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?