Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 754: Shri Aparna (ōṃ aparṇāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother (as Parvathi doing Tapas for Shiva) performed Her Tapas without eating even a single leaf, That where She became A-Parna.

Without mother’s care the young child cannot grow properly. The child’s mother takes care with love. Likewise, the Divine Mother takes care of all Her creatures, providing all their needs. A cow with a lot of milk gives not only enough milk to its child; but also gives milk to her care givers. The Divine Mother, the Kamadhenu who is providing for all universal beings, is Aparna .

Parna is leaf. Without a single leaf, the Divine Mother went through severe penance to reach Shiva. She is showing an example that how to reach Brahman (Shiva). One must do the most severe things to control themselves. If the thing we seek is big, then our efforts are to match its big size.

Parvati Devi went through severe penance to reach Shiva. She left out cooked food and lived on leaves falling from trees nearby. Later, She stopped even eating even those leaves, becoming Aparna.

Those who owe without giving back are in debt.  The Divine Mother gives generously to all.  In general, the mantras for offering deities will go through a checking process before being accepted. In the Divine Mothers’ mantras such checking is not needed since she grants without any consideration of any repetition of Her mantras. She is an Aparna.

Aparna is split as apa+ rna; ma is a debt. The divine mother is without debt. Just as the Lotus Leaf does not get wet when immersed in water, the Divine Mother is not beholden to anyone. She fills the universe yet the universe cannot touch Her. She has no attachments and does not owe anything to anybody. It is implied that she fulfils the desire of devotees immediately as She carries no debt.

The Divine Mother owes no debt to anybody.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 17 February 2022, updated -3 May 2025.

References:

1.      The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamis AparnaSan 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