CHANDRAKALA (Soundarya Lahari 99)

Sankara points out the unique nature of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari. While poets and scholars are called Saraswathipaths and the rich are named as Lakshmipathis, it is not so with Lalithambika! Her name can never be associated with private mortals! Her embrace is only for Kameswara and not even for the barren ‘ Gorinta’ plant that deserves ‘Dohada!’ Though Vedic scholars call Devi in different names like Lakshmi and Saraswathi, She transcends them and remains as “Chandrakala” and Srividya or Mahamaya, the spouse of Sadasiva, the very form of Parabrahman!

Coming to the end of his astonishing descriptions of the glory and beauty of Lalithambika, Sankara expresses his ardent desire for the attainment of Brahmajnana or Self Realization.

He is very eagerly waiting for the “padodaka”- the water of Her lotus feet! He wants to drink deep those sacred drops which are capable of transforming an ignorant into a poet and scholar! It will be like the sacred “Tamboola rasa” of Goddess Saraswathi! She is described as the essence of Chandas,sastras, and mantras! “ Chandas Sara sastra Sara mantra sara talodari” She is also the lover of Sama Veda, very gentle in looks and the wife of Sadasiva! “Samagana Priya saumya Sadasiva kutumbini” She transcends all worlds, all qualities, and everything! She is the essence of Self control! “ Lokatita gunatita sarvatita samatmika”

Sankara, in his ninety ninth sloka of Soundarya Lahari indicates the effect of the ‘ Upasana’ of Devi as ‘Chandrakala.’ Such an individual will be graced by the Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswathi! “ Says Sankara, O Mother! One who worships you as Chandrakala shall have the Grace of both Lakshmi and Saraswathi and thus becomes the adversary of creator Brahma and protector Lord Vishnu! He shall cut off all connection with ‘Avidya’ or ignorance and shall live forever drinking deep the bliss of heaven!”

This sloka is almost the last of Soundarya Lahari! Sankara says that worship of Lalithambika shall make a man rich and prosperous in every field of activity! He can also be a great poet and a scholar! He will be long lived and free from diseases and worries! He will become intensely spiritual and enjoy rare spiritual Bliss! Devi shall see that Her devotee is happy and blessed in life! Though material advancement is assured, the Sadhaka will eventually move godward! Universal Mother Lalithambika shall look after every single need, material and spiritual, of Her dear child devotees without fail!

Devi shall never leave any of her upasakas in the lurch! However She will put him to severe test before raining Grace on him! Sri Vidya Upasana is the most difficult of all worships! She is Maha Maya and hence will test the devotees with Her illusory power! The upasaka has to maintain extreme caution, concentration and meditation in this form of upasana! Any faux pas shall let him down and make all his efforts futile! We have enjoyed the amazing descriptions of the Waves of Beauty- Soundarya Lahari through the words of the illustrious philosopher poet Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada!! He has transported all of us into a different Elysian world where we can enjoy and realize every single aspect of the Divine Beauty of Lalithambika! It is very highly doubtful if any one else, barring Sankara, would have attempted and accomplished such a great task not only beautiful but highly spiritual! We are indeed very fortunate to have gone through the hundred slokas and attempted to enjoy and relish the essence or the ‘rasa! May Lalithambika shower Her Grace on all of us always!

"BRAHMAJNANI" (Soundarya Lahari 98)

Sankara points out that all those blessed with the grace of Goddess Saraswathi are called ‘Saraswathipathis!’ In the same way all the rich can be called ‘Laksmipathis’! In other words, they are considered as Lords of Saraswathi and Lakshmi! Names of these Goddesses are linked to the the poets and scholars and the rich! But then the name of Parvati is never associated with any mortal! Her embrace is only for Her spouse Kameswara and not even for the ‘Gorinta’ plant which is barren and requires the ritual ‘dohada!’

