Lalitha Sahasranamam - 63

63.KAMADAYINI
the fulfiller of desires Omniscient.

She fulfills all desires through her aspect as a witness.

We always talk about God fulfilling our desires,have you wondered why?before we look into why let us first understand the concept of desire and then why she stands as a witness to such desires and then lets see why we have to overcome these desires and what's the implication of it in this sentence.

Desire is the pull of the consciousness downward and outward towards the senses resulting in individuation. This desire principle is the cause of incarnation. The unlimited soul is attracted to life—and by implication to death—by unfulfilled desire. This process is continual until the soul cultivates the desireless state called moksha or liberation.To incarnate, the soul abdicates a tremendous amount of free will and creative choice. Most importantly it is now subject to the desires of other beings with whom it synergistically exists, primarily the parents. If the embodied soul survives gestation, it will breathe its first free breath, detached from the umbilical cord and with that breath, the desires and habitual thoughts of the previous lives will impress themselves on the brain and nervous system. What the soul has done by choosing limitation is to concentrate its desires through the lens of time in order to form a body, just as the sun concentrated through a magnifying glass forms a fire. These concentrated desires will inform the circumstances of birth into a new life.Despite the tremendous forces of the material universe which operate on the human mind and body at this point, free will does exist. Free will (agami or kriyamana karma) is the conscious movement away from the force of habit and desire, towards liberation. It is characterized by the ability to act with detachment and to operate in a balanced, non-emotional state of mind. Any choice made in desperation and emotionality is not a choice but a karmic compulsion that will lead to further constriction. Most of the seeming choices a soul makes are in fact the working of the desire nature.According to Hindu philosophy, there are 12 categories of desire called rasas. These categories are:

1) raudra, the desire to cause or experience anger;

2) adbhuta, the desire to cause or experience wonder;

3) shrngara, the desire to experience conjugal love;

4) hasya, the desire to cause or experience laughter;

5) vira, the desire to experience bravery or heroism;

6) daya, the desire to give or experience mercy;

7) dasya, the desire to experience servitorship;

8) sakhya, the desire to experience fraternity;

9) bhayanaka, the desire to cause or experience horror;

10) vibhatsa, the desire to cause or experience shock;

11) santa, the desire to cause or experience neutrality;

12) vatsalya, the desire to cause or experience parenthood.

From the synergistic understanding of all these rasas, the soul arrives at a thirteenth rasa called karuna, or enlightened compassion. In order to grow and move towards liberation a soul must come to this final place of compassion by way of experience. The rasas can be experienced individually or in different combinations. These combinations are the basis of human individuality. Our desires make us unique.The connection of the desire principle to a body is called nama-rupa. Nama means name, rupa means form and together they form the personality and create a sense of individuality. The oldest school of Hinduism, called samkhya-yoga, privileges the concept of nama-rupa because although all humans live in the same world, their journey to enlightenment and liberation is ultimately an individual one. There is no moment of rapture, no en masse enlightenment in this paradigm, and no moral redemption or judgment which comes from some external force. Rather, it is the experiences an individual acquires by way of nama-rupa that create a basis for liberation of the rasas, ultimately coming to the synergistic thirteenth—karuna, enlightened compassion. Likewise, in order to achieve a state predominated by sattva-guna, a soul must cycle continually through all the gunas. Life is an experiment in learning where it is crucial to cultivate memory so that we can progress beyond our mistakes rather than continually repeating them. Knowledge and memory gained from human experiences are the gift that leads to the expansion of consciousness and liberation.The reason we incarnate is for the soul to come to know itself by experiencing the whole panoply of possibilities. This is what ultimately allows the soul to depart from cyclic existence. Paradoxically, we are freed from the need to experience by way of experience itself.On this journey towards self-completion there are four legitimate aims in human life: 1) artha, the acquisition of material wealth, wealth of power or wealth of memory; 2) kama, pleasure and the enjoyment of human wealth of all kinds; 3) dharma, the fulfillment of the good or the ritual that reinforces life; and 4) moksha, the pursuit of liberation which is the highest aim.So that is the reason why she provides us with all that we require so that we understand experience and release our soul from the karmic cycle.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 62

62. KAMAKSHI
lovely eyed.

'Ka' means Saraswati and 'ma' means 'lakshmi' hence lakshmi and Saraswati are her eyes.

Here we have to look at the two aspects of life,for that we have to know the nature of the two godesses,lakshmi and saraswathi.

The word 'Lakshmi' is derived from the Sanskrit word "Laksya", meaning 'aim' or 'goal', and she is the goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual.Lakshmi is depicted as a beautiful woman of golden complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which stands for beauty, purity and fertility. Her four hands represent the four ends of human life:dharma or righteousness, "kama" or desires, "artha" or wealth, and "moksha" or liberation from the cycle of birth and death.Cascades of gold coins are seen flowing from her hands, suggesting that those who worship her gain wealth. She always wears gold embroidered red clothes. Red symbolizes activity and the golden lining indicates prosperity.

On the other hand we have saraswati the goddess of knowledge and arts, represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the mother of the vedas.Goddess Saraswati endows human beings with the powers of speech, wisdom and learning. She has four hands representing four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness and ego. She has sacred scriptures in one hand and a lotus – the symbol of true knowledge – in the second.With her other two hands she plays the music of love and life on a string instrument called the veena. She is dressed in white – the symbol of purity – and rides on a white swan – symbolizing Sattwa Guna or purity and discrimination.

So on one side we have lakshmi with the righteousness of dharma,and on the other we have the goddess who controls the aspects of true knowledge.Her she rightly depicts that one cannot be without the other.The two eyes do not see different things at the same time,so it is symbolically represented that even while acquiring wealth one cannot deviate from the path of seeking true knowledge and vice versa.It has to be done.That is the reason why during the period of samsara we seek for wealth and prosperity and at the same time we search for true knowlege.

You find the same meaning depicted in Soundarya lahiri thus:

"Savitribhir vacham Chasi-mani-sila-bhanga-rucibhir

Vasiny'adyabhis tvam saha janani samchintayati yah;

Sa karta kavyanam bhavati mahatam bhangi-rucibhih

Vacobhi vagdevi-vadana-kamal'amoda madhuraii."

Oh, mother holy,He who worships you,

Along with the goddess like Vasini,Who are the prime source of words,

And you who are having the great luster,Got by breaking the moon stone,

Becomes the author of great epics,Which shine like those written by great ones,

And which have the sweet scentOf the face of the goddess of knowledge.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 61

61 SUDHASAGARAMADHYASTHA
Residing in the centre of the ocean of nectar.

Here the nectar is referred to the love and devotion of her people.It is referred thus because of the type worship her people indulge in,it is sweet as honey and it gives her immense pleasure to be bathed in such devotion.This devotion and love for her is otherwise known as bakthi.Now what is bhakthi?Strictly speaking,bhakthi is not mere love or devotion but a combination of several concepts.It is a powerful emotion of the mind,that is both earthly and transcendental,an overt sign of the highest nature hidden in us and the possibilities that await us as we make progress in our onward spiritual journey.It is characterized by faith,love ,trust ,loyalty,devotion,attachment and reverence manifested towards oneself a thing or an external entity such as God or teacher,parent or some loved being or even to oneself.while excessive devotion to oneself and ones interests leads to the strengthening of the asuric nature,pure and selfless devotion to God leads to salvation and eternal life.

In spiritual terms bhakthi means intense spiritual love and devotion to God.It helps a devout person satisfy his or her spiritual needs without following an ascetic way of life.Hindu scriptures extol bhakthi -marg or the path of devotion as one of the surest and easiest ways to reach God.

When we talk of bhakthi there are four types of devotees:The man in distress(arta),the inquisitive(jignasu),the seeker of wealth(artharhti)and the man of wisdom.I don't have to mention which of them she prefers to be dear to her.

We have seen different types of devout,now let us see the types of bhakthi.On one extreme is the purest form of satvic(selfless)devotion that tends to be sacrificial and selfless in nature and leads to the liberation of its practitioner and his or her union with god.Next is the rajasic(egoistic)form of devotion that seeks to use devotion as a means to gain some physical,mental or spiritual power or boon in order to further ones own egoistic interests or selfish motive.on the other extreme is the dark and tamasic(deluded,psychotic)devotion that indulges in cruel and bizarre practices such as human or animal sacrifices and dark tantric rituals that aim to appease the objects of their devotion and gain control over things or cause intense pain and suffering to others in the most abominable,cruel and destructive manner.

In the Bhakthisutras,sage Narada describes bhakthi thus:

That is highest love,that is like amrit,finding which a person becomes perfect,becomes immortal,becomes satisfied,finding which,he desires nothing more,neither greives,nor hates,neither engages and not gets enthusiastic about anything else,having known which,e becomes as if drugged,lost as if,stunned,suprised,and dwells in his own self.By nature bhakthi is free of desire,possessing the nature of unconcern towards wordly affairs,exclusive devotion toward that (god)and unconcern toward any thing that contradicts it,giving up of other shelters,and exclusively taking the shelter of god.Even when interacting with this world,or conducting wordly affairs,living according to god and having unconcern toward anything that contradicts god.

In the Mahabhagavatam,we hear description of five forms of bhakthi from prahlada,

Shravanam: Listening to stories and glories of God

Kirtanam: Singing or reciting the names and glories of God

Smaranam:Recalling God and his exploits

Pada sevanam:Waiting on God

Archanam:Ritual worship of God's forms or images

Vandanam:Prostration to God

Dasyam:Service to his personality or incarnation

Sakhyam:Befriending God

Atma nivedanam:dedicating oneself to god heart and soul.

The nine primary activities of Bhakthi are:

• Hearing about God-singing and chanting and hearing stories from scriptures
• Gloriying God-describing God's all attractive features
• Remembering God-internal meditation on the god's form,activites,names or personality
• serving the lotus feet of god-providing a form of physical service
• worshiping the Lord-deity worship
• offering prayers to god-any form of prayer in any language
• serving God-this is by preaching and sharing experiences with othersand it should never be confided to oneself.
• Building friendship with god-having an internal,loving relationship with god.
• surrendering everything to god-surrendering one's thought,actions and deeds.

