"Vethillai malai" for Anjaneyar.

There is a practice to do a "Vethillai malai" (Betal leaf) for Lord Anjaneyar. The legend is that when Anjaneyar went to Sri Lanka first time to look for Seetha Devi, he located Her in Asokavanam. He identified himself by presenting Shree Rama's ring to Seetha . She was so pleased hear the Good news from Anjaneyar, She picked the leaves from nearby plants, namely Vethillai and garlanded the  Anjaneyar with Vethillai mala. 

The benefit or the meaning is that when we garland  Anjaneyar with Vethillai mala, Good news is coming to us.   

Shri Anjaneyar

C N NACHIAPPUN,

Singapore

12 March 2022.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 474: Shri Yasasvini (ōṃ yaśasvinyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is unparalleled because of Her very many and glorious sports like activities. 

The Divine Mother is the owner of all the universal fames due to Her abilities, attributes, and motherly kindness to all universal beings. She is the only one to be praised in this earth at all the times. The one which is praiseworthy gets the fame. Nobody praises anything with its shortfalls. It is an accepted practice that humans ought to live to honourly gain fame for their way of life. The Divine Mother is pervading and spreading Her skills and shaktis all over the universe. 

In general, we enjoy looking at other forms of people and universal beings. If the figure or form such as the Divine Mother with all its colour, shape and attributes is seen, we will enjoy the famous form well. The one form with uniformly shaped, will attract us; the Divine Mother’s form is such a one to always attract us. 

The one who lives fulfill all the Divine Mother’s desires and schemes is praiseworthy. He should not go after the fame, but he must live an honest life. The fame will follow and come to him. He should not become a slave to the fame. The one under the Sun gets Sun’s rays on him; likewise, those who follow the Divine Mother will have all the fames of the Divine Mother. The devotee after so many births of sufferings, finally seeks the Divine Mother’s kindness by worshipping Her. That itself is the fame for him through the Divine Mother. 

The Divine Mother is famous always. She does show Her surprising actions, love, and kindness to universal beings. As a result, the kinds of fame may vary in level and form. Such changes never can absolve Her original fame due to Her eternal actions to provide for the universal beings. She has such undiminishing fame all the times. 

Her love, compassion and power of protection bring Her all the great fame. It is not the fame, She, is after; Her kindness to all universal beings is always there to help the souls mature towards the Brahman. 

She is Yasavini, unequalled and unparallel supremely famous Divine Mother.

       The Divine Mother as Yasasvini Devi

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 13 May 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.

  

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 473: Shri Siddha Mata (ōṃ siddhamātrē namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is the Mother of all Siddhas, who are matured souls reaching the Brahman and who have renounced all worldly attachments. 

The ultimate Brahman through the Divine Mother takes various forms. If anyone worships any of those forms, it is equal to worshipping the ultimate Brahman. For the people who follow Bhakti and knowledge paths, there are many ways to do such worships. Siddhas always have worshipped the Divine Mother. Like a child dealing with its own biological mother, Siddhas consider themselves as the favourite children for the Divine Mother. On same approach, the Siddhas in their words, thinking and actions reach the Divine Mother for all their needs in their current birth and for the future needs on reaching the ultimate Brahman. So, the Divine Mother is called the Siddha Mata. 

The Divine Mother provides all supporting needs of the Siddhas. She is fully having all the attributes and abilities to be providing and supporting the Siddhas as their own Mother. She holds the Siddhas within Her and does not allow them to go beyond Her. She showers all the kindness meeting the Siddhas’ needs, as the Siddha Mata. 

The Divine Mother is the Mother to them all. She undertakes their care and protects like a mother. She hears their calls and gives whatever they need. She is Mother of all those who desire Liberation. She wants them to succeed in t all their efforts to get Liberation.

The Divine Mother as Siddha Mata

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 12 May 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.

 

4.       The eight most powerful siddhis in the Hindu scripture are: Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Istiva, and Vasitva.

 

·         Anima: This is the ability to shrink one's body size, even to the size of an atom. Becoming smaller than the smallest was described in Srimad Bhagavatam by Lord Krishna. A common example of anima is when Lord Hanuman reduced his size when searching for Sita in Sri Lanka.

·         Mahima: The opposite of Anima, Mahima is becoming larger than the largest - as also described by Lord Krishna in Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Hanuman also assumed this form to set Lanka ablaze, and to fight Kumbha Karna.

