SANKARA'S SURRENDER (SOUNDARYA LAHARI 100)

     Vagdevatas describe the glorious attributes of Lalithambika in no uncertain terms in Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra! She is 'Pancha pretasanasina’ and 'Pancha Brahmaswarupin!i’ She is the Creator as Brahma, mysterious as Vishnu, and takes the form of a Rudra while desroying everything.” Srushti kartri Brahmarupa Goptri Govinda rupini Samharini Rudrarupa Tirodhana kariswari!” She can, in a trice, create the worlds and destroy them by batting Her eye lids! She has thousand heads and faces, eyes and feet! She is 'Katyayini’ the destroyer of Time, and worshipped by Lord Vishnu! “Katyayani kalahantri Kamalaksha nishevita” She is “Sri Mata pSri Maharajni Srimath Simhasneswari” She has taken the avatar of Sri Mata the Supreme Empress who occupies the holy Lion throne! She residesin Kailas and has shoulders as soft as the lotus stalks! “ Mahakailasa Nilaya mrunala mrududorlata!”

In the concluing part of Soundarya Lahari Sri Sankara exposes his ardent desire for attaining “Brahmajnana! He is anxious to drink deep the water from Her lotus feet reddened by the color of the Laksharasa applied to them! That is equal to the ‘thamboola' rasa of Goddess Saraswath that can transform anyone into a poet and scholar! One who worships Devi as “Chandrakala” is the most fortunate since he is blessed with scholarship and extreme riches! In that way he becomes the rival of both the creator Brahma and the protector Visnu! He will cut himself away from ‘Avidya’ or Ignorance and live long enjoying the bliss of the other world!

In this final sloka of Soundarya Lahari, Sri Sankara wonders how it was possible for him to describe Devi's ethereal Beauty! Is it because of his scholarship and poetic and philosophic fervor? Who is he, after all a frail mortal, to describe Devi's majesty, beauty and grandeur? Can any one attempt such a Herculean job without the ‘Sankalpa’ of Lalithambika Herself? Says Sankara, “ O Mother! To describe and praise Your Beauty and Glory with the language granted by you is similar to offering harati to the Sun with the light of a burning torch! It is equal to offering water (arghya) to the Moon from the water oozing out of “Chandrakanta stone!” In short, both are meaningless! Where is the blinding Sun and where is the torch light? Where is the soft, cool Moon and where is the water of Chandrakanta stone?

What Sankara points out is that he is not at all responsible for the magnum opus “Soundarya Lahari!” It is purely Devi's “Sankalpa” or Wish that has egged him on to embark on this colossal task! There is nothing in this work that he can call his own! The Stotra is Devi! The subject or object of Soundarya Lahari is Devi Herself! She is the Deity eligible for glorification! Sankara thus submits himself to the will of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari and states clearly that it is Her

Divine Sankalpa that has resulted in this great work! It is Devi who writes through the pen of Sankara the poet and philosopher!

Without the will of Devi nothing can move in the world! Even a blade of grass or leaf can stir only when Devi wills! We have seen in Kenopanihad how Indra, Agni and Vayu are humiliated by Devi when they could not exercise their power over an ordinary blade of grass! The sun, the moon, the stars, lightning, and fire can never shine by themselves! It is Her power and light that illuminates and energizes them for the benefit of all! “ Na tatra suryo bhati na chandra tarakam ne mo vidyuto bhanti ku thoya magnihi Tameva bhanti manubhati sarvam tasya bhasa sarvamidamvibhati” Illustrious poet and philosopher that he is, Sankara is not puffed up with pride and arrogance. On the other hand he is simple and humble before his Divine Mother! She knows him intimately as a true UPASAKA and Her child! She has showered on him Her benediction and Grace such that he could bring out Her amazing Beauty for the benefit and understanding of all mankind! It is a lesson to all writers that they should never blow their own trumpet and glorify themselves whatever be their accomplishment! May Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari shower Her benign Grace on all my viewers who have read these blogs on Soundarya Lahari! Om Tat Sat!