rahaHpuujyaa

[Guest guest]

This is the 20th name in shrii miinaaxii ashhTottaram. rahaH

means secret. SHE is worshipped in secret. Sentiment of this name

is reflected in the trishatii naama, ekaa.ntapuujitaa and in the

sahasranaama's rahoyagaakramaaraadhya, rahastarpaNa tarpita, and

antarmukha samaaraadhya. The commentaries on these names

elobarate the idea behind the worship in secret.

 

A devotee discovers that God is his/her own Self by turning

his/her mind inwards. That is why SHE is called guhyA who is

known in secret and SHE is guhyarupiNi. Since SHE shines inside

one's own heart, SHE is celebrated as daharaakaasha rupiNi.

Hence, SHE can be discovered only by turning the mind inward and

that is the worship in secret. shruti says "yat.h saaxaat

aparoxaat.h brahma", SHE is perceived directly by one's inner

experience and not through external means of knowledge which is

second hand.

 

YoginaH meditate on HER as kuNDalinii and rise HER from

muulaadhara to sahasrakamalam. This is called the true inner

worship and rahaHpuujya can be interpreted in this way.

 

It is more efficient to do maanasa puuja than the external puuja.

It does not mean that external one is irrevelant. Children learn

to count with fingers before they can count mentally. Likewise

external worship is first step and trains the mind to worship

internally in secret. This name, rahaH puujya, can be interpreted

as SHE who likes to be worshipped in the form of mAnasa pUja.

 

 

Even in external worship, saadhaka-s need isolation to focus on

ambaaL and worship HER without distraction. For this purpose, one

need a place which is quiet, isolated and peaceful. Hence, the

worship is conducted in secret. "guha nivaataashrayena

prayojayet" says shruti, it means meditate in places like caves,

where there is no strong breeze. SHE is meditated upon by yogis

in secret places like caves.

 

 

AUM rahaHpuujyaayai namaH