Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 17: Shri Vadana Smara Mangalya Grha Torana Cillika (OM vadanasmaramA ~ NgalyagRRihatoraNachillikAyai namaH)

The Divine Mother’s shining eyebrows below her forehead are like the house of Kaman or Manmathan’s archways. Kaman is the god of Love.

The front of the house is usually built with a shade or cover (like a portico) to safe guard against rain and sun shine damages. This is also called a Thoranam or an archway.

 In every society, we come across, a person or two who may act like a Kaman or a man of love, who dresses up well to look beautiful. This type of person was called a Kaman or Manmathan in olden times.

The Divine Mother’s face is described to be like Kaman’s shining auspicious house. Her shinning two eyebrows below her shinning forehead are equated to decorated archways or Thoranams in Kaman’s house. The Divine mother’s curved eyebrows are considerably beautiful. This beauty cannot be expressed in simple words. The beauty’s residing place is the Divine Mother’s two shinning eyebrows. Such is the Divine Mother’s immense beauty which is surely far beyond the normal human’s imagination.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 10 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 16: Shri Mukha Canda Kalakaba Mrganabi Visesaka (OM mukhachandrakala ~ NkAbhamRRiganAbhivisheShakAyai namaH)

The Divine Mother has a shinning musk mark (Black coloured Kasthuri Thillagam) on her forehead to add beauty to her. This is like Moon having a black spot.

It is said that for the Moon, the black spot is accumulation of its earlier sins showing up. But that still gives a beautiful look for the Moon from growing phase Astami (eighth) day up to full moon day. This black spot will also be visible from full moon day to weaning phase or Theiperai Astami (eighth) day. Looking at things positively, even a black spot is enhancing the beauty of the Moon.

Similarly a mother of the child dresses up the child beautifully but to avoid the jealous looks by others on the child, she will add a black mark or pottu in one the cheeks of the child. This again adds to the beauty of the child.

As we have seen in earlier namam, the Divine Mother’s forehead is half circled as in Moon’s growing eighth day. The musk mark ( Black Kasthuri Thillagam) enhances the beauty of her forehead.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 09 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 15: Shri Astami Candra Sthala Sobhita (OM aShTamIchandravibhrAjadalikasthalashobhitAyai namaH)

The meaning of this namam is that the Divine Mother’s forehead is like the eighth Thithi or day in growing or Sukla (Valarperai) shining crown Moon.

The Divine Mother’s forehead under her special kreedam also came out of the Yoga fire lit by the sages (Devargal) seeking her protection against Pandsuran, an evil force.

During the growing or Sukla or valaerperai eighth night the moon appears in a half circle, with bottom portion half filled. The Divine Mother’s forehead shines under her crown with half filled moon as in growing phase. The sciences which interpret the human body features indicate that a half moon circle like forehead is a good sign of highly intelligence.

During the weaning or Krishnapatcha theiparai eight night also the moon has the half circle as earlier described growing phase eighth day. 

Incidentally the theiperai Astami or eighth day is an ideal day to pray to Lord Bhairavar, a version of Lord Siva.

The Divine mother’s forehead shines with cool rays having no fault at all, which is like a growing eigth day moon’s half circle.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 08 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 14: Shri Kuruvinda Mani Srent Kanat Kotira Mansita (OM kuruvindamaNishreNIkanatkoTIramaNDitAyai namaH)

The meaning of this namam is that the Divine Mother is wearing a Kodeeram Crown with many rows of lotus coloured reddish gems. The point is that the Divine Mother does not ask for this special jewelry. It is the devotee who wishes to see the Divine Mother in that beautiful state.

Kuruvindam is a special lotus coloured reddish jewel. By adoring the Divine mother with it, all our desires are met. This gives us lead to learn good things. Prosperity in our life will improve. 

Advancement in profession will be there. Faith in praying to the Divine Mother will increase. Even to think of it will give many great things in our life.

The Divine Mother’s crown is a special type goes by the name Kodeeram. The divine Mother’s hair and the flower apperance will not be hidden but still be clearly visible to the devotee with this Kodeeram crown. The one worn by male is called Magudam which will hide the hair of the wearer.

For a child a beautiful dress and gold chain is not that it is asking for. It is the child’s mother who wishes that her child ought to look well in beautiful dress and gold chain. For the child a black chain or a gold chain does not matter.

For example, Thirupathi Lord Balaji does not ask for beautiful diamond studded jewelry costing millions of rupees, but the devotees yet wish to offer such beautiful jewelry to the Lord. Similarly offering a Gold 1000 coins chain containing all the names of this Lalitha Sahasranama names inscribed in each gold coin is not what the Kanchi Kamatchi Amman wanted, but yet it was offered by late Kanchi Periyavar. There can be numerous examples of this nature we see and hear that the devotees want to see their preferred deity dressed up with such fine jewelry for their own satisfaction.

An army Captain does not look the same in civilian dress as he is in uniform. Yet he is no different as an individual in normal life. But to represent his official status the Captain still wears the uniform. The Queen Elizabeth in her 90s still wears the ceremonial dresses which go with all such jewelries, not for her own satisfaction but to meet the expectation of her subjects.

A devotee, who wants to unload his sorrows to the Divine Mother, knows that her appearance with such special jewelries is only for his understanding her high status. The Divine Mother is the same kinder person with or without such special jewelry.

The basic principle in dressing up the Divine Mother with many layers of fine jewelries is showing her status to the devotee. The Divine Mother’s original reddish figure is enriched with this lotus coloured Kodeeram Crown having many fine gems in it.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 07 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 13: Shri Campakasoka Punnaga Saugandhika Lasat Kaca (OM champakAshokapunnAgasaugandhikalasatkachAyai namaH)

The meaning of this namam is that the Divine Mother is the one with her hair adorning with fresh flowers such as Campaka, Asoka, Punnagam and Sagandhika.

