saundarya laharI - 8

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Even the Lotus is no Match.....

 

 

The feet of ambA are compared to lotuses, but these

flowers cannot be a true object of comparison. The

sacred feet of ambA are the sacred feet of ambA. It is

not possible to know their excellence by likening them

to anything else. In an earlier stanza (87), the

AcArya shows the different ways in which ambA's feet

are superior to lotuses.

 

In what different ways? The lotus wilts in the snow:

"himAni hantavyam". What about ambA's sacred feet?

"himagiri-nivAsaika-caturau": they are capable of

being in the mountain of snow, that is the himAlaya.

The himAlaya is ambA's home; she was born there; and

she was not married in a distant place; the home of

the one whom she married is also the himAlaya. Thus

her feet will neither wilt nor fade as she walks in

the snow. Secondly, the lotus folds or seems to sleep

at night; "nishAyAm nidrANam". The folding of the

lotus at night is like one sleeping with one's eyes

closed; hence the use of the word "nidrANam". ambA's

feet are always on the move, even the whole night,

taking the goddess to her devotees whenever it is time

to bless them. "nishi caramabhAge ca vishadau": awake

the whole night ablossom. Thirdly, the lotus desires

lakSmI to reside in it: "varam lakSmIpAtram": it

thinks it is a matter of pride for it to keep lakSmI

within its petals. What about the sacred feet of ambA?

"shriyam atisR^ijantau samayinAm": they create lakSmI

for each and every one of those who follow the way of

worshipping ambA called "samayA". It means they,

ambA's sacred feet, grant her devotees good fortune in

all respects. The sacred feet confer on ambA's

devotees all auspiciousness, all wealth. If the lotus

keeps lakSmI within itself, the sacred feet of ambA

pours out lakSmI to everyone. "sarojam tvatpAdau

janani jayatashcitramiha kim": "Mother, your feet

triumph over the lotus. What is there to wonder about

it?" ambA's auspicious feet are ambA's auspicious

feet.

 

 

(Excerpted from 'saundaryalaharI: An exposition by

pUjyashrI candrashekharendra sarasvatI svAmI, 68th

sha~NkarAcArya of kA~nci kAmakoTi pITha', compiled and

edited by rA. GaNapati and translated into English by

R.G.K., Revised by BrahmashrI A. KuppusvAmI; Published

by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 2001)