The Hindu : Embodiment of grace

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 29, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Embodiment of grace

CHENNAI, MARCH 29 . The dynamic aspect of the Supreme Being is the Divine Mother (Sakti, Ambal) in the theistic traditions of Saivism and Saktism. Like the Lord, She also assumes the functions of creation, sustenance and dissolution with relation to the universe and plays an active role in the bondage and redemption of the bonded souls through Her grace. Generally devotees who seek material bounties are blessed with them while those who aspire for salvation are released from bondage; but those who worship the Divine Mother are fortunate to realise both material and spiritual ends. She is the controller of the five elements of nature.

Adi Sankara right in the opening verse of his hymn, the Saundaryalahari, highlights that the Divine Mother is the dynamic aspect of Siva by asking, "Without being united with You, can Siva even stir?" She is the great power that sets in motion the entire creation and thus Her dynamism must logically be responsible for all the functions of God in relation to the world.

She is the life giving mother, the Divine Mother and also the one who blesses the soul with spiritual knowledge and thereby puts an end to rebirth. As knowledge She is the very embodiment of the Pranava mantra (Om) and hence revered as the personification of the Vedas. The Lalitha Sahasranama and the Devi Mahatmya describe the glory of the Divine Mother as the very epitome of compassion.

In his discourse, Sri Ramanathan Palaniappan said the Abirami Andadi was a hymn, which was composed by Abirami Bhattar by Her grace. According to traditional accounts Bhattar was devoted to Abirami of Tirukkadavur but this was not apparent to others till a miracle happened in his life. He inadvertently uttered it was a full moon night on a new moon night when the ruler consulted him and when he demanded whether he could show him the full moon he sang this hymn praying for Her intercession and the moon appeared to the wonder of all.

The second verse of this hymn describes Her as Tripurasundari, one of Her different forms. The bow of sugarcane and the flower arrows held by the deity indicate that she fulfils the desires of Her devotees and the other ornaments Pasa and Ankusa held by Her signify that She bestows spiritual knowledge. In 49 out of the 102 verses of this hymn Bhattar describes the Divine Mother as the consort of Lord Siva.

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