WORD FOR WORD
Manas tvam – the mind You are
Vyomah tvam – the sky
Marut is – the wind You are
Marut rather as – the charioteer of the winds (You are)
Tvam apaha – (you are) the water
Tvam bhumi hi – the earth
Tvayi parinamayitum na hi param – apart from Your manifest form there is naught else indeed
Tvam eva sva atmanam – You, in respect of Your own self
Parinamayitum – to make manifest
Vishva vapusha – by means of a universal form
Chid ananda karam – of mental bliss substantial
Shiva yuvati bhavena – You assume the role of Shiva-bride
Bibhrse – and thus You triumphant rule.
This verse is the extension of verse 34 in a different dimension. Sapthashati is a text that is boundless, limitless. There is Saptashloki, which itself becomes a mantra having all the angas. The individual mantra has all the components of dhyana, rishi, chandas, and shakti. For all seven hundred mantras, we can get the components. These three put together are the essence of all the tantras which are Lalitha Sahasranama, Trishati. It is not only the water in the ocean. There is nothing beyond what is not included in you. Everything is included. Whatever we say and do is included in you. you are only one of your forms. This roopa of Devi or this form of your consciousness is bliss in which we assume everything in the form of Shiva’s concert. It is she, Devi who transforms herself into groups, whatever be her form from that form she transforms herself into yours. It indicates that cosmic energy is for a cause that continues to exist. With the evolution of cosmic energy into the universe, you are mind and also earth tattva. He has just not mentioned about single form. He begins with manas. You are the mind right after the earth tattva.
This indicates as Shankara starts describing her with manas tattvam right to tvam Bhumi. It is closest to initiate her without any help from outside. Any transformation in general needs an outside agency. For example, human beings cannot transform their body. We can transform the mind, there is a need for an external agency. But that transformation has taken without any outside agency. This only applies to cosmic energy. It was subtle energy that transformed into the dense matter but even after transformation, it retains its elemental consciousness. We all are her forms. We also have consciousness. There is consciousness even in stone images that is the reason we worship stone images. The sculptures that are made of stone are very well worshiped in temples. Certain stone sculptures once consecrated have the most powerful energy. This energy can be felt externally and this can only happen to those beings who are at a certain stage in their sadhana.
We have given Bhudevi as a consort to Venkateshwara. The transformation of shakti has given mere pulsation. During evolution and transformation, Shakti manifests as a universal mind as Hiranyagarbha and manifests as an individual mind. Hiranyagarbha stores what is in every mind, it can be the human mind, animal, tree. Everything is her doing. It indicates that Hiranyagarbha carries the universe, it can be a possibility. When we accept that the entire universe is hers. When it comes to the human mind, it has two aspects: 1 higher aspect, 2 lower aspects.
The lower mind operates through panchendriyas but the higher mind operates with self. The cosmic energy in the form of the mind is present both in the lower and higher minds. Her presence in quality and quantity is so less in the lower aspect of mind. In higher mind the quality and quantity are huge. It pervades the entire mind and body which is composed of Mula tattvas( primordial elements). It is possible only when we realize it. It is a great wonder that cosmic energy that we call devi or shakti does it in all forms. Wherever we look, it is the presence of cosmic energy. The divine presence is there. When we use the word it should be understood that seeing is not by the eyes or by four panchendriyas, beyond that her pervasiveness is there. Even in thoughts, she pervades. If we can understand that, we need to leave our thoughts to a higher sense, she is there. She is also present in the lower mind through the senses. When she is present in a higher mind her thought process is changed. She has assumed every form to help every living and non-living being through the journey of self-realization.
Only our higher mind listens to us when it is good in quality and quantity. Matter into which she has evolved. The mind is evolving every time. In this process, the dormant centers are awakened. The structure of the mind is also known to that. It depends on how one sues the brain. Whether it is higher or lower. The structure is also different. A complete change or reversal in the flow of energy. Shakti also transforms her chethana and consciousness which transforms her consciousness along with her energy. Every sentient and insentient object or beings changes. We are part of creation and being an intellect, we are also in a constant state of evolution. We need to accept evolution and that is because of consciousness. If consciousness was removed everything would decay and die. It is like the state of a coma, life is there but consciousness is not there. It elevates consciousness. That Tripurasundari is beyond Maya and that state of Tripurasundari and during that state, she can grant us “Aparoksha Anubhuti”.What is Aparoksha Anubhuthi? Aparoksha Anubhuthi is a direct experience of cognizance of Devi. The power of creation is inherent in her. Thought is a creation that may not be in the form.
