Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 376: Shri Shruncara rasa sampurna (OM sha {} RRi ~ NgArarasasampUrNAyai namaH)

Namams 373 to380 are describing, the Divine Mother’s Shakti  Peetams where She is residing.  

The Divine Mother is filled with essence of romantic Love. 

There is a close relationship between Kama and srungararasa. Kama is in human heart. Music helps in Kama emotions. This type of music is felt, when male and female creatures join in unison,. When there is beauty in human bodies, this Kamarasam is increased. At certain time period, the creatures get this type of beauty seeking unison. Dance is one art providing the Kamarasa. The Divine Mother is the source of Kamararasa and She is in purna (full) state.  Shri Ramakrishna realized this with the Divine Mother considering him to be a baby. 

The Divine Mother as Lalitha is beauty with srungararasa fully within Her. She is Kamapujitha. Manmathan encourages Kama by praying to the Divine Mother. There are nine rasas, eight are different than the srungarara rasam.

 

Srungara is the sentiment; the erotic sentiment is the king of the nine sentiments in poetry and art. This is the foundation of the union of hearts. It turns all human relations sweet and full of sentiment, not just the relation between a pair of lovers are. The Divine Mother is the embodiment of the love sentiment. She is, in short, the string of love that ties all beings. 

The Namam “Srungara rasa sampurna” can be split as: srunga (horn, usually two) plus ara (petals) plus rasa (flavor, usually six) plus sampurna (full). 

Srungara rasa means two times six or twelve petals equal to the twelve petaled lotus which is anahata chakra. The Divine Mother is in Her full form, inhabits in centre of the hearts. Anahata is the heart-lotus. “Arjuna, The Lord resides in the heart of all beings” says Lord Krishna in Gita. 

Srunga can also mean peak, principal (the highest thing); arara means covering; sa means with and sampurna means complete. From these we can interpret this Namam as the Divine Mother resides in this entire world, along with avidya (ignorance) the covering that hides the highest truth, Brahman. She resides everywhere accompanied by mukhyavidya. Further interpreted is that She is both the conditioned and unconditioned Brahman. 

There are four special Shakti peetas (centres of Shakti) are enlisted. They are the four chakras in human body, namely: Muladhara, Anahata, Vishukti and Ajna. One of the peeta, corresponding to Anahata is represented in this Namam. 

 

The  Kamakshi Devi at Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu, India.

Kanchipuram is one of the key Shakti Peetams.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 04 February 2021.

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 Chithbavandar

  

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 375: Shri Kama pujita (OM kAmapUjitAyai namaH)

Namams 373 to380 are describing, the Divine Mother’s Shakti  Peetams where She is residing.

The Divine Mother is worshipped by Kama. 

The Divine Mother is worshipped by Manmathan, the Lord of Kama. He plays a key role in universal creation process. He needs the Divine Mother’s grace and worships Her all the times. Without the Divine Mother’s grace nothing in this universe moves. He gets his support for his work/duty from the Divine Mother. 

Due to Her fondness to Rathi, Kama’s spouse, the Divine Mother got Kama back to life; Earlier Lord Kameshvara had burnt Kama to ashes with his third eye for disturbing his meditation. Kama is said to be worshipping the Divine Mother at Kanchi Kamakodi peetam. The Devi Kamakshi’s grace is there for Kama.  Namam 62 “Kamakshi” says that the Divine Mother has beautiful eyes. Kama is one of the key worshippers of the Divine Mother. 

There are fifty-one Shakthi Peetams in Indian sub-continent.  This Kama peetam is in Kanchipuram, in Tamilnadu, India.  Namams 375, 376,378 and 379 talk about four key Shakti Peetdams. They represent four chakras in our human body. They are:

·         Kamapeetam represents Mualadharam with Para sound.

·         Puragiri represents Manipurakam with Pashyanti sound.

·         Jalandaram  represents Anagtam with Madhyama sound.

·         Audiyam represents Vishukti with Vaikhari sound

 

With worshipping and blessings from the Divine Mother, Narayana (Mahavishnu) took Mohini rupa and in disturbing Lord Shiva with his romantic plays. Manmathan is the son of Narayanan; he won over his father Lord Maha Vishnu with the Divine Mother’s worship (Soundarya Lahari verse 5 explains this). 

