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प्रसन्नवदनम् ध्यायेत् सर्व विघ्नोपशान्तये||
श्रीगुरुभ्योनमः
इहायाहि वत्सॆति हस्तान् प्रसार्या
ह्वयत्यादराच्चंकरॆ मातुरङ्कात्
समुत्पत्यतातं श्रयंतं कुमारं
हराश्लिष्ट गात्रं भजॆ बालमूर्तिं॥ (सुब्रह्मण्यभुजङ्गम् – 18)
A note on the positions of the Goddesses Lalita, Lakshmi, and Saraswati:
In the sahasranama stotra, Vagdevatas extolled Amma as सचामर-रमावाणि-सव्य-दक्षिण-सॆविता. According to this nama, Goddess Rama (Lakshmi) and Vani (Saraswati) are positioned on the left and right sides of Amma respectively. In Sanskrit, savya means left as well as right. So, one need to interpret with discretion, depending on the situation. Since right (dakshina) is also present in this nama, savya should be taken as left.
But, Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati are said to be on the right and left (respectively) of Amma, on some occasions. For example, Adi Sankara Bhagavatpada in the Meenakshi Pancharatna Stotra, eulogized Amma, as one who is served by Vani and Rama. Since it is a common practice to mention the right direction first and then the left, according to this description, Vani (Saraswati) is on the right, and Rama (Lakshmi) is on the left.
Why is there a difference and is there any significance to their positions?
Saraswati-Lalita-Lakshmi
दृषश्चंद्रार्कदहना दिशस्तॆ बाहवॊम्बिकॆ
मरुतस्तु तवॊच्छ्वासा वाचस्तॆ श्रुतयॊखिलाः॥ (ललितॊपाख्यानम् 3.13.10)
विरिञ्चिं दक्षिणॆनाक्ष्णा वामॆन हरिमैक्षत
का नाम वाणी मा नाम कमला तॆ उभॆ ततः प्रादुर्भूतॆ प्रभापुञ्जॆ पञ्जरान्त इव स्थितॆ ॥ (ibid 3.39.66)
The two illuminati, Ka named Saraswati and Ma named Lakshmi emerged, when Amma cast Her glance on Brahma with the right eye and Vishnu with the left eye.
These two Goddesses ka (Saraswati), ma (Lakshmi) extolled Amma as Jaya-Jaya-Kamakshi (ibid-3.39.67).
According to Garuda Purana (3.4), Satvik Goddess Sridevi, Rajasik Goddess Bhudevi and Tamasik Goddess Durga devi emerged from the Vishnu Sakti/Mula prakriti and Purusha has manifested correspondingly as Vishnu, Brahma and Siva. It is very important to observe that the inherent energy of the ParamBrahma(Vimarsamsa), is called Mulaprakriti in some scriptures, while the primary triangle emerged out of Bindu is called Mulprakariti/avidya in some other.
According to the creation-based interpretation of Soundaryalahari 2nd sloka, the trinity Saraswati-Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari-Lakshmi representing the equilibrium of trigunas, is symbolic of the three energies of the three corners of the primary triangle.
Due to this, the order Saraswati-Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari-Lakshmi, (Saraswati and Lakshmi serving Amma on the right and left sides respectively) seems to represent the gross form of the Sat-Chit-Ananda Supreme Consciousness at the Sahasrara.
Lakshmi-Lalita-Sarasawti
Interpretation according to yoga scriptures:
इडा पिङ्गळा सुषुम्नाः तिस्रॊनाड्यः प्रकीर्तिताः।
इडावामॆस्थिता भागॆ पिङ्गळा दक्षिणॆ स्थिता॥ (ध्यानबिन्दूपनिषद्-55)
नाड्यस्तु ता अधॊवदनाः पद्मतन्तुनिभाः स्थिताः।
पृष्ठवंशं समाश्रित्य सॊमसूर्याग्निरूपिणी॥ (शिवसंहित – 2.17)
इडा च भारती गंगा पिंगळा यमुनामता।
इडापिंगळयॊर्मध्यॆ सुषुम्ना च सरस्वती॥ (रुद्रायामल उत्तर तंत्रम् – 25.45)
इडा दॆवीच चंद्राख्या सूर्याख्या पिंगळा तथा।
सुषुम्ना जननी मुख्या सूक्ष्मा पंकजतन्तुवत्॥ (ibid 25-50,51)
Susumna nadi of fire tattva is represented with the Saraswati stream. The nadi to the left of Sushumna, Ida nadi of moon tattva, is symbolized with the Ganges. Pingala nadi, the Surya tattva nadi to the right of Sushumna, is designated by the Yamuna stream.
