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GAURÈDAÙAKAM
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Lèlálabdha-sthápita-luptákhilalokám
Lokátitair yogibhir antaù ciramrgyám
Báláditya-ùreïisamána-dyutipuòjám
Gaurim ambám amburuhákúim aham iãe(1)
I adore Gauri, the Divine mother with lotus-like eyes. All the worlds were brought into being sustained and made to disappear by Her with effortless ease. She is being sought for long in their heart order of things. This Divine Goddess is as refulgent as the collective lustre of a row of rising Suns.
Devi is but the kinetic aspect of the Supreme Self that brings about the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the Universe. This is evident in all Devi stotras. The `Devi Máhátmya' says, ``Søútisthiti, vináùánám ùaktibhüte sanátani''. She is the refulgent gem that is inlaid in the casket of the mind of the sages - munijanamanaç peûiratnam, says Müka kavi describing the Goddess at Kanchi in his Mükapaòcaùatè-Stutiùatakam (29).
The last line of this verse is the refrain recurring in the decad of verses.
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Pratyáhára-dhyána-samádhi sthitibhájám
Nitiyam citte nirvøtikásthám kalayantim
Satyajòánándamayim tám tanurüpám
Gaurim ambám amburuhákúim aham ide(2)
I adore Gaurè, the divine mother with lotus-like eyes. She generates supreme bliss for ever in the minds of those who have attained the state of Samádhi or deep trance after passing through the state of pratyáhára and dhyána. Her real being is Truth-consciousness-bliss; yet she takes the form (of Gaurè) to help the devotees.
Pratyáhára is a stage in `yoga' when the sense organs that detract the mind into the channels of lust, anger and ignorance are held in check and the mind is in its state of pristine purity. Dhyána is that continuous meditation on the appropriate object without being sidetracked on irrelevant paths. Samádhi, says Yájòavalkya, is the togetherness of the soul and the Supreme Self. Devi represents the Supreme Bliss and hence is described elsewhere as Ánandavalli. Devi being `karuïamyè, the Compassionate mother, takes the form of Gaurè to help the `Sádhakas' realise the Truth.
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Chandrápèãánandita-mandasmitavaktrám
Chandrápiãámkøta-nèlálakabhárám
Indropendrádyarcita-pádámbujyugmám
Gaurim ambám amburuhákúim aham ide.(3)
I adore Garü, the Divine mother, with lotus-like eyes. Her face is marked by a gentle smile, happiness being infused in her by the moon-crested Lord (Ùiva). Her black tresses are adorned by the jewel of moon. Her pair of lotus-like feet are worshipped by gods such as Indra and Upendra.
Ùañkara visualises the ideal happy pair Ùiva-Gauri. The presence of the moon is fancied by the poet to cause `ánanda' in Ùiva and `smita' in Gauri. In the second line there is disharmony in contrast with the harmony in the first line. The black tresses are shown in contrast with the white moon. There is nothing incompatible in the Supreme Being which encompasses everything positive and negative, light and darkness, being and non-being. The scriptures declare that the Supreme Spirit is beyond all the relativities of life. As Ùvetáùvatara puts it `Yadátamas tan na divá rátriç na sat na cásat' IV. 18 - `When one is rid of ignorance and becomes one with the Supreme, there is no day or night, no being or non-being'. This is negative way of expressing the all-embracing character of the Supreme that Siva or for that matter Garü is. In the hierarchy of Gods like Indra and others the Supreme God-head is Gaurè.
‚¸¹™®¸¸›÷¸¸Ÿ¸®¸£Ÿ¸»÷¡¸¸Ä ¹¨¸¥¸ã¸›÷¸ì
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Š¸¸¾£úŸ¸Ÿâ¸¸Ÿ¸Ÿâ¸º²Ú¸®¸úŸ¸ÚŸ¸ú´½ ——
Adikúántám akúaramürtyá vilasantim
Bhü!te bhüte bhütakadamba-prasvitrim
Sabdabrahmánandamayim tám taûidábhám
Gaurèm ambám amburuhákúim aham iãe(4)
I adore Gauri, the Divine mother, with lotus-like eyes. She is in the form of `akúara' beginning form `a' and ending with `kú'. She creates the various living beings in everyone of the cosmic elements. She is of the nature of Subdabrahman identical with the Supreme Bliss. She is as refulgent as the streak of lightning.
