LS 571. mahApraLayasAxiNI

[Guest guest]

LS 571. mahApraLayasAxiNI

 

saxI means witness. A true witness is unaffected by the action and its

consequences. mahA praLayam means great destruction. SHE witness this

great destruction and it unaffected by it. The great destruction is

end of avidyA and which is the root of all duality. At the destruction

of avidya, Atman alone remains and avidyA ceases to be. But as Self

of all she is untouched by the actions and consequences in vyAvahAra

and also in its final destruction.

 

 

This name is also taken to mean that SHE witnesses the great

destruction at the end of the cosmic cycle by maheSvara. Everyone else

is absorbed back into them. The deva-s who consumed amR^ita also

perish at the hands of kAlakAla who does not perish even after

drinking the deadliest poison. Poetically, his indescuctability is

attributed to pAtivratyam of ambA (refer saundaryalaharI - tava jananI

tATa~Nka mahimA).

 

Additional comments and quotes are welcome.

[Guest guest]

Sri Ravi writes:

 

( LS 571. mahApraLayasAxiNI

 

( This name is also taken to mean that SHE witnesses the great

destruction at the end of the cosmic cycle by maheSvara. Everyone

else

is absorbed back into them. The deva-s who consumed amR^ita also

perish at the hands of kAlakAla who does not perish even after

drinking the deadliest poison. Poetically, his indescuctability is

attributed to pAtivratyam of ambA (refer saundaryalaharI - tava

jananI tATa~Nka mahimA).)

 

This is beautiful.

 

In this context, May we also recall another name of Sri Lalithabika

from LS which is a complement to this one ?

 

LS 232 reads

 

Sri Mahesvara-Maha-Kalpa-Maha-Tandava-Saksini

 

— Silent Witness to the dissolution of the Universe.

 

Sri Lalita Sahasranama

(Sri Lalita Sahasranama, C. S. Murthy, Assoc. Advertisers and

Printers, 1989.)

 

 

"The Witness to the Great Dance of Mahesvara in the Great Cycle

(mahesvaramahakalpa- mahatanda — vasaksini). Mahakalpa, the Great

Dissolution (pralaya); Great Dance is caused by the fact that the

Self alone remaining and having become Bliss after the universe has

been drawn into it; as, at that time, there is no one beside Herself,

She is the Witness.

 

The Pancadasistava says,

 

"Your form alone is excellent, having the noose, elephant hook,

Bow of sugarcane, and the arrow of flowers,

And witnessing the dance of the axe-bearing Parabhairava [siva in His

aspect of Destruction]Started at the time of His drawing the universe

[into Himself]."

 

The Devi Bhag. Pr. also says,

 

"This [Devi] at the Dissolution [of the universe],

Having drawn the universe into Herself sports,

Having absorbed the souls [linga] of all beings in Her own body.

 

R. A. Sastry, Lalita Sahasranama

(R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research

Centre, Madras, 1988, p. 128.)

 

Raviji, the first part of your explanation of this name is equally

fascinating.

 

(saxI means witness. A true witness is unaffected by the action and

its consequences. mahA praLayam means great destruction. SHE witness

this great destruction and it unaffected by it. The great destruction

is end of avidyA and which is the root of all duality. At the

destruction of avidya, Atman alone remains and avidyA ceases to be.

But as Self of all she is untouched by the actions and consequences

in vyAvahAra and also in its final destruction.)

 

Thank you.

 

shrImAtre namaH