Soundarya Lahari Sloka -7

Soundarya Lahari Sloka -7
[Devi – Swarupa - Devi-Sakshaatkaaram, Satrujayam]

Kwanat kaanceedaamaa karikalabha kumbhastananataa
Pariksheenaamadhye parinata sarat candravadana
Dhanurbhaanaan paasam srinum api dadaanaakaratalai
Purastaad aastaam nah puramatituraaho purushikaa

Kwanat - chilanka [the leg ornament] which makes divine sound

Kwanat – while devi travels through the susumnaa naadi from manipooraka to anaahata, bhaktas hear the divine sounds of the chilanka of the legs of devi.


kaanceedaamaa - wearing golden odhyaana

karikalabha kumbhastananataa – having the divine breast which
resembles the mastka of the elephant,
and hence, having a slight gentle bent
madhye - in the middle
Pariksheenaa - very slim [and so beautiful]
parinata sarat candra vadana – possessing the face similar to the sarat
season’s full moon –the beauty of which
can never be compared with anything
else in the world
Dhanu: - bow [sugarcane]
[mind which is sankalpa vikalpaatmaka]
Bhaanaan - arrow
[the panca tanmaatraas sabda, sparsa, rasa , rupa, gandha]
Paasam - rope [The mental state - raga]
srinum api - ankusa [The mental state - krodha]
dadaanaa - wearing
karatalai - in the [four] hands
Purastaad aastaam nah - let her appear in front [in our heart]
Puramatitu - of the tripuraantaka

Puramathitu: - tripura means – devi’s Beejaakshara mantra ‘aim-kleem-sow:’.

Paramasiva did the process of controlling it by the mind, and got [achieved] the powers of Devi-Paraasakti, and hence called by the name Puramathanan. This is referred in the sloka called RudraYaamala – that Siva got the powers of Sakti as – one gets curd while churning milk.

In Puraanas, there is a story about three asuraas called tripuras. Siva destroyed them and their puras, and hence the name puramathana.:

aaho purushikaa- ahamkaara roopini[the divine form]
[aaho represents the surprisingly divine]

Paramasiva has no ahamkaara as he is Gunaateeta, Nirgunabrahman, and is Suddha-brahman; but, Siva gets it from devi for blessing devotees.

In the sloka called naamaramaayana – the sloka starts –

Suddhabrahma paraatpara Ram
Kaalaatmaka parameswara Ram

Devi comes to the rescue of her devotees, to bless them.

aaho represents aham in us; while in sleep, it is only available in us – but we are not aware of it, if, by grace, we come to know of it, we get out of bondage. We have to become aware, in wakeful state only.

Ambaastavam refers like this :-

Carmaambaram ca sava bhasma vilepanam ca
Bhikshaadanam ca nadanam ca pareta bhoomau
Vetaala samhati parigrahataa ca sambho:
Sobhaam vahanti girije tava saahacaryaat

There are no vesha-bhooshaas for a yogya; wears skin [thol] dress; anga raga is not sugandhi – but sava bhasma; no sampat at all – called sudalai-aandi; upajeevanam is by bhikshaadan; the dancing is not in front of maanya-manushya, but in pareta bhoomi – smasaana; friends are vetala; all ayogyatas are available for siva; hence only one thing to be proud of – that is the bhartritwa of Goddess Girija; in front of the divine Goddess , all ayogyataas change as yogyata; hence, Devi is siva’s aaho purushikaa.

Saktimahimna stotra coined by the great Sage, Durvaasa refers :-
About the effects of the sloka, which is not part of the sloka but the uttara bhaga – effect of the same.

Caapadhyaanavasaat bhavodbhava mahaamoham mahaajrimbhanam
Prakhyaatam prasaveshu cintanavasaattattatcharavyam sudhee:
Paasadyaanavasaat samastajagataam mrityorvasitwam mahaa-
Durgastambha mahankusasya mananaanmaayaamameyaam taret

By meditating on the four weapons as caapa, you can get rid of the delusion of the prapanca-rupa maayaa; and thereby mrityu [death], and thereby the birth-death cycle and attain moksha.

The full meaning of the sloka is given in the paragraph below:-

The Goddess, Lord Paramasiva’s partner ahamkaara roopini, adorned with chilanka, and wearing golden odhyaana, Which makes divine sound, having the divine breast, which resembles to that of the mastaka of the elephant, and hence, having a slight gentle bent, in the middle, very slim [and so beautiful], and having the face blooming like the full moon of the sarat [rithu] season, and wearing in the four hands, bow, arrow, rope, and ankusa respectively, let Her, [the divine form] appear in front [in our heart].

