Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 781: Shri Pratyag rupa (ōṃ pratyagrūpāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is indwelling in each of Her creations.

Pratyag can mean the things in opposite to, are hidden to be ignored. When we see within ourselves, there is nothing to prevent us from seeing the Divine Mother or there is no pratyag to hide the Divine Mother. So, the Divine Mother is there always for devotees’ visualization when looked within oneself; opposite of it, is seen outwardly.

For those who are mature, the Divine Mother’s Pratyag Rupa is there always. For them, there is nothing to be or not to be about the Pratyag Rupa of the Divine Mother. For yogis, both inward Pratyag or outward looking forms will be visible. The key here is that the devotees ought to look within themselves for the Divine Mother, who dwells in them.

She is visible to those looking inwardly as She dwells, in all souls. When we see outwardly, it is called Parag; seeing inwardly is called pratyag. Outward looking is to please the five senses. Later the souls realize that there is no permanent happiness in outward things, and start to look inwards, to visualize the Self or the Divine Mother. In that condition, the Divine Mother is in Satchidananda soul form

Pratyag-atma is the jivatman. We ought not search for the Divine Mother outwardly but must search within ourselves. The Divine Mother says, “Searching for God outside is thinking that you can catch fish by drying up the sea. We should look for Him, within us. We should be frantic to see Him just as a man under water would be frantic for air, God that exists will be found; but not without effort.”

The Divine Mother’s form is to be sought and found by looking inward. The Sruti says, “The Self-existent (Brahman) created the senses with outgoing tendencies; therefore, man beholds the external universe and not the internal Self. A wise man, with eyes averted from sensual objects, desirous of immortality, sees the Atman within.” (Katha Upanishad, IV,1).

Please also see the Nama 870 Anthar-mukha- samaradhya and Nama 871 Bahir- mukha- sudrlabha.

The Divine Mother is indwelling in Oneself.   

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 16 March 2022; updated 31 May 2025.

 

 

References:

1.     The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamis AparnaSan 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