Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 398: Shri Avyakta (OM avyaktAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is un-manifested; She has no form to show in appearance. 

Avyakta refers to the un-manifested Brahman. “He is not grasped by the eyes, nor the speech, or by other senses not by penance, or by good action.” (Mundaka Upanisad 111.1.8). Vyakta is an identity which can be referred by five senses. 

This Namam is another form of earlier Namam 397 Mulaprakriti. Purusa (Lord Shiva) and Mulaprakriti (the Divine Mother) are inseparable, which the Ardhanarisvara form represents. Even beyond creation there exits Purusa form; once a manifested and later un-manifested is Prakrti form. Brahman with Maya represents Avyakta form. Maya is also un-manifested for certain times and as is in the Avyakta form also. 

Water is sea water, river water, well water, pond water, spring water and frozen ice forms. The same water due to hot weather conditions turns into steam and becomes as cloud. So water appears to alternate between vyakta and avyakta states. Likewise, the Prakrti, the Divine Mother exists in avyakta form also. Meditation is helpful to the devotee to control his mind. Like the Divine Mother is in un-manifested state, with meditation, the devotee can keep his mind or thoughts in un-manifested state. 

Avyakta is unseen and un-manifested form. All three gunas are there but are not explicitly seen outside. The Divine Mother is in Avyakta philosophical form. 

In Sankhya philosophy, prakrti is known as pradhana; it is the state where three qualities of sattva, rajas and tamas are not very different. It is un-manifested (avyakta ) state. 

In Vedanta terms undivided (niskala) Brahman, when intent on creation, becomes covered by Maya and turns into sakala Brahman, the one with parts. Avyakta is the first movement of that Maya. (Please see Namam 366: Para with the meaning that the Divine Mother is Supreme; She transcends all). The Divine Mother is in that un-manifested state, for there is nothing in this universe that is not a form of Hers. 

In Linga Purana, avyakta is included among the names of Vishnu who is always assisting the Divine Mother in universal creation: pradhana, avyaya, yoni, avyakta and prakrti. 

 

The Divine Mother, in Bindu is seen by devotee 

only when he can pass through all the stages.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 26 February 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.

The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Chithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 397: Shri Mula Prakrti (OM mUlaprakRRityai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is the first cause of the entire universe. 

Mula is root; prakrti is the essential cause of creation. Pra denotes the three gunas namely Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas. Thus through creation, nature, is endowed with the three qualities. Pra also means pre or before giving reason that prakrti existed before creation, which is the Divine Mother Herself. 

The Divine Mother is the First reason for this universal formation. For all the universal galaxies and beings, since She is the primary cause, She is called Mulaprakrti. For example, the one who makes the household items such as pot, vessel for cooking etc use the base material mud? Before these items were made, the original mud was there. Likewise, before this universe with galaxies and creatures is created, the Divine Mother is there as Mulaprakrti. 

Our every thinking takes a certain form. Yoga helps to avoid effects of incomplete thinking forms. Meditation helps to control our mind. A devotee tries to advance from uncompleted thinking to Mulaprakrti state. By that he is getting ready to reach the Brahman. 

Vak Devis who wrote this Sahasranamam on Shri Lalitha are trying to explain the universal creation by names.  Prakrti, Prakrti-vikrti and Vikrti are three stages of creation. 

Prakrti is the root cause of everything in this universe. There is no earlier source for this Prakrti. Prakrti- vikrti are cause and effect like Mahat and Ahankara. 

Ichashakti, Kriyashakti, Jnanshakti, Kundalini, Para and Mathruka are six shaktis combining to form the Divine Mother. She is the prime reason or original principle behind the entire universal creation or She is the Brahman and is away from the rules of cause and effect. 

Pancaratra Agama says,” Devi Sarasvati is the Mother of the universe, the Mother of Vedas and has no other cause; hence She is called the Primal Cause”. According to Devi Bhagavatha, Durga, Lakshmi, Sarasvati, Savitri and Radha are the forms of this universal cause. 

Srividya mantra is also called Mulaprakrti, which is original cause. This is also said to be in the form of prakasa which stands for the syllable ‘A’ and vimarsa which stands for syllable ‘Ha’. The Sanskrit alphabet starts with A and ends with Ha. These two syllables represent the entire universe. Therefore the Divine Mother, the original cause is the creator of this entire universe which these letters of the alphabet represent. 

Creation is also said to be in six ways or forms: Tamasa (ignorance), Mahat (universal mind),Ahankara (egoism), the five subtle elements, eleven senses  and the deities starting with Dik (deity presiding over the quarters) The Divine Mother is the cause of all these, She is called Mulaprakrti or the original cause. 

