Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 337: Shri Vidhatri (OM vidhAtryai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother creates and sustains this universe. Vidhatri means that who determines the course of our actions. 

The Divine Mother is holding the universe. 

Dhatri means mother; the mother holds the child in her womb for ten months; she takes care of the child when the child is growing up. Dhatri, the mother is the one holding and supporting the child. In the similar way, the Divine Mother holds and cares for the universe and its beings in all their aspects of life. 

Mother Earth is also called Dharti for the same reason that it provides the means to grown food and also to supply all  the essentials etc for all universal beings, to consume and to grow up their lives. The Earth is one of the elements under the Divine Mother’s control; everything here happens only by Her grace. 

The Divine Mother is the source for the universe. Dharti also means that the one who is feeding the food to the devotees. The Divine Mother creates and holds the universe; providing everything for beings. Those devotees, who understand this, do not have any worries about their lives. 

Waves are not against the ocean. Likewise, all universal beings are not against the Divine Mother who is providing for them. Once the devotee surrenders to the Divine Mother, all his needs are provided for and all his problems are taken care of or solved by Her.

The Divine Mother is the special Mother; unlike the ordinary mothers, She immerses Her devotees in the Supreme bliss out of Her overflowing Motherly love and compassion. 

The Divine Mother is to have said to Her devotees,”Children, the mother who gave you birth to us may look after us in this current birth; in these days even that is becoming rare. But, my actions and aim are to lead you to enjoyment of bliss in all our life levels.” 

Vidhatri is the wife of Brahma (Vidhata); the Divine Mother is fond of her. 

Dhatri is also gooseberry, which has lots of medicinal values; The Divine Mother is especially fond of this fruit. The gooseberry tree is worshipped as one of the Divine Mother’s abodes.

 

The Divine Mother as Anapoorana

providing food for the universal beings.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 27 December 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 336: Shri Vindhyacala nivasini (OM vindhyAchalanivAsinyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed.

The Divine Mother resides in Vindhya Mountains. 

When the whole universe is the Divine Mother’s form, then, why She chooses to reside in Vindhya Mountains? Ancient documents recount certain of the Divine Mother’s actions and incidents; there were asuras in Vindhya Mountains causing harm to humans and yogis. She slew them, the two of the known names, Sumbha and Nisumbha. Based on the place and the Divine Mother’s actions, this Namam aims to recall the Divine Mother’s great memorial actions; so She resides in magnificent Vindhya Mountains. 

Vindhya Mountain is one of the important residences for the Divine Mother, who as Nanda slew the asuras and created peace there. She was born as a daughter to Yasoda and was taken to Vadamadura (North Madurai) in place of Lord Krishna by Vasudeva. She escaped from Kamsa and announced to him that Krishna was living elsewhere and he cannot get Krishna; Kamsa was killed later by Krishna. Nanda, then slew the asuras Sumbha and Nisumbha. The Divine Mother is said to reside in Vindhya Mountains as Nanda. 

Devi Mahatmya (11-41-42) says that during the Vaivasvata Manu period, the Divine Mother as “Nanda” slew asuras in Vindhya Mountains, Sumbha and Nisumbha. With the devotees wishing, She took to reside in Vindhya Mountains.

 

The Divine Mother as Nanda slew asuras

Sumbha and Nisumbha in Vindhya Mountains

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 26 December 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 335: Shri Vedavedya (OM vedavedyAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother is known through the Vedas. Veda means to know. Also means who wants to know. 

There are four Vedas, namely: Rgveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda; they are in Vidya form. Modern day learning in Physical Science is also considered as some form of a new Veda. The whole universe is considered as the Divine Mother in Veda forms. With the knowledge of the universe, whatever the devotees understood more about the Divine Mother. Whatever he understands about the Divine Mother, he tries to further his knowledge about the Divine Mother through Vedas. 

Vedas better explain the Divine Mother to expose more of the Divine Mother’s form; She created the Vedas. The eternal syllables used in Vedas are reflecting the everlasting nature of the Divine Mother. 

