Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 868: Shri Mugdha (ōṃ mugdhāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother has captivating beauty.

Universal beings have visible and hidden forms. For example, water turning into steam is not visible to human eyes. That steam soon turns into a cloud in white and black colours. It displays its beauty in the sky. When water Is turned into ice as in Himalayan mountains, later when ice is melting, it is flowing as water through waterfalls and running as a river. Thus the water is displaying its beauty in many forms. The Divine Mother created all universal beings; and they display their beauty in many forms. Such pure beauty can be a pleasure to human eyes and senses. Without any difficulty, all universal beings praise other things’ beauty. Such praise is a form of worship to the Divine Mother, who is the creator. She lives in all universal beings’ forms to give them such beauties. The Gopiers were attracted to Kannan’s (Krisna’s) beauty. The Divine Mother’s immense beauty is shown up in many places in the universe. If a devotee is fully absorbed in such beauty of the Divine Mother, it is a form of worship to the Divine Mother.

The Divine Mother’s total beauty is due to Her innocence and distilled mind. She is displaying such beauty, called Mugdha. Without confusion a child showing its beautiful smiling face is also called Mugdha. We see the child laughing at its biological mother, while the mother is standing stunned. This is also called Mugdha. The Divine Mother is appearing in such forms of Mugdha.

Mugdha can be said as someone having a beauty that cannot be described by anyone. The Divine Mother’s lavish beauty has been celebrated by poets and Vedic Gurus for a long time. Even today, the poets are inspired to portray Her in new images. Adi Sankaracarya calls his hymn on the Divine Mother by the name “Soundarya Lahari”, which can be translated as ‘waves of beauty’ or ‘intoxication of beauty’. So unparalleled and fresh is the Divine Mother’s beauty.

 The Divine Mother has captivating beauty. 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 10 June 2022; updated 25 August 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