Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 366 Shri Para (OM parAyai namaH)

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

The Divine Mother is the Supreme; She transcends all. 

Para is Primrdial, This becomes manifested as Brahman-as-sound. The Divine Mother is in visible and non-visible forms. The humans take rest in sleep to refresh their strengths. Likewise, when the universe is dissolved, the Divine Mother is in unseen form; at that pralaya time, She is called “Para”. Pralaya extends until the time the re-creation  starts again. The souls merged in Her, gain enough strength themselves, to be recreated. 

The Divine Mother changes from unseen to seen state. In human Muladhara the sound starts to grow into an audible form. This is happening in total universe which is called Brahma Kundalini; also known as Parasakti. 

She is Para, the root of the sound (nada). In universal creation, first ether (sky) comes out, from there Ether to wind, from wind to Agni (fire), from Agni to water and from water to earth are created by Brahman. Sky is Param. Sky has the sound form.

In humans, male bindu merges with female nadham to give pregnancy to the female. Shiva and the Divine Mother merge to form Shivasakti or bija form. It is like the seeds are kept in water before being planted; the Divine Mother is in such Para state. The Divine Mother explained this to Paramanada Guru, who called Her as “Para”. 

There are three forms of Brahman-as-sound originating from Para.. They are, namely: Pashyani, Madhyama and Vaikhari. These will be dealt with in details, in this and immediately in Namams 366 to 372; these are the nada rupa of the Divine Mother explanations. 

During Pralaya dissolution, the universe is merged in Brahman; the souls are unaware and become action less; they are contained in Brahman. The state in which Brahman is bound by Maya is itself in the form of their un-ripe actions, the concealed state, where it is not clear when and how creation is to re-start. When the creation re-starts, Para, supreme nada or sound which is subtle and bija, gross form starts from Muladhara. Para is intelligent chit, nada (subtle) is a combination of intelligence and non-intelligence (chit-achit) and the bija (gross) is pure non-intelligence (achit). The souls get ability to think and words form in their thoughts formation.

In universal creation process, the sound or nada is the first to come out. Bhaskararaya in Nitya Tantra refers: “Sound is born in Muladhara as Para; it rises and manifest as Pasyanti; later as Madhyama (intelligence plus sound) followed by Vikhari endowed with audible syllables”. 

The word Para means supreme. Tripurasiddhanta interprets Para as the Divine Mother; She is Para because She was pleased with the Guru known as Prarmandanatha. She is the Supreme source of grace. 

Goddess Abirami Ambal at Thirukadaiyur, Where

Abhirama Bhatter sung Abhirami Andathi 100 songs  

 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 25 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