Namam 57 Cintamani Grahantasha with the meaning that the Divine Mother lives in a house built with wish fulfilling gems. There are four doors to this mansion representing four Vedas; the Divine Mother is seen through these four doors. The interpretation is that the devotee enters through on these four doors to reach the Divine Mother in bindu in Srinagaram.

 

  The Divine mother is better understood through Vedas.

According to Sruthi,

1)       The mansion’s eastern quarter belongs to Rgveda; Unimothinee with Suddhavidya and 24,000 sakthis are part of Rgveda.

2)       The mansion’s southern quarter belongs to Yajurveda; Saundaryavidya and 30,000 sakthis under Boginee represent Yajurveda.

3)       The mansion’s northern quarter belongs to Samaveda; Lopamudra and 2000 sakthis under Kunjitha represent Samaveda.

4)       The mansion’s western quarter belongs to Atharvaveda; Turiyamba and 2000 sakthis under Kalika represent the Atharvaveda.

 

The presiding deities (Taittiriya Brahma) of the Vedas are; Suddhavidya and her attendents; Saundaryavidya and her attendents; Lopamudra and her attendents; and Turiyamba and her attendents are respectively for Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas.

 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 25 December 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 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 334 Shri Vishvadhika (OM vishvAdhikAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother transcends or She is beyond the universe. 

The Divine Mother is the Universe and also far beyond the universe. A small portion of Her form is coming out as visvam or the universe. Here Her microform becomes wider universe. When one tries to appreciate the greatness of the universe, his mind runs wild being unable to understand the whole Divine Mother’s form. She is huge and far beyond the universe. 

To understand the total universe or the the Divine Mother, let us consider the following example:  The little bird before it hatches from the egg assumes the universe for it is the egg shell; when it comes out of the shell, it assumes its universe is the nest which its mother had built; when it is able to fly out of the nest, it realizes that its universe is far bigger than the, shell and the nest. Likewise, our understanding of the universe is much limited by our own level of knowledge. 

Visvam is the world; the Divine Mother is beyond everything in this universe. World as we know it is much less than even the small portion of Her true form, the balance is non-destructible eternal self of the Divine Mother. She is in many ways countless times bigger than the universe as we know it. 

The Divine Mother is also beyond the thirty-six tattvas from earth to Lord Shiva; transcending the universe does not refer to the extent; it means that the power that supports countless solar systems in the universe. Essentially, what is supported is also contained within that support, here the Divine Mother; She transcends the universe means that She existed before the universe came into being or formed.

 

The Various forms of Goddess Durgha Devi are far

 beyond the universe as understood by the humans.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 24 December 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 333 Shri Varuni mada vihvala (OM vAruNImadavihvalAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother is highly excited by Varuni drink. She likes to drink Varuni, (the highly exciting or elating or exhilarating liquor)

If the liquor or spirit is used properly, it is medically useful to humans; if the said liquor Varuni had been offered as Prasadam to the Divine Mother, and later drank by devotees, it can lead the devotees to meditate longer periods for getting his universal things and start to enjoy the bliss from the Brahman. 

There is vast difference between hard drinkers of liquor and the ones taking Varuni after offering as Prasadam to the Divine Mother. The regular hard drinkers lose their status in life by not properly doing their jobs right; whereas the one who takes the Varuni offered to the Divine Mother as Prasadam goes into deep meditation. There is nothing bad in it. The devotee reaching the Brahman to enjoy its bliss is revealed in this Namam. The Divine Mother is beyond all these to be eternally blissful. 

Varuni is dear to Varuna (the rain God); it is the liquor produced from dates or grapes or Soma (an ambrosial drink). It can be interpreted as the bliss form Brahman also. 

Varuni is also a Brahma mantra offered by Varuna to the Divine Mother.

