Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 561: Shri Mrgakshi (ōṃ ōṃ mṛgākṣyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother’s eyes are long and beautiful like those of doe (a female deer). 

Her eyes are like a female deer’s long eyes. Those eyes are wide open to look after all beings in the universe. She is called Visalakshi, a wide-eyed Goddess; Her temple is in Varnasi (Kasi) in India.  She provides for all beings ‘desires through Her eyesight; She is also called Kamakshi. In Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Like a fish, She never closes her eyes, She is called Meenakshi in Madura also in Tamil Nadu, India. These three Namams are about Her kindness to provide for Her devotees. 

The deer’s eyes have a sweet pure attractiveness. When the deer, is looking at us, we get excited, and we can forget ourselves. For a time, we feel that there is no difference between the deer and us. The Divine Mother’s approach to us is similar, with Her looking at us, we get extreme happiness, and our worldly life will be successful is the meaning of this Namam. 

In Mohini form the desires She had not expressed, are spelt out through Her eyes, which is like the deer’s eyes not stopping at one place, but Her sight is all over. It is similar to a girl falling in love and finding it difficult to express Her feelings out.

The  Divine Mother as Kasi Visalakshi

 C N Nachiappun         

Singapore, 08 August 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 Sithbavandar