LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
[ 49. Nirnasha Mrityu Madhani Nishkriya Nishparigraha ]
निष्परिग्रहा (183)
Nishparigraha (183)
Meaning:
Devi does not receive anything in return for the actions She performs.
Interpretation:
In this Namah Nish stands for negativity or Nil and Parigraha stands for receiving something.
When expanded we get, Nirgatah Parigraha Yasyah Sa which means a person who does not receive anything.
How can Devi receive something? Who, except Lord Shiva, has the capacity to give her something? Devi is the Jagan-mata. She knows not how to receive - She knows only to give. She bestows everything upon her devotees, from Wealth to Wisdom, from Prosperity to Parenthood, from economic needs to eternal bliss, and ultimately grant Moksha to her devotees.
Therefore, to understand the meaning of Parigraha in this Namah, one should always read it alongside the previous Namah Nishkriya where we had seen, Devi does not get involved in any actions (Karma). Similarly as per this Namah, she does not receive anything (read: receive Phalan for her Karmas). She, being the supreme authority, is beyond the ambit of the Karma theory and terms such as Karma and Phalan do not affect her.
Author's Notes
Interestingly, the term Parigraha has several meanings, one of them is possessiveness. The term has been used in this sense in several texts including Srimad Bhagavat Geeta.
Quote from Bhagavad Gita:
अहङ्कारं बलं दर्पं कामं क्रोधं परिग्रहम् ।
विमुच्य निर्ममः शान्तो ब्रह्म-भूयाय कल्पते ॥
(Ch18 Moksha Yoga verse 53)
A person who frees himself from false ego, false attachment, arrogance, desire, anger, unnecessary accumulation of possessions and feelings of possessiveness only can qualify to realize brahma.
Quote from Yoga Sutra by Patanjali
Sage Patanjali lists out five items of restraints and one of them is non-possessiveness.
अहिंसा असत्य अस्तेय ब्रह्मचर्या अपरिग्रहाः यमाः
Non-violence, Non-falsehood, Non-stealing, Non-cheating (celibacy, chastity), and Non-possessiveness are the five Yamas (restraints).
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