According to Bhakararaya ,who is the first known writer of the explanations for Shr Lalitha Shasranamam,  the first two letters of mulaprakrtih ma and la stand for the numbers five and three respectively. They represent the five elements and the avyakta, mahat and ahankara. The Divine Mother is the origin of all these eight; hence She is the original cause. 

Prakkrti is the cause; Vikrti is effect or product. For example cotton is the prakrti and the thread is vikrti; in next level prakrti is thread and vikrti is the garnament. This is the effect one becoming the cause of something in turn. 

Taittiriya Upanisad(11.1) states that of the five great elements, water is prakrti (cause) for earth, fire for water, air for fire and ether for air. Brahman, the Divine Mother is the prakrti for all these elements, especially ether. 

In Sankhya philosophy, Mulaprakrt is one of the two basic principles which themselves have no cause: Purusa and Prakrti. Everything else we see is the result of transformation (virkrti) of that original cause (prakrti). 

The following twenty-three entities are the virktis arising from the original cause; Universal mind, egoism, individual mind, the five tanmantras (sound, touch, form, taste and smell), the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and either), the five sensory organs and five organs of action. 

The sankhya system accepts Prakrti and Isvara (Purusa) as truth. For one who follows Advaita that is in non-dual philosophy the two are the same. 

Swami Vivekananda has said that the tower of Advaita is built on sankhya , but that the crowning piece is purely Advatic or non-dual. He has also said that all the philosophies of the world are reduced in one way or other in Kapila, the founder of Sankhya philosophy. 

In the beginning, there was only the Supreme Self, the Paramatman, which is knowledge-bliss. Dormant in it was the essence of time, later manifesting as visible objects. When the desire for creation arose in the Supreme Atman, the power developed. From this Prakrti, Maya arose which is endowed with the three gunas. When the Paramantman entered the undifferentiated prakrti in the form of Ksetrajna (knower of the field), the principle of Mahat arose. From Mahat, there arose three types of egoisms: sattvic, rajasic and tamasic (also known respectively as vaikarika, taijasa and bhutadi). From the sattvic egoism, arose mind; from rajasic egoism arose the senses and from tamasic egoism arose the five great elements as said in Bhagavata Purana. 

It is to be noted, that the process of creation of the universe is described differently in different sources.

  The Divine Mother, the cause of the universe.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 25 February 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 Chithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 396: Shri Paramesvari (OM parameshvaryai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is the Supreme Sovereign; Parama is the most exalted; the highest protector. The Divine Mother is the most exalted protector of all. 

Isvara is from two parts; Isthuva with meaning the total master of everything, usually referred to Lord Shiva and Vastha with the meaning that the one attracts other things to it. 

Lord Shiva ia called ISvaran and the Divine Mother is “Isvari” for all universal beings. Actually, the Brahman is neither male nor female. Shiva devotees call it as Pramesvaran; the Divine Mother devotees call it as Paramesvari. It is different only in word level. 

Lord Shiva is also called Sadashivan, Paramesvaran or Isvaran. The meaning is that He is the lord with no comparison. The Divine Mother is unquestioned and incomparable Goddess. There is nothing different in Her ruling the whole universe which is under Her. So She is worshipable as “Pramesvari”. 

The one who protects is called isvara in male form or isvari in female form. The devotee if he feels that “there is no one to protect me” is called nirisvara, the one without God. The devotee if he feels solace in the belief that “there is a protector for me” is the one who has God with him. 

The Devi Bhagavata says, “I worship Her that is the Self in all, She who is the First, She who is knowledge”.

The Divine Mother, the Paramesvari.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 24 February 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 Chithbavandar

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 395: Shri Prasiddha (OM prasiddhAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is universally known, worshipped and celebrated for all Her divine attributes by Her devotees. 

Siddhi means is to achieve; Prasiddhi means fame. 

The Divine Mother is displaying Herself for the eyes of Her devotees. There is no other suitable Namam to describe Her presence in this universe than this Namam. “Whole Universe is You” is the implication of this Namam. There is nothing different to Her in this Universe. Through our five sense, we are experiences Her form. When these five sensory elements are calm, we can understand our presence in Her. We need not ask anyone as to “I” or “Her”. We get our soul from the Divine Mother (from Brahman, She is part of Lord Shiva by owning half the body with Him) and we understand that clearly. All universal beings are the Divine Mother’s forms. The sea waves are not against the sea; likewise there is nothing in the universe against the Divine Mother. 