These are few things we have to bear in mind when we offer our bhakthi to Maha Maye and the word amrit is used because before we bathe her in the amrit of our devotion we have to cleanse ourselves of the poison such as greed ,jealous,ego which is what is very nicely discussed here and that is what is implied by the term SUDHASAGARAMADHYASTHA

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 60

60.KADAMBAVANAVASINI
She is living in a groove of kadamba trees

We have discussed earlier about kadamba and how it has gained significance in the devi puranas and in devi literature. Kadamba tree reminds us of the purpose for which we all have taken birth in this world.Kadamba tree is a symbol of service because it provides its bark,its roots,its leaves and its flowers for mankind.Every bit of the tree is used by man. so it reminds us of our service to god and to mankind.It stands silently but majestically it supplies all necessary things for humanity. such should be our service.If we have to be of any service to mankind we should find true divinty within us. In order to find our True Divinity within us we have to practice:

1. Silence: By practicing silence you become more aware of what’s around you and yourself. And by doing this you can be able to take control over your mind.

2. Practice of meditation.

3. Practice of Bhakti, the Path to Love.

4. Devotion: We must keep our mind constantly attach to the Goddess, while engage in our Duty at the same time.The next component of the Law of Dharma is expressing your unique talent; it states that every human being has a distinctive talent, so unique in its _expression, which no one else possesses. This means that there is one thing you can do, and in one way of doing it, which is better than anyone else on this entire planet.How do you know when you have found that talent?You will be in Timeless awareness, which means you will lose track of time while you’re in the process of expressing what you do best. You will experience everlasting bliss, and pure enjoyment as you proceed to discover this exceptional talent.Another way of recognizing that talent is to ask yourself, “If money was of no concern, and you have all the time and money in the world, what would you do?”If you would still do what you are currently doing, then you are on the path of fulfilling the laws of Dharma; you have found your purpose in life.Another component of the Laws of Dharma, the purpose of life, is Service to Humanity.As you come into contact with each person, you should sincerely ask the question, "How can I help"? By doing so you are attempting to convey your unique talent to provide service for humanity. When you ask this question, you are communicating with the Divinity within you. By doing this you create a transcendent relationship with your True Self.But when you ask the question,"What is in it for me"?You create an internal dialogue with the Ego; and this creates a turbulent flow of energy within you. As a result, you create within you “demonic-like” qualities such as anger, lust, greed, hatred and jealousy. This leads to disease of the Mind & Body, which can prevent you from attaining your ultimate goal in life. By asking, "How can I help?" you instinctively go beyond the ego to open the domain of your spiritual awareness where you experience universality.In conclusion, discover your Divinity, find your unique talents and creatively utilize it to serve humanity, as a result you will be inspired and motivated; whatever you desire you will achieve because the universe will then provide for you. This will draw things to you, and magnetize people, situations and circumstances to support your desire. You will experience joyfulness in life, as your endeavors are proven successful through the delight of your own individuality.We are Travelers in this Cosmic Journey. Life is Eternal, but we momentary experience this human life. As Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism once said,"This existence of ours is as transient as autumn clouds.To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance.A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, rushing by like a torrent down a steep mountain".We have to pause for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share; this is a precious moment, yet transient. If we share with caring, lightheartedness and love we will create abundance of joy for each other; and then this moment would become worthwhile. So let us make our life worthwhile and move a step closer to true divinity and that will lead us to our true goal in life is being rightly pointed out in this sentence referring to the kadamba tree and the groove, is the actual reference to those of you who render service to humanity and it is in thier hearts and it is among them does the Maha Sakthi resides. permanently.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 59

59.MAHAPADMATAVISAMSTHA
She resides in the great forest of lotuses.

The thousand petalled lotus which resides in the brahmarandhra is also called padmatavi

The very name of the Hindu worship, ritual, puja, can be translated as "flower act." Elaborate and simple garlands, fragrant whole flowers and piles of petals daily rain over Deities in temple, home and village shrines wherever Hindus worship.

But the lotus is mentioned here. why?

so we have look into the characteristic nature of this beautiful flower.So let's turn our minds to the flower and its mention in the different scriptures. understanding its nature will indeed give us the knowledge and power to understand the Maha Maye.

The sacred lotus, known botanically as nelumbo nucifera (literally "nut-bearing aquatic"), comprises the most important and attractive wetland plant species in India. A pond of mature lotus is a stunning sight. Quite unlike water lilies, whose leaves rest on the water's surface, lotus leaves rise above the water on stems from 1 to 8 feet tall. And the flowers, 4 to 10 inches in diameter, usually rise above the leaves.Few flowers have found such prominence in legends and symbolism as the lotus. The Hindu, Buddhist and Jain religions have amassed a wealth of fascinating stories about the species. In Hinduism, the flower is said to be the center of the universe. There is a story that it arose from the navel of God Vishnu, and at the center of the flower sat Brahma. Each of the three Brahminical deities, Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Protector) and Siva (the Merger) are associated with this plant. The lotus is associated with Prajapati (Brahma) in the cosmogonic myths of the Brahmana portion of the Taittiriya upanishad (800 bce). There are also accounts of the world born through a "Golden Lotus" and Padmakalpa, the Lotus Age in the Padmapurana (678 ce)."The Taittiriya Brahmana describes how Prajapati, desiring to evolve the universe, which was then fluid, saw a lotus-leaf,pushkara parna, coming out of water. It is described that when divine life-substance was about to put forth the universe, the cosmic waters grew a thousand-petalled lotus flower of pure gold, radiant like the sun. This was considered to be a doorway, or an opening of the mouth of the womb of the universe. Hindu texts describe that water represents the procreative aspect of the Absolute, and the cosmic lotus, the generative. Thus, lotus is the first product of the creative principle." The role of Lord Brahma was to re-create the universe after the great flood on this planet. In order to create the universe, He used the different parts of the lotus plant.Goddess Lakshmi, sits on a fully bloomed pink lotus as Her divine seat and holds a lotus in Her right hand . It is also mentioned in the Mahabharata that Lakshmi emerged from a lotus which grew from the forehead of Lord Vishnu, and a garland of 108 lotus seeds is today used for the worship of Lakshmi. The Goddess of Power, Durga, was created by Lord Siva to fight demons and was adorned with a garland of lotus flowers by Varuna. Goddess of Wisdom, Saraswati is associated with the white Lotus. And virtually every God and Goddess of Hinduism--Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati, Durga, Agni, Ganesha, Rama and Surya--are typically shown sitting on the lotus, often holding a lotus flower in their hand. The lotus which serves thus as the seat of the Deity, signifying their divinity and purity, is called padmasana or kamalasana.Scripture indicates at least a 6,000-year association of the lotus with Hindu culture and religion. Lotus is mentioned in the Rig Veda, and it finds frequent mention in the later Samhitas. In the Rig, two varieties are described: one white (Nelumbo nucifera), the other blue. In the Atharva Veda, the human heart is compared with the lotus flower. According to the Panchavimsa Brahmana, the flower is born of the light of constellations. In the Taittiriya, a garland of such lotuses, pundari sraga, is mentioned. The blue lotus, pushkara, is mentioned in several places in the Rig and still more in the other Vedas. It is alluded to grow in lakes and is compared to the bowl of the sacrificial ladle due to its shape. The common use of this variety for decoration is evident from the frequent descriptions of the Asvins, the youthful twin Gods of the dawn, wearing a garland of blue lotus and being called 'Pushkar Rajas.' "In the Bhagavad Gita, man is adjured to be like the lotus--he should work without attachment, dedicating his actions to God--untouched by sin like water on a lotus leaf and the beautiful flower standing high above the mud and water. In the postures of hatha yoga, the lotus position, padmasana, is adopted by those striving to reach the highest level of consciousness, which itself is found in the thousand-petalled lotus chakra at the top of the head. Atman dwells in the lotus within the heart. Visualize within yourself a lotus, centered right within the center of your chest, right within your heart. Try to mentally feel and see the heart as a lotus flower right within you. Within the center of the lotus, try to see a small light.That is the "Maha Maye" and that is the mention made here to signify that every person i n this universe has such a beautiful flower inside them and it is the seat of the Goddess. So when one purifies their mind and heart and open them up for the Goddess he is the divine and in him she resides.

She has names inspired by or associated with the lotus. She is commonly called:

Padmini, "possessing Lotus;

"Padmesthita, "standing on Lotus;"

Padmavarna, "Lotus colored;"

Padmasambhava, "Lotus born;

"Padmakshi, "eyes like Lotus;"Padmanana, "face like Lotus;

"Sarasijanilaya, "dwells in lotus;

"Padmapriya, "fond of Lotus"and

Padmahasta, "holds a Lotus in her hand."

The flower by its very appearance symbolises the Hindu principles of glory which are truth, auspiciousness and beauty ( Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram). This forms the reason for using it for the comparison of the different aspects of God like His lotus-eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, the lotus of the heart etc.The lotus also extends a more spiritual meaning. It blooms in the morning and withdraws its petals in the night. Thisbehaviour of the flower brings to light the fact that one's mind blooms with the illumination of spiritual knowledge and cringes without it. Further more the flower blossoms in slushy areas sustaining its purity and despite its surroundings. This reminds one to remain pure and beautiful under all circumstances.
The lotus leaf is often allegorically used in the Hindu scriptures. The flower though thrives in water, its leaf never gets wet. This symbolises the nature of a Jnani or a realised person who is ever blissful, untouched by the sorrows and the changes which is characteristic of the world.

So we could say she resides in the heart of a person who is untouched by joys,sorrows ,misery,fame,cruelty and all other emotions.The liberated soul is the residence of the Maha Sakthi.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 58

58.PANCHABRAHMASANASTHITHA

“She who sits on the five brahmas viz., Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Esana and Sadashiva”

These five brahmas are synonmous with enlightenment, moksha yoga, samadhi and nirvana.

