Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 157: Shri Raga Mathani (OM rAgamathanyai namaH)

In Namam 132 to 187, the Divine Mother’s Japarupam or Formlessness will be the described.

The Divine Mother removes or destroys the worldly desires or passions for the devotee.

Raga is attachment to worldly materialistic life.

The devotee grows from being a youngster to an adult. The desire is part of the growing process. The devotee’s sensuous organs will also get involved in enjoyments in this worldly pleasure.

But then, once the divine feeling is aroused, his inclination towards the Divine Mother increases as devotion. The devotion reduces the devotee’s desire or attachment to worldly enjoyments. This may arose in him, the determination to seek salvation, to be merged with Lord Siva and the Divine Mother in Sahasrara.

The Divine Mother helps to take away the anger and materialistic desires from devotee’s heart. She comes forward to liberate the devotee from his worldly enjoyments and sorrows. She by Her will then increases the divine emotions in the devotee.

Worldly desire is due to unfinished wants. Once a desire is fulfilled, the next desire sprouts up. When will the devotees be, without any desire for worldly at no point of time?

Mathana or Manthana means Churning out. What is hiding inside needs to be brought out? She churns devotee’s passion and helps to produce dispassion in him, similar to getting butter from curd. When the worldly desire or attachment from the devotee cannot be removed, She helps to churn out them and turns him towards Her worship.

She is thus called the Raga Mathani.

C N Nachiappun           

Singapore, 29 June 2020.

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.      The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai,Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.