shrI lalitAtrishatI pUrva pIThika (1-9)

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In the previous post, benedictory verses of bhagavAn shrI

shankara were discussed, now the pUrva pIThikA. In this post

first 9 verses are discussed.

 

shrii lalitaa trishatii puurva piiThikaa

========================================

 

agasthya uvAcha:

 

hayagrIva dayA sindho bhagavan.h shiShya vatsala |

tvattaH shrutaM asheSheNa shrotavyaM yadyat.h asti tat.h || 1 ||

 

mahar^iShi agastya spoke;

 

O Lord hayagrIva, you are a Ocean of Mercy and affectionate towards

your disciples, from you I have heard what all that needs to be heard.

 

rahasya nAma sAhasraM api tvattaH shrutaM maya |

itaH paraM me nAsti eva shrotavyaM iti nishchayaH || 2 ||

 

I have even heard the secret 1000 names on shrI lalita devI from you.

Thus I am sure that there is nothing greater than this to be heard.

 

 

tathaapi mama chittasya paryaaptirnaiva jaayate |

kaartsnyaarthaH praapya ityeva shochayishhyaamyahaM prabho || 3 ||

 

Even then in my mind there is no sense of fullness or

completion. Intuitively I feel I am lacking something. O Lord, I am

grieving to know what will get me the sense of fullness.

 

Prior to this, shrI hayagrIva initiated sage agastya to shrI

lalitAsahasranAmam. Before he was taught lalitAsahasranAmam, sage

agastya was aware of the existence of a work called

lalitAsahasranAmam. But now, at this point, he does not know that a

work called shrI lalitAtrishatI exists. But he intuitively feels that

he is missing something very important.

 

 

kimidaM kaaraNaM bruuhi GYaatavyaaMsho.asti vaa punaH |

asti chenmama tat.h bruuhi bruuhiityuktvaa praNamya taM ||4||

 

Please tell me the reason for this, is there something some which I

have not heard from you. If it is so please instruct me

further. Saying thus sage agastya prostrated to lord hayagrIva.

 

suuta uvaacha;

 

samaalalaMbe tatpaada yugaLaM kalashodbhavaH |

hayaanano bhiitabhiitaH kimidaM kimidaM tviti || 5 ||

 

Sage suuta spoke, Saying thus agastya mahaR^iShi (kalashodbaha also

known as kumbhasaMbhava) held the feet of Lord hayagrIva. Taken aback,

Lord hayagrIva told what is this, what is this, let me go.

 

mu.nchamu.ncheti taMchoktvaa chintaakraanto babhuuva saH |

chiraM vichaarya nishchinvan.h vaktavyaM na mayetya sau || 6 ||

 

Contemplating deeply on this matter for sometime, Lord hayagrIva came

to the conclusion that he has nothing more to instruct.

 

tuushhNiiM sthitaH smarannaaGYaaM lalitaaMbaa kR^itaaM puraa |

taM praNamyaiva samuniH tatpaadaavatyajan.h sthitaH || 7 ||

 

Remembering the command of shrI lalitAmbikaa (that he should keep

trishatI secret) Lord hayagrIva remained silent. But sage agastya did

not let him go and was holding his feetwith his head bowing on it

 

 

varshha trayaavadhi tathaa gurushishhyau tathaa sthitau |

tachhR^i.nvan.h tashcha pashya.nta sarva lokaaH suvismitaaH || 8 ||

 

Three full years passed in this way and sage agastya (shishya) held

himself steadfastly at the feet of his guru, Lord hayagrIva, both fixed

in that state without moving. Hearing this and looking at this, all

worlds (the beings therein) were struck with wonder.

 

 

tatra shrii lalitaa devii kaameshvara sama.nvitaa |

praadurbhuutaa rahasyevaM hayagriivamavochata || 9 ||

 

After this, shrI lalita devii along with HER consort shrI kAmeshwara

appeared to Lord hayagrIva and commanded in secret to him as follows.

 

 

{to be continued}

 

Please send your corrections to miinalochanii. This

translation may have errors, be warned.