LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
अरुणरुण कौसुम्भ वस्त्र भास्वत् कटीतटी (37)
Aruṇaruṇa Kausumbha vastra Bhasvat Kaṭitaṭi (37)
Meaning:
Devi whose waist is adorned with a glowing Silk Garment which is as red as the rising sun and which has been dyed with an extract from safflower (kusumbha) flowers.
Interpretation:
The Divine Mother has a broad hip, (Kati tati) which is covered by a glittering / glowing (bhasvat) silky garment (vastra). This garment is red in colour similar to the raising morning Sun (Aruna). The Safflower (Kausumbha - Senthoora Poo in Tamil) extract is used to dye the Divine Mother’s garment.
Aruna, the charioteer of Sun God is reddish brown in colour and he brings reddishness to the world before the Sunrise. Arunaruna is used twice to express the deep reddishness.
Some scholars are of the opinion that Aruna could also mean one of the vak devis. This sahasranamam was composed by the vak devis. They are eight in numbers and their names are Vasini, Kameshwari, Modhini, Vimala, Aruna, Jaini, Sarveshwari and Koulini. Aruna vak devi represents Devi's waist.
Adi Shankara has a similar view on Devi's attire. However, the sage has not referred to any specific colour. In the Ardhanareeswara Sloka he simply refers to it as Divya-Ambaram (Divinely / charming) in contrast to Lord Shiva's Dig-Ambara.
दिव्याम्बरायै च दिगम्बराय नमः शिवायै च नमः शिवाय ||
Digambara can, again, be interpreted in two ways - wearing no clothes at all (Lord Shiva wears only Tiger's skin) or Dig (disha) the one who wears the eight directions as his dress!
Disclaimer: _ All matters contained in this article are the property of www.templesofasia.com. The opinions expressed in this article are purely that of the author. The author alone is responsible for the accuracy, authenticity, completeness and validity of all the information in the article.
Comments