Parāparā (790)
There are three forms of the Brahman, para, a-para and para-para. This nama discusses about the third form. All the three forms of the Brahman has already been discussed in nama 366. Para.
A brief portion of discussion on nama 366 is reproduced here. “Para has three stages. Its original ‘para’ form is considered as supreme and is full of energy. In order to manifest it loses its supremacy and energy level gradually and becomes ‘parapara’ the mediocre level of supremacy. It further loses its strength at the exact time of manifestation and becomes ‘apara’ where it loses its supremacy and become manifested.”
When Brahman is omnipresent, He has to have both superior and inferior qualities. Sri Rudram beautifully explains this concept (Please use the search engine at the top of this site to know more on ‘Sri Rudram’). Brahman is not only a master, but also a servant. He is not only the giver, but also the taker. He is not only the creator but also the destroyer. All the qualities that exist in this universe are placed between the two aspects of the Brahman para and apara. This is the unique quality of the Brahman. Unless this quality of the Brahman is fully understood, Brahman can never be realised. To put it more simply, both a deadly snake and a sage of the highest order are Brahman. We are deluded by the respective forms and fail to realise the Brahman ‘within’ (universality of the soul) due to the influence of maya. Ramana Maharishi says “the ignorant perceive only name and form” (Ramana Gita. Verse 33). Krishna says In Bhagavad Gita (IX.29) “I am equally present in all beings; there is none hateful or dear to me.”
Prashna Upanishad (V.2) says “paraṃ cā paraṃ ca brahmā” which means Brahman without attributes (para) and Brahman with attributes (a-para). Brahman remains the same and for the purpose of our convenience and easier understanding, we have categorised Him as saguna Brahman and nirguna Brahman. This can be explained this way to avoid confusion. Shiva is nirguna Brahman, Shakthi is saguna Brahman, and Shiva-Shakthi is Para-Brahman. This is further explained in nama 792.
Manduka Upanishad (II.i.4) says “there are two kinds of knowledge, Para, the Superior cosmic knowledge, and apara inferior knowledge relating to the phenomenal world.” The next verse explains still further. It says “Apara knowledge comprises of the four Vedas, rituals, grammar, phonetics, etymology, etc and para is that by which one knows the Brahman which always remains the same and never decays.” It is made very clear that realising the Brahman is important than knowing Vedas and other rituals.
Shakthi is known as Para-Shakthi based upon these factors. Parapara is the intermediate stage between the highest and lowest, a sort of mediocre stage. This is based on the fact that the Brahman is omnipresent. This nama refers to Her mediocre stage.
{Further reading: Namas commencing from 156 explain nirguna Brahman and saguna Brahman. For example nama 162 is ‘nir-mohā’ which means ‘She is without confusion and the next nama 163 ‘moha-nāśini’ which means She destroys confusion in the minds of Her devotees. Nama 163 refers to nirguna Brahman or para and the next nama refers to saguna Brahman or parapara and apara.}
Satyajñānānanda rupā (791)
Satyam is truth, jnanam is knowledge and ananda is bliss. She is the combination of truth, knowledge and bliss.
Taittiriya Upanishad (II.1) “satyaṃ jñānaṃ ananthaṃ brahma”. This refers to the Brahman. Truth, knowledge and infinity is the Brahman. Attributes of the Brahman is being described by the Upanishad. There is a difference between the saying of this Upanishad and this nama. Upanishad says ‘anantham’ (everything or infinity) and the nama says ‘anandam’ (bliss). The compassionate form of the Divine Mother makes this difference. Bliss is one of the important qualities of Lalithambigai. Since we reach the stage of ‘anandam’ (bliss), we tend to forget ‘anantam’ (all other extraneous matters).
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad (III.ix.28.2) says that knowledge, bliss and Brahman are the same. Chandogya Upanishad (VII. xxiii) says “that which is infinite that is happiness.”
This nama says the nature of the nirguna Brahman. While the previous nama discussed about the saguna Brahman, this nama confirms Her as nirguna Brahman once again.
Sāmarasya-parāyanā (792)
Parayana means devoted to or engaged in. She is devoted to the principle of equality. With whom She is equal? Of course with Shiva. Without each other, they cannot function. They have attained each other after performing rigorous penance.
Shiva is Self-illuminating Brahman and Shakthi is His svabhāva. Svabhāva means nature. The nature of Shiva is reflected through Shakthi. Shiva can realise His Self only in Shakthi, who acts a mirror to Him. Shakthi is the power of doership of Shiva. It is said that the ultimate reality were to be merely Shiva, He would become inert. Brahman cannot become inert. Though Shiva continues to be inert, Shakthi, the power holder of Shiva acts as the energetic force in creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe. Therefore Shiva without Shakthi or Shakthi without Shiva becomes torpid. They are known as the parent of the universe.
This nama says that She is equal to Shiva. If Cit is Shiva, ananda (bliss) is Shakthi. Cit-ananda is Shivashakthi.
0 comments:
Post a Comment