LalithA SahasranAma [132] nirAdhArA

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nirAdhArA : Without dependence.

 

As she is the true support of the universe, she herself has no

dependence.

 

Or it is the worship called NirAdhAra. The SUta samhitA [i. 5.3]

says ," There are two kinds of worshipping the supreme Sakti." It

then describes the two kinds, as external and internal, and again

the external has two divisions, one Vedic and the other Tantric,

with their characteristics, it then goes on to say [vv. 11-12], "the

internal worship is also of two kinds, one with support [ sAdhAra ],

and the other without support, [ nirAdhAra ] and the latter is

higher; the SAdhAra worship is by means of mental images, etc, the

nirAdhAra worship is by pure intellect [ ie without form].

 

In the sAdhAra worship of Devi should be joyfully worshipped in a

figure made up of the sacred syllables, according to the

instructions of the guru. The worship described as nirAdhAra is the

absorption of the understanding [manolaya] in that kind of

meditation [samvit]. In reality, pure intellect means nothing else,

but the supreme Sakti. Hence for the destruction of samsAra, one

should worship the supreme Sakti, the very self, the witness, free

from the glamour of the manifold universe.

 

By one's own direct experience of Mahesvari as the Self, She should

be worshipped with much reverencec, this is the worship which leads

to salvation".

 

BhAskararAya's commentary

Translated into English by R. Ananthakrishna Sastry