top of page
Writer's pictureDr Radhakrishnan

KAMALAMBA NAVAVARANA KRITHIS – 7th AVARANAM – “SRI KAMALAMBIKAYAM” - SAHANA

“SrI kamalAmbikAyAM bhaktiM karOmi” – composed in ragam Sahana, by Muthuswami dikshithar, this composition represents the 7th Avaranam and in the eighth vibhakthi – locative [place/time where/when action occurs]. The indicative raga-mudra is very carefully embedded as “virinci harISAna hari-haya”. The avarana is ashtakona (eight triangles of SrI Chakra); the Chakra is Sarvarogahara chakra (‘cures all ills’). the Yogini is Rahasya Yogini; The Mudra is sarva khechari; and the Siddhi is Bhukthi. The mental state is Manana. The presiding deity is Tripura Siddha. Her vidya is is Hrim Shrim Sauh. The gem is diamond (Vajra). The time is Lunar month. The Shaktis are the eight, starting with Vasini (there are eight vagdevathas in this chakra, beginning with Vasini *please see below). In the eight triangles formed by this figure, eight divinities presiding over speech reside. They are known as deities of self expression (Vak Devatha).These shakthis also rule over basic urges and contradictions in life (dvandva) such as cold(water) and heat(fire); happiness (air) and sorrow( earth); as also the Desire(akasha-space) and the three gunas of Sattvas (consciousness), Rajas (ego) and Tamas(mind). This avarana corresponds to the forehead (lalata) of the mother goddess. Please see the details given by Dikshithar:

“rAkA candra vadanAyAM rAjIva nayanAyAM

pAkAri nuta caraNAyAM AkASAdi kiraNAyAm

hrIMkAra vipina hariNyAM hrIMkAra su-SarIriNyAM

hrIMkAra taru manjaryAM hrIMkArESvaryAM gauryAm

SarIra traya vilakshaNa sukha-tara svAtmAnubhOginyAM

virinci harISAna hari-haya vEdita rahasya yOginyAm

parAdi vAgdEvatA rUpa vaSinyAdi vibhAginyAM

carAtmaka sarva rOga hara nirAmaya rAja yOginyAm

kara dhRta vINA vAdinyAM kamalA nagara vinOdinyAM

sura nara muni jana mOdinyAM guru guha vara prasAdinyAm”

The significance of this enclosure is its power to eradicate the most basic of diseases viz. involvement with impure, fleeting existence laden with stress. The blessed state is attained when the distinctions between the subject, the object and transactions between them are dissolved. Hrim is the Bija-mantra (seed-syllable) of this chakra. In the context of Sri Vidya, hrim is a particularly sacred syllable; it represents the mother goddess herself. Dikshitar worships the mother as the very embodiment of hrim (HrimkAra-SusharirinyAm HrimkAra Taru ManjaryAm). She is Gauri; she is the presiding deity of hrim (HrimkAreshvaryAm GauryAm).

Sri. Dikshitar refers to his tradition (Kadi matha) by invoking the name of one of its gurus Hayagreeva (Harihaya Vedita). He also refers to the Yogini of the chakra Rahasya Yogini (RahasyayoginyAm); and to the letters of the Pa group inscribed in the eight triangles, representing eight Shakthis (Vasini and others) presiding over the aspect of speech (ParAdi VAgdevatA-rupa-vashinyAdi VibhAginyAm). Dikshitar refers to the basic nature of the chakra Sarvarogahara chakra ‘cures all ills’ and calls the mother the Raja Yogini, who cures all kinds of illness ( CharAtmaka Sarva-roga-hara NirAmaya RAja-yoginyAm).

This song is in saptamI vibhakti (locative case). The basic sentence unit (anvaya) is ahaM kamalAMbikAyAM bhaktim karomi (I offer my devotion to the Goddess Kamalambika) and all

adjectives with the ``yAM'' ending refer to kamalAmbikAyAM. The forms of speech are four in number, according to the Indian grammatical tradition. First comes pure sound (parA vAk), which then manifests itself to the speaker (pashyantI). It then goes through an intermediate stage (madhyamA) of transformation, and is finally being expressed verbally (vaikharI). The eight shaktis, vashinyAdi mentioned here are: vashinI, kAmeshI, medinI, vimalA, aruNA, jayinI, sarveshI and kauLinI. These shaktis are collectively called rahasya yoginis.

Now, please listen to Sangeethakalanidhi Sanjay Subramanyan rendering this composition.


22 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page