Monday, December 3, 2018

WHY VINAYAKA AND KUMARASWAMI DIDN'T MARRY (Soundarya Lahari 73)

After describing the unparalleled Chubuka-chin of Sri Lalitambika, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas point out the attributes of Devi's physical form! Her neck shines brightly with the mangalasutra tied by Kamesa! Her shoulders are decked with golden “angda and keyura! Her breasts symbolize the  love or Prema of Her spouse Kameswara! They are similar to the fruits on the creeper like hair starting from the navel! It is as if her waist is balanced by creeper like hair! In other words she has a very slim waist! She has diamond studded ‘ kinkinis’ and wears garlands! It is Kamesa alone who knows the soft and gentle nature of Her thighs! She defeats  the brightness of the lotus with the radiance of Her feet! Her gait resembles the royal, dignified walk of the female peacock! She has the rishis and Devas praising Her grandeur! She is with Her army ready to kill Bhandasura!

Sankara describes how creator Brahma, having lost one of his five heads, praised Devi withall the other four heads for 'abhaya’! Devi's hands, with the beautiful red color of Her nails, mocks at the freshly blossomed lotus! Sankara further adds that there is no possibility for the lotus to come any where near the color of Devi's nails! The devoted child and upasaka of Devi that he is, Sankara sees in his mind Vinayaka and Kumaraswamy feeding themselves from each of Devi's breasts! He hopes that they would ward off all difficulties and dangers from his life! In a twist of imagination Sankara says that Vinayaka doubts if Devi has stolen his large elephant head and feels if his head is safe and secure! In other other words Devi’s breasts are large enough to create that suspicion!

Sankara describes the extraordinary effect of the milk of Her breasts in this sloka. Says Sankara,“ O Mother! There is absolutely no doubt that Your breasts are “Amirtha kalasas”- made of precious ‘Manikya’ (ruby) precious stones! Otherwise how is it possible for Vinayaka and Kumaraswami to remain as bachelors throughout rejecting conjugal bliss?”

Both Lord Vinayaka and Lord Kumaraswami are confirmed bachelors!  But they are represented with their spouses Valli and Devasena and Siddhi and Buddhi respectively! In spiritual parlance these Devis symbolize the sakthi or energy of the Gods! For example, Vaishnavi is the symbol of the Sakthi of Lord Vishnu. There is an interesting story that explains why Lord Kumaraswami remained a bachelor. One one occasion, Parvati, his mothe,rwanted to arrange a suitable match for her dear son. She selected the girl, came to her son and told him that she had found a suitable match for him. Surprised, Kumaraswami asked Parvati how his future wife looked! Parvati replied that the girl looked like her! Intrigued by her description Kumaraswami replied that if the girl resembled her, she would be his mother and can never be his wife! Later he vowed that he would remain a bachelor throughout! Despite her persuasion! Kumaraswami didn't relent! Growing wild, she demanded that the milk with which she had fed him should be returned!! As per the story Kumaraswami vomited the entire milk mixed with blood!!

There is a temple dedicated to Kumaraswami in Sandur near Bellary in Karnataka. It is said that the lord spat out the milking in this place! The Vibhuti, taken out from the earth, is milk white with red streaks and very soft! Sankara, in his obsession to describe the beauty of Lalithambika conjures up the visions of both the Gods feeding from the breasts of Devi and its effect on them! NIt is all the fertile imagination of the bhakta that induces Sankara to write in detail of Her breasts!


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