[Advaita-l] abirami andhadi and Saundarya Lahiri - Part II OF III

[sriram]

AA Verse 26 : Ettum aDiyavar IrEzhulaginaiyum paDaitum

KAthum azhitum tiribavarAm kamazhpUngaDambu

SAttum kuzhal aNangE maNam nArum nintAL iNaikku en 

NAtangu punmozhi EriyavAru nagaiudaitE||

Kadamba flowers adorn your lovely tresses!! Your greatness knows no limits. Just by singing your name, people are blessed with powers to rule the twice seven worlds!! What to speak of these verses composed by me in praise of thy lotus feet, will you accept this humble offering?Devi has given the gift of poecy but Bhattar could grasp only a little and with that little knowledge he is trying to sing Devi`s praise which deserves ridicule only.

SL Verse 103 : pradIpajwAlAbhirdivasakarah nIrAjanavidhih

SudhA sUtEh chandrOpalajalalavairarghyarachanA

SvakIyairambhObhih salilanidhi souhityakaraNam

TvadIyAbhirvAgbhih tava janani vAchAm stutiriyam||

O Mother of diction !! composing this hymn in praise of thee is like adoring the sun ( the source of light) with Aarthi or like offering the moon drops of water from a moon stone or like pleasing the ocean by pouring water into it! Devi is the source of all poetry and the poems in praise of her are her own gifts which are being offered by the poet which is simply ridiculous!

How beautifully they express their humility.

AA Verse 28 : sollum poruLum ena naDamADum tuNaivaruDan 

Pullum parimaLa pUngoDiyE nin pudumalartAL

Allum pagalum tozhum avarkkE azhiyA arasum 

Sellum tavaneriyum sivalOgamum siddikkumE||

Thou art as unseparated from the Lord as word from meaning, O Mother!! Those who worship at thy lotus feet constantly, you grant them never ending prosperity and help them attain SivaLoka!!

SL Verse 23 : TvayA hruthva vamAm vapuraparitruptEna manasA

SharirArdham shambhOraparamapi shankE hrutamabhUt

YadEtat tvadrupam sakalamaruNAbham trinayanam

KuchAbhyAmAnamram kutilashashi chUDAlamakuTam||

I fancy that the other half as well of Siva's frame has been absorbed by Thee with Thy mind, not satisfied with having absorbed that left one; for this thy form is entirely of a red colour, has three eyes is slightly bent with the weight of the breasts and wears over its crown the crescent moon. Devi seems to occupy the entire right half of Shiva also depicting Devi becoming more than one half of her Lord!

Here it is fancied that the Devi is not Half but more than Half. "Word and meaning" are apt for comparison as word is limited while its meaning can be magnified according to one's imagination!!

AA Verse 34 : vandE saraNampugum aDiyArukku vAnulagam

TandE parivODu tAnpOy irukkum chathrumukamum

PaindEn alangal parumaNi Akamum bAkamum pon

SendEn malarum alarkadir nyAyirum tingaLumE||

All those who surrender at your Lotus feet, you grant them your divine grace and bless them with your heavenly kingdom!!

SL Verse 22 : BhavAni tvam dAsE mayi vitar drushTim sakaruNAm

Iti stOtum vAnchan kathayati bhavAni tvamiti yaha

Tadaiva tvam tasmaidishasi nijasAyujyapadavIm

Mukunda brahmendra sphuTamakuTa nIrAjitapadAm|| 

When one desirous of earnestly beseeching Thee with the words O Bhavani, mayest thou cast Thy merciful glance on me, who is Thy slave, pronounces the words Bhavanitvam ( Bhavani may I be thou) that very moment thou bestowest on him the status identically thine own, rendered lustrous by the brilliant crowns worn by Mukunda, Brahma and Indra!!

Both the poets bring out the motherly affection of Devi. Even before one tries to frame one's request, the Devi grants it immediately.Bhakti is extolled in these stanzas. Bhakti leads to liberation in the form of Salokya,Sameepya Sarupya,and Sayujya ( at onement with the Supreme).

