Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 435: Shri Champeya kusuma priya (ōṃ cāmpēyakusumapriyāyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is especially fond of Champaka flower. 

The whole universe is the testimony of the Divine Mother’s glories. Some things specifically explain Her glory very much; flowers are such special things.  Their fragrance and beauty demonstrate Her glories. One westerner had written asking that if we cannot appreciate the stars up in the sky and flowers in the earth, what else we can look for the glories of the Lord. The Divine Mother is not fully understandable, yet She expresses Her glories through such beautiful things in this universe. Champaka flowers are one such thing; She is fond of. To appreciate the beauty and fragrance of the flowers is form of worshipping the Divine Mother. 

Champaka flowers have a special property. It is said that a bee drinking honey from Champaka flower dies immediately. Chanpaka flowers are therefore not to be contacted by bees. But the Divine Mother is especially attached to them. 

Worldly pleasures in a way are a poison. Even the family relationship of one to his wife and children is sweet at first, but hindrance to liberation as detachment grows. 

The view of yogins is described in the Gita (XV111.37), “That which is like poison at first, but like nectar in the end, that pleasure is declared to be sattvic born of the purity of one’s mind.” 

The bliss felt by mind which has pulled itself away from the sensory objects is described as nectar here. The pleasure that the mind and body drive through the senses is perishable and mortal. 

Champaka flowers symbolize those who reveling in the Self, do not touch worldly pleasures.

 

The Divine Mother is fond of Champaka flowers.

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 04 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.