Thus Spake the Divine - Look and Form of Ambal

Thus Spake the Divine

Look and Form of Ambal

Poojyasri Maha Periyava is ecstasic about the captivating beauty of Ambal. Though Acharya says Ambal is the body of Parameshvara, Parameshvara is the breath inside that body. He goes on to say that both Parameshvara and Ambal are one and the same.

Bhagavadpada looks at Ambal and says, “You are the body of Parameshvara”. Body contains life within. Many bodies have many lives within. Brahmam is the origin or foundation of all breaths (lives) within these bodies. If Parameshvara is Brahmam Himself, then, all appearances of living and non-living beings are Ambal Herself. The inference here is that only this Para Shakti forms the body of all these beings, and Brahmam is their breath.

Universe, its living and non-living beings, their thoughts, intellect and ego are all bodies of a life known as Parameshvara. Thus, Brahmam and Brahma Shakti (Para Shakti) are as inseparable as body and breath. Like breath permeates all over body, Para Shakti is filled with Brahma Philosophy. If a body is attributed to Brahmam and named Parameshvara, Ambal is the shield covering the body of Parameshvara. It is an inseparable shield as that of Karna Kavacham (Karna in Mahabharata was born with an inbuilt shield, which could never be separated physically). This union of Ambal with Parameshvara in an inseparable form is personified in the image of Ardhanareeshvara, which depicts

half Shiva and half Parvati in one image. They are as inseparable as a word with its meaning. Great poet Kalidasa says, “When I say “cow” it has syllables and sound. Is the animal seen either in the syllable or in sound? We don’t know which the actual “cow” is. But once we hear the word “cow”, we recall and visualise the image of a “cow”. Thus, the word and its meaning are inseparable. Similarly, if you ask how Brahmam is influencing all living beings, their thoughts and actions, these are all words whose meaning is Brahmam.

All figures and images that we see are only manifestations of Ambal. Not just figures and images, She is into all thoughts and actions too. Without Her, we wouldn’t be possessing our body, mind or breath. Acharya, in Saundarya Lahari, after stating that “You are the body of Parameshvara (Shareeram Tvam Shambo)”; goes on to say, “You are the abstract (metaphysical) mind”. From the mind of Brahmam, which is the origin, there emerges the non- figurative (abstract) sky. That sky grows enormously massive from which emerges wind, fire, water and earth. Acharya says, “You are all these substances. Without You, no other subsistence can ever exist (Tvayi Parinatayam nahi param)”.

He further elucidates, “Even while saying that You (Ambal) form the breath of Shambu (Parameshvara’s) body, You are one who exists as His body and breath. You are the one who has transformed as the body of this Universe too (Tvam Eva Swahtmanam Parinamayithum Visvha Vapusha)”. To put in simpler terms, what Acharya has said is that the “Entire Universe is the body of Paramatma; the breath inside is He, the Omniscient. This is similar to the philosophy of Dvaita advocated by Ramanuja. This means that there is still a distinction between body and breath. With a tinge of Dvaita, Acharya continues on Advaita Philosophy, “Whatever little droplets of happiness and wisdom that we possess, they are only part of your Absolute Bliss and Absolute Wisdom. Only to experience and enjoy that bliss and wisdom, You, who remains One, have segregated into Two and absorbed the role of Shiva Yuvathi. This is just a perception. The body of Universe (Brahmam) and its breath (Ambal) are one and the same. To whom Ambal is body, He (Shambu) and She (Ambal) are also one and the same; ultimately it is only Advaita Philosophy.”

If something exists everywhere, how can it ever have a separate form? Air pervades almost everywhere. Is there a form for air? Ambal is more abstract than air. People can create vacuum, which is air-less. But there is no place where She is non-existent. She is Omnipresent. Then, how can She ever have a figure or form? But something without form is not acceptable to average minds. Just as we all have emerged from Her, She is Mother and we are all Her children. Will the children be happy by just knowing that their Mother is present? They will also wish to see her, talk to her and feel her presence.

We are not able to recognise that She is in all forms of this Universe. We don’t have a matured mind-set to worship Her without any specific form. Only for our sake, to make us express our love towards Her, She appears in a beautiful form filled with compassion and divinity (Divya Mangal Vigraha). Melted ghee has no form; but once frozen, it becomes solid and can be cut into pieces. Similarly, abstract Ambal freezes in the cool hearts of devotees and takes a variety of tangible forms that suit Her devotees.

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.