LALITHA ( LALITA ) SAHASRANAMA MAI SAHASRANAMA
331) Vardaa वरदा – Granting boons. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 331
Mother’s hand is ever uplifted hand. She is the giver of the boons to all Devas, Daityaas and Devotees. As known to all, the hand is the instrument and emblem of giving.
Mother’s Devotees have stated, “Mother, Thou alone an exception. Other deities raise their hands only when they desire to confer gifts, achievements, protection and demands. Thy one hand is ever raised. The order of happening in the case of Thy Devotees is not first their propitiating Thee and thereafter Thy permitting to them ask the boon and then Thy granting the boon. That ceremonious part is not there because Thou art Mother. Thou findest unnaturalness in all that procedure as Mother. Thou consirderest that process to be a silly one as if Thou wert unable to know what Thy devotees stand in need of. What mostly happens is that Thou removest the cause of sorrow , pain and misery before they demand.”
In Gujerat there is a well known paradoxical saying , ” Mother does not see the face of anyone hungry,”. The explanation is , that as soon as the hungry person thinks of going to Mother, one get’s one’s food through someone. Similarly here too,asking and granting of the boon is dispensed with. What other deities do by hands, that is done automatically by resorting Mother’s Lotus Feet.
332) Vaama-nayanaa वाम नयना –Crooked-eyed. Or giving crooked and misleading proof. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 332
There is a subtle meaning as well. To those who try to please Her mechanically by worship, Yoga, etc. She gives boons as Varadaa in the straight-forward way. But for them that are Her lovers, She makes appearance, as if She is angry and so arranges that the world may think that Mother is wrathful to him. In reality, She is loving him the most. She is simply testing him and deluding others about Her love to him. Even in matter of the earthly love this is so very common. How crooked than must be the dealings in Divine Love(?) This crookedness is blessings in disguise. It saves the devotee against the envious and wicked souls of the world, and against his own internal enemies, trying to get hold over him. It increases the pangs of love and creates for him a claim, A cause and an occasion for love fight with one’s Beloved Mother.
An indescribable joy is experienced by the lover, on being slightly ill treated by the beloved and by the beloved while slightly ill treating the lover. That ill treatment is quite against the heart. The pleasure is experienced in the thought , ” The lover loves me not a bit less, although I so ill treat”.
There is the greatest joy in the idea , I am indispensable to my lover. My devotee will die after me “.To test and also to enjoy this pleasure, Mother sometimes seemingly acts most cruelly. When all other worldly thoughts and desires except those that pertain to the loving and being loved disappear, the contest between the lover and the beloved begins. ” To love ” is higher than “to be loved “, because of the disinterestedness of love and preparedness for any sacrifice by the lover for the beloved. The contest is for being the lover and making higher sacrifice with great self surrender.
For the sake of my devotional readers, I do not mind narrating my personal experience. After I began to love Mother turning from Power to love, my house built over with my lifelong savings collapsed in 1927 during Gujerat floods. I did not leave Her. And when I began to love Mother on my conception being raised from Hindu Maataaji to Maai of the whole humanity thinking of Her , day and night in 1931, I had been almost lunatic. Still I did not leave Her. When I decided to render more useful service in 1937, my wife turned lunatic and had to be in the Yerawada Mental hospital. And yet I am dead certain ” I love Mother and Mother loves me , and most passionately”.
It should not be misunderstood, that worship and devotion to Mother results in having to be in calamities. Just the reverse. There are two classes of devotees.Mother is Bhukti- Mukti pradaayini; Giver of the highest enjoyment, and highest beatitude and what is described here is applicable to only fewest exceptions. none should have the wrong notion of calamities befalling a worshiper or a devotee. I write this , because I have found it necessary from practical facts.
