Guest guest Posted December 9, 2005 Report Share Posted December 9, 2005 Sri Matre Namaha ! On this auspicious day dedicated to Sri Lalitambika , i would like to continue this month's topic by quoting some devotional verses from ADI Shankara's Various compositions on the different manifestations of Ambaal ! As a tamizh iyer (smartha ) girl growing up in India , we were always told to pray to KanchI Kamakshi , Madurai MeeNakshi and Kasi Visalakshi ! Akshi means 'eyes' in Samskritam ! The very first name that occurs in Sri Lalita Sahasaranama is *Kamakshi* - before that , She was just addressed as Mother! The one with 'kama' in her eyes for her Lord Kameshwera ! But this same 'kama' turns into Prema for the Entire Creation ! Yes, indeed she is the Goddess of Love for all of mankind! Sree Lalita Sahasaranama describes the devi as Sri Kamesvara-mukhalokakalpita Sri-ganesvara By Her mere looking into the face of Sri Kamesvara (Siva), Sri-Ganesvara was created. Then Devi Lalita looking again at the face of Her Lord, smiled, And from the rays of that smile a certain god arose,Having the head of an elephant with ichor flowing from the temples.(Brahmanda Purana) She fulfils all desires through Her aspect as the Witness.Brahma the Grandsire of the world, seeing these doings of Devi, Gave Her the name Kamakshi and Kamesvari! There is very interesting story connected with the Kanchi 'Kamakshi' Let me share with you the story of Mangadu Kamakshi , the ugra moorthy! Legend has it that Uma, in a playful mood once, closed the eyes of Lord Shiva with her palms. This caused universal darkness for a while. All the devas, rishis and humans stumbled and were terrified. Lord Shiva was angered and He ordained Shakti to be born on earth and remain there to atone for Her act. Shakti accordingly was born as Kamakshi in Mangadu and was awaiting the arrival of the Lord, to marry Her, as promised by Him. As this did not happen, she decided to perform a penance. She lit fire on all sides, in five homa kundams and stood in the kundam at the centre, stood on the leaping tongue of flame, on her left toe and went into a divine trance for ages. Lord Shiva then asked her to go to Kanchipuram where, He said, He would marry her. She went to Kanchi where the Lord appeared before her and married Her. In Her hurry to leave for Kanchi, the legend says, She did not put off the fire that She had lit. The people of Mangadu and vicinity could not bear the heat. When Adi Shankara came to Mangadu, as part of his pilgrimage all over India, the people requested him to help them by putting off the heat emanating from the homa kundams. He installed the ardha-Meru Sri Chakra and thus nullified the heat. Adi Shankara CALLED Sri KAMAKSHI amman 'PARABRAHMASWARUPINI' in my last trip, i visited both temples - Kanchi kamakshi temple as well as Mangadu Kamakshi temple . LET US MEDITATE ON SRI KAMAKSHI THUS : Athi mathura chapa hasthaam aparimitha mode sowbhagyam arunam Athisaya karunam abhinava kulasundarim VANDE athi mathura -very very sweet chapa hastam -sugar cane bow in hand aparimitha moda sowbhagyam- with the extraordinary flowery arrows in hand that can grant sowbhagya (auspiciousness) to her devotees arunam-the red colored one athisaya karunam -the one with amazing compassion abhinava kulasundarim vande- kulasundari- she is no different from the kundalini shakti , from the kula- the muladhara chakra or kula from a group or lineage of like-minded devotees vande -manifest and bless us! Kanchi is very special to all 'advaitins' for it is called MOKSHAPURI - this is where Adi shankara attained Samadhi ( according to some) Others claim, Acharya attained Samadhi in KEDARNATH , KASHMIR. Kanchi MUTT IS ALSO THE PLACE WHERE ADI SHANKARA ESTABLISHED AS SARVVA JANA ETHAM Whatever the case may be, The Kanchi Mutt is of great importance to the followers of Adi Shankara ! AND KANCHI PERIYAVAAL from that great lineage is also very highly respected and venerated! ANOTHER name for ambaal is 'MEENAKSHI' - the one whose eyes are shaped like a Fish. Here is how our adi shankara bhagvadapada is praying to Devi MEENAKSHI in his great composition Meenakshi Pancharatnam ! "I remain ever bowing to that (goddess) Mènákúi, a manifestation of the sacred knowledge (SrIvidyá) who always remains on the left-side of the lord siva, and is shining in the sacred syllable of Hrèm, residing in the small circle in the middle of the sacred circle (sricakra), that queen