·         Garima: This is the ability to become very heavy by will, that one is rendered immovable by anyone, or anything. This is documented when Lord Hanuman made his tail so heavy that even the extremely strong Bhima couldn't lift it.

·         Laghima : Laghima originates from the root word "laghu", which means small, or light. This siddhi can make one's body also weightless. Levitation and flying are the extended powers of this siddhi.

·         Prapti : This is the ability to obtain anything, anywhere. We might have read in the Hindu scriptures, or watched in mythical-themed shows, the Gods materialising things out of thin air - thanks to prapti siddhi.

·         Prakamya: The ability to obtain anything desired and realising dreams. It is also the powers that enables one to live in water, and the power to enter the body of another person. For example, Sri Sankara entered the body of Raja Aamruka of Benares, and Tirumoolar entered the body of a sheperd using this siddhi.

·         Isitva: Referring to the "power of lordliness", this siddhi is about power of absolute lordship over the entire creation. One of the greatest siddhis, Isitva enables crossing over the laws of nature, and it overlaps the other siddhis. For example, this capable enables one to separate their soul from their body at will.

·         Vasitva : This is the ability to have anything under control, especially the physical manifestation of the five elements. This is the siddhi that can conquet and or all beings in the universe.

 

The above-mentioned are the primary siddhis in the yoga tantric. Besides this, there 10 secondary siddhis, and thousands, and even millions of other siddhis according to Saivism and Vaishnavism. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 472: Shri Siddha Vidya (ōṃ siddhavidyāyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is in the form of Siddha Vidya (Sri vidya), the fifteen-syllable mantra. 

To reach Brahman, Brahma Vidya, Athma vidya, Sri vidya and Sivajanam are used. Those who follow Siddha path to reach the Brahman call it Siddha Vidya; the Divine Mother in Vidya form is called Siddha Vidya. People who follow Siddha path claim that it is the best path to reach the Brahman. 

Like matching a bride to a groom, before their marriage, there is a practice to match the mantra and the one who is going to recite it. Bala mantra has three syllables; it is ideal to recite Bala mantra three lac times. Siva Panchari mantra has five syllables; it us ideal to recite five lac times to get full benefit. This process is called Puracharanam. For example, on reaching Puracharanam here three lac times for Bala mantra, the devotee gets full benefit from that mantra. 

Since the “Pancadasi” mantra is eternal and universal, the rules regarding preparations, time and place prescribed for other mantras need not be followed in Pancadasimantra case. Worshipping the Divine Mother, using this “Pancadasi” mantra can be done anywhere and at any time.

The Divine Mother as Siddha Vidya

C N Nachiappun           

Singapore, 11 May 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.

 

4.       The eight most powerful siddhis in the Hindu scripture are: Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Istiva, and Vasitva.

 

·         Anima: This is the ability to shrink one's body size, even to the size of an atom. Becoming smaller than the smallest was described in Srimad Bhagavatam by Lord Krishna. A common example of anima is when Lord Hanuman reduced his size when searching for Sita in Sri Lanka.

·         Mahima: The opposite of Anima, Mahima is becoming larger than the largest - as also described by Lord Krishna in Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Hanuman also assumed this form to set Lanka ablaze, and to fight Kumbha Karna.

·         Garima: This is the ability to become very heavy by will, that one is rendered immovable by anyone, or anything. This is documented when Lord Hanuman made his tail so heavy that even the extremely strong Bhima couldn't lift it.

·         Laghima : Laghima originates from the root word "laghu", which means small, or light. This siddhi can make one's body also weightless. Levitation and flying are the extended powers of this siddhi.

·         Prapti : This is the ability to obtain anything, anywhere. We might have read in the Hindu scriptures, or watched in mythical-themed shows, the Gods materialising things out of thin air - thanks to prapti siddhi.

·         Prakamya: The ability to obtain anything desired and realising dreams. It is also the powers that enables one to live in water, and the power to enter the body of another person. For example, Sri Sankara entered the body of Raja Aamruka of Benares, and Tirumoolar entered the body of a sheperd using this siddhi.

·         Isitva: Referring to the "power of lordliness", this siddhi is about power of absolute lordship over the entire creation. One of the greatest siddhis, Isitva enables crossing over the laws of nature, and it overlaps the other siddhis. For example, this capable enables one to separate their soul from their body at will.

·         Vasitva : This is the ability to have anything under control, especially the physical manifestation of the five elements. This is the siddhi that can conquet and or all beings in the universe.

