LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
शिव-कामेश्वराङ्कस्था (52)
Shiva Kameshvarangkastha
Meaning:
Devi sits on the left thigh (lap) of Lord Shiva - Kameshwara.
Interpretation:
Here the word Kama does not stand for desire or the God of love, Manmatha, but to sheer knowledge. Shiva means auspicious and Ishwara means the supreme. Therefore, Shiva Kameshwara should be understood as Lord Shiva, the auspicious, is the storehouse of supreme knowledge. The rest of the lines stand for Devi is sitting on his lap. (tasya anke tistati sa).
Why is Devi shown as sitting on the left thigh of Lord Shiva? It may be noted that Laksmi Devi is always shown as sitting on the lap of Lord Nrusimha in the Lakshmi Nrusimha form. At the famous Bhadrachalam temple Sita is depicted as sitting on the lap of Lord Rama. While the other two forms mentioned signify the female version is submissive and is protected by the strong, powerful male version, the Shiva-Shakti form signifies the case of togetherness, oneness or unison.
While in Ardhanareeswara form the Lord's parts off with half of his external body to Devi, the internal Heart is one only and is on the left side. So Devi gets herself placed on the left side to indicate their Hearts are also in unison.
This namah actually talks about the Static and Kinetic form of energies in unison. Shiva is in Prakasha, the illuminating (static) form and Devi is in Vimarsa - activating, spreading or distributing the energy - the kinetic form.
In the Adi Shankara version Devi is not shown sitting on the Lap but on the Lord Himself who is depicted as a couch (mancham) on which Devi is seated.
शिवाकारे मञ्चे परमशिवपर्यङ्कनिलयां
भचन्ति त्वां धन्याः कतिचन चिदानन्द लहरीम्॥
Shivakare Manche Paramashiva Paryanka Nilayam
Bhachanti Tvam Dhanyaḥ Katichana Chid Ananda Laharim ||
The inner meaning of this concept is Lord Shiva is shown in his Chidananda form. [Chid = Consciousness and Ananda = Happiness]. Chidananda is the exclusive property of Lord Shiva and Devi derives her Energy (Shakti) from Him by sitting on him. Shiv and Shakti are not separate here but in unison.
"Fortunate are those, who worship Thee, the inundation of Bliss - Consciousness, as reclining on a mattress that is Paramashiva" says the Jagatguru.
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