The Sri Chakra Raja chariot of Lalithaṃbhika was attacked from the rear by the army of the Asurās. Mantriṇī and Dhandini Devī came up to Sri Lalithaṃbhika, beseeched her forgiveness for their momentary lapse and requested her for an effective resistance from such ambushes and attacks. Sri Lalithaṃbhika turned to Jwalamalini, one of the fifteen Nitya devīs. She said it is our duty to protect the śakti Sena”. She commanded her to make a fortress of fire around the śakti Sena. Jwalamalini Devī is one of the presiding deities of fire.
She created an impenetrable fortress of fire, spanning kilometers in length and breadth. The fortress blazed like diamonds. The śakti Sena stayed within its protective radius. Bhandāsurā heard this news. His thirty sons had been killed, the war was going against him. He still did not want to declare open war. He decided to try another tricky tactic. He ordered Viṣukrāna to start out at night with a small army. They moved undetected under the cover of night, they carried out black occult magic. It is said that they created many “Vighña Yantras”, Performing homa for the dark powers, sacrificing animals to propitiate them. They chanted mantras of black magic and their purpose was to make the śakti sena dim witted, listless and dispirited. This was their tactic to defeat śakti Sena. They approached the fortress of fire. They needed to place the “Vighña yantra” inside the fortress. Black magic practiced today to torment people was also being practiced long ago. They brought hordes of black magicians and sacrificed a countless number of animals. They chanted mantras of destruction, believing that it would have the desired effect. The effect of this mantra were several. It will make a person extremely lazy, inclined to show kindness to those who don’t deserve it. It will erode their confidence, leaving them feeling useless and unworthy. It will make them drowsy and constantly sleepy. They’ll lose interest in everything and feel utterly drained of strength, with no loyalty to their superiors.
Viṣukrān approached the fortress of fire with a vast array of machines designed to obstruct and hinder. He attempted to hurl them inside the fortress, but the fierce flames rose kilometers into the sky, blocking his path. So, he placed these hostile machines outside the fortress. Finally, with great stealth, he skillfully hurled them toward Devī’s army. They settled among the Shakti Sena, unnoticed. Devī is all-knowing, there is no need for Her to actually see with Her own eyes to be aware. In Sri Lalitha Sahasranama, Devī is hailed as,
sahasrākṣī
[She who has a thousand eyes]
(Sri Lalitha Sahasranama – 283)
sahasrapāt
[She who has a thousand feet]
(Sri Lalitha Sahasranama – 284)
She is praised as sahasrākṣī and sahasrapāt, the One who is omniscient and omnipresent. Yet, Devī pretended to be unaware and feigned ignorance of what was unfolding. The Vighña yantra were skillfully deployed, and even in the divine presence of Devī, the machines began to produce their intended effect. A sudden deterioration was evident among the śakti Sena, though no one understood the reason for this abrupt shift in behavior.
Devī, ever-aware, does not reveal the cause. She sits seemingly indifferent, detached from the events around Her. No one else understands the reason or even suspects there might be one. The Shakti Sena became dull-witted, drowsy, and reluctant to fight. They thought, “Why should we sacrifice ourselves for the glory of our master?” In their lethargy, they invented bizarre excuses to avoid battle. They laid down their weapons, declaring their intent not to fight for the benefit of others at the cost of their own lives. Over half the army fell into a deep sleep, while the rest reasoned, “The Asurās are also Devī’s children. Killing them would be wrong.” They questioned, “Why engage in this needless war?” and claimed, “Our true dharma is Ahiṃsā, non-violence.”
In this way, they grew lazy, drowsy, and began to show misplaced kindness. Confidence in their abilities waned, and their will to fight vanished. We are recounting the events leading up to the death of Bhandasura, as recorded in the Sri LalithaSahasranāma . More details will follow in upcoming episodes.
To be continued….
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranāma
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