Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 422: Shri Sandhyayai (ōṃ sandhyāyai namaḥ)

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

The Divine Mother is in the form of twilight. 

When two time periods are meeting (here for example day and night) is called Sandhya. There are three such periods in a day are: in the morning night to day, in the evening day to night and at midday forenoon to afternoon. So it is three times a day. To do meditation during calm Sandhya is ideal. To control one’s mind and thinking, Snadhya is the best possible timing. Matured devotees and yogins use these three Sandhya periods for their mediation to achieve divinity. For those involved in other active works, morning and evening Sandhya periods are important to use for the soul’s advancement. 

The ones under hot sun sweating will like a cool shaded place to take rest. Sandhya period is equivalent to such cool place for getting relief for the devotees. Even in Himalayas frozen cold conditions, the pilgrim people will seek relief with the warm fire pot in a tea shop. The happiness through Sandhya is such relief for the devotee. Such Sandhya periods comforting the souls are considered as the Divine Mother’s rupam. When the devotee merges himself with Gayatri mantra, it is called Sandhya also. On meditating, when the devotee reaches and merges with Brahman, it is called Sandhya also. When the devotee realizes the Lord Shiva and the Divine Mother’s unison, it is also called Sandhya. 

According to Puranas, when Brahma was doing the meditation Sandhya Devi emerged. If the devotee prays to that Goddess, he gets the benefits of meditation, which the devotee has to make full use of it. Sandhya Devi created such calm periods for meditation. She is supposed to come out from Sun as Brahma shakti. The creation, sustaining and dissolution of the universe are one set of acts by Brahmam; this happens from morning Sandhi to evening Sandhi. 

The brightness of the Brahman is reflected during the devotee’s meditation. When the devotee realizes Brahman and the soul are the same during his meditation, it is called Sandhya shakti. 

Madavacarya says that the Divine Mother is known as Sandhya as She is worshipped at that three Sandhya twilights. 

Kalika Purana tells the story that Sandhya (which is also means “meditation”) is the celestial beauty that arose in the mind of Brahma as he sat in meditation. 

Reka Purana says, “The shakti known as Ida is Kali, Pingala is Lakshmi, and Sushmna. is Ekavira.  Sandhya is the combination of all three.” 

Sandhya is the symbol of beauty sacredness and auspiciousness which is indeed, a form of the Divine Mother.

Sandhya (san + dhya) means that,”She who is to be meditated upon with focus on one point”. During meditation the moment in which the  meditator realizes that he is none other than the Supreme is called Sandhya. 

The Shruti says that the knower’s call Brahman, the witness to everything by the name Sandhya. During Sandhya (twilight), worshippers meditate on the Divine Mother, who is the Brahman, as manifested in the Sun. 

One interpretation says that Sandhya is that the “mental sheath” (manomayakosa) among the five sheaths or kosas that cover the Atman. 

According to Dhaumya, a one year old girl is called Sandhya. 

 The Divine Mother is brighter than the Sun.

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 22 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