Shankara has experienced and acknowledges that cosmic energy with cosmic consciousness in her purest form of Tripurasundari. The purest form is above Shiva. To create and rule of creation, she takes the role of Energy of the consciousness. That state becomes a state of consciousness which we call Chidananda. Shankara after establishing the cosmic energies, the total union of shakti with Shiva further explains what made her enter the state of the union. Then he experiences the totality of union and her presence with physical elements. With the union of consciousness, it has become matter. The perfect union, that has come out of matter. The energy that came out of the union is consciousness. It is possible because of the total union of the consciousness and energy otherwise there is no matter.
Kanchi paramacharya’s explanation on this adhyatmika tattvas, Vedanta tattvasnis pretty simple. It states that there is no need that they have to be within our grasp. There are beyond us. Some concepts are only within our reach. Even if we don’t understand or grasp them it does not matter. All we know is concepts are there. It’s an emotion. IT is with anyone’s reach and it is what we need. It is the love of the mother. The mother of the universe. How can we explain the love we need for the embodiment of the universe. When Shakara speaks about the Devi as a body in which the life of the lord is inherited. Then he brings her to us as the milk of the mother’s breasts. Even though Shankara conceives as one embodying the universe also being present in every partical, she is inert. So he is unable to forget her motherhood. Like a mother suckling her children. Like a mother feeding all the plants and living beings. How is she doing it? through her breasts and what are they? They are Sun and Moon. She is doing this through the rays of Sun and Moon. If we had known long before from the Vedas. Amba feeds all living beings with the light of the Sun and Moon. The vegetable kingdom is sustained by the light. Without the sun rays, in the plant kingdom plants cannot sprout and grow. though w don’t receive everything from the sun by eating veggies we get the nutrients. Plants also act as a solar cooker for us. They preserve the solar power in vegetables that we eat and it is considered as Prasada. That bent on is also showing towards her creatures.
Acharya also mentions Moon in this context. Moonlight is so cool, it gives us delight which is big nourishment. The medicinal herbs derive sunlight from the Sun, they also receive their medicinal properties from Moon. All these days we have been talking about Nirguna but today we will be talking about Saguna. He was refering to Nirguna, nirakara. Shankara also talks about her earring, necklace, and everything about it. It is difficult to experience the nirguna nirakara(formless). But unless we experience the nirguna nirakara we cannot experience the saguna roopa. From nirguna she has become trigunatmika. When we start the japa, chadasu, beeja shakti, kelaka then we we Lalitha Tripurasundari anugraha prapyarthe and there are other things we can add. Lalithamahatripura Sundari Darshana, bhashana sidhyarthe jape viniyogah ( here it means that I want to see her and speak to her). We start with saguna Aradhana and when we think we will reach nirakara but what has happened? The same process that is what is in seed form in pragna the spandana, the universe was manifested. It was unmanifested and then it was manifested. Our sadhana should also start from formless and then form. Finally, we merge into that and it is neither Akara nor nirakara. “Darshana Bhashana sidhyarthe Jape viniyogah” When we look at Darshana why can’t we think that it is one of the breasts of Devi nourishing the plants, or Devi feeding us. From there, there is a form. When we imagine this the roopa of Devi appears before us. Bhasahana, sounds do not appear but it is the messages that we hear. It is also the responsibility of a guru to share the experience of his sadhana which is only a guiding factor. The experience may differ. So we think of a roopa, the same thing happens. Dhyana sloka describes the form. It is not necessary to see the form. The form is imagined when chanting the dhyana sloka. By closing our eyes we visualize near and dear, also the thoughts take the form there. Different roopas of Devi can be visualized and that is called form. That form transforms into formless, which is the beginning of knowing her or understanding her. The anugraha of ambal should be there. It is natural. Gyana is not knowledge it is also experience. We confine the gyana to knowledge. If knowledge cannot become experience, if gyana cannot become an experience that is not called gyana it is not limited to knowledge but experience. . Experience of the form has to happen. It is the same with knowledge. When consciousness and chaithana take the form, it is the experience of the sadhaka.
