DEVI'S WAIST. (Soundarya Lahari 79)

Describing the glorious attributes of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari's form, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas give an account of Her ‘angas’ in an astonishing manner. Starting from the way she emerged from the ‘ Chidagni Kunda’, Her purpose, shoulders, bow and arrows, radiance, beauty of Her face, the adornments, the Champaka, Asoka, and Punnaga flowers She wears, the speciality of Her eyes, the thatankas formed by the sun and the moon are explained in beautiful figurative language! Not only this, She has defeated the famous Kacchapi--the Veena of Goddess Saraswathi by Her mellifluous voice! She has drenched the Manas of Kamesa with her beautiful exceptional! smile! Her Chubuka or Chin has no parallel! Her neck radiates with the Mangalya tied by Kameswara! She wears golden ‘angadas and keyuras!’ Her breasts are the fruits borne by the creeper like hair- ‘romali’ originating from Her Navel!

Lalithambika's waist is very slim! It is as if it is balanced precariously on the numberless hair- ‘romas’. “Lakshyaroma lathadhara samunneya madhyama”.She is draped in Her favorite “arunaruna kausumbha” dress! The space between her two breasts has been dwarfed by the friction between them and entered Her cave like Navel! Sankara calls Her Navel a stable whirlpool on the Ganga! It is the starting point to the hair that support the bud like breasts of Devi! It is the “homa kunda” for the fire- passion of Manmatha! Further Sankara says that it is the walking place of Rati, Manmatha's wife and the cave for the fulfilment of Kameswara's eyes!

Sankara, at last, seems satisfied with the descriptions of of Devi's ‘angas’ particularly face,  eyes, ears, shoulders, Chubuka, breasts and the navel! He now turn his attention to the waist of Lalitambika and conjures up amazing visions of its position and significance. Says Sankara, “Gem of women! O Parvati! By nature Your waist is lean and looks tired due to the heavy movement of the breasts! It is thus bent and gives an impression that it may snap at any time! The state of Your waist is similar to that of a tree on the side of a river whose bank has given way! Let that stable Waist of Yours be safe and sound forever!”

The whole description of Devi's waist is full of exaggeration! Normally women have a slender waist! It is Nature's arrangement and an important feature of her beauty! Sankara thinks that the waist has become lean and looks tired on account of the movement of Her heavy breasts! He imagines that the waist is bent because of the heaviness of Her breasts! He even goes to the extent of commenting that it is snapping slowly! Sankara gives a excellent simile for the state of Her waist! Her waist is similar to the position of a tree on the side of a river whose bank is broken!

Poetic license is the prerogative of every poet! Shelly called poets as “ Unacknowledged legislators of the world!” They are the masters of their mind and can conjure up any vision however strange it may be and unacceptable to the common man! Sankara is attempting to heighten the beauty of Devi who is the representation of all women in the universe. As the name of the classic suggests, it is the “ Wave of Beauty”-- “Soundarya Lahari”! Sankara is involved in every description that enhances the Divine Beauty of Devi! All metaphors and exaggerations have the single purpose of Increasing and embellishing the Divine glory and beauty of Lalithambika! Sankara's description of Devi and Her Beauty should never be misunderstood! There is none that can appreciate the beauty of a woman better than her own son! Women are expected to have slender waist and that is taken as an ideal for woman's beauty! The waist of a woman is often compared to the waist of the lion by the poets! “Mrigaraja madhyama!”

