Thus Spake the Divine - Kamakshi’s Grace

Thus Spake the Divine

Kamakshi’s Grace

In this chapter, Poojyasri Maha Periyava speaks about the expansive magnitude of Kamakshi’s grace, who is also the Anugraha Devata.

We have already seen that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are manifestations of Para Shakti’s three traits viz. Rajas, Sattva and Thamas; and they are engaged in three major functions of the Universe viz. Creation, Sustenance and Destruction. We, the human beings, are also endowed with these three traits. We too engage in these three functions in our three different states.

We engage in creation when dreaming in sleep. We create places and people in our dreams. Seemingly, Ambal has also created a Dream State as an indicator of Her Leela (Divine Plays). Man is required to be awake to accomplish all his needs and deeds. Once he gets tired, he has to sleep. These two states viz.

wakefulness and sleep are the most warranted for man. But why is there a need for dream, the third state? Ambal has out of her absolute compassion given us the dream state as only a great eye-opener. Realised souls view that “All innumerable substances seen in this world are nothing but imagination and dream of only One Para Shakti; in reality, there exists nothing except Her”. How can this statement be validated? When we can visually see all living beings and their activities, how can we believe that all these are only an imagination? Only to clarify this doubt arising in our minds has Ambal given us the third state of dreams, in addition to wakefulness and sleep.

Just as how we have all emerged from dreams of Para Shakti, in our own thoughts and imagination, in our dreams, we create many places, people and events. When we are dreaming, do we realise that all these are dreams? No! They all appear true. We laugh and cry in our dreams. What happens once we wake up? Everything seen and felt in dreams is a manifestation of our own imaginations. However, there is one common denominator, which is the origin for our imaginations. This is the person who was there in the state of dream and who is here in the state of wakefulness too.

Similarly, the entire Universe is nothing but the imagination of Para Shakti. Only She is the eternal Truth. While dreaming, we don’t realise that we are dreaming. Similarly, while bound by worldly bindings, we don’t realise that this life is ruled by Maya. Ambal has made dreams so that we can introspect on our own self. All suppressed thoughts and strong influences of passion find expression in our dreams to a certain extent. We don’t know how pure we are internally. When we go to a temple, we get a feeling of serenity and assume we have purified ourselves. Immediately, when we go to cinema or read some novel, our senses again get triggered towards lust. We may get upset as to how loathsome we are.

In fact, Ambal has made dreams as a touchstone for us to self- assess our own status. Our inner state of mind is decided by what we get into our dreams, whether we get erotic or we dream of getting a Dharshan of Kamakshi. We might externally show piety or devotion. But our inner purity cannot be assessed unless we are true to ourselves. Dreams help us assess our virtues and flaws. We don’t need to feel upset with our flaws. Unless we realise our own flaws, we cannot take corrective measures. We should pray to Her with utmost devotion to remove our flaws and make them purer.

Dream state has been designed by Her only to identify our flaws, refine ourselves, realise our virtues and feel happy. Dream indicates the act of creation. We are engaged in Creation like Brahma. When we are in the wakeful state, we perform activities as does Vishnu by way of protecting ourselves and our near and dear ones. In sleep state, all our senses and mind remain inert and get exhausted. This is similar to the task of Rudra’s Samharam. Like whatever is there in macrocosm is also seen in microcosm. All that is done by Ambal viz. Creation, Maintenance and Destruction is also done by each and every human life.

The difference is that Ambal is not confined to only the above three functions. She is beyond that. She is Herself the fourth state of “Turiya” (Pure consciousness). How would that state be? It is as fully sweet as sugar lumps in the mouth. Turiya is a state in which nothing other than happiness (Anandha) exists.

There is no permanent happiness in Creation and Maintenance (dream and wakeful states). In Samhara (sleep state), though there is happiness without any exertion, there is no awareness of happiness. Therefore, this is also not good enough. Only the state of “Turiya” is one of Truth; that of glitter with total bliss and absolute awareness. That one Truth alone is seen as three different forms because of Maya. If Maya vanishes, all these three states also vanish and we reach the state of Turiya and get engrossed into it. When Ambal liberates us from the binding of these three states as also Maya, we can experience absolute bliss.

Despite engrossed by Maya, we still pray to God for passing our exam, getting promotion or curing our illness. When each of these is granted, we immediately thank God feeling “God has sanctioned our wishes”. But what we actually require is relinquishing ourselves from the clutches of Maya with Anugraha of Ambal, so that we can reach the state of Moksha. We should pray for this supreme state.

Lalita Sahasranamam talks of the five functions of Ambal as follows:

“Srushti karthree – brahma roopa; gopthri – govinda roopini;

samharini – rudra roopa; thirodana kari – ishvari; sadashiva –

anugrahada; pancha krutya parayana.”

The literal meaning of this verse is:

‘As Brahma you create, as Vishnu you protect, as Rudra you destroy, as Ishvara you screen, as Sadashiva you do anugraha’.

As far as human beings are concerned, I said, dream, wakefulness and sleep are equivalent to that of creation, maintenance and destruction. Even here, there is the fourth state of Turiya. When we are in the world’s merry-go-round, we are stuck in Maya. We go round and round in sleep, dream and wakefulness. In this merry-go-round, some ride on elephants, others on hoses and few on lions. But whatever be the seating, one cannot go beyond the circular motion of merry-go-round.

This means all our pride and prejudices revolve within the boundaries of Maya alone. The animal mounts cannot go beyond the ambit of merry-go-round. They move up and down, round and round only within their own limited space. Suddenly, we get bored of the repetitive motions in spite of joyous feelings. Only to retrieve us from this boredom, has Ambal given us the state of sleep. Even then we cannot get down from the merry-go-round. Even while we sleep, there is something awake within ourselves that administers our breath, isn’t it? That is Turiya, which is beyond the wheels of the merry-go-round. That is the absolute truth and that is Ambal.

Generally, Ambal is equated with Maya. Even Mooka Kavi addresses Her as Maya and says, “Maha Maye! I admire your Feet, which are red like the tender budding leaves”. Though he says that he is enthralled with Maya, it actually means completely merging with Turiya, which is beyond Maya. Kamakshi who is Maya Persona is also the Anugraha Devata, who removes Maya. Obviously, one who conceals alone can remove the screen too!

This article is a snippet from the Book Thus Spake the Divine, is available online at www.giri.in and across Giri Trading Agency Private Limited, A chain of Speciality Stores dealing in all kinds of products needed in Indian Culture and Tradition.