LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
पञ्च ब्रह्मासन स्थिता (58)
Pancha Brahmasana Sthita (58)
Meaning:
Devi is seated on a throne made up of five Brahmans. Of the five, four Brahmans namely - Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Ishana are the four legs of Devi's throne and Sadashiva, is the couch on which the Devi is seated.
Rudra, Ishana and Sadashiva all are different names of Lord Shiva. Rudra means destroyer and it is a Rig Veda mantra. Ishana means the one with complete knowledge and Sadashiva means the eternal one. Ishana and Sadashiva are Yajur Veda mantras:
ईशानस्सर्वविद्यानां ईश्वरस्सर्वभूतानां ब्रह्माधिपतिर्ब्रह्मणोऽधिपतिर्ब्रह्माशिवो मे अस्तु सदाशिवोम्।
Interpretation:
The superficial meaning of the above Namah mentions Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva etc. to be submissive to Devi and are legs of Herthrone. This could be due to perception of the Shaktism cult which glorifies Devi to be supreme, to be above all. This namah affirms Her highest authority of the universe.
Adi Shankara also shares the same view that Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Ishvara have taken the shape of the four legs of thy throne in order to serve Thee very closely. And Sadashiva Himself has formed into Thy couch.
गतास्ते मञ्चत्वं द्रुहिण हरि रुद्रेश्वर भृतः
शिवः स्वच्छच्छाया घटितकपट प्रच्छदपटः
Gataste Mancatvam Druhina Hari Rudre Ishavara Bhrutah
Shivah Svacchacchaya Ghatita Kapata Pracchadapatah
Looking at it dufferently:
Devi undoubtedly controls all activities on this universe and therefore, the logical meaning of the five brahmas used by Devi as her asanas should be construed as the five elements of earth rather than the male gods such as Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra etc. Afterall in a later Namah Devi is portrayed as Sadashiva Kutumbini.
My personal point of view:
Looking at the Lalitha Sahasranamam as a whole we find there are plenty of references glorifying Devi and about the importance of meditation and liberation. Therefore, the meaning of this Namah should also be
construed in those lines.
I wish to assign the following
four aspects - Ignorance, Knowledge, Worship and Meditation to form the four legs on which Devi's throne rest and the fifth one, Liberation as that aspect on which Devi herself sits.
The inner meaning of the Namah describes the complete journey of a devotee from Ignorance to Liberation. In the initial stages, he is clueless, Ignorant, totally in the dark, then he moves towards the light [Tamasoma Jyotir Gamaya], attains Knowledge, then starts worshipping Devi, then practices Meditation and finally is granted Liberation by Devi. At Liberation stage the devotee dissolves himself into Devi (Aikyam Aguthal ஐக்கியம் ஆகுதல் in Tamil).
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