The Divine Mother realized that Manmathan tried to unite the Divine Mother and Lord Shiva; he got himself being burnt to ashes for disturbing the meditation of Kameshvara. The Divine Mother (Krtajna with Her gratitude), accepted Manmathan’s devotion and gave all the credit to him. She shows that She by using Manmathan’s bow and arrows in Her hand to announce to the world that She accepts his devotion to Her. 

Our mind produces the kama thoughts. Kama is Ananga, the one without a physical body and without a definite form. He has a bow made of flowers (Sugarcane blossom is a key component), with bow string made with a line of bees, the five arrows are made from five flowers namely, lotus, asoka, mango, jasmine and blue lotus; he has a deputy named Vasanta, the spring season; his battle-chariot is the wind from Malaya mountains (unlike other chariots which need roadways, this chariot can fly anywhere). As Kama has no body structure, his equipment conquers and subjugate the whole world with the grace of the Divine Mother’s glancing (Soundarya Lahari verse six). 

She is worshipped as Kamarupa; we will further see in Namam 379 “Odyana peeta nilaya” with the meaning that the Divine Mother’s abode is at Odyana also. 

This Namam Kamapujita coming immediately after Krtajna (374) is very apt in showing the Divine Mother’s gratitude to Kama for helping all Her universal creation process.

The  Kamakshi Devi at Kanchipuram, Tamilnadu,

India; Kanchipuram is a key Shakti Peetam.

 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 03 February 2021.

 

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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 374: Shri Krtajna (OM kRRitaj ~ nAyai namaH)

Namams 373 to380 are describing, the Divine Mother’s Shakti  Peetams where She is residing. 

The Divine Mother knows and is fully aware of all our actions as they happen; She shows Her gratitude with immense kindness to all Her created beings, who are performing their actions as directed by Her. 

The creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe and its beings are Her cosmic drama, as directed by Her.

The Divine Mother understands all the actions and movements in the universe. All creatures in this universe are karma based. The creatures without any feelings follow their karma. All universal cosmic planets also move smoothly without any pressure. These are all happening with the Divine Mother’s grace. She knows every move by the universal beings. 

There are nine witnesses for all actions. They are the Sun, the Moon, Time, Yama (the lord of death) and the five elements sky, wind, earth, fire and water and they witness every actions of humans. Essentially these are the Divine Mother’s vibhutis or grace or glories, through which She holds witness to everything in this universe. They calculate the effect of soul’s karmic actions and determine their benefits and results for the souls. The Divine Mother is in these nine witness forms watching all good and bad karmic actions of universal beings. She plans our future based on good or bad karma performed by the universal beings. She is Krtajna. 

The embodied souls try to understand their karma effect in their current life. Some do good karma and some do bad karma. Good and bad karmas for the universal creatures are part of their creation itself. Some karmas looking good to one group may be bad for another group of beings. The Divine Mother makes such good and bad for each and every universal creatures; She is called Krtajna. 

Repaying a kindness through a similar kind action is also meant as Krtajna; showing one’s gratitude. The matured devotees performing good karmas are pleasing the Divine Mother. She shows Her kindness by giving to them the Knowledge. This knowledge provision is basically the gratitude shown by the Divine Mother for the small positive actions done by Her devotees. We have to further judge Her total infinite Kindness. This is one of the key aspects of the Divine Mother’s kindness and compassion shown towards her loyal devotees. 

As part of witnessing our actions, She says.”Son, a thorn pricks your feet and it hurts instantly. One feels the pain because a message about the prick of the thorn arrives in one’s brain. Similarly, the Lord in your heart knows each of your good and bad actions then and there. This is not blind belief. It is the truth declared by ancient Hindu scriptures.” 

The Divine Mother knows all of the Yugas and also all of movements. Krta can mean Krta yuga, the first of four ages. In Krta yuga the dhrama (righteousness) was valued fully. In next Treta yuga, dharma declined to three fourth while adharma, which is unrighteousness, took one fourth, the balance. In next Dvapara yuga the dharma and adhrama were balance to be equal at half each. Finally, in present Kali yuga, dharama is said to be having one fourth only while adharma is taking the bulk of three fourth part. Krtajna means that the Divine Mother has the full knowledge of dharma taking full part in Krta yuga; She is implementing that level of dharama in subsequent Yugas. 

