Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 392: Shri Srikantardha saririni (OM shrIkaNThArdhasharIriNyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is half of the body of Srikanta (Lord Shiva). She is in the form of Ardhanariswari (half male and half female God). 

The Divine Mother has half body from Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva and Shakti are one; but due to different tasks they perform, they are thought as different. When their tasks are completed, they become one again. This is the concept of Ardhanariswari. 

Sri Rama’s life history shows that at 16 years he understood Ardhanariswari concept. Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother do not have birth or death; They are eternal to show Srikandardha saririni (Ardhanariswari concept) to the universe. Lord Shiva is holding the poison in his throat, so His throat gets blue in colour and the name Srikantan. Shri Ramakrishna gave an example that the snake having poison in its teeth; it is there as its safe guarding measure. If that poison gets to any universal being, it will kill that being, but Lord Shiva is able to hold the poison in his throat. This is one of the forms the Divine Mother is sharing with Lord Shiva. 

In world languages, Ardharnariswarai concept is there in the letters, vowels and consonants. This Ardhanariswari concept is relevant in human life as well. The soul is Shiva based; the body is the Divine Mother based.  This is applicable to whole universe, which represents again the Divine Mother’s form. When we search inside the universe, we can understand the knowledge based Lord Shiva. So the Adhanarisvara concept is there. We cannot separate the heat and the fire; white colour from milk. Similarly Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother cannot be separated. So She is Srikantardha saririni. 

Sri has many meanings; here it is meant as poison. However, we know that the poison in Lord Shiva’s throat adds beauty to Him. He drank the poison to save the universe. 

The Divine Mother takes half of Lord Shiva’s body with Her red colour on left side and white colour in the right side of the Ardhanariswari form. The Divine Mother gets Her right half body darkened like Srikanta due to poison in His throat. Vayu Purana says that the Divine Mother is pictured as Gauri white in Her right half; and kali (black, dark) in Her left Half to represent the Ardhanariswari form.

 

The Ardharnariswara unison of Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 20 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 391: Shri Nitya sodasika rupa (OM nityAShoDashikArUpAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is in the form of sixteen daily deities; She shines with sixteen deities. 

 From new Moon day to full Moon day there are fifteen daily deities to be worshipped; daily one deity. Presiding over all of them is Tirupurasundari or Mahavithya or the Divine Mother, who is governing force in the universe as a whole, which She created. The fifteen deities are, namely: Kamesvari, Bhagamalini, Nityaklinna, Bherunda, Vahruvasini, Mahavajresvari, Shivadutti, Tvarita, Kulasundari,Nitya, Nilaparakim, Vijaya, Sarvamangala, Jaymalini and Chitra. 

Sixteen is a key concept in vedic scriptures. Many yogis lived in this world for sixteen years before they attained their Liberation. It is said that within sixteen years a human can reach a stage where his beauty, skills, knowledge, and wisdom develop to be in good shape. Shri Rama at His sixteenth year he had achieved all these and also got married. The Divine Mother by having fifteen plus one deities is demonstrating the importance of this sixteen. 

Sodasi means sixteen; it is one of the Divine Mother’s names. The devotee has to worship all daily deities to get the eligibility to worship further the Divine Mother. These daily deities are eternal like the Divine Mother, Herself. Moon’s growing or waning is due to Maya. To remove that ignorance, the Divine Mother is in Sodasika form. 

So Sodisika is the presiding the deity of the sixteen syllable, sodasi, mahamantra. Shaktirahasya says that a single utterance of Sodasi mantra pleases the Divine Mother more than anything; even performing of cores of Sodasayaogas (sixteen sacrifices) or horse sacrifices. The meaning of Nityasodasika is the “one who is worshipped daily (nitya) using the Sodasi mantara.” She is like a sixteen year old girl with all the beauties. 

This Namam can be interpreted as: “She is pleased by daily worship done in the home (sodasika)”.

 

The Divine Mother as Tripurasundari presiding over the fifteen nitya deities.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 19 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 390: Shri Nirvana sukha dayini (OM nirvANasukhadAyinyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother confers or bestows the bliss of Liberation to Her devotees. 

The Divine Mother grants unique unexplainable bliss of Liberation or Salvation from Samsara cycle to Her devotees. 