It is very subtle in its meaning .We have to look at each one of them in their context.

Brahma -Brahma is traditionally depicted with four heads, four faces, and four arms. With each head, He continually recites one of the four vedas. He is often depicted with a white beard (especially in North India), indicating the nearly eternal nature of his existence. Unlike most other Hindu Gods, Brahma holds no weapons. One of His hands holds a scepter in the form of a spoon, which is associated with the pouring of holy ghee or oil onto a sacrificial pyre, signifying Brahma as the lord of sacrifices. Another of His hands holds a jar or coconut shell containing water. The water in this jar signifies the initial, all-encompassing ether in which the first element of creation evolved. Brahma also holds a string of prayer beads, which He uses to keep track of the Universe's time. He is also shown holding the Vedas and, sometimes, a lotus flower.
so in short we can say:The Four Hands - Brahmā's four arms represent the four cardinal directions: east, south, west, and north. The back right hand represents mind, the back left hand represents intellect, the front right hand is ego, and the front left hand is self-confidence.
The Rosary - Symbolizes the substances used in the process of creation.
The Book - The book symbolizes knowledge.
The Gold - Gold symbolizes activity; the golden face of Brahmā indicates that He is actively involved in the process of creating the Universe.
The Swan - The swan is the symbol of grace and discernment. Brahmā uses the swan as a vehicle.
The Crown - Lord Brahmā's crown indicates His supreme authority.
The Lotus - The lotus symbolizes nature and the living essence of all things and beings in the Universe.
The Beard - Brahmā's black or white beard denotes wisdom and the eternal process of creation.
The Four Faces - The four vedas (Rig, Yajur, Atharva, and Sāma).

So Brahma is personified knowledge, which leads to enlightenment.I need not tell you that enlightenment is what everyone is aiming for.so the first support is enlightenment which is Brahma.

The next one is vishnu -vishnu is moksha because it is through Him that we attain the level of immortality.He is often referred to as the All-Pervading essence of all beings, the master of—and beyond—the past, present and future, the creator and destroyer of all existences, one who supports, sustains and governs the Universe and originates and develops all elements within.The Katha-upanishad, describes Vishnu in supremacy and clearly defines him as one who gives moksha-It states thus:
"He who has no understanding, who is unmindful and always impure, never reaches that place, but enters into the round of births. But he who has understanding, who is mindful and always pure, reaches indeed that place, from whence he is not born again. But he who has understanding for his charioteer (intellect), and who holds the reins of the mind, he reaches the end of his journey, and that is the highest place of Vishnu."

So Vishnu is moksha personified.

Next is Shiva is also referred to as Rudra.He symbolises yoga.He is depicted as an ascetic Yogin Depicted as a yogin, he is shown sitting and meditating. His epithet Mahāyogin ("the greatyogi= Mahā = "great", Yogin = "one who practices yoga") refers to his association with yoga.While vedic religion was conceived mainly in terms of sacrifice, it was during the epic period that the concepts of tapas,yoga and asceticism became more important, and the depiction of Shiva as an ascetic sitting in philosophical isolation reflects these later concepts. The Hindus often worship shiva in the form of lingam to stress that he is the yogic posture all the time and the shape of the lingam is the yogic posture which helps us to meditate.

Next is Esana which is often called the qualifier,qualifier of enlightenment. This is achieved by the sahasrara chakra in a person leading to samidhi.
Also called Brahma-randhra, it is the meeting place of Kundalini Shakti and Shiva. Immortalityis achieved within Sahasrara Chakra. Before attaining to this chakra the yogi is unableto reach the unconscious conscious state called asama-prajnata-samadhi.
In this state there is no activity of the mind and no knower, no knowledge, nothing to be known:knowledge, knower, and known all become unified and liberated.
When the Kundalini is raised up to Sahasrara chakra, the illusion of individual self is dissolved.The yogi becomes realized, one with the cosmic principles that govern the entire universe within the body.Samadhi is the pure bliss of total inactivity. Up to the sixth chakra the yogi may enter a trance in which activity or form still remains within the consciousness. In Sahasrara Chakra the prana moves upward and reaches the highest point. The mind establishes itself in the pure void of Shunya Mandala, the space between the hemispheres.
At this time all feelings, emotions and desires, which are the activities of the mind, are dissolved into their primary cause. The union is achieved. The yogi is sat-chit-ananda, truth-being-bliss.

SO the samadhi is yogi in trans personified.

The last one is sadashiva who is said to be another form of shiva. It is the awakening of the human mind which leads to enlightenment or nirvana.

So when we say that she sits on the five brahmas ,enlightenment ,moksha samadhi and nirvana we are talking about enlightenment to the soul which is the actual site where she resides is very clearly depicted in this sentence.she rules the mind ,heart ,soul and our existence in this world is very clearly narrated.

soundarya lahiri also talks about the same:

Gataas the mancathvam Druhina-Hari-Rudr'eshavara-bhrutah

Sivah svacchac-chaya-ghatita-kapata-pracchada-pata;

Tvadhiyanam bhasaam prati-phalana-rag'arunathaya

Sariri srungaro rasa iva dhrisam dhogdhi kuthukam.

Brahma, Vishnu, Rudhra and Easwara,Who are the gods who rule the world,

Become the four legs of your cot,So that they are able to serve you always.

Sadhashiva who is white in colour.

Becomes the bed spread on which you sleep,

And appears red , because he reflects your colour.

And to your eyes which are the personification,

Of the feelings of love,He gives lot of happiness.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 57

57.CINTAMANIGRHANTASHTHA
She who resides in a house built of Cintamani jewels.

Cintamani is the jewel which yields all objects of desire, on this the house of Devi is built.

The cintamani house is the origin of all the mantras which yields all objects of desire, which gets rid of the 'cinta'.

By saying that devi resides in such a place, it also means that she is one who fulfills all desires.One should understand, that she fulfills all your desires only for you to renounce it later.It is said that the path to renunication is a path filled with desires.One should always understand that by taking the PATH we are expected to get rid of the desires.Let me explain how renunication can come about. Renunication is nothing but total surrender to the goddess.how does this come about. can it be acheived in a day?or can we achieve it by telling ourselves and the people around us that we will do anything she commands.or does it come about by announcing to the whole world that you are her ardent follower and that she is the only one capable of guiding you to enlightment.The answer is NO. Here i would like to state that enlightment or renunciation has to come from you ,so the amount of work that one has to do is enormous.Now let us see the methods to be adopted to enter into the path of total surrender.

1.Is the softening of the heart:

The yoga of pure devotion is found at the beginning, the middle and the end of the path. Merging with devi is more and more a deeply felt experiential reality when the soul gives of itself to her inwardly and outwardly in unabashed devotion. Prapatti truly is the key that unlocks the love needed as merger increases as the years pass by and, as Satguru Yogaswami said, "Love pours forth to melt the very stones." Bhakti yoga is not an intellectual study. It is a practice. It is also not an emotional experience. It is a devotional experience. There is a difference, which we will come to understand. Bhakti yoga is not a cure-all, nor a means to fast enlightenment. Rather, it is the foundation for enlightenment. It is not a technique. Nor is it a magic mantra. It is a way of life. The transformation that comes from living in the state of bhakti yoga is the softening of the heart.

2.Bhakthi :

Bhakti is a state of mind, an arrival at an inner state of consciousness. People who become angry, people who become jealous, people who are fearful, people who get confused are living in the asura loka. They are the ones who upset others and experience revenge. They have yet to come up even to the anava marga and attain a little appreciation of themselves. They have yet to experience being secure in their own identity.
They have yet to "be their own person," "find their own space." They must first close the door on channeling asuric entities. Once firmly planted on the anava marga, they begin feeling that they are God's gift to the world and may seek out a spiritual teacher. If the teacher does teach them karma yoga and bhakti yoga, they begin to realize that there are forces in the universe, souls in the universe, who are much greater than they are now or will ever be for a long time. Once this happens, the die is cast. They are on the spiritual path to their own eventual enlightenment.

On occasion we observe devotees pilgrimaging to a temple, prostrating so devotedly. But after leaving the temple, they slap one of their children. We know that upon entering the house they argue with their spouse and complain about their in-laws. Where is the true bhakti here? This is what bhakti is not. Unfortunately, the children who observe this hypocrisy remember it for a long, long time. A child might think, "You love Lord Ganesha, Mom, but you can't love me." When you love a baby, you will not hit it when it cries, even if the crying disturbs you.
Wise gurus will not initiate anyone into raja yoga techniques who does not have a sweet nature and a natural outpouring of bhakti. No one auditions for the symphony orchestra until he has mastered all that his first, second and third music teachers have taught him.
Suppose a devotee who is not virtuous is taught an intense raja yoga meditation and practices it ardently over a long period of time until a burst of light is seen. Then the devotee, now feeling quite above others, argues with his parents, or flashes out in anger when talking to a friend. At that moment, all the good merit and benefits of the raja yoga awakening are erased. This is because the prana of higher consciousness has been dissipated by the angry words, which now burn deeper into the mind of others than they would have before. No, a kindly, gentle nature must precede raja yoga sadhanas. That is for sure.
Bhakti is the base and the bedrock of spiritual unfoldment. A devotee who has an amiable nature, who is a good, considerate and giving person, is obviously a bhaktar. The disciplines of bhakti yoga make one a devotee, and a devotee is a very selfless type of person. These disciplines can take many forms, but the fruit of bhakti yoga, which is a loving disposition, must be attained before one can go further on the path with security. The proof is in the actions and attitudes of the individual. If he really sees God in and through all things, how can he not be a bhaktar? If he truly understands the law of karma, he cannot possibly resent any happening. He knows that the experiences of today were created in the past. He truly knows that today's actions mold the experiences of a future time. Yes, bhakti yoga is the bedrock of all minor and major enlightenments. Devotees who are very kind people, devotional, obedient, intelligent, will fulfill whatever assignments their guru gives -- be it a pure advaitic path, the raja yogas or the path of karma yoga.

