Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 690: Shri Kosa natha (ōṃ kōśanāthāyai namaḥ)

From Namam 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is the protector of the Treasury, where all the material wealth of the universe is held. She is also the protector of the five covers of living beings.

The Divine Mother heads the treasury of the universe. Based on the level of material wealth, a kingdom’s status reaches its peak. Where there is sufficient water, land, and wealth, the citizens have a good life; where good people are living, all the resources are turned into material wealth. As material wealth, land, precious gems/jewels, and other valuables are always owned by the Divine Mother. When we understand this, we start to realize the power and glories of the Divine Mother, that too in very small measure; Her true power and glories are immeasurable.

Vanaspathi is a forest tree; its seed has a life aspect, and its skin and flesh are worth nothing. Likewise, souls have all five Kosas, meaning covers. .These Kosas are called Antamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya, and Anandhamaya. The Divine Mother is the protector of these covers.

The human body’s five kosas are hiding the soul (Kosam is also called the sheath for swords). She is the Mother for these five kosas to control, to make available appearance, creation, thought, ahankara and happiness. (Also refer to Namam 428 Pafica Kosanatara sthita.- Which means the Divine Mother lives within these five sheaths.)

This Namam follows the earlier Namam 689, Rajyalakshmi. A rich treasury is essential for the security of a nation. Two basic elements that control the destiny of a nation are a rich treasury and a strong army.

The word kosa also means dictionary.  The Divine Mother is understood as ruling over the entire world of words; She is ruling the Paramjyothi, para, ajapa, nishkala, and sambhavi mantras.

The Divine Mother is the protector of the universal treasury.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 15 December 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 Sithbavandar