Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 188: Shri Durlabha (OM durlabhAyai namaH)

In Namams 188 to 198, the Divine Mother’s  glory is described.

The Divine Mother is won over or reached by devotees only after much difficulty.

If anything that comes to us easily can be lost easily. For example the windfall profits through stock price upward movement appreciations in short time period or lottery winnings usually do not stay for long with the winner. However the things coming to us after hard efforts will be safeguarded by us, like the revenues earned through Dharma means.

She cannot be attained easily. Durlabha is opposite of easiness. All creatures including yogins and Her Bhaktas try to reach the Divine Mother. The yogins through their meditations in prescribed ways and the Bhaktas with sincere devotion only can reach Her. All others will find it difficult to reach; and yet, there are easier ways to reach Her. Namam 870 “Antar mukha samaradhya” with meaning that She is worshipped internally and Namam 871 “Bahir mukha sudurlabha” with meaning that She is difficult to attain by those whose attention is focused outwardly. These two Namams clearly say that how easily to reach for the Divine Moher’s blessings. The devotees through prayers and meditations in many births get matured to seek the Divine Mother’s blessings.

She can only be won over by Her with pure heart. She is not accessible to anyone without purity of heart. She has said “you may give Me endless wealth, But your heart to Me is dearest”. She with Her infinite kindness takes in only Her devotees with pure heart to grant them liberations from birth and death cycle.

The Divine Mother is Durlabha, even Yogins find it difficult to win Her blessings except for devotees with pure heart.

C N Nachiappun           

Singapore, 30 July 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.