Friday, November 30, 2018

VINAYAKA'S DILEMMA (Soundarya Lahari 72)

After describing Devi's beautiful and delicate shoulders decorated with golden”angada and keyura”, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas give a graphic account of Devi's breasts. They are the symbols of Kameswara's pure Love. They are the two fruits borne by creeper like hair originating from Her navel! She has a slim waist! In between the two breasts are the three “patta bandhavali!” Kameswara premaratna Mani prathipana sthani nabhyalavala romali lathaphala kuchadwayi lakshyaroma lathadhara samunneya madhyama Sthanabhara dalanmadhya pattabandhavali thraya!” She wears the red 'kausumbha’ dress! She has diamond studded ‘ kinkini’ and garlands on Her person! Her thighs are soft and tender whose nature is known to Kameswara only!  Arunaruna kausumbha vasthra bhaswath katithati Rathna kinkinika ramyarasana damabhushita Kamesa jnatha saubhagya mardavoru dwayanvita”

Earlier Sankara has described how creator Brahma, afraid of  the nails that clipped one of his heads, praised Devi's soft and tender shoulders similar to the lotus stalk.  Because of the brightness of the nails, Her tender hands mocked at the freshly bossomed lotus! There is no way for the lotus to equal the ethereal beauty of Devi's soft hands! It may be possible for the lotus if it can obtain Goddess Lakshmi's 'Laksharasa’ from under her feet!

Sankara's fertile imagination, ever active, conjures up beautiful and astonishing visions in describing the beauty and nature of Devi's breasts! The figurative description stuns us! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Let Your two breasts feeding both Lord Vinayaka and Lord Kumara swamy at the same moment ward off all our difficulties and grant us welfare and happiness! Witnessing  the milk dripping from the nipples of you breasts, Vinayaka, In his childish stupidity, mistook them for his elephant head!! He suspected if his Mother, Devi, has stolen it and touched his head to assure himself if it is there or not!! That is how Vinayaka made his Parents have a hearty laugh and endeared himself to Devi and Kameswara!

In his fancy Sankara  sees the two deities, Vinayaka and Kumaraswamy drinking the Divine milk from both the breasts of Devi! As the Mother of both, She has to satisfy the hunger of Her two children. They cannot take turns and wait as they are hungry! Hence the conjecture that each of them is  feeding himself from each breast! Mother's compassion allows them! Her kindness for children is overflowing even as the milk from Her nipples! Vinayaka suddenly feels if his head has been stolen by his mother! He puts his hand on the head to assure himself of its presence at which the Divine Parents burst into laughter and hug him endearingly!

Sankara suggests that Devi's breasts are as big as the elephant head! Instead of saying it directly, he introduces the fanciful thought of Vinayaka touching his head to know if it is in its place! There is much exaggeration in the description of Sankara! God has endowed breasts to make women beautiful and attractive! They have a larger biological purpose as they are the source of mother's milk that sustains children in their early months and years. We cannot find fault with the description of Devi's breasts as it is that of a Child's (Sankara) wonder! Poets have their uninhibited imagination and none can stop or blame it! Every ‘anga’ of God and Goddess is said to bless the ardent devotee or Sadhaka! Hence Sankara hopes the breasts of Devi feeding Her dear children shall remove  all his difficulties and assure his welfare










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