Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 653: Shri Yogini (ōṃ yōginyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is constantly united with Supreme Shiva (Para Shiva); She possesses the power of Yoga. 

She is called Yogini. To mature, the soul uses Yoga Shastra to learn the proper thinking process. Through such Shastra, he learns to teach his knowledge to others. He understands the universal structure, creatures etc. from such shastra learning. He matures to a higher level through such learning. The Divine Mother is the form of Yoga Shastra, who is spreading all through universe. She is an example or reference point for people learning Yoga shastra. The soul must go through the eight stages (Yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi) to achieve maturity; At every stage the Divine Mother is present and by praying to Her, the soul or the human achieves maturity. 

Dharma, Artha, Kama and moksha are four rewards each devotee needs. If he can get these four items well, that is the Yogam for him in this current life. If he gets wealth and happiness only, it is called bogam. Finally, what lets the Jiva (soul) to merge with Brahman is called Yogam. The Divine Mother being the Yogini, guides the devotee who prays to Her, to merge with Brahman. 

Yogam is merging ultimately with Brahman. The mind, due to desire, through sensing organ eye, looks at outside things to become part of it. Yogam stops the actions through sensing organs to give determination to reach the Brahman. It is not enough to separate from the earlier associations with humanly pleasures but to lead to merge with Brahman is the action of the Yogam. 

The mind always seeks something outside through sensing devices. Yogam helps to stop such external actions to turn the mind to look inward to reach the Brahman. This can be achieved only by mature souls. Lord Krishna in Gita (2.50) talks about “yoga as a skill in action” Yoga is an art, there is beauty in doing it, with perfection. If properly done, yoga is making all opposing forces to bring to agreement with clear determination without looking for any specific reward and not being upset about win or lose, having the experience alone as satisfaction with balanced mindset. 

Association with outside things causes sorrow; what is perceived as happiness initially, later turns into sorrow. Even if it is happiness, it cannot be fully felt, and which can be lost. So, to ultimately merge with Brahman is the act of yoga. The Divine Mother is such form, and She is called Yogini. 

“Yoga can be said to be the restraint of mental activity” as mentioned in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra (1.2). Yoga is stopping the activities of the mind and making it abide in Pure Consciousness. Yoga is oneness of the Jiva (soul) and Brahman. The Divine Mother is constantly in union with Lord Shiva.
The Gita says, “Equanimity is yoga”, (II.48) and “know that yoga is freedom from attachment to pain.” (IV.23). Another verse in Gita (II.50) teaches, “yoga is skill in action.” Skill exists in performing actions, but not taking pride in that act, performing fruitful actions, but having no concern for the fruit. The Divine Mother is Yoga shakti. 

Mantra shastra describes seven yoginis starting with Dakini (Please refer to Namas 475 to 534) There are countless yogis as indicated by the mantra “Mahacatuhsahsti-koti yogini gana sevita (Namam 237). The Divine Mother is the greatest Yogini of them all and their Isvari. The eight planetary deities Mangala to Sankata are also called yoginis.

The Divine Mother is united with Lord Shiva constantly.

 C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 08 November 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.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 652: Shri Vedya Varjita (ōṃ vēdyavarjitāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother knows everything; there is nothing left for Her to know. She is omniscient. 

There is nothing that cannot be understood by the Divine Mother; She understands everything in this universe. She fully knows all the cit or knowledge. Such wisdom is within Her, it spreads all through the universe. She is omniscient and there is no comparison to it. All souls and universal creatures all are under Herself, the creator. She is in all these forms. immature souls with all such limited knowledge given to them, try to understand Her in very small measure. Great souls seek Her grace to gain more wisdom to understand and become yogis. Therefore, the Divine Mother is called Vedya Varjita. 

She has nothing left to learn. She has created this vast universe. She knows everything. She does not have partial knowledge about everything and does not have to wait to understand other materials. As She knows everything, there is nothing left for Her to know. As She is not visualizable, all Her creations needed to be visualized by the souls using the attributes, colour, Guna, and actions only are known to them. Due to all these the Divine Mother is called Vedya Varjjita. She is Omniscient. There is nothing material or spiritual that is unknown to Her. She is beyond all that is known.