Here, we find the full, complete, vision of the divine goddess, described in saamudrikaasaastra, is found.

The form referred in this sloka is that of the form of the goddess which is appearing with brilliance in the aadhaara-cakra, manipooraka, for the devotees who follow samayaacara thereby blessing them.

The Paradevata, [the Supreme power] has three types of forms prescribed for the sake of devotees of three levels – sthoola [gross], sookshma [subtle], and para [nirguna brahman].

Stoola [gross] form of goddess contains therein the upaadhis like kara-caranaadi, and accepting the mantrasiddhas to have darsan and sparsan which is described in rahasya namasahasra or Lalitasahasranama - slokas 13 to 46 – 33 slokas given below:-

13. champakAshokapunnAgasaugandhika-lasatkachAyai
14. kuruvindamaNishreNIkanatkoTIramaNDitAyai
15. OM aShTamIchandravibhrAjadalikasthalashobhitAyai
16. mukhachandrakala.nkAbhamR^iganAbhivisheShakAyai
17. vadanasmaramA.ngalyagR^ihatoraNachillikAyai
18. vaktralakShmIparIvAhachalanmInAbhalochanAyai
19. navachampakapuShpAbhanAsAdaNDavirAjitAyai
20. tArAkAntitiraskArinAsAbharaNabhAsurAyai
21. kadambama~njarIkL^iptakarNapUramanoharAyai
22. tATa.nkayugalIbhUtatapanoDupamaNDalAyai
23. padmarAgashilAdarshaparibhAvikapolabhuve
24. navavidrumabimbashrInyakkAriradanachchhadAyai
25. shuddhavidyAN^kurAkAradvijapaN^ktidvayojjvalAyai
26. karpUravITikAmodasamAkarShi digantarAyai
27. nijasallApamAdhurya vinirbhatsitakachchhapyai
28. mandasmitaprabhApUramajjatkAmeshamAnasAyai
29. anAkalitasAdR^ishyachibukashrIvirAjitAyai
30. kAmeshabaddhamAN^galyasUtrashobhitakandharAyai
31. kanakAN^gadakeyUrakamanIyamujAnvitAyai
32. ratnagraiveya cintAkalolamuktAphalAnvitAyai
33. kAmeshvArapremaratnamaNipratipaNastanyai
34. nAbhyAlavAlaromAlilatAphalakuchadvayyai
35. lakShyaromalatAdhAratAsamunneyamadhyamAyai
36. stanabhAradalanmadhyapaTTabandhavalitrayAyai
37. OM aruNAruNakausumbhavastrabhAsvatkaTItaTyai
38. ratnaki~NkiNikAramyarashanAdAmabhUShitAyai
39. kAmeshaj~nAtasaubhAgyamArdavorudvayAnvitAyai
40. mANikyamukuTAkArajAnudvayavirAjitAyai
41. indragopaparikShiptasmaratUNAbhaja~NghikAyai
42. gUDhagUlphAyai
43. kUrma pR^iShThajayiShNuprapadAnvitAyai
44. nakhadIdhitisa~nchhannanamajjanatamoguNAyai
45. padadvayaprabhAjAlaparAkR^itasaroruhAyai
46. shi~njAnamaNima~njIramaNDitashrIpadAmbujAyai

Sookshma [sutle] form of goddess is mantraatmaka and can be heard and can be recited by devotees, which is described in rahasya namasahasra or Lalitasahasranama 4 slokas given below:-

85. shrImadvAgbhavakUTaikasvarUpamukhapaN^kajAyai
86. kaNThAdhaH kaTiparyantamadhyakUTasvarUpiNyai
87. shaktikUTaikatApannakaTyadhobhAgadhAriNyai
88. OM mUlamantrAtmikAyai

Para [nirgunabrahman]is only for those punyatmaas, who wants to meditate on subtlest vaasanaas of goddess described in rahasya namasahasra or Lalitasahasranama slokas 13 slokas given below:-

99. mUlAdhAraikanilayAyai
100. brahmagranthivibhedinyai
101. maNipUrAntaruditAyai
102. viShNugranthivibhedinyai
103. Aj~nAchakrAntarAlasthAyai
104. rudragranthivibhedinyai
105. sahasrArAmbujArUDhAyai
106. sudhAsArAbhivarShiNyai
107. taTillatAsamaruchyai
108. ShaTchakroparisa.nsthitAyai
109. mahAsaktyai
110. OM kuNDalinyai
111. bisatantutanIyasyai

[moolaadhaaraikanilaya] to [bisatantutaneeyasi]. This is the Kundalini sakti of goddess, the counterpart is available in each one of us, which when propitiated exhibits as divine powers of human beings.

