Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 278: Shri Padmasana (OM padmAsanAyai namaH)

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

The Divine Mother is seated in lotus flower. 

Lotus flower is one of the best flowers in the universe. Thousand petaled lotus is considered as Brahman. For yogis, Sahasrarasa in their head (crest) is thousand petaled lotus or Brahman; there the Sadashiva and the Divine Mother reside in unison. Lotus flower is an indication of freshness or innovation in the nature. The Divine Mother is eternally fresh is one of the interpretation of this Namam. 

Lotus is the seat of Laksmi, Sarsvati and Brahma. The Divine Mother is in all these forms. Universe was created from Lord Narayanan’s navel as a lotus. Brahma staying inside there, created from it many universal creature forms. Lotus has a wider long circular shape, which basically represents the form of the universe. Such lotus is the Divine Mother’s seat. 

The Divine Mother is also in the form of Brahman. Padma as the lotus is called is to be understood symbolically. Petals of the lotus are the nature; the filaments are time and place; the stalk is the knowledge and the stamen is vasana. 

She is Padmasana, being seated in the lotus. Her devotees meditate Her being in the lotus posture. In Tantric terms, padma is bindu, vyuha or nidhi. The Divine Mother resides in any one of the places.

Padmasana is one of the yogasanas used for meditation; this asana creates uniformity and balance in body system to focus on meditation. 

Padma can also mean that “She distributes prosperity or wealth among Her devotees. Padma is Laksmi, the Goddess of wealth, to distribute wealth to the world.” 

According to Bhaskararaya, “O benevolent Mother, whoever receives Your grace enjoys supreme bliss. He gets a beautiful wife, a house decorated with Gold and other luxuries. But when he displeases You, all his prosperity is lost; his wife deserts him; he becomes supremely unhappy.” 

Or Padmasana is the slayer (“as” to kill) of the demon Pamasura according to Bhaskararaya also. 

 

The Divine Mother in Asthalakhmi rupa is seated on Lotus.

The Divine Mother as Goddess Mahalaksmi is seated on Lotus.

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 29 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.