ON SOUNDARYALAHARI

Observations on

Soundarya Lahari.

Soundaryalahari is a Tantric devotional composition of 100 verses in praise of Shakti the goddess spouse of Shiva. The poems are attributed to Adi Shankara. It is as old as the faithful feel it. There is a volume of these and other stotrams of Shankara praying to all deities known as well as obscure ones. The volume contains more of the Devi than others. These observations refer to a simple English translation by P.R.Ramachandar (PRR) and some from the Adayar (ADR) publication as well as a couple from the Digest lectures on the composition delivered by the late Kanchi Periyaval. In fact the Periyaval’s lectures comprise whole volumes establishing his deep learning of these compositions and other scriptures. KNK.

The name Digest itself is too much of a claim by this writer, who has just studied the discourses in Tamil (on Soundaryalahari. a 100-shloka piece, in Sanskrit) of the Mahaswamigal, in Deivathin Kural meaning, .The Voice of God in Tamil

I have not covered all the shlokas even out of the 42, the only ones which the Mahaswamigal himself has covered in full (he has covered another 37 in part, another 10 just in passing, and has not touched at all the remaining 11, which are shloka Nos.19, 32, 68, 72, 76 to 81, 85). Even within the exposition of a particular shloka, large portions have been omitted by me. In spite of all this the Digest contrary to the meaning of the word - is rather long. It is broken into 81 Sections. Each section happened to be a post on the web in some leading groups who had an interest in advaita as well as in Mother Goddess. Note that the original extends to 744 pages (pp.577 to 1321 of the sixth volume, 4th impression).  A Digest of Discourses on Soundaryalahari through a further precis or summary, I have resorted to almost a close (or free!) translation of his words as reported by Ra. Ganapathi. And also it may be noted that I, as the digest writer, have not dwelt on those portions of the discourses that were not reasonably clear to me. (Digest)

The first verse starts with describing the Devi as Shakti.

(In this first verse, there seems to be some ambiguity where in the first half claims that Shiva without union with Shakti the goddess remains static and unmoved.  What is the status of Shakti herself at that moment? Alone what is she capable off? Second; though Shiva is shown as part of the triad in the next half along with other two how and why he was taken separate from the triad? K.N.K.)

Thus the first word of the first shloka, though it begins with Shiva is actually propitiation to the feminine Shakti. For, from the word .Shiva. if we remove the vowel .i. and bring the consonant .sh. to its first position .sha., the word becomes .shava. meaning .a dead body. ! Thus the word .shiva. gets its life from the vowel .i. , which is the seed letter for Shakti. (Digest)

(Here is one of the tricks of trade the presumed scholarship on the sacred texts. Yes take out the vowel i from Shiva. Does the word spell shava as claimed by Periyaval? The word would spell shva and not shava. Shva means tomorrow or next day. One could make so many meaningful or meaningless words through manipulating letters in Sanskrit. Their will be umpteen examples from literature of the past. The same thing is resorted in this composition as well say in verse 96 and 99 where the poet makes the three goddesses namely Saraswati, Lakshmi and Rati as unchaste having any number of lovers. KNK)   

Throughout his bhAshyas and all his minor works, our Acharya is never tired of repeating: All worldly activities are MAyA; one should aspire to realise and become the changeless and actionless nirguNa Brahman. Thus the immutable ShivaM is the object of all his writing and advice. What produces movement out of that Brahman was called MAyA by him and he spared no pains to paint that MAyA in uncomplimentary colors and warn us strongly against getting into her clutches.                                                                                                                                                                But the very same Acharya, now, in the first shloka of Soundaryalahari, exclaims with great admiration of Shakti (that very same MAyA): Oh, Goddess, without you even Shiva cannot move! How can the same person talk in two contradictory ways like this?

Which is true? If one of them is not true, can the Acharya tarnish his name by speaking an untruth?

If you look at these things only by logic, you will not get anywhere. The definition of Truth does not come by logic. WHATEVER WILL DO GOOD TO WHOMSOEVER IT IS INTENDED, THAT SHOULD BE STATED LOVINGLY; THAT IS TRUTH (SATYAM). (Digest)

(It seems that the contradiction is resolved by saying “The definition of Truth does not come by logic? KNK)

Here in the second; the activities or duties of the triad are described. Who assigned these duties? Must be a higher authority but the verse did not say anything on this. K.N.K.)

(You are the lighted city to those who are blind with ignorance; you are like the honey from flowers for those who are slow in understanding; you are wish fulfilling gems to the poor and to those who are drowned in wordily affairs, you are like the horns of boar [Varaha] that lifted the earth and released it.) 3.

(You are the only one who does not hold a hand signaling safety while others do have it might be a false one. You are the one who will give much more than sought after and protect from fears. While all others bestow solace and gifts from their hands; it is your feet that are qualified to do those. In verse 7 Devi is pictured as holding four types of weapons in her four hands. So she uses her feet to bestow boons on devotees instead of hands. There are several other devotional poems attributed to the same author where he extols the abhaya hastam. K.N.K.) 4.

Haris tvam aradhya pranata-jana-saubhagya-jananim
Pura nari bhutva Pura-ripum api ksobham anayat;
Smaro'pi tvam natva rati-nayana-lehyena vapusha
Muninam apyantah prabhavati hi mohaya mahatam.  5.                                                                                                                                                                                        

You who grant all the good things,
To those who bow at your feet,
Was worshipped by the Lord Vishnu,
Who took the pretty lovable feminine form,
And could move the mind of he who burnt the cities,
And make him fall in love with him.
And the God of love , Manmatha,
Took the form which is like nectar,
Drunk by the eyes by Rathi his wife,
After venerating you,
Was able to create passion ,
Even in the mind of Sages the great. PRR.
pura=in some earlier days.                                                                                                                                                                        Hari:=god Vishnu.                                                                                                      Pranata jana soubhagya jananim=who bestow                             soubhagya=wealth and bliss to those who prostrate before you.                      Tvam aaradhya=after worshing you. Naree bhootva=in the form of female. Kshobham janayati=shaking up. Puraripum api=even the god Shiva. Smara: api=god of love also. Rati nayana lehyena vapusha=with the body that could be seen by the eyes of Rati the spouse only. Tvam natva=after bowing to you. Prabhavati=empowered. Mahatam=great. Muniniam=seers’. Antha:=in their minds. mohaya=to incite passion .KNK.                                                                                         (Here the author poet makes a claim that is not exactly in the epics. There is said the Asura made very long term devotion to Shiva and received a boon that anyone would die if the Asura touches anyone on head by his hands. Shiva approved the boom. The Asura wanted to test the effect of the boon on Shiva himself. Shiva started running around for his life. Then other gods requested Vishnu to protect Shiva. Vishnu took the form of the most beautiful lady and approached the Asura running behind Shiva. She told him that he cannot reach Shiva unless he takes a purification bath holding hands on his head. He does as advised and got his head burned to ashes, Bhasmasura. After escaping from the Asura, Shiva requested to show him the form of beautiful lady which Vishnu did. Shiva fell in love with beauty, Mohini and impregnated her with a son who is called Shasta in Sanskrit and Ayyapan in Malayalam. What is significant in this verse? Why did Vishnu [aradhya] asked the Goddess to to give him a female body? Only to entice Siva the spouse of the Goddess?  Why did she allow another lady to appropriate her husband? There are several such questions that are waiting for answers.                                                                        Here the god of love also after prostrating before you got empowered to interfere and stirrup passion even in the minds of ardent seers. The verse in fact gives its due to love and passion in the running of world affairs. K.N.K.)

