Sampatkarī-samārūḍha-sindhura-vraja-sevitā सम्पत्करी-समारूढ-सिन्धुर-व्रज-सेविता (66)

 She is worshipped by herds of elephants headed by SampatkarīSampatkarī Devi has already been discussed in nāma 9.  There is also a mention about Sampatkarī Vidyā, which is considered as very powerful.  There is a three syllable bījākśarā hidden in this nāma   that is used in sampatkarī vidyā.  Though this bījākśarā is considered very secretive in nature, this has been already discussed in nāma   9.  The bījā kroṁ (क्रों) is formed out of three alphabets –ka + ra + ma with a bindu.  The alphabet ka stands for joy and fame.  The alphabet ra is considered as powerful as it is the bīja of agni, the fire.  Any mantra with ra bestows supernatural powers.  The alphabet ma stands for comforts in the present and future births. The repeated chanting of kroṁ will give all-round prosperity and happiness.  No mantra will fructify without ātma bīja, which should be initiated by one’s Guru. 

The knowledge, the knower and the known together are called a triad.  The knowledge of realising that all the three are the same is called sukha-sampatkar.    Śiva Sūtra (I.19) says śaktisandhāne śarīropattiḥ.  This means ‘single pointed union (union with intensity and constant awareness) with Śaktī.  {śaktisandhānā means that one need not pray to Śiva  asking for favours.  If one is able to energise his thoughts, what is sought for is achieved. Sandhānā is one of the essential factors of spirituality.   Conglutination of fixedness and intensity of awareness are the primary factors in spiritual progression.  Without developing the abilities of sandhānā, it is said that initiation into mantra will not fructify and consequently mantra’s contrivance will never be attained.}

If Lalitai is meditated upon with the bīja kroṁ the meditator will be endowed with everything that is desired.  This could also be interpreted as advancement to the higher level of spiritual realization.

Āśvārūḍhā-dhiṣṭhitāśva-koṭikoṭibhi-rāvṛtā आश्वारूढा-धिष्ठिताश्व-कोटिकोटिभि-रावृता (67)

Lalitai is surrounded my many horses headed by Aśvārūḍhā Devi, about whom we have discussed in nāma 8.  Aśvārūḍhā Devi is the chief of the horses used in the war.  The face of this Devi also looks like a horse.  Aśvārūḍhā’s mantra consists of thirteen bīja-s and considered to be very powerful.  Out of the thirteen bījākṣara-s, four are recited in the regular order at the beginning and in the inverted order at the end.  This is called mantra sampuṭaSampuṭa means caged.  Such types of mantra-s fructify quickly. 

Senses are compared to horses as they run faster and without control, if let loose.  Mind is the jockey of the horse as mind alone can control the senses. Śiva Sūtra (I.12) says, ‘vismayo yogabhūmikāḥ’. The meaning is slightly complicated but one certainly needs to understand this. The literal meaning is ‘the stations and stages of yoga constitute, fascinating wonder’.   Stations mean cakra-s.  In these stations consciousness arrives and moves to the next station or higher cakra-s.  The consciousness above sahasrārā or the consciousness outside the physical body of the yogi is called turya stage.  In this stage yogi’s senses are totally under the control of his inner self which is also called supreme consciousness.  In this stage the yogi realises the bliss.  In other words realising our own inner self is the ultimate joy that leads to bliss. Station could also mean a well activated ājña cakra, where one could control his senses.  Stages mean the level of consciousness.  The highest stage of consciousness is called turya stage.  The will power with which a yogi establishes his commune with Śiva is called Umā or Kumārī.  A yogi treats everything as the same.  He does not distinguish between external and internal, I and his, good and bad, etc.

This explanation is not out of place here as this nāma talks about controlling senses that wander like horses.  There are plenty of spiritual rewards for controlling the senses. Śaktī alone is capable of taking one to Śiva, the Supreme Brahman. Śaktī is māyā. Unless māyā is dispensed with, the Supreme Self cannot be realised. The will power for establishing commune with Śiva is provided only by Śaktī who is called Umā in Śiva sūtra-s

Therefore, Lalitai manifested in different forms and names is the cause for sense-impressions and She alone can remove those impressions, to proceed to higher planes of consciousness and to establish commune with Śiva.  Once Śiva is realized, one eternally remains in bliss. 

Katha Upaniṣhad says senses are horses and the body is the chariot.  Objects are the road and Self is the enjoyer (owner of the chariot and horses).  Knowledge is incapable of discriminating between good and bad and when connected with uncontrollable mind, then it is like a charioteer or the driver who has to deal with the uncontrollable horses (mind out of control causing all types of miseries).  Such explanations are found in Devi Māhātmya (Durgā saptasatī) and Bhagavad Gīta as well.