From Bombay (Mumbai) for the same railway fare you can go to Poona [Pune] (Enjoyment-centre) or Nasik (Renunciation centre). It is for you to demand the ticket for the same fare.But once you are in the Nasik train, you can not have the Bhor Ghat natural scenery on the Poona route, as well. This subtle point has already been previously explained. There is a descending half and descending half, of the whole evolution circle. In reality both paths lead to happiness. One is the path of securing outer happiness, and the other, of inner happiness.You have to pay the price for both. Inner happiness is extremely dear and price to paid is extremely heavy.
The purchaser of an elephant has to see himself impoverished , to the extent of an amount, which would maintain a family perpetually; but the purchaser’s joy on one elephant ride amply counter-balances the price paid. The only thing, is that one should not over-estimate one’s purchasing power.
In practical life, some worshippers have miraculous agreeability and windfall, where as other worshippers can barely make the family-living run.The difference lies in the route of the ticket you have purchased. You cannot be , at your fancy, jumping from one train to the other. Of course , when you are a twenty four hours servant of the Railway Company, you can be in any train, but by that time your natural craving would for Deolali :- The sportive Goddess Mother.
The Railway Station just previous to Nashik (Self-extinction) is Deolali ( Attainment of the Grace of the Sportive Mother).
The enjoyment route leads you to Kirkee and Poona (Pune). ” Do it indeed”, and “Repeatedly”, respectively. There is no end to the cycles of births and deaths, striving and toiling, enjoying and suffering.
There is still subtler point and I continue the train illustration, to explain Bhukti-Mukti-Pradaayini . There is a uniqueness in the benefit derived from Mother Worship. Under Mother’s Refuge, you have the freedom and enjoyment, without fear and with protection , as the baby near the window in a train, that is permitted to enjoy the breeze and sight-seeing, and yet is strongly caught from behind by the Mother, lest the baby may over topple. It has my repeated observation during train travels. The baby with the father has either to forego the breeze and sight-seeing or should take care of itself. If the baby obstinately desires the parental protection as also the enjoyment, it would be soon quietened down with a slap. Father is justice. He would not permit both. Mother is Love and Mercy. Please note that in case where a father protects and permits, the father is only playing the part of the Mother.
Misleading proofs are :-
Such happenings as above-narrated try to mislead the devotee if he is kachchaa कच्चा (immature). If he is a pukkaa पक्का (mature) , others are made to be mislead about him. When my wife turned lunatic ( Mother bless her. By Her Grace she has returned home, to save me in the eyes of worldly people, from a certain dishonour.) Kachchaa devotees of Mother left Mother.
There is a very tender emotion and answer whenever devotees fail in tests” I have failed in the test but Thou, Oh Mother. hast failed- in the bounty of Thy Grace , as well. If I had had enough of Grace , I would not have failed in Thy test.”
The idea of “misleading-ful viewing” is that those who do not secure Her Grace, get deluded with misleading proofs, as a result of wrongly viewing matters, which also proceedes from Her, during a certain stage of evolution, when that is necessary for further experience.
Vaama-Nayanaa also means looking at Her Beloved child through side glances. None should know that, not even the Beloved child. There is a pleasure in the hide and seek, and in the temporary crookedness in Love-Game.
333) Vaarunimadavivhalaa वारूणीमदविव्हला – Perturbed by intoxicating liquor.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र ,नाम क्रमांक 333
This name and similar others are quoted by some followers of Hindu Mother, as justification for drinking. In Sapta Shati there is a mention of Mother saying to the demon,”Roar and thunder, you fool, so long as I have not drunk wine.”
There are other interpretations that can be given to such references. In this particular name , Vaaruni वारूणी means belonging to the regions of Varuna वरूण , i.e., referring to Adishesha आदिशेष, the thousand hooded serpent, who supports the world.
Avihvalaa अविव्हला means undisturbed. The name means “She by whose Grace and Devotion, the Adishesha is not fatigued although crushed with the weight of the sinful world and responsibility of holding it intact, and remaining fully equi-minded.
