हिमानीहन्तव्यं हिमगिरिनिवासैकचतुरौ
निशायां निद्राणं निशि चरमभागे च विशदौ।
वरं लक्ष्मीपात्रं श्रियमतिसृजन्तौ समयिनां
सरोजं त्वत्पादौ जननि जयतश्चित्रमिह किम्॥

himānīhantavyaṁ himagirinivāsaikacaturau
niśāyāṁ nidrāṇaṁ niśi caramabhāge ca viśadau |
varaṁ lakṣmīpātraṁ śriyamatisṛjantau samayināṁ
sarojaṁ tvatpādau janani jayataścitramiha kim ||

himānī hantavyaṁ - destruction (melting) of mass of snow; himagiri nivāsaika caturau – dwelling on the peak of snow clad mountains; niśāyāṁ nidrāṇaṁ - closed during nights; niśi caramabhāge ca viśadau – blossoming both during days and nights; varaṁ lakṣmī pātraṁ - the seat for Lakṣmī; śriyam – prosperity; atisṛjantau samayināṁ - bestowing on those who follow the path of samayācāra (orthodox worship); sarojaṁ tvatpādau – Your lotus like feet; janani – O! Parāśakti; jayataḥ citram iha kim – is there any doubt about this? (victory for Your feet over lotus flowers).

“O! Parāśakti! Your lotus feet remain fully blossomed both during day and night and are capable of showering Grace on those, who worship You by practicing samayācāra. But, lotus flowers, which are the seat of Lakṣmī wither in snow and shrunk during nights. Therefore, Your feet have established their supremacy.”

Śaṁkarācārya says in this verse that samayācāra is better than vāmācāra (left hand practice predominantly advocated in certain Tantra śāstra-s, involving five M-s). This is the most significant aspect of this verse. By worshipping Her through samayācāra (righteous path), a true devotee gets Her perpetual Grace. It is indirectly said that those who follow vāmācāra will not get Her perpetual Grace. If at all, those who practice vāmācāra enters into the state of bliss (not Bliss), it is only temporary.

Samayācāra can be explained as internal worship, as against vāmācāra, which is purely based on left hand worship. Samayācāra can also be explained as the righteous path as against vāmācāra, which can be practiced only after years of practice and this is often misunderstood and misinterpreted. Kulārṇava Tantra is the main authority on this type of worship, which involves elaborate rituals. The effect of the rituals, it is said, is to purify one’s mind and consciousness. Hence it is called “citta-śodhana-sādhana”. Perfect practice leads to awakening and unification of three śakti-s, icchā, jjñāna and kriyā. Generally, these śakti-s are awakened by one’s guru who would have attained mastery over his senses. Such practices are followed close to full moon days. There is always a unison of physical body, subtle body (emotions arising in the mind) and spiritual body (soul). When this conglutination is in perfect conjunction, it causes bliss. But, this is not advised as it is not ethical and is to be frowned upon (According to me, this is to be totally condemned, as such initiations accrue more sins and consequent karmas).  Literally speaking, vāmācāra involves purely ritualistic worship. But, opposite is the case with samayācāra, which is explained in detail in Lalitā Sahasranāma 98.  Samayācāra is purely a mental worship, which yields quicker and better results.

The subtle message conveyed through this verse is about the supremacy of mental worship (samayācāra), which will have Her Grace perpetually as opposed to ritual worship, as described in vāmācāra. In samayācāra also, wide ranges of ritual worships are there, which ultimately cleanses one’s mind leading to superior form of mental worship, as explained in Lalitā Sahasranāma 98. As we know that meditating Her pinkish feet triggers instant experience of powerful Bliss, which is capable of making us enter into nirvikalpasamādhi.