From this namam onwards, the description of the Divine Mother’s immensely beautiful figure as seen by her devotees begins. It covers a head to toe commentary of the Divine Mother.

There are three parts. It starts with her head. Next is about her body part from throat going down to her waist. The last section covers her waist down to her feet. I will make a comparison here with seven and half year’s Saturn period in one’s astrological chart. The first two and half years will have head or mental issues. Second two and half years will affect throat down to waist, meaning the person cannot eat well at right time and will suffer stomach related problems. Last two and half years will affect waist down to toe, meaning the person slipping down or falling down thereby affecting his leg and or his walking.

This thirteenth namam talks about the Divine Mothers head. Earlier namam had described that the Divine Mother rose out of Yoga fire lit by sages. Those sages were seeking her help to stop the Pandasuran (an evil force) from harming them. When the Divine Mother came out of the fire, first her head had come out. The Divine Mother’s hair is full of original fragrance. The flower Campaka, Asoka, Punnagam and Saugandhika get their fragrance enriched from the original fragrance of the Divine Mother and not the other way about. The Divine mother’s hair has infinite treasure of fragrance. What a person normal smelling outside is very little portion measured from the Divine Mother’s original fragrance.

Comparing an episode on one of the Pandiaya king’s doubt. The king wanted to know if a normal lady’s hair had fragrance of its own. One Tamil poet, with Lord Siva’s assurances, argued in Pandiyan’s court that normal lady’s hair would have the fragrance of its own. The poet sought the earlier announced reward from the king. Nakeerer, an eminent poet and learned man who was in that court argued against the poet’s point of view and refused to recommend the reward for the poet. Then, Lord Siva appeared in Pandiya king’s court to support the poet’s argument. Nakeerar was very strong not to accept poet’s and lord Siva’s point of view, saying that the normal lady’s hair had fragrance of its own. Lord Siva even showed his anger by opening up his third eye. Nakeerer stood by his point that normal lady’s hair would not have original fragrance excepting that of the Divine Mother’s hair which only would have the original fragrance. The episode goes further in that the Lord Siva blessed Nakeerer for his strong point even against the Lord Siva. 

This all goes to prove the point that the Divine Mother’s hair has her own infinite treasure of fragrance.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 06 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 12: Shri Nijarua Prabha Pura Majjad Brahmanda Mandala (OM nijAruNaprabhApUramajjad brahmANDamaNDalAyai namaH)

The entire universe is immersed in the red effulgence. This is the from the Divine Mother’s powerful form.

It is a practice by sages to visualize the Divine Mother in reddish colour during their morning meditation. This red colour is said to be her true form. Again referring to Abirami Bhatter’s the very first song in Abirami Anthathi, he refers to the Divine Mother as the early morning sun rays in red colour.

The Divine Mother has immense red colour to rule the entire universe. But she only shows the limited red colour to the devotees for them to enjoy her full kindness to them. We cannot get or see this kindness in any others or in anything else. She is the ultimate source of power to the whole universe.

 As practised in everywhere, temples after the prayers Thiruneer (vepoothi) and Thirumannu are packed and given out from Male deities. This white colour represents the Male nature of the Lord in action. It is a practice from ancient times not to take out any whitish thing from temples, as it is said to be owned by the Lord (Siva).

After Devi’s prayers, the Kunkumam (red in colour) is given out to the devotees. This again confirms the Divine Mother’s nature in red colour.

The Chinese people, who got most principles of worship from Hindu sages and Buddha’s teachings originating from Hinduism, consider the red colour as auspicious in everything they do. All these have relevance to the Divine Mother’s reddish form in ruling the universe.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 05 February 2020.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 11: Shri Panca Tanmatra Sayaka (OM pa ~ nchatanmAtrasAyakAyai namaH)

The Divine Mother holds five arrows made of subtle elements in her front right hand. Mind is acting through these five elements.

These five elements are the five senses of sight, taste, smell, touch and sound. They are represented as subtle arrows from the mind. The mind had been earlier related to sugarcane bow in Divine Mother’s other front hand. When the bow bends more as in sugarcane bow, the arrows will go further. When the bow does not bend as in the case of steel bow, the arrows cannot go further.

With spiritual practices, the mind can be kept supple and thus subtle. During deep sleep the mind is not functioning and these five elements are also not effective as well.

In temple worshipping, the food offered is accepted as the Divine Mother’s blessings. The deity may be made of solid material but it is accepted as the Divine Mother is present there in that form. When we go round the deity the Divine Mother is not only present in the deity but is present in all things we see around us. The Mind has to gradually accept such things in life. The flower which had been placed on the deity, the vepoothi, kum kum and sandal paste offered to us in the temples are to be accepted as the Divine Mother’s blessings as desired. Any sound we hear or made in the temple is to be considered as divine blessings to the devotees’ ears. The\ other fragnant materials are used in the temple to create a wanting in humans to be present in the temple. Thus the mind is getting to sense such things in order to grow in maturity.

In Namams 8 to 11, we have seen so far, there are supposed to be mantras for warfare weapons’ use. In earlier days, the divine people like Rama and Krishna might have used such mantras but those may NOT be relevant in current times.

We have seen up to first 11 Namams, the souls’ creation and its objective. The objective is essentially to reach the Almighty through the Divine Mother’s kind assistance all through the life of the souls.

C N Nachiappun
Singapore, 04 February 2020.