लल्लाटं लावण्यद्युतिविमलमाभाति तव यत्
द्वितीयं तन्मन्ये मुकुटघटितं चन्द्रशकलम्।
विपर्यासन्यामादुभयमपि संभूय च मिथः
सुधालेपस्यूतिः परिणमति राकाहिमकरः॥

lallāṭaṁ lāvaṇyadyutivimalamābhāti tava yat
dvitīyaṁ tanmanye mukuṭaghaṭitaṁ candraśakalam |
viparyāsanyāmādubhayamapi saṁbhūya ca mithaḥ
sudhālepasyūtiḥ pariṇamati rākāhimakaraḥ ||

lallāṭaṁ - forehead; lāvaṇya dyuti vimalam ābhāti – spotless, splendorous and illuminating charm; tava yat – belonging to You; dvitīyaṁ - second; tan manye – I believe; mukuṭa ghaṭitaṁ - fastened to the diadem; candra śakalam – crescent moon; viparyā sanyāmāt – upside-down; ubhayam api saṁbhūya ca mithaḥ - joining both the ends together; sudhā lepa syūtiḥ - endowed with ambrosia; pariṇamati – transforming into; rākāhimakaraḥ - like full moon.

“I believe that spotless, splendorous and illuminating charm of Your forehead is another crescent moon fastened to Your diadem upside-down and joining together both the ends (of these two crescent moons), appear like a full moon causing the secretion of ambrosia.”

Meditation on sahasrāra and beyond with Ṣoḍaśi mantra is secretively conveyed through this verse. In the ancient Scripture by name Ṣaṭcakra Nirūpaṇa, (verse 41), sahasrāra is described as appearing like a full moon without any blemishes, perpetually shining and sheds profuse cool nectar (sudhā). This verse refers to two crescent moons and these two moons can be compared to Śiva and Śakti. Śiva always remains in Parābindu at sahasrāra and Śakti in Her subtlest form kuṇḍalinī, ascends to sahasrāra and conjoins Her Consort Lord Śiva. As a result of this union, Ṣaṭcakra Nirūpaṇa, (verse 43) says, nectar like essence drips down signalling the union of Jīvātman with Paramātman. The Bliss arsing out of this union is known as Paramahaṁsaḥ. After this union, a sādhaka (practitioner) becomes a Yogī. His spiritual sādhana comes to end at this stage. There are innumerable explanations on this Divine Union; however, the essence of all interpretations remains the same. (In advance meditation, one can effortlessly experience this flow of nectar, almost daily, within few minutes from the commencement of meditation. In rare cases, even without meditation, the nectar begins to flow, when the divine energy begins to overflow from the body. To reach this stage, all chakras from ājñācakra upwards have to be active incessantly (perpetual meditation). The flow of nectar from sahasrāra is also known as nectar of Mercy, which is explained as the essence of Brahma-mantra, which can be interpreted in two ways. It signifies great mantras like – Om (praṇava), haṁsaḥ (paraprāsāda mantra), sauḥ (parābīja), Ṣoḍaśī, Pañcākṣarī (om namaśivāya) or Aṣṭākṣarī (om namo nārāyaṇāya). Alternatively, Brahma-mantra could mean a mantra initiated by one’s Guru. However, it is important to note that mantra alone is not the cause for Their Mercy. Mantra plays only a secondary role in reaching this stage, the primary role being in the state of sthitaprajña, where mind is totally purged of all impurities. Only in this state of mind, mahāvākya-s (ahaṁ brahmāsmi or I am That) can be efficaciously affirmed. One can afford to commit occasional mistakes while performing a ritual, but one cannot afford to commit to an atom of error while pursuing spiritual path to attain the ultimate Goal. A serious aspirant will have too many doubts, both trivial and serious, while pursuing his spiritual Goal. He should get all his doubts clarified from his Guru and should not proceed with lingering doubts in his mind, as She will be realized only in the mind. If doubts persist, affirmations (mahāvākya-s) will not have any impact on the mind. The role of a learned Guru is extremely important in spiritual practices. Spiritual practice means, attaining Brahman without performing any rituals.

On the grosser side, the verse says that Her forehead appears like an inverted crescent moon. She has already one crescent moon on Her diadem (Both Śiva and Śakti have crescent moon on their diadems). If these two crescent moons are joined together at the two ends of the two moons, they appear like a full moon. Lalitā Sahasranāma 15 Aṣṭamī -candra-vibrāja-dhalika-sthala-śobhitā describes Her forehead as “Her forehead appears like the moon on the eighth day.  Eighth day from the full moon or new moon is called asḥṭamī.  The moon appears beautiful with even curves on both sides on eighth lunar day”.  This interpretation is very significant and this verse is based on this nāma. The two crescent moons referred in this verse are asḥṭamī moons, the moon appearing on eighth lunar day, when two sides are equal. When two asḥṭamī moons, one facing upwards and one facing downwards join together, a full moon is formed. But this is not the luminary moon. This moon is Her face, without any blemishes. Planet moon appears with some dark patches, but Her face does not have any such blemishes.

A Yogī will never have any blemishes, though he may live a normal life.