 

The above-mentioned are the primary siddhis in the yoga tantric. Besides this, there 10 secondary siddhis, and thousands, and even millions of other siddhis according to Saivism and Vaishnavism.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 471: Shri Siddhesvari (ōṃ siddhēśvaryai namaḥ)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in detail. Nanams 471 to 473 the Divine Mother’s association with Saddars. 

The Divine Mother is the Goddess worshipped by spiritual adepts, who are very skilled in spiritual activities or called Siddhars. 

Those who have matured enough to reach Brahman are called Bakta yogins and Siddhas. They praise and worship the Divine Mother as Siddhesvari. These Siddhas have cleared their karma; they are not affected by aging due to changing time, like the Divine Mother Herself. In Varanasi (Kasi) the Goddess name in addition to Annapurana and Visahlaksi is famous deity Siddhesvari. The eight most powerful siddhis in the Hindu scripture are: Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Istiva, and Vasitva.

1.       Anima: This is the ability to shrink one's body size, even to the size of an atom. Becoming smaller than the smallest was described in Srimad Bhagavatam by Lord Krishna. A common example of anima is when Lord Hanuman reduced his size when searching for Sita in Sri Lanka.

2.       Mahima: The opposite of Anima, Mahima is becoming larger than the largest - as also described by Lord Krishna in Srimad Bhagavatam. Lord Hanuman also assumed this form to set Lanka ablaze, and to fight Kumbha Karna.

3.       Garima: This is the ability to become very heavy by will, that one is rendered immovable by anyone, or anything. This is documented when Lord Hanuman made his tail so heavy that even the extremely strong Bhima couldn't lift it.

4.       Laghima : Laghima originates from the root word "laghu", which means small, or light. This siddhi can make one's body also weightless. Levitation and flying are the extended powers of this siddhi.

5.       Prapti : This is the ability to obtain anything, anywhere. We might have read in the Hindu scriptures, or watched in mythical-themed shows, the Gods materialising things out of thin air - thanks to prapti siddhi.

6.       Prakamya: The ability to obtain anything desired and realising dreams. It is also the powers that enables one to live in water, and the power to enter the body of another person. For example, Sri Sankara entered the body of Raja Aamruka of Benares, and Tirumoolar entered the body of a sheperd using this siddhi.

7.       Isitva: Referring to the "power of lordliness", this siddhi is about power of absolute lordship over the entire creation. One of the greatest siddhis, Isitva enables crossing over the laws of nature, and it overlaps the other siddhis. For example, this capable enables one to separate their soul from their body at will.

8.       Vasitva : This is the ability to have anything under control, especially the physical manifestation of the five elements. This is the siddhi that can conquet and or all beings in the universe. 

The above-mentioned are the primary siddhis in the yoga tantric. Besides this, there 10 secondary siddhis, and thousands, and even millions of other siddhis according to Saivism and Vaishnavism. 

Those who have Anima and other seven siddhis are called as Siddhas. Although they are humans with becoming Siddhas, they are liberated. Normal universal things like body, structure, weight cannot affect them. Water will not wet them; wind cannot move them; fire cannot burn them; they can pervade across skylines; they can hear unlike the normal humans, unheard sounds. They are beyond normal human beings. In Sri cakra, they are situated in Servasiddhi centre triangle, four siddas. There are additional Siddhas. The Divine Mother provides the Shakti to these Siddhas; She is called Siddhesvari. 

The Divine Mother bestows all Siddhis and this Namam is apt for Her.

The Divine Mother as Siddhesvari

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 10 May 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 470: Shri Vayo-avastha Vivarjita (ōṃ vayō'vasthāvivarjitāyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is exempt from aging changes due to time. Times is under Her control. Avastha means status; vivarjitha means to discord or to drop or to leave something. 

The Divine Mother is beyond aging issues faced by the universal beings. Anything that is born, grows to reach a peak and starts to depreciate or decline and disappears through the death.  Those who have a body face the younger age, adulthood, elderliness, and death. The Divine Mother has a gross form yet, She, does not face all such phases and death. She has rejected all such changes on Herself and has elected to be always with a teenager’s body. We refer to earlier Namam 391: Nitya sodasika rupa with the meaning that the Divine Mother is in the form of sixteen daily deities and is always at sixteen years of age, who is worshipped using the sodasi (sixteen-syllabled) mantra. 

She is representing the total universal beings which are going through birth, growth, aging and death process. The universal beings go through sufferings. But the Divine Mother stays without such sufferings. Sea waves are changing but the total sea is stable. The Divine Mother ‘s nature is such a state that She is exempt from aging due to time factors. 