In ancient India, often learned people tried to avoid or be side tracked by others. The great sages like Shri Ramakrishna prayed to the Divine Mother for change of that Pashanda (cold hearted) approach. He even went to the slum areas and cleaned the places to show that was also a prayer to the Divine Mother. This Namam is the proof of that service to the needy is service to God. 

The Divine Mother is well known to all beings in this universe. She, the Prasiddha, is a full form even before we understood Her. There may be argument that there are people saying that they or “I” do not understand or know the Divine Mother. That “I” what they are saying, represents the Divine Mother. Everybody understands self “I” but may not understand the “I” of the Divine Mother. As She is understood and felt by everyone, She is Prasiddha. 

The Divine Mother is celebrated as “Thou alone am I”. There is no one who is aware of “I”, the Divine Mother. Malayalam Poet Ezhuttacchan points out that the sense of “I” may be of two kinds (one on soul level and another on the Divine Mother; both are same.). “O Lord Narayana, Who art Consciousness Bliss itself, Beloved of the Gopis, let there not be sense of “I” in me; and if it is there, let it be that everything is “I”, which is you”. 

As the initial “I” sense (egoism) disappears, the devotee sees everything as oneself. The subject of this sense of “I” in everyone is Universe, which She represents; She is Prasiddha, famous and celebrated.

The Divine Mother, the Prasiddha.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 23 February 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 Chithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 394: Shri Prabha rupa (OM prabhArUpAyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details.

The Divine Mother is effulgence, shining brightly and radiating goodness. 

All the bright rays coming out of the Divine Mother are all forms of Herself. We cannot separate the Sun and its rays; similarly we cannot differentiate the Divine Mother and the bright rays coming from Her. She is in all these rays. For example, the sea waves are there always and the deep sea is holding all the countless waves. We can say that the deep sea is in the countless waveform also. In the same way, this Namam reflects that the Divine Mother and the bright rays are the same, showing Her brightness radiating goodness. 

From Anima Devi, all the Siddhi Devis are the bright rays from the Divine Mother, even though they look independent. The Divine Mother holds such eight Siddhi Devis within her. 

Earlier Namam says that the Divine Mother is accompanied by the eight Siddhis. This Namam adds that  they are forms of the Divine Mother Herself. We cannot find any difference between the attributes and the one who creates and possesses them.

The Divine Mother emanating bright rays.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 22 February 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 Chithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 393: Shri Prabhavati (OM prabhAvatyai namaH)

In Namams 381 to 474, the Divine Mother’s Jnana Yoga worship methods are discussed in details. 

The Divine Mother is effulgent (radiant, shining brightly) She is emanating joy and goodness. 

Praba means light; also it means that one who is very capable /talented. 

The Divine Mother is surrounded by eight Siddhi Devis or bright rays. We can see the Sun, but we cannot separate those rays from the Sun. Likewise, from the brightest the Divine Mother, the rays originate as Her assisting ornamental Devis. These Devis are countless. The Divine Mother holds all of them within Her; whose glory cannot be described in words. 

The Divine Mother is endowed with eight Aisvaryas and Siddhis which are luminous. In one of the meditation verses invoking the Divine Mother, (“Animadibhiravrtam mayookaihi”), this is made clear. “I imagine the great Goddess the Divine Mother, who is surrounded by the golden rays of Anima and other seven Siddhis”. 

The Divine Mother assured eight Aisvaryas and Siddhis that she will also provide to them, divine miraculous powers, which will also help them, carry out their duties. Saying this, she bestowed to them eight supernatural powers, in which they were named Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakambya, Ishitva and Vashitva. 

Adi Shakara in Soundarya Lahari (Verse 30) says “You are served by the golden luminaries, the eight Siddhi deities, that emerge from Your own body. Any devotee who worships this form of Yours with the conviction that “Thou are my own Self” attains such endowments as to make even those of Lord Shiva like a speck of dust. And the great fire of the Pralaya (dissolution) becomes a flame of worship for him (nirajana)”.

The Divine Mother emanating bright rays.

C  N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 21 February 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 Chithbavandar

Thaipusam festival in Sri Thendayuthapani temple, Tank Road, Singapore

When the British moved to far eastern countries like Malaya, Burma, Siam, Cambodia about 200 years back, to work in farms etc, they brought South Indian Hindus. For their religious prayers etc, the said workers could not bring Shiva linga during their boat ride from India. They bought a long arrow to symbolize the weapon used by Lord Muruga and to safe guard them, from any threats they would face in a foreign land. 

