हरिस्त्वामाराध्य प्रणतजनसौभाग्यजननीं
पुरा नारी भूत्वा पुररिपुमपि क्षोभमनयत् ।
स्मरोऽपि त्वां नत्वा रतिनयनलेह्येन वपुषा
मुनीनामप्यन्तः प्रभवति हि मोहाय महताम् ॥ ५॥
"Haris-thvaam-Aaraadhya Pranatha-jana-sowbhaagya-jananim
Pura Naaree Bhoothvaa Puraripumapi Kshobam-anayath
Smaropi Thvaam Nathvaa Rathinayana-lehyena Vapushaa
Muneenaam-apyanthaha Prabhavathi Hi Mohaaya Mahataam!'
Meaning:
Hari(s) – Vishnu; Tvaam – You; Aradhya – worshipped; Pranata Jana – all those who worship; Saubhagya – bless with prosperity; Jananim – mother; Puraa Nari Bhutva – taking the form of a woman; Pura – city / town; Ripum – enemy or the one who destroys; Api – even to; Ksobham anayat – that caused agitation; Smaro – Manmatha (Smaro is another name for Kama Dev); Api – too; Tvaam – You; Natvaa – worshipping You; Rati – Rati who is wife of Kama; Nayana – eyes / glance; Lehyena – lick (licked) (adored by the sight); Vapusha – body becoming reality (Kama’s body was burnt to ashes by the third eye); Muninam – rishis / those attained; Api – too; Antah – mind; Prabhavati Hi – able to influence: Mohaaya mahataam – cloud the values with passion.
Meaning As It Is:
"Adoring You who bestows all prosperity on all those who worship You, Hari (Vishnu) was once able to become a charming female and stir waves of passion in the mind of even the most impassioned Shiva, the destroyer of the three cities (Tripura) and who is the enemy of Kaamaa. Even Smaraa (Kaamaa, the God of love) because of having worshipped You, obtained a form, pleasingly attractive to the eye of his beloved Rathi and became capable of generating passion even in the minds of great sages."
Deeper Philosophy:
This verse, in continuation to the previous one, elucidates the absolute power and immense beauty of Shakti, the feminine energy, and the immense grace that She showers to one’s bhakti bhava. To explain the benevolence of Shakti as the absolute, this verse highlights two events of mythological relevance to enable a better understanding.
The first stanza of the verse elucidates how Vishnu, with His worship to Shakti, was blessed with the ability to transform into the most magnificent feminine form as Mohini which even swayed the passion of Shiva who was beyond passion. When the daityas (demons) had become very powerful and made three celestial abodes for themselves called the Tripura from where they ruled and had become very powerful and invincible. These cities could not be destroyed by anybody as it could be done only when they aligned into a single line. When all the worlds and the gods were subjected to atrocities, Vishnu had vowed to kill all the daityas but couldn’t due to the clever way of making these cities which aligned in a line only for a brief moment and all the three had to be destroyed together in such alignment. Eventually, it was Shiva who destroyed these three cities together and He thus came to be known as ‘Tripurantaka’. After destroying Tripura, the fury of Shiva did not abate and He went about killing the daityas. Few of these daityas left sought refuge of Vishnu and pleaded for sparing their lineage from the wrath of Shiva. Vishnu agreed to protect them and as He proceeded towards Shiva to stop Him for destroying the daityas altogether, Devarishi Narad advised Him to worship Devi Shakti as She alone had the power to pacify the fury of Shiva. Vishnu worshiped Devi Shakti and He was blessed with the magical transformation to the most enchanting form of a bewitching damsel who came to be known as ‘Mohini’ – the one who cast a charm on the mind of even the most impassioned one. This stanza speaks of the power of Sakti as the absolute to even enable transformation of form of Vishnu from the masculine to the most enchanting feminine. This is the ability of the absolute energy to transform or manifest into more and different forms.
The second mythical incident highlighted in the second stanza of this verse is about the blessings that Kama-dev receives from Devi Shakti through Her benign grace. When Shiva was unmoved from the bhakti and penance of Parvati who was Sati reincarnated in the house of Himavan, the mountain lord, the gods urged Kamadev to shoot his arrows of passion to disturb the deep meditation of Shiva. Kamadev followed their request and shot his arrows of passion and when Shiva was disturbed, His fury opened His third eye (which is Vahni or agni/fire) that reduced Kamadev into ashes. It was the distressed appeal of Kamadev’s beloved Rati (which means passion) to Devi Shakti that soothed the fury of Shiva and She resurrected Kamadev back to life but in a form and body that could only be seen by Rati. Kamadev is referred in this verse as Smara. The word Smara thus, also refers to the beeja akshara ‘Kleem’ which is a Kama Beeja. The bow carried by Kamadev is made of the bumble bees and the arrows he fires are arrows of flowers. Symbolically, the flowery arrows and the bow of bumble bees represent the passion that awakens in the mind which craves for the pleasure of the senses. Thus, Kleem is a kama beeja – that which fulfils (or subdues) the desires of the mind. Passion has the power to stir even the minds of the most impassioned or the attained (the Rishis – ones who have reined in their senses or the indriyas).
This bhava of passion or maadhurya is said to have been experienced by a great saint, Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. It is said that in the process of his spiritual attainment, he was trained by none other than Bhairavi in Tantra and later by his spiritual guru Totapuri in Advaita. It is documented that after his tantric practices and attainment, he also practiced Vaishnava bhakti sometime in the year 1864. Vaishnava bhakti was propounded in the East earlier in the 15th century by Lord Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Ramakrishna experienced divinity in various forms – in the matri bhava when he worshipped Sri Rama as a child in the Vatsalya bhava and he later experienced the Maadhurya bhava in his worship of Sri Krishna as a gopika and as Radha. It is said that this is when he practically experienced a state of Samadhi or oneness with Sri Krishna. It is also said that it is in this form of worship as a gopika that he actually underwent a physical transformation to a feminine form experiencing all the principle characters of a feminine body. Such was his devotion.
This verse elucidates the immense and the vast potential that the power of the absolute (as the feminine energy – Devi Shakti) possesses which enables transformations or different manifestations with Her benevolence grace.
Mode of worship:
As in the other verses, reciting this for at least 11 times daily gives immense benefit to the self and to those around in the family. As for a specific japa or anushthaan, the Yantra can be made on a copper plate or on fine turmeric powder. Ideally, one must sit facing East while reciting this verse. The verse can be recited for a 1000 or 2000 times daily for 8 or 12 days as one wishes for benefits.
Beeja Akshara: Tham. Besides this the other beejas as seen are also key to this yantra/verse.
Archana: Recite Durga Ashtotharam and Lalitha Ashtotharam offering red flowers and kum kum.
Offerings/Neivedyam: Rice cooked with green pulses, jaggery, honey and coconuts.
Beneficial Results: It bestows the power to fascinate men and women – i.e., to entice people.
Literal Results: A known benefit is "Sowbhagyam" or contentment in all areas of life – a quality equally applicable to both men and women. It also helps develop a magnetic personality at home and in places work and social gatherings. The devotee gets the ability to charm people he/she meets/contacts.
''Hari Om''
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