Appeal to Sri LalithAmbhika (MahAvAkya JnAna pradhAyini)
Invocation
śrī mātā, śrī mahārāGYī, śrīmat-siṃhāsaneśvarī |
sadasiva samarambham sankaracarya madhyamam |
vishwaamitra gothrothbhavam bhuvanaananda bhaashyakaram
vaajapeyagurorsishyam vandetam gyaanabhaaskaram
Sri BhaskararAyar Sharanam ||
Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam ||
Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam ||
Introduction mahAvakya mananam
The import of the mahAvAkyas are embedded in Sri Lalitha SahasranAmam.
Sri BhaskararAyar - the divine BhasyakArar of this divine SahasranAma, elucidates that fifteen shades of meanings can be inferred from the great Lalitha Sahasranamam - of which the final and overriding significance is the mahAvAkyArtha.
Sri BhaskararAyar - the divine BhasyakArar of this divine SahasranAma, elucidates that fifteen shades of meanings can be inferred from the great Lalitha Sahasranamam - of which the final and overriding significance is the mahAvAkyArtha.
Now let's reflect on our
Essential nature as Infinite Consciousness, by Guru Krupa - as outlined in Sri
Lalitha Sahasranaamam and inspired by Guru Sri Bhaskarararaayar.
Sri BhaskararAyar Sharanam ||
vishwaamitra gothrodbhavam bhuvanAnanda bhAshyakaram
vAjapeyagurorsishyam vandetam gyAnabhAskaram
mahavAkya mananam through an appeal to Sri LalithAmbika
1. O Mother - O Brahma
Vidya Swarupini - grant us Vishranti from Janma, Jara'di Taapam - by
bestowing on us the SivaJnAna (i.e. Brahma Vidya ~ Upanisad)
like you did to SankAdi Muni - as Dakshinamurti Swarupini.
What is this SivaJnAna?
"It is the knowledge of unity of all existence" - Brahma Vidya
as obtained from Upanisads
svatantrā, sarvatantreśī,
dakśhiṇāmūrti rūpiṇī |
sanakādi samārādhyā, śivaGYāna
pradāyinī || 140 ||
janmamṛtyu jarātapta jana viśrānti dāyinī |
sarvopaniśha dudghuśhṭā,
śāntyatīta kaḻātmikā || 159 ||
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2. O Mother - You are the Essence
of the "Tat" padam (Brahman
- as Satyam, JnAnam, Anantam) as pure non-dual consciousness, revealed by
Brahma Vidya - which allows us to experience BrahmAnandam - our essential nature. A particle of this Infinite
bliss is enough to sustain everyone, from Lord Brahma to smallest insect!
chitih tatpada lakśhyārthā
chidekarasa rūpiṇī |
svātmānandalavībhūta
brahmādyānanda santatiḥ || 80
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3. O Mother - You are the the
essence of "Tat and Tvam",
as you are both Siva and Jiva, as revealed by Brahma Vidya (Upanisad) by
negating the UpAdhis, with jnAna.
Om tattvamarthasvarupiniyai
Namaha (908)
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4. O Mother - Since you alone exist
there is neither anyone your equal nor Superior, you are samānādhikavarjitā
5. O Mother - Since you are beyond
all actions, cause and effect, you are dharmAdharmavivarjitA
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6. O Mother - Since you are the
changeless background, in which all changes called "mithya", appear/dissapear, you are mithyā-jagadadhiśhṭhānā
7. O Mother - By knowing you as
the mithyā-jagadadhiśhṭhānā, with the mahAvAkya pramAna, you grant
us Mukti - which is our (both your and mine) essential nature!
