The 47th mantra of the Lalitha Sahasranama is:
marālī-manda-gamanā
[She whose gait is as slow and gentle as that of a swan]
and
The 48th mantra of the Lalitha Sahasranama is:
mahā-lāvaṇya-śevadhiḥ
[She who is the treasure-house of beauty]
From the 39th to the 47th mantra of the Lalitha Sahasranama, we see a vivid description of Devi’s form. Devi emerged from the Chitt Agni Kunda and walked gracefully towards the Devas. The phrase ” marālī-manda-gamanā ” highlights her slow, elegant steps, captivating the Devas. Her walk is described as more graceful than a swan’s glide and more majestic than an elephant’s stride. Devi’s beauty is unmatched, with no parallel in the world. The use of “Maha” emphasizes her supreme beauty and greatness, beyond all earthly and divine comparisons. Devi is described as a treasure, with each part of her body possessing unique attributes that awaken devotion in those who worship her. These mantras beautifully portray Devi’s form from head to toe, concluding with her auspicious feet. Poet Kalidasa emphasizes that no one can resist bowing down to her feet, signifying their divine allure. He provides an extensive list of descriptive words when praising the beauty and grace of Devi’s feet, highlighting their unmatched spiritual significance.
prahva-deveśa-lakṣmīśa-bhūteśa-lokeśa-vāṇīśa-kīnāśa-daityeśa
yakṣeśa-vāyvagni-koṭīramāṇikya-saṃghṛṣṭa-bālātapoddāma
lākṣārasāruṇya-tāruṇya-lakṣmīgṛhītāṃghripadme ! supadme ume!
[Victory to the Divine Mother! before whom bow down Indra, Vishnu, Siva, the lokapalas, Brahma, Yama, the Asura King, Kubera, Vayu, Agni and whose feet, adorned with red laksharasa and caressed by Lakshmi, shine like the light of the rising sun by the rays of manikya in the crowns of the celestials bowing down.]
(Shyamala Dandakam)
Kalidasa describes the imprints of the crowns of Devesha, Lakshmisha, Bhuthesha, Thoyesha, Saraswati, Brahma, Yakshas, Indra, Gandharvas, Vayu, and Agni on Devi’s auspicious feet. These feet are adorned with “Laksha rasam” and radiate beauty and youthfulness. Even goddesses like Lakshmi cling to Devi’s lotus feet, bowing and prostrating at all times, signifying their supreme reverence. The description concludes with Devi’s lotus feet, emphasizing their spiritual significance. In Saundarya Lahari, Adi Shankaracharya extols the superiority of meditating on Devi’s lotus feet, highlighting their transformative power.
kadā kāle mātaḥ kathaya kalitālaktakarasaṃ
pibeyaṃ vidyārthī tava caraṇanirṇejanajalam
prakṛtyā mūkānāmapi ca kavitākāraṇatayā
kadā dhatte vāṇīmukha-kamala-tāmbūla-rasatām
[“O! Divine Mother! I am a spiritual seeker. When I will be able to drink water mixed with henna that is used for washing Your sacred feet, which will make even a born dumb to become a composer of verses? When I will be able to taste the flavour of the essence of betel from Sarasvatī’s mouth?”]
(Saundaryalahari-98)
This shloka narrates a remarkable incident from the Gokarna Devi Temple. A boy, born dumb, was cruelly mistreated and mocked by others. He endured great suffering and, in his despair, devoted himself entirely to Devi, standing before her in the temple and praying continuously. Moved by his devotion, Devi decided to bless him. One day, Devi stepped out of the Sanctum Sanctorum with her auspicious feet smeared with Laksha rasa. She washed her feet in a vessel filled with water and poured this sacred water into the boy’s mouth. Afterward, Devi returned to her abode.
Soon, people noticed the boy’s mouth had turned red. Since no one else was present, they assumed Devi had given him betel leaves (thamboolam) . Miraculously, the boy began to speak and later composed beautiful poems in praise of Devi, marking the fulfillment of her divine grace. He composed the Mukha Pacha Sati, consisting of 500 shlokas. Later, he became the Head Pontiff of Sri Shankara Math. Among these, around 100 shlokas are dedicated to the description of Devi’s lotus feet, known as “Padaravindha Satakam.” The first section of the Satakam is called Mandasmita Satakam, focusing on Devi’s gentle smile. Nearly 100 verses are devoted to celebrating the beauty, grace, and divine essence of Devi’s smile, reflecting its profound spiritual significance.
Thus, the water that washes Devi’s auspicious feet holds the power to make a dumb person speak. This sacred water is considered as divine as the Thamboolam of Saraswati Devi, radiating the same luminous energy. Adi Shankaracharya reflects, “When will I have the chance to drink this holy water? When will I sit before Devi as a student and attain the knowledge of the Self?” Through these words, he exalts the transformative power of the water from Devi’s feet. We have explored Devi’s head-to-toe description so far, and we will continue with more divine descriptions in the days to come.
To be continued…
#Llaita #LalithaShasranamam
Leave a Reply