It is said that in the game of dice between Lord Sadashiva and the Divine Mother in their unison, there are four throws called Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali, with values four, three, two and one respectively. The one who makes the Krta throw, which has the highest value of four, wins the game. The Divine Mother always throws the Krta or four all the times in the game with Sadashiva and wins every time. She is so certain of the Krta in the dice game that She called Krtajna or the knower of Krta. 

Krtam is performance of actions; Jnana is knowledge. She ensures the actions are not stopped midway or left incomplete. She understands all that is needed to complete the all started actions. She is Krtajna.

 

Bhaskararaya who wrote the Bashyam for Shri Lalitha Shasranamam,   worshipped Lalitha Devi, in Thirumeeychur in Tamilnadu, India.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 02 February 2021.

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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 373: Shri Kameshvara prana nadi (OM kAmeshvaraprANanADyai namaH)

Namams 373 to380 are describing, the Divine Mother’s Shakti Peetams where She is residing. 

The Divine Mother is the consort and very fond of Lord Kameshvara. 

The Divine Mother is the vital nerve (prana nadi) of Lord Kameshvara. So long as the prana nadi is ticking, the creatures are living; once it stops, the creatures die. The universal creatures’ prana nadi have start and end periods; whereas Lord Kameshvara is there eternally with no birth or death. He is non destroyable. 

The Divine Mother is Lord Kameshvara’s very life. The Devas face death during pralaya, even though they take the nectar.  When the Devas were looking for nectar in the ocean of milk, first worst poison came out. Lord Shiva drank that poison; the poison did not have any effect on Lord Shiva. She is in unison with Lord Kameshvara (Shiva), being the vital nerve (prana nadi) for Him. 

Sri Shankara in Soundarya Lahari (verse 22) says “Even the Devas who had taken the nectar (bliss) that removes the old age, perish (death), during pralaya, the great dissolution. However, Lord Shiva who consumed worst killing poison can defy death even at that time. The reason for this, O Mother is the power of Your ear ornaments.”  In such brilliance of the ornaments, the darkness of the poison taken by Lord Shiva fades and the poison ceases to be effective or loses it effect.

 

     The Divine Mother is wearing bright ear ornaments 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 01 February 2021.

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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 372: Shri Bhakta manasa hamsika (OM bhaktamAnasahaMsikAyai namaH)

In Namams 366 to380, the Divine Mother’s sound rupas are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is the swan in the minds of Her devotees. 

Similar to the swans in Manas Lake, the Divine Mother lives in the hearts of Her devotees. The devotees have their mind gradually cleaned up with the Divine Mother living in their hearts. As they grow up in their ladder of maturity, their ignorance, maya and darkness reduce. The devotees start to see the Divine Mother within them. This is compared to Manasa shagaram entrance which is in the southern part of Himalayas. The ice melts and the large lake (about 56 miles circumference) is filled with water. The Himalaya image is reflected in still lake water. The lake is very deep and anything that is dropped into it reaches the bottom slowly, the reason being the lake is still and calm without any disturbance. The devotee heart for the Divine Mother to live in is compared to the Manasa lake. 

She lives in the Manasa lake of Her devotees’ minds. In upper part of Himalaya, Manasa lake is there. Swans like to live there and they prefer no other place. The lake is very still and clear. The Divine Mother chooses the similar still clear and pure minds of Her devotees to live in. The devotee’s pure mind becomes the first abode for the Divine Mother. 

Manasa is a celebrated lake in Puranas, where the swans live. Like swans play in the Manasa lake, the Divine Mother sports in the hearts of the devotees spontaneously and undisturbed. The Divine Mother has been referred as saying that She does not have a place of Her own. Her devotees’ hearts are the dearest living place for Her. 

According to Hinduism, the lake was first created in the mind of the Lord Brahma after which it manifested on Earth. Hence, it is called "Manasa sarovaram", which is a combination of the Sanskrit words for "mind" and "lake". In Hinduism, Lake Manasarovar is a personification of purity, and one who drinks water from the lake will go to the abode of Shiva after death. He or she is believed to be cleansed of all their sins committed over past lives. 