This is what is referred by Guru Vasishtha to Sri Lord Rama, in Yoga vaasishtha – Oh Rama! Sad Guru is one who blesses a devotee, by darsan, sparsan, upadesa words and by karunaa, instils iswara sakti in a devotee and thereby make it exhibit outside for the sake of other devotees who also get blessed, by this.
In fact, Amma does this, for many devotees, out of kaarunya, as referred by the Tamil song:-
Karunai deivame karpagame
Kaanavendum untan porpadame
Urutunaiyaga en ullattil amarntaai
Unaiyandri veru deivam yaaro
The same is referred by the vedic quote – often referred by Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi –
‘’Iswaro Guru raatmeti’’
Guru comes and blesses you and your atman and yoga happens making this statement becoming true; you get all the three grace –
Self-grace, guru’s grace and iswara’s grace.
The above sloka 7 of soundarya lahari describe the sthoola form of goddess.
Also, the weapons of goddess Sri Devi [Tripura sundari] is also of three types – sthoola, sookshma, and subtlest.
Out of these,
sthoola weapons consist of sugarcane bow [left hand - down],
the five pushabaanaas – viz., lotus, rakta kaitavam, kalhaaram, indeevaram, sahakaaram [right hand - down],
pavizha kkodi – top - left hand [paasa-rope],
candrakkala – top – right hand [ankusa] –
these are stoola upaadhimaya.

Sooksha weapons consists of dhanus, ‘tham’, arrows, ‘draam’, ‘dreem’, ‘kleem’, ‘blumsa:’, paasam, ‘hreem’, ankusam, ‘krom’- which are mantramaya.
The subtlest weapons [para] consists of dhanus, mind, arrows, sabda – sparsa – rupa – rasa - gandha, raga, paasa, krodha, ankusa – vaasanaamaya.
There is a backbone structure available for every one of us, called ‘Merudanda’, in scriptures. In this merudanda, there is a sutle naadi called by the name ‘sushumnaa’.

At the base of this naadi, there is the ‘moolaadhaara’ cakra;
four fingers above this – there is the ‘swaadhisthaana’ cakra;
just in front of the navel, there is the ‘manipooraka’ cakra;
in front of the heart, there is the ‘anaahata’ cakra;
in front of the kantha or neck, there is the ‘vishuddhi’ cakra;
in front of the eyebrows, there is the ‘aajnaa’ cakra;
just above our head, there is the ‘sahasraara’ cakra.

The Cakras will be visible for a perfect yogi.

In ‘manipooraka’, Devi appears as the jeevanaadi of tripuraantaka kaameswara.
‘Ahamityeva vibhaavaye bhavaaneem’ –

I do the tatwa-bhaavana as aham - bhavaani.

Udaiyaal untan naduvirukkum
Udaiyaal naduvil nee irutti
Adiyen naduvil iruveerum – Tiruvaacakam.

The counterpart of this sloka in Lalitasahasranama is –

8. rAgasvarUpapAshADhyAyai
9. krodhAkArAN^akushojjvalAyai
10. manorUpekShukodaNDAyai
11. pa.nchatanmAtrasAyakAyai

The great Mahapurusha, Sri Kaanchi Kamakoti Sankara – Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal says like this –

Manmatha has sugarcane bow – which the devi also has ;
For him, 5 baanaas are of flower – which the devi also has.
For those people, who are immersed in kaama, to give control of this kaama, and also to control the mind, Devi holds these in her cotrolled -hands, thereby blessing the devotees.

About this, Mookakavi refers like this –

Oh! Divine Goddess! Your kataaksha or blessing makes Siva attracted towards you; but, it ends the delusion of a staunch or real devotee.

This is referred by Arjuna the surrendered devotee to Lord Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita chapter 18 – sloka 73 –

arjuna uvaca
nasto mohah smritir labdha
tvat-prasadan mayacyuta
sthito ’smi gata-sandehah
karisye vacanam tava


Oh lord! My delusion has gone off; I have got my original memory which is devoid of delusion now; Oh! Achyuta! The God infinite! This is due to your Grace only; Now, I remain where I am; [so far, I was wandering and therefore not able to understand you or me]; All my doubts have vanished; I will obey your order now.

Delusion which, Arjuna refers about consists of two parts –

Ignorance[agrahana – ajnaana – non-apprehension] and
Maayaa [anyathaagrahana - misapprehension]

Both are to be removed to get knowledge. We have to pray the Almighty to remove these two, [not kaamini – kaancana, externally from the world of objects], which will alone pave the way for removal of our sorrows.