Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 476: Shri Arakta varna (ōṃ āraktavarṇāyai namaḥ)

In Namams 475 to 534 represents the Divine Mother’s Yogini forms. 

The Divine Mother has the slightly reddish (rosy) complexion. 

Dakini Devi, representing the Divine Mother is in Visuddhi chakra. She is slightly reddish in colour. White and red combination gives light rosy, red colour, like Patala flower. The universally pervading the Divine Mother is in all colours. Sun’s ray through a clear water or a lens split into seven attractive colours, which are the colours of the Divine Mother. The devotee must understand that those colours are the glories of the Divine Mother. The Namam   Araktavarna gives a lead to worship the Divine Mother through colours. 

Rosy colour can be equated to Patala flower colour. rakta is like blood. Later Namam 499 Rakta Varna is related to this present Namam 476. Arakta is white in colour; The Divine Mother is radiant in rosy colour. So the reddish colour is reflected. 

Lord Shiva is in white  colour; the Divine Mother is red in colour. In their unison, the reddish colour spread over the white colour to give a rosy colour.

 The Dakini Devi has the  Patala flower’s rosy red colour.

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 15 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.       Patala flower, trumpet flower has more health benefits. Its scientific name is Steres spermum chelonoides. It is captule, loculicidal or septicidal 30 x 60 x 0.5 cm in size. Its therapeutic properties are diuretic, cardiac tonic, anti-inflammatory. It is useful in blood related disorders.