3. Surrender:

Those of you who think of various other things when you perform pooja at home or in the temple often wonder why such things come to your mind when you are praying. You think of filling in gas at the petrol station or cooking dinner or think of the upcoming exams for your children,here is what you can do.To internalize worship, after the puja is over sit before the Deity and draw into yourself all the pranas you feel around your body. Then draw those energies up the spine into the head. This is done with the mind and with the breath. It is very easy to do. It is especially easy when one is at the end of a major karmic cycle. The bhakti of uncompromising surrender, prapatti, to the God during a temple puja awakens the amrita. The amrita is the sweet essence from the sahasrara chakra. It is the binding yoke to the Divine. Bind yourself in the lotus posture after temple worship and simply internalize all the feeling that you had for the God during the worship. That's all there is to it.

What is my advice for those who find such uncompromising surrender hard to imagine but realize it is their next step on the path? Go on a pilgrimage once a year, read scriptures daily, perform puja daily, go to the temple at least once a week, if not more often -- fulfill these disciplines, known as the pancha nitya karmas.

Individual practices to advance spiritual unfoldment include prostrating before God, Gods and guru, full body, face down, arms and hands outstretched, and in that act, total giving up, giving up, giving up, giving up. In Sanskrit it is called pranipata, "falling down in obeisance." What are these devoted ones giving up? By this act they are giving the lower energies to the higher energies. It is a merger, a blending. When one is performing this traditional devotional act, awakening true prapatti, it is easy to see the lower energies from the base of the spine, the muladhara chakra, rising, rising, rising up the spine through all six chakras above it and out through the top of the head. It is transmuting, changing the form of, the base energies which breed conflict and resistance, "mine and yours" and "you and me," division, insecurity and separateness, into the spiritual energies of "us and we," amalgamation, security, togetherness.

Once the giving up of the lower is total -- body and face on the ground, hands outstretched before the image of God, Gods or guru -- those energies are surrendered into the higher chakras within the devotee, and it is a blissful moment, into the consciousness of "us and ours," "we and oneness," and inseparable love, thus claiming their individuality, not as a separate thing, but as a shared oneness with all. Thereafter, these devoted ones, having been transformed, are able to uplift others, to harmonize forces around them that they work with day after day after day, year after year after year. This total surrender, prapatti, is the meaning of Siddhanta. This is the true meaning of Vedanta. The combination of both, and the pure practice of prapatti as just described, brings out from within the deeper meanings of Vedanta, the Vedic philosophy, without having to depend on the path of words, lectures and debates.

Let me tell you something.The total surrender is not in the books it is in your mind and heart.

So symbolically it is stated that she lives in the house of chitamani indicates her stay to bring about enlightment and total surrender in You and Me.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 56

56. SRIMANNAGARNAYIKA
Ruler of the Beautiful city.

'Srimannagara' means the 'Srichakra' here.

Yesterday's post I have discussed about the Meru mount in detail and gave evidence of its location. With that in mind I want you to look into the concept of Sri Chakra.Many of us are not aware of the srichakra's significance and the method to perform pooja for it. So in today's post I will discussing about the srichakra in detail.The worship of Devi in Srichakra is regarded as the highest form of the Devi worship. Originally Lord Shiva gave 64 Chakras and their Mantras to the world, to attain various spiritual and material benefits. For his consort Devi he gave the Shreechakra and the highly coveted and the most powerful Shodashakshari mantra, which is the equivalent of all the other 64 put together.

The Meru is the three dimensions of the Sri Chakra. If we returned to the two dimension Sri Chakra, and imagine that the bindu in its center is the peak of a mountain. Then imagine that the mountain is built up in tiers, each tier being one of the circles of triangles or lotus petals, with the outermost square representing ground level. Now, imagine a verticalspine down the center of the mountain, then at each point that the spine and a tier intersect, there is a chakra. The peak represents Mount Meru, abode of the Gods.

Before starting the worship it is advisable to know about the way the Sri Yantra is constructed, what all it represents, about the 9 Avaranas, the deities, their gunas and significance, so that your worship is more meaningful. The following are the authentic details as given in various Tantra & Mantra scriptures.
Five downward pointing triangles representing Devi intersect with four upward pointing triangles representing Siva, forming 43 triangles including the central triangle..
From the five Shakti triangles comes creation and from the four Shiva triangles comes the dissolution. The union of five Shaktis and four Fires causes the chakra of creation to evolve.
At the centre of the bindu of the Shri Yantra is Kamakala, which has three bindus. One is red, one is white and one is mixed. The red bindu is Kurukulla the Female form, the white bindu is Varahi the Male form, and the mixed bindu is the union of Shiva & Shakti - the individual as the potential Shri Cakra. Varahi, the father-form, gives four dhatus to the child and Kurukulla, the mother-form, gives five dhatus to the child. Theses represent the nine dhatus of the human body.
Varahi’s four fires are the 12 (4 x 3) sun Kalas, the 12 Zodiac constellations. Kurukulla’s five triangles are the 15 (5 x 3) Kalas of the moon, 15 lunar Tithis. These nine triangles also represent the nine stages of growth of the human child in the womb.
Surrounding the 43 triangles formed by the intersection of the nine triangles is the 16 petals circle. Surrounding the 16 petal circle is an 8 petal circle. After that the 3 lines and at the outermost part of the Sriyantra there are 3 lines called the Bhupura. The 43 triangles constitute the six inner sections called Avaranas, the two circles of petals are two more avaranas and the Bhupura of 3 lines is the last Avarana.
These 9 Avaranas of the Sri Yantra have various presiding Devis. They are the Devi’s Parivar (retinue) of total 108. In the Srichakra pooja they are systematically worshipped one by one with their names and mantras. The presiding Deity of Srichakra, Devi, is Known as Lalita Tripura Sundari. The form of Devi Kamakshi of Kancheepuram is the closest resemblance of the Devi as described in the scriptures.
The Meru Chakra or Sri Chakra is a three-dimensional Shri Yantra, the embodiment of Sri Lakshmi (abundance) and Tripura Sundari (beauty). It is the yantra of Sri Vidya, sacred knowledge of the Goddess. It can also be seen as the unification of Masculine Divine and Feminine Divine: Shiva and Shakti, Lakshmi and Narayana, Purusha and Prakriti. It can be effectively used for correcting defects of the north (direction of health, fortune, career, and money) and northeast (energetically the most sacred and important area of any building). When placed in the northeast, it improves the spatial energies of the whole house. Defects in the northeast and north are the most serious, so the Meru Chakra is a valuable corrective tool of Vedic yantra technology. Even if your home or office has been built according to Vastu, the Gold Meru Chakra is a great energetic blessing that enhancesthe flow of vibrant energy of health and abundance.

Meru and Sri ChakraThere are nine chakras in the Sri Chakra. These nine Chakras have each a distinct form and a distinct name. Proceeding from the outermost to the inner, let us describe the Chakras.
The outermost is a square Chaturasra of three lines, the lines one inside the other,opening out in the middle of each side as four portals. This is known as the Bhupura, the earth-stretch. This is the ground-plane if Sri Chakra is considered as graded elevations, Meru.Through the portals in the Bhupura one enters the precincts. Immediately inside the square are three concentric circles which serve as three girdles trivalaya.The space between the sides of the square and the circumference of the outermost circle, between Bhupura and Trivalya, is known as Trailokya Mohana Chakra, the Enchanter of the Triple World.Inside the 3 girdles are:

1. Sarvasa Paripuraka Chakra - 16 Petals - Fulfiller of all Desires;

2. Sarva Sanksobhana Chakra - 8 Petals - Agitator of all;

3. Sarva Saubhagyadayaka Chakra - 14 Triangles [Chaturdasa Kona] - Giver of all Auspiciousness;

4. Sarvartha Sadhaka Chakra - 10 Triangles [Outer Dasara] - Accomplisher of all Purposes;

5. Sarva Raksakara Chakra - 10 Triangles [Inner Dasara] - Giver of all Protection;

6. Sarva Rogahara Chakra - 8 Triangles [Ashta Kona] - Remover of all Diseases;

7. Sarva Siddhiprada Chakra - Inverted Primary Triangle - Giver of all accomplishments and

8. Sarvanandamaya Chakra - Bindu - Full of all Bliss

2D Srichakra Yantra
1st Avarana the outer square with three lines and 4 gates is brown. The outer line is white (though the colour of the 10 deities here is like molten gold), the middle line is orange red like the rising sun and the inner line is yellow like the colour of butter.

2nd Avarana the 16 petal lotus is pink like lotus flower.

3rd Avarana the 8 petal lotus is red - the colour of Bandhuka flowers.

4th Avarana the 14 cornered triangle is colour green like the colour of glow worms.

5th Avarana the outer 10 corners triangle is red like Japakusuma flowers.

6th Avarana the inner 10 corners triangle is colour blue (though the deities here have the lusture of 1000 rising suns).

7th Avarana the 8 corners triangle is colour red like Dadini flowers.

8.The innermosst triangle is white.

9.The Bindu the central point is red like Sindoor.

