Mahā-kāli (751)
She is mahati (nama 774). Mahat is used to indicate anything that is supreme. This word originates from the word mahā. Both the words give the same meaning. Mahati can be used as an independent word whereas mahā is to be used with another word. This is the origin of the nama.
Mahat also means intellect or buddhi. This is the third principle in Samkhya yoga, the first two being Purusha and Prakrti. Kali has several meanings such as blackness, Shiva’s wife, black clouds, a woman with a dark complexion, mother of sage Vyasa, Satyavati is also known as Kali, a form of Durga, etc. Maha Kala means Shiva and Maha Kali is His Shakthi. Lingapurana (Chapter 106) says about the origin of Kali. “Having entered the body of the lord of Devas, Parvati made her own body out of poison in the neck of Shiva.........Shiva created Kali, the blue necked Goddess with matted hair from His third eye.........On seeing Kali who resembled fire and whose black neck was embellished with poison.......”
This nama also says that Lalithambigai is the ruler of death in the form of Maha-Kali. God of death Yama is also black in colour. Lalithambigai takes black complexion when She destroys evil doers. Please refer nama 756.
Mahā-grāsā (752)
She is a devourer (one who eats voraciously). This nama says that everything merges into the Brahman. Katha Upanishad (I.ii.25) says “the best among all people are like food to the Self. Death overcomes everyone, yet even death is a mere condiment for the Self.”
Brahma Sutra (I.ii.9) also says “The eater (the Brahman) on account of the appropriation of all that moves and does not move.”
This nama refers to the act of annihilation or the great dissolution (maha pralaya) of the Brahman.
Mahā-śanā (753)
The great eater. There is no significant difference between the previous nama and this nama. Possibly the earlier nama refers to the great dissolution (the deluge) and this nama refers to destruction. In the process of annihilation, the entire universe ceases to exist and in the case of destruction a part of the universe (evil doers) is destroyed.
This nama is different from nama 229 ‘mahā-sanā (महासना). This nama is mahā-śanā (महाशना).
Aparṇā (754)
She is without debts. When ‘apa’ (negation) is prefixed to ‘rṇā’ (debts) it means She is without debts. She repays the devotion of Her devotees by granting boons to them, thereby not indebted to Her devotees. She is not even indebted to Shiva because She takes care of His acts of creation, sustenance and dissolution. She is not indebted to Devas (gods and goddesses) because, She is saving them from the demons. She is not indebted to anyone in this universe.
Bhaskararayer was a great devotee of Lalithambigai. He did not have enough money to perform even small rituals to Her. He borrowed money and performed daily rituals to Her. His creditors pressurised him to return the money. He did not have any money as his only job was to worship Her. He did not have any source of income. Suddenly, the pressure from his creditors stopped. Later he found out that Lalithambigai personally repaid all his debts in the form of his wife. Wealth and unfeigned devotion do not go together.
Aparna also means without leaves. It is said that She did penance for attaining Shiva without even taking leaves. Aparna as such means Durga or Parvati.
According to another interpretation ‘parna’ means falling and a-parna means She is devoid of fall. There is no fall for the Brahman.
Caṇḍikā (755)
She is Durga. She is said to be inaccessible because of Her anger. She is the combined form of Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Please refer nama 704. Chandi does not like evil doers and becomes terribly angry on seeing them. She slays these evil doers without mercy. Her anger is expressed in Durga Saptasati (Devi Mahatmiyam).
Taittiriya Upanishad (III.viii.1) says “The wind blows out of fear for Him (the Brahman). The sun also shines out of fear. Out of fear, fire, Indra, death all rush to do their respective duties.” This clearly explains that making others fear for Him is the quality of the Brahman. Sri Rudram (I.1) opens by paying reverence to His anger. Sri Rudram says ‘namasthae rudra manyava .... namah.’
Caṇḍikā form of Her is said to be ferocious. She cannot tolerate evil acts. Because of Her anger, activities of universe take place in a disciplined manner.
A seven year old girl is known as Caṇḍikā
Canda-muṇḍāsura-niśudini (756)
Chandan and Mundan are the two demons who were killed by Her and hence She is known as Chamunda (the first letters of the two demons). In Markendaya Purana (Devi Bhagavata) (84.25) Devi Caṇḍikā addresses Kali thus “Because you have killed Chanda and Munda, you shall be known as Chamunda and be famed in the world.” Chandi is different from Chamunda. Chandi is the combined form of Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati. Chamunda is the form of Kali. All these forms are only manifestations of Lalithambigai.
Chamunda is one of the ‘sapta matas’ (seven mothers). In the previous nama it is said that She is angered on seeing evil doers. To prove this point, She destroyed two demons, who were the great evil doers.
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