Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 661: Shri Sad asad rupa dharini (ōṃ sadasadrūpadhāriṇyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother has the forms of internal truth and Her infinite creations (which are not internal). 

Both the inert body where the soul stays and the life force are the Divine Mother. Sruti says, “All here is Brahman” meaning all creatines came from the Brahman. 

Sat represents Brahman. Asat is all things other than Brahman. If there is one thing in one period, it is only an appearance or asat. Like if someone dreams of having immense wealth and getting off the sleep, he finds nothing there, it is asat. If someone is rich in one place, but in another land, he suffers for basic things, it is asat. If someone has a thing for some reason and he loses it later, means asat also. Irrespective of time and place, if something is there permanently, it is sat, which is the Divine Mother. During pralaya the universe is absorbed by the Divine Mother. So, the universe is asat form. The Divine Mother is such a universe, and She takes that asat form. She is also Brahman being the sat. gold or mud may look in different form for different people. Likewise, this universe looks different for different people. The Divine Mother has such Maya power over all Her creations. 

The Divine Mother holds both permanent and non-permanent forms, namely sat and asat forms. So, sat is permanent thing. This has two types, one being there in all time periods, past, current and future, which is Brahman: another being in other times to suit the worldly nature. This universe is the second type. Again, this universe is created and dissolved during pralaya, it cannot represent sat. So, this universe is asat. However, the Divine Mother holds these two forms sat and asat. 

If we see a snake in the rope, we do not see the rope, we just see the snake; if we see the rope only, then we do not see the snake. However, in the dark actually we are deceived to see the snake and not the rope; when the light comes on, we realize that there is only a rope and not a snake; which is the truth. the snake in the delusion (unreal), has emerged from the rope. No one will be alarmed seeing a totally non-existent snake.  For if we are in illusion that the snake exists, but when the illusion is removed, only the rope exists. There is only one thing, but we can visualize two things. Likewise, if we see the truth, the universe is pure essence, Brahman; if we do not see the truth, it is simply the universe. Here universe is asat (non-being) and Brahman is sat. Both represent the Divine Mother. She is therefore called Sadasadrupadharini. 

Actions in accordance with Veda are good deeds (Satkarma) and actions against the Vedas are bad deeds (asatkarma). The Divine Mother is the support for both and in this way, She can be called Sadasdrupadharini. The Divine Mother is in these two forms of two types of knowledge sat and asat. Also called savikalpa and nirvikalpa. Vikalpa is fancy; and it is a notion conveyed by words but to which there is no corresponding reality. The horns of a rabbit are a classic example. Whatever is based on vikalpa (savikalpa) is asat (non-being or un-real) and whatever is not based on vikalpa (nirvikalpa) is sat (being). “Whatever is perceived by the intellect is asat” is the ancient wisdom.

     The Divine Mother is in sat and asat forms.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 16 November 2021/updated 28 August 2024.

 

 

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