Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 403: Shri Maha kamesa nayana kumuda ahlada kaumudi (OM mahAkAmeshanayanakumudAhlAdakaumudyai namaH)

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

The Divine Mother is the moon light that gladdens the water-lilies that are Mahakamesvara’s eyes. She is compared to Moon in earlier Namams 15: “Astami candra Vibhrajadalika sthala sobhta” with the meaning that She whose forehead shines like the crescent moon of the eighth night of the lunar half month and in Namam 16: “Mukha candra kalankabha mrganabhi visesaka” with the meaning that She who wears a musk mark on Her forehead which shines like a spot in the moon.

 

Lord Kamesvara’s eyes can be equated to Kumuda (water- lilies) flowers. The Divine Mother is making the Kamesvara’s eyes gladdened.

 

Some flowers blossom up on Sun rise and some other flowers blossom on moon rise. Moonlight is pleasant to give happiness. Kumuda flowers are compared to Kamesvara’s eyes. Like Kumuda flower blossoming on rising of the moon, Kamesvara’s eyes are glittering on seeing the Divine Mother. Lord Shiva is also Kamesavaran and the Divine Mother is called Mahakameshvari. The universal creatures are suffering due to their kama but there is divinity between Kamesvara and the Divine Mother’s affairs. So Kamesvaran is the ultimate Lord for kama and the Divine Mother is supporting that. With moon’s increasing light, kumuda flowers open up more. Likewise, in front of the Divine Mother, the Lord Kamesvaran’s love and affection grows. Those who wish to seek blessing from Lord Shiva ought to look at him as Shakti and Shivam as in Arthanariesvara. Like a polished diamond, together with the Divine Mother, the Lord Shiva is blessing his devotees immensely. It is ideal to worship together Lord Shiva and the Divine mother. This Namam explains that interpretation.

 

Kamam is the Lord Shiva’s desire or Iccaa shakti. The human’s desires are small and may not be fulfilled well; whereas the Lord Shiva’s desire is Mahakamam. His eyes are like Kumuda flowers; when he sees the Divine Mother, his eyes are so gladdened. Kartika month full moon is full in nature is called Kaumudi. So Kamesvaran’s eyes are gladdened on seeing the Divine Mother.

 

Kumuda is the water-lily; kaumudi is moonlight and also the full noon in the month of Kartika in Hindu calendar (October-November). Lotuses are said to blossom at Sun rise and water-lilies blossom at moon rise. These are like the darshan of the Divine Mother gladdens and opens the eyes of Lord Shiva or Kamesavara, the Supreme Self.

 Kumuda can also indicate the meaningless and inferior; (ku) worldly pleasure (muda); nayana is the one who leads, ahlada is the supreme bliss of salvation; and kumudi is the light. So this Namam can mean, “She is the light that leads to Shiva, the Ultimate bliss, by taking us away from insufficient worldly pleasures.

The Lord Kamesavara and Mahakamesavari.

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 03 March 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