LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 706 - 708

Guhāmbā गुहाम्बा (706)

There are two interpretations possible for this nāma. 1. Guhā means Lord Kārttikeya or Subrahmaṇya and ambā means Mother.  She is Kārttikeya’s mother.  Subrahmaṇya or Skanda is the son of Śiva and Pārvatī.  There are many stories regarding the birth of Guhā.  But He was created for the purpose of destroying demons (demons mean evil acts or persons indulging in evil acts). 

2. Guhā also means concealed and ambā means Mother.  Kaṭha Upaniṣad (I.iii.1) says “guhām praviṣṭau” which means ‘present in the cave of the intellect’.  The Upaniṣad further explains that the two (Self and self) enjoy the fruits of actions, residing in the cave of the intellect, which is the best place for realization. It is said that self and Self are related to each other like light and shade.  When self and Self are referred, it appears as if scriptures endorse duality, because self is not different from Self.  But reasoning for this type of interpretation is provided in subsequent nāma-s.  This nāma says that She is in a secret place.

Guhya rūpiṇī गुह्य रूपिणी (707)

This is an extension of the previous nāma.  The previous nāma said that She is in a secret place and this nāma goes further and says that Her form itself is secretive.  Duality is gross and non-duality is subtle. Guhāmbā (mother of Guhā) is gross and guhya rūpiṇī is subtle.  Her kāmakalā form is subtler and Her kuṇḍalinī form is the subtlest.  Further, duality is perishable and it does not transcend time and space.  Non-duality is imperishable and transcends time and space.  Everything associated with Her is secretive in nature.  For example, Her Pañcadaśī or ṣodaśī mantra-s, Her rituals such as navāvaraṇa pūja, kuṇḍalinī, etc.  Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.i.12) says that when one knows the Brahman hidden in the secretive place, Brahman does not want to conceal Himself for him alone.  After Self-realisation, the duality goes for ever and non-duality alone prevails.  But Self-realisation is very rare says Kṛṣṇa.  “Hardly one among thousands strives to realise me and only rare among them knows me in reality” (Bhagavad Gīta VII.3).

There is an Upaniṣad called Guhya Upaniṣad and Kūrma Purāṇa says that She is Guhya Upaniṣad.  Viṣṇu Sahasranāma nāma 542 is Guhyā.

Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktā सर्वोपाधि-विनिर्मुक्ता (708)

She is free from all limitations.  This is also known as upādhi, due to which condition an unlimited thing appears to be limited.   Another interpretation for upādhi is acquiring the character of an object in the vicinity.  For example, Śiva is in crystal complexion and Śaktī is red complexioned (please recall dhyāna verse).  When Śaktī sits by the side of Śiva, He also turns red.  This is upādhi.  Upādhi is of four types:  Consciousness limited by - intellect, knowledge, individual and māyā.  The true form of the Brahman is concealed by these upādhi-s. Sarva means entire, upādhi means conditions and vinirmuktā means free.  This nāma means She is beyond all these upādhi-s.  Brahman is beyond all upādhi-s.

The previous nāma-s limited Her attributes by saying that She is the mother of Kārttikeya, She resides in a secretive place, limitations by forms such as Sarasvatī, Mahā Lakṣmī, etc.  Brahman is omnipresent. Brahman is interpreted in two ways.  One is non-duality and another is duality.  The explanation of the Brahman in dualistic way is for those who are still associated with worshipping forms by involving in rituals.  Interpretation of Brahman in non-dualistic way is for the knowledgeable.  But this dual interpretation does not mean that scriptures contradict each other.  All of them convey the same Brahman, but the quality of the path is different. 

This nāma again confirms Her stature as nirguṇa Brahman.