The essence of Soma is soma rasa. The tides of the ocean are caused by the moon. Ambal makes us sustained as annapurneshawari. She feeds through her breasts and that is why she is bent down. When Shankara is describing Devi’s breasts are Sun and Moon, he did prove it scientifically. Sun illuminates intelligence and Moon is the presiding deity of the mind. Just as the full moon and new moon days, the ocean also affects. It is called lunatic. Sun and moon have the power to bless us. On new moon day, we offer pitru karmas. The chanting of mantras during eclipse has some positive effects. Knowledge combined with experience is gyana. Sun and Moon are the right and left eyes of Paramatma. Manasvam, you exist as a mind. Mother this mind which is the cause of so much which is false. After so much trouble fortunately or unfortunately, the mind is you. Here the question comes as to WHO ARE YOU? Even that is you. She is mind and the same mind questions. I am talking about Devi? Who is she? how does she look like?. When we follow the path of gyana, gyana is not knowledge but it is the experience of knowledge is gyana. If she is always in our thoughts, then the mind will not be given any chance to false nor it invites trouble. When we realize all thoughts are from Amba, she will take us to the state where there is no mind, and such a state is called paravail ( Veli- fencing) in Tamil, or when she takes us to the state where there is no mind, it is called gyanakasha. The cast expansion of the blue sky is Devi, it should be our imagination. Akasha is the vast expansion, limitless. Limitless experience of gyana. That itself is Devi. BY this learning practice the mind will also become open expansion. You exist as gynakahsha where our regular mind is erased. When we continually practice this, it gets unfold to an extent and we can become open expansion like akasa. Yomatvam: You are the space, you are all the elements, fire, air, Prithvi. How can we say that whatever is in the universe is her form?. Maruthasi is Vayu– it is because of Maruth — element Vayuin Bramhanda. Agni– another aspect of Ambal, Even Veda themselves proclaim that you are the color of fire. You glore with acetic lore. Vedas was born for agni. She resides in the form of five elements. In the chakra next to Vishudhi were manas. Paramacharya tells us there is no object in which you are not present. You have taken the form of the bliss of gyana for the purpose to evolve into the body of the cosmos. Total realization is sat chit ananda. Shiva who is pure does not remain as sat ( which remains the same without any change of time and space ), reality alone is also chit. Chit is consciousness and awareness experiencing the ananda. Her function is experiencing Shiva. The cause of Chit shining and unfolding itself into ananda, arising and becoming Shiva Patni ( consort of Shiva). It is for this reason that you have taken the form of Chidananda. The bramhan becoming aware of itself, experiencing bliss, and remaining by itself is not the end of everything. It acquires chit and ananda to evolve into the cosmos that is different from itself (Bramhan). It is entirely a Shakta concept and has nothing to do with Advaita. The purpose of the creation of Bramhanda is to watch this port of drama connected by all these. We are immersed in that Maya and we are lost.
O devi! you must evolve yourself into a cosmic form as Shiva wife that you have taken the form of Chidananda, As bramhan becoming aware of itself and experiencing ananda and remaining on Ananda is not the end of everything It acquires chit and ananda to evolve into cosmos. It is a Shakta concept. Not only the Shakta system even the other systems explains the creation of the cosmos similarly. The ananda, paramananda great bliss also gets are divided into numerous smaller particles. It is to watch the drama conducted by sat or reality. The wife of sat is chit and ananda to be the bramhan, pragna. The whole thing is Leela hence she is called Lalita. It is the evolution taking place in prashakti’s imagination. We are steeped in chidananda and we become oneness with reality. Chidananda is experience, Sat chit ananda is to become one with chidananda. Chidananda is an experience. Shankara bhagavadpada explains that there is none other than you. One thing becoming another. Advaitha does not say that bramha changes this way. According to Advaita, unchanging the bramhan gives the false impression of the cosmos because of Maya. Sankhya tells that the cosmos is the result of Prakriti, not Purusha. This is the reason why acharya is mentioned here. He expresses how the Shakta system has given shape to a Sankhya Darshana to suit its view. Kanchi paramacharya a great soul has said in his Daivatin korul If we cannot lead a person to spirituality to know oneself is of great help. further Kanchi paramacharya talks about it. Only Shankara bhagavadpada who is compassionate and personified could have done it. The Shakta system is named the Kaula branch there are many meanings. Shiva yuvathi does not mean Shiva’s wife. All that is meant by Shiva is also meant by Devi. All the qualities of Shiva, the aspect of young women is also Shiva. “Shiva swadhina Valabha” ( one who keeps her husband in her sway) Shiva is contained in his wife. This remark of shakanrabhagavadpada is fixed in our minds. “Shiva yuvathi” is formed is shiva in young women. Without our knowledge even using chitha.
