211. Hrīṁkāradīrghikāhaṁsī ह्रींकारदीर्घिकाहंसी
Dīrgha means for a long time. Dīrghikā also means an elongated pond with both sides being equal. Haṁsa means swan. A reference to swans is available in Saundaryalaharī verse 38, which says, “I worship the pair of swans, who solely delights in the absolute knowledge, like a fully blossomed lotus flower in the great lake known as mind…..”
Mind is always pervaded by different thoughts and these thoughts originate from sensory inputs. As long as sensory organs are used beyond the level required for normal existence, inputs from sensory organs leave impressions in the mind and thus mind is fully pervaded by different kinds of thought processes. If one contemplates on Her, Her Grandeur and Grace drive away unnecessary thoughts and purify the mind. This nāma says that contemplating Her purifies the mind like a swan drinking only milk, leaving aside watery content of milk. Once the mind is purified, the mind can continue to enjoy Her Grace, like a swan feeling comfortable in lake water. Water in pond is compared to Her Grace and the swan is compared to a devotee’s mind.
Bliss and Liberation can be attained only through human mind.
212. Hrīṁkārodyānakekinī ह्रींकारोद्यानकेकिनी
Udyāna means a park and kekā refers to the cry of a female peacock (peahen), also known as mayūri. This nāma can be considered as an extension of the previous nāma. After having purified one’s mind as suggested in the previous nāma, one gets rid of all mundane thought processes and as a result of his contemplation on Her, the aspirant begins to experience Her Grace resulting in the first signs of Bliss. This nāma says that this aspirant enters the state of initial Bliss, like a peacock happily playing in a park making different sounds.
Both swan and peahen are extremely beautiful to look at and the way in which they are compared to Parāśakti illustrates the knowledge of Śaṁkarācārya. In his another masterpiece “Śivānandalaharī” (verse 53), he describes Śiva’s dance (tāṇḍava) as a peacock in front of Śakti, who is present in the form of mayūri (peahen). The verse says that at the commencement of rainy season, during pradoṣa (meeting point of evening and night – time of sunset) time, Viṣṇu plays drum, presence of gods and goddesses give glittering light and Śiva dances for Śakti. In Saundaryalaharī, Parāśakti is described as peahen and Śivānandalaharī, Śiva is described as peacock.
213. Hrīṁkāraṇyahariṇī ह्रींकारण्यहरिणी
Āraṇya means forest; hariṇī means female deer and hrīṁ always refers to Parāśakti. This nāma says that She is in the form of doe in the midst of a forest.
Forest is compared to darkness of ignorance known as māyā. Her presence refers to illumination, the Supreme Light, known as the Self. This nāma says that if the darkness of māyā is transcended, one can attain liberation by reaching Her, who is described as a doe. In all spiritual texts transcend means ‘go past’ or ‘cross’. This means that one cannot attain Her without going past the effects of māyā. In other words, one has to not only understand but also experience what māyā is and then transcend it. The underlying significance in the usage of transcendence is to first to undergo experience and then go past it. The result of experience depends upon one’s level of spiritual knowledge.
214. Hrīṁkārāvālavallarī ह्रींकारावालवल्लरी
Āvāla refers to a pit dug around a plant to retain water and vallarī means a creeper. When the water is poured in this pit regularly, the creeper grows faster. If water is not poured properly, the creeper inside the pit does not grow. Thus, the growth of the creeper depends upon the water that is made available to the creeper. Parāśakti is compared to a creeper and pouring of water is compared to spiritual practice known as sādhana. Sādhanā should not be construed to mean yogic exercises for the body. Sādhanā here means perfect and abstract contemplation on Her. Though yoga also purifies the mind, for a sincere aspirant, only mind alone is required to attain Her. He does not even need breathing exercises, postures, etc. Willingness to learn and sincere practice makes a person to attain liberation, provided his or her karmic account permits this. One will think about liberation only if his or her karmic account permits.
215. Hrīṁkārapañjaraśukī ह्रींकारपञ्जरशुकी
Pañjara means cage and śuka means a parrot. She, as the Self is compared to a parrot and cage to the body. Pañjara also means body or skeleton. The nāma says that the Self remains hidden deep inside the body. In order to realize the Self, one has to contemplate Her, else the Self continues to remain caged. This also means that one has to go past sensory organs which are attached to gross body and subtle bodies and in order to transcend gross body and to go within, sensory influences should be arrested. When sensory influences are blocked, mind becomes pure and Self is realised.