AA Verse 38 : pavaLa koDiyil pazhutta sevvAyum panimuruval

TavaLa tirunagaiyum tuNaiyA engal sankaranai

TuvaLa porudu tuDiyiDai sAikkum tuNaimulaiyAL

AvaLai paNimin kanDIr amarAvati AlugaikE.

She grants the status of Indra to her true devotee!! So bow to Her says Abirami Bhattar. With coral red lips, her face lights up with a dazzling smile, Lo she stands, waist slightly bent, next to Her Lord Shiva!!

SL Verse 62 : prakrutyA raktAyAstava sudati dantachchadaruchE:

PravakshyE sAdrusyam janyatu phalam vidrumalatA

Nabimbam tvadbimba pratiphalanarAgAdaruNitam

TulAmadhyarodum kathamiva na lajjEtha kalayA||

O Goddess with beautiful rows of teeth! I shall presently name what equals the lustre of thy naturally red lips! Let the coral creeper bear fruit. It is not the Bimba fruit. The Bimba fruit has turned red only because of the redness caused by the reflection of Thy form and it will feel ashamed to be compared with the redness of Thy lips!

Devi`s smile and Her lips are identically portrayed.

AA Verse 39 : Alukaikku undran aDitAmaraigalunDu andakanpAl

MILugaikku undran vizhiyin kaDaiyunDu mEl ivattrin 

MULugaikku enkurai ninkuraiyE andru muppurangal 

MALugaikku ambu toDutta villAn pangil vALnudalE||

Your lotus feet grant us status of Indra, a mere glance of yours is enough to remove fear of yama, when your grace, O mother, who stands next to the great Lord Shiva who stands majestically with matted locks having defeated tripurasura, is with me, what more do I need!!

SL Verse 52 : gatE karNabhitharNam garuta iva pakshmANidadhatI

PurAm bhEtuschittaprashamarasavidrAvaNaphalE

ImE nEtrE gOtrAdharapati kulOttamsa kalikE

TavAkarNAkrushTasmarasharavilAsam kalayatah||

O crest bud of the dynasty of the King of the Mountains. These two eyes of thine fringed with feather like eyelashes reaching thine ears, play the part of arrows of manmatha causing disturbance in the profound placidity of the destroyer of the three cities ( Shiva) . Siva could conquer the three puras but he was not able to overcome the desire to look at Devi's beautiful eyes ( which resembled Manmatha's arrows)

Both extol the Tripura Samhara of Devi's Lord.

AA Verse 46 : verukkum tagaimaigaL seyyinum tammaDiyArai mikkOr

Porukkum tagaimai pudiyadandrE pudunanjaiyunDu

Karukkum tirumiDattrAn iDabAgam kalandaponnE

Marukkum tagaimaigal seyyinum yAn unnai vAzhttuvanE||

Even if your devotees act inappropriately, you donot take such actions amiss. Such is your merciful heart. You stand next to Shiva, whose neck is blackened in his attempt to drink the ALAHALA poison, even if you do not accept my humble prayers I will continue with my praises of you!!

SL Verse 28 : sudhAmadhyAsvAdh prati bhayajarAmrutyuhariNIm

VipadhyantE vishvE vidhishata makhAdhyA divishadah

KarAlam yatkshvElam kabalitavatah kAlakalanA

NashamyOstanmUlam tava janani thatanka mahimA||

O mother !! All denizens of the celestial regions such as Vidhi, satamakhas and others perish not withstanding their taking nectar which is reputed to confer immortality. If the period of life of Shambu who has swallowed the virulent poison is beyond computation it is only because of your tadankas!!

Both admire Shiva's consuming poison for the benefit of all concerned and Devi's act of stopping it.

AA Verse 50 : Nayagi nAnmugi nArAyaNi kai naLina pancha

SAyagi sAmbhavi sankari sAmaLai sAdinacchu

VAyagi mAlini vArAgi sUlini mAdangi endrAya

KiyAdi uDaiyAL kiyAdi saraNam araN namakkE

She is the consort of Brahma, consort of Shiva, consort of Narayana. Her hands resemble the lotus, her feet as soft as cotton, she is called variously as Sambavi, sankari, syamali, malini, varahi, sulini, matangi. Her feet alone are our saving grace.

