Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 629: Shri Tridasesvari (ōṃ tridaśēśvaryai namaḥ)

The Goddess Divine Mother is the ruler of the Gods. 

The Divine Mother is the ‘Isvari’ of the Devas. For Devas there are three stages of creation, growing and staying as is and for common beings, there are two more stages, namely decreasing or decay and disappearing. Compared to common beings, the Devas live as is for many yugas (time periods) without death. They have not yet reached the Brahman. So, it is only saying that they do not have death. Common beings live many years, likewise the Devas live many yugas. To get to the Brahman, they must be re-born as humans. They do not go through like normal human beings, and they are not equal to normal humans. 

Tridasa can be considered as is three stages of waking, dreaming and deep sleeping. In waking stage, the humans are in synchronous with the present world. In the dreaming stage, he is in his own world, leaving the current world. In deep sleeping mod, he is facing pralaya of his own to dissolve within himself (the Divine Mother inside him). In three stages, the same soul is involved with three different experiences. The Divine mother is ruling in all three stages, and She is celebrated as ‘Tridasesvari’. 

Tridasa means ‘in third stage or dasa’. The Devas have only ‘to stay as is’ stage only. For other universal beings there are four stages (birth, growth, decay and destruction) as we have seen earlier. As understood, Devas do not have the above third and fourth stage, but they have one constant stage ‘to stay as is’. The Divine Mother is the ‘Isvari’ in all stages either for normal humans or Devas. 

In another way if we look at it, the four stages for humans can be: childhood, adolescence, youth and old age. Devas constantly stay in third (tri) stage (dasa), they are distingushed by wealth and knowledge. The Divine Mother is their ruler (Isvari). The Puruans say that there are thirty-three Crores of Devas. Tridasa also means thirty-three Crores. 

Tridasa can be understood as three stages for humans namely waking, dreaming and deep sleeping. The Divine Mother is ruler of these who remain in these stages, the ‘Isvari’ who is the witness of three stages.

The Divine Mother is thre ruler of the Gods

 

C N Nachiappun

Singapore, 15 October 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