Saturday, May 19, 2018

SOUNDARYA LAHARI 17

Sri Lalitha Sahasra Nama Stotra is from Brahmanda Purana glorifying Durga, the embodiment of energy or Sakthi. She is also called Parvati the daughter of Himavan! She is also the personification of the primordial energy Adi Parasakthi.She is the perfect incarnation of  Lalitha Maha Tripurasundari! When Manmatha was reduced to ashes by the third eye of Siva in meditation, Parvati and Rati prevailed upon the Lord to bring back Manmatha to life! After all, he was responsible for the union of Lord Siva with Parvati. Relenting, the Lord looked at the ashes and lo! out came from the ashes a terrible demon, Bhandasura more cruel and invincible! The Devas were at a loss and didn't know what to do. Sage Narada advised them to perform a yajna and accordingly they prayed and performed the sacrifice to get rid of the menace of Bhandasura!

It is from this Yagna kunda, the sacrificial fire that Lalithambika emerged in answer to the prayers of the Devas! --Chidagni kunda sambhuta Devakarya samudyatha -They offered all their powers and arms and weapons to her and crowned her as Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari! She then sets out with her commandants like Dandini, Varahi and others and kills Bhandasura overcoming all his wiles! She is the Creator, Protector and Destroyer! The word Lalitha means She who plays. She is the embodiment of the Parabrahman! The world and everything is her Divine sport or leela!

Sri Sankara is not satisfied with the exceptional Divine beauty of Sri Mata that he has described already! He continues and says what can be the effect of meditating on her and her beauty along with Vasini Devatas! Sankara says, O Mother! The Vasini Devatas are deities of speech and they are of the radiance of the bits of Chandrakanta stone! The fortunate person who meditates on you deeply along with these Vasini devathas is sure to become universally renowned like poets Vyasa, Valmiki and others! Their poetry shall be very sweet and a feast for the ears as if the Goddess of knowledge, Saraswathi Devi herself has come in their form! They shall be the creators of great kavyas or epics.

Who are these Vagdevi and Vasini Devathas? Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra is said to have been composed by eight Vag Devathas upon the command of Lalithambika! These Vagdevis are Vasini, Kameswari, Aruna, Vimala, Jayini, Modini, Sarveswari and Koulini! Sahasranama points out that one can worship Lalithambika only if she wishes us to do so! The text of Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra is a dialogue between Hayagriva and Sage Agasthya.

Hayagriva is the horse headed incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Sage Agastya is also called Kumbhasambhava! On the request of Sage Agasthya, Lord Hayagriva narrated the thousand holy names of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari. The temple at Thirumeeyachur near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu is said to be the place where Sage Agasthya was initiated into this Sahasranama, the very sacred text for the worship of the Divine Mother!


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