Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 573: Shri Paranishta (ōṃ parāniṣṭhāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the Supreme End; the supreme abidance (honoring compliance or conformity or observance). 

The Divine Mother is in Supreme action form. When one focuses his efforts in doing a specific thing, it can be called nishta, Whatever the devotee is doing will belong to his deity of worship. Like a magnetic needle pointing to north, always, the devotee’s self and actions are towards his preferred deity. So, his devotion has an end in the deity of his choice, and this is called Paranishta. 

All efforts turn into Jnana action. Since the Jnanam or knowledge analyses the Brahman, this becomes Parajnanam. Brahmam is the root and ultimate; its understanding is got from Sastras also. Such knowledge can get clarified by a yogin. To hear enthusiastically such clarification is called Shivam analysis. To think always about the clarified knowledge is called mind; when this mind is matured it is called Jnana blessings. When such Jana knowledge is constantly happening for a devotee, it is also called Parasnishta. There is nothing more superior to this happening. The devotee becomes part of the Brahman is the interpretation of this Namam. 

The Divine Mother is the ultimate limit for words, thinking and actions. One’s words, thinking and actions on reaching a certain goal, settled without looking for other areas, is called Nishta. The Divine Mother is this ultimate limiting goal for Her devotees, and She is called Paranishta. 

To learn from a Guru, using the knowledge to judge and properly doing all it is needed to finally to understand that soul and Brahman are the same is the ultimate limit of learning and understanding. The Divine Mother is that Ultimate Limit, Paranishta. 

All living and non-living things gain their final rest with the Divine Mother. All movements need a motion-less substratum or foundation. Everything from a blade of grass to plants moves because they have an essence as their support. That support is the Divine Mother. 

Paranishta is the knowledge that is the ultimate end of all desires and actions. The Suta Gita (V50-54) describes this knowledge. One who has attained it is firmly unmovably established in non-dual experience. That ultimate end is Paranistha, the Divine Mother.

                                                      The Divine Mother is the Paranishta

 

C N Nachiappun         

Singapore, 20 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