Bhrigu valli, the son of Varuna had been given the exercise to find God. Bhrigu after some searching, came back and told his father it Annam or food is the God; he was told to go and seek correct answer. He came back saying that Prana or vital-air is the God as all the humans need it; he was told to search again, he came back saying this mind or thought represents God. Again he was told to search, and then he came back saying it is his speech and intelligence represents God. Again his father asked him to do more search; finally he understood that Brahman is God. This time he did not come back to tell his father as he had found the correct answer. 

Varunimat  + Avihvala: varuni is the daughter of Varuna. The serpent Adisesa married Varuni. Through the Divine Mother’s grace the Adisesa is holding the earth from being displaced. Soundarya Lahari verse two says that She, the Divine Mother is not fatigued similar to Adisesa in supporting the universe. An alternating interpretation by above splitting the Namam is that Varunimat means the one who belongs to the region of Varuna, one who resides in the ocean which can mean that “Ananta”; and Avihvala is the one who is not perturbed or worried. It leads to the meaning that the Divine Mother supports the whole universe effortlessly similar to the serpent Adisesa and governs the universe easily without any anxiety. The Vishnu Purana says that “Adisesa (Anatha) worshipped the Divine Mother with his great body”. Bhaskararaya explains that Ananta supports the universe without any fatigue, due to the Divine Mother’s grace. 

One more interpretation of the Namam can be that the Divine Mother has conquered the Varuninadi and has become unperturbed. Yogasastra says that Varuninadi (nerve) is above, below and everywhere in our human body. Vayu is the deity for this nadi or nerve. The yogin who conquers Varuni nadi is called Varunimat. The Divine Mother makes sure that yogin is not fatigued. 

It is clear that bliss from Brahman and or the Varuni drink do not make the Divine Mother fatigued in holding and governing the universe.

The Divine Mother is governing

the universe, smoothly. 

 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 23 December 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 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 332 Shri Vama nayana (OM vAmanayanAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed.

The Divine Mother has an attractive beautiful left eye. 

All universal beings have originated from the Divine Mother. Everyone’s beauty is in their eyes; and  through the eyes alone, all living beings exhibit their maturity level in their life cycle. The Divine Mother is acting as the eyes or subtle form in the souls. 

Vamana is to see the truth in its original form. If one visualizes the Divine Mother in everything in this universe, they are able to see Brahman and other universal creatures as they are. 

Vama can be interpreted as left side or attractive; this leads to Her attractive beautiful eyes. So She is said to be Vama nayana or one with beautiful attractive eyes. 

Vamam can also be interpreted as beautiful; nayana means eye or that which leads and shows proof. The Divine Mother’s eyes are capable of granting all the needs to Her devotees. So one can see the eternal beauty in Her eyes. Vaman can be vasana or karma; She makes the devotees to go through their karma to ultimately reach Her or Brahman. 

With the nayana meaning eye, shows the proof; this Namam means that She is the one who shows evidence or proof. 

Vama also means left side; there is left path (Vamacara) for the worship of the Divine Mother. She leads her devotees through this path. She is also the eye of Vamacarain, the devotee who follows this method of worship, and who leads them on the correct path to reach Her. 

Vama has another meaning; the fruit of negligence or the fruit of kama. Negligence leads to sinful acts (implying negligence of goodness and truth). She is the one who leads us to the unavoidable fruit; which is the Divine Mother Herself or Brahman. So She can be considered as the root of both good and bad in Her devotees. 

Vasanas from previous births, push humans towards good and evil, depending on vasana’s strength. The question may be asked here. Which come first “Vasana” or Karma; this is similar to asking which come first the tree or the tree’s seed. This leads to an endless inconclusive series of questions, an unclear state known as “anavastha” (unsettled) in Philosophy. 

Namam 999 “Siva saktyaikya rupini” with the meaning that the Divine Mother is the unison of Shiva and Sakti into one form.She is taking the left side of this rupam. 

She is Vama nayana; the One with beautiful attractive eyes. 

