Monday, January 7, 2019

MANMATHA'S LAUGHTER (Soundarya Lahari 86)

Sankara, in his obsession for describing the beauty of Lalithambika, conjures up several visions that stun and petrify us! He says that Manmatha made Devi’s ‘Janghas’ a quiver for his ten arrows! They are circular and resemble the quiver! Indra and other Devas are always at Her lotus feet! Sankara continues and speaks of the significance of Devi's feet! She has the water of the river Ganga from the matted hair of Siva for a wash; the Vedas and the Upanishads speak volumes of the greatness of Her feet; Her feet are of the red hue of Vishnu's Kaustubha diamond!

Offering his obeisance to Her lotus feet, Sankara remarks that they look extremely beautiful with wet “ Laksharasa'” and radiance. He says that Kameswara is angry because Lalithambika is moving forward to offer “Dohada” to the barren Asoka tree! The tree has stolen His prerogative and hence his envy and anger! Sankara's fertile imagination offers us different vistas of Devi's  ‘angas’ and surprise us with brilliant images!

In the eighty sixth sloka, Sankara surprises us with another amazing vision! He speaks of the the anger of Sri Mata at the slip of the tongue of Her spouse Sadasiva! Says Sankara, “O Mother! In Your privacy, when Your husband, by a slip of the tongue, called the name of his second wife, You hit the forehead of Siva with your leg! Having seen this rare sight, Manmatha, smarting at the humiliation caused by the fire of the Third Eye of Siva, laughs with the jingling sound of the anklets She wears!

Women are naturally angry with their husbands when they remember other women and call their names! So Devi is angered by the calling of the name of the other woman in their privacy! Their is jealousy that the other woman has solen the heart of Her husband! In Her anger She hits the forehead of the Lord with Her leg!! Manmatha, invisible, relishes the scene and laughs with the jingling sound of Her anklets! In other words, Devi's anklets are so beautiful that they denote the Sringara rasa which is the forte of the Love God. Manmatha, says Sankara, had a hearty laugh at this sight, forgetting the humiliation that he suffered at the fire of the Third Eye of Siva!

Manmatha is considered as the enemy of Lord Siva because he disturbed the severe penance of the Lord though for the well being of  Devas. He was responsible for uniting Siva and Parvati and the birth of Lord Kumaraswami! Later Tarakasura who tormented the Devas was killed by Lord Kumaraswami! Sankara says that Mamatha was very happy to see the discomfiture of his enemy, Siva when Devi hit him on the forehead with Her leg! The romance of the husband and wife becomes well-knit with such mutual tender and affectionate blows!
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