SriChakra can be kept in a house as a holy article, without any worship in the same way one would keep a picture of a Deity or Mother Mary. (Mother worship is in vogue amongst the Christians as well. The whole Christian world looks upon Virgin Mary as the Mother of God-Lord Christ. As such some denominations of Christians worship Kanya Kumari, since they believe Kanya-Kumari to be the Virgin Mary )
It could be worshiped once a year, periodically, or on special occasions like Navaratri or daily or when ever one likes.
Sunday in conjunction with Pusya Star, one’s own Guru’s birthday, the day of one’s own birthday, Astami (the 8th day of the bright half or\f the moon), or the 14th day of the bright half of the lunar month. Friday in conjunction with full moon day is very special.
Sri Chakra can be drawn on paper with pen and ink, or on the floor or plank, bark, or coloured flour to turmeric, kumkum, ashes of yajna and consigned to the river or sea, after the puja is done.
SriChakra can be drawn on gold, silver, copper leaf or plate. One drawn on a plate made of five metals are considered very powerful. The metals are gold, silver, copper, brass, and tin.
SriChakra can be used to meditate on it own or with other deities.
SriChakra drawn on a plate, foil or disc or gold, silver, copper or any other material can be worn on a person as talisman.
Sri Chakra is to be always kept flat to the ground and not upright or slanting, except when used as a talisman or as a ear-ring or a ring. It should never be used as a wall hanging. SriChakra is the most calm, harmless, genteel and non aggressive of all the yantras.

Lalitha Sahasranamam- 55

55 SUMERUMADHYASRNGASTHA
Dwelling on the middle peak of Mount Sumeru

Durvasa states in lalithastavaratna "Let the gold mountain be victorious, whose body is made up of the whole universe,filled by the music of the divine ladies living in the golden creeper bowers of the mountain peak;we salute the three peaks of it which are seats of Brahma,Vishnu and Siva. In the middle there is another peak 400 yojanas in height, beautifying the place by golden rays of the flowers and I worship it"

Mount Sumeru has to be understood, for us to have a clear understanding of the srichakra and the the Goddess.

Srichakra (Meru) can be a miniature form of legendary Mt. Sumeru or Meru. Worship (puja) of Devatas starts with ‘Samkalp’ in which the devotee pronounces the country, town or place as well as its location with reference to an important mount and river nearby, year, season (rutuvu), month (maas) and day (vasara and thidhi) of his worship. Although the British renamed BHARAT as India, during their rule, yet a resident Indian refers the country’s geographical boundaries “Bharat Khande”, “Bharata Varshe’ and adds exact situation of Bharata Varshe’ that is south (Dakshina dikbaghe) to the Mount MERU. As Devatas and Devis (Hindu Gods and Goddess) are invisible, their idols are made in human form with divine attributes and are worshipped as can be seen in temples and houses. Instead of idol, geometrical ‘yantra’ is also made and worshipped. Yantra is carved in specified geometrical forms on gold, silver or copper plate.There are three kinds of Shree Yantra, Bhuprastha, Kurma Prastha and Meru Prastha. Shree Yantra that is plain is called Bhuprishtha -(Back of the Earth), one, which is raised on a tortoise back, is called "Kachchhap Prishtha" and that which is raised fully like the Sumeru Mountain is called Meru Prishtha like a Mountain .Kailas Range is situated at 31.00 N 82.00 E while Mt. Everest is at 28.05 N 86.58 E. Both the peaks are close to the centre of the earth (90 degrees). Thousands of years ago, the maharshis (saints who did long penances and acquired miraculous powers) could realize that the Mount Sumeru is at the centre of the earth.

Why was this place chosen to be the home of devi?with the mountain ranges on all sides and where peace and tranquility resides we find the goddess seated enjoying the serenity and it is said the gold mountains because of the suns rays on it glitters like gold and the sheer presence of goddess turns the mountains shimmering with the golden rays.The mention of mount meru is also seen in other puranas.Mention has been made of Meru hill and Kashmir in the ‘Skanda Purana’, particularly in ‘Lakshmi Sahasranamavali’ composed by saint Sanatkumara . It has been described Kashmira pura (the city of Kashmir) is the abode while Meru and Vindhya hills etc remain the favorite places for the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. This epic reveals that the name Srinagar (city of Goddess Lakshmi) was originated probably because Goddess Lakshmi has been described as ‘Kashmira pura vasini’ in Skanda Purana.
Both Meru and Kashmir have been mentioned in the epic. It is difficult to say the area of ancient Kashmira pura, a region in that period. Anyhow, the region retained the name Kashmir, though its area might have been reduced significantly. Possibility exists that Meru might be within the ancient Kashmir region in ‘puranic’ times (at the time these puranas were written). So the presence of meru and the beauty of landscape gives us an opportunity to understand her powers and the affection she has for mankind.

Lalitha Sahasranamam- 54

54.SVADHINAVALLABHA

She has won over her lord

Let us again know still more of Lord Shiva.Shiva as described in shiva puranas is as follows:Face on the head represents the Ganges,the holy river,signifying the flow of scriptural teachings passing wisdom from one generation to the next.

Moon on the forehead symbolises that the lord is the master of time.The large oval red dot on the forehead is the third eye of knowledge which if opened,reduces to ashes the person in its vision.It is the symbol of the destroyer of evil and ignorance.

Serpents around the neck signifies the ego which is mastered can be worn as an ornament.

Wearing a tiger skin is said to be fearless. Rudrakasha beads denotes purity.the rosary in the right hand symbolises concentration.Drum symbolises the vedas and the other scriptures from which we learn to lead a proper life.Trident represents the three powers of knowledge, desire and implementation. The whole form of shiva is that of the mind and Shiva is said to be the absolute,and let us consider this scriptural form of Lord Shiva, with scientific view and see what does God want to preach the common people. Jagdamba Parvati is the form of power. Lord Shiva always keeps her on to his left side, because, he himself remains in a state of Tapasya (meditation). People and scriptures too, assume that the left part of the males is inauspicious and trouble-causing. Where as Parvati is the form of power and thus always auspicious. Hence, in order to destroy all the inauspiciousness and obstacles, Lord Shiva keeps Parvati on his left side. Besides, Lord Shiva is himself a form of inauspiciousness as :
"AMANGALYAM SHEELAM TAVABHAVATU NAMAIVAMAKHILAM

TATHAPI SMARTRINAMA VARADA PARAMAM MANGAMASI "
Meaning : It is famous in the whole world that Lord Shiva is inauspicious, but a giver of all kinds of auspiciousness. Nevertheless, He is the giver of all kinds of auspiciousness for those who remember him. This virtue is because of Parvatis presence with him.Thus acting on the principle :
"NARYASTU YATRA PUJYANTE RAMANTE TATRA DEVATAH"
That is where the womenfolk is worshipped, the gods stays there, Lord Shiva preaches the same to his devotees, that if they respect woman, all the inauspiciousness all the hurdles, would be removed automatically.

This goes to prove that devi has won over her lord the supreme.He himself has agreed that the sakthi is required in this world to maintain orderliness and bring prosperity to man kind.The symbolic representation of shiva leads us further into knowing ourselves and his love and acceptance gives us a motivation to go on to the path of meditation and reach her and keep her dear to our hearts.so winning of the lord is winning of mankind who is an ardent devotee and he who tries to reach her through prayer ,chanting and sacrifice reach her and she rules them heart and mind and thus the oneness of the two is revealed.

Soundarya Lahiri hails them thus:

"Vishuddhou the shuddha sphatika visadham vyoma janakam

Shivam seve devimapi siva samana vyavasitham

Yayo kaanthya sasi kirana saaroopya sarane

Vidhoo thantha dwarvantha vilamathi chakoriva jagathi"

I bow before the Shiva ,Who is of the pure crystal form,

In thine supremely pure wheelAnd who creates the principle of ether,

And to you my mother,Who has same stream of thought as Him.

I bow before you both,Whose moon like light,

Forever removes the darkness of ignorance,Forever from the mind,

And which shines like the Chakora* bird ,Playing in the full moon light.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 53

53 SIVA
She who is the personification of Shiva.

Here Shiva means her people, it is us.Shiva symbolizes devotion,concentration,dedication and time and again it was been narrated in different stories that shiva without sakthi is powerless This is to show that the ardent devotee of the Maha Maaya is Shiva.The image of Shiva is that of yogic posture,implying to the world that Sakthi is inseperable from her devotees. We are immortal souls living and growing in the great school of earthly experience in which we have lived many lives. Vedic rishis have given us courage by uttering the simple truth, "God is the Life of our life." A great sage carried it further by saying, there is one thing God cannot do: God cannot separate Himself from us. This is because God is our life. God is the life in the birds. God is the life in the fish. God is the life in the animals. Becoming aware of this Life energy in all that lives is becoming aware of God's loving presence within us. We are the undying consciousness and energy flowing through all things. Deep inside we are perfect this very moment, and we have only to discover and live up to this perfection to be whole. Our energy and God's energy are the same, ever coming out of the void. We are all beautiful children of God. Each day we should try to see the life energy in trees, birds, animals and people. When we do, we are seeing Shiva in action. The Vedas affirm, "He who knows God as the Life of life, the Eye of the eye, the Ear of the ear, the Mind of the mind--he indeed comprehends fully the Cause of all causes." Secondly when we think of of ourselves we all want to be one with god through self realization and we often tell ourselves we cannot be seperated from the trust we have for god.So here god becomes inseperable.So bhakthi is shiva,our mind is shiva,our devotion is shiva and our action is shivaness.that is why shiva becomes her personification. The realization of the Self, Parashiva, is the destiny of each soul, attainable through renunciation, sustained meditation and frying the seeds of karmas yet to germinate. It is the gateway to moksha, liberation from rebirth. The Self lies beyond the thinking mind, beyond the feeling nature, beyond action or any movement of even the highest state of consciousness. The Self God is more solid than a neutron star, more elusive than empty space, more intimate than thought and feeling. It is ultimate reality itself, the innermost Truth all seekers seek. It is well worth striving for. It is well worth struggling to bring the mind under the dominion of the will. After the Self is realized, the mind is seen for the unreality that it truly is. Because Self Realization must be experienced in a physical body, the soul cycles back again and again into flesh to dance with Shakthi, live with Shakthi and ultimately merge with Shakthi in undifferentiated oneness. Jiva is actually Shiva. The Vedas explain, "As water poured into water, milk poured into milk, ghee into ghee become one without differentiation, even so the individual soul and the Supreme Self become one." Did you know that the dancing shiva could depict the soul.?All motion begins in God and ends in God. The whole universe is engaged in a whirling flow of change and activity. This is Siva's dance. We are all dancing Siva, and she with us. Ultimately, we are Sivas and in us sakthi dwells. The same meaning is given in Ananda lahiri

"Shivah shakthya yukto yadi bhavati shaktah prabhavitum

Na chedevam devo na khalu kusalah spanditumapi;

Atas tvam aradhyam Hari-Hara-Virinchadibhir api

Pranantum stotum vaa katham akrta-punyah prabhavati"

Lord Shiva, only becomes able.