THE WHIRLPOOL ON THE GANGA (Soundarya Lahari 78)

After describing the beautiful shoulders of Lalita Maha Tripurasundari decked with golden 'angadas’ and 'keyuras’ and pedant made of pearls, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas give a  graphic account of Devi's breasts! They represent the love of Kameswara for Her! They are the fruits hanging from the creeper like hair originating from Her navel! Her waist is very slim as if it is based on her hair near the navel As if to support Her heavy breasts She has three paddings in between them! Clad in red clothing She astonishes all with her diamond ‘kinkinis’ and garlands on her person! Her feet are adorned with diamond ‘manjiras’! With a royal and dignified gait of the female Swan, She indicates the very limit of beauty and grandeur! Defeating the lotus with the effulgence of Her lotus feet, She is the Queen of Srinagara in the center of the peak of Meru mountain! She lives in the forest of lotus flowers and resides in the “Kadamba Vana!” Even as all Devas eulogize Her glory, She readies Herself with the armies for the great task of killing the terrible asura Bhandasura!

Sankara has not yet completed his description of Devi's Navel! He has a few more visions of Her Navel which he wants to describe! He has already pointed out how Manmatha, scorched by the fire of the third eye of Kamesa, searched for a hiding place and entered into the deep lake like navel of Devi! The minute hair in the vicinity of the breasts has dwarfed itself because of the mutual  friction of the breasts and entered Her cave like navel!

In this seventy eight sloka Sankara's imagination and metaphorical explanation reaches its acme! Says Sankara, “ O the Daughter of Himavan! Your Navel is the stable whirlpool on the river Ganga! It is the basis for the creeper like cluster of hair (romali) which is also the basis for the budlike breasts! It is the “Kunda” of sacrificial fire of Manmatha's brighteness! It is the place for the walk of Rati Devi, the spouse of the Love God! It is the cave for the fulfilment of the eyes of Iswara! In fact, it is indescribable!”

There is exaggeration and metaphor in every description of the Navel in this sloka. The whirlpool will not be stable at one place in the river. Water will be swirling and it is fatal for anyone caught in it! The breasts are termed as buds based on creepers of romali! It is the ‘Kunda’ for the raging fire of Manmatha! In other words, it is the center for all erotic feelings in the individual! It is also the place where Rati, Manmatha's wife comes for a walk! Sankara concludes the sloka by commenting that it is the threshold of the cave for the fulfilment of the eyes of Iswara!

Replete with Sringara rasa, these descriptions of Sankara stun and fill us with amazement! Sankara is fixing his attention on the very sensitive and erotic angas of of the female form! The very sight of breasts and the navel of a woman is capable of blowing off the male! God has created the woman in such a fashion endowing them with the distinctive parts not only for beauty but for feeding children! It is surprising to see Sankara denouncing the erotic passion of the male in his classic composition “Bhajagovindam.” Nari sthanabhara nabhi desam drustwa maga  mohavesam etan mamsa vasadi vikaram manasi vichintaya varam varam” Don't be carried away by erotic passion at the sight of the region of breasts and the navel! They are filled with flesh and ‘vasa’ of repulsing nature! Contemplate on this fact again and again. We wonder at this counsel of Sankara the philosopher as we compare his description of the Navel of Devi! Here he is drinking deep the beauty of his Divine Mother as Her dear child with all purity, devotion and love!

"DEVI'S ROMALI--CLUSTER OF HAIR" (Soundarya Lahari 77)

The description of Devi's physical form and the 'angas’ by Vasinyadi Vagdevatas is amazing as well as interesting! We begin to wonder whether they can be described in such a manner! Every part is graphically described without much Inhibition! Devi’s breasts are the fruits hanging from the creeper like hair originating from Her navel! She has three pads in between Her breasts! She has diamond studded ‘kinkinis’ and wears garlands!  Her thighs and their softness is known to Kameswara alone! She defeats the lotus by the radiance of Her lotus feet! Her gait is that of the female Swan, royal and dignified! Her lotus feet are adorned by diamond studded ‘manjira!!’ She is all red and decked with all kinds of ornaments! She is seated on the lap of Kamesa and has control over him! She is the Queen of Srinagara in the center of the Meru mountain! She lives in the Chintamani house and has the “ Panchabrahmas” as Her seat! She resides in the lotus Forest and the garden of “Kadamba” trees!

