Duṣṭadūrā दुष्टदूरा (193)
She is far away from sinners. Duṣṭa means spoilt and corrupted and they do not even think about Her. They can never attain Her. This implies that they cannot have liberation.
Durācāra-śamanī दुराचार-शमनी (194)
Performing those actions that are prohibited by scriptures is called ‘dur-ācāra’. Ācāra is known as customs or traditions. These customs are of two types. The customs that are prescribed by Veda-s belong to the first type. In the second category are the customs that are introduced recently, not prescribed by Veda-s. The customs that were introduced in recent times do not have significant spiritual values. A prayer done for a minute with deep devotion is much more powerful than performing expensive rituals. Veda-s never said that one should spend beyond his means to perform rituals, most of which are hyped in recent times.
Doṣa-varjitā दोष-वर्जिता (195)
She is devoid of blemishes, yet another quality of the Brahman. Blemish arises out of hatred, desire, etc. Here, blemish refers to mind and not the gross body. She does not have any blemish and this has been discussed in earlier nāma-s in this Sahasranāma.
With this nāma the effects of worshipping Her formless form (nirguna Brahman) ends. Nāma-s 196 to 248 discuss about Her various forms known as saguṇa Brahman or the Brahman with attributes. Worshipping God without form is called nirguṇa worship and considered as superior. Worshipping God in various forms is called saguṇa worship. Religious faiths are based on saguṇa worship (with forms and attributes).
Sarvajñā सर्वज्ञा (196)
She is omniscient. Only the Brahman alone can be omniscient. Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (I.1.9) says “That Brahman, which is all-knowing in general way and which is also all-knowing in detail whose austerity is knowledge and from that (para) Brahman comes this (apara) Brahman and also such categories as name, form and food.” The Upaniṣad specifically uses the word tapaḥ, meaning the highest form of meditation known as penance. Parā Brahman is the nirguṇa Brahman (without attributes) and aparā Brahman is saguṇa Brahman (with attributes).
Sāndrakaruṇā सान्द्रकरुणा (197)
She is compassionate. This is mainly because of being ‘the Divine Mother’. “She has more than any other, the heart of the universal Mother. For Her compassion is endless and inexhaustible; all are to Her eyes Her children and portions of the One (meaning the universal Brahman). Her rejections are only postponement; even Her punishments are a grace. But Her compassion does not blind Her wisdom or turn Her action from the course decreed (law of karma)”. These beautiful words are of Sri Aurobindo in his book ‘The Mother’.
Samānādhika-varjitā समानाधिक-वर्जिता (198)
She has no equals. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad (VI. 8) says, “He has no body and no organs. No one is His equal. No one is His superior either. He possesses many powers of knowledge and powers of action.” The Upaniṣad talks about the nature of the Brahman.
Arjuna addresses Kṛṣṇa like this in Bhagavad Gīta ( XI.43) “You are the Lord of incomparable might, in all the three worlds there is none else even equal to You; how then, any better?” She has all these qualities.
Sarvaśakti-mayī सर्वशक्ति-मयी (199)
She is the power of all śaktī-s. There are two different meanings for the word śaktī. Śaktī means power. As far as She is concerned, Her power is the divine power. She uses this divine power for Her acts of creation, sustenance and dissolution. Since Her saguṇa (form) is being discussed, it can be said that She has ministers such as Vārāhī, Śyamalā, or even Her ten forms which is popularly known as dasa mahā vidyā, who are Her śaktī-s. In this context śaktī-s mean these goddesses who function under Her control. In literal sense, She is in the form of all such goddesses, in view of the omnipresent nature of the Brahman. Since She is the embodiment of all śaktī-s, She is known as Śaktī. This is the reason for addressing Her as Sarvaśakti-mayī.
Sarva-maṅgalā सर्व-मङ्गला (200)
She is the embodiment of all auspiciousness. She is addressed as Śrī Śiva in nāma 998. Śiva means auspiciousness. Since She is the source of auspiciousness, She is capable of giving the desired auspiciousness to Her devotees. The same nāma is there in ‘Lalitā Triśatī’ as nāma 124. There is a famous verse ‘sarvamṅagala māngalye śive sarvartha sādhike| śaraṇaye triyambake gouri nārayaṇi namostu te|| . (Durga saptasati 11.10, Markandeya Purāṇa Chapter 88, verse 9). The meaning for this famous verse is “Oh! Nārāyanī! The cause of creation, sustenance and dissolution; ever existing; the source of all virtues; thy form itself is made up of these virtues (excellent qualities); I worship you.”
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