If a person does not wear any clothes, we usually say that he is naked; basically if any other thing than his body is not worn, the person is called naked. The humans lived in naked bodied state in ancient days. They started wearing protective covers later. 

Water can be sea water, river water, pond water, rain water, cloud and frozen ice etc. Water can be in different in various forms or can be simply water. With different body forms, the soul lives on. The soul takes the stone, grass to Brahman, the various levels. When the soul leaves a body, it (goes through the Divine Mother) before attaining another body. At that stage it does not have or face sorrow or miseries but has only happiness. The Brahman and the soul are in the same level. There is nothing to compare to that state. 

Due to Maya, the soul goes through happiness, sorrow or miseries in a body. When the soul overcomes Maya, it can reach the Brahman or liberation stage. The Divine Mother grants such unique bliss to the souls and She confers the bliss of Liberation. 

Vanam is with body; nirvanam is with no body. The Devas have no body; we can understand them from their speeches only. They have their word as their vanam. Liberation cannot be attained with vanam for normal humans. Only in nirvana, the Liberation can be realized. With the human body, the sensory happiness is possible but the Liberation is only possible without the body. Since the Divine Mother grants such Liberation to her devotees without their body, She is called “Nirvana sukha Dayini.” 

Ni means without; vana (bana) implies arrow or body. Our body is indeed the arrow shot by the fruits of Karma. It is the reason for all our unhappiness. The five sensory elements within us run after the objects of enjoyments. The mind awakens and strengthens desires through sankalpa and vikalpa. In this process to fulfill them in a hurry, the devotee falls into number of miseries. In deep sleep, there is no body sense; the soul enjoys the inner bliss. The Liberation or Nirvana is the bliss unblemished by any body sense. The Divine Mother grants such bliss to Her devotees. 

This unique bliss is enjoyed by souls reaching the Brahman (or those getting the Liberation from samsara cycle while still alive). It is not given only after the soul leaves the human body. This is the experience attainable in human life itself. There is a reference to King Janaka (father of Seetha Devi Rama) came to be called Videha, the one without body. 

In Kurma Purana, the Divine Mother is telling Himavat, Her father and the King of Mountains, “Neglecting Me, the pure and peaceful state of Nirvana cannot be attained. You worship Me, seeing Me as one or many or both ways and reach that highest state.” 

It is clear that She has to grant that Liberation to the Humans. 

 

The Divine Mother as Tripurasundari at Thirukalukundram in South India.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 18 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.

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 389: Shri Nirupama (OM nirupamAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother has no comparison in every aspect with others in this universe. She is simile or metaphor or unrivalled in any of Her attributes with any other being in this universe. She is totally nonpareil. A reference may be to Arjuna saying to Lord Krishna after seeing the Visvarupa of Lord Krishna that Krishna is nonpareil. 

Brahman and the Divine Mother are one and the same. Shri Ramakrishna explained this as follows: Brahmam is similar to a snake coiled and lying on the floor without any movement. The Divine Mother is similar to the snake’s curved surfaces; She is very active. The same snake is in kriya and niskriya rupa. So the Brahmam is not moving and the Divine Mother is actively managing the universe. Sea stays stable without any movement at deep sea levels and near the shores, sea waves are active. For a stable Brahman there is no comparable thing to it. Through Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother unison, there is no comparable thing to the Divine Mother also. 

Something has to be equal or better than an item to make a comparison to the first item. In this universe, created by the Divine Mother, there is no one or being equal to Her, to make any comparison with Her. 

This universe is created and ruled by Her. There is nothing equal to her. There is nothing different from Her in this universe. She is unique and unequalled. The scriptures saying that “There exists nothing similar to Her” and “Only one, without a second “; this confirms that Her incomparable nature and status. 

Simile is a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid; simile and metaphor are closely related. 

Nonpareil is having no match or equal; unrivalled; non-parallel.

 

The Divine Mother as Raja Rajeswari. There is no comparison to Her in this universe.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 17 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

Lalitha Sahasranamam Shri: Namam 388: Shri Nitya klinna (OM nityaklinnAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is ever compassionate to Her devotees. 

Klinna means melting or being in wet condition. The old saying is that a hard hearted person has no wetness or softness or kindness in him for others. A healthy person has a glowing skin; naturally, humans have soft glowing skin in their growing stage of life.The Divine Mother is ever soft or kind hearted. She rules the universe strictly, yet She is very compassionate; She is storehouse of kindness. Her motherly kindness is ever there for Her devotees. That means that even with strict ruling, She shows Her kindness. She is keen to mature the souls through Her compassion, She is called Nityaklinna. 

