Om manda smita prabhā pūra majjat kāmeśa mānasāyai namaḥ
[who submerges even the mind of Kamesha (Lord Shiva) in the radiance of Her smile.]
The description here focuses on the beautiful face of Devi, specifically highlighting the power of her smile. The verse says, “She who submerges even the mind of Kameshwara in the radiance of her smile.” The use of the present continuous tense is significant—it emphasizes that Kameshwara is continuously immersed in the brilliance of Devi’s smile and has no desire to emerge from that state of bliss.
Kameshwara’s mind is completely captivated by the beauty of her smile, and he longs to remain submerged in its radiant glow. The smile of Devi evokes such divine joy and peace that even the great Lord Kameshwara wishes to remain endlessly enveloped in its splendor. This eternal immersion in Devi’s smile symbolizes the infinite bliss that her divine presence brings.
smitajyōtsnājālaṃ tava vadanachandrasya pibatāṃ
chakōrāṇāmāsīdatirasatayā chañchujaḍimā ।
atastē śītāṃśōramṛtalaharīmamlaruchayaḥ
pibanti svachChandaṃ niśi niśi bhṛśaṃ kāñjikadhiyā ॥
Saundarya Lahari 63
In Saundarya Lahari, the radiant smile of Devi is beautifully described through a short, enchanting story. Once, Devi visited her garden in Sripura, a place that was home to many majestic swans, or Rajahamsas. These regal swans spent precious moments with Devi as she playfully interacted with them in her orchard. When Devi smiles, her entire face lights up with a soft radiance. It is not loud laughter but a delicate, gentle smile that adorns her face. Her smile is subtle, never wide or jubilant, but tender and ever-present.
No words can truly capture the brilliance of Devi’s gentle smile. When she visits the garden, a rare occurrence, and plays with the swans, they become utterly captivated by the effulgence of her smile. On one such rare visit, under the moonlit night, the swans beheld Devi’s tender smile. They gazed up at the moonlit sky, but even the soft light of the moon paled in comparison to the radiance of Devi’s face. The swans became engrossed in the unparalleled beauty of her smile, its tender glow filling them with love and joy.
They drank deeply from the wonder of her smile, becoming intoxicated by the love that flowed from her radiant, smiling face. The swans, overwhelmed by this experience, found themselves lost in the blissful beauty of Devi’s gentle, divine smile.
Sometimes, after a full meal, we become slow-moving and sedate, and even our speech may become sluggish, as if our tongues are a bit paralyzed. In traditional feasts, we are often served sweet pudding followed by puliyinchi—a tangy mixture of tamarind, jaggery, and ginger—to revive us from this state of heaviness. Similarly, the Rajahamsas (swans) became intoxicated after drinking in the celestial radiance of Devi’s compassionate smile. They wanted to move and speak clearly again, seeking a way out of their blissful yet intoxicating state. Just as puliyinchi helps counterbalance the effects of sweet pudding, they sought an antidote for their sluggishness.
In Ayurveda, there’s a remedy known as Kaadi Vellam, which is water in which parboiled rice has been washed before cooking. It is said to cure both obesity and large appetites. The majestic swans, after becoming overwhelmed by Devi’s blissful smile, found that their noses and tongues were paralyzed. They thought that the moonlight, with its cool tanginess compared to Devi’s nectarine smile, might act as an antidote. They drank the moonlight in abundance, as if it were Kaadi Vellam, hoping to come out of their intoxicated state.
The meaning of this experience is that when Devi smiles upon us, we, too, are blessed with bliss. Constant remembrance of the radiant smile on her blissful face leads us to everlasting happiness. This is the essence of the mantra.
Devi manifested from the sacred fire of pure consciousness, and as her glorious form emerged from the fire, the Devas sang hymns in her praise. A magnificent town, named Sripura, was built in her honor, where she was crowned as the queen of the universal empire. Though she ruled Sripura by herself, everyone longed to see her reign alongside Parameshwara, her consort. Responding to this wish, Lord Parameshwara arrived at Sripura.
The description is continued in the comments section…
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranamam
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