Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 456: Shri Hamsini (ōṃ haṃsinyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is not separated from the Hamsas who are the yogins, already reaching the highest spiritual level of repeating or using ajapa mantra in their hearts. Ajapa mantra which repeats by itself in the hearts of yogins is called Hamsini. 

The Divine Mother has the special quality of swan, which is able to separate the milk from the mixture of milk and water and the white rice from mixture of rice with water. She is compared to a swan and called Hamsini, as She separates good and evil for Her devotees. Also swans are said to learn the beautiful style walk, called swan walk, from the Divine Mother (Soundarya Lahri, verse 91). Brahma Vidya, the Divine Mother is sought by the yogins; ajapa mantra repeats itself in such yogins’ heart. 

Hamsam means soul as defined in Vedanda.  In Hindu system of Shiva way, pasu or cow means a soul. In Vishna way, Go refers to soul; Gopalan means Brahmam. In Vedanda approach, Hamsan means a soul that has reached very high spiritual level. The soul at very top of spirituality is called Brahmam.  If one repeats a mantra many times, it is called japam. But the mantra which repeats by itself, especially in the hearts of the yogins, is called the ajapa. The Divine Mother is in that ajapa mantras form.

The Divine Mother’s qualities are compared to a swan.

 

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 25 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.