LalithA SahasranAma: kAmesvarAstra nirdagha sabhandAsura sunyaka

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kAmesvarAstra nirdagha sabhandAsura sunyaka : BhandAsura with his

army was burned up by the fire of the [weapon of ] Kamesvara.

 

With his army . According to another reading, with his town called

Sunyaka.

 

This weapon of Kamesvara is more powerful than the one mentioned in

the preceding name.

 

The Brah. Pr says ,:"The Supreme Mother Lalita, blazing with anger

and throwing the whole universe into confusion, suddenly rendered

lifeless, with the great weapon of KAmesa shining like the sun, the

mighty Asura, the fierce and wicked Bhanda who was left alone, all

his relations being slain. By flames discharged from the weapon his

city called Sunyaka [emptiness] with the woman, children, cattle and

wealth was suddenly burnt up and its site alone remained; thus the

city became empty and its name Sunyaka was justified"

 

Or having described up to this [name] the conditin of equality with

Siva of him who has attained the last stage [sayuja] of the

emacipation of the divine self, while in his present life, he now

shows that Siva alone remains [ie he becomes Siva himself] after the

destruction, by the knowledge of the self, of the condition brought

about by PrArabdha [the Karma which begans its operation in the

present body], with the subtle body etc. which is then like a burned

cloth, a mere appearance of duality.

 

The fire of Kamesvara, the fire of consciousness, because he is the

universal object of desire. The Sruti also [br. Ip, II. 4-5]

says, "For the sake of the Self everything is dear". BhandAsura, the

state of Kive [individuality], the cause of the appearance of

duality; the army, the subtle body, etc, or according to another

reading sUnyaka [emptiness] the appearance of duality as is seen in

a burned cloth; or it applies to the emptiness, or unreality of the

atheistic school of duality.

 

When the state of samsAra [jivabhAva] which appears to th edevotee

as void, is removed, himself remains, as consciousness alone.

 

 

BhAskararAya's Commentary

Translated into English by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry.