Prayer to LalithAmbaa (mahAvAkyartha Svarupini)

Invocation

śrī mātā, śrī mahārāGYī, śrīmat-siṃhāsaneśvarī | 

sadasiva samarambham sankaracarya madhyamam |

asmad acarya paryantam vande guru paramparam  ||

vishwaamitra gothrothbhavam bhuvanaananda bhaashyakaram

vaajapeyagurorsishyam vandetam gyaanabhaaskaram

Sri BhaskararAyar Sharanam || 

Sri Ramakrishna Sharanam ||

Introduction 

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. 

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

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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 ||