The god of passion with his bow made of flowers and line of honey bees as its string; only five arrows [flowers] with spring [Vasanta] as his companion and the winds of Malaya Mountains as his battle chariot. He is so ill equipped to battle but goes on a winning spree alone; making all into passionate lovers on being blessed with your side glance. It looks like that the all powerful goddess is fascinated with god of passion and empowers him to entice all the people of the world mad with it. Will it be correct to conclude that the goddess is in favour of Kama=Passion? K.N.K.) 6.

Kvanat-kanchi-dama kari-kalabha-kumbha-stana-nata
Pariksheena madhye parinata-sarachandra-vadana;
Dhanur banan pasam srinim api dadhana karatalaii
Purastad astam noh Pura-mathitur aho-purushika.7.
With a golden belt,
Adorned by tiny tingling bells,
Slightly bent by breasts like the two frontal globes
Of an elephant fine, (The globes of elephant are not bent)
With a thin pretty form,
And with a face like the autumn moon,
Holding in her hands,
A bow of sugar cane), arrows (made of flowers), (There are no words to specify these two. In fact they are of Kama the god of love.)
And the noose and goad,
She who has the wonderful form,
Of the god of the God (who burnt the three cities,)
Should please come and appear before us. PRR.

 A girdle is called .mekhalA.. If there are tingling bells in it it is called .kAnchI.. The name .raNat-kiNkiNi-mekhalA. that occurs in the LalitA-sahasranAma is just this .kvaNat-kAnchI-dhAmA., namely, the jingling girdle with bells. The string of bells is also called .maNi.. So .kAnchI. is also known as .mani-mekhalA. In Tamil literature .Mani-mekhalai. is one of the five great epics. The heroine of that epic is Manimekhalai. At the end of the story she finally comes to the town of Kanchi where she feeds the poor from her inexhaustible vessel (akshaya-pAtram). This work .Manimekhalai. is slanted towards Buddhistic religion. Accordingly the heroine reaches salvation after getting the initiation from a Buddhistic Guru. But the incident of feeding the poor from an .akshaya-pAtram. is a traditional story of the Goddess Kamakshi of Kanchi from age-old times. Even in the Sangam Age (of Tamil) there was a woman by name .KAmak-kaNNi. which is nothing but the Sanskrit .KamAkshi.. Well, all this is a digression from my thought that .Mani-mekhalai. finally comes to the town (Kanchi) which has the same name as hers! By the mention of .KanchI. the author has hinted at the deity of his devotion.

The author of Soundaryalahari who does not mention the name of the deity of his devotion throughout the text, has perhaps hinted it here, by using the word .KanchI-dAmA. !

The word .dAmaM. means .twisted rope or string.. It was because YashodA bound child Krishna with a .dAmaM. around his waist, He is called .dAmodara. (udara means stomach). .KanchI-dAma. is so named because the jewel-belled girdle is made up of twisted golden strings. When ambaaL gracefully walks over, not only the ornaments round her ankles but the jewels of the girdle also jingle ! The whole earth is personified as BhUmA-devI. When one visualizes that form, the geographical location of the navel for that form on the earth is said to be Kanchipuram. When the girdle with bells is also imagined at its location on the waist, the facade of that girdle comes at the position of that navel; and that is why the kshetra (place) also gets the name of Kanchi ! A girdle which circles the globe must be really big. When that is supposed to be the ornament around the waist of ambaaL, then that waist also should be big. But that is not

 so, says the description: .parikShINA madhye.. .kShINa. means .lean. . The preposition .pari. indicates that the leanness is extra-ordinary. Thus .parikShINA madhye. means She is really very slender in Her middle. The miracle is that this .slender. waist covers the whole universe. .The macro within the micro. ! Let it be. But what about the face? The face is the .mukhya. (=important, significant) part. It is from the word .mukhya. the word .mukha. (face) arose. How is ambaaL.s face? She is .pariNata sharat chandra-vadaNA.. Her face is like the moon, with all the coolness and the whiteness of the autumnal full moon. Later, (in the 63rd shloka), the Acharya puts this thought in more poetic terms: .smita-jyotsnA-jAlaM tava vadana-chandrasya . . which, in effect, means .your moon-like face radiates miraculous moonlight through its smile.. Another point. The second line of the shloka has two words both beginning with .pari. : .parikShINA. and .pariNata.. When you read the whole line the sound of the alliteration creates a pleasant feeling. Such beauties are the specialities of great poets.

(Just take note as to how the Periyaval twists and turns words to his convenient meanings in his lectures. If we take the earth as such there is neither slender middle nor any centre in it unless it means the core deep inside. But that centre could be accessed from any point on the earth. The earth is a revolving globe on its North South axis. Since the earth is like a ball and no one could point a place as its centre. Even if we take the equator as its middle the line is too long around the sphere no means a slender middle. However the imaginary line does not pass through India not to say Kanchipuram. It is east from Indonesia through Indian Ocean towards west to Kenya in Africa and so on. If India alone from Kashmir in North to Kanyakumari in South the middle is not in Kanchi but somewhere near about Nagpur in Maharashtra. Periyaval magic with words to attract his faithful even with some knowledge of Sanskrit. Less said about Manimekhalai is better. At least he acknowledged the Buddhist origin of Manimekhalai but appropriated her to his deity. While so much importance is given in describing the word Kanchi the Periyaval did not make any specific meaning to the next i.e. “Kari-kalabha-kumbha-Sthana nata” KNK.)

Note : At this point this author checked all the slokas of Soundarya-lahari. Almost all of them have in their second and fourth lines such alliterations or similar-sounding words which create the lilting effect which the Maha-Swamigal mentioned even earlier.

Just a few examples:

Shloka #1: Na cedevam devam devo; praNantum stotum;

# 7: parikShINA . pariNata.;

purastAd AstAm, . puramathithuH ;

#17: saha janani sanchintayati;

Vacobhir-vAgdevI-vadana;

# 97: patnIm, padmAm; hareH, hara-sahacarIm;

Bhramayasi, parabrahma-mahiShI.