To do creation in this world along with Shakthi

Without her, Even an inch he cannot move,And so how can,

one who does not do good deeds,Or one who does not sing your praise,

Become adequate to worship youOh , goddess mine,

Who is worshipped by the trinity.

So he who realises Himself and he who connects himself with God,becomes immortal and remains one with GOD.

Lalitha Sahasranamam - 52

52.SIVAKAMESHVARANKASTHA
She is sitting on the lap of Siva'Kama' here it means Desire or that which is desired.

The ultimate object of knowledge is to conquer the mind from desires, the Personality of any man on this earth. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Her. Yoga is for realizing Her. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Her only. She is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Her. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Her.She is the supreme goal of life.One has to understand everything, by examining its nature and characteristics. This is called acquirement of knowledge. But one should not simply acquire knowledge without reaching the goal of life or the basic principle for acquiring knowledge—bhakti-yoga. If we give up bhakti-yoga and simply busy ourselves in the analytical study of the nature of things as they are, then the result will be practically nil. It is stated in the Bhagavatam that such engagement is something like husking a paddy. There is no use beating the husk if the grain has already been removed. By the scientific study of material nature, the living entity and the Supersoul, one has to understand the basic principle of devotional service to the Creator.In Bhagavad gita it is said:

virago yena puruso

bhagavan sarvato

bhavetacaksva jiva-lokasya

vividha mama samsrtih

In this verse the word samsrtih is very important. Sreyah-srti means the prosperous path of advancement towards the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and samsrti means the continued journey on the path of birth and death towards the darkest region of material existence. People who have no knowledge of this material world, God and their actual intimate relationship with Her are actually going to the darkest region of material existence in the name of progress in the material advancement of civilization.Bhakti-yoga is the sunlike illumination for delivering the conditioned souls, whose general condition is described here. They have no eyes to see their own interests. They do not know that the goal of life is not to increase the material necessities of existence, because the body will not exist more than a few years. The living beings are eternal, and they have their eternal need. If one engages only in caring for the necessities of the body, not caring for the eternal necessities of life, then he is part of a civilization whose advancement puts the living entities in the darkest region of ignorance. Sleeping in that darkest region, one does not get any refreshment, but, rather, gradually becomes fatigued. He invents many processes to adjust this fatigued condition, but he fails and thus remains confused.The only path for mitigating his fatigue in the struggle for existence is the path of devotional service,Bhakthi which leads you to the path of knowledge,devouring the greed, savage in you and brings peace in your mind and helps you to walk towards her.So,can we say devotional service is knowledge on which she sits and rules this world.Devotional service in the modes of ignorance, passion and goodness can be divided into eighty-one categories. There are different devotional activities, such as hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, offering prayer, rendering service and surrendering everything, and each of them can be divided into three qualitative categories. There is hearing in the mode of passion, in the mode of ignorance and in the mode of goodness. Similarly, there is chanting in the mode of ignorance, passion and goodness, etc. Three multiplied by nine equals twenty-seven, and when again multiplied by three it becomes eighty-one. One has to transcend all such mixed materialistic devotional service in order to reach the standard of pure devotional service.I would like to quote the Gita for devotional service:

"mad-guna-sruti-matrenamayi sarva-guhasayemano-gatir avicchinnayatha gangambhaso ’mbudhau

laksanam bhakti-yogasyanirgunasya hy udahrtamahaituky avyavahitaya bhaktih purusottame"

so what is pure devotional service?

1.A true devotee is free from the qualities such as passion,ignorance and greed.He who performs his service to the almighty with reverence and has love for mankind is said to be a true devotee.

2. A devotee must execute his prescribed duties, which are glorious, without material profit. Without excessive violence, one should regularly perform one’s devotional activities.

3.A human being is not to eat anything which is not offered to the Supreme.

4. Temple worship is also another form of devotional service.

5.A devotee should always try to hear about spiritual matters and should always utilize his time in chanting the holy name of God.His behavior should always be straightforward and simple, and not being envious, but friendly to everyone.

So sitting on the lap of shiva she dictates devotional service which leads to understanding of the kama which by itself is knowledge.

Lalitha Sahasranamam- 51

51 SARVABHARANABHASURA
She is adorned with every ornament.

In the last few slogas we have seen the ornaments adorned on her.A total number of 36 kinds or Ornamental jewellery is worn by Devi.Why is the ornament woven by her mentioned, the significance of ornaments. many of you have been asking me about this and why we insists on wearing them.It is not only our traditions and custom but it bears significance. In this context I would say the ornaments are adorned on her for two reasons.One is explain to us the significance for wearing them and to the rishis and sages she implies a different meaning.Let us look at both the aspect.

Metti worn by married women is usually made of silver. This is a ring with two or three line rounds, worn in their second finger from toe. By wearing this in both feet, it is believed, that their Menstrual cycle course is regularized with even intervals. This gives good scope for conceiving to married women. Also it is said just because that particular nerve in the second finger from toe, also connects the uterus and passes through heart. Because of this, the constant friction caused while walking and doing all sorts of chores during a day, it revitalizes the productivity organs. Silver being a good conductor, it also absorbs the energy from the polar energies from the earth and passes it to the body, thus refreshing whole body system.Next the

ornament known as kolusu in Tamil, Ghungru in Hindi, which is known as Anklets in English. It is widely believed that by wearing this, one's energy is not wasted but re-vibrated back to one's own body. Hip Belt called Oddiyaanam is made of Silver, but the usage of this is not common. It is very particularly used to control women from getting fatter and to avoid flabs in hip and pot belly. Since no women uses these days this ornament, one can see the results that is visible!.From the body level, all sorts of Gold ornament is used. Each part of human body is divided into two parts - Upper and lower level. In the lower part (i.e. below naval) they used all silver made items, wherein in the upper portion they used Gold made ornaments. Chain, Necklace, Pendants are used with decorative passions, stones and designs. Every married women used to get a Mangalsutra, which is known as Thali in Tamil and Thirumangalyam amongst srivaishnavas. This is mostly made in gold as an identifiable mark for married women. This too is believed to regularize a women's blood circulation. This is also said to control the body pressure levels to a maximum extent, as Indian women tend to work hard, more than her male counterpart. The most important thing to note about this Thirumangalyam is, that it should always be hidden or covered in the inner garments. Just because of the constant friction of the metal gold touching the body portion directly, the effect will be more to gain the said benefits. However, if the same is worn outside the clothes and making it visible to everyone, then the effect is reduced. That's why it is always advisable to wear the Thirumangalyam known as Thali or Mangalsutra inside the blouse and not to show off.Now let us see the next item - Ear Stead. This ornament is mostly made of Gold with innumerable designs and fashions. Some in Gold with stones and some with plain Gold designs. This is considered to be the most important ornament and from childhood days Hindu girls are given this ornament. The boys too wear it from the age of 7 years.Human anatomy, a precise location of parts in our body, was an easy accessible subject for the astrologers and Brahmans in those days. They found out that half of the problem occurring for human body is either because of renal failure or of bowel not cleared daily. And rest half of is by food habits and dieted propositions. And they easily got the link, that an important nerve connecting the Brain, Cervical and Kidney is passing through a persons right ear and if the pressure there could be controlled, then the kidney functioning can be just maintained and protected from damages.
Also, only at the age of 7 the kidney bladder starts functioning and till then the bladder doesn't grow fully. Another most important factor is that human beings brain/memory cell expansion too begins at the age of 7 only. That's why one cannot remember clearly what took place during the age of 4/5/6 but can mostly remember things after 7 years of age!So let us see the next precious item called Bangles. Normally the wrist portion is in constant activation on any human. Also the pulse beat in this portion is mostly checked for all sort of ailments. Even though, pulse beat is counted from the wrist, the heart beat ratio too, is taken for checking one's health conditions. The Bangles used by women are normally in the wrist part of ones hand and its constant friction increases the blood circulation level. Further more the electricity passing out through outer skin is again reverted to one's own body because of the ring shaped bangles, which has no ends to pass the energy outside but to send it back to the body. This way a women gains her strength which is presumably wasted otherwise. So the ancient Hindus gave shape to this item called Bangles and later it got molded in to many shapes and designs to add more attraction and beautification.The next item is a piece of stead-like ornament worn by women in their nose, commonly known as nose-ring and nose stead. Though it is mainly used for beautifying women, the in-depth meaning can't be termed as unfound myth. It is considered as a breath regularizing and some say it is just to eliminate the poison coming out while exhaling carbon.

Now, for the finger rings! In every part of the globe, this ring is mainly used during betrothal and marriages, thus signifying that the person, is a married person. The ring finger is most appropriately used to wear this ring. In ancient India, they classified the significance of each finger that controls or is in anyway connected to each part of one's body and the brain.

