Speaking of the tender and delicate feet of Lalithambika that dispel all troubles and difficulties of Her devotees, Sankara takes exception to the way celebrated poets have described them. They compare Devi's feet to the hard and stony back of the tortoise! “How can these poets be so cruel in comparing?” questions Sankara. It is very difficult to understand how Kameswara, during the wedding, lifted those hard and stony feet and pressed them on the grinding stone as per the prevailing custom! Glorifying Her feet, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas say in Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra that Her feet have defeated the lotus by their radiance and brightness!
In the eighteenth sloka, describing ‘Janghika’ and ‘Gulpha’ the Stotra says that the former is like the quiver of Smara' or Manmatha hidden by ‘Indragopa’.The latter, has established victory over the back of tortoise! “ Indragopa parikshiptha Smara’thunabha janghika Gudagulpha Kurma prushta jayishnu prapda” Sankara asserts that Her feet grant prosperity to the poor the moment they wish for it! Devi's feet, appear to laugh with their moonlike nails making fun of the Kalpavruksha and the lotus hands of the Divine damsels!
Having exhausted conjuring up various visions of Lalithambika's lotus feet in different aspects and angles, Sankara imagines himself to be the bee immersed in enjoying the fragrance and their sweetness! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Your feet bestow exceeding prosperity to the poor! They ooze out the sweet honey of Your Beauty! They are similar to the bunch of flowers of the heavenly Kalpavruksha! I will be the Bee with the six ‘indriyas’, in that bunch of flowers!
It is customary for poets to compare the feet of Gods and Goddesses to the soft petalled lotus flower. The broad petals of the lotus are also compared to the eyes of Devas as in “Pankajakshi” and “ Rajivanayana!” Bees are drawn naturally to the lotus by its smell and the nectar that is in its center! So Sankara transforms himself into the Bee to enjoy the beauty of Devi's lotus feet and drink deep the nectar oozing out of it!
This attitude is what is called surrendering unto the Lotus feet of Devi! Like the ant that feeds on the sugar candy endlessly and finally merges itself in to it and loses its identity, Sankara becomes the Bee to enjoy the bliss and lose himself in Divinity! Adwaita's main tenet is this merging of the Individual Soul into the Absolute Soul or Paramatma! The word “Shatpada” represents the Bee with six legs! The six indriyas or legs of the Bee are Manas,skin, eyes, ears, tongue and the nose! Sankara, with all jnanendriyas desires to merge into the bliss of Devi's presence! Sankara hints at the union of the Jivatma and Paramatma where the individuality is lost like a drop of water losing itself in the ocean!
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