Plate 51, Mookerjee, Sri Yantra. Copper plate. South India. 17th-18th century A.D. Sri Yantra repeats the form of the double triangle enclosed in a lotus within four walls. It is the symbol of Devi in two forms. Her own form (svarupa) and the form of the universe (visvarupa). This yantra is composed of two sets of triangles and chakras, on within the other, centered upton the bindu. The four triangles with points upwards represent the Siva element, and the five pointing downwards, the Sakti element. All are formed by the mula-prakriti (root-sakti) and the vikritas (manifestations) which, because of their creative power, are Prakriti. The nine chakras also represent sristi (creation), sthiti (maintenance) and samhara (dissolution), each set of three being formed by combinations. The ultimate object of meditation on this yantra is to realize the unit of jivatman (the meditator's individual soul) with the Devi. Practice of ritual transforms the minditself, and what at first semms merely as external yantra, with lines, corners and petals, becomes a pure mental state in the sadhaka himself. He, too, is a Sri Yantra, and he realizes himself as such. Private collection.