LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
निस्तुला नीलचिकुरा निरपाया निरत्यया ।
दुर्लभा दुर्गमा दुर्गा दुःखहन्त्री सुखप्रदा ॥ ५०॥
Nistula Neelachikura Nirapaya Niratyaya // llDurlabha Durgama Durga Dukha-hantri Sukhaprada]
नीलचिकुरा (185)
Neelachikura (185)
Meaning:
Devi has Blue (Indigo shade) coloured hair.
Interpretation:
In this Namah Neela means blue and Chikara means tuft or lock of hair. Thus Neelachikura refers that person who possesses blue coloured hair.
Assigning the above literal meaning to the Namah, it appears that the namah is totally out of context and is irrelevant, inappropriate at this place.
What has the colour of hair (that too of a shade that is something unconvincing) got to do when we are describing Devi as someone who is indestructible, who is incomparable, who is beyond karma and phalan etc.?
But Vaag Devi-s have mentioned it and they must certainly have done it, not without reason. Some scholars are of the view that the colour of Devi's hair could be linked to the Anjya Chakra which is blue (indigo-ish) in colour and the colourless Devi's hair reflecting the Anjya Chakra behind her head. But the logic doesn't sound very convincing.
Not just the LSN, the Lalitha Trishati there is a mention about the colour of Devi's hair - Om kachajitambudayai Namah (Salutations to Devi who has hair the colour of which is darker than the clouds).
So let's accept it the way it has been presented without indulging in, any in depth study.
Author's Notes
The author wishes to quote from two sources the Devi Mahatmyam and Ardhanarishwara slokom on the subject matter.
Quote from Devi Mahatmyam
यदभूच्छाम्भवं तेजस्तेनाजायत तन्मुखम्।
याम्येन चाभवन् केशा बाहवो विष्णुतेजसा॥14॥
Yadabhooschambhavam thejasthena jayatha thanmukham,
Yamyena chabhavan kesa bahavo Vishnu thejasa 14
From the power of Lord Shiva the face of Goddess was formed, from Yama her hair was formed and from Vishnu her hands were formed. (Her face is golden in colour, because Shiva is of that colour, her hair black because Yama is black and her eighteen hands are blue in colour because Vishnu is always depicted to be blue in colour.)
Quote from Ardhanarishwara Slokam
Moving on to Ardhanarishwara Slokam, we find Adi Shankara comparing the two totally contrasting aspects of Devi and Lord Shiva - such as , Devi wears silk robes whereas Lord wears tiger's skin as dress, Devi adorns herself with jewelleries whereas Shiva has snakes has ornaments, Devi creates Shiva destroys and so on..
अम्भोधरश्यामलकुन्तलायै तडित्प्रभाताम्रजटाधराय
Ambhodara Shyamala Kuntalayai
Tadit Prabha Tamra Jatadharaya…
When it comes to the colour of hair, Shankara says…Devi's hair is dark in colour like the water bearing clouds and Lord Shiva's hair locks are copper colour and radiant like a lightening.
Interestingly the term Shyama stands for both black and blue colours. Lord Krishna, also known as Shyam, is depicted as to be blue in colour. In Bengal, during Diwali, goddess Kali is worshiped as Shyama - Sri Sri Shyama Pooja - and the idol of goddess is invariably painted in blue colour.
So we get the connection right - the two terms Shyamala Kuntalayai and Neelachikura stand on the same page.
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