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This is the 44th mantra in the Lalitha Sahasranama.

nakha-dīdhiti-saṃchanna-namajjana-tamoguṇā
[She whose toenails give out such a radiance that all the darkness of ignorance is dispelled completely from those devotees who prostrate at Her feet]

This verse signifies Devi as the one who dispels the darkness of ignorance with the radiance of her toenails. Devotees bow down at her lotus feet, which shine like the moon. Through this act of surrender, ignorance dissolves, and the light of humility and wisdom blossoms within them. When the Guru witnesses this humility, her heart softens, guiding devotees toward higher knowledge and correcting their mistakes with compassion in a similar way, all Devas revere Devi, and the brilliance from their crowns falls at her auspicious feet. Pleased by their devotion, Devi grants them joy and dispels their ignorance, illuminating their paths.

namradikpāla-sīmantinī-kuntala-snigdha
nīlaprabhāpuñja-sañjāta
dūrvāṅkurāśaṃki-sāraṃga-saṃyoga
riṃkhannakhendūjjvale.
(Shyamala Dandakam)

[ Victory to the Divine Mother!, who is resplendent and pure and whose toe nails are brilliant and who is surrounded by deer which are attracted by the dark smooth locks of the consorts of the presiding deities of the eight quarters who bow down at her feet. The deer are deluded into thinking, by the texture and colour of the hair, that it is green durva grass.]

The Shyamala Dandaka glorifies the radiance and significance of Devi’s toenails. In this verse, the Digpalini Devis stand humbly before her, bowing their heads in deep reverence. Their hair, described as a blend of blue and black, resembles the shade of a special black grass. When these Devis prostrate, it appears as if a vast expanse of this black grass has been laid before Devi. Amidst this scene, her toenails shine brilliantly, like moons illuminating the darkness. Traditionally, the moon is said to contain herds of deer. With Devi’s ten toenails glowing like individual moons, it seems as though all the deer have emerged from these moons, drawn by the sight of the black grass-like hair spread in front of Devi. This poetic imagery reflects the grandeur of Devi’s presence and the humility of those who bow before her, with even celestial beings surrendering to her divine brilliance.

Thus, the great poet Kalidasa, with his poetic brilliance, vividly illustrates the radiance of Devi’s toenails in this verse. His masterful imagery captures the divine splendor and humility evoked by her presence.

The 45th mantra is:
padadvaya-prabhājāla-parākṛta-saroruhā
[ She whose feet defeat lotus flowers in radiance ]

The 45th mantra celebrates Devi’s feet as surpassing the radiance of lotus flowers. This idea has already been elaborated – Devi’s feet outshine lotus flowers in every way. While lotuses do not grow in the cold heights of the Himalayas, their significance lies in the presence of Goddess Lakshmi, who grants prosperity. However, Devi, even without Lakshmi’s presence, bestows wealth, health (dhanyam), and well-being upon her devotees. Unlike lotus flowers, which close at night, Devi’s lotus-like feet remain radiant even in the darkest hours, guiding and nurturing her devotees.

In this metaphor, our minds are likened to bees, drawn to the divine fragrance of the honey at Devi’s lotus feet. To realize the purpose of human life, we must immerse ourselves in her grace, constantly seeking the nectar of wisdom at her feet.

The 46th mantra of Lalitha Sahasranama is:
śiñjāna-maṇimañjira-maṇḍita-śrīpadāmbujā
[She whose auspicious lotus feet are adorned with gem-studded golden anklets that tinkle sweetly.]

Shinjana refers to that which produces melodious sounds, while Mani means bell, and Manjira signifies anklets. Thus, this mantra celebrates Devi as “She whose auspicious lotus feet are adorned with radiant anklets that produce a harmonious, bell-like sound.”

