Thus Spake the Divine - Ambal as Identified by Acharya

Thus Spake the Divine

Ambal as Identified by Acharya

Many research scholars claim that the forms of Parameshvara, Parvati, Vishnu, Pillaiyar etc. emerged only during the Purana Era (Composition of 18 Puranas) and not prior to that. There is no mention about these forms in Upanishads, which came into existence prior to the Purana Era. Upanishads speak only of formless or shape- less philosophies of wisdom. Whereas, in Kenopanishad, when Brahmam, in the form of Yaksham, disappears and emerges in a woman form, it is categorically mentioned, “In a woman by name Haimavati, Uma appeared”. Terms, such as “woman’, “Haimavati”

and “Uma” are all words used even in the original Upanishads.

Kenopanishad further says, “On the spot of sky, where Yaksham was standing, She appeared with utmost radiance”. The inner meaning here is that both Yaksham and Brahmam are one and the same. Since the denoting is as “woman”, one has to discard the thoughts that Upanishads only approved formless or shapeless philosophy of divinity. Upanishads had already accepted both male and female forms as divine forms. Moreover, Kenopanishad, apart from calling her Uma, also calls her Haimavati. Haimavati is the daughter of Himavan. So, it means that the story of Haimavati was in vogue during the Upanishads’ Era itself. In other words, idol worship in Hindu religion has been existent much before the advent of Puranas. Kenopanishad stands as a strong internal evidence for this.

Acharya pleads to Ambal that Her Feet touch his head. In Kenopanishad, we have seen that Ambal imparted wisdom to Indra. Thus, it is amply evident that Ambal is Guru. Mantra Shastras affirm that the Guru Paduka are always on one’s head. Thus, Guru’s Deeksha (Initiation by Guru) always keeps blessing one forever.

Ambal emerges as Jnyanambika in Kenopanishad and keeps Her Feet as an ornament over the head of Vedas. In the 84 th Shloka, Acharya eloquently describes the greatness of Ambal’s Lotus Feet. When welcoming elders, Mahants and Acharyas, their feet should be washed with water. There are 16 acts of veneration (Shodachopacharam) to be followed while welcoming great people. One among them is pouring water on their feet, which is known as “padyam”.

Acharya says Ambal’s padyam, water of Ganga from Shiva’s jata, keeps pouring incessantly at Her Feet”. Even Ishvara, also known as Pashupati, ruler of all living beings, prostrates at the Lotus Feet of Ambal, who is Para Brahma Shakti. When Ishvara keeps His head under Her Feet, His jatamudi touches Her Feet. At that time, Ganga water flowing from his jatamudi does ‘padyam’ to Ambal’s Feet. Even Ishvara obtains His power from Brahma Shakti and, therefore, He too prostrates at the Feet of Ambal without any ego.

Women of high esteem decorate their feet with a red paste as mark of their status. This paste is known as Laksharasam. To decorate Ambal’s Feet, there is yet another paste in the form of red flame. It is the glitter of Chooda Mani (precious gem) adorning the crown of Sri Narayana that decorates Ambal’s Feet as Laksharasam. Since the potential power of Sri Narayana is only from the repository of Para Brahma Shakti, Ambal, He also prostrates at the Feet of Ambal. At that time, the decorative jewel of His crown becomes the decorative jewel of Ambal’s Feet. The glitter of the gem illuminates Ambal’s Feet as though painted with red paste.

We should pray to Ambal, who is worshipped by Sri Maha Vishnu, Parameshvara and other Devas, without any ego; that She bestow Her enormous grace on us, thereby annihilating our egos too. Towards that path, we should also adore Her Lotus Feet everyday as done by Acharya.

While Acharya elaborately speaks about Ambal and is completely devoted to Her Consort Ishvara, he also says that Ishvara Himself prostrated at the Feet of Ambal. This might look contradicting. But everything is a divine play (leela). Both Ambal and Ishvara are one. In one form, She prostrates to Him and in another He prostates to Her. Though both are identical, we have to worship Him as a peaceful substance of “absolute being (sat)” and Her as a powerful substance of “true consciousness”. Both together become Sachchidananda, the Bliss of Absolute Consciousness.

