Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 230: Shri Maha yaga kramaradhya (OM mahAyAgakramArAdhyAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is worshipped by the rituals of Maha-yaga. 

She is worshipped through properly performing what is known as Maha-yagam. Together with Devotion, the wisdom of intuition is used while worshipping the Divine Mother. She is the Mother for all creatures in this universe. A child needs no recommendation to reach its mother; so to the devotee to reach the Divine Mother. 

Yagam is a ritual where towards end of it, one’s wealthy belongings are partially given away willingly, in the form of Danam. The gesture of giving away one’s wealth to others without any attachment to them is Mah-yaga. Such worships are part of the Divine Mother’s schemes to uplift Her devotees. 

The Divine Mother lives in such selfless hearts of the devotees; She blesses them with Supreme bliss. 

Maha-yaga is one of the best worshipping method. The people who do the Maha-yaga in proper way are called Maha yogis, who reach the state of Isvara themselves. 

Unifying two separate things is what Yoga is. In creation, the Supreme Being had separated the souls from it. The Divine Mother’s worship through Maha-yaga is a means to unite the individual soul to the Supreme Being. With the Divine Mother’s grace, such Mah-yogis get Isvara state. 

A lot of preparations are prescribed by ancient documents for performing Maha-yaga to the Divine Mother. During the Maha-yaga, all the sixty four yogins who are part of the deities, such as Brhami are worshipped. 

Baskararaya refers Bhavanopanishad and says that Maha-yaga is a sacrifice performed by Shivayogis. 

The deeper meaning of this Maha-yaga is that the worshipper or seeker sacrifices his vasanas one by one in the fire of wisdom; whereby he becomes one with what he seeks, thus reaching the Ultimate Supreme Being for attaining his eternal bliss. 

Namam Four,” Cid agni kunda sambhuata” with the meaning She was born in the fire-pit of pure Consciousness to save devas and is seated on a Lion, as in Durgha rupam. Namam Five, “Deva karya samudyata” with the meaning that She came out of Agni Kundala with the intent on fulfilling the wishes of the devas. In effect She is answering the Maha-yaha done by devas to save them from evil forces.

Maha Nava Chandi Yaga done for Durga Devi; Nava Chandi Yaga gives victory over external and internal enemies and bestows fame, name, fame and remove all sort of dangers, negative energy and evil effects.

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 10 September 2020.

 

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.