Enjoying and appreciating the Soundarya of his Divine Mother, Sankara, Her poetic child, weaves many an amazing vision that stuns us at every step! He says that Her flowing milk has on it a flood of literary forms like the epics, the dramas and others! Manmatha, unable to bear the ferocity of the third eye of Siva, took refuge in Devi's lake like navel! Extraordinary imagination indeed!!

In the seventy seventh sloka, Sankara revels in his imagination! He describes the “romali”-the cluster of hair around Her navel! Says Sankara, “ O Mother Parvati! In Your slim waist I find the small cluster of hair, Romali, similar to the smallest wave of Yamuna river! It appears that the space between Your two breasts has become less due to mutual friction! Hence for want of space it has come down and entered the cave like navel!” It is accepted in general that Space or Akasa has a form and it is black.

The description of Sankara defies our imagination! It is only poets and upasakas like Sankara who can imagine and visualize scenes like this! The comparison of the cluster of hair- ‘ romali’ is apt and graphic! The breasts are metaphorically described as “ Kucha kalasa” indicating their large size! The interspace between the breasts has been reduced by mutual friction and that small space has entered the cave like navel of Devi!

As the slokas progress, Sankara's description tends to be rather erotic and full of Sringara rasa! Readers may not accept these and may even object to such descriptions. But we find similar  descriptions in many Sanskrit stotras! It is a poetic tradition and Sankara follows it! Though there is Sringara rasa in the descriptions of Sankara, it is the expression of pure unalloyed Love of the child for his Divine Mother!

MANMATHA'S REFUGE (Soundarya Lahari 76)

The description of every ‘anga' of Devi is the prerogative of the Vasinyadi Vagdevatas in Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra! Starting from Devi's emergence from the sacrificial fire, they describe Her shoulders, sugarcane bow, flower arrows, effulgence drenching the entire universe! She is decked with Champaka and Asoka flowers! She has moonlike face on which the the Mriganabhi mark resembles the spot on the moon! Her eyes are like the fish moving across a lake! Her nosegay mocks at the shining stars in the sky! The sun and the moon are Her ear studs or thatankas! Her mellifluous voice has beaten the sweet notes of Goddess Saraswathi's Kachchapi! She has drenched the manas of Kameswara by Her sweet smile! The beauty of Her Chubuka is unparalleled! Her neck is bright with the mangalasutra tied by Kamesa!

Vasinyadi Vagdevatas do not stop there. Devi's shoulders are adorned with golden ‘ angada and Keyuras! Pendant of diamonds and pearls hangs in Her neck! Her breasts are symbols of the love of Kamesa! They are like the fruits originating from the creeper like hair of Her navel! It is as if Her slim waist is based on the creeper like hair! There is padding in between her breasts! She is draped in red kausumbha dress! It is only Kameswara that knows the softness of Her thighs!

This description of Devi's physical form  inspires Sankara and he conjures up amazing visions that none of us would have thought in our wildest imagination! He has said that Her milk has on it the entire gamut of literature! The white garland on Her has become red due to the redness of of her lower lip! It indicates the great heroism of Her spouse as well as his pure renown! In every description of Devi there is a new angle of vision! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! Terribly afraid of Siva's anger and with burnt body, Manmatha tried to save his soul and sought refuge in the lake of Your navel and hid himself! The smoke emanating from that fire Is termed as the bunch of Your hair! (Roma)”

Sankara alludes to the incident when, to help the Devas, Manmatha agreed to disturb the severe penance of Lord Siva. To save the Devas from the torment of Tarakasura, Siva and  Parvati have to be united. The son born out of their union, Skanda, would destroy the demon. Manmatha was given the task and he reluctantly accepted. He waited for the opportunity and as Parvati approached Siva, shot his flower arrows at the Lord. Siva was rudely disturbed in his tapas!  Furious at this, the Lord opened his third eye and Manmatha was burnt to ashes!

