Sri Mata's eyes are extremely beautiful and defy any accurate and appropriate description! Sri Sankara is taxing his wonderful poetic imagination and straining himself to explain their beauty in different angles! In the dhyana sloka, Devi is described as having “ VikasitaVadanam Padma patrayathakshim”- bright and opening up face and eyes as broad as the lotus petals! The beauty of any woman is judged by the broad eyes she possesses! But DEVI'S eyes are Divine, not mortal! In the sixth sloka of Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotram Vasinyadi Vagdevatas describe Devi's eyes as “ Vaktra Lakshmi Parivaha chalan minabha lochana”-- Her beautiful eyes are similar to the crisscrossing fish in the lake of of Her Lakshmi like face!They are so fascinating! Inner meditation alone can bring us nearer to Devi! Outer rituals and worship can never take us near to Devi! “Antarmukha samaradhya bahirmukha sudurlabha!” Devi is effulgent always, has very attractive three eyes, and capable of taking any form She likes!--” Thejovati trinayana lolakshi kamarupini” It is practically impossible to describe Devi's attributes!
Sankara is far from satisfied with the descriptions of Devi's eyes! He is continuously searching for new comparisons and unexpected twists! He has already pointed out that Devi's eyes had brought into the world the three perennial rivers Shona, Ganga and Yamuna! When Her eyes open there is creation and prosperity while there is total annihilation when she closes Her eyes! In a major twist Sankara says that She does not close Her eyes in order to protect the universe and all its inhabitants created by Her! A new flash of thought flits across the mind of Sankara who is ever contemplating on different ways of experiencing the beauty of Devi's eyes!
Says Sankara, “ ,O Mother! Your eyes have gradually reached your ears! Looking at these eyes of yours that are open always ( without batting of eyelids), the fish are afraid if You would complain against them and say that they have stolen this abnormal quality from You! Out of this fear, the fish have hidden themselves in water! Your extraordinarily beautiful eyes station themselves in the Lily( kaluva) flowers during the night and in the morning close the petals of the Lilies and return to You! Staying with You throughout the day, they return to the Lilies opening the petal doors! Devi! Your eye are incomparable!”
It is believed that the fish have the peculiar quality of not closing their eyes! They keep their eyes open always. Looking at the wide open eyes of Devi, the fish feel that She may claim that they have stolen that rare quality from Her! Hence out of fear they hide themselves in water! Kaluva or Lily flowers open up during the night and look very beautiful! They are called ”Kumuda”! In the morning the Kaluva flowers fold up their petals and wait for the night! Sun is said to be the enemy of of Lily flowers while the Moon is said to the bosom companion of the Lily flowers!
The more we read the slokas of Soundarya Lahari and understand their meaning and the manner in which Sankara describes Devi, the greater is our astonishment! It is given to great devotees and Upasakas of Devi like Sankara to delve deep into the Divine beauty of Devi and describe it to the common mortal man! Otherwise, how can the common man understand and appreciate the Divine beauty of Lalita Maha Tripurasundari? Sankara was not only a philosopher par excellence but a very great Upasaka of Lalithambika!
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