mithyā jagadadhiśhṭhānā muktidā,
muktirūpiṇī |142
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8. O Mother - As pure consciousness
- you transcend all states of experience (avastha traya - waking, dream, deep
sleep) and transcend all names and forms - Hence you are extolled with following
nAmas : -
Om sarvāvasthā vivarjitāyai
namaha
Om nāmarūpa vivarjitāyai namaha
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9. O Mother - As pure
consciousness, in which the Drama of Universe unfolds, there is nothing which
escapes your knowledge. Indeed you are visvasAkshini
10. O Mother - O
visvasAkshini, is there any one else apart from you, to claim to be,
your Witness? No. None indeed! Hence you are also extolled as : -
Om sākśhivarjitāyai namaha (You
Alone Exist)
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11. O Mother - Sometimes we adore
you as our darling bAla-leela-vinodhini,yet
we have to accept that you are beyond all states of changes - like childhood,
youth etc. Hence you are adored as : -
Om vayoavasthā vivarjitāyai
namaha
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12. O Mother - This Universe
(Duality of names, forms etc.) that appears before us by your Maya, has no
existence apart from you....the non-dual pure consciousness. It is to remind
this Truth that Yoginis worshiped you as : -
ekākinī bhūmarūpā nirdvaitā
dvaitavarjitā || 131 ||
13. O Mother - You are One Infinite
Whole (ekakini bhumarupa), beyond all ideas of differences, why then
have you left the trace of duality in me, to make me feel as if, I have an
individual existence, apart from you?! I who am devoted to your teachings
(Brahma Vidya), plead you to remove all bhedam!
(ajnAnam ~ anyatha bhaavam ~ sense of difference or otherness)
nirbhedā, bhedanāśinī |49
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14. O sahasraśīrśhavadanā
- despite this being your name, why do I not recognize your presence in others
? O I see ! You first want me to recognize your presence as Pure consciousness
within then become established in it, before venturing to recognize you
everywhere else. This is why, It is said : -
antarmukha samārādhyā,
bahirmukha sudurlabhā || 162 ||
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15. O sarvavedānta
saṃvedyā, satyānanda svarūpiṇī - all these names only reveal the
upanisad (vedanta) vedya swassvarupa lakshana (indicator of my Real Self), as
"pure existence" that is
unlimited by time, space, cause-effect.
Why then don't you shine, as the
real Me, as "I am",
unlimited by time, space cause and effect, birth death etc.?!
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16. O chinmayī,
paramānandā, viGYāna ghanarūpiṇī - all these names only reveal the
upanisad (vedanta) vedya swassvarupa lakshana (indicator of my Real Self), as
" pure consciousness " (chaithanyam) that shines as self-effulgent
awareness, independent of any objects.
Why then don't you shine as the
real Me, as "I am" - the " Objectless Awareness ",
transcending the veils of waking, dream and deep sleep?!
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17. O chaitanyārghya
samārādhyā, chaitanya kusumapriyā - all these names only reveal that
the best way to worship you is to be devoted to Consciousness (Chaithanyam) that pulsates within as
"I am".
This JnAnam is Arghyam (says
Sruti). Of all the flowers you like to be worshiped with - isn't devotion to
svassvarupam (Real Self) as pure consciousness - your favorite flower, O chaitanya kusumapriyā ?!
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18. O yogini, yogada,
yogya, yogananda, yugandhara - by these names you reveal not only your
eternal union with Parameshwara but also that you grant (yogada) the same
"bliss of union - yogananda
" to your devotees ?
O bhaktipriyā - Who
loves our longing for Her ;
O bhaktigamyā - The
Goal of our Bhakti known by Upanisad Svarupa Lakshana ~ Satyam, JnAnam, Anantam
Brahma;
O bhaktivaśyā -
Contolled by our Bhakti;
O bhayāpahā - Remover
of our Fear of Samsaara, by granting us Brahma Vidya
O mother will you not make
this Brahmavidya Manana ripe , whereby I instantly shed this persistent denial
of our eternal Oneness ?
Did not Sri Bhashyakaara suggest that mahAvAkya Taatparya Nirnaya, to be the ultimate essence of Sri Lalitha SahasranAma ?