gracing the court of the Lord (Sundareùa) and is also the mother of the six-faced one (Sañmukha) and the master of obstacles (Vighnarája) and also who enchants the world. It is obvious that our Acharya, the great jnani , once having written all the commentaries on the vedas and upanishads , bhasyas, etc etc turned his attention to 'expounding' the bhakti marga ... How else could you explain his devotion to Devi, sri chakra , sri vidya and the srividya mantras ! ALL THESE ONLY PROVE THAT HE WAS A PARAMA BHAKTA AT HEART! WhAT ABOUT DEVI VISALAKSHI , THE ONE WITH THE LARGE EYES ... Visalakshi is also known as 'Annapurna' , the consort of Vishwanatha! ADI SHANKARA SINGS THUS: nityánandakarè varábhayakarè saundaryarathákarè nirdhütákhila doúpávanákari pratyaqkúamáheùvarè práleyácalavamùapávanakarè káùèpurádhèùvarè bhikùám dehi krpávalambanakarè mátánnapürïùvari(1) Oh! Mother Annapurna! renderer of the support of compassion, the bestower of eternal happiness, the donor of gifts and protection, the ocean of beauty, the destroyer of all sins and purifier, the great goddess, the purifier of the family of Himavan, and the great deity of Kasi, (thou) grant us alms. and ACHARYA SINGS FURTHER annapürïe sadápürïe ùañkarapráïavallabhe jòánavarágyasiddyartham bhikúám dehi ca párvati(11) Oh! Parvati! Annapurna! always full, the dear consort of Sankara, grant us alms for the sake of securing knowledge and detachment. yes! ACHARYA IS SEEKING THE 'MILK OF KNOWLEDGE' from the goddess - jnana paal not just alms or food! and what other way to get divine knowledge except to surrender to the goddess in all humility annd wseek her 'kataksham' or divine grace! Devi's kataksham are praised in many places in Saundarya lahari - her side glance ! Drsaa draagheeyasyaa dara-dalita-neelotpala-ruchaa daveeyaamsam deenam snapaya krpayaa maamapisive; Anena-ayam dhanyo bhavanti na cha te haanir-iyataa Vane vaa harmye vaa samakara nipato himakarah". This verse is from Soundarya Lahari, composed by Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada. Addressing the Divine Mother, Sive, Sri Acharya requests Her to bathe even him, who is helpless and standing at a great distance, with the far-reaching glance of Her soothing blue eyes, beautiful as a half-blossomed blue lily. By this act, the Acharya says, the Mother stands to lose nothing while he, a deena, will be blessed and enabled to achieve the goal of life. The soothing cool moonlight falls equally on a forest and a beautiful mansion. By this verse, Sri Adi Sankara seeks to convey the idea that the range of the benevolent look or kataaksha of the Divine Mother is long enough to embrace everything and every one in this wide world. (http//www.kamakoti.org) here is another beautiful verse praising devi's eyes ... from Saundarya lahari Visala kalyani sphuta-ruchir ayodhya kuvalayaih krpa-dhara-dhara- kim api madhuraabhogavatika avanti drstis te bahur-nagara-vistara-vijaya dhruvam tattwam-nama-vyavaharana-yogya vijayate (49) ALL glory to Thy eyes which are wide (visala) , auspicious, (kalyani), because of being brilliantly c;ear ; undefeated (ayodhya) even by blue lillies ; sweet without display ( avyakta-madhura) ; and offering protection to the world ( avanti) . Surpassing ( vijaya) all these great cities in their uniqueness. Thy eyes deserve to be denoted by all the names mentioned above! VISALA, KALYANI, AYODHYA, DHARA, MADHURA , BHOGVATI , AVANTI AND VIJAYA ARE NAMES OF CITIES! tHEY ALSO DENOTE EIGHT KINDS OF GLANCES ASSOCIATED WITH WOMEN! yES! folks ! DEVI'S EYES ARE FULL OF LOVE, COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, TENDERNESS, MERCY , KINDNESS , FORGIVENESS AND LIKE A FISH SHE NEVER CLOSES HER EYES PROTECTING HER CHILDREN! unmesha nimesha bhuvanavalli ( closing and opening of eyelids - the worls is created or destroyed) Salutations to KANCHI KAMAKSHI,, MADURAI Meenakshi and KASI VISALAKSHI! SALUTATIONS TO ACHARYA Adi Shankaea , the Divine child of the divine mother Aryamba ! Grant me the eyes to see the Beauty and Divinity in adi shankara's lyrical compositions , O Meenalochasni! Open up my Ajna Chakra to see that all paths be it path of devotion or path of KNOWLEDGE lead to the same ocean of Bliss , Kameshweri, sri vidya rupini! O Visalaskshi, open my eyes wide so i can rest them on your lotus feet and attain both bhukti and Mukthi ! - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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