सवित्रीभिर्वाचां शशिमणिशिलाभङ्गरुचिभिः
वशिन्याद्याभिस्त्वां सह जननि सञ्चिन्तयति यः।
स कर्ता काव्यानां भवति महतां भङ्गिरुचिभिः
वचोभिर्वाग्देवीवदनकमलामोदमधुरैः॥
savitrībhirvācāṁ śaśimaṇiśilābhaṅgarucibhiḥ
vaśinyādyābhistvāṁ saha janani sañcintayati yaḥ |
sa kartā kāvyānāṁ bhavati mahatāṁ bhaṅgirucibhiḥ
vacobhirvāgdevīvadanakamalāmodamadhuraiḥ ||
savitrībhir vācāṁ - source of speech or formation of words; śaśi maṇi śilābhaṅga rucibhiḥ - the splendorous beauty of the moonstone after cutting it; vaśinya adyābhis – Vaśini and other vāc devi-s (eight in number) worshiped in the seventh āvaraṇa of śrīvidhyā navāvaraṇa pūjā (they are the composers of Lalitā Sahasranāma); tvāṁ - You; saha – in company; janani – Parāśakti, the Supreme Mother; sañcintayati yaḥ - who contemplates You; sa kartā kāvyānāṁ bhavati mahatāṁ - he becomes a composer of excellent poetic works; bhaṅgirucibhiḥ - dressed with splendor; vacobhir – words; vāgdevī vadana kamala āmoda madhuraiḥ - adding luster to the lotus like face of Sarasvatī.
“The one who meditates on You, surrounded by eight vāc devi-s appearing like a cutout moonstone, attain the capacity to compose splendorous poetic works like epics, hymns, etc adding luster to Sarasvati’s lotus like face.”
The verse says that one should meditate on Her along with eight vāc devi-s. They are worshipped in Śricakra navāvaraṇa pūjā in the seventh āvaraṇa. Sanskrit has 51 alphabets consisting of 16 vowels and 36 consonants. Vaśinī vācdevī ppresides over the 16 vowels; Kāmeśvarī vāgdevī presides over ka (क) varga; Modinī vāgdevī presides over ca (च) varga; Vimalā vāgdevī presides over ṭa (ट) varga; Aruṇā vāgdevi presides over ta (त) varga; Jayinī vāgdevī presides over pa (प) varga; Sarveśvarī vāgdevī presides over ya, ra, la and va (य, र, ल and व) and Kaulinī vāgdevī presides over śa, ṣa, sa, ha, ḻa and kṣa (श, ष, स, ह, ळ and क्ष). Each varga referred above has five alphabets. Therefore, vowels – 16; ka, ca, ṭa, ta and pa varga-s x 5 = 25 consonants; last two varga-s 10 alphabets make 51 alphabets of Sanskrit (varga means a set of letters). There are two nāma-s in Lalitā Sahasranāma that talk about these alphabets and they are 577 mātṛkā-varṇa-rūpinī and 833 pañcāśat-pīṭha-rūpiṇī. These eight vāgdevī are known as Vaśinyādi vāgdevī-s and they have composed Lalitā Sahasranāma at Her command. These vāgdevī-s are very close to Parāśakti. Hence Śaṁkarācārya says that one should meditate on Her along with these vāgdevī-s. This is based on the fundamental principle that what one constantly thinks, he becomes that. Another fundament point that is often missed out is that She confers only liberation and not material wealth. She will only smile at those who seek material wealth and prosperity and nothing more than that. Hence, one has to contemplate on Her along with vāgdevī-s, who alone provide the capacity to compose.
The verse says that the eight vāgdevī-s appear like a freshly cut moonstone, which is also known as candrakānta. The original candrakānta stone is pure white in colour. If the stone is cut into two pieces or broken, the pure whitish nature of the stone will be clearly visible. It is said that this stone is formed by solidifying of moon’s rays and gets dissolved by moon’s light. This is often used as astrological remedy. The original stone has the capacity to give wealth. Śaṁkarācārya had enormous visualising capacity. He draws comparison of moonstone to vāgdevī-s because the moonstone is capable melting. The melting substance of the moonstone is compared to the formation of alphabets, then words and then sound. This description of vāgdevī-s has its own significance. When She sits near Śiva, Her red complexion gets radiated through the crystal complexion of Śiva and they together appear like the sun at dawn. But, in this verse Her complexion does not get radiated through the moonstone like vāgdevī-s because moonstones are not translucent like the crystal complexion of Śiva. She appears in Her red complexion and vāgdevī-s appear in moonstone-like complexion. The point driven home by Śaṁkarācārya in this verse is that Her bright red colour is marginally diffused by vāgdevī-s, so that She can be meditated with a cool appearance like candrakānta stone. If the meditation of the devotee is powerful enough, he gets power to compose epics and hymns. Words flow to him from vāgdevī-s, like the melting moonstone. Original moonstone melts in no time when it is placed in the moonlight. In the same way, the one who meditates on Her with eight vāgdevī-s get the flow of words to compose epics and hymns.
On seeing those who compose epics and hymns, Sarasvatī’s face becomes more lustrous. First, Sarasvatī is happy due to the Grace of Parāśakti, poets get flow of thoughts and words. Secondly, as She is the presiding goddess for letters, her face becomes more gleaming (gleaming because she also gets shine in her face due to Her radiating light) because more and more epics and hymns are composed. Since she presides over these letters (created by vāgdevī-s), naturally she derives immense happiness that is getting reflected in her face. It is also explained that such compositions have natural fragrance. Goddess Sarasvatī is also described in verse 99.
AJ
April 13, 2017 06:13 AM
Does verse 17 also pertain to knowledge of science? It says about composing great poets and hymns, does it also refer to knowledge of sciences and the like?
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MANBLUNDER
April 13, 2017 09:25 AM
Entire knowledge is given by Her, subject to one's karma. She is overall incharge of the entire world and knowledge is given through Her assistnats, vāc devi-s. When vāc devi-s are capable of showering all kinds of knowledge, recitation of this verse with devotion and Love for Her will surely give scientific and other types of knowledge.
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AJ
April 19, 2017 06:42 PM
Is mentally chanting soundarya lahari verses really more powerful than chanting them out loud? Does it have a greater effect?
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MANBLUNDER
April 19, 2017 06:46 PM
Mental chanting is always more powerful than oral chanting. But, in general this applies only to mantra japas. Saundaryalahari comprises of hymns and hence it is better to chant it aloud; only then you can enjoy the beauty of the verse.
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AJ
May 18, 2019 09:01 AM
Soundarya Lahari 17, like almost all the verses, says it has to be chanted like 1000 times a day for 40 or 45 days for it to have an effect. Is this true at all? It seems rather difficult to accomplish that with a pretty busy life.
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MANBLUNDER
May 18, 2019 06:46 PM
Adi Shakaracharya composed Saundaryalahari out of pure devotion and love for Divine Mother. Naturally, he would not have prescribed number of repetitions of each verse to derive certain material benefit. These prescriptions should have been added at a later date by somebody. Hence, this is not authentic.
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