She is eternally there without disappearing, full self and does not face decreasing or depreciating as ever.

The Divine Mother as Vayo-avastha Vivarjita

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 09 May 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. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 469: Shri Vama devi (ōṃ vāmadēvyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is the spouse of Vamadeva (Lord Shiva). 

Vama has many meanings, namely:  left side, beauty, Lord Shiva and a sect of people who pray to the Divine Mother in secret ways. 

In form and structure, the Vamadeva’s beauty attracts all universal beings to Him. Such praise shows Vamadeva and the Divine Mother are one and the same in unison in Brahman, like fire and its hotness. Vamadeva and Vamadevi are both same in form. To get attracted to such form isa form of  worship to the Divine Mother. 

Lord Shiva is known also as Ardhanarisvarar. The left side is called vama part. Since the Divine Mother occupying the left side of Lord Shiva, She, is called Vamadevi. Lord Shiva has four faces representing four sides and one face looking upwards. With these five faces, Lord Shiva is praised as Panchmukhan. Vamadeva is one of the five beautiful forms of Lord Shiva. As in Adthanarisvarar, he is having the Divine Mother on his left side; he gets the beauty from the Divine Mother. He wins over the left side the Divine Mother; He looks towards north.

The faces towards west, east, north, and south are called Sadyojadha, Tatpursha, Vamadeva and Aghora respectively; the fifth face is Esana is looking upwards. The Divine Mother is facing northeast side; She is Vamadevi. 

Vama also means karma and She controls all the karmas of the universal beings. She is the deity for Vama path worship. Dakshina-charam south looking path worship is common for Lord Shiva. But the left side Vama path is specifically for the Divine Mother’s worship; as such She is called Vamadevi. 

We have seen vama is “left side”. ShivaPurana says,” The beautiful face of Lord Shiva that faces north, red as vermillion is called Vama.” This is Vamavyuha, one of the five forms; we talked above, of Lord Shiva. 

Vama is also means “good” and the “fruit of karma”. The Divine Mother is the presiding deity of everything that is good and of all the fruits of action or karma. As vama is beautiful, the Divine Mother is the abode or store of beauty. Truth, Auspiousness and Beauty (Satyam, Shivaman Sundaram) are the attributes of Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother. 

Vamacara is left-hand path of the Divine Mother worship and Vamadevi is the presiding deity for that form of worship. According to Devi Purana, “Vama is opposite or inverted path; the Divine Mother gives Her bliss through this path, hence She is remembered as Vamadevi”. (Please refer earlier Namam 332: Vama Nayana with the meaning that the Divine Mother has beautiful eyes.)

Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother as in Ardhanareivarar

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 08 May 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. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 468: Shri Vajresvari (ōṃ vajrēśvaryai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is the sixth moon growing phase and tenth moon waning phase day deity Vajresvari. 

Vajram is strong material. The Divine Mother has those superior powers/strengths of Vajram. Lord Krishna says that among weapons, He is Vajra weapon. Indra, the head of Devas, used Vijra weapon to defeat asuras. His penance gave the strength to the weapon. Any petty evilness can be eliminated with Vajra weapon. Since such strength or shakti comes to Devas from the Divine Mother, She, is called Vajresvari. The human beings through their penance ought to achieve to vajra strength in them. To the level, the devotee praises the Divine Mother’s glories and strengths, he becomes a Vajra weapon himself. In China, Shaolin Mongs develop this Vajra strength from young age and they demonstrate its usefulness. 

The Sricakra has twelve walls built out of diamonds. In the eleventh the Vajra fort, there is a river called vajramayi; Vajraesvari is the deity for this river, having a beautiful abode on the riverbanks. She wears diamond ornaments. She is part of the Divine Mother; hence the Divine Mother is called Vajresvari also. Devi Vajresvari gave Indra, Vajra weapon as a reward for his penance. She is one of the rays originated from the Divine Mother as will be discussed in Namam 944 “Vajrini”. 

The Lalitha-stava-ratna describes Her as:”In the ever-flowing Vajra River which has beautiful banks and in which the graceful swans play on the waves, Vajresvari shines, decked with diamond ornaments and served by Indra, the wielder of the Vajra weapon”. Indra did the penance in water; the Divine Mother arising from the water gave Indra the Vajra weapon and disappeared. Indra returned to heaven. With all these the Divine Mother is called the “Vajresvari.”

