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!!
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