In the very first Shloka (Shiva Shaktya Yukto) of Saundarya Lahari, Acharya elaborates on the spectacular power possessed by Ambal. “Oh Mother! Even Parameshvara becomes competent to perform His tasks only if He is by your side. Without you, He is totally incapable; He cannot even make a small move”. Since there is nothing else other than Brahmam, Brahmam is not capable of knowing anything else. Still, a lot of knowledge and movements have emerged over space. When Brahmam is Omnipotent and Omnipresent, where is the space for Him to move?

Yet, throughout Universe, there have been perennial movements from a galaxy to a minute electron within an atom, leave alone the movements within our minds, which are ever oscillating. All these movements and knowledge seem to have descended from Brahmam. That is the act of Maya or reflection of Brahma Shakti! When we identify Brahmam as Shiva and Brahma Shakti as Ambal, Acharya says, “Amma! It is you who is ruling Shiva, who is making Shiva move”. Finally, the Universe, which is non-existent (Maya), has emerged only because of Her potential power. Maya is one, which is non-existent. It is only She, who annihilates Maya from our minds too.

All that we see in this Universe are only Ambal’s manifestations. She is everything. But still, for effective meditation, our minds want only some specific form (roopam) of Hers’. It is She, who is the expansively formless Supreme Being accommodating all forms as also our breath and life. Fire, Water and Earth are all Her forms. Minds that are experiencing all these are only She. Acharya refers to all these aspects in the 35 th Shloka of Saundarya Lahari (Manastvam Vyomatvam).

In the 34 th Shloka starting with Shareeram Tvam, Acharya says both day and night are only Her forms. As to how a mother feeds milk to her child, Ambal feeds the Universe with both sun and moon. Only sunlight provides all energy to earth. Plants get chlorophyll from only sunlight. All living beings eat plant and plant products or eat those that eat plant and plant products. (Periyava here makes a reference to people eating non-vegetarian; that they eat flesh of goat, buffalo and pig that are herbivorous; they don’t eat flesh of dog, cat, tiger and lion, which are omnivorous). As sun provides energy for growth of plants, moon provides energy for growth of herbs. Acharya elaborates this saying that through sun and moon, She pours her milk to the entire Universe. All are only Her forms.

According to Yoga Shastras, “Kundalini Shakti” starts from the bottom most tip of spinal cord (Mooladhara Chakra) and climbs to the top-most crown of head (Sahasrara). The pathway between Mooladhara and Sahasrara is as narrow as that of a lotus stem. When Kundalini Shakti is initiated, Ambal climbs up to Sahasrara by penetrating through the lotus stem path, just as a delicate thin thread does. Lalita Sahasranamam calls it “bisathanthu thaneeyasi”. Though delicate and subtle, here, She is as radiant as crores of suns and as cool as an equal number of moons.

Apart from these forms, Ambal is also in the form of all sounds, speech and thoughts. She especially exists in forms of Mantra, which are all esoteric. For the benefit of people like us, She has also taken physical forms, like Lalita, Durga. Bhuvaneshwari etc. These forms are kept as idols visible to our eyes in many holy temples.

Born as Parvata Raja Kumari in North, She extends Her magnificence till the tip of Southern end at Kanya Kumari as well as breadth and width of India; as Bhavathi in Kerala, as Chamundeshvari in Karnataka, as Kamakshi in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, as Akilandeshvari in Trichy, as Meenakshi in Madurai, as Jnyanambal in Andhra, as Thulaja Bhavani in Maharashtra, as Ambaji in Gujarat, as Jvalamukhi in Punjab, as Ksheera Bhavani in Kashmir, as Vindhra Vasini in Uttar Pradesh, as Kali in Calcutta and as Kamakya in Assam... the list is not complete yet! She is showering Her enormous grace on all of us across the country in different forms forever.

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.