Lalithambika is called by several names like Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvati! These Goddesses are only the other manifestations of Her! She transcends all these forms and is the “Chandrakala” of Sadasiva who is the very form of Parabrahman, the Absolute Reality! She is Sri Vidya Herself and Maha Maya or the great Illusory power that cannot be broken by time and place! Devi is called by different names though She is the only one Reality!

Sankara the philosopher is not enamored of power and pelf! He is after Self realization! Though he is a realized Soul, he considers himself as wanting in that rarest of the rare possessions! He beseeches Lalithambika for that prized possession! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Desperately thirsting for Brahmajnana, when can I drink deep the water from Your lotus feet reddened by the “Laksharasa” applied to them? It is the cause of all poetic fervor and very nice like the “thamboola” of Goddess Saraswathi!

What is Brahmajnana? It is otherwise called as the realization of the Self enshrined in our body! Under the illusion of Maya we think that we are the body! We identify the Soul or Atma with the body! We should realize that the body is totally different from the Soul within! Atma or Soul is indestructible, eternal,can never be cut by any instrument! Neither can it be made wet or dried by air! When the body becomes old and perishes the Soul leaves the body and takes a new and fresh body! It is like our discarding worn out clothes and putting on fresh, new clothes! The bane of Man is the identification of the Soul with the body! When Man realizes that Soul is different from the body, he is freed from the bondage of Samsara, from the tragic cycle of birth and death! He is liberated from all worries and sorrows!

Sankara says that the water of Devi's feet is the origin of inspiration for all great poets for poetry and fine arts cannot come for the mere asking! It requires Divine Grace! It was this Grace of Devi that made the innocent and ignorant wood cutter the celebrated Sanskrit poet Kalidasa! It is believed that the ‘thamboola’ of Goddess Saraswathi is capable of turning any ignorant and innocent person into a poet and a great scholar! Though a great “Brahmajnani” himself, Sankara does not accept that he is qualified! That is the humility of very great  people which we have to follow! We should not blow our own trumpet but remain humble whatever our achievements be!

O

SRI VIDYA (Soundarya Lahari 97)

Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari is the embodiment of Brahman, the Absolute Reality!  She combines in Herself all the different varieties of Devas. She is all powerful and does not depend on others! She is the personification of all energies-- Iccha Sakthi, Kriya Sakthi and Jnana Sakthi! She has created the ten avatars of Vishnu from the tips of  Her ten fingers! “ Karanguli nakhotpanna Narayana dasakrutihi” She is described as all pervading, appearing in many forms,and also the embodiment of Knowledge and ignorance! “Vyapini vividhkara Vidyavidya Swarupini” She is also described as Lakshmi and Saraswathi! It is said that these Goddesses are on the right and left sides of Devi fanning her with the “Chamaras!” “ Sa Chamara Rama Vani savya dakshina sevitha” She is Rajarajeswari and “ Adisakthi!

She is the form of Truth, Knowledge, and Bliss--” Satya Jnananandarupa!” She is the Eternal Flame, resident in eternal regions, the minutest atom--”Paramjyotih Paramdhama Paramanuh!” She is the bestower of peace and rest to mortals tormented by the cycle of birth, old age and death! ”Janma mruthyu Jara taptha Jana visranthi dayini!” She is called Aparna, Chandka and the destroyer of the demons Chanda and Munda! “Aparna Chandika Chanda Mundasura nishudini!” She is Uma, the daughter of Himavan, Gowri worshipped by the Gandharvas, a clan of Devas! “Uma Sailendra tanaya Gowri Gandharva sevita!” She is entirely independent, the Lord of all Tantras and the very form of Sri Dakshinamurthy! “ Swatantra SarvaTantresi Dakshinamurti rupini!” She is “Panchapretamanchadhisayini!” She is the center of causeless compassion and the the torch that dispels the darkness of Ignorance or Avidya! “Avyaja karunamurthy rajnana dhwanta dipika” In short She is the Dweller of Sri Chakra Srinagara Tripurasundari! “ Sri Chakra raja Nilaya Srimat Tripurasundari” the One who has merged with Lord Siva!