SL Verse 98 : girAmAhurdEvIm druhiNagruhiNImAgamavidO

HarE: patnIm padmAm harasahacharImadritanayAm

TurIyA kApitvam durdhigamanih sImamahimA

MahAmAyA vishvam bhramayAsE parabrahmamahishI||

O Queen of Parabrahman! The knowers of Agamas call only thee as the goddess of letters who is the wife of Druhina ( Brahma). They call only thee as Padma who is the wife of Hari, They call only Thee the partner of Hara the daughter of the mountain. While thous perplexest the world, as the transcendent fourth entity unattainable and with Thy boundless splendour, as the great illusory Being and the fountain of all chastity. ( here the manifold purpose served by the Devi and the various aspects in which she is worshipped by her diverse followers are referred to)

Devi is all in all is brought out by both.

AA Verse 51 : araNam poruL endru aruL ondrilAda asurar tangaL 

MuraN andru azhiya muninda pemmArum mukundanumE

SaraNam saraNam ena nindra nAyagi tannaDiyAr 

MaraNam piravi iranDum eiydAr inda vaiyagattE||

The war mongering asuras, who have no pity / mercy for others, met their match in Shiva and Vishnu, both consider your lotus feet as their saving grace. Such is the greatness of thy lotus feet. When your devotees pray at your lotus feet, you release them from the twin bondage of birth and death.

SL Verse 2 : taniyAmsam pAmsum tavacharaNa pankeruhabhavam

Virinchah sanchinvan virachayati lOkAn vikalam

VahatyEnam shourih kathamapi sahasrENa shirasAm

Harah sankshudhainam bhajati bhasitOddhUlanavidhim||

Virinchi ( Brahma) having gathered the tiniest speck of dust of thy lotus feet creates the worlds leaving nothing to be desired. Vishnu carries the same with much effort on his thousand heads. While Hara pulverising the same, smears his body with it as though with ashes. Lord Vishnu the sustainer is said to be lifting the fourteen worlds, the nether seven in the form of simsumara a porpoise and the upper seven as Sesa.

Abirami Bhattar says Shiva and Vishnu derive their strength from Devi's feet Sankara adds Brahma also to the list!

AA Verse 62 : tangachilaikonDu danavar muppuram sAyttu mada 

VengaN kariyuripOrtta sensEvagan meyyaDaya

Kongai kurumbai kuriyiTTA nAyagi kOkanaka

Sengai karumbum alarum ippOdum en sindaiyE||

You are in firm embrace of the Lord Shiva, who holds the Golden bow in His hands, who has destroyed the tripuras and gajasuran, whose skin he wears on his body. The sugarcane bow and flower arrows that you hold in your hands are forever etched in my memory.

SL Verse 97 : kaLatram vaidhAntram kati kati bhajantE na kavayah

ShriyO dEvyAh kO vA na bhavati patih kairapidhanaih

MahAdEvam hitva tava sati satInAmacharamE

KuchAbhyAmAsangam kuravakatarOrapyasulabhah||

The wife of Brahma, viz saraswati, the goddess of learning is courted by poets to get the gift of poesy. The wife of Vishnu viz mahalakshmi is possessed by richer people. The poet says goddess of wealth and learning are fickle minded. Whereas you are the ideal of chastity. Saving the great Lord Mahadeva, the embrace of thy breasts is unattainable even by the inanimate kuravaka tree!!

SL Verse 74 : vahatyambha stambEramadanujakumbha prakrutibhih

SamArabdhAm muktAmaNi bhiramalAm hAralatikAm

KuchAbhOgO bimbAdhara ruchibhirantah shabalitAm

PratApavyAmishrAm puradamayituh kIrtimivatE||

O Mother, the region of your breasts wears a creeper like lucid garland strung with pearls from skull of gajamukasura ( pearls are said to be found in the skull of an elephant, the hollow of a bamboo, the hood of a snake, the cloud, the sugarcane and the pearl oyster)its natural lustre variegated with the reflected lustre of thy bimba lips resembling the fame of the vanquisher of tripuras, intermixed with his valour. Fame is described by poets as of white colour and valour is of red colour.

