LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
[ 45 Nitya-shudha Nitya-budha Niravadya Nirantara ]
नित्य-शुद्धा (148)
Nitya-Shuddha (148)
Meaning:
Devi is very pure and she remains pure all the time.
Interpretation;
Nityam means something that is unchangeable. Shuddha means cleanliness or Pure more specifically that which doesn't contain any impurities. Devi, being in the form of Brahman, is Purity personification - she has no impurities and hence Shuddha. Also this quality of her, never undergoes any change and hence she is Nitya. Combining the two terms, we get to it that she is eternally pure or Nitya Shuddha.
Adi Shankara's quote in Soundarya Lahari
विशुद्धौ ते शुद्धस्फटिकविशदं व्योमजनकं
Visuddhau te suddha sphatika visadam vyoma janakam
Adi Shankara describes her position in the Vishuddhi Chakra and says he offers his worship to her who appears as pure as the a spatika or Quartz crystal that is pure and glitters.
The Sage of Kanchi Maha Periyava goes one step ahead while offering his views on Adi Shankara's lines. In the book Deivathin Kural (Voice of the God) he opines the Kundalini Chakra itself gets it's name Vishuddhi because of Devi's presence in it in Crystal clear, Pure, form.
Other References
Again it's Lord Shiva who is usually associated with the term Shuddha.
Quote 1 of 3 Mahanyasam
In the prelude to the holy Sri Rudram, in Laghunyasam, the opening lines portray Lord Shiva as Shuddha Sphatik Sangkaasam or the one who is as clear and pure as the crystal stone Sphatika.
Quote 2 of 3 Adi Shankara's Atma Shatakam
In the verse Atma Shatakam, while giving his introduction to Guru Govindacharya, the eight year old Shankara says he is as pure, complete and perennial like the single, the one and only, Lord Shiva.
शुद्धः पूर्णो नित्य एकः शिवोऽहम्
Shuddha poorno nithya eka Shivoham.
Quote 3 of 3 Guru Gita
The Guru Gita is a Hindu spiritual scripture that is said to have been authored by the sage Veda Vyasa written in a dialouge form between Devi Parvati and Lord Shiva. We find mention of Nitya Shuddham:
Nityam Shuddham Nirabhasam Nirakaram Niranjam
Author's Notes
What we should understand from Vaag Devi-s portraying Devi to be Nitya Shuddha is, the term is meant not for Devi but to her devotees. Divinity itself means absolute pureness and there is no necessity to further elaborate it.
Pureness stands for devoid of impurities and the emphasis here is on it. It is very important that devotees get all impurities out, remain pure, keep their body and soul pure, their thoughts and processes pure, their mind and materials pure. While meditating on Devi it is absolutely essential that purity is always adhered to no impurity is present.
The famous Tamil poet Thiru Valluvar also insists on getting rid of the impurities while speaking about Virtue (Aram in Tamil). Says the saint, one should get rid of the four bad qualites such as Azhukku (jealous), Ara (Greed), Veguli (Anger / temper) and Inna-sol (derogatory / hurting words) to become Virtuous. The term Azhukku here refers here both to jealousy as well as to impurities explains Salmon Papaya, an authority ion the subject.
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