Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 237: Shri Catuh sasti koti yogini gana servita (OM mahAchatuHShaShTikoTi yoginIgaNasevitAyai namaH)

 In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is attended by sixty-four Crores of (640 millions) yogins. 

Matured souls are there everywhere; they may be called yogins. It is customary to consider them in female form. All such very able sixty-four Crore yogins have many desires to complete in their life cycles. Of the souls having varying beauty and different happiness levels are worshipping the Divine Mother; proper use of knowledge and wisdom is also representing the Divine Mother’s worship. 

There are eight main yogins serving the Divine Mother as in the Sri Vidya Chakra. They are: Brahmi, Mahesvari, Kaumari, Vaisnavi, Varahi, Mahendri, Chamundi and Mahalakshmi. Each of these yogins has eight Saktis, making a total of sixty-four. Each Sakti, in turn, has one crore (ten millions) of yogins as part of herself. These sixty-four crores of yogins reside in nine cakaras, starting from Trailokyamohana in Sri Chakara; they all worship the Divine Mother as referred in this Namam. The number nine, representing the nine walls in the Srichakra is referred as maha in ancient Hindu vedic languages. 

There are many thousands of energies of desire (iccasakti) going round the minds of the devotees. These groups of yogins imply such energies circulating around. 

There is legend about these sixty-four crore yogins’ names. Acharya Bhaskararaya , who wrote the detailed explanations for the Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam, did a Mahayagam in Varanasi (Kasi). Some Gurus who were jealous wanted to discredit Bhaskararaya. They called him to name all the sixty-four crore yogins. When Bhaskararaya started saying those names continuously nonstop, they accepted their defeat and surrendered. One Guru, Kungunanthar understood that it was the Divine Mother saying those yogins, sitting on Bhaskararaya’s shoulders, names through Bhaskararaya. He paid respects to Bhaskararaya on his devotion to the Divine Mother, the Supreme Self. This is yet another incident to show that the Divine Mother comes to the devotee’s help without ever asking for help. Another incident was to save Abirami Bhatter when he was singing his 79^th Abirami song waiting to be put into fire by the King’s orders, by throwing out Her left ear ring into the air to be brighter than full moon and to show that it was indeed a full moon day to the King present there. 

In later years when Bhaskararaya wrote the commentaries on Divine Mother’s glories, he did not disclose them fully, leaving the rest for the devotee to learn from a Guru. This way he tried to keep the secret materials to be learnt through the Guru.

Goddess Tripurasundari pictured in Sri Chakra Bindu abode.

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 16 September 2020.

 

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.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 236: Shri Catuh sasti kalamayi (OM chatuHShaShTikalAmayyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described.

The Divine Mother’ form is an extension of visible or the tangible aspects of the sixty-four arts. 

All the sixty-four arts Kala or splendours are part of the universe, that is, the Divine Mother. When properly used, they become part of the Divine Mother’s worship and lead the devotee to the Supreme Being. 

Kala means ‘a part or a fraction’; it is also means art. Every Kala as art, is part of the splendor of the Self. 

Lord Krishna says in Gita: “whatever is glorious, prosperous or strong, know that to be a manifestation of my Splendor.” (X.41) 

Kala is a superficial ability for display. Whenever there is ease of use or performance, art is involved there. 

Arjuna earned the attribute as characteristic of the ‘Savysacin’, because of his natural ability to shoot the arrows with left hand. It was the symbol of art. 

Vedas say that Indra is a symbol of Atman (eternal, imperishable and beyond time). Arjuna is the son of Indra, art is the creation of Atman. 

Everything that is referred to as art is part of the Divine Mother’s glory. Vamakesvara Tantra mentions that sixty-four books named Kalas. The Divine Mother shines through those Kalas in these books. 

It is found that there are different versions of sixty-four arts. Bhaskararaya had a list of them. According to him, the Divine Mother is embodiment of all sixty-four arts, as shown below. 