In Vedas, Ida, Pingala nadis are personified as Aswini devatas. Horses (Aswa) are symbolic of senses(Indriyas) of both knowledge (jnana) and action (karma). Ida nadi is connected with the Jnanendriya (Cows) and Pingala with the Karmendriya (Horses) (RigVeda-1.38.2, 8.20.23). Is it a coincidence that Aswini devatas’ progenies, Nakula and Sahadeva, were cowherd and horse-groom respectively during their exile incognito (Ajnata vasa)?
The three nadis Pingala(Rajasik)-Sushumna(Tamasik)-Ida (Satvik), start from the bulb (kanda) at the Muladhara chakra. The subtle energies traversing through these three nadis meet at the mukta-triveni at the Ajna chakra. This chakra is also known as triveni-sangama.
रजः प्रधाना तत्राहं महाश्रीः परमॆश्वरी।
मदीयं यत्तमॊरूपम् महामायॆति सा स्मृता॥
मदीयं सत्त्वरूपम् यन्महाविद्यॆति सा स्मृता।
अहं च तॆ च कामिन्यौ ता वयम् तिस्र ऊर्जिताः॥ (लक्ष्मी तंत्रम् – 5.4,5)
According to the Lakshmi Tantra, the subtle energy of the Pingala nadi is known to be the Goddess Mahasri/Lakshmi, while that of Ida nadi is Mahavidya/Saraswati and that of Sushumna is Mahamaya.
गॊ भू वाचस्त्विडा इळाः (अमरकॊशम्)
The words Ida, Ila both mean earth (Bhumi), cow (go) and word (vak).
वाग् वै सरस्वती (गॊपथ ब्राह्मणम्, शतपथब्राह्मणम्, ऐत्तिरॆयब्राह्मणम्)
In light of the above narration, triveni-sangama is allegorized with various deities (Srim-Om-Hrim/श्रीं--ऒम्–-ह्रीं, Surya-Agni-Soma, Lakshmi-LalitaMahaTripuraSundari-Saraswati, Valli-Subrahmnaya-Devasena, Lakshmi-Ganapati-Saraswati, Rukmini-Krishna-Satyabhama, Sridevi-Venkateswara-Bhudevi) in our scriptures. Lord Venkateswara residing on the top of the seven hills symbolic of the seven chakras (Muladhara-Sahasrara), when associated with both consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, is known as Malayappa. Lord Malayappa accompanied by Sridevi and Bhudevi bestows liberation to His devotees. It is important to know that according to our scriptures, one subtle energy has several gross representations and one gross form has several subtle representations.
Siva*Ganapati-Sakti*Subrahmanya
गीर्वाणपृतनापालं बालं लालयदॆकतः
उत्सन्ङ्गॆ गणसम्राजमर्भकं बिभ्रदन्यतः॥ (उमा सहस्रम् 21.3)
Lord Ganapati who manifested from the Prakriti (Parvati) is the deity of Pingala nadi and the knowledge personified Lord Subrahmanya, who manifested from the seminal fluid of the Purusha (Siva), is the deity of Ida nadi. Once this subtle representation is understood, the purport of the competition between Ganapati and Subrahmanya for circling the earth would be uncovered.
Lord Ganapati born of Sakti, is Pranava personified (Mudgala purana 6.29.25) and Lord Subrahmanya born of Siva, explained the meaning of Pranava to the Lord Siva Himself. If this fact is interpolated with the name-form branches (Nama-Rupa) of Kamakala Vilasa, we can infer that Paradi-Chatvari Vagatmaka Ganesa, is associated with the name (Nama) while knowledge embodied Subrahmanya, with the form (Rupa).
In the present context, the subtle energy through the middle Sushumna nadi, is the Kundalini sakti, Siva-Sakti conjoined. So, Ganapati in Siva’s lap and Subrahmanya in Sakti’s lap together signify the coalesce of the subtle energies through these three nadis at the Ajna chakra. While at the Sahasrara, the right portion is associated with Siva and left with Sakti, in the rest of the body governed by the Pingala and Ida nadis, right is associated with Ganesha and left with Skanda.