Isnt this the reason (i.e. this mahAvAkya manana), you O Mother, make me chant and reflect on Sri Lalitha Sahasranaamam ?
O śrī śivā, śivaśaktyaikya rūpiṇī, lalitāmbikām ||
Epilogue
By reflecting on lakshana mahAvAkya – “prajnAnam brahma” (i.e. consciousness is Brahman) and thereby gaining recognition of one’s true Self as Infinite Non Dual Consciousness, men of wisdom abide in Peace !
But then, there are some.....who fail to recognize the Self as the Real meaning word “Aham” or “I am” and so this duality does not end here!
They still think of Atman or Isvara as something apart from their essential Being as Pure Consciousness. This is because they are still searching outside, as it were !
They still think of Atman or Isvara as something apart from their essential Being as Pure Consciousness. This is because they are still searching outside, as it were !
To such an extrovert, Guru gives the nirdesa mahAvAkya (i.e. “ayam Atma Brahma”) and thereby turn his attention inward to point out that indwelling consciousness - namely his Self (Atma) is Brahman itself. Such nirdesa mahAvAkya, ensures we do not "objectify" Atman and instead recognize It as the "eternal subject" – the basis of our existence, which is the real meaning of “I am” – namely pure consciousness.
But then there are some.....who do not have faith in the "infinite nature of Self " - despite turning inward, to observe the pulsating consciousness. For such, with lack of complete Sraddha, the duality does not end here!
Why? Because he thinks "How can this Atman which I recognize as Consciousness be the highest truth or Brahman? All my life I have known that Isvara whom I and many others worship, is adored as the highest truth! This being the case - how can mere Consciousness be Brahman and that too my Self ? How to reconcile the difference between Isvara and myself?" For such doubting person, this duality does not end here!
Why? Because he thinks "How can this Atman which I recognize as Consciousness be the highest truth or Brahman? All my life I have known that Isvara whom I and many others worship, is adored as the highest truth! This being the case - how can mere Consciousness be Brahman and that too my Self ? How to reconcile the difference between Isvara and myself?" For such doubting person, this duality does not end here!
At this point, for such aspirants, Guru amplifies the Sraddha, by instructing him about the real meaning of "Tat" and "Tvam". After Guru is sure the real import of Tat (Isvara is Brahman, of the nature of Pure Consciousness) and Tvam (Jeeva is Atman as Pure consciousness), He gives the Upadesa mahAvAkya – "Tat Tvam Asi". Thus having spent sufficient time preparing one's mind, to discover the real import of "Tat" and "Tvam", with Vedanta prAmanam, the student by Guru Krupa, recognizes Consciousness as the Real "I" - the infinite non-dual reality - the substratum of all appearances ! So the clarity that Atman is not Different than Isvara and is Pure Consciousness - dawns on the Aspirant - along with realization, all bonds are cut asunder!
He becomes Nitya Trupta !(Eternally Contentment)
He abides as the very Ocean of non-dual existence, consciousness, bliss.
Isvara then wills the Jeevan Mukta has to speak, thereby the BrahmaNista utters “Aham BrahmAsmi ” – The Anubhava mahAvAkya ! Thus becoming an "living proof of Mukti" to the rest of us.
Isvara then wills the Jeevan Mukta has to speak, thereby the BrahmaNista utters “Aham BrahmAsmi ” – The Anubhava mahAvAkya ! Thus becoming an "living proof of Mukti" to the rest of us.
The import of these mahAvAkyas are embedded in Sri Lalitha SahasranAmam.
Sri BhaskararAyar - the divine BhasyakArar of this divine SahasranAma, elucidates that fifteen shades of meanings can be inferred from the great Lalitha Sahasranamam - of which the final and overriding significance is the mahAvAkyArtha.
Sri BhaskararAyar - the divine BhasyakArar of this divine SahasranAma, elucidates that fifteen shades of meanings can be inferred from the great Lalitha Sahasranamam - of which the final and overriding significance is the mahAvAkyArtha.
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