LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
[ 44. Nirlepa Nirmala Nitya Nirakara Nirakula ]
निराकारा (137)
Nirakara (137
Meaning:
Devi is formless.
Interpretation:
Akara means form, figure, shape, etc. and Nir stands for negativity. Thus Nirakara means the one who is formless.
Hinduism (Sanatana Dharma) recognizes two forms of worships - the Suguna and Nirguna. The Suguna form mainly deals with idol worship, all rituals, the 16 types of upacharas etc. Nirguna type of worship deals with formless worship - there is no idol, no upacharas and no mantras etc. God is perceived in a formless way and simply mediated up on. Devotees - or more specifically the tapasvi-s manifest Devi in their minds and do meditation. It is in this context Devi is referred to as Nirakara or the one who is formless.
Adi Shankara & Soundarya Lahari
In SL, in verse # 35 Adi Shankara describes Devi to be initially present in all forms / elements such as air, water, fire, wind, earth etc. but follows it up by saying Tvayee Parinatayam na hi param . By the above phrase, Shankara says: apart from the form you manifest yourself in, there is no other form. Or in other words Devi has no form - She is formless.
मनस्त्वं व्योम त्वं मरुदसि मरुत्सारथि-रसि
त्वमाप-स्त्वं भूमि-स्त्वयि परिणतायां न हि परम् ।
त्वमेव स्वात्मानं परिण्मयितुं विश्व वपुषा
चिदानन्दाकारं शिवयुवति भावेन बिभृषे
Manastva Vyoma tvam Maruta asi Marut srathir asi
Tvam Apas Tvam Bhumis Tvayi Parinatayam na hi param
Tvam Evam svatmanam parinamayitum visva vapusa
chidanandakaram Shivayuvati bhavena bibhrse
Sai Bhajan
In the popular Sai Bhajan, Lord Ganesa has been referred to as Nirankara. The song is
Nirakara Roopam Nirantam Ganesham Sada Sath Swaroopam Smarami Ganesham
Author's Note:
Devi is synonymous with Shakti or the Divine power that manifests, sustains and transforms the universe as the one unifying Force of Existence. By Devi or Shakti we mean all forms of powers.
God creates this world through Srishti-Shakti (creative power), preserves through Sthiti-Shakti (preservative power) and destroys through Samhara-Shakti (destructive Shakti. Devi Mahatmyam mentions this concept and says Srishti Sthiti Vinashanam Shakti bhoothe Sanathani.
The best way to understand the relationship between God and Shakti is: God is the fire (that has a specific form, shape etc.) and Shakti is the heat contained in the fire - it has no specific shape, it is formless - it cannot be seen but only felt. Devi, the Shakti, is like the heat, She has no form - She is formless - hence called Nirakara.
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