Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 712: Shri “Ee”. (ōṃ yai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother were discussed.

The Divine Mother is the symbol “Ee’.

The Divine Mother is in “Ee” syllable form. Alphabet ‘Ee’ is in Shakti form, which points to speedy action. Walking, dreaming, and sleeping are repeated happenings. Such changing repeatedness is not with the Divine Mother. ‘Ee’ means the Supreme Brahman and it explains this aspect.

The Divine Mother is all over the universe as a dharma. This is the indication of this letter ‘Ee’. Kama is there in higher and lower levels of desires. Kama helps the souls to aim for higher maturity. The desire to reach higher maturity is a form of Kama. Until the soul reaches the Brahman, the soul does not stop. Ordinary humans are satisfied in moving one level up but one moving just a step higher in maturity does not satisfy some others., desire or greed does not have a limit. Desire to reach Brahman is the highest in devotional nature; such souls reach Brahman in current birth itself. We need to pray to the Divine Mother to grant us such highly devotional desires. The Nama ‘Ee’ represents this concept.

‘Ee’ is the third syllable in Vak bhava kootam, as specified in Panchadashi mantra which was given by Shiva to glorify the Divine Mother. EeI’ has the Shakti aspect in it. It is called ‘Kamakala’. Kamesavara is also Kaman, and His Shakti is in ‘Kamakala’ form; it points to Manmatha, the angel of Kamam. ‘A’ represents Vishnu.  His sister (the Divine Mother) and spouse of Shiva is ‘Ee’.

Earlier as Namam 322 . Sadhvi, has been seen. Here it is in the sequebce Shakati, Srphti Kari and Sadjvi. In this context, Shadhvi is seen as a Single Nama.

Brahman, which is one, becomes two-fold for the purpose of creation, dividing into quality (dharma) and things qualified (dharmi). Dharmi is Shiva; then what is dharma? The universe consists of the aggregate (samashti and individual (vyahsti)) forms. Dharma is parahanta, the egoism of the Supreme in the form of the individual. It further divides into masculine and feminine forms. The feminine form becomes the sister of Vishnu and the spouse of Shiva. She is Kamakala. The masculine form, as Vishnu governs the universe.

It is from Ee’, the Kamakala, that creation and bondage of Maya arise. 

The Vamakesvara Tantra says, “Beyond Vowels and the Visarga, beyond the wave-like knowledge that arises for the Bindu, when ‘Ee’ the real nature of light joins with the flow of vibrations, Maya arises.

According to the same Vamakesvara Tantra, Kamakala is the fourth state of souls(turiya). Kamakala is described as red in colour, which is the colour of Rajas. This Guna is the of creation.

 This Namam is chanted as “Om yai namah’.

The Divine Mother is the symbol “Ee”, the Kamakala.

  

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 06 January 2022; updated on 08 March 2025.

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