(The kind of explanations given here seems to be poor and such jumbling with words was a pastime to many Malayalam poets who went on insisting to keep “dvitiyakshara prasam”. For example:                                                                             “Jambha pradveshi mumpil suravarasadasi  tvadgunaoukhangal veena                                                            Shumbhat panou munou gayati surasudrisham                 vibramam cholla vallen.                                                                   Kumpitalurvashi pennakakamalamalinju                          madikuthzhinju                                                              Rambhakanjaru vattam kabari thirukinal Menaka Manaveda.”

“Ambathonnaksharalee kalita thanulate vedamakunna shakhi                                Kombathambod pookum kusumathathiyilendunna poonthen kuzhambe.                                                                               Chemboltar bana dambha prashamana paduvin bhagya sampathe                                                                               Kumbidunnen kazhalina Valayadheeswari Viswanathe.” “Kamalakantande Karunya sheelante                        Kamaniyangante Kamasamanante                                            Gamana sannaham kettu vizhadichu                                               Kamani Panchali Devanarayana”.

Sudha-sindhor madhye sura-vitapi-vati parivrite
Mani-dweepe nipo'pavana-vathi chintamani-grihe;
Shivaakare manche Parama-Shiva-paryanka-nilayam
Bhajanti tvam dhanyah katichana chid-ananda-laharim. 8.                                                                                                                                         

(Few of the holy men are enabled to feel the ecstasy of                           viewing you on a beautiful cot, lying on the lap of god                                           Shiva in the gem studded home; which is situated in                                        a gem like island aside a green flowery garden that is                                  surrounded by divine woods [Kalpakavrikha] amidst                                   the ocean of nectar. Here the goddess is portrayed as having                                      rest and sleep in a home belonging to Shiva her spouse.                                                          She is the lord at home. K.N.K.)                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                   In the middle of the sea of nectar,
In the isle of precious gems,
Which is surrounded by wish giving Kalpaga trees,
In the garden Kadamba trees,
In thouse of the gem of thought,
On the all holy seat of the lap of the great God Shiva,
Sits she who is like a tide
In the sea of happiness of ultimate truth,
And is worshipped by only by few select holy men. PRR.

10. You live in seclusion with your consort,
In the lotus with thousand petals,  PRR.
 (just like all humans the goddess and her spouse god are resorting to love plays in a secluded space. K.N.K.) 10.                                   

Tvadiyam saundaryam Tuhina-giri-kanye tulayitum
Kavindrah kalpante katham api Virinchi-prabhrutayah;
Yadaloka'utsukyad amara-lalana yanti manasa
Tapobhir dus-prapam api girisa-sayujya-padavim.     12.

Oh, daughter of ice mountain,
Even the creator who leads ,
An array of great poets,
Fails to describe your sublime beauty.
The heavenly maidens pretty,
With a wish to see your pristine loveliness,
Try to see you through the eyes your Lord, the great Shiva,
And do penance to him and reach him through their mind.

(While gods like Virinchi and others are trying to measure                                the beauty of the goddess, the heavenly damsels are curious                               and imagining in their mind and merging in the god Shiva                              which is unattainable even through concentrated meditation.                           Others are measuring beauty of the goddess but the heavenly ladies imagine and merge with her spouse. To view her beauty? K.N.K.)

Naram varshiyamsam nayana virasam narmasu jadam,
Thava panga loke pathitha manudhavanthi sathasa
Gala dweni bhandha kuch kalasa visthrutha sichaya
Hatath thrudyath kanchyho vigalidha dhukoola yuva thaya. 13.

With disheveled hair,
With upper cloths slipping from their busts,
With the lock of the golden belt getting open due to the haste,
And with saris slipping away from their shoulders,
Hundreds of young lasses,
Run after the men,
Who get your sidelong glance,
Even though they are very old,
Bad looking and not interested in love sports. PRR.                (Though the poet means singular PRR translates it s plural. Naram=man not men.)

Damsels in hundreds, with their lock disheveled, their saris flying off their figures,(was it saris or just a breast covering towel?  (Sichaya meaning angavastram.) Their girdles bursting asunder with force, their silk garments slipping down run after a decrepit, ugly and impotent man, who falls within the range of Thy side-glances.

This stanza may be characterized as one wherein the poet's fancy has run riot in extolling the potency of the Devi's side-glances.

If any description, in the true classic style, of women unhinged by the influence of passion is to be attempted by the saintliest of poets, it is to be met with in this stanza.

Run after---madly follow in the wake of, in the belief that he is Madana incarnate.  ADR.                                                                               (Was it real or the Devi fooling the entire females of this world? KNK.)

To the exquisitely beautiful side-glances of the Devi is attributed the virtue of converting even the most repulsive into the most attractive in this stanza, and the same feature is dwelt upon further in the eighteenth and nineteenth stanzas infra, the motif in all the three cases being to raise Kama, the satisfaction of desire and passions, to the rank of one of the four Purusartha-s, the ends and aims of human existence. This is what is known as the Madana-prayoga. ADR.

(One could be surprised to read this verse amidst descriptions of Tantra practices. It is most demeaning to all womanhood that includes the goddess. Even if taken as an example of power generated by side glance of the all powerful goddess it is inevitable from the context. Why did she use her side glance on an old fool? Was he praying for glance of goddess to fall on him? Even if he prayed was it correct to bestow on him this reward? Is it a godly justice to punish hundreds of young innocent ladies to run after the old fool? What kind of transgression did the hundreds of ladies commit in their life here? This shows the utter contempt of others sensibilities by the devotee author. Why should he picture hundred of beautiful young ladies running completely naked behind an imbecile old man? It is shameful to all readers and devotees not to take note off.

(This ADR  is the scholarly defense of an indefensible hate female creed even  though he said the incident repulsive. One might wonder as to what will happen if the side glance of the Devi falls upon an old decrepit slut lying on the ground? Will the youngsters that might include composer Adi Shankara who did live for 32 years only; run after that lady; naked and flaunting their giant erect penises? It will do much good to the blind believing devotees. K.N.K.) 

18. Thanuschayabhi sthe tharuna-tharuni –srisarinibhi
Divam sarva-murvi-marunimani magnam smaranthi ya
Bhavanthasya thrasya-dhwana-harina shaleena nayana
Sahorvasya vasya kathikathi na geervana Ganika   18

He who meditates on,
The luster of your beautiful body,
Which is blessed by the rising sun,
And which dissolves the sky and the world,
In light purple hue,
Makes celestial damsels like Urvasi and others,
Who have eyes like the wild startled deer,
Follow him like slaves. PRR .

How many among the celestial courtesans, inclusive of Urvasi, with the shy eyes of the timid wild deer, would not be caught in the clutches of him, who conceives the entire Heaven and Earth submerged in the red radiance caused by the lustrous graces of Thy body, forming, as it were, the abodes of the splendour of the rising Sun.

