Lalithambika's lotus feet are capable of bringing great prosperity to the poor the moment they desire for it! Sankara is very unhappy with the celebrated poets for comparing Devi's feet to the stony and hard back of the tortoise! He wonders how compassionate Siva lifted those feet and pressed them on the grinding stone! Devi's feet ooze the honey of beauty! Her feet are like the bunch of flowers of the Wish fulfilling Tree namely the Kalpavruksha! Sankara wants to enjoy Divine bliss by being the six legged busy bee! He wants to realize that bliss through his Manas and the Jnanendriyas!
Speaking about Devi's gait, Sankara wonders if Her pet Swans are learning the art of walking from Her majestic royal gait! They follow Devi wherever She moves about! The jingling sound of anklets that Devi wears appear to coach the swans in the art of walking! It is a custom for Devi to take a stroll with Her pet Swans often! According to Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra Devi is seated on “Panchapretasana” and is the embodiment of “Pancha Brahmas” Pancha pretasanasina Pancha Brahma Swarupini Chinmayi Paramananda Vijnana Ghana rupini” She is full of Awareness and Supreme Bliss and the personification of Knowledge!
After a continuous and long description of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari from the crown to the lotus feet, Sankara once again praises Devi! Says Sankara, “O Mother! The Trinity of creator Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra as well as Maheswara worship You as the four legs of Your pedestal or Cot! Siva, with His impeccable White color has reached You and has become a wrapper over You! He has turned into red because of the redness of your body! He looks as an embodiment of Sringara rasa!”
Again in the 174th sloka of Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra, Devi is described as the lover of the Five Yajnas and seated on the pedestal of the the ‘Five Pretas!’ She is the creator, the form of Brahma! She is mysterious as well as the form of Govinda or Vishnu! She is also the destroyer and the form of Rudra and in charge of Maya or “Tirodhana!” She is the bestower of Grace as Sadasiva! Thus Devi performs these Five important functions! “ Srushti karthri Brahma Rupa gopthri Govindarupini Samharini Rudrarupa thirodhana kariswari Sadasivanugrahada Pancha krutya parayana!
In the first sloka of Soundarya Lahari Sankara has stated that without Her “pada dhuli” Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are incapable of creation, protection and destruction respectively! Devi has delegated Her powers to the Trinity and they are involved in their regular duties. When Sri Lalitambika takes over their duties, Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra are disembodied and so they are called ‘pretas!’ Pancha Brahmas are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Iswara and Sadasiva! The first four are the legs of the throne or ‘mancha’ on which Sri Mata takes Her seat! As the Upanishad says nothing moves in the universe without Her Sankalpa! “ Na tatra suryo bhati na chandra tarakam Nemo vidyuto bhanati ku toya magnihi tameva bhanata manubhati sarvam tasya bhasa sarvamidamvibhati!” The sun, moon, stars, lightning, water and fire shine only after You shine! Sadasiva is the Supreme Being! The Linga has five faces and they are Ishana, Tatpurusha, Vamadeva, Aghora and Sadyojata. Lalitambika is praised as sitting on a throne the legs of which are Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, and Maheswara while the seat of the throne is the lap of Sadasiva! The five daily 'yajnas’ are for Daiva-Gods, Pitru-forefathers, Manushya- fellow human beings, Bhuta-- for other beings and finally Brahma Yajna- worship of Knowledge! A person is expected to perform these daily!!
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