The Thumb in both hands are believed to be connected to the brain neurons/nerves which connects the sexual organs. And this finger is identified with planet Venus, The Goddess of Love. Any metallic friction in the body kindles specific brain neurons. So as to avoid frequent frictions in a specific part, they avoided wearing any ornaments in the Thumbs. the second finger from Thumb called the index finger, is identified with planet Jupiter. This finger's nerves are connected to the brain, in its learning capacitor neurons.So blocking of this nerve will hinder the thought process.Then the Middle finger. It is said that it's nerve is passing through the brain divider line and if any metallic friction is here, then the confusion is caused in the brain whether the signal given is from left or right side of the brain. When some important decision is to be taken and if the confusion prevails because of wearing a ring in the middle finger, then it is likely to be the wrong decision. To avoid this, generally people never wore nor wear any rings in this middle finger.The most vital is its function and connectivity, the fourth finger from the Thumb, known as the ring finger is identified with the Star-Sun. It is widely believed, that the nerve passing through this finger is evenly spread to the entire brain neuron cells and any frequent metallic friction caused in this finger is very good for one's health. It also improves one's general capacity in handling his/her life with ease and confidence. That's why all over the world, they use gold rings for men and women, very commonly in this finger. Specifically during engagements and marriages. It also signifies one's marital status just at a look. I sincerely suggest every one to wear a gold ring in this finger so that he/she prospers through out their life.Finally, the little finger. This finger is identified with planet Mercury which controls the organs that is ruling the brain, thoughts and thinking. Any friction in this finger causes some disturbance in one's thoughts. some of the other ornaments are:
Sutti (Used in the forehead)
Rakkadi (used in the backhead, hair design, to hold the bunch of lengthy soft hair spun and tied)
Kanganam (armband).

There are a few which are not in use today :

Kaarai
Vangi
Addigai (Belt strap ornament)
Kattuvanam
Kaasi Malai (made of coin shaped necklace)
Jadanagam (used to tie the hair band from back side)
Nagothu
Tholvalai Kappu (used in the shoulder to hold the sari)
Batti
Besari (A stead in gold with stone studded Nose stud or ear stead with a hanging design)
Nagar or Nagam (A cobra shaped ornament used the upper arms)
Surya & Chandra Pirai (Sun & Moon shaped ornamental jewel used to decorate their forehead)
Bullakku (A designer jewel worn in the that hangs from the nose stead or ear stead)
Thandai (a jewel made of Silver worn in the ankle with some precious stone studded from inside of the jewel, like a pipe-shape ring that weights heavy)
Salangai (A jewel made in silver with a series of small silver bells and worn in the anklet - Mostly used by classical & Bharathanatyam dancers)
Maattal (A chain shaped jewel used to hook in the hair from the ear ring stead or nose stead)
Lolakku - A designer jewel that hung from the ear stead.
Jimikki - A designer jewel that hung from the ear stead.
Bullakku - A designer jewel that hung from the nose stead.
Gajjal
Aranaal (a silver made item, a chain shaped one used along with inner side of sari at hip level)
Kodi Malai - A chain made in the shape of leaves and plants of soft designs in plain gold.
Silambu - A ring shaped jewel in a pipe mode within the pipe they used to contain precious Pearl, silver balls, coral beeds etc.( Oh, a history was created by Kannaki, using the Silambu with Pearl Beeds; Kannaki burnt the town Madurai with her inimical power to prove her husband is innocent. A chapter dealing with Silambu is known as Silappathikaram in Tamil!)All these ornaments are used for beautification of the women and it is also an investment which can be encashed in trouble times.

Now let us see the spiritual impact of these ornaments in Lalitha Sahasranamam.

the head ornaments like the rakkadi and sutti is the Sincerity and truthfulness.everyone appreciates a sincere and a truthful person. so she wears that as her topmost ornament.next is the ear steads.the two ear steads are the dance and drama which she adores.The nose ring and the bulakku on her nose implies her love for music .so be it the besari or the mukuthi the forms of it are different but the ornament remains the same like music.The next is her favourite malas and chains which are none other the devotees themselves.She honours them by wearing them considering them as her precious jewels. Next is the arm bands are the integrity of a person which is the strength of a person that is why she wears them on her arms.The bangles she wears are the sympathy and empathy which one should possess.The waist band she wears,is the quality she everyone should have it is altruism. Think of others without thinking of yourself. Do good things for people without expecting something in return for yourself.The next one is the anklets which reminds everyone to be Magnanimous, courteous. The metti she wears reminds everyone to leave their ego and be compassionate to the people around them.To top everything is the crown she wears, which symbolizes the wisdom one should have, the wisdom that is inside you. Understand the inner qualities of people and learn how to understand situations, that might be different and learn to respect others .

Lalitha Sahasranamam (46-50)

46.SINJANIMANIMANJIRAMANDASMITHAPADAMBHUJA
Her lotus feet are adorned with jeweled anklets which tinkle

Her lotus feet here is the site for meditation to raise ourselves from the kama loka to rupa loka.So what is kama loka and rupa loka?The world we live in, is Kama-Loka or the world of desire, in which the Kama-chitta or the desireful mind operates, like a hungry tiger prowling in a dense forest. Kama-Loka is the private picture which each individual mind projects upon the screen of the scientific world or the world of true forms, known as Rupa-Lo.ka.The lotus feet prescibes the method to raise ourselves from kama loka to rupa loka.They are: (a) inhibition of bodily and mental functions by Asana, Pranayama and Pratyahara; (b) concentration on one selected object without thinking of another, by Dharana; (c) replacement of the object by a mental image of it; (d) divesting the image of all concrete sensations and conceiving the image in an abstract mental cognition with all the individualised characters of the image.It is here that Rupa-Jnana or the lowest form of super-normal perception dawns.
There are five stages of Rupa-Dhyana or meditation on the true forms of things, viz., (a) removal of stupor by reasoning or Vitarka; (b) removal of doubt by discrimination or Vichara; (c) removal of aversion by compassion or Karuna; (d) removal of distraction or worry by contentment or Mudita; (e) removal of sensuous desire by one-pointedness or Ekagrata.

Transcendent to everything, there is the Nirbija-Satta or the seedless Absolute Existence, without even these impressions mentioned above. Here, the Goal of life is reached.Such is the glory of her feet ,the jewels mentioned are all the methods to attain the goal of oneness within us.

In the verses below Abirami Bhattar says in Abirami Anthadhi:

தஞ்சம் பிரித்து இல்லை ஈது அல்லது,

என்று உன் தவன்னேரிக்கேநேஞ்சம் பயில நினைகின்ரிளேன்;

ஒற்றை நீல்சிளையுமஞ்சு அம்பும் இக்கு அலராகி நின்றாய்:

அறியார் எனினும்பஞ்சு அஞ்சு மேல் அடியார்,

அடியார் பெற்ற பாலரையே

Refuge I never had,
Except the thought of thee.
But I request you, oh mother,
Who has the sweet cane as her bow,
And five flowers as arrows,
To be like the mother on earth,
Who has the softest feet,
Pardon and love,
But not to punish for mistakes great,
Their sons, whom they fed their milk.
Namo vakam broomo nayana ramaneeyaya padayo

Thavasmai dwandhaya sphuta ruchi rasalaktha kavathe

Asooyathyantham yadhamihananaaya spruhyathe

Passonamisana pramadhavana kamkhelitharave

We tell our salutations,To thine two sparkling feet.

Which are most beautiful to the eyes,

And Painted by the juice of red cotton.

We also know well ,

That God of all animals, your consort,

Is very jealous of the asoka trees in the garden ,

Which yearn for kick by your feet

is well said in soundarya lahiri.

47.MARALIMANDAGAMANA
Her gait is like that of a swan

So why is her walking compared to that of the movement of a swan.is it that the steps are very small so as to make herself understood to the human soul or is it that her steps are small and beautiful to watch to symbolize the art of living.An individual's subtle body is constituted of his mind and intellect, that is, his entire thoughts. Man's subtle body is responsible for the creation of his gross body and also the world that he experiences. The thoughts of an individual determine the type of physical body he possesses. The same thoughts are also responsible for the type of world that the individual experiences around him. As the thoughts, so the world. If a man possesses good thoughts he sees a good world. If his thoughts are bad he sees a bad world. Yudhisthira, a virtuous man saw virtue everywhere, while Duryodhana saw vice everywhere. When thoughts are absent there is no world at all. In deep sleep there are no thoughts, no world. This phenomenon is true not only of the microcosm but of the macrocosm as well. so not only is the movement of the swan compared but its characteristic feature or the unique faculty of separating pure milk from a mixture of milk and water. It is reputed to have the ability to draw the milk alone and leave the water behind. Similarly does a man of Realization move about in the world recognizing the one divinity in the pluralistic phenomena of the world is the underlying current in this sentence.see what soundarya lahiri tell us,

Pada-nyasa-kreeda-parichayam iv'arabdhu-manasah

Skhalanthas the khelam bhavana-kala-hamsa na jahati;

Atas tesham siksham subhaga-mani-manjira-ranitha-

Chchalad achakshanam charana-kamalam charu-charite.

She who has a holy life,

The swans in your house,Follow you without break,

As if to learn ,Your gait which is like a celestial play.

So thine lotus like feet,Taking recourse to the musical sound,

Produced by gems in your anklets,

Appears to teach them what they want.

48. MAHALAVANYASHEVADHIHI
She is a treasure house of beauty

Here the treasure house of beauty is being referred to the mystical experience or journey that one goes through when we relate her every movement in her body and when we describe the beauty of her with that of the vedantas and the philosophy.Her body not only symbolizes the scriptures but also the essence and the techniques to be followed to attain moksha.So after one goes through the verses he becomes the true devotee of Devi and remains at her feet to experience the liberation of the soul.

as you will find in abirami anthadhi :

நாயேனையும் இங்கு ஒரு பொருளாக நயந்து வந்து,

நீயே நினைவின்றி ஆண்டு கொண்டே;

ந்நின்னை உள்ளவன்னம்பெஎன் அறியும் அறிவு தந்தாய்;

என்ன பேரு பெற்றேன்!--தாயே, மலைமகளே,

செங்கன் மால் திருத் தங்கைச்சியே

Dog like, was I even then,
When thou saw me oh my mother,
And decided in your wish divine,
To rule my mind and made me,
Know thine divine grace.
How lucky I am,
Mother, who is the daughter of mountain great,
And red eyed Vishnu’s sister of gold.

