the blessings as desired by the Vipra Shandalya for his spiritual awakening as he wished Her presence there for the good of the world. Vipra Shandalya converted his ashram into a shrine of sharada and travelled further in the direction shown to him. He must have stayed at several places on his way to the allotted place. Among these the famous place is the village Gushi in Kupwara district near the T ikkar hill. There was a stone slab with carving of sharda chakra and this slab looks like a tablet. The carving is a centre of triangle with apex downwards and Sharda

Aum in the centre, the outside of the triangle are two intersecting equilateral triangles formed in a hexagonal way. The other aspect which has been studied by revere d author is regarding symbol form and concept of Puja Padhati. The Nigama scriptures and Agama (Tantra karikas) scriptures have the unique way of expression in relation to form, symbols and sounds. The Nighams express the forms in words and agamas give the m symbols and sounds. Each form has a name with an individual shape. The shape of the form is called Yantra and the sound is called Mantra. The learned author has given a historical perceptive of Sharda Panchang. Sharda Panchanga is Tantrik in nature and is recorded in the form of narration by Bhairava to his Bhairavi with a view to reveal the secrets of the methods for the general good of mankind with the injunction that only the devotees who are upright and have full control over their min d should be imparted this mystic knowledge unless it is given in Guru Sheshya Parampara.i.e. preceptor,disciple tradition , it does not give the complete and full results or otherwise it might be misused. The real devotees pray and worship without deserving fruit thereof. According to the author should be fully guarded devotees. After morning and twilight prayer the performed. the Archana of Shri Sharda and imparted only to a genuine activities of cleaning, bathing Puja Archana should be

The author deals with Sharda Upasana and archna/recitation which throws light on the facts of Divine Mother Shri Sharada along with the procedural Agamic Nyasas, Anushtana Japan and Visargan. The last section includes vahanam, sahasarnama ,phalshruti and the Namavalli. The author has extensively worked at Sharda Peeth Kaulusa Bandipur where h e installed (Dhanyam) murti of

Shri Sharda Mata. The whole temple complex was renovated under his guidance. This book in itself is a great tribune to his intellect, research work and great zest and zeal for preserving the Kashmiri culture and spirituality.