Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 398: Shri Avyakta (OM avyaktAyai namaH)

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

The Divine Mother is un-manifested; She has no form to show in appearance. 

Avyakta refers to the un-manifested Brahman. “He is not grasped by the eyes, nor the speech, or by other senses not by penance, or by good action.” (Mundaka Upanisad 111.1.8). Vyakta is an identity which can be referred by five senses. 

This Namam is another form of earlier Namam 397 Mulaprakriti. Purusa (Lord Shiva) and Mulaprakriti (the Divine Mother) are inseparable, which the Ardhanarisvara form represents. Even beyond creation there exits Purusa form; once a manifested and later un-manifested is Prakrti form. Brahman with Maya represents Avyakta form. Maya is also un-manifested for certain times and as is in the Avyakta form also. 

Water is sea water, river water, well water, pond water, spring water and frozen ice forms. The same water due to hot weather conditions turns into steam and becomes as cloud. So water appears to alternate between vyakta and avyakta states. Likewise, the Prakrti, the Divine Mother exists in avyakta form also. Meditation is helpful to the devotee to control his mind. Like the Divine Mother is in un-manifested state, with meditation, the devotee can keep his mind or thoughts in un-manifested state. 

Avyakta is unseen and un-manifested form. All three gunas are there but are not explicitly seen outside. The Divine Mother is in Avyakta philosophical form. 

In Sankhya philosophy, prakrti is known as pradhana; it is the state where three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas are not very different. It is un-manifested (avyakta ) state. 

In Vedanta terms undivided (niskala) Brahman, when intent on creation, becomes covered by Maya and turns into sakala Brahman, the one with parts. Avyakta is the first movement of that Maya. (Please see Namam 366: Para with the meaning that the Divine Mother is Supreme; She transcends all). The Divine Mother is in that un-manifested state, for there is nothing in this universe that is not a form of Hers. 

In Linga Purana, avyakta is included among the names of Vishnu who is always assisting the Divine Mother in universal creation: pradhana, avyaya, yoni, avyakta and prakrti. 

 

The Divine Mother, in Bindu is seen by devotee 

only when he can pass through all the stages.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 26 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