Another way of saying is that Her heart is always wet or soft for Her devotees; Her compassion is there eternally. 

Nityaklinna is the deity worshipped during Moon growing phase third night and also on Moon waning phase thirteenth night. Garuda Purana says that She is Tripurasundari, the bestower of good luck and liberation from samsara cycle for Her devotees. 

Sighting growing phases third night Moon is long standing tradition among Hindus; other religions such as Muslims also consider that Moon sighting on that growing phase third night as an auspicious thing.

The Divine Mother as Raja Rajeswari bestowing Her Compassion to her devotee.   

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 16 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

Ambal's eye expressions and related meanings:

Recently in an article which talked about Ambal's  various types of eye extensions , I referred to 79 th Abirami Anthathi song to show Ambal's eyes have power to do anything for Her devotees; here she threw Her left ear ornament to light up the Ammavasasi night and blessed Abirami Bhatter. 

விழிக்கே அருளுண்டு அபிராம வல்லிக்கு வேதம் சொன்ன

வழிக்கே வழிபட நெஞ்சுண்டு எமக்கு அவ்வழி கிடக்க

பழிக்கே சுழன்று  வெம்பாவங்களே செய்து பாழ்நரகக்

குழிக்கே அழுந்தும் கயவர்தம்மோடு என்ன கூட்டினியே.

Continuing the thought on the various eye expression of the Ambal, in the following:

When Nagarathars (fondly called as Chettiars in Tamilnadu, India) moved away from Kavirippium Pattinam to Pandianadu due to certain unpleasant conditions with Chola Raja, Madurai ruler Pandia Raja provided the places for 90 plus native villages for Nagarathars.

Natrasankkottai was the first place to be inhabited by Nagarathars. One interesting point to note is that the name of Ambal in Natrasankkottai is Kannathal. And if you notice all other native temple Ambal's name is very closely related to Madurai Meenakshi's name. In Athangudi the Ambal's name is Meenakshi and I am sure we can identify the same name in rest of Nagarathar native places.

The name Meenakshi means that Ambal has eyes similar to a fish which is very long to look after Her devotees needs at all times;  also the fish keeps it eyes open at all time, Ambal also keeps Her eyes open always for Her devotee's sake.

C N Nachiappun

Singapore

15 February 2021

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 387: Shri Shadgunya pari purita (OM ShADguNyaparipUritAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is completely endowed with six good qualities. The six qualities lists may vary depending on the information source or the context. 

The Divine Mother created the universe; She is the Empress of the universe. She needs the strong qualities of leader to rule the universe. She is full with all the needs through six qualities, namely, as mentioned in code of statecraft: peacemaking, war, victory, March, staying in campus, dividing the enemy forces and refuse. 

In Philosophy, these six qualities are mentioned as: prosperity, valor, dispassion, fame, wealth and wisdom. The Divine Mother has all of these qualities in full measure. 

The above six qualities are applicable to Lord Shiva. The Divine Mother also have six qualities and they belong to the Divine Mother also. She is the source of wisdom which cannot be separated from Her; it is similar to heat cannot be separated from fire. She is the one created the Universe, like a spider creating a net around it and yet She is not attached to any of the things in this universe.

The Divine Mother, with six leader’s like qualities 

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 15 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 386: Shri Shadanga devata yukta (OM ShaDa ~ NgadevatAyuktAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is accompanied by the deities with six parts. 

Anga is part of the body. The Divine Mother’s six deities are: heart, head, hair, eyes, armour and weapons. The six angas under the Divine Mother have are Shakti themselves. They are namely, Hrudaya Devi, Shiro Devi, Shika devi, Neatra Devi, Kavacha Devi and Astra Devi. They reside at ninth fort in Bindu Mandala (Sri Chakaram) and worship the Divine Mother. She takes full form with these six angas. 

Lord Shiva has six angas also; they are namely, omniscience, contentment, knowledge of the self, independence, unfading power and infinity or eternity as detailed by the Devi Bhagavata Purana. 

Universe is far wide which are Lord Shiva’s glories, which are in turn are the glories of the Divine Mother through their unison in Brahmam. 