In an ingenious explanation, Sankara says that Manmatha out of fear for his life didn't know what to do! He spotted the lake like navel of Devi, entered into it and hid himself! Sankara says that the smoke coming out of his burnt body is considered by people as Her ‘bunch of hair or ‘romas’! Manmatha is symbolic of Beauty and eroticism! Indirectly Sankara describes the beauty of Devi's Navel and its erotic effect!!

SANKARA THE POET (Sounndarya Lahari 75)

Speaking about the illimitable attributes of Sri Lalita Maha Tripurasundari, Vasinyadi Vagdevatas extol Her literary and aesthetic qualities! She is “ Kalavati kalalapa kantha kadambari Priya.”She is the embodiment of Self Realization or Atma Vidya! She is the great knowledge Herself! She is Sri Vidya Herself! She is worshipped by Manmatha! “ Atmavidya mahavidya Srividya Kama sevitha!” She is the heart of all arts, the queen of all of them and very much pleased with literary debates and discussions! “Kalathmika kalanatha kavyalapa vinodini!” She is also the embodiment of all languages, great armies and devoid of any feeling or otherwise! She is described as the very treasure house of all arts, the connoisseur of arts and the end of all appreciation! “ Kalanidhih kavyakala rasajna rasa sevadhihi” She is the lover of music from the Sama Veda; She is soft and gentle and the wife of Sri Sadasiva! She exhibits the symbol of Jnana; she is the destination for all Jnana or Knowledge; she is the embodiment of knowledge and that which has to be known! “Jnanamudra Jnanagamya Jnana Jneya Swarupini!”

Sankara imagines that Vinayaka and Kumaraswami are feeding themselves at the same time! He hopes the Divine breasts shall ward off all difficulties and sorrows! He also refers to the childishness of Vinayaka in thinking that Devi has stolen his elephant head! Devi's Divine breasts appeared so large! He even verified if his head was safe and secure! Sankara does not stop there! He says that  both the Gods remain celibate because of of their Mother's milk which actually is Amirta or Divine nectar! Sankara points out that the diamond studded white garland has turned red due to the redness of Her lower lip!

Different ideas and visions present themselves before the mind of Sankara while describing and appreciating the Divine beauty of Lalithambika. He is unable to progress without describing them to his heart's content! Every angle of his vision is fantastic and amazing! Says Sankara, “ O Mother! I consider the flood of your Mother's Milk as the sea over which flows all forms literature like ‘Kavyas’ Natakas ( Dramas) and other literary forms! Otherwise how can I, this Dravida Child, having tasted Your Milk  become one of the greatest poets among the severe critics and accepted by all?

Sankara feels that he has drunk deep Devi’ Milk which is the reason why he has become a great philosopher and poet! Without the Grace of Devi such fame and renown can never be achieved! He calls himself “Dravida Sisu” indicating that he belongs to the Dravidian ancestry! But he was born in Kaladi in Kerala state. Sankara is called “Shanmata sthapanacharya” for the yeoman contribution he has made for the different forms of worship! It was he that formulated worship of different Gods according to one's faith! He was responsible for the worship of Ganapathi- Ganapatyam, Saivam- Siva, Shaktam- Shakthi, Vaishnvam- Vishnu, Kaumarm- Kumaraswami and Souram- Sun! That paved the way for the worship of Gods according to one's faith and desire!

Sankara was a philosopher unparalleled! He is remembered today as the exponent of Adwaita school of philosophy which says that there is only One and that is Brahman-” Ekamevadwitiyam Brahma”. He wrote ‘Bhashyas’ for Upanisads and Brahma sutras! He composed innumerable stothras on various deities though he was a staunch ‘Advaiti’! He was the originator of a spiritual renaissance that was under the attack of Buddhism and Janism! Later acharyas like Sri Ramanuja and Madhwa consolidated the movement! His life is full of miracles and he is considered as the avatar of Lord Siva himself! Like sage Vyasa, Sankara's contribution to Philosophy, literature and religion is immeasurable!

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