पदन्यासक्रीडापरिचयमिवारब्धुमनसः
स्खलन्तस्ते खेलं भवनकलहंसा न जहति।
अतस्तेषां शिक्षां सुभगमणिमञ्जीररणित-
च्छलादाचक्षाणं चरणकमलं चारुचरिते॥

padanyāsakrīḍāparicayamivārabdhumanasaḥ
skhalantaste khelaṁ bhavanakalahaṁsā na jahati |
atasteṣāṁ śikṣāṁ subhagamaṇimañjīraraṇita-
cchalādācakṣāṇaṁ caraṇakamalaṁ cārucarite ||

pada nyāsa krīḍā paricayam – practicing your gait of walking like a sport; iva arabdhu manasaḥ - beginning to practice this (Her walking); skhalantaḥ te khelaṁ - unable to practice Your gait; bhavana kala haṁsaḥ - tender swans in Your Abode; na jahati – do not discontinue; ataḥ - therefore;  teṣāṁ śikṣāṁ - those instructions; subhaga maṇi mañjīra raṇita cchalāt – in the guise of auspicious tinkling sound of Her gem studded anklets; ācakṣāṇaṁ iva – seem to declare;  caraṇa kamalaṁ - Your lotus feet; cārucarite – Goddess of graceful gait.

“O! Parāśakti (the Goddess of graceful gait), those tender swans in Your palace (Mahākailāsā) never discontinue their practice to walk like You in order to correct their unimpressive method of walking. The tinkling sound from gem studded anklets seems to be giving instructions to those swans (how to walk like You).”

While meditating on Her, it would be better if we meditate on Her feet, as they can be to a certain extent visualized with ease. Hence, great importance is attached to Her feet, which are often compared to lotus flowers for their softness, complexion and beauty. There are several verses in Soundarya laharī that describe Her lotus feet. There are nāma-s in Lalitā Sahasranāma describing Her walking gait such as nāma 46 is siñjāna-maṇi-mañjīra-maṇḍita-srīpadāmbujā and nāma 47 Marālī-manda-gamanā.

The swans which try to learn Her walking gait are in Mahākailāsā (Lalitā Sahasranāma 578) and not in Cintāmaṇigṛha (Lalitā Sahasranāma 57). Why these swans are reared in Mahākailāsā and not in Cintāmaṇigṛha. In Mahākailāsā, She spends time all alone with Śiva. In Cintāmaṇigṛha She is seated as Rājarājeśvarī, overseeing every aspect of creation and sustenance, which is further discussed at the end of this verse. As Rājarājeśvarī (Lalitā Sahasranāma 684), She does not have time for Herself. But in Mahākailāsā, She is Mahākāmeśa Mahiṣī (Lalitā Sahasranāma 233), the Consort of Śiva. In fact, in Mahākailāsā apart from playing with Śiva, She also plays with these swans known as kalahaṁsa. They are special species of female swans. Kalahaṁsa also refers to Brahman or Paramaśiva. The verse goes to say that in spite of their regular practice, they are unable to catch with Her.

There are two subtle conveyances in this verse.

1. Mahā-kailāsa is the abode of Śiva. This is far away from the existing Kailāsa mountains.  In fact, mahā-kailāsa is beyond human comprehension.  Śiva has various forms and mahā-kailāsa is the abode of Paramaśiva.  Since Lalitāmbikā is always present with Śiva, mahā-kailāsa is referred to as the abode of Lalithāi as well.  The orifice (bindu) in sahasrāra is known as mahā-kailāsa.  Sahasrāra is beyond the six-cakra-s (mūlādhāra to ājñā) in the human body.  Śiva is visualised here in the form of a bindu (dot). Since She conjoins Śiva here in Her subtlest form, it is also referred as Her abode. The swans refer to haṁsa mantra (ajapa – no japa stage). Generally haṁsa-s are referred to mind. The swans in Mahā-kailāsa represent purified mind and hence they are known as kalahaṁsa-s. Kalahaṁsa means Brahman without any attributes or Nirguṇa Brahman. When She is in Cintāmaṇigṛha, She becomes Saguṇa Brahman or Brahman with attributes. When this verse talks about kalahaṁsa-s, naturally the verse describes Her as Mahākāmeśa Mahiṣī.

2. Let us look at this verse again:

padanyāsakrīḍāparicayamivārabdhumanasaḥ
skhalantaste khelaṁ bhavanakalahaṁsā na jahati |
atasteṣāṁ śikṣāṁ subhagamaṇimañjīraraṇita-
cchalādācakṣāṇaṁ caraṇakamalaṁ cārucarite ||

Words in red can be compiled this way.

1. pada; 2. nyāsa; 3. krīḍa; 4. Paricaya; 5. Bhavana; 6. kalahaṁsa.

All these six words are interpreted by Kāmeśvara Sūri on the lines of Āgama.

1. pada refers to the fourteen worlds; 2. Nyāsa refers to creation; 3. krīḍa refers to sustenance; 4. Paricaya refers to dissolution; 5. Bhavana refers to Śri Cakra; 6. kalahaṁsa refers to several śakti-s in Śri Cakra.

If we arrange these words, it gives to the following revelation.

Lalitāmbikā rules the entire universe (fourteen worlds) by taking care of creation, sustenance and dissolution by being seated in Śri Cakra and acting through different āvaraṇa devi-s. This clearly establishes Her Supremacy, even in Āgama-s.