Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 384: Shri Visva Saksini (OM vishvasAkShiNyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is the supreme witness to the whole universe. 

The Divine Mother is supervising and witnessing all the processes and activities in our universe. The functions in the universe are influenced by the Maya. Brahman and the Divine Mother are one and the same. This Namam is relating the Brahman, the Divine Mother and the Maya which is affecting the universal actions. Maya starts within itself, stays for certain time and settles within it. There is no harm done to the Divine Mother due to Her involvement with Maya and its actions in the universe. Actually, Maya is helping in the universal creation process. The Divine Mother is eternally infinite and nothing such as Maya can affect Her. 

Brahman or the Divine Mother witnessing the universe is explained in this Namam. The universe goes through the creation, sustaining and destruction. After dissolution, this universe is disappearing by being absorbed by the Divine Mother without any trace. The Divine Mother is witnessing all these universal actions, as they happen in real time. 

The Divine Mother looks at the Universe as Her own form. She knows everything that is happening in the universe. She is far beyond the universe; She is not affected by any change happening in the Universe. She does not have any attachment or like or dislike to any action in the universe, excepting that She is witnessing all the movements with such supreme position. This Namam is in a way an explanation for earlier Namam 383: Sadyah Prasadini in giving Her blessing. She directs the creation, sustaining and dissolution of the universe. 

The Divine Mother does not have starting or ending; She is eternally infinite. She is the eye of the whole universe. She is witnessing everything that is happening in the universe at all times. 

Aksin is eye; There are names for Her as Kamakshi and Meenakshi to mean Her wonderful eyes; Adi Shankara had described in Soundarya Lahari about the Divine Mother’s various forms of eyes and the expressions shown through Her eyes. People like Abirami Bhatter had in many forms referred about Her eyes in Abirami Anthathi, 

for example in verse 79 Abirami Anthathi:

விழிக்கே அருளுண்டு அபிராம வல்லிக்கு வேதம் சொன்ன

வழிக்கே வழிபட நெஞ்சுண்டு எமக்கு அவ்வழி கிடக்க

பழிக்கே சுழன்று  வெம்பாவங்களே செய்து பாழ்நரகக்

குழிக்கே அழுந்தும் கயவர்தம்மோடு என்ன கூட்டினியே. 

This verse 79 is the kreetam in Abirami Anthathi; when the Abirami Bhatter sung this verse, the Goddess took Her left ear rings and threw in the sky which was much brighter than a Pournami (Full Moon) brightness and blessed Batter.

 

The Divine Mother as Madurai Meenakshi.

The Divine Mother as Thirukadaiyur Abirami.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 12 February 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