Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 415: Shri Mano vacam agocara (ōṃ manōvācāmagōcarāyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is beyond the range of our mind and speech. 

She is not reachable through our mind and speech. Internal capability mind and external capability speech are the souls’ or humans’ means of communications. A blind man cannot see the Sun’s brightness; similarly humans cannot understand the Divine Mother’s brightness and Her glories. We basically use our mind and speech to unite the soul. All universal beings using their sensory and other elements are going through samsara cycles. They use these elements according to their ability. 

Mind understands what comes in its way; speech delivers what comes its way. Similarly, the eye sees the things coming its way. The Gocara (the material to be recognized by the sensory organs) should be on their way. Gocara is within the limits; whereas the Divine Mother is agocara beyond the limits of mind and speech. She cannot be measured as well. 

Our mind and speech are two basic means of expressing our knowledge. Reliable knowledge beyond the reach of the eyes and ears is got from the words or sources of trustworthy. The other path to mind is through our own mind. New knowledge arises when our mind analyses what is heard or read. Yet the Divine Mother is far beyond these means of obtaining knowledge. Taittiriya Upanisad (11.9.1) says, “From where speech and mind turn away without reaching.” That is Brahman, the Reality behind all. “ Yato vacha nivartante aprapya manasa saha”. This is the Divine Mother’s non manifested form. 

The mind and speech are illuminated by the Divine Mother. However, mind and speech cannot illuminate Her.  Mind and speech are the two attributes of our chit, the consciousness. They have to subside or reduce before the Divine Mother can be known. The electricity makes the lamp to shine; but the same lamp cannot make back the electricity to shine. 

Another way to look at this Namam is “She who is unknowledgeable by minds and words that is impure which is mentioned in Sruti, “It is to be perceived by mind alone.”(Katha Upanisad 11.4.11) Adi Shakara’s commentary on Brahma Sutra says,” it is known by pure minds, but unknowable by impure minds”.

The Divine Mother is beyond our mind and speech.

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 15 March 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.

The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Chithbavandar