 64 KALAS OR 64 ARTS FOUND IN ANCIENT INDIAN CULTURE

1.  Geet vidya—art of Singing.
2. Vadya vidya—art of playing on musical instruments.
3. Nritya vidya—art of Dancing.
4. Natya vidya—art of Theatricals.
5. Alekhya vidya—art of Painting.
6. Aiseshakacchedya vidya—art of painting the face and body with color
7. Tandula-kusuma-bali-vikara—art of preparing offerings from rice and flowers.
8. Pushpastarana—art of making a covering of flowers for a bed.
9. Dasana-Vasananga-raga—art of applying preparations for cleansing the teeth, cloths and painting the body.
10. Mani-Bhumika-Karma—art of making the groundwork of jewels.
11. Sayya-Racana—art of covering the bed.
12. Udaka-Vadya—art of playing on music in water.
13. Udaka-Ghata—art of splashing with water.
14. Citra-Yoga—art of practically applying an admixture of colors.
15. Malya-Grathana-Vikalpa—art of designing a preparation of wreaths.
16. Sekharapida-Yojana—art of practically setting the coronet on the head.
17. Nepathya-Yoga—art of practically dressing in the tiring room.
18. Karnapatra-Bhanga—art of decorating the tragus of the ear.
19. Sugandha-Yukti—art of practical application of aromatics.
20. Bhushana-Yojana—art of applying or setting ornaments.
21. Aindra-Jala—art of juggling.
22. Kaucumara—a kind of art.
23. Hasta-Laghava—art of sleight of hand.
24. Citra-Sakapupa-Bhakshya-Vikara-Kriya—art of preparing varieties of delicious food.
25. Panaka-Rasa-Ragasava-Yojana—art of practically preparing palatable drinks and tinging draughts with red color.
26. Suci-Vaya-Karma—art of needleworks and weaving.
27. Sutra-Krida—art of playing with thread.
28. Vina-Damuraka-Vadya—art of playing on lute and small drum.
29. Prahelika—art of making and solving riddles.
30. Durvacaka-Yoga—art of practicing language difficult to be answered by others.
31. Pustaka-Vacana—art of reciting books.
32. Natikakhyayika-Darsana—art of enacting short plays and anecdotes.
33. Kavya-Samasya-Purana—art of solving enigmatic verses.
34. Pattika-Vetra-Bana-Vikalpa—art of designing preparation of shield, cane and arrows.
35. Tarku-Karma—art of spinning by spindle.
36. Takshana—art of carpentry.
37. Vastu-Vidya—art of engineering.
38. Raupya-Ratna-Pariksha—art of testing silver and jewels.
39. Dhatu-Vada—art of metallurgy.
40. Mani-Raga Jnana—art of tinging jewels.
41. Akara Jnana—art of mineralogy.
42. Vrikshayur-Veda-Yoga—art of practicing medicine or medical treatment, by herbs.
43. Mesha-Kukkuta-Lavaka-Yuddha-Vidhi—art of knowing the mode of fighting of lambs, cocks and birds.
44. Suka-Sarika-Prapalana (Pralapana) -- art of maintaining or knowing conversation between male and female cockatoos.
45. Utsadana—art of healing or cleaning a person with perfumes.
46. Kesa-Marjana-Kausala—art of combing hair.
47. Akshara-Mushtika-Kathana—art of talking with fingers.
48. Dharana-Matrika—art of the use of amulets.
49. Desa-Bhasha-Jnana—art of knowing provincial dialects.
50. Nirmiti-Jnana—art of knowing prediction by heavenly voice
51. Yantra-Matrika—art of mechanics.
52. Mlecchita-Kutarka-Vikalpa—art of fabricating barbarous or foreign sophistry .
53. Samvacya—art of conversation.
54. Manasi Kavya-Kriya—art of composing verse mentally.
55. Kriya-Vikalpa—art of designing a literary work or a medical remedy.
56. Chalitaka-Yoga—art of practicing as a builder of shrines called after him.
57. Abhidhana-Kosha-Cchando-Jnana—art of the use of lexicography and meters.
58. Vastra-Gopana—art of concealment of cloths.
59. Dyuta-Visesha—art of knowing specific gambling.
60. Akarsha-Krida—art of playing with dice or magnet.
61. Balaka-Kridanaka—art of using children's toys.
62. Vainayiki Vidya—art of enforcing discipline.
63. Vaijayiki Vidya—art of gaining victory.
64. Vaitaliki Vidya—art of awakening master with music at dawn.

Saraswathi Devi: The Goddess of Arts, Knowledge and Wisdom

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 15 September 2020.

 

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.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 235: Shri Catuh sastyupacaradhya (OM chatuHShaShTyupachArADhyAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described.

The Divine Mother is more beautiful and attractive when worshipped with sixty-four different forms of welcoming and showing respects. These sixty-four different forms of welcoming and showing respects to Her are described in Parasurama’s Kalpasutra. 

The other Tantras describe eight more ceremonies, making a total of seventy-two. Acharya Baskararaya also says about these Upacaras in the Puja Sampradaya (character worship) in his book Varivasyarahasya. These are basically for the people who are not deeply involved in the Divine Mother’s worship and to draw them closer to Her. 

 With increased devotion one can focus on lesser forms of welcoming and showing respect submissions to Her. 

These are five internal offerings and 16 important external offerings to the Divine Mother. These 16 expands into 64 ceremonies. The people can offer these 64 ceremonies to the Divine Mother either in the form of physical materials or with the mind, internally. 

Of these sixty-four ceremonies, sixteen are considered as important. They are known as sodasopacharas (sodasa means sixteen) and are listed as:

1.       Invocation (avadana)

2.       Offering  a seat (asana)

3.       Water for washing the feet (padya)

4.       Offering of water or other materials (arghya)

5.       Water for rinsing the mouth (achamanam)

6.       Bath (snana)

7.       Clothes (vastra)

8.       Ornaments (abharanam)

9.       Fragrance (garidam)

10.    Flowers (pushpa)

11.    Incense (dupa)

12.    A lamp (dipa)

13.    Food (naivedya)

14.    Betal leaves (tambula)

15.    Circumamabulation (pradaksina)

16.    Prostration (namaskarah) 

Sri Adi Sankara lists all ceremonies in slogams form beautifully. It will be a pleasure to understand the meaning and read these slogams.

 

The Goddess in Chanmudi Devi form, sitting on lion with devil's head in her hand. 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 14 September 2020.

 

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 Sithbavandar.