Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 642: Shri Apari cchedya (ōṃ aparicChēdyāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother’s limits are infinite and cannot be determined by normal humans or anyone else.

She is beyond measurable. Time, space and worldly things are within their given limits. If it is there in one period and disappears in another period, it cannot be divinity or Brahman. Even the universe which was created initially disappears during pralaya. Time created by the Divine Mother disappears in due course. If a thing is available in one place and if cannot be found in another place, it is controlled by the place measurement aspect. The Divine Mother cannot be said to be in one place and not in another place, as She is spreading all through the universe. She allows the place aspect to be within Her and disappear. She is the witness to that process during the pralaya (refer to earlier discussed Namam 281 Unmesa nimisotpanna vipanna bhuvanavalih with the meaning that the Divine Mother causes a series of worlds to arise and disappear with opening and closing of Her eyes. That is similar to Devi Meenakshi’s eyes never closes, like a fish or Meen in Tamil language. 

What we can visualize with our naked eyes is universe related. We cannot see the Divine Mother with our naked eyes. She can be realized through our other efforts such as meditation. She is nada (speech) rupam, so praising with Her songs and reciting Her names, we try to understand Her but not fully. Due to devotion, maturity comes to us; She is beyond time, place and other controls; She cannot be visualized by naked eyes and ears; She is celebrated as Aparicchedya. 

She is beyond limits and controls. She cannot be limited by place, time and be of a certain form. If She is one place and not be in another place, She can be said to be controlled by place aspect which is beyond Her; Likewise, that She will be here today but not tomorrow is a time limitation which is beyond Her. She is in a certain form, but not as other form is limiting factor on Her shape and appearance. She is beyond those forms. Likewise, Her energy (Shakti) is also boundless and immeasurable. 

Only created things can be measured. The Divine Mother is beyond time and space; She is the cause of all creations in this universe; She is unlimited and non-measurable.

The Goddess the Divine Mother’s limits cannot be determined.

 

C N Nachiappun

Singapore, 28 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