The entire gamut of speech is but a series of permutations and combinations of the string of sounds represented by the letters beginning with `a' and ending with `kú'. These are the various manifested forms of the `akúara' (imperishable) Reality. Bhartøharim the expositor of Ùabdabrahman says, Vákyapádèyam I. 1. `The Word-Reality is that Náda-brahman and it is the source of the world of things made of the cosmic elements. Rightly therefore has the Divine mother been identified with `the form of letters' the symbols of eternal sound that constitutes the source of the elemental world of tattvas. `Ùabda brahman' is none other than the Upaniúadic `ánandam brahman'.
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Müládhárád-utthitavithyá Vidhirandhram
Sauram cándram vyápya vihárajvalitáògèm
Yeyam sükúmát sükúmatanus tám sukharüpám
Gaurim ambám amburuhákúèm aham èãe.(5)
I adore Gaurè, the Divine mother with lotus-like eyes. The Ùakti arises from the müládhára goes up through the upward path to the Brahmarandhra, pervading the Solar and Lunar kalás, assuming a lustrous frame as she is engaged in this sportive act. Her form is subtler that every other subtle thing and is blissful in content.
This verse refers to the rousing of Kunãalini Ùakti, otherwise called `Máheùvairè sakti'. The `Kunãalini' located at the base of the spine when aroused by due yogic process to intense activity rushed up through the various ádháras or loci of power `müládhára' etc, along `suúumná', and on the Candrakalá and Süryakalá being activised brings in the ecstatic experience of oneness with the Supreme Bliss. This is marked by the unfolding of the `Sahasradala' in the `Brahmarandhra'. In the penultimate state one experiences supernormal mental faculties and spritual powers.
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Nityaç ùuddho niúkala eko jagadèùaç
Sákúi yasyáh sargavidhau samharaïe
Viùvatráïa-kri|@ãanalolám Siva patnèm
Gaurim ambám amburuhákúèm aham ède.(6)
I adore Gauri, the Divine mother with lotus-like eyes. The One Lord of the world (Ùiva) who is eternal, pure and impartible stands witness to the cosmic deed of creation, and dissolution (of the Universe) by the consort of Siva who is at the same time engaged in the effortless deed of protecting the Universe.
Reference is made here to the cosmic deeds of the Divine mother. Ùankarabhagavatpáda praising the glory of the Divine mother says in Saundaryalahari (V-24) that Brahmá, Hari and Rudra perform the three-fold cosmic deeds under the supervision of Sadáùiva, who is turn acts under the direction of Devi. Here Devi herself is said to perform the cosmic deeds. This only shows that Ùiva and Ùakti are inseparable. This inseparable nature is underlined clearly in the Umámaheùvara-stotra `Prapaòca-søúûi-sthiti-samhøtábhyám namonamç Ùañkara-párvatibhyám' (V-5). Ùrutis proclaim the supremacy of Ùiva in passages such as `Niúkalam Niúkriyam ùántam, niravadyam nirañjanam. (Sv. Up. VI-19). `He is part-less free from actions, tranquil, faultless, taintless...'.
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Yasyáç kukúau lènam akhaïãam jagadaïdam
Bhüyo bhüyaç prádurobhüd-utthitameva
Patyá sárdham tám rajatádrau Viharantim
Gaurèm ambám amburuhákúim aham èãe.(7)
I adore Gaurè, the Divine mother with lotus-like face. The entire Universe is embedded in the womb of the Divine mother. This Universe that was created by Her is being created again and again periodically. I praise Gaurè sporting on the silver mountain (Kalása) in the company of her Lord.