 

The Divine Mother is having

   Her beautiful attractive eyes. 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 22 December 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

 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 331 Shri Varada (OM varadAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother grants boons generously to Her devotees. 

Humans have needs and therefore, they seek four types of varas or boons, namely: dharma, artha, kama and moksa. 

If we get what we desire, it is called the varam granted. The humans in their immature state seek materialistic needs such as long life, health and children. Devotion and eagerness to reach the Brahman are the desires sought by higher level beings. 

The Divine Mother grants all Her devotees’ desires and much more as per their levels. Even earning through illegal means and suddenly achieving higher social status in life are also boons granted by the Divine Mother. Those who do not know how best to use such impulsive gains, spoil themselves. 

The Divine Mother can and will remove the varam granted due to one’s misuse of such boons. Such granting of boon is but Her grace on Her devotees. Kali Devi grants best boon to Her devotees to worship the Divine Mother to reach the Brahman. 

Seeking a Varam from the Divine Mother is the best form of desire. Other divinities promote the idea of granting boon to their devotees by showing their hand. In Soundarya Lahari verse 4, the Adi Sankara says, “O Devi, while other divinities use their hands to protect their devotees, you alone do not put this act; after all, just your feet are capable of protecting the fear and granting more than we had wished for."

The Divine Mother holds in Her four hands weapons to control one’s mind; so Her eyes and toes take the role to grant the boon. 

Related Namam 639, “Avarada” with the meaning that the Divine Mother destroys the unholy will be discussed later. 

Vara means exaltation or highest; She gives all that is best to Her devotees; even the highest boon, which is the liberation from life and birth cycle. 

In Saubhagyabhaskara, Bhaskararaya quoting Devi Bhagavata, and explains that from the root vr (the chosen) the word varada is derived with the meaning that “the giver of what is chosen”. Since the Divine Mother fulfills all the desires of the devas who seek boons from Her, She is praised and celebrated as varada, the one who bestows what is a chosen or asked for. 

In fact, the Divine Mother grants much more than what is asked for depending on the specific needs of the devotees. 

The Divine Mother worship on Navami (the ninth) day of the lunar half-month is especially beneficial. The other days worshipping Her is as good, but the prayers to Her on Navami day is very fruitful for the devotee. “The Divine Mother is always said to be worshipped with concentration on Navami; She will certainly grant boons on the worlds.” 

The Divine Mother grants boons to all universal creatures without any discrimination. So She is Varada.

Rudram Namakam Chamakam is one yagam done in honour of Lord Shiva, where the devotee asks for all his life desired things, about 340 items.

 

The Divine Mother granting the boon to Her devotees. 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 21 December 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 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 330 Shri Kadambari priya (OM kAdambarIpriyAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s  many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed.

The Divine Mother is fond of mead (an alcoholic Beverage created by fermenting honey with water and other fruits and spices). Mead is not ordinary spirit, but it is the bliss of Brahman. The Divine Mother is constantly immersed in this bliss. 

She likes high quality spirituous liquor made of Her favorite Kadambari flower. It is said that the devotee offers this Kadambari drink to the Divine Mother as an offering. Later when he drinks a small portion of this as Prasadam, he will be able to do long meditation. 

Any offering to the Divine Mother which helps the devotee to pray to seek liberation or Brhamam can be called the Pradsadam. We need to understand the type of spirit which can be offered as Prasadam to the Divine Mother.

There are five types of offering to divinity in Vamacara worship: namely, spirits, meat, women, fish and honey; of these the Divine Mother likes the Kadambari flower mildly alcoholic drink most. 

Vamacara is a left path to reach the Divine Mother; Vamacara sect follows the easy way of worship. The key point is, in unison with Shiva, the Divine Mother in Arthanarisawara form accepts this left side offering. Therefore, the Vamacara sect uses the left path to attain the Divine Mother. 

Kadambari is also the name of Sarasvati Devi, who is dear to the Divine Mother.

 

    The Divine Mother is fond of Kadambari drink. 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 20 December 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