 Every month on full moon day, they had organized celebrations and prayers to Lord Muruga in each town on rotation basis. Thaipusam on Thai Tamil month full moon day was celebrated in Singapore, Penang and Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, every year. These celebrations are for thanking the Lord Muruga for all the good they had during the year and to seek His further blessings for the future years. 

Original Lord Muruga worship in India is based on devotees walking a certain distance and reach the Murugan temple; along the way the devotees carried the Kavadi and Paalkudam to be offered to Lord Murugan at the end of their journey in the Murugan temple. In Singapore the devotees usually start their journey from Sri Perumal temple in Serangoon Road and end at Sri Thaedayuthapani temple in Tank Road. This tradition had been followed for more than 150 years. 

The devotees go through fasting for at least one month before their Kavadi or Paalkudam offerings are made on Thaipusam day. Fasting includes only vegetarian diet, no sexual activities and having regular daily prayers to Lord Muruga.In addition to kavadi etc, the devotees choose to offer their hair by shaving their head before the Taipusam; Sri Thendayuthapapni Temple initiate the head shaving event three weeks before the Thaipusam day near the temple. 

In Singapore there is no public holiday for Thaipusam. Seven states (Johore , Negri Sembilan ,Putrajaya ,KL ,Selangor ,Penang and Perak) in Malaysia have declared Public holiday for Thaipusam. However, the Singapore Government provides proper police support for the devotees; the devotees are not to use musical instruments during while walking in the Roads towards Sri Thedayuthapani temple. Also in tradition of honoring the Thaipusam, one of the Singapore Government Ministers would visit both temples, namely Sri Thendayuthapani temple and Sri Perumal temple on Thaipusam day. 

Sri Thendayuthapani temple provides lunch for up to 10, 000 people on Thaipusam day from 12.00 noon until all the cooked food items are delivered to the devotees and visitors in the afternoon. Last years due to Covid restrictions, such lunches were packed and delivered to the devotees who were not to consume the food inside the temple premise.

On the first Friday of Thai Tamil, month, Tank Road temple management and other people do a prayer at South Bridge Road Mariamman temple seeking the blessings of Goddess to have a good Tahipusam celebration. A day before Thaipusam, a Silver Chariot carrying Lord Muruga is taken from Tank Road temple to China Town Lyan Sithi Vinayagar temple in the morning. After the prayers in Lyan Sithi Vinayagar temple the same deity is carried back in the Silver Chariot to Tank Road temple by 9.00 pm on the same day; this signifies the start of the Thaipusam celebrations. 

The volunteers register for doing the service on Thaipusam day in both the temples; After the Thaipusam had been celebrated well, the two temples managements jointly organize an appreciation dinner for the volunteers. 

It costs considerable amount of money for the Sri Thendayuthapani temple to stage this Thaipusam celebration. In Tank Road temple, Thaipusam is a mile stone event; the temple President or Karbar is changed over on next day after the Thaipusam for the coming year. 

A sample of a devotee’s real feelings in carrying a Kavadi on Thaipusam day to offer to Lord Muruga is shown here under: Mr. KR. Sathappan, 59 years old, has been carrying the Kavadi to offer to Lord Muruga: It is an honour to uphold my family tradition of carrying Kavadi for Lord Murugan. My father started taking Kavadi at the age of 60+ after he went through heart bypass surgery. He did this to show his gratitude and Love for Lord Murugan. After my father passed on, I started taking Kavadi to continue the tradition. I have been carrying Kavadi for over 15 years as we do not keep track of the years. We always believed and considered it as a form of gratitude and service to God. Carrying it for Lord Murguan has truly given me immense joy, peace, tranquility as well as satisfaction. Taking Kavadi and participating in Thaipusam allows one to cleanse not only his Mind and Body but also one’s soul. Having complete faith and trust in God enlightens us and Lord Murugan has never failed to help his devotees. I have personally experienced it myself in many occasions in my life, even year last when I was in a severely critical condition. It was the devotion to him and his blessing which gave me the strength and created ways for recovery. With devotion, I genuinely believe that All can feel his presence. Om Muruga Saranam. Note: Kavadi is usually made of wooden parts with balancing on two sides, the centare rod is resting on shoulder of the devotee while going to Lord Muruga’s temple. These days’ metal parts are also used to make kavadi. Paalkudam is a pot of fresh milk carried mostly by ladies and youngsters to offer to Lord Muruga.

Article is written by: 

C N Nachiappun, 

Singapore,

18 April 2021