Sri Sankara brings out the all encompassing form of Lalithambika in this ninety seventh sloka! Many call Her by different names but forget who She really is! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Vedic scholars call you by different names like  Lakhmi and Saraswati and Parvati! But You are far removed from these deities! Your are the “Chandrakala or Sri Vidya of Sadaiva Parabrahman! You are also Mahamaya, the great illusory form unimaginable! Your illusion cannot be broken by  time and place! That is Your Glory! Knowledgeable persons may call you by various different names but You're the Only One!”

All Gods and Goddesses are the different forms of Lalithambika! According to the needs She takes different forms to help the Devas!To kill Bhandasura She has taken the form of Lalita Maha Tripurasundari! She is Herself Sri Vidya, the Goddes to be propitiated through various rituals and practices! Sri Vidya Upasana is very difficult and demands a high state of purity and meditation and concentration! It is not given to all to take up Sri Vidya worship. Devi will test the Sadhaka in innumerable ways before accepting him! Hence the aspirant should be properly initiated into Upasana by a reputed, self realized Guru!

Maya or Avidya is called illusion! It is also called Ignorance! It is the quality of representing the Real as Unreal and the Unreal as the Real!l It is like mistaking the rope for a snake in total darkness! This darkness is Avidya or Ignorance! When illuminated you realize the truth! Devi and all female forms are considered as Maya which delude man! She is also called Prakriti the dynamic form of Purusha or Brahman! He is the potential energy while Prakriti is the dynamic energy responsible for all activities in the Universe!

DEVI'S UNIQUE NATURE (Sounndarya Lahari 96)

Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari and Kameswara are together always! They are never apart!  The Sahasranama Stotra describes Her as the One United with Siva! “Sri Siva Sakthaikya rupini Lalithambika!” It is combination or merging of Siva and Sakthi the energizing factor of all creation! She is the personification of the three types of energy namely wish or desire, Jnana or Knowledge and activity or work! “Iccha Sakthi Jnana Sakthi Kriya Sakthi swarupini” It is Kamesa who has tied the mangalasutra and it is He who alone knows the softness of Her thighs! “Kamesajnatha soubhagya mardavorudwayanvita!” In the “ Ashtotharasata Namavali” She is described as “Bhutesalingnodbuta pulakangyai” one who enjoys the bliss of the the embrace of Bhutesa or Lord Siva! She has Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswathi fanning Her with “Chamaras” on the left and right! “Sachamara Rama Vani savya dakshina sevitha!”

Is it possible for all the Devas to approach Her easily? Not at all. She is no ordinary Goddess! She is the chief consort of Kameswara! None can have an easy access to Her! It is very difficult for Devas to get a chance to worship Her lotus feet! Sankara says that Indra, king of Gods and other Devas have access only up to her threshold! The threshold is guarded by the Siddhis like ‘Anima’ and others! The Devas are of vacillating mind and hence are satisfied with these transient Siddhis and are not interested in attaining eternal emancipation or “Paramapada!”

In this ninety sixth sloka of  Soundarya Lahari Sri Sankara explains the unique nature of Sri Lalithambika. She is distinctly different from  the other Devis, Lakshmi and Saraswathi! Says Sankara, “O Parvati! All poets who have the grace of Goddess Saraswathi are called “Saraswathi pathis”  One becomes a “Laksmipathi” with a certain amount of money! O the the Crown of Chastity! Your story is not of that type! Your close embrace is possible for Iswara alone! It is not available even for the lifeless “Gorinta” plant for the ritual called “Dohada!”

Generally rich people are called “Lakshmipathis” while Lord Vishnu is the real Spouse of Goddess Lakshmi! In the same way great poets are called “ Saraswathi putra and Saraswathi Dhava” Son of Saraswathi and Spouse of Saraswathi respectively! The real husband of Goddess Saraswathi is Creator Brahma. These names are employed in describing the rich and the scholarly and the poets. But Lalitambika’s name can never be associated with ordinary mortals however great they may be! That is the unique nature of Devi's name!

