Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 359: Shri Tapasaradhya (OM tApasArAdhyAyai 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 worshipped by ascetics and great sages; Lord Shiva is the greatest ascetic; He, Himself is worshipping Her for getting Shakti from Her, (Soundariya Lahari verse one by Sage Adi Shankara). 

She is worshipped by many yogis (great sages). Tapa can mean to correct oneself according to the plan. The metals from the earth are put through high heat to purify them. By dharmic means and meditations upon the Divine Mother, the humans (embodied souls) can be kept fresh. Meditation helps the humans to achieve divinity; meditation is considered a valuable tool in devotional aspects. 

Depending on our devotion to the Divine Mother, the divinity within us increases like with furnace temperature, the metal purity increases as the impurities are burnt. Similarly, with happiness and meditation, the humans try to increase their divinity; depending upon the devotional level to the Divine Mother’s blessings and agni (temperature) levels increase to burn our ignorance; so many yogis choose to meditate upon the Divine Mother. We need to understand from such yogis on praising the Divine Mother’s glories. 

Through their Tapas, the yogis meditate upon the Divine Mother to see Her both internally and externally. Meditating upon the Divine Mother is a best way to get Her blessings and grace. 

This Namam means that the Divine Mother is to be meditated to clear our persistent Samsara miseries; ‘Tapa’ can mean also the Samsara misery. ‘Sara’ means the essence, here it is embodied soul; ‘a’ means till end; ‘dhya’ means to be meditated upon.

 

   The Divine Mother is worshipped by Sages.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 18 January 2021.

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 Chithbavandar