LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
[ 48. Nih:samshaya Samshayaghni Nirbhava Bhavanashini ]
भवनशिनी (175)
Bhavanashini (175)
Meaning:
Devi destroys the cycles of birth and death of Her devotees.
Interpretation:
In the previous namah, for the word Bhava, we went by the meaning Structure. However, in this namah the same word Bhava is depicted with a different meaning.
In this namah Bhava means Bondage / Bonding with Material Life and Nashini means Destroyer. Therefore the term Bhavanashini should be understood as Devi is the one who destroys the bondage, the bondage of Samsara, and releases the devotee from the cycle of birth and death.
When expanded the term Bhavanashini becomes Bhava nasayatiti tatha. Bhava = bondage or samsara = cycle of death and birth. Devi destroys the samsara ( i.e., the cycle of deaths and births).
This cycle of birth and death is called samsara. Bondage is the cause for samsara. To get released from this cycle, one has to meditate upon Devi, who being the supreme power, is capable of destroying it and grant mukti to her devotees.
Bhava referring to Bondages Quote from Adi Shankara
Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada also applies the meaning Bondage to the term Bhava in his famous works Sri Bhaja Govindam.
पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम् | इह संसारे बहु दुस्तारे कृपया पारे पाहि मुरारे ‖
To be born again, to be dead again, again resting in the mother’s womb! It is indeed hard to cross this Samsara of cycle of repeated births and deaths. O Murari! by your mercy please relieve me from the clutches of this transmigratory process.
Bhava Sagara a hymn on Sri Ramakrishna
Near the end of his Guru's life, Devendra Nath Mazumdar, a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, composed this hymn of eight stanzas on his Guru. It has now become an Arti song and is regularly sung at the Belur Mutt.
ভব সাগর তারণ কারণ হে
গুরুদেব দয়া কর দীন জনে
भवसागर तारण कारण हे ।
गुरुदेव दया करो दीनजने ॥१॥
Bhava-Sagara Tarana Karanna Hay Gurudeva Daya Karo Diina-Jane ||
I salute the Gurudeva who is the only means of crossing this Ocean of Samsara worldly existence. O Gurudeva, please shower Your Mercy on this helpless soul.
Quote from Bhakta Ramadasa
Bhakta Ramadas in his Keerthana has also used Bhava Sagaram which means Ocean of Bondage.
Author's Notes
Interestingly Bhava Nashini is also the name of not one but two rivers. Another name of Sarayu, the famous River of Ramayana, on the banks of which the city of Ayodhya is located, is Bhavanashini.
Bhavanashini is also the name the River that flows in South India, in. Andhra Pradesh, on the banks of which the Ahobila Mutt is situated. Ahobilam is the center of worship of Lord Narasimha and Nine different shrines dedicated to the God are located here.
In the following Sloka, the word Bhava Nashini has been used twice, one to address the River and the other to mean to destroy sins (literally the cycle of births and deaths - for when one is absolved of all sins he becomes pure and is entitled to Mukti and relieved from rebirth.)
नृसिंहविलसत्पादकुशेशयकृतोत्सवे |
भवनाशिनि मच्चीर्णपापानां भव नाशिनी || ९ ||
Nrusimha Vilasat Pada Kushesha Yat Kritotsvay Bhavanashini Machcheerna Papanam Bhava Nashini.
O bhavanashini! the one who celebrates (in the form of abhisheka through its waters) festivals at the shining lotus-like feet of lord narasimha, may you destroy the sins committed by me.
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