Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 434: Shri Candana drava digdhangi (ōṃ candanadravadigdhāṅgyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother’s body is smeared with Sandalwood solution. 

It is customary to apply the Sandalwood paste on the Divine Mother’s body; the devotees in Hindu temples, after the darshan and prayers, customarily apply the Sandalwood paste on their bodies. In all auspicious occasions Sandalwood paste is offered to visitors. This worldly custom is used in this Namam to express the Divine Mother’s happiness. What humans do for themselves is also offered to the deities, here the Divine Mother who is ever happy rupa. To show to common people that their happy state of affairs, these examples are used in this Namam for the Divine Mother. This is a way to show the Divine Mother’s ultimate happiness due to drinking the bliss from Brahman. 

Sandalwood solution is used to give beauty and coolness to the body. During puja, it is customary to bathe the Divine Mother’s idol in milk, ghee, sandalwood solution and rose water. The Divine Mother had indicated this abhisaka procedure (bathing ceremony) as part of manasapuja (mental worship) which She had described. 

Sandalwood paste is diluted with water for ceremonial abhisakam.

 

Sandalwood solution is used on the Divine Mother

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 03 April 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.