LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM Namah # 67

LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 

         @ S. Subramaniam

आश्वारूढा धिष्ठिताश्व कोटिकोटिभि रावृता (67)

Ashvaruda Dhishithasva Kotikotibhi Ravrta (67) 

Meaning:

Devi is surrounded by lot of horses headed by Ashwaruda. 

Interpretation:

It is believed that Ashwarudha Devi appeared from the Pasham, or rope, of Goddess Lalitha Devi. She sits on a horse named Aparajitha and led a horse troupe in the battle against Bhandasura. Her face is also horse shaped. 

Devi Ashwarudha  is depicted with four hands holding a bow, a Dhandam (sort of long rod made of gold), a noose or a rope and the reins to control the horse. Sometimes She is shown with her two hands - one holding a Lotus and the other in Abhaya (blessing) Mudra. She wears the crescent moon on her forehead. 

Scholars say that  the inner  meaning of the term Ashwa  is the senses and Arudha means the rider of horse or in this context the controller of horses or senses. Thus Devi is the controller of all our senses.

The Battle with Bhandasura:

When the news of killing of Durmada by Sampatkari Devi reached Bhandasura (as narrated in previous Namah), he became furious and deputed Durmada's elder brother Kurunda to the battlefield. Kurunda was an expert in Maya Yuddha (war using mystical powers). Full of vengeance he decided to attack Sampatkari Devi. 

Meanwhile, Devi Lalitha replaced Sampatkari with Ashwarudha who, seated on her white horse Aparajita, straight away attacked the demon. The demon kept changing his form rapidly and held the upper hand for a brief period. Ashwarudha deployed all her mighty powers and with Aparajita moving in lightning speed, was quickly able to negate all the tricks of Kuranda. Finally she pierced the chest of the demon with her Dhandam and annihilated him completely. 

Author's Note

Praying to Ashwarudha Devi will relieve one of all the negative energies. It is generally believed that the Dhandam (goldenrod) held in her hand will absorb all such negative energies. 

There is a wonderful temple dedicated to Goddess Ashwarudha located within the premises of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Antarvedi, near Narsapur in Andhra Pradesh. The temple is located at the confluence of River Vasishta Godavari with the sea, the Bay of Bengal. Local people worship her by the name " Gurrala Akka ".

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