LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
कदंबवन वासिनी (60)
Kadambavana Vasini (60)
Meaning:
Devi lives in the middle of forest of Kadamba trees whose flowers have divine fragrance.
Interpretation:
Though the Namah simply says in the midst of Kadamba vana, there are a lot of details provided by Vaag Devis, the composers of LSN. As mentioned earlier, the name of the palace of Devi is called Chintamani Gruha.
This palace is surrounded by several layers of walls similar to Prakaram in a temple and Vaag Devis put the number of such walls at twenty five. The rows of Kadamba trees are located between wall No. 7 (made of silver) and wall No. 8 (made of Gold) and this area is guarded by Devi Mantrini, (also known as Devi Raja Shyamala). Devi Lalitha Parameshwari controls all the Devis who guard these walls concludes the Vaag Devis.
Adi Shankara, in his composition Sri Tripura Sundari Ashtakam, deploys the word Kadamba in several places.
कदम्बवनचारिणीं मुनिकदम्बकादम्बिनीं
नितम्बजितभूधरां सुरनितम्बिनीसेविताम् ।
Kadamba Vana Charineem, Muni Kadamba Kadambhineem,
Nidhambha Jitha Bhoodram sura Nithambhini Sevitham.
In the above shloka, the phrase Kadamba vana charineem means Devi is roaming in the forest full of Kadamba trees. In the phrase Muni Kadamba Kaadambini, Kadamba is used in a different way. It means - Just like the clouds quench the thirst of humans, Devi Tripura Sundari quenches the spiritual thirst of sages (Munis).
Author's Notes:
It is interesting to note that similar to the way Devi Lalitha residing in Chintamani Griha is surrounded by Kadamba trees, here on our planet earth, Devi Meenakshi resides at Madurai and is surrounded by Kadamba trees. For this reason, Madurai was once known as Kadambavanam. The Sthala Vruksham of Madurai Meenakshi temple is the Kadamba tree.
Kadamba tree was known to the Tamils from very ancient times and there are several references to it in Sangam Literature. A song in Paripadal — ‘Urul inar kadambu’ — documents the ball-like blossoms of the tree. Song No.199 of Agananuru describes how thirsty elephants mistake the soft blossoms falling from the kadamba tree for a fine drizzle and run in joy. Noted Tamil poet of Sangam period, Kapilar makes a mention of Kadamba flower in his composition Kurinchi Pattu.
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