Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra again and again describes Sri Mata as a passionate lover of the light red or crimson color! The beginning of the Dhyana sloka itself is,“ Arunam karuna tharangi thakshim" --She is Aruna herself with waves of compassion in her eyes! She has drenched the entire universe with her distinct ‘aruna’ hue! Her personality is stunning! She wears the crescent moon of the eighth day radiating soft pleasant light! Her breasts command the deep love of Kameswara, her spouse. It is as if they are fruits hanging from the creepers starting from her hair at the navel! “Kameswara premaratna mani prathiprana sthani. “Nabhyalvala romali lataphala kucha dwayi” Her waist is very narrow--” Lakshya roma latadhara samunneya madhyama!” She is one half of the body of Kameswara by which He derives the name of Ardhanareeswara!” “ Nitya shodasika rupa Srikantardha sareerini”--She is eternal, of sixteen forms and half of the body of Srikanta or Lord Siva! She is also “Sindhuraruna vigraham trinayanam”- of the red color of Sindhur and with three eyes similar to her spouse Kameswara!
The twenty third sloka of Soundarya Lahari by the great Sankaracharya is in line with the description of Sri Mata in the Sahasra Nama Stotra! Sri Sankara says, “O Mother! Your entire body is draped in red color! It has three eyes! The slim waist and the whole body is bent with the heavy weight of your breasts! You are also wearing the crescent moon! It appears to me that after stealing half of the body of Kameswara you were not satiated and therefore have taken over the other portion of the body of the Lord!!
The happy union of Siva and Sakthi or Parvathi is indicated in this sloka! Siva is potential energy while Shakthi is kinetic and dynamic energy! Without Sakthi nothing can be done by Siva! Siva, shorn of Sakthi, becomes Sava or a mere corpse! It is the combination of Purusha and Prakriti that is the cause of creation sustenance and destruction! As Shakti owns half of Siva's body, he is called as” Ardhanareeswara”-ardha-half; nari- female; Iswara- Lord! Thus Siva owns the right half of the body while gives up the left half to his dear Parvati! Sankara delightfully comments that Sri Mata has slowly but steadily encroached upon the form of Siva too!
Through this gradual encroachment the form of Ardhanareeswara is transformed into Maha Tripurasundari! Thus there is no distinction between the two! She is the form of all deities,the forms of creator Brahma, protector Vishnu and destroyer Siva! She is in charge of all their activities! “ Srushtikartri Brahmarupa goptri Govinda rupini Samharini Rudra Rupa tirodhana kariswari Sadasiva nugrahada pancha krutya Parayana!”
The legend is that when child Markandeya knew that his end was in sight he performed severe penance propitiating Lord Siva. The Lord of Death, Yama, came in person to take him! Earlier, his kinkaras had to beat a hasty retreat unable to approach Markandeya! When Yama threw his ‘Pasa’ or the rope to take the child’s life, Markandeya embraced the Linga as it fell on the Siva linga! The Lord in his fury, kicked Yama by his left foot which belonged to Sri Mata!! Thus Siva came to be called “Kala Samhara Murthy!” There is a Temple dedicated to Lord Siva as Kalah Samhara Murthy at Thirukadaiyur in Tamil Nadu. Sri Mata is called as Abhirami in that holy kshetra!
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