When we describe Devi as sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā [She who is resplendent with all types of ornaments], it emphasizes that Devi adorns her entire being with divine ornaments, including anklets that produce melodious, bell-like sounds. As Devi walks, these anklets create sweet, enchanting music. It is believed that devotees deeply connected to her can hear these mystical sounds.

A well-known story recounts Adi Shankaracharya’s experience with Devi during his journey from Kashi to the south. Devi promised to walk behind him, with the condition that he must not turn to see her. Along the way, the rhythmic sound of her anklets accompanied him. However, at one point, Shankaracharya felt the sound had ceased.

Description is continued in the comments section

#Lalita #LalithaSahasranamam

We continue with the description of Devi’s beauty from head to toe, as described in Lalita Sahasranama.

katyadhobhaga dharini
In this section, Devi’s knees, calves, ankles, feet, and toes are praised in order.

The forty-first mantra is:

indra gopa parikṣipta smara tunabha jaṅghikayai namah
whose calves gleam like the jewel-covered quiver of the God of Love.

This mantra describes the exquisite beauty of Devi’s calves, saying they gleam like the jewel-covered quiver of the god of love. Her legs are said to have the color of the Indeevara (blue water lily), with her calves glowing like jewels or fireflies against the backdrop of blue lilies.

In Saundarya Lahari, verse 83, Devi’s calves are described:

parājētuṃ rudraṃ dviguṇaśaragarbhau girisutē
niṣaṅgau jaṅghē tē viṣamaviśikhō bāḍhamakṛta ।
yadagrē dṛśyantē daśaśaraphalāḥ pādayugalī-
nakhāgrachChadmānaḥ suramakuṭaśāṇaikaniśitāḥ ॥
Saundarya Lahari 83

This verse narrates that Manmatha, the god of love, used Devi’s calves as his quiver when approaching Parameshwara to evoke desire. Having been revived by Devi’s grace after being burnt by Shiva’s third eye, Manmatha intended to use Devi’s beauty to arouse longing in Shiva, symbolizing that Devi’s calves possess an irresistible, unmatched beauty.

The great poet Kalidasa describes Devi’s calves similarly:

kōmalasnigdha nīlōtpalōtpādita
anaṅgatūṇīra-śaṅkākarōdāra
jaṅghālatē chārulīlāgatē
Shyamala Dandakam
whose smooth and graceful calves resemble Kama’s quiver made of blue lilies and whose gait is playful.

The forty-second mantra is:

gudha gulpha
whose ankles are hidden.

Gudha implies strength, beauty, and fullness, while gulpha refers to the area around the calf muscles. This phrase highlights the loveliness of Devi’s calf muscles and ankles.

The forty-third mantra is:

kurma prṣṭha jayiṣṇu prapadānvitā
whose feet have arches that rival the back of a tortoise in smoothness and beauty.

The metaphor here compares the high arches of Devi’s feet to the smooth, curving back of a tortoise. Kurma Prishtam means the tortoise shell, and Jayishnu implies that which surpasses all comparison. Sri Shankaracharya in Saundarya Lahari, verse 88, explains that while Devi’s high arches can be likened to a tortoise shell, the beauty of her feet goes far beyond.

padaṃ tē kīrtīnāṃ prapadamapadaṃ dēvi vipadāṃ
kathaṃ nītaṃ sadbhiḥ kaṭhinakamaṭhīkarparatulām ।
kathaṃ vā bāhubhyāmupayamanakālē purabhidā
yadādāya nyastaṃ dṛṣadi dayamānēna manasā ॥
Saundarya Lahari 88

Your feet, Devi, are known for bestowing fame and averting misfortunes. I wonder how poets compared your feet to a tortoise shell. When Siva married you, he lifted your feet tenderly and placed them on a stone, considering the effect they would have on even the hardest of hearts.