The Divine Mother (in Sarasvati form) knows everything

 C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 07 November 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

 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 651: Shri Vijjnatri (ōṃ vijJṇātryai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother knows the whole truth of the physical universe. 

She is with knowledge of both Physical materials and spiritual experience. Sun’s brilliance cannot be seen by our naked eye; what we can see is a minute brightness of the Sun. That Sun light expands and explains his brightness on its own. For all items with brightness or without brightness, the Sun’s bright light helps to identify and understand them. 

The Divine Mother’s immense knowledge is such a similar huge thing. As She is holding and explaining such knowledge, we cannot understand such full knowledge. So, She has the name Vijjnatri to reflect the knowledge source She is. 

She has understood all the truth about all universal things. She is not visible, yet She is controlling the universe. How to believe such a thing? When we think that this universe is functioning smoothly without anyone controlling it, we may start to believe that there is no need for a creator. However, for anything in this universe, we see a creator behind such a thing. In similar line of thought, to create this universe, an immense Shakti is needed. The Divine Mother is the Shakti which creates and regulates the universe. Our souls with limited knowledge, manifest into higher knowledge level which is behind all understanding of the universe. If we cannot understand anything, we can say that there are not many things in this universe. The Divine Mother with Her immense knowledge lives in every soul as Vijjnatri to educate the souls. 

Jnana and Vijjnana are used simultaneously to mean knowledge. For example, “Brahman is Sathyam, jnanam and anandam (existence, knowledge and infinity) and again “Brahman can be viewed as Vijjnanam and anandam (Knowledge and bliss).” However, the distinction is that all material knowledge is vijjana and spiritual knowledge is jnana. The knowledge which is known through study is vijnana and that arising from (spiritual) experience is jnana. In a way, vijjnana is translated as knowledge and jnana as wisdom. 

So, this Nama can be interpreted as “She who knows everything that is material or physical. Also, it can mean that She knows through special experience. Vijjnantri also means “She who protects all knowledge.”

The Divine Mother (in Sarasvati form) knows the whole truth

 C N Nachiappun

Singapore, 06 November 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 650: Shri Drushya rahita (ōṃ dṛśyarahitāyai namaḥ)

The omnipresent Divine Mother has nothing that is different from Her. 

She is beyond all universal things which have originated from Her. The things that are visible to our senses, mind and thinking are non-permanent. For the Divine Mother, there is nothing to be seen. Those things seen in our deep sleep are not actionable and they are not to be seen as the Divine Mother. Universal creatures and other living things all have ‘chit’ attributes. The person who is seeing, the act of seeing and things seen are the three key aspects. Actual seeing and things that are seen all have chit attributes. Time and place related also have chit attributes. The Divine Mother is eternally in chit form. She is forever in Her Own self.  There is nothing to be seen by Her, as all universal things have originated from Her. 

She cannot to be understood fully or seen. The reason being the created universe, its attributes, actions, forms are all within Her. The Divine Mother is in Shakti form. She is not visualizable or visible. The Divine Mother is the Mother to nature, and She is eternal. So whatever is in Her is not seen. 

One needs to see only things that are distinct from that self. There is nothing of any kind that is different from the Divine Mother in the universe. Thus, She has nothing to see in this universe.

The Divine Mother has nothing to see in this universe.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 05 November 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 649: Shri Adrushya (ōṃ adṛśyāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is not and cannot be perceived by the sense organs. 

She is not reachable by our eyes. While creating the universe, She is keeping Herself in a non-created or hidden form. She never does the promotion of Her actions. When someone hits us, we feel the pain, but we cannot show the pain to others. Likewise, how to bring the things beyond our senses to our understanding? She is not visible to our senses. When we go beyond reasoning by senses, we can visualize the Divine Mother through our intellect. Using wisdom rather than the senses approach is the ideal way to reach the Divine Mother. She is only realizable through our wisdom. 

She is not perceivable. Drushya means to be able to see, which is understandable or visualizable. In Vedic terms, the word Drushya means knowledgeable.  Adurhsya means non-understandable or non-visualizable, which is beyond our senses. We have been created by Her and we cannot understand Her fully; we can see other things in this universe and yet we cannot understand or perceive the Divine Mother fully. We can see an elephant made of wood, and then we are missing the wood from which that elephant had been made. So, if this is the case with wood and wooden elephants, how can we perceive the Divine Mother who created us and this massive universe? 