Another important observation:
Sakti born Ganesa’s association with Pingala nadi and Siva born Subrahmanya’s association with Ida nadi seem to point to the scientific fact that left-brain governs the right side of the body and the right brain governs that of the left.
It may be for this reason Sankara Bhagavtpada in the Soundaryalahari verse ललाटम् लावण्यद्युति विमलम् आभाति तवयत् …, uses the word viparya (reverse). In this verse, Paramacharya says that the downward-facing semicircular moon-like forehead with the upward semicircular moon on the crown brings about the full moon shape by adjoining in reverse. With this hindsight, Siva with Skanda and Sakti with Ganesa represent the Sat-Chit-Aanda Supreme Consciousness at the Sahasrara.
Valli-Subrahmanya-Devasena
In this representation, the deity associated with the subtle energy of the Sushumna nadi is the Lord Subrahamanya. According to Kanda purana, Devasena, and Valli, wives of Lord Subrahmanya are the daughters of Lord Vishnu known as Amritavalli and Sundaravalli respectively. Devasena raised by Lord Indra is symbolic of the subtle energy associated with the Ida nadi. Vallidevi raised by the forest king is symbolic of the subtle energy associated with the Pingala nadi. Lord Subrahmanya married Devasena and later, it is the Lord Ganesa, the deity associated with the Muladhara, who helped the Lord Subrahmanya to marry Vallidevi. Here Goddess Devasena is symbolic of the progeny and Valli devi, of the sacrifices(yajna). The subtle interpretation of Lord Ganesa’s help in Lord Subrahmanya’s wedding with Valli: Only with the Muladhara deity’s blessing, our spiritual practices would succeed and Kundalini sakti gets awakened.
***
Earlier, we have seen Lord Ganesha as an embodiment of Siva-Sakti in unison and now, as a deity associated with Pingala nadi. This deity is said to be born of Siva in some puranas and of Sakti, in some other. A single gross form of deity has varied subtle interpretations. The narrations of different Puranas are not to be taken as contradicting. Each time, they highlight different aspects of the same deity. This kind of variation could be seen even in Vedas. Goddess Saraswati, according to Rigveda, bestows blemishless intelligence. The same deity is eulogized as speech in Atharvaveda, while in SatapathaBrahmana, She is extolled as the deity of speech.
The way, one wind through our body has different names depending on its fiefdom, one and only one Paramatma has many (anantha koti) names and forms. Our seers have brought about the subtility of the sports played by the Paramatma in various scriptures. This Paramatma is not somewhere far and unreachable, but One who is around us and within us, because ब्रह्माण्ड लक्षनम् सर्वम् दॆहमध्यॆ व्यवस्थितम् (ज्ञानसंकलनतंत्रम् – 29).
Yet another form
associated with the mukta-triveni/Ajna chakra:
Simhavahini Gajalakshmi
गजः सर्वस्व बीजम् (मुद्गलपुराणम् 4.48.30)
गजाख्या बीजम् प्रवदन्ति वॆदाः (ibid4.43.22)
गजशब्दाख्यम् ब्रह्म वॆदॆ प्रकीर्तितम् (ibid4.41.46)
Gaja not only indicates the seed of the universe and but also alludes to the ParamBrahma.
Adi Sankaracharya in the
commentary on the Aitareyopanishad ऎतत्सत्यम् ब्रह्म प्राणाख्यम्। ऎष ऎकॊ दॆवः । ऎतस्यैव
प्राणस्य सर्वॆदॆवा विभूतयः। said Brahma is the vital airs(Pranasakti) and it
is from this Pranasakthi, all other divine personalities have emerged.
So, Gaja is symbolic of the subtle vital airs.
सहस्रशीर्षापुरुषः सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात् The unconfined Omnipresent Paramatma when gets confined and takes a finite shape, ten directions along with corresponding presiding deities are formed (Manu-smriti and Upanishads). Trisikhi-Brahmanopanishad enumerates ten subtle airs through the ten main nadis along with the accompanied divine energies. Since vital airs are elephants, these ten airs could be seen as ten elephants of the ten quarters.
Now let us understand the Gajalakshmi tattva. The two elephants, sprinkling nectar on the Goddess Lakshmi, are indicative of the subtle energies through Ida and Pingala (Atharva Veda 9.1.7). In this context, if Lakshmi is taken as the Kundalini sakti through the Sushumna nadi, Gajalakshmi is the furbished energy at the Triveni-sangama/Ajna chakra. Since nectar-drenched Gajalakshmi is very auspicious, the entrances of sanctum sanctorum in temples and houses are usually decorated with Gajalakshmi panels. Gajalakshmi anointed by 2, 4, 8, and 10 elephants are described in various tantras. It may be noted that the number of elephants signifies the number of quarters/nadis.
