Friday, April 13, 2018

THE SEAT OF SRI MATA ( Soundarya Lahari 8)

Continuing the description of the Divine and extraordinary beauty of Srl Mata, Adi Sankara excels in recording the other details of Her Person and state! “ Sarvarunanavadyangi sarvabharana bhushita Siva Kameswaran kastha Siva Swadhina vallabha” “ Chintamani gruhantasta pancha Brahmasanasthita Maha padmatavi samstha kadamba vana vasini Sudha sagara madhyasta Kamakshi Kama dayini” is the description of Devi in Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra. Soft red color spread all over her body, She is decked with all adornments and rests on  Siva’s thighs! She has totally surrendered herself to her Lord Parama Siva! She resides in the diamond studded house of Chitamani! She has the pedastal of the Five Brahmas! In the forest of great lotus flowers amid Kadamba vana She is pleased to remain! Sri Kamakshi Devi is in the center of ocean of Amrita and grants the wishes of all her devotees! Sri Sankara’s description of Devi coincides more or less with the Sahasra Nama Stotra.!

“ In the center of the sea of nectar, enveloped by the garden of Kalpa Vriksha- the wish fulfilling tree, in the island of precious stones filled with Nipa trees, in the Chintamani diamond  home, O Devi, You reside! There, on the cot of the form of Sivasakti, on the Utsanga--thighs of Sadasiva as the base, You present yourself as “ Chidananda Lahari-the Wave of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss! This exceptional darshan is available to very few realized Souls who worship You” exclaims Sankara  in his ecstasy of the Vision of Sri Mata in his mind!

Gross form of description of meditation of Devi is introduced in the sloka. Absolute consciousness is otherwise called ‘ Chit’. Absolute bliss is Ananda! Lord Siva is the Supreme Being and the Parabrahman himself! Chintamani is the precious wish fulfilling jewel. The ocean of Nectar is Sudha sindhu granting immortality! Sri Mata is the bestower of whatever her devotee wishes. She grants the “ Ashta Maha Siddhis to her beloved bhaktas. The four supports or pedestals are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Iswara! Sushumna Nadi is the outermost sheath and within that is Vajra Nadi. Sushumna is said to be the house of Chintamani! Lotus of the heart corresponds to “Anahata Chakra” and the garden of Nipa trees! The great couch is Parama Siva.

“ In the light of Vedanta”, says Swami Sivananda, “ Para Brahman is the ocean of nectar. Brahmakara- vritti is the island of gems; Om or Pranava is the house of Chintamani. Meditation is the celestial tree. Fourfold means is the garden of Nipa trees. The Koshas are the pedastals.” What does the Grove of Nipa trees denote? It symbolizes the inner peace that the devotee derives just before the darshan of Devi! It denotes a stage where all activities are controlled and there is an overflow of Satwa guna!

When a person walks through very hot Sun and reaches a grove he rejoices at the coolness and peace of mind! Similarly, when the Jiva approaches Devi with meditation after all the vicissitudes in life, he experiences immense peace of mind! “Island of gems” represents the effulgent form of Devi--” Jyotirmayarupini”. By meditation on her, the devotee experiences  flashes of divine light in the beginning and later, through constant practice, realizes continued illumination, ecstasy, insight, intuition, revelation and supreme Bliss ( paramananda).

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