Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 255: Shri Dharmadharma vivarjita (OM dharmAdharmavivarjitAyai namaH)

In Namams 249 to 274, the Divine Mother’s Five functions and Her Five Isvara forms are described. 

The Divine Mother is devoid of or entirely free from both virtue and vice. 

According to Jaimani dharma is action in accordance with the veda; adharma is opposite of that. 

Universal elements are dharma based. Water wets; Fire gives out heat. Each soul’s actions are dharma based to improve on its maturity towards the Supreme Being. In general, universal creatures follow their dharma in their acts. Even an evil person or a demon follows his dharma (or sometimes fails in his dharma.) If a soul is following systematically its own karma, it means that it is following its dharma. Adharma is a blockage for the soul’s improvement towards the Brahman. The devotee’s life will have both dharma and adharma actions. The whole universal actions represent dharma; which is the Divine Mother’s form and the Brahman which is eternal; it does not have any karma. That is why the Divine Mother is praised as Dharmadharma vivarjita. 

Due to karma, the soul is following their specified dharma and adharma actions. This may differ due to their past vasanas. An action which is dharma at one time may turn out to be adharma in another time. It may be dharma for one but adharma for another person. It is like a poor man’s best feast can be a poison for a rich man with many health complications. Namam 287 “Nijajna rupa nigama” implies that with the meaning that the Divine Mother commands take the form of Vedas. To live according to veda specifics is dharma. When souls follow their karma and do their dharma and adharma actions their negative karma effects will be reduced. Depending upon their past vasanas, the soul takes a new body with its dharma and adharma levels to follow. One soul’s conditions will differ from other soul. Essentially, due to own karma, each soul follows its own dharma and adharma actions. Both dharma and adharma apply to unenlightened soul also. 

Similar to a paddy field separating wall which controls the water flow to its own and neighbouring fields, the mankind faces the social restrictions for which one’s dharma actions help. This is basically to improve the soul to higher level. When everybody follows his own dharma actions, there is smooth functioning of the universe. Adharma is going beyond his own dharma. When correct dharma is followed, the Divine Mother gives one’s wants and comforts. The Divine Mother is beyond all these; She does not have any karma, being infinitely eternal. 

The restrictions due to dharma create relations such as father, son, husband, wife, friend etc. Each relation controls one’s activities. The souls try to overcome such restrictions through adharma means. When the man is born, he is not the father. But such relations/restrictions are added on to him. He has to live with these restrictions and dharma. Each one has different dharma restrictions due to his past vasana. The Divine Mother is beyond all these variations. 

Samvarta Smrti says that dharma is the conduct which is in accordance with the scriptures and traditions. Nityahrdaya Tantra says dharma is bondage and adharma is freedom. Often such statements imply contrary to the sastras. Dharma can mean karma effect. The Divine Mother does not have any bondage or liberation. Dharma creates equality or happiness while adharma creates inequality or sorrow or misery. The Divine Mother is free from all these. The Divine Mother imparts great powers to the sacred secret syllables of Shiva and Sakti in mantras. The word dharma comes from the root word dhr with meaning ‘to continue’ and ma means ‘great’. According to Matsya Purana the dharma is the one which is carried by the great, here it is the Divine Mother. 

Yajna valkya gives a list. Sacrifice, good conduct, self-control, non injury (ahimsa), gift giving and scriptural study all contribute to dharma. The supreme dharma is self realization. 

Vivarjita means not to allow 

The Divine mother is beyond all these. She is Dharmadhrama vivarjita. 

The  Divine Mother as Kannyakumari Amman ready to bless.

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 05 October 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.