Devi’s lotus feet are said to confer fame and prosperity on those who worship them. Worshipping her divine lotus feet purifies the mind, an essential step for attaining the grace of the Divine Mother. In certain wedding ceremonies across India, there is a tradition of placing the bride’s foot on a flat grinding stone, symbolizing stability. It is said that during her wedding, Lord Kameshwara gently placed Devi’s foot on a stone, reflecting that her feet alone have the power to soften even the hardest of hearts. This act signifies that Devi’s feet are a remedy for those with hardened hearts, transforming them through the grace of her divine presence.

To be continued…
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranamam

We now explore the divine feet of Devi as described in Sri Lalita Sahasranama:

kūrma pṛṣṭha jayiṣṇu prapadānvitā
whose feet have arches that rival the back of a tortoise in smoothness and beauty.

The beauty and grace of Devi’s feet are extolled in Saundarya Lahari:

himānīhantavyaṃ himagirinivāsaikachaturau
niśāyāṃ nidrāṇaṃ niśi charamabhāgē cha viśadau ।
varaṃ lakṣmīpātraṃ śriyamatisṛjantau samayināṃ
sarōjaṃ tvatpādau janani jayataśchitramiha kim ॥
Saundarya Lahari 87

In traditional poetry, the limbs of gods and goddesses are often compared to lotus flowers, as seen in Balamukundashtakam: karāravindena padāravindaṃ…
Who with His lotus-like hands holds His lotus-like feet…

However, Sri Shankaracharya holds that the metaphor of the lotus is insufficient to describe Devi’s feet. While lotus flowers close at night and wither in snow, Devi’s lotus feet remain fully bloomed, bestowing grace continuously on her devotees. This constancy of Devi’s feet establishes their supremacy over the traditional lotus metaphor.

In another verse, Devi’s gait is celebrated:

padanyāsakrīḍāparichayamivārabdhu-manasaḥ
skhalantastē khēlaṃ bhavanakalahaṃsā na jahati ।
atastēṣāṃ śikṣāṃ subhagamaṇimañjīraraṇita-
chchalādāchakṣāṇaṃ charaṇakamalaṃ chārucharitē ॥
Saundarya Lahari 91

It is believed that Kailasa, the abode of Shiva, has many divine swans (hamsa) who observe Devi’s unique, graceful walk, described in Lalita Sahasranama as:

marālī manda gamanā
whose gait is as slow and gentle as that of a swan.

The swans, otherwise admired for their elegance, try to imitate Devi’s walk as a lesson in grace. Just as a Bharatanatyam teacher instructs their disciples in the precise placement of each step, Devi subtly shows the swans how to walk. Even after Devi departs, the swans continue practicing her graceful movements. The sound of Devi’s gem-studded anklets is like a guiding rhythm for the swans, further enhancing their training.

The difficulty of serving Devi’s lotus feet is expressed as follows:

purārātērantaḥpuramasi tatastvachcharaṇayōḥ
saparyāmaryādā taralakaraṇānāmasulabhā ।
tathā hyētē nītāḥ śatamakhamukhāḥ siddhimatulāṃ
tava dvārōpāntasthitibhiraṇimādyābhiramarāḥ ॥
Saundarya Lahari 95

Many divine beings, including Indra and other gods, worship Devi to attain the eight siddhis, or supernatural powers, and are stationed as gatekeepers at the outer gates of Sri Puram, Devi’s city. However, Devi resides within the heart of Lord Shiva, making her grace accessible only to the pure-hearted. True worship of Devi’s lotus feet requires mastery over one’s senses and desires, signifying a purified mind that has transcended worldly attachments. This deep level of devotion is described as the “worship of the lotus feet of Devi,” a spiritual practice that emphasizes inner purity.

In her abode, deep within Shiva’s palace, Devi remains in a space reserved only for the truly dedicated and pure-hearted. Indra and other gods, despite their supernatural attainments, stand as guardians alongside the Anima siddhis, demonstrating that only those with steadfast spiritual focus can draw close to Devi’s divine presence.

To be continued…
#Lalita #LalithaSahasranamam