We have come to the fourth Avaranam; the corresponding composition of Dikshithar, being “kamalAmbikAyai kanakAMSukAyai” in the very pleasing Kambhoji ragam and is in the Chathurthi vibhakthi (dative – The basic sentence or word order or ‘anvaya’ is ‘kamalaAmbikayai namasthE’ meaning salutations to Kamalambika and all the other lines also end in ‘yai’). The raga-mudra is found in the first line of the charanam as ‘sakala saubhAgya dAya”kAmbhOja” caraNAyai’ (also meaning the one with lotus feet that grant good fortune). This krithi refers to fourth Avarana – Manu kona (14 triangles -*Please see in the last para) of Sree Chakra – Sarva saubhagya dayaka chakra (grants excellence) – where Mother is called Tripura VAsini as also Sampradaya yogini. The Mudra is Sarva Shankari; the Siddhi is Ishitva. The mental state is Iswara Vichara. There are eight Shakthis in this chakra beginning with Sarva samkshobhini. Chathurdasa bhuvana – fourteen triangles (manu kona) of this Avarana represents fourteen worlds. The presiding deity is Tripura vasini and Her vidya is is Haim Hklim Hsauh. The gem is coral. The time is day and night. This avarana corresponds to the heart of mother goddess. The charanam includes all the details as:
“sakala saubhAgya dAyaka-ambhOja caraNAyai
saMkshObhiNya-Adi Sakti yuta caturtha-AvaraNAyai
prakaTa caturdaSa bhuvana bharaNAyai
prabala guru guha sampradAya-antaH-karaNAyai
akaLanka rUpa varNAyai aparNAyai suparNAyai
su-kara dhRta cApa bANAyai SObhana-kara manu kONAyai
sakunkuma-Adi lEpanAyai cara-acara-Adi kalpanAyai
cikura vijita nIla ghanAyai cidAnanda pUrNa ghanAyai”
(Meaning: You possess lotus-like feet, which bestow all fortune. You embody the fourth Avarana containing the Shakti Samkshobhini, and rule the fourteen manifest worlds. You are the heart of the strong tradition to which Guruguha belongs. You are of flawless beauty and complexion. You are called Aparna (in Her deep penance and meditation to please Shiva, she refused all food, even the fallen leaf). You are the bird Hamsa (the Prana is envisioned as a wild goose). You hold in Your charming hand a bow and arrows. You as the Chakra contain fourteen Konas triangles. You are besmeared with Kunkuma, etc. You are the creator of movable as well as unmovable phenomena. You whose black hair triumphs over the blue clouds are the plenitude of consciousness and bliss (This represents the grossest manifestation of Shakti belonging to the manifest worlds).
Dikshitar worships the presiding deity of the fourth Avarana, playing on the words occurring in the title of the Chakra: sarva sowbhagya dayaka, the bestower of all prosperity and addresses the Mother as Sakala Saubhagya Dayakambhoja Charanayai, the goddess with lotus like feet and benefactor of all good things in life. The fourteen triangles are inscribed with fourteen consonants beginning with ka and ending with dha.The fourteen corners represent fourteen powers of mother goddess. The fourteen triangles (chaturdasha trikona) of the chakra represent fourteen channels of the vital forces in the body(naadis), corresponding with the fourteen divinities Sarva Samkshobhini and thirteen others. Dikshitar refers to these fourteen forces of the fourth avarana as SamkshobhinyAdi Shaktiyuta Chaturthya-avaranAyai. He adulates the Devi as manifest ruler (prakata bharanayai) of the fourteen worlds (chaturdasha buvana). The fourteen worlds also represent the faculties : the Mind (Manas), the Intellect (Buddhi), Being (Chitta), the Conscious Ego (Ahamkara) and the ten Indriyas.
This avarana corresponds to the heart of the mother goddess. Dikshitar addresses Kamalamba as the heart (antah karanAyai) of the great tradition (prabala sampradaya) to which Dikshitar belongs. He is referring to the tradition of the Kaadi matha of the Dakshinamurthy School of Sri Vidya. He describes the mother as seated in fourteen triangle (manu konayai), smeared with vermilion (sa-kunkumayai), holding in her beautiful hands (su_kara) arrows (baana chaapa). She is the creator of movable and immovable existence (CharAcharAdi KalpanAyai). She is the embodiment of consciousness (chit) and bliss (ananda). The symbolism of this avarana is the one cherished by all, sarva sowbhagya dayaka; for it suggests the identity of Siva with his Shakthis (Chidananda purna ghanAyai).
This song is in chaturthI vibhakti (dative case). The basic sentence word order (anvaya) is kamalAMbikAyai Namaste (Salutations to Kamalambika), and the phrases ending in “yai'' all qualify ``kamalAmbikAyai''. The chakra referred to is sarvasaubhAgyadAyaka, that grants all auspiciousness. It is also called manukoNa, after the fourteen Manu-s, and consists of fourteen triangles. There are fourteen shaktis (called saMpradAya yoginis) involved here: sarvasaMkShobiNI, sarvavidrAviNI, sarvAkarShiNI, sarvastambhinI, sarvajh.rMbhiNI, sarvavashaMkarI, sarvAhLAdinI, sarvasammohinI, sarvara~njanI, sarvAnmodinI, sarvArthasAdhakA, sarvasaMpattipUraNI, sarvAmantramayI and sarvadvandvakShyaMkarI.
Here is an excellent rendition of the fourth avaranam krithi by vid. Amrita Murali; the rendition begins with a slokam from ‘Kamalambika Sthothram’.
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