This stanza deals with the power bestowed by meditation of the Devi presiding over the Kamarajakuta in the form of Iccha-sakti. With the shy eyes of the timid deer-----the deer express their shyness and timidity with their tremulous eyes. Urvasi and other celestial damsels, whose eyes are naturally steady and unwinking, because of their celestial birth, are so much filled with passion at the sight of the votary, that even their unwinking eyes betray restlessness, all on account of the Devi's grace. Graces------graceful features. The abodes of splendour-------wherein the splendour abides. ADR.

(Here the motive of the devotee is clarified. He is imagining a lustrous beautiful body of the goddess so that he is ready to inveigle celestial damsels like Urvashi. Only one? No several of them to his side. KNK)                                                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                                   Mukham bindun kruthva kucha yuga madhasthasya thada dho                                                                                                              Harardham dhyayedhyo haramamahishi the manmathakalam         Sa sadhya samkshebham nayathi vanitha inyathiladhu       Thrilokimapyasu bramayathi ravindu sthana yugam. 19.

Hey, Mother who is Goddess of all universe,
He who meditates on you ,
As the crescent of love of our lord great,
On the dot of the holy wheel,
Your two busts just below,
And you as the half of Shiva our lord,
Not only Creates waves of emotion in ladies,                                            But charms the world, which has moon and sun as busts. 19. PRR.                                         

(What and where are the words to make this translation? KNK)
He has left out “manmadhakalam” and brought other meanings for which there are no words in the verse itself. (He who meditates on you, the spouse of Shiva; taking your face as the starting point then under it two stout busts and there under the spot of love god, expertise in making love [centre of passion i.e. her sexual organ} he the devotee; suddenly agitated and shocked in wonder [thinks of you] as simple female; though having three eyes and sun and moon as two busts as you always charm the world. It is he who gets the shock and not any lady or ladies.  K.N.K.)

(Hi, haramahishi, ya: the mukham bindum kritvâ, haraardham dhyayed; tasyâ adha: kuchayugam (dhyayed), thadadha: manmadhakalam (dhyayed); sa: saddya: athilaghu vanita iti, samkshobham nayati. Ravindrasthanayugam trilokeeemapi ashu bramayati.                                                                                                               This is the way words are aligned in this verse.                                                                                                              First the poet addresses the goddess as Shivamahishi. He brings a devotee to stand there and makes him to imagine the body parts of Harardham. First your face then there under your two stout breasts and then under them your “Manmadhakala”. Kala meaning Bindu=point=spot. Manmadha meaning Kama=god of love. Kama lives in the yoni or vagina. While imagining the “Manmadhakalam”  sa: (masculine) he, the devotee is sadya:=suddenly; samkshobham=agitation=shock=upset;  shocked and upset. Why? The imagination brings to his mind the simple ordinary lady and her sex.  The fourth line seems to be not connected with earlier three. Her two busts that are the sun and moon always surprise three worlds. Why did the translator shy away from this word “Manmadhakalam”? Possibly he fears the consequence of picturing the ‘vagina’ of the supreme goddess. There is reference to three bindus=points on the body of the goddess in another devotional Devibhujangam attributed to the same author. On verse 16:                                                                               

“Mahamantra rajanta beejam parakhyam,                                                   Swatonyasta bindum swayam nyasta hardam//                                      Bhawad vakthra vakshoja guhyabhidhanam/ 16                                      Thadekam samadhaya bindutrayam the//  17                                                      The three bindus are face, busts and hidden part [vagina].  K.N.K.)

 (A lifelong bachelor that he was, the Mahaswamigal                                                      may not have an idea of that part of the female down there.                                                So did not make any comments about which he is                                                  completely ignorant. He was made the head of Kanchi                                             Mutt when he was only 13 years of age. What were                                                  the qualifications required to install one as the head                                                       of the Mutt? Here he was made the head when he was                                                      a teen of 13? He was just a school going boy. Did he                                                 qualify in Sanskrit or Vedic rituals or any other                                                                    requirements? No answers to these in his biography.                                                          Only answer seems to be that the boy was an exceptional                                   one in learning. K.N.K.)

O Queen of Hara! It is but a trifle that one who contemplates Thy Manmatha-kala, taking the Bindu to be the face, what is there-under to be the breasts, and still underneath to be one half of Hara (i.e. a triangle), at once fascinates women (in general); (what is more) he very soon causes even Triloki (the three worlds together) who has the Sun and the Moon as her breasts, to swirl.                                                                                      (This looks a too clumsy translation of the text. He missed the words “sa: sadya ssamkshobham nayati”. The next sentence makes out that the devotee “soon causes even Triloki” to swirl? However the ADR specifically says that the meaning of Manmathakala is the vagina Yoni of the Devi in all its different wordings. K.N.K.)

This stanza, like the previous one, also affords an example of the Madana-prayoga and deals with the fruit of meditation on the Devi, as Iccha-sakti presiding over the Kamaraja-kuta, in virtue of which the votary acquires the power of fascinating women. Queen of Hara--i.e. the Devi of the form of Sac-cid-ananda, being the spouse of Hara, the Paramatman, who absorbs the entire universe unto Himself. This is the Bindu in the form Hara. Thy Manmatha-kala---the Kama-kala indicating Thee, i.e. (1) 'klim', which, according to the Devanagari script, is made up of one Bindu at the top, two Bindu-like curves on either side of the 'k' thereunder and what is thereunder, namely the 'l'. (2) Bereft of the 'k' and 'l', this Bija becomes the Gupta-mahasarasvata-bija, namely 'im' which is made up of three Bindu-s, one above and two thereunder, the former indicating the Sun and the latter Fire and the Moon thereunder. (3) Which is of the form 'e', i.e. the Yoni, and (4) which is power in the form of the three Guna-s, i.e. the Universe which is the productof the union of Siva and the Sakti. Taking-----i.e. conceiving by the strength of meditation.

One half of Hara-----there is also another reading, 'hakarardham', meaning 'one half of Hakara', which is the same as Hara. 'Hakarardha' is capable of being construed in the following ways: (1) The upper half of 'ha' being neglected, the lower half, which resembles 'e', is construed as the Yoni. (2) 'ha' is Siva and one half of Siva will be Siva, made up of s, i, u and 'a'; eliding consonants s and v, the other half 'i' and 'a;  when combined, yields 'e' which is the yoni. (3) 'ha' stands for 'Ravi' and when half of it, namely the consonants 'r' and 'v' are elided, the resultant 'a' and 'i', when combined, yield 'e', the Yoni. 

Accor ding to Srikrama, the three Bindu-s are: the first or Fire, indicating Rajas and presided over by Brahman, is the face; the second and third Bindu-s, which are the Sun and the Moon, indicating Sattva and Tamas, presided over by Hari and Rudra, are the breasts. Below that, a subtle Cit-kala, which is one half of 'ha' with the upper half neglected, and transcends all the three Guna-s, is the Yoni, i.e. the triangle connecting the three Bindu-s, indicating the three Guna-s, the characteristics of Brahman, Hari and Rudra. (4) 'ha' is the 'Hamsah' and the one half of it, namely the consonants 'h' and 's' being elided, the other half, 'am' and 'ah', yield three Bindu-s, which should be meditated upon as the Manmatha-kala, namely 'e', the Yoni.