Only the items which have three Guna based attributes are subject to our senses. The Divine Mother is beyond the three Gunas. As such She cannot be perceived in any way through the senses. Authoritative versions often refer to Her in this way: “Your form without qualities is not seen by the human eyes and the Shakti that is beyond these gunas is not easily reached by humans”.

The  Divine Mother cannot be perceived by our senses.

C N Nachiiappun

Singapore, 04 November 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 648: Shri Lila klrpta brahmanda mandala (ōṃ lilāklṛptabrahmāṇḍamaṇḍalalyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother has created and maintained the universe purely as a simple sport (Lila).Klrpta means smooth, disciplined and  good functioning. 

She has and is ever creating billions of creatures and the whole universe as a sport as Her play. We can do great jobs without extra effort or may struggle very hard in fulfilling our important jobs. But making and running the universe is a real monumental job and a great wonder. The Divine Mother creates, maintains and dissolves during pralaya the whole universe as simple sport. What we can see in this universe may be created by us in dream or sleeping state. Like our dream state creations, the Divine Mother is creating and ruling the whole universe with much ease. Enjoying the Divine Mother’s sport is a form of good prayer to Her. 

“Without any effort is the key phrase here. The Divine Mother is creating this massive universe; it is like a simple sport for Her. Through Her different forms, She creates the universe sportingly. 

Every item or creation in this universe by the Divine Mother has smooth functioning. From the five elements (Sun, Vayu or air, water, fire, earth) to the minute creatures all function well. Even though She does these sportingly, all items in this universe are perfect in their creation, where no other defect can be found. 

How well defined and firm is the organization of her universe! A machine created by even the greatest expert becomes outdated with time. Wonder as to how precisely and with what great diversity has, She, the Divine Mother, put together this cosmic universe (machine) consisting of the Sun, the Moon, the millions of the stars, towering mountains and vast oceans which keep on working for many billions long years. And all done by Her as a simple sport! What is said about creation is equally applicable to maintenance and dissolution of the universe (machine, She who put the cosmos together can guard it and take it apart as well). 

Devi Stava says, “O Mother, even Lord Shiva is powerless to create, protect and destroy Brahma, Vishnu and other devas; but to you, governing the universe is just Lila (Sport).

      The Goddess the Divine Mother creates, maintains

and dissolves the Universe as a simple sport.

C N Nachiiappun

Singapore, 03 November 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

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 647: Shri Lopamudrarcita (ōṃ lōpāmudrārcitāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is worshipped by Lopamurdra, the wife of the sage Agastya. 

Lopamudra, the wife of the great sage Agastya was a leading worshipper of the Divine Mother; she had to be the benchmark reference for all the Divine Mother’s worshippers. She, the Lopamudra is compared to chin mudra in wisdom aspects. All the Divine Mother worshippers use their wisdom to increase their worship to the Divine Mother. 

Sage Agastya’s wife was chosen for her all attributes by the great sage; she grew up as a princess. She is one of the twelve internal worshippers of the Divine Mother. She experienced Atmananda and gave to others. She discovered the Hathividya mantra in Srividya. When Hagrever hesitated to teach Shri Lalitha Trisathi to sage Agastya and Lopamudra, the Divine Mother appeared and recommended to him to reveal the Lalitha Trisathi to them as they were Her best devotees. Lopamudra is considered as the mantra Hathividya and  is called Lopamudra mantra. 

The Pancadasi mantra (15 syllables) is also called Lopamudra mantra. Thus, this Namam can be interpreted as” the Divine Mother is worshipped using Pancadasi mantra. 

The word Lopamudra can be interpreted as “One who stops trivial pleasures”. (lopa is less; mud is pleasure; ra is one who blocks) Worldly pleasures are indeed trivial as compared to reaching Brahman. Kerala Poet and Writer Eruttacchan said that “even Indra’s status may be obtained but for what: It is worthless’, this is in comparison to ultimate to Internal Salvation. 

Lopamudrarcita can also mean that the Divine Mother is worshipped by yogis, who, wishing to reach the infinite unequalled bliss, discard all trivial worldly pleasures.

The Goddess the Divine Mother was worshipped by Lopamudra.

C N Nachiiappun

Singapore, 02 November 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