Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 275: Shri Bhanu Mandala Madhyastha (OM bhAnumaNDalamadhyasthAyai namaH)

In Namams 275 to365, the Divine Mother’s many forms providing benefits to Her devotees in great details are discussed. 

The Divine Mother abides at the centre of the Solar system; Bhanu means Sun. 

The Supreme Being, the Divine Mother hides Her true-self and shows the universe as Herself. Sun being one of the universal elements is part of the Divine Mother’s scheme of things. The humans visualize the Sun; when one worships the Sun, it is the worship aimed at the Divine Mother. The devotee should try to visualize the Divine Mother being seated in golden coloured Sun and worship Her. This is part of the Sandhyavanthanam recitations Brahmins do, three times a day at dawn, midday and dusk visualizing the Divine Mother in Sun; all other devotees can also visualize the Divine Mother in human body Suriya mandala anahata chakra; these worships help the soul to be on the path to merge with Supreme Being. 

Earlier in Namam 240 “OM chandramaNDala MadhyagAyai namaH” we saw that the Divine Mother resides in Chandramandala and later in Namam 352 “OM vahnimaNDala vAsinyai namaH”, we will discuss that the Divine Mother abides in Vahni(fire) mandala also. 

She is residing in human body chakras. By worshipping the Divine Mother, we seek Her grace. 

Kundalini goes through anahata chakra (Sun mandala) in human body. Since the Divine Mother resides in Suriya mandal anahata chakra in human body also, She is called Bhanu mandala madhyastha. 

Bhanumandala, the solar system and is also the anahata chakra in human heart. The Divine Mother resides in there. 

Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother have three eyes representing Sun, Moon, and Agni. These three elements are under the control of the Divine Mother. 

The Divine Mother is mediated visualizing that the Divine Mother is residing at the solar systems; She is worshipped during three sandhyas. The Kurma Purana says that “I bow down to the Mahesvara who resides in the solar system; he is the essence of veda; the object of all knowledge; fills the universe with His brilliance; He is the cause of three universes.”

The Divine Mother as Gayathri Devi.

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 26 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.