The description of every ‘anga' of Devi is the prerogative of the Vasinyadi Vagdevatas in Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra! Starting from Devi's emergence from the sacrificial fire, they describe Her shoulders, sugarcane bow, flower arrows, effulgence drenching the entire universe! She is decked with Champaka and Asoka flowers! She has moonlike face on which the the Mriganabhi mark resembles the spot on the moon! Her eyes are like the fish moving across a lake! Her nosegay mocks at the shining stars in the sky! The sun and the moon are Her ear studs or thatankas! Her mellifluous voice has beaten the sweet notes of Goddess Saraswathi's Kachchapi! She has drenched the manas of Kameswara by Her sweet smile! The beauty of Her Chubuka is unparalleled! Her neck is bright with the mangalasutra tied by Kamesa!
Vasinyadi Vagdevatas do not stop there. Devi's shoulders are adorned with golden ‘ angada and Keyuras! Pendant of diamonds and pearls hangs in Her neck! Her breasts are symbols of the love of Kamesa! They are like the fruits originating from the creeper like hair of Her navel! It is as if Her slim waist is based on the creeper like hair! There is padding in between her breasts! She is draped in red kausumbha dress! It is only Kameswara that knows the softness of Her thighs!
This description of Devi's physical form inspires Sankara and he conjures up amazing visions that none of us would have thought in our wildest imagination! He has said that Her milk has on it the entire gamut of literature! The white garland on Her has become red due to the redness of of her lower lip! It indicates the great heroism of Her spouse as well as his pure renown! In every description of Devi there is a new angle of vision! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Terribly afraid of Siva's anger and with burnt body, Manmatha tried to save his soul and sought refuge in the lake of Your navel and hid himself! The smoke emanating from that fire Is termed as the bunch of Your hair! (Roma)”
Sankara alludes to the incident when, to help the Devas, Manmatha agreed to disturb the severe penance of Lord Siva. To save the Devas from the torment of Tarakasura, Siva and Parvati have to be united. The son born out of their union, Skanda, would destroy the demon. Manmatha was given the task and he reluctantly accepted. He waited for the opportunity and as Parvati approached Siva, shot his flower arrows at the Lord. Siva was rudely disturbed in his tapas! Furious at this, the Lord opened his third eye and Manmatha was burnt to ashes!
In an ingenious explanation, Sankara says that Manmatha out of fear for his life didn't know what to do! He spotted the lake like navel of Devi, entered into it and hid himself! Sankara says that the smoke coming out of his burnt body is considered by people as Her ‘bunch of hair or ‘romas’! Manmatha is symbolic of Beauty and eroticism! Indirectly Sankara describes the beauty of Devi's Navel and its erotic effect!!
No comments:
Post a Comment