The Divine Mother

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 07 May 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. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 467: Shri Sukshma rupini (ōṃ sūkṣmarūpiṇyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother’s form is too subtle to be perceived by the human sensing organs. 

She is in fine subtle form. Nature and the Divine Mother are one and the same. Those gross things in the nature are reaching our sensory organs. But something in subtle or subtest level, such Her strength is much more than in gross form. In Narayana sktam and Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lord MahaVishnu’s subtle forms and His achievements are referred. 

Heat, electricity, and magnetic attraction are in gross form. Thinking and sensing are in Citshakti form, which is much stronger than the gross level shaktis. So, the Divine Mother is in subtle or Sukhsma rupam. 

Her subtle form is not fully understandable. In Muladhara Kundalini is the fire used in Homa form. Rahoyogam is the name for it. That subtle Divine Mother is in Homa, subtle mantra and Kundalini forms. 

There are three types of forms: gross, subtle, and subtlest (para). Here in this Namam the Divine Mother is called as having a subtle form. “Subtler than the subtle and greater than the great”. (Katha Upanisad, I.ii.20) and “Subtler than the subtle” (Kaivalya Upanisad 16). 

The word “Sukshma” means also a Homa (oblation). There are twelve kinds of oblations. The greatest oblation is the daily done in the fire in Muladhara cakra. This worship is a manasa puja performed silently in the mind. 

This Namam is telling us that the Divine Mother’s real form is not gross, but one that is subtle which is undivided Bramham.

The Divine Mother 

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 06 May 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. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 466: Shri Kshobhini (ōṃ kṣōbhiṇyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is the spouse of Lord Shiva. 

The Divine Mother creates upheaval in our minds. 

This type of upheaval is a creative urge. The Sankhya view is that the Purusa (the Cosmic Man) is inherently inactive. The Divine Mother (Prakrti or nature) interests Him to act, to create the universe. Jagad Guru Sri Sankaraacharya’s Immortal Creation Soundarya Lahari verse 0ne, he says that Lord Shiva is getting his Shakti only due to the unison with the Divine Mother, the details are shown below in Reference Appendix 4. Additionally in Devi Mahatmya, the Divine Mother caused upheaval in sleeping Mahavishnu to fight with two asuras to save the bliss (from the milky sea) to save the devas. 

According to a story in Varaha Purana, Goddess Vaisnavi, the spouse of Lord Vishnu, went to the Mandra Mountain to do penance. She was immersed in penance for long time. Her mind became agitated by desire and from this process, countless young women of great beauty emerged.  The name Kshobhini  became associated with this Goddess since that time. As She is part of the Divine Mother, the Divine Mother is also called Kshobhini. 

She creates mind upheavals. Before the creation of the universe is started, Brahman is alone; the Maya helps to initiate the activities. The Divine Mother created that movement for the creation to take place. Please refer to earlier Namam 397: Mula prakrith, with meaning that the Divine Mother is the first cause of this entire universe. As we have mentioned earlier, Lord Vishnu’s spouse Vaisnavi had contributed to the meaning of this Namam. 

The Divine Mother confirms our desires in our minds. During pralaya, all the creative elements and Shaktis are under the Divine Mother’s control. The recreation of the universe is started, by Mulaprakrti, the Divine Mother. 

When someone wakes up from deep sleep, he usually turns his body both sides.  This is called ‘sobanam’. The Divine Mother is in similar sobanam form when universal creation is to be started, to get the other creative elements ready by initiating them. So, She, is Kshobhini Herself. 

Kṣhobhiṇī is one of the twelve guṇas associated with Kāma, the second seat of the Svādhiṣṭhāna - chakra.

              The Goddess Vaishnavi, representing the Divine Mother 

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 05 May 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.

 

4.       THE SOUNDARYA LAHARI by JagadGuruSri Sankaraacharya’sImmortal Creation

 

Siva Saktyaa yukto yadi bhavati Saktah prabhavitum

na chae daevam daevo na khalu kusalah spanditum api

atas twaam aaraadhyaam hari hara virinchaadibhir api

pranastum stotum vaa katham akrita punyah prabhavati. 01

O! Bhagavati! Only if Parama Siva is enjoined with You, the Sakti, He is empowered to

create. The same Lord is indeed powerless even to move sans Thy company. O! Mother, 

the celebrities such as Hari, Hara and Brahma and others, ever worship Thee. In such a

context, how can one (I) be capable of saluting or praising you without the meritorious

effects of (my) yester deeds?