Lake Manasarovar or Manas Sarovar, also called Swan rimbonche is a high altitude freshwater lake fed by the Kailash Glaciers near Mount Kailash. Lake Manasarovar lies at 4,590 m (15,060 ft) above mean sea level, a relatively high elevation for a large fresh water lake. Lake Manasarovar is relatively round in shape with the circumference of about 56 miles. Its depth reaches a maximum depth of 90 m (300 ft)^[ and its surface area is 320 km² (123.6 sq mi). 

Hamsika name meaning is Beautiful Swan; Goddess Saraswati.

 

Lake Manasarovar  in Himalayas

White Swan 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 31 January 2021.

 

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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 371: Shri Vaikhari rupa (OM vaikharIrUpAyai namaH)

In Namams 366 to380, the Divine Mother’s sound rupas are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is in Vaikhari audible sound form. 

The word which can reach the ears and be clearly heard is called Vaikhari. Light has many stages; likewise the sound creation has many levels. Some may not be recognized through ears; some are heard clearly through ears such as Vaikhari. The Divine Mother is in Vaikhari form. 

The Divine Mother is in sound form audible to ears. From Madhyama, the nadabrahman travels through throat, tongue and teeth by hitting at them along the way before coming out through the mouth. At this stage, it is audible to ears. 

Hardened bija sound coming out through narrow path and reaching the word state is Vaikhari. Like a seed growing under the earth and coming out as a plant, Vaikhari comes out as an audible sound. What we want to say first starts from Muladhara as Para and then to Pashyanti  and  reach Madhyama and last comes as Vaikhari form to be audible. There are six Namams from Para to Vaikhari explain this flow of sound in human system before becoming audible. 

Fully manifested and audible sound is referred as Vaikhari. Vai means certainly. Kha is the cavity of the ear and ra means to enter. So Vaikhari is the audible sound that enters the ears. There is a practice to utter the taraka mantra in the ear at the time of death of a person. This is to help the embodied soul to have upwards movement. This Namam Vaikhari reflects this practice to help the souls. 

In Yogasastra, there is a mentioning of prana (vital air) known as Vaikhara. This prana helps the yogins to attain the Divine Mother.

 

Goddess Madurai Meenakshi in India.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 30 January 2021.

 

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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 370: Shri Madhyama (OM madhyamAyai namaH)

In Namams 366 to380, the Divine Mother’s sound rupas are discussed in details.  

The Divine Mother is in the middle between the two stages of sound, Pashyanti and Vaikhari. 

Nada Brahmam starts from Muladhara, reaching Nabhi to come out in bija form and tries to express its hidden sound in Anahatam or heart is called Madhyama. When two items are hit, the sound is generated. These are happening in human body at Anahagam as natural sound at all times. This nada sound is always there in Anahatam. This can only be heard through yoga practice. From Madhyama stage, the sound has to come through the mouth. The seed on reaching the plant level cannot go back to seed level. Madhyama is a similar state as the plant seed for the sound being processed. From Madhyama the next stage is Vaikhari; for the sound to fully come out through the mouth to be audible for human ears. 

The Divine Mother is in Madhyama between Pashyanti and Vaikhari sound forms; The Divine Mother is in Nadabrahmam form; some sounds are not yet fully manifested and some are manifested. So the sound or nada which is not fully clear and confused state of creation is identified as Madhyama. The Divine Mother is in such Madhyama form.

Anahatam is unheard sound; 

Nahatam is the human audible range sound.

 

 Goddess Madurai Meenakshi in India.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 29 January 2021.

 

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 Chithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 369 Shri Para devata (OM paradevatAyai namaH)

In Namams 366 to380, the Divine Mother’s sound rupas are discussed in details.  

The Divine Mother is the Supreme deity; Parasakti. 

The Divine Mother is Supreme and very bright beyond our imagination. Her forms both in visual and imaginary are not fully understood by mankind. Para is the form before our senses which can understand and accept external things. Devata is in divine sound form, Pashyanti, which has not yet changed to human audible sound. 

She is above all divine forces and devas. Emperor is the King of kings. Brahman the Divine Mother has taken many forms. There cannot be any ideological differences in these various forms of divinity. The Divine Mother is the Empress of all the deities. They may act differently like doing creation, preservation and dissolution but still within the limits set by the Divine Mother. They do not act against Her wishes. So She is Para devata or Parasakti. 

 

Goddess dressed with Peanuts in Bangalore, India

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 28 January 2021.

 

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 Chithbavandar