Gajasura was vanquished by Lord Shiva, who to mark his victory over that demon, wore his hide as a garment ( Gajasamhara moorthi - at Madurai Meenakshi Temple) the pearls obtained from the skull of Gajasura are worn by Devi as a trophy around her neck.

Devi's firm embrace of Her Lord and the conquest of Gajasura are briefly touched by Bhatter as a passing reference as it were whereas Sankara describes them elaborately with poetic eyes.

AA Verse 65 : gaganum vAnum buvanamum kANavir kAman angam

Daganam mun seida tavaperumarkku taDakkaiyum sem

Muganum munnangin irumUndrena tOndriya mUdarilin

Maganum unDAyatandrO valli nI seida vallabamE||

The entire creation, the skies, the worlds witnessed the engulfing of Kama in flames emanating from the third eye of the Lord whose heart you have captured!! You were the reason for the six faced, twelve handed Lord Subramnya to be born !!

SL Verse 76 : Har kOdh jwAlAvalibhiravaliDEna vapushA

GabhIrE tE nAbhIsarasi krutasangO manasijA

Samutvasthou tasmAdachalatanayE dhUmalatikA

JanastAm jAnitE tava janani rOmAvaliriti ||

Manasija - Manmatha - drowned himself in the tank of Thy navel with his body enveloped in the flames caused by Hara's anger. Thence rose a creeper like column of smoke. O Mother! The world takes it to be the line of down ( above Thy navel). A flame when quenched in water will send up smoke. Manmatha being burnt by Shiva's anger plunges himself in the tank of Thy navel sending up a column of smoke which is exactly like the hairline above your navel. The allusion here is to the burning of Manmatha by Hara when the latter burnt him for trying to rouse His passion.

AA Verse 68 : PArum punalum kanalum vengAlum paDar visumbum

Oorum murugu suvaiyoLi Ooroli ondrupaDa

SErum talaivi sivagAma sundari sIraDikkE

SArum tavamuDaiyAr paDaiyAda danam illaiyE ||

Thou art the very reason for Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Space, the Five Elements and the Five senses, O SivakAmi!! Those who attain your Lotus Feet, have not anything un attainable in this world!!

SL Verse 35 : manastvam vyOma tvam marudasi marutsArathirsi

TvamApastvam bhUmistvaiyi pariNatAyAm nahi param

TvamEva svAtmAnam pariNamayitum vishwavapushA

ChidAndAkAram shivayuvati bhAvanE bibhrushE||

O! Youthful Spouse of Shiva! Thou art the Mind, Thou the Ether, Thou the Air, Thou the Fire, Thou the Water and Thou the Earth. When Thou hast transformed Thyself thus, there is nothing beyond Thyself. With a view to manifesting Thyself in the form of the Universe, inwardly assumest the form of conciousness and Bliss!!

The esoteric meaning is : O Goddess! Thou art the mind existing in the anjna, the ether in the vishuddhi, air in the anahata, fire in the svadishtana, water in the manipura and earth in the muladhara.

SL Verse 9 : mahIm mUlAdhArE kamapi maNipurE hrutvaham

Sthitam svAdhishTAnE hrudi marutamAkAshamupari

ManODapi bhrUmadhyE sakalamapi bhithvA kulapatham

SahasrArE padmE saha rahasi patyA viharasE ||

Thou art diverting Thyself in secrecy with Thy Lord, in the thousand petalled lotus, having pierced through the Earth in Muladhara, the water in manipuram, the Fire in Swadhishtanam, the Air in Anahatam, Ether in the Vishuddhi, and Manas between the eyebrows in Anjna and thus broken through the entire kulapath.

( Kundalini at microcosm ( Pindaanda) level activates the Iccha, Jnana and Kriya Sakthi's at body level, while Tiripurasundari at Macrocosm ( Brahmaanda) level activates the three at the cosmic level.)