XXVI

In is not easy to get the Supreme Mother’s blessing. Even Indra could not go beyond the gateway of Mother’s abode. It is impossible to reach her without attaining the eight siddhis like anima Since Indra was fickle - minded he had to stop at the entrance itself.

In Sloka 96, the Motehr is addressed as the most devoted wife, the Supreme pativratha. Saraswathi, Brahma’s consort, is worshipped by many a poet and scholar. Many a person becomes a vachaspathi Lakshmi the goddess of wealth, is worshipped by many a man. A man becomes a Lakshmipathi. But the Supreme Mother’ s embrace is available only to Shiva. The point is that one can be called Saraswathi vallabha if one is very learned. A Lakshmi vallabha if one is rich but none can be called Parvathi vallabha except Shiva.

The seers and saadhakas aspired for Vasitwa which is nothing but Sivatwa, They went into vana (forest) which signifies Brahma. It is the first step to reach Brahmapada without ahieving the eight siddhis first, it is impossible for any one to realize her. The Lalitha Sahasra naama stothra desribes the Mother as : Antarmukha samaaradhya bahimukha sudurlabha.
In the Mahabharatha, the Paandavas winning Draupathi signifies the Pancha Kosas reaching the Mother’s antahpura Nakula and Sahadeva are annamaya kosa, and praanayama kosa, Arjuna who aimed at Matsya yantra is Manomaya kosa, Bhima is vidyaa maya kosa and Dharmaja is anandamaya kosa. Draupadi creating anna - (food) - when Krishna comes in the forest is the manifestation of Devi Shakthi. In the Sundarakanda, Hanuman could reach the Devi since he held the Indriyas under total control.

Sloka 97 describes how the Mother is different from the three - Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Parvathi. Aham Brahmasmi was the seer’s realisation . Brahma swaroopa transcends naada, kala nad bindu. It is Srividya it is the strividya also . She is indescribable. She is maha maaya and maya tatwa.

In sloka 98 the saadhaka considers himself a disciple yearning for brahma vidya. He prays to the Mother to bless him If one has her blessing the dumb would speak and the lame one would leap.
21st November, 1986

The concluding discourse on Saundaryalahari was preceded by elaborate pooja and lalithasahasranama paarayana at Praturi House, Vizianagaram recently.

Sri Bharatha Sharma who offered prayers to the Supreme Mother with the pancha dasi mantra, explained the meaning of the mantra, ‘Matruka Pushpamaala Stavam’, another composition of the great saadhaka, Adi Sankara.
Mantras, Sri Sarma explained are the diamond - studded throne of the Mother. Her radiance surpasses that of the rising sun. She is chandra kala vatamsa for her headgear. A perennial smile permeates her face. Such a one is the object of worship for the saadhaka.

The mantra, ‘matruka pushpa mala stavam’, inheres in it all the beejaksharas and offers various upachaaras to the Mother. The mantraksharas are the diamond akshatas for Her worship. The very letters have been transformed by the seers as mantras. Himavant gives the Mother the holiest of holy waters for her bathing. Hrimkara mantra gives her vastra and yajnopavitha, Sri Sankara conceives of the various flowers provided by the various seasons as the fitting offering for her pooja. He prays to Goddess Lakshmi to light up with her brilliance a lamp and entreats the Supreme Mother to accept the ‘haarathi’ submitted with the fitting mantras.
Indrani offers the Mother the white chatra Ratidevi chamara and Bharati herself the music of her veena. The saadhaka prays to the Mother to accept his own paean as pradakshina.

Coming to the last two slokas of Saundaryalahari, Sri Bharata Sharma explained that he who prays to the Mother can fight against any force. With his beautiful body he can win anybody. He can break all mortal trammels and achieve the condition of blessed immortality. He transcends everything below and becomes one with sadaashiva.
In the last sloka, Sri Sankara describes how everything that he sings about Her is Her own blessing and boon, for She is the Mother of all spoken words, of all creation and of all forms. The haarathi, the arghya and the tarpana all originate in the things of Her own making, the sun’s radiance the water flowing from the moonrocks and the waters of the oceans. In the same way the poet’s words are also the creation of the Mother and not by any means his own. Thus bows down the great seer before the Supreme Mother in supplication and adoration.
25th November, 1986