(5) Harardham-----one half of Hara, i.e. the Sakti, which means the Yoni. Besides these there is also an esoteric significance, which should be received out of the mouth of the Guru. While the first half of the stanza extols the influence of the Devi on the votary with reference to women in general, the second half deals with the extraordinary influence which, through her grace, her votary has over the three worlds personified as the woman par excellence, and in virtue of which he becomes the lord of the three worlds, within the three Sakti-s in harmony with his wishes. According to the Rudrayamala, the Triloki is said to assume the form of the Kamaraja-kala with the Sun and the Moon as her breasts. To swirl----by the extraordinary powers he commands as the true devotee of the Devi in the form of Iccha-sakti. Some hold the view that this verse speaks of Pancama-yaga, esoterically the union of the Kundalini with Paramasiva and of Maithuna on the material plane. ADR.

It is but a trifle that one who contemplates Thy Manmatha-kala, to be one half of Hara (i.e. a triangle), at once fascinates women (in general);  ADR.                                                                                       (this looks most irresponsible and obscene imagination on the part of the poet. An unknown devotee is contemplating on the Triangle i.e. yoni of the Devi thus he is fascinating all the women in the world!!!. What does it mean? Does it mean that the woman folk so freckle that they are attracted to have sex with the devotee? Otherwise what is the need for the devotee to concentrate his mind on the yoni? He could meditate on some other part of the Devi or in nothing at all. PRR says. “Not only Creates waves of emotion in ladies,” Yes, the devotee aims at sex with all the ladies in the world as gift; while the same is severe punishment to all women.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  KNK.)  

23. Tvaya hrithva vamam vapur aparitripthena manasa
Sarir'ardham sambhor aparam api sankhe hritham abhut;
Yad ethat tvadrupam sakalam arunabham trinayanam
Kuchabhyam anamram kutila-sadi-chuudala-makutam.

Your form in my mind,
Is the colour of red of the rising sun,o
Is adorned with three eyes,
Has two heavy busts,
Is slightly bent,
And wears a crown with the crescent moon,
And hence arises a doubt in me,
That you were not satisfied ,
By half the body of Shambu that he gave,
And occupied all his body. PRR.

(The poet is right in his assumption that the goddess                                       captured all of Shiva’s body since she is all set up                                                         and shows 3 eyes and two heavy busts. Here is a question.                                                         If the whole male body is captured and made female                                                there will be no more of Shiva but we find him in other                                  verses having the whole and complimented for                                                                                    being the husband of the goddess. K.N.K.)

33. Smaram yonim lakshmim trithayam idam adau tava manor
Nidhay'aike nitye niravadhi-maha-bhoga-rasikah;
Bhajanti tvam chintamani-guna-nibaddh'aksha-valayah
Sivagnau juhvantah surabhi-ghrta-dhara'huti-sataih.

Oh, mother who is ever present,
Those who realize the essence ,
Of the limitless pleasure of the soul you give,
And who add the seed letter “Iim” of the god of love,
The seed letter “Hrim” of the goddess Bhuavaneswaree,
And the seed letter “Srim” of the goddess Lakhmi,
Which are the three letter triad,
Wear the garland of the gem of thoughts,
And offer oblations to the fire in triangle of Shiva,
With the pure scented ghee of the holy cow, Kamadhenu,
Several times and worship you.
                                                                                                        O Goddess eternal! having placed this triad of Smara, Yoni and Laksmi before Thy Mantra, some (devotees of Thine), bent on the boundless enjoyment of Beatitude, worship Thee with rosaries strung with Cintamani beads, while offering hundreds of oblations with streams of Surabhi's ghee, on the fire of Siva (triangle). PRR.

This stanza ostensibly deals with the worship of the Devi by the Samayin-s, with all the external forms obtaining among Kaula-s, while the next deals with the form of the Devi herself in the same strain. Stanza 35 clothes her in the aspect of pure matter, which is the basic principle of the doctrine of the Kaula-s. The next six stanzas of the Anandalahari exclusively deal with the Samaya doctrine.

Starting with the Devi's Mantra, as given in the previous stanza, as the  basis this stanza deals with the procedure to be adopted by votaries desirous of achieving the special purposes of acquisition of power, wealth, beatitude, etc, without having recourse to any external forms of worship or prayer. The device suggested herein is the placing before the Mantra of the triad of syllables represented by the conventional names, Smara, Yoni and Laksmi, which are capable of being interpreted in two ways: (1) 'Smara' meaning the Madanabija----'klim'; 'Yoni' meaning the Bhuvanesvari-bija----'hrim'; and 'Laksmi' meaning the Rama-bija-----'Srim'. By placing these three before the Kadi-vidya indicated by the previous stanza and meditating upon the Devi as of the form of the resultant Mantra, it is claimed that Maha-bhoga, immense wealth and influence, is vouch-safed to the votary. 'Maha-bhoga' may also be construed as 'final beatitude', the boundless enjoyment of which is the Yogin's goal. It is on this sense that our English rendering has been based. (2) By placing the trisyllable 'ka e i', obtained from 'Smara' meaning -------'ka', 'Yoni' meaning---------'e', and 'Laksmi' meaning ---------'i', in the place of 'ha  sa  ka' of the Hadi-vidya indicated by the previous stanza, the Mantra stands converted to  Kadi-vidya, which is credited only with the power of bestowing enjoyment of all forms, in this as well as in the other world. There is also the reading 'Cintamani-guna-nibaddha-ksara-layah,' in which case the meaning would be 'and attain liberation in the Aksara, namely the Sabda-brahman, that is the Citkala, associated with the Guna-s------Sattva, Rajas and Tamas'. Cintamani is a gem to which is credited the virtue of bestowing all that is desired. As the Matrka-s of the Devi have similar virtues, the word 'Cintamani-guna' may be taken to mean 'the assemblage of Matrka-s strung in the form of a rosary, with "ksa" serving as the Meru, the central bead, (which should not be crossed while performing Japa)'. Surabhi is the Kamadhenu, the celestial cow, granting all desires. Surabhi is also understood as meaning 'fragrant' and is said to indicate the fragrance of the current of nectar flowing in Goloka, the abode of Visnu. On the Fire of Siva (triangle)--------as the form of worship indicated here is entirely internal in accordance with the Samayacara, the worshipper is enjoined to place the Agni of the Svadhisthana in the Baindava-sthana, which is the Tri-kona, and then conceive of the Tri-kona with the Agni as transposed upwards and, at the same time, the Devi of the thousand-petalled lotus as transposed downwards to the heart, and  mentally perform offerings over the Fire as described in the stanza. Kaivalyasrama, who adopts the view that the Mantra indicated by the previous stanza is Hadividya and is turned to Kadi-vidya by adopting the changes referred to in the first line, construes this stanza as describing the worship of the Devi in the following manner:

Some devotees of Thine, with their external senses rendered devoid of their functions by employing their minds in the investigation of the Bhavartha, Sampradayartha, Nigarbhartha, Kaulikartha, Rahasyartha and Paramarahasyartha of the Mantra, (For a detailed exposition of the several meanings of this Mantra, the reader is referred to pp. 128-37 Varivasya-rahasya, Adyar Library Series 28)  with a view to the total annihilation of all previous impressions left on their minds relating to worldly attachment, which is so full of egotism and inimical to the attainment of the Paramatman, offer them as oblations of continuous streams of nectar-like ghee on the sacrificial Fire, effulgent with the radiance brought about by the mental attitude, 'I am Siva', that refined  alter-ego of the altruistic type. 'Fuhvantah' is treated by some as the present participle  nominative singular of 'hu' 3rd conjugation Parasmaipada 'to sacrifice'. But the correct form is 'juhvatah'; probably the form used to archaic. With a view to avoid the grammatical difficulty some suggest the form 'juhvanah', which is equally open to the same objection, the root being only Parasmaipadin. To avoid this contingency, Kaivalyasrama construes

'Juhv-antah-surabhi-ghrta-dharahuti-sataih,' as a single compound word meaning, 'with hundreds of oblations of streams of fragrant ghee flowing out of the Juhu, the ladle'.

The same commentator understands the stanza as indicating the Antaryaga and signifying: Some devotees, intent on offering the full oblation (Purnahuti), worship Thee, conceiving with their minds, Thee, of the form of the Kundalini, stretching from the Muladhara to the  Brahmarandhra in the form of the string of the fifty Matrka-s, themselves assuming a firm posture and offering the Purnahuti of a continous stream of ghee of the form of Suvasana-s with the ladle of Unmani over the Fire of Siva, with the mental attitude, 'I am Siva'.

51. Shive sringarardra tad-ithara-jane kutsana-paraa
Sarosha Gangayam Girisa-charite'vismayavathi;
Har'ahibhyo bhita sarasi-ruha-saubhagya-janani
Sakhishu smera the mayi janani dristih sakaruna

Mother of all universe,
The look from your eyes,
Is kind and filled with love, when looking at your Lord,
Is filled with hatred at all other men,
Is filled with anger when looking at Ganga,
The other wife of your Lord,
Is filled with wonder , When hearing the stories of your Lord,
Is filled with fear , when seeing the snakes worn by your Lord,
Is filled with red colour of valour of the pretty lotus fine,
Is filled with jollity, when seeing your friends,
And filled with mercy, when seeing me.

(Please look at me with compassion, when you are so romantic with Shiva while hating all others; anger filled on Ganga; wondering on the stories of Shiva; afraid of the snakes adorning Shiva; coloured red like in lotus and smiling with your companions. K.N.K.)

                                                                                                                                                                       72. (There is some humor in the reaction of the                                                  elephant headed but why it is not commented?)

Samam devi skanda dwipa vadana peetham sthanayugam
Thavedham na khedham harathu sathatham prasnutha mukham
Yada loakakhya sankha kulitha hridayo hasa janaka
Swa kumbhou herambha parisrusathi hasthena jhhaddithi

Our Goddess Devi,
Let your two cool breasts,
Which have faces that always,
Give out milk,
And are simultaneously drunk deeply.
By Skanda and the elepahant faced Ganesha,,
Destroy all our sorrows.
Seeing them and getting confused,
The Herambha* feels for his two frontal globes,
To see whether they are there,
Making you both laugh.
* Another name for Lord Ganesha

(The legend is that goddess Parvathy did not conceive and deliver any one of them. The Ganapathi was made up from the body oil of the goddess while Skanda was born in Saravana to six Krithikas separately. The honeymoon time went on prolonging and the gods sent fire god to check. This interrupted the union and the semen of god Shiva ejaculated out on fire god. He was unable to carry it and so dropped in Ganga at Saravana where the Krithikas were taking bath. The sperm entered them making them pregnant. The bashful virgins left their children there and went back to heaven. Parvathy came to know and collected the six in her hands so they emerged as one body. So Subramaniam is called Saravanabhava and Shanmukha. Then how this breast feeding? K.N.K.)

73.  Amuu theey vakshoja vamrutharasa manikhya kuthupou
Na sadhehaspatho nagapathi pathake manasi na
Pibhanthou thow yasma dhavadhitha bhadusangha rasikou
Kumara vadhyapi dwiradhavadhana krouncha dhalanou

Oh, Victory flag of the king of mountains,
We never have any doubt in our mind,                                                          That your two breasts divine,                                                                            Are the nectar filled pot made of rubies,
For The elephant faced one And he who killed Crownchasura*,
Even today do not know the pleasure of women,
And remain as young children.
* God Subrahamanya

(The legends concerning the two are different from north to south. In north Subramaniam or Skanda is not married but he is married to Valli in south. Similarly Ganapathy is bachelor in south but married in north specifically in Maharashtra. K.N.K.)                                                                                             

76. Hara krodha jwalaavalibhir avaleedena vapusha
Gabhire the nabhisarasi kruthasangho manasija
Samuthasthou thasmath achalathanaye dhoomalathika
Janastham janithe thava janani romaavalirithi

Oh daughter of the mountain,
The God of love who is the king of the mind,
Being lit by the flame of anger of Shiva,
Immersed himself in the deep pond of thine navel.
The tendril like smoke emanated from there,
And mother, people think,
That this is the line of hair,
That climbs from your navel upwards.

(It is common in Sanskrit literature to picture a hairline from the naval to the middle of two busts of any heroine therein. This tradition is followed in case of goddesses as well. K.N.K.)

77. Yadhethath kalindhi thanu thara tharangaakruthi shive
Krushe mahye kinchid janani thawa yadbhathi sudhiyaam
Vimardha –dhanyonyam kuchakalasayo –ranthara gatham
Thanu bhootham vyoma pravishadhiva nabhim kuharinim

The mother of universe who is Shiva and Shakthi,
In the narrow part of the middle of your body.
The learned men seem to see a line,
Which is in the shape of a small wave of the river Yamuna,
And which shines and glitters, and appears like the sky,
Made very thin by thine dense colliding breasts,
Entering your cave like navel. PRR.
O Spouse of Siva, Mother (mine)! this something, assuming the form of the ripples of Kalindi on Thy Slim waist, appears to the enlightened (to be) the attenuated Ether intervening the two pot-like breasts, entering the hole of Thy navel, owing to the pressing against each of the two (breasts).

Something-------the Romavali. Kalindi---------the daughter of Mount Kalinda, i.e. the Yamuna

whose water is represented to be of a dark colour. Ether------is also represented as dark in colour. 

