Sivaanandalahari - 9

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Sivaanandalahari - 9गभीरे कासारे विशति

विजने घोरविपिने

विशाले शैले च भà¥à¤°à¤®à¤¤à¤¿

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सà¥à¤–ेनावसà¥à¤¥à¤¾à¤¤à¥à¤‚ जन इह न जानाति

किमहो ॥ ९ ॥

 

gabhIre kAsAre viSati vijane ghoravipine

viSAle Saile cha bhramati kusumArthaM jaDamati: |

samarpyaikaM chetassarasija-mumAnAtha bhavate

sukhenAvasthAtuM jana iha na jAnAti kimaho || 9 ||

 

A dull witted man searches for a flower in the deep lake, deserted dangerous

forest and huge mountains. Oh Umanatha, people have not learnt to offer to

you with love their lotus mind as the flower and be happy without wandering

anywhere. What a surprise !

 

*Commentary

 

*Aum

 

காயமே கோயிலாகக௠கடிமனமà¯

அடிமையாக

வாயà¯à®®à¯ˆà®¯à¯‡ தூயà¯à®®à¯ˆà®¯à®¾à®• மனமணி

இலிஙà¯à®•à®®à®¾à®•

நேயமே நெயà¯à®¯à¯à®®à¯ பாலா நிரயநீ

ரமைய ஆடà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®ªà¯

பூசனை ஈசனாரà¯à®•à¯à®•à¯à®ªà¯

போறà¯à®±à®µà®¿à®•à¯à®•à¯ காடà¯à®Ÿà®¿à®©à¯‹à®®à¯‡

(திரà¯à®¨à®¾à®µà¯à®•à¯à®•à®°à®šà®°à¯ தேவாரமà¯)

 

“Antharmukha samaaraadhyaa bhahirmukha sudhurlabha†(Lalitha Sahasranaamam)

 

What is the Shiva Pooja that is superior? It is the offering of one’s mind

as a lotus flower at the feet of Parameswara. No other flower can give

anyone greater satisfaction than offering his own mind as pushpaanjali. In

fact the great Nayanaar says that from a ripe Bhaktha Sri Parameswara

Himself takes away (‘steals’ he says!) the mind. (உளà¯à®³à®®à¯

கவர௠களà¯à®µà®©à¯).

 

It is said that if a person meditates on Bhagavan even in chathru bhaavam

(nindhaa sthOthram) Parameswara gives him anugraham. Bhagavan is concerned

only about one’s smarana and not the reason behind it.

 

Our saasthras say that bhandha is caused by the mind sunk in vishayas and

the mind that has developed virakthi to the vishayas causes one’s Moksha.

That is why the lotus flower of one’s mind should be the best offering at

the feet of Parameswara. This is the superior way to please the God because

nothing else pleases Him most except your mind that is dedicated to Him.

 

This is the secret. Without knowing this secret people fetch flowers by

going into deep lakes, dark terrible forests, tall mountains etc and risk

themselves when they have Lord’s favourite flower with themselves all the

time. Aho! Aascharyam! exclaims Aadhi Sankara. That is why AachaaryaaL calls

these people sorrowfully, as Jatamathi. Instead of surrendering the mind at

the feet of Parameswara these jatamathis put it to work to worry about where

the flowers are and how to fetch them and so on thus taking the mind away

from the smarana of Parameswara.

 

Again in this sloka AachaaryaaL calls out to “Umaanaathaa†to reiterate that

none should, on any account, separate Shiva and Shakthi. It is worth noting

that he started off Sivaanandalahari by invoking Ambaal as “Kalaabhyaamâ€.

Also in another sloka he called Shiva as “Saambam†(Ambaa Samedhan).

 

This sloka uges everyone to surrender the lotus flower of their mind to the

Lotus Feet of Shiva who is Umaanaatha, Umaapathi and SaambaSiva.