The thoughts occur in the mind. Shankarabhagavadpada starts this stanza with manasthvam. This mind has all unwanted and harmful thoughts. If one is harmed, those thoughts are also produced by us. If we practice the idea that the thought mind is amba herself. Mind is Devi, even thoughts are herself. One who can get accustomed to that state of mind ( mind is Devi and thoughts are Devi) then all of us will become king. king of the empire of the atman. When we change our thought process that thoughts are Devi and Mind is also devi, we come to the kings and queens of our Atma Samrajaya. We need not turn our minds inward or suppress outward or we need not suppress. Even that is Devi. All the five elements are Devi. She is everything, evolving ourselves. Everything is pervaded by Devi. Whatever we experience also is Devi, that experience itself becomes Chidananda. When we realize that the thought itself is amba that is chidananda. Thoughts emerge from our knowledge. Thought and knowledge go hand and hand. This little knowledge unites with the great knowledge that is our chitha and our petty pleasures dissolve in the great bliss and we become the embodiment of Chidananda and each one of us become Shiva yuvathi and attain oneness with Bramhan.
That chitha we refer to the great consciousness. Getting connected to the great Chitha is what is required. Practicing every day by thinking that thoughts themselves are Devi and we can attain a state of thoughtlessness. Kanchi paramacharya tells about the Baroda University having a palm leaf manuscript of Soundarya Lahari. In the palm leaf manuscript, each mantra carries an illustration, and further, he states that the copy of the manuscript is with Philadelphia University. One of the three palm leaves has this mantra called manastvam.
Why is Devi Ishwara’sbody? It is not the gross body that is meant but the subtle mind that is in it. The first stanza starts with gross and the second is manastvam. Mhat is the cause of five elements. From the mind, root arises akasha” Vishudhi chakra Niyala Raktavarna Trilochana”. Shankara starts to talk about chakras from Ajna because of the mind which is the root that arises akasha which its subtlest. you are the body of life or body of the spirit that is called Shambhu. O Devi you have existed without any distinction made between body and life. It is you evolved into the body called the Shiva or cosmos. Even if chitha and ananda are separated, the three together make one. Sat, Chith, and Ananda make one. It is a wonderful commentary on this. It is like a sweet dish. It has taste and smell. Here the question is can we separate taste and smell. Like how we can’t separate smell and taste in the same manner we cannot separate Sat, Chith, and Ananda. Is it possible to exist without the basis of Sat? No. For all of us to derive the experience that she is one with Shiva, is only a way of thinking that she is Shiva Yuvathi. In the Pragna and Shakti are one. The cosmos body and spirit of the body are one. The personification of Sat is Chith and Ananda.
The guru tattva, surrender with faith in sadhana. In any tantra sadhana including Srividya, it is the guru. Guru is not physical, it is a concept, tattva, energy. We are trying to understand the concept of and the principle of the tatta in the physical form. Lalithopakhyana also mentions the guru vakya. Guru vakya even if it is against the shastras known to us guru vakya rules over the shastra. This is told by Hayagriva to Agastya. Another important thing is that in Srividya parampara sadhana guru padhuka plays an important role. It connects to the three generations. In Sankalpa we tell Desha, Kala apart from this we even tell the gotra. Gotra connects to our genesis. Even for a small puja, we connect to our genesis. When we do sadhana of Bramha Vidya, it is even more important. It is about mantra, not physical form. Guru padhuka mantra connects us to the param guru. Our guru, Paramguru, Parameshti guru, and para guru first three are very important. Srividya is also getting diluted. Bramha Vidya( Sri vidya) is a deeksha.A Deeksha given to a person becomes a sadhaka. He is given a samskara, a mantra. With that samskara, he becomes a student of bramha vidya. The purnabhisheka in Srividya gives him a new birth, so he is also given a new name. Proper practice of Srividya is very important otherwise, its purpose if lost. It is have been very well depicted by Shankara in Soundarya Lahari. She is in all the objects and all beings .
Chanting procedure and Nivedyam( offerings to the Lord) :
If one chants this verse 1000 times each day for 45 days, offering, honey,sugar and payasam as
prasadam, it is said that one would be able to overcome tuberculosis.
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