Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 299: Shri Nada rupa (OM nAdarUpAyai 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 in the form of sound.

 

Brahman has come to be known as Nada Brahman. Sound is the first to appear in universal creation. The worshipping the Divine Mother in sound form, will help to understand that is all in this universe. Repeated recitation of Her names let the devotee to understand that She lives within him. This is one of the better methods of worshipping the Divine Mother.

 

The reciting of Her names done correctly means the best worship of Her; and Her Nada rupa is understood better. Sound and the Brahman are the same. Para, Pashyanti,Madhyama and Vaikhari are four stages of sound.. Between Madhyama and Vaikhari, the sound splits into nine parts. Hreem is the first bija in Vaikhari. The universe arouse as sound or Pranava, the syllable AUM (pronounced OM). The Divine Mother is the embodiment of AUM. Three functions of universe are represented in Akara, Ugara and Mahara. They are, namely, creation, sustaining and dissolution.

 

Tantra satra says, “There are eight notes (varnas) above bindu of the bija syllables such as “hrim”. They are ardhacandra, rodhini, nada, nadanta, sakti, vyapika, samana and unmani.

 

Sri Narayana guru in Kalikanataka says, “Salutations to You, who are the essence of the nadabindu, who has no end, whose holy feet are worshipped by Narada and other great sages”.

 

“The worshippers meditate on Her, who is seated on nadabindu which is like thousand Suns; this resembles like the filament of the lotus surrounded by innumerable cities and is situated above rodhini” according to Mahasvacchanda Tantra.

 

The Goddess Sarasvathi Devi

with Veena sounding.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 19 November 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.

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