Monday, October 6, 2008

The Nava Rasa Filled Navaraathri

Dear Friends,
We are now in the 'Navarathri ' festive season. This is called 'Sharan-Navarathri' - occurs in October. There is another 'Vasant-Navarathri' occurs in spring. (we will see about it when we come to spring season).
Now, the first three days from Paadyami of Aaswajuja (lunar) month are to be filled with devotion to goddess Lakshmi - for the enrichment of physical possessions like wealth, health, roopam, strength, progeny, cattle etc. The second three days are to be filled with devotion to goddess Sarswathi- for the enhancement of intelligence, wisdom, mental maturity and calmness etc. The final three days are to be filled with devotion to goddess Parvathi - for enhancement of spiritual well being, equality towards all, equinamity in pain and sorrow, service to fellow beings etc.
With that, the three sets of Nine night's (Nava rathri) contemplation comes to an end. Night here signifies ignorance. Getting rid of the ignorance through the worship of the above three goddesees (Our inner Self-Supreme) - is dawn. Firstly for physical empowerment, secondly for mental enhancement and finally for spiritual upliftment(moksha/emancipation) - Moksha never means attaining to Swarga or impeachable place in heaven. It is the experience of Bliss or absolute happiness here and here itself and allowing every other being their right to their share of happy living.
The 10th day is 'Vijaya Dasami' - The Dawn (day) of Victory (of Virtue over Vice).
In this context, I present here a slokam that explains the Divine Mother as an embodiment of 'Nava Rasas'.
This is the 51 slokam (out of 100) in the 'Soundarya Lahari' - sanskit poetry on the Divine Mother, gifted to mankind by Jagad guru Adi Sankaraachaya. The genius in Adi Sankaracharya, beholds these Nava Rathris as the nine rasas or the mental modifications of our emotions. He advises us to contemplate on the Divine Mother, the inner Supreme-Self for our self upliftment and ascent on to the dignified pedastal of a true Human Being. Look at this enthralling flow of poetic beauty - The work - non compare.



शिवे शृंगारार्द्रा - तदिर जने कुत्सन परा

स रोषा गंगायां - गिरिश चरिते विस्स्मयवती ।
हराहिभ्यो भीता - सरसिरुह सौभाग्य जननी
सखीषु स्मेरा ते मयि - जननि दृष्टिस्स करुणा ॥


శివే శృంగారార్ద్రా - తదిర జనేకుత్సన పరా
స రోషా గంగాయాం - గిరిశ చరితే విస్స్మయవతీ
హరాహిభ్యో భీతా -సరసిరుహ సౌభాగ్య జననీ
సఖీషు స్మేరా తే మయి - జనని దృష్టిస్స కరుణా


Sive shringaara ardhraa - thadhira jane kuthsana paraa,
sa roshaayaa gangaayaam - Girisa charithe vissmayavathee
Haraahibhyo bheethaa, sarasiruha saubhaagya jananee
sakheeshu smaeraa thae mayi - janani dhrishtis sa karunaa


Bhava in Telugu

తల్లీ! నీ దృష్టి నవరస భరితమై యొప్పుచున్నది,యెట్లన
వర్ణింపనలవి కానిది - అయినను సాహసించు చుంటిని
శివునియందు మిక్కిలి శృంగార రసము
శివేతర శతృవులయందు భీభత్స రసము
గంగా దేవిని చూచునపుడు రోష రసము
నీ నాధుని చరిత్రలందు విస్మయ రసము
స్వామి పాముల దండలు చూచునపుడు భయ రసము
యెఱ్ఱ కలువల కాంతితో నీ కనులలో వీర రసము

నీ చెలికత్తెలతో (లక్ష్మీ, సరస్వతులు) మంద హాస రసము
నా వంటి దీనులను చూచునపుడు కరుణ రసము
ఈ విధముగా ఎనిమిది రసములు ఒప్పారు చున్నవి
తొమ్మిదవ రసమైన శాంత రసమునకు లొటేమియూ లేదు
అది నీ రూప లావణ్య జన్య సహజ రసమే కదా!


Purport in English
O! Divine Mother, I very well comprehend you as the the embodiment of the Nava Rasas.
You are SRINGARA RASA personified while you glance at Lord Shiva
You are BHEEBHATHSA RASA personified when you torture our enemies
You are ROSHA (ENVY) RASA personified when you see your Sapathni - Ganga Maata
You are ASCHARYA RASA personified, amazed at the Lord Shiva's accomplishments
You are apparantly casting BHAYA RASA filled looks on the Snake Garlands on the Lord
Your orange red colured lotus eyes explain me VEERA RASA in your commited looks
In your lighter moods with Lakshmi, Sarswathi etc., I perceive the gentle smile or HAASA RASA
When you cast your slanted looks on the needy fellows like me (Sankaracharya), KARUNA RASA out pours
I forget not, that you, yourself, are the embodiment of SANTHA RASA which is rather sublime and embudeded in the above eight modifications or RASAs.
Thus you are the Goddess of Worship of this Nava Rathri - filled within thyself the NAVA RASAs.
Next week, we will see a Slokam explaining us "Who is this Divine Mother ?". This will also be from Adi Sankaracharaya, the Greatest Saint of all time, further explaning us about the attributes of Self-Supreme. It will be the 98th slokam from the very same 'Soundarya Lahari'
Please bear with me for this lenghthy post this time.
See you next week, Bye till then.
Best wishes for Ayudha Pooja, Durga Pooja and Vijaya Dasami to you all,
Ever Yours
Sarma

No comments: