Soundarya Lahari Series (Article 4) : Verse2 - “Attracting all the World, Unimaginable Power of Dust from Devi’s feet” - Written by Hema

When we talk about the word to word meaning for these mantras, sometimes we have two different versions for the meaning for the words in the verses. For verse 2, I am providing both the versions.

WORD FOR WORD

Taniyamsum pamsum = extremely fine dust.

Ta va charana pankeruha bhavam – Virinchih = arising out of thy lotus feet, Brahma.

Sanchinvan virachayati lokan = makes the worlds.

Avikalam vahati = bears up each from each distinctly

Enam = this (the worlds)

Saurih kathamapi = Vishnu somehow.

Sahasrena sirasam = with even his thousand heads.

Harah samkshudya = Rudra having shaken it up, beaten it up as for an omelette.

Enam = this.

Bhajati = serves with it, accomplishes as benefit out of it.

Bhasito dhulana vidhim = the ash-smearing rite.

Another version of word to word meaning:

Another version:

WORD FOR WORD

taniyamsam pamsum – the fine dust

tava carana pankeruha bhavam – arising out of Your lotus feet

virincih – Brahma

sabcinvan viracayati – gathering up

lokan avikalam – the worlds creates

avikalan vahaty – incessantly he bears

evam – this same

saurih katham api – Vishnu somehow or other

sahasrena sirasam – by his thousand heads

harah samksudyainam – Shiva, having shaken it up

bhajati – accomplishes religiously

bhasito viddhulana vidhim – (his) ash wearing rite.

BENEFICIAL RESULTS: Gaining vast influence over others and fascination of those around.

There is a lot to understand and speak about Soundarya Lahari and other mantras. Shakara has preached, established and confirmed with reference to Brahma sutras and other Shruthis of Vyasa’s Advaita Darshana, Advaitha Siddhanath. It is Atman, Brahmas in ourselves. Such being the case, what made him describe the Devi as if she appeared before him as different from which is Dvaita. Many people have raised this question. He (Shankara) has experienced her in himself. It was internal. That experience of feeling her presence and her form internally in his breadth of consciousness. This vision of Devi, his conversation with Devi, the ecstasy, the devotion everything was internal. He was in the raptures of Atmananda of her Samadhi, during that samadhi Shakara wrote this. Shankara has transcended his body and mind and experienced itself. This is Adwaitha, not Dvaita.

Soundarya Lahari has established that the experience of Srividya Upasaka or Devi Upasaka is not different. The experience of Srividya Upasaka experiencing her within oneself is definitely Advaita. All our thoughts manifest, need not be in physical form as an inner experience. If our thoughts are deep and thought is about her form, that form will surely manifest in ourselves. She is formless but our thoughts had a form. What is in front of us will manifest internally but if the form is deeply within oneself. That is the exact state of Shankara which has made him compose Soundarya Lahari. When listening to Soundarya Lahari, one should be able to feel her, that is the experience we should long for. This thought should manifest. If one is not able to experience her then the recitation becomes mechanical with some raga etc. It is very easy to achieve by going through the Soundarya Lahari journey. This is a splendid achievement.

Kanchi paramacharya related all the Soundarya Lahari mantras to Lalitha Sahasranama. It’s a great comparison. This mantra, the second verse of Soundarya Lahari is compared to :

श्रुति सीमन्त सिन्धूरीकृत पादाब्जधूलिका ।

Shruti simanta sirurikruta padabja dhulika

That dust of her lotus feet forms Sindhoora marks (Vermillion mark) on the parting of the hair which is the head of the Vedas, Sruthi. If Veda is the head, the sindhoora mark is her dust below her feet. Thus describing the Karma Khanda of Vedas. Next comes the Upanishads part which is Brahma Khanda. The expression that dust means the Vedas are unable to explain the real form of Devi but are direct assertions that complete the definition described by her method of ligation. ” Neti Neti” will negate all attributes by saying not this, not this. Who else can declare that you are this, not that? This is what Paramacharya compared this to:

श्रुति सीमन्त सिन्धूरीकृत पादाब्जधूलिका ।

Shruti simanta sirurikruta padabja dhulika

It says that the Bramha Deca as a creator picked up the tiniest speck of the dust of your lotus feet to create the universe, the universe is the totality of Chara Chara, the movement which is stationary, animate, inanimate, Jada, Chethana everything which comprises of seven upper lokas and seven lower lokas. Brahma created 14 lokas by her tiny speck of dust from her lotus feet. These upper seven lokas are Bhu, Bhuvah, Mahah, Janah, Tapah, Satya and the lower seven lokas are Athala, Vithala, Suthala, Thalathala, Mahathala, and Pathala. The seven upper lokas are very much present in human beings. Gayatri Mantra is Purnavyahruthi because we mention all these seven lokas in the mantra.

Shouri is Mahavishnu who protects, sustains the world created by Brahma who also uplifts the universe. Then Hara, Rudra, Maheshwara having taken a small portion of dust is able to take the form of Pralayakara Rudra. Shakthi annihilates or destroys the universe. This is the literal meaning of the mantra of Soundarya Lahari. The reference is taken from Paramacharya’s version. He describes Hari Hara Virinchadhi bhirapi.

Bramha creates all these 14 worlds, Sahasrasheersha Purushothaama. Vishnu reclining on Adishesha with thousand hoods support the world and keep them stable without their rolling away. This is what Vishnu is doing. Eshwara takes the powders(Bhuvana’s) from the dust of Amba’s feet and makes it into ash and smears all over his body. Here Amba’s feet are described as red and that’s why the dust from Amba’s feet is also red which is compared to Sindhoora.

When we refer to Sruthi, it prostrates at Amba’s feet. Speck of the sindhoora and during destruction, it turns into Vibhuti(ash). The sindhoora is the creation and Vibhuti is destruction. This way Trimurthy is performing duties of Shrishti, Sthithi, and Samhara. They are part of Shrishti from where they came from, the serene consciousness. From there we have been bought to this condition to which we have no awareness of our true nature at all. we have lost it. We came from serene consciousness which is called Shiva and having come here we have lost that. Awareness of What? Not the awareness of what is around us. Awareness of our own true nature, that true self, who has made it. She made it, She is Maya. She has concealed our awareness as inkara and created Aggyana in all of us. Like putting us in Prapancha ( World) but many great Sadhak’s have escaped from this aggyana. Escaped from this Maya and realized the true form of awareness of that Shiva, Stationary, inactive, not able to move that consciousness. Some shadhaka’s were able to attain that consciousness and they became absorbed in that eternal tranquil moksha. The parashakti grants liberation. She creates aggyana, she is Maya and she only makes us realize our true nature ourselves. We get liberated only because of her grace.

We have seen Shrishti, Sthithi, and Laya. We have two more and it refers to the universe which is Thirodhana and Anugraha. Thirodhana is total annihilation. Here we can refer to mantras in Lalitha Sahasranama from 63 and 64th verses which are as follows:

सृष्टिकर्त्री, ब्रह्मरूपा, गोप्त्री, गोविन्दरूपिणी ॥ 63 ॥

संहारिणी, रुद्ररूपा, तिरोधानकरीश्वरी ।

सदाशिवानुग्रहदा, पञ्चकृत्य परायणा ॥ 64 ॥

The entire universe got into an unmanifest state. Once again recreation starts that is in the microlevel. She concealed from us the awareness of the self with the power of Maya. This is Thirodhana. When it refers to Thirodhana (macrocosm) it is total annihilation. When it refers to individual self it is from concealing us from the true nature of Maya, this is what she did. The fifth anugraha, that is making us free from the trap of Maya and enabling us liberation which unites us with Paramatma. These two functions are thirodhana and anugraha at the individual level. Thirodhana is the work or kritya of Parashakthi. She has contained us to worldly existence and function of raising the curtain that opened to us through our true nature granting final release. This is anugraha. During Lalitha Trishati and Durga Sapthashati, we have dealt with Panchakritya Parayana at a micro-level. But the thirodhana and anugraha refer to ourselves. We are covered by the curtain of thirodhana and is taken out and grant us anugraha to realize our own true self. Hence the task of creation, sustenance, dissolution was entrusted to trimurthy’s. But for thirodhana, Maheshwara and Sadashiva are for Anugraha. Anugraha is Sadashiva, and Mahatripurasundari’s cot is Sadashiva. So these five functions are named ” Panchakruthya Parayana”. It is Amba’s Kruthyas and she is the authority of all these things but she is assigning to different authorities to function. Vishnu has sustained both upper and lower lokas. For upper lokas, he uses Shishuara Chakra, mentioned in Vishnu Purana. It is also known as Jyothir Chakra that is the sky. There is a pole star that rotates on its own axis and induces the rotation around Surya, Chandra, and other planets, nakshatra, Ashwini kumaras, Varuna, Nitra, Agni, Mahendra, Kashyapa, Druva, and it’s tail. So all these are being used by Vishnu to sustain the upper lokas, on top of this is Prajapathi, Saptarishis. Upper chin is Agisthi, lower chin is Yama, Mars, Mangala is the mouth, Saturn is Genitals, Guru as neck back, Surya as the chest, Moon as mind, Venus as the navel., heart as Vishnu himself, life air is mercury, and so on. He is using the galaxy at this command. Vishnu sustains the upper world and uses his Shesha Naga to take the lower world’s. This is called Virata Purusha. What is shown to Arjuna is said to be in Bhagavadgita Also? Leave alone the human beings, but even by gods, sages, Trimurthy it’s not possible. This is Shimshumara Chakara. We now know that from her dust of her feet what all can happen. All the Panchakruthya’s happened. Mahamaya Supreme assumes the manifestation of both Vidya and Avidya. Also it manifests as Surya, Nhuloka, Navagraha, which assumes the initiation of Vishnu Shrusthi from anushakti or Parameshwara. Anusdhakthi is referring to Padhadhuli. Great science is involved here. It is the atom, molecule from where the whole world emerges. Translating these scientific terms— the Universe has manifested by atom. That atom is compared to Padhadhuli of Devi. Why is feet given so much importance? Padhadhuli, the feet hold a special place of reverence in the worship of divine energies. Such as divinity in the guru’s often the padhuka is worshipped instead of the form of actual deity. The feet are an illumined person are seen as a point of refuge from the aspirant through which he receives divine protection and grace. There are poems and chants dedicated to saints and sages which are filled with such a reference. Even in Ramayana, Bharatha took Rama’s Padhuka thinking that as Rama’s grace. The same sentiment is expressed in this verse for the feet from where energy leaves the body. All the organs, glands, brain, nerves, and nadis in the human body have the point of termination at the feet. When personifying the great energy of Shakthi in human form, the feet where energy flows outward and graces the creation. This is the fundamental reason why Devi’s feet are mentioned. This is where cosmic energy if flown out, terminating at that point. Therefore Shankara reasons to commence and conclude such a great composition of Shakthi worship. This second mantra is composed on the lotus feet of Devi.

We should know what part of the mantra we should meditate on. The first part of the mantra is Shiva Shakthi. In the second mantra, one should meditate on her lotus feet. When we close our eyes and chant this mantra, nothing else should be in our minds except her feet. This is meditation.In the first mantra, Shakthi is mentioned by Shiva, Vishnu, and Bramha. The trimurthy carry out the important function of creation. It is all because of Devi’s compassion. The other name of Bramha is Virinchi. In Sanskrit etymology, Virinchi is derived from Rachana which means to create. Virinchi is one who creates from the smallest speck of dust. Shankara indicates that in the particle of dust emanating from Mahashakthi, the great energy, there are tiny specks of dust that are sufficient to create the 14 worlds. The word lokan does not just imply the universe but all the different worlds. The secret charm of that Loka, the consciousness, that awareness passes through from Bhuhu, Bhuvah, JanaH, TapaH, Satya as well as lower worlds which are athala, suthala, vithala, Kuthala, Rasathala, Thalathala, Mahathala, and Pathala. It is not the world, it is our own consciousness that travels these worlds. The two lokas are within our own bodies. That is the meaning of it. This is creation. The awareness passes through planes of consciousness. If the awareness is Satya is bliss. Tapah at the same time on the planes of lower worlds is the opposite of bliss and Ananda. That is why our mythology, Puranas, speaks about Rakshasas and Dhanavas. They live in Pathala. If our awareness is in pathala, there are Rakshasha’s. If you are divine, Rakshasha’s, human beings everything depends on the planes of consciousness. Science also claims it the minute subatomic particle of energy that relates to each other and forms the particle of creation of matter.

The matter is created by subatomic particles. Tantra Shashtra calls these particles anu, autonomic, and para buthas are the subatomic particles of nuclear energy. Together these five elements are the building blocks of matter which permute and combines in a magnificent way to give it solid nature and density and combines in a magnificent way to direct cosmic energy. From the above understanding, we derive two meanings: one is external, how the panchabhutas get solidity and density. We have gone through different planes of consciousness. So this mantra indicates that the dust emanating from Sri Devi’s feet is enshrined in each anu and paramanu that constitutes matter. The matter is no object, energy has become matter and matter becomes energy. Whatever matter we are seeing is from that padhadhuli of Devi. Each atom has endless potential. Imagine the great moment when Shakthi, the cosmic energy initiates the creation process, the great upheaval should occur in the homogeneity of Shiva and Shakthi for energy to separate itself. The homogeneity for the shiva and Shakthi, for energy to separate and become nuclear. The phrase ” Thaniyamsum Pamsum ” is indicated as nuclear dust that emerges from the lotus feet of Shakthi which is gathered by Bramha — Virinchi.

The first mantra Shiva Shaktya Yoktho, the consciousness is inert and not able to any Spandana without energy. Which is further substantiated in this mantra. Continuation of 1st mantra is this. Verse 2 where Shakthi releases the subatomic particles out of which Shiva and Shakthi for energy to separate itself and to become nuclear. The Mahabhutas (Prithvi, Apu, Akasa, Tejo, Vayu) by which Bramha creats universe from cosmic energy. The panchabhutas came from Shakthi, when shakthi is ready for creation and at her will, icha premordial nature acts as the preserving agent through which Vishnu maintains and nourishes the creation. Then again at the behest of Shakthi, the role of Kali and Mahakala is consumed of time. ” Kalo Jagadah Bhakshakah. Bhakshana ( Consumer of time), Shiva becomes Mahakala and she becomes Kali and absorbs the universe back into its source which is Linga consciousness. If consciousness is given a form you can see it as Linga at Source.

Below is the short version of Benefit. Chanting procedure and Nivedyam( offerings to the Lord): If one chant this verse 1000 times every day for 55 days, and offers Milk Payasam as prasadam, one is said to gain the ability to attract and head the world.

Sri Gurubhyo Namah

Sri Matre Namah