Lion mount Gajalakshmi sculptures at Khajuraho, Bilsad establish the connection between the Gajalakshmi and the Ajna chakra.
During the discussion on the Narasimha avatara, we have seen that the lion is associated with the mid-portion of the body. Hence, the lion-mount Goddess Gajalakshmi could be seen as the subtle energy at the Ajna chakra, which is just above the mid-portion.
Ganga-Varuna-Yamuna
This triad also has its association with the Pingala-Sushumna-Ida.
Vishnu dharmottara purana (3.52.1-21) describes Gauri vallabha Varuna deva mounted on seven swans, joined by kacchapa ascent Yamuna on the left and makara ascent Ganga on the right.
The names with which Lord Varuna is referred to in Vedas are Maya, Agni, Ruta, Divya, asura, Raju, Samrat, Virat, Mahat, Medha, Prabhuti, and Prachetas. All these names/adjectives point to one and only one Supreme Paramatma represented as Siva-Sakti/Lakshmi-Narayana in unison.
Udayagiri
Deo (Deva/Deba) ghar Dasavatara Temple entrance
मैत्रम् वा अहः। वारुणी रात्रिः। (तैत्तिरीयब्राह्मणम् 1.7.10.1)
Such magnificent Varuna, later is degraded to a lower position and is associated with the nights. This symbolism seems to indicate the dislocation of Paramatma’s inherent energy from the Sahasrara to Muladhara chakra and resting (night) there.
According to Rigveda (1.161.14, 7.49.2,3), repositioned Varuna deva is associated with water. Varuna as a deity of water is hidden (antarhita) (Rigveda 8.41.8). Varuna is the presiding deity of the primal waters in the Dyuloka and of the sea waters in the bhuloka.
Varuna concerning
the Ida and Pingala nadis:
A note about the triad Aryama, Varuna and Mitra often referred to, in the Rigveda. The seers indirectly pointed to the connection between this triad, sons of Aditi (8.47.9), and the three nadis Pingala-Sushumna-Ida.
Udayagiri
Lord Krishna said in the Vibhuti yoga of Bhagavadgita (10.29), He is Aryama, the chief of Pitrs. Srimad Bhagavata narrates an incident of Hiranmaya varsha, where Aryama solicited Vishnu in the form of Kachapa (5.18.29). Since Mitra is associated with Sun (Atharva Veda 13.3.13), related to action, Mitra is the deity responsible for the performance of action (Yajna/ sacrifices). These facts bring about the association of Aryama with Ida nadi and Mitra with the Pingala nadi.
Atharva Veda 9.3.18 mantra (The Saala(शाल)-door closed by Varuna may be opened by Mitra) implies that the entrance of the Sushumna nadi closed by Kundalini, may be opened by practices(sadhana). Saala here means Sushumna nadi.
इडा भगवती गंगा
पिंगळा यमुना नाडी
इडापिंगळयोर्मध्यॆ सुषुम्ना च सरस्वती (ज्ञानसंकलनतंत्रम् – 11)
This explains the reason behind denoting the subtle energies through Pingala-Sushumna-Ida nadis with Yamuna-Saraswati-Ganga.
It is important to note the positions of Ganga and Yamuna flip, when interpreted as the subtle energies associated with the Varuna, the deity of Primal waters of Swarloka/Sahasrara.
We have already seen that Valli is the deity corresponding to the Pingala nadi and Devasena to the Ida nadi. So, Valli Devi is the deity of action/yajna/karma, while Devasena of geneology/pitrs. This connection explains the reasons behind Sankara Bhagavatpada's reference to Lord Subrahmanya in the Bhujanga stotra as Valli’s husband (11,19) and Devasena’s husband (30). In verses 11 and 19, since the demonic qualities are to be overcome by action/practice, the enemy of Tarakasura (asuri gunas of jivas) is called Valli pati. In the 30th verse, Sankara Bhagavatpada pleads to Devasenapati to forgive us for our mistakes, in a way similar to how a father would forgive his child’s.
Praying to Lakshmi-Lalita Tripura Sundari-Saraswati,
श्रीमात्रेनमः
