ṣaḍadhvātīta-rūpiṇī षडध्वातीत-रूपिणी (991)
ṣaḍadhva means six types of paths (adhvan – means, methods, paths) of worshipping Her and atīta means transcending. She transcends six methods of worship.
Six types of worship are pāda (a verse or a line), bhuvana (abode, referring to Śrī Cakra), varṇa (varṇa means outward appearance, exterior, form, figure, shape and this means idol worship. varṇa also means alphabets. She is mātṛkā varṇa rūpiṇī – nāma 577), tattva (principles as per śivāgama), kalā (sixty four types of tantra-s. Kalā also means time) and mantra (combination of alphabets). Out of the six, pāda, varṇa and mantra are the manifestations of sound or in the form of vāc. This is known as vimarśa form. The other three, bhuvana (earth), tattva and kalā are the manifestations of artha which means cause or reasoning. This is also known as prakāśa form. The universe is created when prakāśa form of Śiva, the eternal Self-illumination, without which no object can be seen, unites with vimarśa form of Śaktī (the power of autonomy given by Śiva to Śaktī, also known as the svabhāva (natural disposition of Śiva). This way, the nāma says that She is beyond all these and in order to attain Her, one has to meditate on Śrī Cakra using these six methods. The practitioner first attains siddhi in mantra-s and he gradually learns to transcend worlds, principles and time (bhuvana, tattva and kalā) to finally realise Her. Please refer nāma 907 for additional information.
This nāma begins the narration of Śiva-Śaktī union that culminates in nāma 999.
Avyāja-karuṇā-murtiḥ अव्याज-करुणा-मुर्तिः (992)
She is compassionate without partiality. Avyāja means not pretending. This means that She is not pretentious to be compassionate, but truly compassionate. This nāma subtly condemns pretentiousness. The prime quality of Lalitāmbikā is compassion and this has been discussed in nāma-s 197, 326 and 581. Compassion is the quality of a mother and She being the Supreme Mother, She is said to be the embodiment of compassion in these three nāma-s. Śiva is a disciplinarian (Yajur Veda IV.v.3.1 – Śrī Rudraṁ says, nivyādhina āvyādhinīnām patayae nāmaḥ, which means one who causes pains repeatedly to foes) and Śaktī is compassionate.
Saundarya Laharī (verse 6) says that Her eyes are compassionate.
Ajñāna-dhvānta-dīpikā अज्ञान-ध्वान्त-दीपिका (993)
She is the lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance. The lamp here means the source of knowledge. She radiates the self illumination of Śiva as She is the svātantraya śaktī (the absolute autonomy known as vimarśa) of Śiva and brings about the world process. As a matter of fact, the light of wisdom dispels the darkness of ignorance and brings about Self-realisation at the same time. If however, some sequence is maintained between the two processes, it should be understood that the removal of ignorance takes place earlier and is immediately followed by Realisation.
Kṛṣṇa explains this lamp in Bhagavad Gīta (X.11), “In order to shower my grace on them, I, dwelling in their heart, dispel the darkness born of ignorance by the shining light freedom.”
{Further reading on ajñāna: ajñāna means ignorance, particularly spiritual ignorance which is illusory, beginningless and removed by knowledge, neither real nor unreal. It is something positive. If it is not positive, it cannot be the material cause of the world. It is composed of three guṇa-s. Being positive, it is the cause of illusion. Ignorance is considered as not real, since it disappears at the dawn of knowledge. It is not unreal, since it is an object of experience. As it is neither real nor unreal, it is called indescribable. Super imposition is the effect of ajñāna. The world is superimposed on the Brahman and this is due to ignorance. It disappears with the knowledge of ultimate Reality.
Bondage also is illusory and removed by knowledge but not removed immediately by knowledge, i.e. bondage is due to ignorance and ignorance is immediately dispelled by knowledge, so bondage is ultimately removed by knowledge. Although the desire of knowledge and prior non-existence of knowledge are immediately removed with the attainment of knowledge, they are not illusory. Hence it is sure that the definition of ignorance is not too wide, since it is not applicable to the bondage, desire and prior non-existence. Consciousness can never be illusory, as illusion is always negated.}
Ābāla-gopa-viditā आबाल-गोप-विदिता (994)
Ābālam means including children, gopa means cowherds (gopa also means a protector or a female guardian) and vidita means known, understood, perceived, etc. She is perceived or understood even by children and cowherds, who do not have spiritual knowledge. The word ‘cowherd’ is used in a broader sense to refer those who totally concentrate in the jobs they do, without trying to know the Brahman or do not have time to know the Brahman. In a way they are karma-yogi-s and are highly appreciated by Kṛṣṇa. Karma yogi can also attain Her, but pursuing Brahman through the path of karma takes more time than pursuing the Brahman through knowledge.
It is also said by the usage of bāla-gopa, it could mean to refer either Sadāśiva or Kṛṣṇa. Then the nāma means that She is perceived by the highest level of divinity to the lowest level of human existence, children. Śrī Rudraṁ (I.8) says, utainam gopā adṛśan adṛśan udahāryaḥ which means ‘keepers of cows and bearers of water have seen Him.’
Sarvānullaṅghya-śāsanā सर्वानुल्लङ्घ्य-शासना (995)
Her commands are never disobeyed. Even if one realises Her, he too cannot disobey Her commands. Even Brahma, Viṣṇu and Rudra do not disobey Her. This nāma can be read along with nāma 274 pañca-kṛtya-parāyaṇā.
Saundarya Laharī (verse 24) says, “Brahma creates the universe. Viṣṇu sustains it and Rudra dissolves it. Annihilating them, Īśvara conceals Himself as well. Sadāśiva approves them, pursuant to your command conveyed through thy creeper (beautifully curved) like eye brows moved but for a moment.”
{Further reading on the above verse: Brahma is the creator, Viṣṇu is the sustainer, Rudra is the dissolver, Īśvara is the cause for tirodhāna (concealment), and Sadāśiva is the ultimate in whom all the other four commingle. (Sadāśiva is explained as the stage where the experience of “I” is more pronounced than the existence itself. Icchā śakti is predominant in this tattva). This happens during annihilation or the great deluge Śaktī is eternal with Sadāśiva, who is also known as Śiva. Apart from the four stages, there is yet another stage called as re-creation. During the process of re-creation, Īśvara originates from Sadāśiva and from Īśvara originates Rudra, from Rudra originates Viṣṇu, from Viṣṇu originates Brahma and Brahma starts creation to get annihilated again.}
RECENT COMMENTS
Krishna S
Sadhika
Anilkumar
Maneesh
Nil
View All Comments