This stanza also describes the Romavali of the Devi. The Ether, when pressed, is represented as seeking shelter in the navel.  ADR.

(This concept of dense colliding busts where from the air between them is squeezed out is used in Sanskrit literature. But nature has not followed this tradition and there is at least some measurable gap between two busts in all women unless they tightly corseted under. In a later verse 80 the poet mentions about a tight blouse worn by the goddess. K.N.K.)

78. Sthiro gangavartha sthana mukula romaa vali laha
Kalaabhalam kundam kusuma sara thejo hutha bhuja
Rathe leelamgaram kimapi thava nabhir giri suthe
Bhila dwaram siddhe rgirisa nayananam vijayathe
                                                                                                                           O Daughter of the Mountain! all glory to Thy navel (which may be characterized) in some such way (as) a motionless eddy of the Ganga; a trench for the growth of the creeper of the line of down, with the breasts as buds; the pit for maintaining the sacrificial Fire of the prowess of the flower-arrowed (Kusumasara); the pleasure-bowl of Rati; the mouth of the cavern for the attainment (of Yoga) by Girisa's eyes!

This stanza gives a description of the Devi's navel, as assuming various aspects. Kusuma-sara-literally

the flower-arrowed, i.e. Manmatha, the god of love. Mouth of the cavern- Yogin-s resot to secluded spots such as caverns of hills for practising Yoga and thereby attaining bliss. The Devi's navel is compared to such a spot resting in which the eyes of Girisa (as so many Yogin-s) seek to attain bliss. ADR.  (This commentator shies away from describing the real biladvaram as something real cave entrance instead of entrance to the deep vagina wherein Girisa is viewing the seat of ecstasy and bliss. KNK.)  

Oh daughter of the mountain,
Is your navel a whirl pool in river Ganga,
Which looks very stable!
Or is it the root of the climber,
Of the stream of your hair line,
Which has two breasts of yours as buds,
Or is it the Homa fire,
Where the fire is the light from cupid,
Or is it the play house of Rathi, the wife of God of love,
Or is it the opening to the cave,
In which Shiva’s tapas gets fulfilled,
I am not able to make up my mind!    PRR.                                                                                     

Oh you are not able to make up your mind but you picked up “or” “or” that are not in the verse.
 (The deep navel resembles a steady whirlpool in Ganga wherefrom the creeper in the form of hairline goes up where there are two buds like busts. May be it is the sacrificial platform of the god of love. Also it is the playhouse of Rati [means sexual intercourse] the spouse of god of love. Finally Shiva looks with a sense of victory at the entrance to the cave that brought success and bliss upon him after long devotion. The cave entrance be praised that brought bliss and satisfaction to the eyes of of Shiva. [the translator makes a mess with words and does not find the description apt to uncover the sexuality of the god as well as the goddess. Here poet talks of a creeper going up to the two breasts but refrains to mention going down. But it is implicit in description of the next point as Raterleelagaram and Biladvaram sidhe:] K.N.K.) 

79. Nisargha ksheenasya sthana thata bharena klamajusho
Namanmurthe narree thilaka sanakaii –sthrutayatha eva
Chiram thee Madhyasya thruthitha thatini theera tharuna
Samavasthaa sthemno bhavathu kusalam sailathanaye

Oh daughter of the mountain,
You who is the greatest among women,
Long live your pretty hips,
Which look fragile,
Which are by nature tiny,
Which are strained by your heavy breasts,
And hence slightly bent,
And which look like the tree,
In the eroded banks of a rushing river. PRR.

80. Kuchou sadhya swidhya-sthata -ghatitha koorpasabhidurou
Kashanthou dhormule kanaka kalasabhou kalayatha
Thava thrathum bhangadhalamithi valagnam thanubhava
Thridha naddham devi trivali lavalovallibhiriva

Oh Goddess mine,
Placed just below your shoulders,
By Cupid , the God of love,
Tearing your blouse which is attached ,
To your body by the sweat,
When you think of the greatness of your Lord,
And resembling pots of Gold,
Your breasts appear to be tied by him,
Securely three times,
By the three creeper like folds*.
* The three folds on the belly. PRR.

O Goddess! Thy three-folded waist has been bound as it were by Tanubhu, three times over with the Lavali creeper, with a view to save it from breaking, he having caused Thy two breasts, which resemble pots of gold, to burst the garment covering their sides perspiring at that moment and to rub against the armpits.

Tanubhu----Manmatha, the god of love. Lavali-----a wild creeper known for its enduring qualities. To burst----as a result of the surging passion. Armpits—encroaching upon them owing to increase in size. ADR.

(Now those sweating busts that resemble glowing golden                                    pots are bursting at seams and straining the armpits, that are tightly tied inside the stitched blouse (Ravukka); to protect you from breaking, the god of love tied it three knots and that are three folds into the abdomen. The word Kurpasa is not from Sanskrit or any Indian language but from some foreign origin.  K.N.K.)

86.                                                                                                       Mrisha krithva gothra skhalana matha vailakshya namitham
Lalate bhartharam charana kamala thadayathi thee
Chiradantha salyam dhahanakritha –munmilee thavatha
Thula koti kkana kilikilith –meesana ripuna

In a playful mood,after teasing you,
About you and your family,
And at a loss to control your love tiff,
When your consort does prostrations,
Your lotus like feet touches his forehead,
And the God of love , the enemy of your Lord, who was burnt,
By the fire from his third eye,
And was keeping the enmity with your lord,
Like the ever hurting arrow,
Makes sounds like Kili Kili*,
From your belled anklets on the legs.
* Sound of teasing also Sound from anklets PRR.

When Thy lotus-like foot kicked on the forehead, Thy husband, who having frivolously blundered in calling (Thee by a wrong) name, was in consequence bent with shame; through the jingling of (Thy) anklets there was an acclamation of triumph, as it were, from Isana's foe, who thus had his vengeance, generated by (his) being burnt to ashes and rankling for a long time, wreaked.

The poet creates out of his imagination an amorous interval wherein Siva is represented as being found out by his spouse, when in jest, he calls her by a wrong name, the implication being that the Devi scents therein his amour with some other woman and punishes him therefore with a kick. Manmatha, who was only waiting for an opportunity for venting his spleen on his enemy Siva, by seeing him lowered in esteem, uses the jingling of the anklet as a sign of his triumph over Siva. It may also be noted that, in this stanza, the poet creates an opportunity cleverly enough for the Lord to receive the kick he so much longed for, as shown in the previous stanza, by creating a situation as depicted, here namely the blunder of using a wrong name. ADR.

(Here the word ‘Gotraskalana’ does not mean ‘teasing family’. It means addressing spouse not with her own name but some other woman. The translator PRR seems to make light of the offence but ADR makes it correct. K.N.K.)