334) Vishvaadhikaa विश्वााधिका- Transcending the universe. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 334
She is beyond universe. This name removes misunderstanding of those who think that God is only imaginary name for all things of universe put together known as “nature”. This name is an eye opener for them who do not go beyond “Mother Nature”.
335) Veda-vedyaa वेदवेद्या – Veda means four. “Known by the practice of four life maxims Love, Service, Devotion and Self-surrender which are the gates to the Chintaamani palace of Mother.” Chintaamani चिंतामणी is a gem, which the power of conferring whatever is desired, as soon as thought of having a particular desire fulfilled, arises. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 335
336) Vindhyachalvaasini विन्ध्याचलनिवासिनी – Residing in the midst of mountain.(Similar to above). ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 336
Considering the geographical situation of Himalaya हिमालय and Vindhya विंध्य, we may take the two Vaasinis वासिनी (Residents of), to mean highest head energy and highest heart energy. This view gets support, because Vindhyavaasini is again described as Nanda- Gopa-Grihe-Jaataa नंदगोपगृहजाता . Born in the house of Nanda, i.e., the energy of Blessed Lord Krishna, who was the master of the hearts of the whole universe.
337) Vidhaatri विधात्री- The ordainer of one’s fate. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 337
It is stated, on the sixth day after a child is born, this Vidhaatri settles up the main issues of the life and living of the child.What befalls everyone is outside one’s control is, what is ordained by Vidhaatri. The above function is Her function, as a routine one , but Mother is prayed as Vidhaatri, because She often makes exceptions and exempts Her devotees from routine operations of the Karmik Law, whenever She desires.
338) Vedajanani वेदजननी-Mother of the Vedas.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 338
Mother of all scriptures of all religions. This name establishes the superiority of Love of God to the most profound knowledge of the sacred lore. Vedas, the fountain of universal Divine Knowledge, have come to exsistance, as a breathing by Her. Individual divine knowledge arises as a result of the waking up and hissing of Mother, in the shape of Kundalini the serpentine power, residing in each individual body.
Tukaaram when greatly harassed by Pandits said, “You know Vedas but I have caught the Lotus Feet of the Father of Vedas.” Similarly Mother is described here as Mother of Vedaas, the shower-er of divine and spiritual knowledge, on universes and individuals.
339) Vishnumaayaa विष्णुमाया – All-pervading love. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 339
Vishnu means all pervading unlimited by place, time and law of causation, etc. and Maayaa means love. It is in the field of Maayaa, delusion and love, that seeming obsurdities have a place.
Mother is the donor of the power of diplomacy and delusion conferred on Vishnu to enable him to conduct and protect the universe. This is an instance glorifying Her name Varadaa, the boon-giver. The most efficient and the most wonderful power that subjects and conquers everything and everyone is Vishnu’s. And it is by way of boon of Her giving. Ishitva (supremacy) and Vashitva (subjugation) are Vishnu’s powers or Vaishnavi powers of holding supremacy after subjugation..
In a worldly way, success is achieved by four powers known as Shama शम (conciliatory, co-operative and persuasive power), Daana दान (purchasing power and power of temptations through promised or actual returns),Bheda भेद (powers of dissuading, misinterpreting secret working, planning, plotting and cheating etc.) and Danda दण्ड (power of force and might).
340) Vilaasini विलासिनी –Playful. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 340
Playing with Her powers of concealing the truth, and showing untruth as truth and truth as untruth. Vilaasa विलास primarily means extension. Vilaasa therefore means such acts, gestures, projection and development by speeches and tricks, as intensify Love.
EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK : MOTHER AND MOTHER’S THOUSAND NAMES
AUTHOR : MAI SWARUP MAI MARKAND
MAI NIWAS, SARASWATI ROAD END, SANTA CRUZ WEST MUMBAI 400054 INDIA
God as Mother and Father in MAIISM AND HINDUISM 