Sadanga can also mean the six vedangas. The Divine Mother is veda rupa also. The six vedangas are, namely: the science of rituals, grammar, prosody (Chandas), phonetics, etymology of vedic words and the jyothisha (Astrology). 

The Divine Mother is presiding over these deities who are accompanying Her. 

    The Divine Mother as Raja Rajareswari 

accompanied by other deities

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 14 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 385: Shri Sakshi varjita (OM sAkShivarjitAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother does not have any other witnesses. 

There is no other one to be the Divine Mother’s witness. " She is Aadhi and Antham. . She created the universe she also witnesses Pralayam. So there can not be a witness for her actions. She is witnessing billions and more of universal beings in their creation, sustaining and destruction. Her form is eternal and infinite. To represent Her and universal vastness, She is called Visalakshi. She is beyond time, place and other universal things. She is watching everything in this universe as they happen. There cannot be any other person or soul or deity to witness Her actions. She is far beyond any of them with Her infinite form. There can be nothing different to Her. She understands Herself well and the vast universe, She is controlling. Every universal being is under Her control/supervision. She is the witness to Her own glory. 

For all the universal happenings, She is the only witness. The universal creation, sustaining and destruction are all under her control. She knows everything in this universe. There is no other being who fully understand Her, to be the witness for Her actions and movements. She is cause of all actions in this universe. There is no one before or behind Her to witness Her, as She does not have a beginning and end. 

There has to be someone different from her to witness her actions. By unison with Lord Shiva, both are same and even He cannot witness Her actions. Brahman is one, non-dual with nothing different or distinct from it. So there cannot be any other witness for the Divine Mother’s actions.

 

    The Divine Mother as Raja Rajareswari.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 13 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 384: Shri Visva Saksini (OM vishvasAkShiNyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is the supreme witness to the whole universe. 

The Divine Mother is supervising and witnessing all the processes and activities in our universe. The functions in the universe are influenced by the Maya. Brahman and the Divine Mother are one and the same. This Namam is relating the Brahman, the Divine Mother and the Maya which is affecting the universal actions. Maya starts within itself, stays for certain time and settles within it. There is no harm done to the Divine Mother due to Her involvement with Maya and its actions in the universe. Actually, Maya is helping in the universal creation process. The Divine Mother is eternally infinite and nothing such as Maya can affect Her. 

Brahman or the Divine Mother witnessing the universe is explained in this Namam. The universe goes through the creation, sustaining and destruction. After dissolution, this universe is disappearing by being absorbed by the Divine Mother without any trace. The Divine Mother is witnessing all these universal actions, as they happen in real time. 

The Divine Mother looks at the Universe as Her own form. She knows everything that is happening in the universe. She is far beyond the universe; She is not affected by any change happening in the Universe. She does not have any attachment or like or dislike to any action in the universe, excepting that She is witnessing all the movements with such supreme position. This Namam is in a way an explanation for earlier Namam 383: Sadyah Prasadini in giving Her blessing. She directs the creation, sustaining and dissolution of the universe. 

The Divine Mother does not have starting or ending; She is eternally infinite. She is the eye of the whole universe. She is witnessing everything that is happening in the universe at all times. 

Aksin is eye; There are names for Her as Kamakshi and Meenakshi to mean Her wonderful eyes; Adi Shankara had described in Soundarya Lahari about the Divine Mother’s various forms of eyes and the expressions shown through Her eyes. People like Abirami Bhatter had in many forms referred about Her eyes in Abirami Anthathi, 

for example in verse 79 Abirami Anthathi:

விழிக்கே அருளுண்டு அபிராம வல்லிக்கு வேதம் சொன்ன

வழிக்கே வழிபட நெஞ்சுண்டு எமக்கு அவ்வழி கிடக்க

பழிக்கே சுழன்று  வெம்பாவங்களே செய்து பாழ்நரகக்

குழிக்கே அழுந்தும் கயவர்தம்மோடு என்ன கூட்டினியே. 

This verse 79 is the kreetam in Abirami Anthathi; when the Abirami Bhatter sung this verse, the Goddess took Her left ear rings and threw in the sky which was much brighter than a Pournami (Full Moon) brightness and blessed Batter.

 

The Divine Mother as Madurai Meenakshi.

The Divine Mother as Thirukadaiyur Abirami.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 12 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