216. Hrīmkārāṅgaṇadīpikā ह्रीम्काराङ्गणदीपिका
Aṅgaṇa means yard (courtyard) and dīpika means illumination. Yard is the open place inside a house. In ancient days, a lamp is lit in the yard to illuminate the yard. She is compared to the lamp and spiritual ignorance is compared to the dark yard. Since She dispels darkness of ignorance, She is addressed as arāṅgaṇadīpikā in this nāma.
217. Hrīṁkārakandarāsiṁhī ह्रींकारकन्दरासिंही
Kandara means a cave and siṁhī means a lioness. Śivānandalaharī (verse 44) says, “Śiva resides in mind” where mind is compared to a cave. In the same manner, this nāma says that She resides like a lioness in the mind described as cave.
Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.i.12) explains the same concept differently. The Upaniṣad says, “aṅguṣṭhamātraḥ puruṣo madhye ātmani tiṣṭhati | अङ्गुष्ठमात्रः पुरुषो मध्ये आत्मनि तिष्ठति” which means that the Self in the size of a thumb rests in the middle of the body.
The underlying idea of these verses and nāma-s is that the Self lies deep inside the body, ever shining. Due to our ignorance, which is compared to darkness, cave, etc we are not able to realize the presence of the Self within. Either we seek Her outside our body or never seek Her at all. Unless efforts are made (such as meditation) to look for Her within, She can never be realized.
218. Hrīṁkārāmbujabhṛṅgikā ह्रींकाराम्बुजभृङ्गिका
Ambuja means water born, which subtly refers to a lotus flower. Bhṛṅgika refers to an insect with sting, a bee. This nāma can be explained through Śivānandalaharī (verse 51), which compares Śiva with a bee and the mind is compared to a lotus flower.
Lotus flower is always clean, as it grows in water bodies. Similarly, if our minds are freed from dualities (known as cleansing of the mind), She comes in search of these minds on Her own and pervades them. Dualities arise out of innate ignorance, which is also known as māyā. Because of the innate ignorance, we are unable to realize the presence of Brahman within. In order to dispel this ignorance, first mind is to be cleansed and should be made clean like a lotus flower. This is process is called sādhana or practice.
219. Hrīṁkārasumanomādhvī ह्रींकारसुमनोमाध्वी
Sumana refers to fragrance as well as mind (sumanas means gracious, benevolent, etc); mādhvī means spirituous liquor, as explained in Lalitā Sahasranāma 575 Mādhvīpānālasā.
Fragrance refers to a clean mind which is devoid of dualities. As discussed in the previous nāma, She pervades such minds and takes such aspirants towards liberation. When devotion transforms into love for Her, She takes the form of Kuṇḍalinī (Her subtlest form) and unites with Śiva at sahasrāra, the crown chakra and as a result, Grace from both Śiva and Śakti is showered on the aspirant. When this union takes place at sahasrāra, spirituous liquor known as ambrosia is secreted and drips into the throat. This nāma says that such a stage is possible for an aspirant, if She pervades his mind completely.
Her pervading the mind does not mean that the aspirant cannot use his mind for any other purpose. Mind can still be used and only precondition for Her pervasion is that there should be no impressions of thought processes, as these impressions lead to desires and attachments. When She pervades such clean minds, She becomes intoxicated with the depth of love for Her, and as a result She showers Her Grace.
220. Hrīṁkāratarumañjarī ह्रींकारतरुमञ्जरी
Taru - tree; mañjarī – bunch of flowers.
Tree is the Self and flowers of the tree are compared to Her manifestations. This nāma says that She is the cause for entire creation. She is not only the cause, but also supports Her creation. Hence She is adored as Śrī Mātā (Lalitā Sahasranāma 1). Lalitā Sahasranāma 659 is Sarvādhārā and is explained thus: “She supports everything in this universe or everything rests on Her. She is in the form of both gross and subtle matters (Her subtlest form is kuṇḍalinī). All that exists between these two extremes are supported by Her. She has the will to support, She has the knowledge to support and She supports with Her actions (creation, sustenance, destruction, annihilation or concealment and re-creation).”
With this, second set of twenty nāma-s beginning with hrīṁ is concluded. Wherever hrīṁ is used in this section, it refers to Parāśakti, as there is no difference between Her and bīja hrīṁ. She isHrīṁkāriṇī (nāma 201) and Hrīṁkārarūpā (nāma 81). This nāma also concludes discussion on the second kūṭa of Pañcadaśī mantra.
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