“Dohada” is an ancient ritual in which a beautiful lady embraces a barren tree or plant to energize it! It is believed that such an action activates the inert and barren tree or plant to flower and bear fruits later! In some cases, the woman lands a kick on the plant which activates the plant to bear flowers and fruits! Sankara says that even the “Gorinta” plant that deserves “Dohada” can never dream of an embrace from Devi as it is exclusively reserved for Kameswara alone!

QUEEN OF LORD SIVA (Soundarya Lahari 95)

Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari is above all Devas and also the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra! Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Maheswara form the four legs of the pedestal or 'mancha’ on which She is seated! She is on the lap of Sadasiva there! It is impossible for the Devas to approach Her! Sankara says that even the spotless white color of Siva is changed on account of the color of Devi! Even Her pet swans have miserably failed imitating Her gait despite many attempts! They follow Her always wherever she goes! It is as if Her diamond studded anklets teach them the art of walking through the jingling music they produce!

Everything about the person of Devi is perfect and beautful! Her locks of hair are curved, Her smile very captivating, waist slim and delicate, chests little hard at the heavy breasts! It appears that an indescribable compassionate power of Lord Siva has  overtaken Her body! Sankara calls the moon as the jewel box of Sri Lalitambica! The spot on the moon is not a defect! It is Kasturi or musk! Brahma refills the jewel box again and again since Devi requires them always! Devi is “Simhasaneswari” Lord of the Divine throne indicating that She is the Empress! She is born of the sacrificial Fire--”Chidagnikunda sambhuta”! She has emerged mainly for the sake of saving the Devas from the marauding  asuras!-- “Devakarya samudyata!” She is worshipped by Brahma,Vishnu and Indra--”Hari Brahmendra sevitha!

The status of Sri Lalitambika makes it impossible for Devas to approach Her easily! She is not like the spouses of the Trimurtis! She is far removed from them! Says Sankara in this sloka, “O Mother! Bhagavati! You are the Queen of Siva and hence Your lotus feet are not easily accessible for Devas for worship! it is for this reason that Indra and other Devas stop at the threshold and are satisfied with “Anima” and other siddhis that keep guard at Your door! These Devas are of unsteady mind and are happy with the transitory Siddhis! They are not interested in the everlasting and eternal “Paramapada” or Emancipation!”

Sankara hints at the ordinary status of Indra and other Devas in relation to the Supreme Brahman that Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari represents! She is unparalleled and beyond comparison! This aspect is amply demonstrated in Kena Upanishad when Agni, God of fire couldn't burn the blade of grass and the wind God, Vayu couldn't move or blow off the same blade of grass! Devi appears and admonishes them for their arrogance while pointing out that it

is by Her Grace that they have won their battle with the asuras! We know how lustful was Indra for the beautiful Ahalya, wife of Sage Gautama! He was cursed for his misdeed and had to pay the price and repent! Again, in the Mahabharata, he steals the “Kavacha and Kundalas” of Karna to save his son Arjuna! We find many more instances of the vacillating mind of Devas in our Puranas!

Siddhis are special powers that a person can attain by intense tapas, meditation or penance. They enable the person who has achieved them, to vanish and reappear, to move very fast or slow, control the will of others etc! One with these powers can do immense good or work havoc in the lives of others! Recent example of such a Siddhapurusha is Sri Seshadri Swamigal of Tiruvannamalai!! Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa is also considered as one who had attained the Siddhis! There are eight types of Siddhis which man has to achieve and master. They are 1 Anima 2 Mahima 3 Garima 4 Laghima 5 Prapthi 6 Prakamya 7 Isatwa and 8 Vasitwa. With the help of these Siddhis one can control the eight Elements!!