Ishta Devata- Bhavani Twam Daase!

[Guest guest]

Namashkar Nair-ji :

 

What a delightful post! When i read this post , i went into ecstasy !

( right after my morning meditation.)

 

Yes! our beloved Adi Sankara Bhagvadapada exclaimed 'Bhavani Twam

Daase ' in Sundarya lahari and no sooner our beloved Devi bhakta

shankara bhagvadapada uttered that magical phrase , the GRACE OF

BHAVANI DESCENDED on Him !

 

pl read this verse :

 

*Bhavani tvam daase* mayi vitara drishtim sakarunam

Iti sthotum vanchan kadhayati Bhavani tvam iti yah;

Tadaiva tvam tasmai disasi nija-sayujya-padavim

Mukunda-brahmendra-sphuta-makuta-nirajita-padam. ( verse 22 -

saundarya lahari)

 

Kanchi Mahaperiyavaal explains this verse thus:

 

Singing the praise of Ambika, Bhagavatpada says in Soundarya Lahari

that so great is the mercy of the Mother that the moment the Bhakta

(devotee) began his prayer with the words, Bhavaani tvam, Ambika did

not even wait till he completed his prayer, but conferred on him

saayujya, viz., the merger of the soul with the Mother.

 

When the devotee began saying Bhavaani tvam, he was only addressing

the Divine Mother by calling Her Bhavaani, and invoking Her grace,

though the expression can also be interpreted as meaning, " May I

become You " . It is this merger with the Supreme that the Mother

granted as soon as She heard the words " Bhavaani tvam " . The

significance of this verse is that one imbued with true devotion

gets things unasked.

 

The saayujya the devotee attains by Her grace is the condition of

supreme saanti, like that which rivers attain when they merge in the

ocean. The same condition of peace and bliss is reached by the

bhakta who starting from dvaita bhaava (feeling of duality of

himself and God) reaches saayujya or oneness with Isvara through Her

grace.

 

http://www.kamakoti.org/acall/bhavani.html

 

 

Nairji ,it is amazing how of all the names of Devi , you should

pick 'Bhavani ' -this is very significant !

 

ichchAdi shakti rUpeNa shr^iti karmaNi bhavam anayatI prerayatI

tasmAt bhavAnI.

 

She is the creational potency of 'bhava' hence 'bhavAnI'

('sR^iShThikartrI') and She directs Ishvara towards

creation 'IshvarapreraNakarI'. Together bhava and bhavAnI create the

universe. `shivaH shaktyaa yukto yadi bhavati shaktaH'

 

In the preceding section of Bhavani Sahasranama Stotra in

Rudrayamala, Lord Parameshwara says he manifested from bhavAnI who

is mUlapraRti,

 

guNatrayamayI shaktirmUlaprakR^itisa.nj~nitA ||

tasyAmahaM samutpannastatvaistairmahadAdibhiH |

 

( courtsy - Seeksha's post Durga 108 1.5 , msg number 9024 in

sister group )

 

Yes ! Advaita is a supreme philosophy but in the bigger scheme of

things , it IS THE DIVINE MOTHER also known as Adi Parashakti who

is supreme consciousness ( chaitanya shakti) , Supreme beauty and

supreme love etc etc etc . Without shakti , we are all 'jada'

only ! just imagine , what happens when there is no

consciousness ?

 

so, NAIRJI , YOU ARE NOT LESS 'ADVAITIC' WHEN YOU CLAIM THAT

 

(Thus, each thought of mine is BhavAni, the glow of Consciousness,

each sensation on my body, the Sun, Moon, planets, the distant

stars, insects that crawl and fly – all are BhavAni. This

visualization removes separation, alienation and above all fear.)

 

Rudra Yamala Tantra , one of the sacred Tantras of Kashmir shakta

schools , says the same thing!

 

It is for this reason, adi shankara bhagvadapada says in Bhavani

Ashtakam

 

Na Taato Na Maato Na Bandhur Na Daata,

Na putro Na putri Na Bhrityo Na Bharta

Na Jaaya Na Vidya Na Vriteer mameva,

Gatistvam Gatistvam Twameka Bhavani

 

O Mother Divine! Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Children and

Friends -

None of these are eternally mine.

Knowledge, intellect, mind and willpower are also not eternal.

O Mother of the universe - You are my only saviour, my eternal refuge

 

so ! Where is the question of Compromise ? ADI SHANKARA

BHAGVADAPADA , THE greatest exponent of Advaita philosophy , HIMSELF

SURRENDERS to Devi - Gatistvam ! There is no compromise - only

coming to terms with the 'ultimate' Reality! ( bhavani twam)

 

AND AS FAR AS S HUGGING AND SHAKING HANDS ARE CONCERNED - these are

symbolic of showing love and compassion ! So harshaji was not

off 'topic' when he posted that link on his blog about 'shaking

hands' - What is the use of Religion if it does not teach you how to

be compassionate , kind and loving towards fellow human beings ? To

me , Advaita does not mean one should be 'dry' as a Twig - one

should be like a 'river ' always flowing - full of " bhava " ( the

soul sings when it is realized! )

 

Thank you , nairji !

 

Salutations to Ksheera Bhavani of Kashmir valley and Mother Bhavani

of Tujapur temple in Maharashtra ( Shivaji's ishta devi) !