49.SARVARUNA
She is all rosy hued . i.e her garments,jewels, flowers and etc are all rosy hued

Here the colour is specified only to bring out the grace and charm of the divine.Divinity is often associated with love.so by expressing her love she exhibits the rose colour which soothens the mind of her subjects.she is potrayed as loving mother ,a gentle wife,a true lover,is that what makes her go rosy red above everthing a devotee devotee,her colour brings reflections of one's self .The love she envisages is seen when shiva reflects her colour showing that when one loves the other the love is transmitted in the other person also.

Gataas the mancathvam Druhina-Hari-Rudr'eshavara-bhrutah

Sivah svacchac-chaya-ghatita-kapata-pracchada-pata;

Tvadhiyanam bhasaam prati-phalana-rag'arunathaya

Sariri srungaro rasa iva dhrisam dhogdhi kuthukam.

Brahma, Vishnu, Rudhra and Easwara,

Who are the gods who rule the world,

Become the four legs of your cot,So that they are able to serve you always.

Sadhashiva who is white in colour.Becomes the bed spread on which you sleep,

And appears red , because he reflects your colour.

And to your eyes which are the personification,Of the feelings of love,

He gives lot of happiness.

50 ANAVADYANGI
Her limbs are faultless.

As I said earlier her limbs are the sakthi and power of this universe.It is faultless it knows no distinction of race,caste or religion.sakthi is worshipped in three forms.Maiden, Mother and Crone. Her aspects are mirrored in the phases of the moon: waxing, full and waning.
The Maiden represents youth, emerging sexuality, the huntress running with her hounds. The Mother symbolizes feminine power, fertility, and nurturing. The Crone is wisdom, the compassion which comes from experience, and the one who guides us through the death experience. she is everywhere and this is illustrated as one looks into history and finds the names of goddess in different regions.for eg.Goddesses have been called by many names by different cultures and ages: Anat, Aphrodite, Aradia, Arianrhod, Artemis, Astarte, Brighid, Ceres, Demeter, Diana, Eostre, Freya, Gaia, Hera, Ishtar, Isis, Juno, Kali, Lilith, Ma'at, Mary, Minerva, Ostare, Persephone, Venus, Vesta, etc. proving therefore her existence everywhere in different forms.the same view is expressed in soundarya lahiri thus:

Giram aahur devim Druhina-gruhinim agaamavidho

Hareh pathnim padhmam Hara-sahacharim adhri-thanayam;

Thuriya kapi thvam dhuradhigama-niseema-mahima

Maha-maya visvam bhramayasi parabhrahma mahishi.

Oh , Parashakthi who is one with Parabrahma,

Though those who have learned Vedas,

Call you as Brahma’s wife Sarawathi,

Or call you as Vishnu’s wife Lakshmi,

Or call you as Shiva’s wife Parvathi,

You are the fourth called Maha Maya,

Who gives life to the world,

And have attained all that is to attain.

So is her radiance because of her multi faceted personality?

Lalitha Sahasranamam(41-45)

41 INDRAGOPAPARIKSHIPTASMARATUNABHAJANGHIKA
Her calves are like the Sapphire studded quiver of the god of love

Here her calves are mentioned to understand the concept of power and strength.When we walk,or run the calves move with a rythmn and this rythmn is produced due to the flexing of the muscles which is again controlled by the nervous system and this nervous system is controlled by the will of a person and can we see the will of a person.the answer would be NO.so is the concept of con sciousness which is very subtle but still enormous in its strength and the power it generates similiar to the existence of a consciousness behind the manifestation of all thought, there is a pure existence prior to the rise of names and forms as the universe. There is a power in Brahman which is not independent of it, but which can be inferred from the various effects that it produces, in the form of ether, etc., just as we infer the existence of heat in fire by means of its burning capacity,and the strength that the calves possess. This power is not the same as Brahman, even as heat is not the same as fire. It is possible by certain methods to inhibit the burning power of fire without destroying the fire itself; yet we know that we cannot separate heat from fire at any time. This power of Brahman which is existence cannot therefore be considered to be different from it; else, it would become non-existence. Also, it is not existence in the sense of Brahman; hence essenceless. It is therefore indeterminable in character - Sad-asad-vilakshana - different from what is existence and non-existence. The Vedanta proclaims that in the beginning of things there was neither being nor non-being, but there was an indescribable something which looked like darkness. Even this darkness should have existence as its basis, because, without it, even darkness would not be possible. Even ignorance is something that we superimpose on what is existence. Thus there is no cause for any duality between Brahman and its power, even as there is no distinction between a man and his strength. This power is the same everywhere, but appears to be different due to the difference in the intensity of the manifesting media. We therefore, do not count Sakti or power by itself, nor do we consider it as the same as Brahman. Hence it is Maya which is Anirvachaniya, that which cannot be described in words, nor thought of by the mind, because language and thought are the expressions of Maya itself.So the clear distinction has to be made which by itself is not possible so by considering the calves the power to manifest,lays hidden and will remain till it is identified.

"Paraa jenu rudhram dwigunasara garbhoy girisuthe

Nishanghou Unghe thee vishamavishikho bhada –maakrutha"

is said in soundarya lahiri

42 GUDHAGULPHA
With hidden ankles

The ankles are said to be hidden because they represent the vedas.The concept in the vedas are also hidden. so the emphasis of unknown is stressed here.The vedas are considered to be her ankles because The Vedas may be regarded as the source and fountain to which the later developments of thought can be traced.The accounts of sages, anchorites and kings which the Vedas furnish, formed the beginnings of the elaborate Itihasas or epics, and the Puranas. The social rules and customs of the time of the Vedas became the cornerstones for the systematisation of conduct and law in the Smritis or Dharmasastras. The social, political and religious institutions were all meant to help the gradual evolution of the individual, according to each one's capacity and aptitude, towards the realisation of spiritual universality.

The same is reflected in soundarya lahiri as well.

"Sruthinam murdhano dadhati thava yau sekharathaya

Mama'py etau Matah sirasi dayaya dhehi charanau;

Yayoh paadhyam paathah Pasupathi-jata-juta-thatini

Yayor larksha-lakshmir aruna-Hari-chudamani-ruchihme"

Oh mother mine,Be pleased to place your two feet ,

Which are the ornaments of the head of Upanishads,

The water which washes them are the river Ganges,

Flowing from Shiva’s head,And the lac paint adorning which,

Have the red luster of the crown of Vishnu,On my head with mercy

43. KURMAPRISHTAJAYISHNUPRAPADHANVITA
Her instep is arched like the back of a tortoise

Here the very essence of treading in the path of truth is stressed.The path to perfection can be trodden only after one’s encountering several threats and temptations. The example of Nachiketas shows that he was even cursed to death and was tempted severely in his attempt at adhering to righteousness and truth of the spirit. In the process of the search for Truth, the subjective propensities and objective tendencies show their heads in concrete forms and either tempt or threaten the aspirant. For an aspirant of weak will, advanced spiritual practices are very near impossibility. A person believes in what he sees and experiences and not in what he does not see and does not experience. He has love for certain things and fear for certain others, because he has faith in the value of those things, as they are the objects of his direct experience. He, however, does not believe in super-sensuous realities, because they are not the objects of his direct experience. Love for comforts and hatred for pain and sorrow pull the aspirant from two opposite sides, and he is left at sea. It is here that the strong weapon of will and discrimination should come for one’s help. One has to clear the way in the midst of these oppositions that are inevitable in one’s struggle for transcending one’s individuality in the Absolute.so the hard shell of the tortoise is compared with for the will which we should possess when adhering to the path of righteousness.

see the hint of irony in soundarya lahiri

Padham the kirhtinam prapadham apadham Devi vipadham

Katham nitham sadbhih kutina-kamati-karpara-thulam;

Katham vaa bahubhyam upayamana-kaale purabhida

Yad adhaya nyastham drshadi daya-manena manasa.

Oh, Goddess Devi,

How did the poets compare,The foreside of your merciful feet,

Which are the source of fame to your devotees,

And which are not the source of danger to them ,

To the hard shell of tortoise,I do not understand.

How did he who destroyed the three cities,Take them in his hand,

And place them on hard rock*,During your marriage?

44.NAKHADHIDHITISAMCHANANAMAJANATAMOGUNA
Her bright rays from her nails dispels the ignorance/darkness(tamo guna) form the mind of her devotees.

Meditating on the feet of Devi dispels ignorance

When one is meditating on her the ignorance vanishes.so what happens when ignorance vanishes.That which is soundless, touchless, formless, changeless, tasteless, eternal, odourless, beginningless, endless, greater than the cosmic intellect, the permanent being, is known, one is liberated from the mouth of death.
So attain liberation by holding her feet and singing her praises as seen in soundarya lahiri

Nakhair naka-sthrinam kara-kamala-samkocha sasibhi

Tarunam dhivyanam hasata iva te chandi charanau;

Phalani svah-sthebhyah kisalaya-karagrena dhadhatam

Daridhrebhyo bhadraam sriyam anisam ahnaya dhadhatauYour moon like nails,

Oh mother who killed Chanda,Which makes the celestial maidens,

Fold their hands in shame,Forever tease your two feet,

Which unlike the holy trees in heaven,

(Which by their leaf bud like hands,Give all they wish to the Gods,)

Give the poor people wealth and happiness,Always and fast.

45.PADADVAYAPRABHAJALAPARAKRTSARORUHA
The soles of her feet are so beautiful that they put to shame the lotus.

The soles of her feet are so beautiful because of the atmas reaching out to her and her feet becomes their residence and they get transformed as atman.When all the desires that are lodged in the heart are cast off, the mortal experiences the Immortal, and it becomes Brahman, here itself. Moksha is the realisation of that which exists always and everywhere. Therefore, it can be realised at her feet, provided the obstructions to this realisation are removed. These obstructions are called desires for objective experience. Removal of desires means the same as the destruction of the mind. The realisation of the Self does not involve a movement towards any external condition, but it is the extinction and transcendence of personality in the Absolute. It is like a drop dissolving in the ocean, or rather the ocean itself becoming aware that it is ocean.