92.
Gataas the mancathvam Druhina-Hari-Rudr'eshavara-bhrutah
Sivah svacchac-chaya-ghatita-kapata-pracchada-pata;
Tvadhiyanam bhasaam prati-phalana-rag'arunathaya
Sariri srungaro rasa iva dhrisam dhogdhi kuthukam.

Brahma, Vishnu, Rudhra and Easwara,
Who are the gods who rule the world,
Become the four legs of your cot,
So that they are able to serve you always.
Sadashiva who is white in colour                                                                    becomes the bed spread on which you sleep,
And appears red , because he reflects your colour.
And to your eyes which are the personification,
Of the feelings of love,
He gives lot of happiness. PRR.
(All the while we were told that there are three higher gods but here we get a fourth and fifth. The four are the legs of her cot and the fifth is the bedspread for her to sleep. Can we take it that the goddess is on top of Sadashiva in bed? K.N.K.)

93. Araala kesheshu prakruthi-saralaa manda-hasithe
Sireeshabha chite drushad upala-sobha kucha-thate;
Bhrusam thanvi madhye pruthur urasijh'aroha-vishaye
Jagat trathum sambhor jayahti karuna kaachid aruna.

Her mercy which is beyond.
The mind and words of Our Lord Shiva,
Is forever victorious in the form of Aruna,
So as to save this world.
That spirit of mercy is in the form of,
Curves in her hairs,
In the form of natural sweetness in her smile.
In the form of pretty tenderness of a flower in her mind,
In the form of firmness of a ruby stone in her breasts,
In the form of thin seductiveness in her hips,
In the form of voluptuousness in her breasts and back.

(Hairs curled, simply natural in smiling, heart like a tender flower, as hard as gem stones in breasts, very thin in midriff and heavy rounded in breasts and hips. K.N.K.)

96.  Kalathram vaidhathram kathi kathi bhajante na kavayah
Sriyo devyah ko va na bhavati pathih kairapi dhanaih;
Mahadevam hithva thava sathi sathinam acharame
Kuchabhyam aasangah kuravaka-tharor apyasulabhah.

Many poets reach the Goddess of learning,
The wife of the creaor,
By composing soulfull poems.
Many who search and attain riches,
Are termed as the Lord of the Goddess of wealth.
Oh, first among chaste woman,
Except Lord Shiva your consort.
Your breasts have not even touched,
The holy henna* tree.
* The henna tree is supposed to wish for                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the embrace of maidens. PRR.

O ideal chastity! how many poets have not courted the wife of Vidhatr? Who does not become the lord of Sridevi (the goddess of wealth) by (commanding?)

Whatever (little) wealth? O foremost amongst the chaste! saving the Great Lord (Mahadeva), the embrace of Thy breast is unattainable even by the Kuravaka tree.  ADR.

(So many poets and writers are keeping company with the wife of Brahma, who is not a spouse of Laxmi on attaining little wealth but you are the only one real chaste woman ‘Sati’. Your breasts never touched anything except your husband Shiva. The poet is too partial to interpret the existence of numerous learned, intelligent and competent beings as the consequence of the multiple loves on the part of the two goddesses among the triad. He is inciting others to see that the two are unchaste, prostitutes but his own goddess is different a ‘Sati’. No one could agree to inflict such denigration of women and here they are goddesses. The fantasia goes through his head and might damage him. There are several such instances in this hundred verse poem. K.N.K.)     

97 Giram aahur devim Druhina-gruhinim agaamavidho
Hareh pathnim padhmam Hara-sahacharim adhri-thanayam;
Thuriya kapi thvam dhuradhigama-niseema-mahima
Maha-maya visvam bhramayasi parabhrahma mahishi.
                                                                                                               Oh , Parashakthi who is one with Parabrahma,           
Though those who have learned Vedas,
Call you as Brahma’s wife Sarawathi,
Or call you as Vishnu’s wife Lakshmi,
Or call you as Shiva’s wife Parvathi,
You are the fourth called Maha Maya,
Who gives life to the world,
And have attained all that is to attain. PRR.

(In this, the poet turns turtle and finds all the three goddesses lower to a fourth one Maha mAyA who is the queen of Parabrahma. Wonder of wonders! So the ‘Sati’ the only chaste goddess downgraded. K.N.K.)

99. Saraswathya lakshmya vidhi hari sapathno viharathe
Rathe pathivrithyam sidhilayathi ramyena vapusha
Chiram jivannehva kshapathi pasu pasa vyathikara
Paranandabhikhyam rasayathi rasam twadjanavaan.

(Here again is the repetition of the idea pictured in                                           Verse 96 saying that her devotee is cohabiting                                                    with Saraswati and Laxmi and now attracting                                                              the spouse of love god Rati her status as chaste is                                                              in danger of slipping. What imagination the poet                                                            uses to uphold his goddess one cannot access. K.N.K.)
Those who worship thee , oh mother,
Are so learned and so rich,
That even Brahma and Vishnu,
Are jealous of them
They are so handsome,
That even the wife of Cupid, Rathi,
Yearns for them.
He unbound from the ties of this birth,
Always enjoys ecstatic happiness,
And lives forever . PRR.
 
100. Pradhipa-jvalabhir dhivasa-kara-neerajana-vidhih
Sudha-suthes chandropala-jala-lavair arghya-rachana;
Svakiyair ambhobhih salila-nidhi-sauhitya karanam
Tvadiyabhir vagbhis thava janani vacham stutir iyam.

Oh Goddess who is the source of all words,
This poem which is made of words,
That you only made,
Is like showing the camphor lamp to the Sun,
Is like offering as ablation to the moon,
The water got from the moon stone,
And is like offering water worship,
To the sea.  PRR>

(Here the poet composer makes out a case for himself from any fault or exaggerations in describing the nature, powers and dedication. There is no point in offering Neerajanam i.e. lighted camphor to the brightly shining Sun. similarly there is no point in offering water from moon stone to the Moon; nor to the ocean. You my Devi is the generator of words and these poems are composed by your own words. The poet’s disclaimer is the most hypocritical in nature and meanings. After all he pictured his Devi above every one and all powerful giving almost similar powers to her ardent devotees and they are always men indeed. No woman devotee appears anywhere in these hundred verses. Such imagination that brings the despicable position to women as in verse 13 and others cited are enough to dismiss his disclaimer. I don’t understand how these words would come out of a Devi. KNK)   

A point that struck me in these one hundred verses is that in most of them the Devi is addressed as daughter of Himalayas. They consist of short and too long in words meaning the same. Could we postulate that Himalayas the father pre-existed to the Devi? Otherwise she could not be the daughter. I find no one has taken this point in their comments but may be that the Periyaval might have said something on this in his series of lectures. Let it be so.

One of the never asked questions to all faithful religious teachers is that “Why the all powerful Devi or Devas or even the undifferentiated Parabrahma of Advaita did create this world and populate it with human and all other beings who cannot choose but suffer and pray for salvation? Why, why, why?”  Here I end my observations. K.N.K.

K.N.Krishnan.