The idea that the Divine mother is the sole eternal Reality and that the Universe emerges from Her and merges in Her periodically is mooted here to show the utter dependence of the living and non-living on Her. The sports of the Divine Couple on the Kailása alluded to here is intended to show that they stand afar uncontaminated by the worldly ills and impurities though ever engrossed in their cosmic deeds designed to lead the souls on their onward path of spiritual progress. It is the functioning of that `anugrahaùakti' that is called the `Vihára' or sport of Gauri in this verse. The phrase `Patyá sárdham' reminds us of the Ardhanáriùvara form.
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Yasyám otam protam aùeúam maïimálá
Sütre yadvat kvápi caram cápyacaram
Tám adhyátma-jòánapadavyá gamanèyám
Gaurèm ambám amburuhákúèm aham iãe.(8)
I adore Gaurè, the Divine mother lotus-like eyes. In her are entwined everything that is moving and non-moving in the same way as in s gem-necklace a number of gems (of varied he and size) are interwoven around a string. That Divine mother is to be attained by the path of spiritual knowledge.
Ùaòkara introduces a simile to explain how the living and non-living of varied and types in this Universe have been knit together into a beautiful and organic whole, each in its proper place by the great artist, the kalávati that Gauri is, in the same way as a skillful goldsmith brings about a beautiful pattern of necklace studded with gems of varied sorts all of them shining beautifully with the golden thread that holds them together being not do visible. The Divine mother likewise is not fully known though Her creation are an open book for us to see. That Supreme Reality can be ordinances only by a study of scriptures and practice of the ordinances prescribed therein. Vedánta prescribes the jòánamárga as a sure means of `mukti' of. `Brahmavidápnoti param' - `Knowledge of Brahman leads to liberation'. (Tait. Up. Brahmánanda Vallè, 1.)
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Nánákáraiç ùaktikadambai bhuvanáni
Vyápya svairam krèãati yeyam svayameká
Kalyánèm tám kalpalatám ánatibhájám
Gaurim ambam amburuhákúèm aham èãe.(9)
I adore Gaurè, the Divine mother with the lotus-like face. This Gaurè, alone and by Herself, sports pervading unimpededly all the worlds with Her manifold Ùaktis. She is the auspicious Goddess who plays the role of Kalpalatá (wish-granting creeper) to those who salute Her.
The Divine mother is unrivalled in her power. What she is conscious of she wills. What she wills she does. Her jòána icchá and kriyá ùaktis act in unison and in all their plenitude. All these are governed by Her `anugraha ùakti'. All these ùaktis in varying degrees are brought into play in accordance with the degree of spiritual maturity of the souls in various states, and stages. With Her illimitable and pervasive powers she acts at once and everywhere. Her acts of reward (anugraha) and punishment (nigraha) are guided by the singular motive of bringing about ultimately the ùreyas to the soul. Hence she is `kalyáïi' the auspicious One. As Müka kavi extols `avanaûanánukampám anukampákülam and anukülám'. The Goddess seated at Kanchi near the bank of the river Kampá is indeed partial to us who offer obeisance to Her who is full of compassion (Árya ùatakam, V.82)
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Ásápáùakleùavinásám Vidadhánám
Páãámbhoja-dhyánapuráïám puruúánám
Èùám èùárdháñgaharám tám abhirámám
Gaurèm ambám amburuhákúim aham èãe(10)
I adore Gaurè, the Divine mother with lotus-like face. She destroys the sufferings arising out of desire and bonds of persons who are in the habit of meditating on her lotus-like feet. This Goddess who has appropriated half of the body of Ùiva is one radiating beauty all around.
Desire (ásá) is the root of all evils, proclaim the scriptures of all religions. The Gitá declares `Káma eúa.... maháùanaç mahápápmá...' `Desire is the all-consuming and great sin'.
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Prátaçkále bhávaviùuddhaç praïdhánát
Bhaktyá nityam jalpati Gaurè daùakam yaç
vácám siddhim sampadam agryám Ùiva bhatkim
Tasyávaùyam Parvataputrè Vidadháti.(11)
One who utters early in the morning with thoughts pure and single-minded devotion everyday this decad of verses in praise of Gaurè, to him Párvatè shall vouchsafe surely power of speech immense prosperity and devotion to Ùiva.
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