LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
@ S. Subramaniam
अकुला (96)
Akula (96)
Meaning:
Devi does not have genealogy, hence she is referred to as Akula. Devi Lalithambika was created by Lord Shiva from Chidagni Kunda and hence she has no parentage.
Interpretation:
From the Sanskrit phrase Na Vidyate Kulan Yasyah sa, we can interpret the meaning of the word Akula in two ways.
1.She has no genealogy as she rose from the Chidagni Kunda fire and was created by Lord Shiva.
2.She stays in Union with her consort Lord Shiva in the Sahasrara Padma - the thousand petal lotus flower and is beyond the Kula, referriy here to the other six Kundalini Chakras.
Reference of Akula in Vasishta Samhita.
The word Akula also finds a mention in Vasishta Samhita which classifies the 28 Nakshatras (the regular 27 stars which all are female and the lone male star called Abhijit) into three categories (1) Kula (2) Akula and (3) Kulakula.
Kula group has 11 stars: Bharani, Rohini, Pushyam, Magha, Uttara Phalguni, Chitra, Visakha, Jyeshta, Poorva Ashada, Sravana (Thiruvonam), and Uttara Bhadrapada (Uthirattadhi).
Akula group has 13 stars Ashvini, Krittika, Mrigasira, Punaravasu, Aslesha, Poorva Phalguni, Hasta, Svathi, Anuradha, Uttara Ashadha, Dhanishta (Avittam), Poorva Bhadrapada (Poorattadhi) and Revathi.
Kulakula group has 4 stars: Satabhisha, Arudra, Abhijit and Mula.
Author's Notes:
The Namah Akula referring to Devi as to the one who does not have a genealogy (i.e. Devi has no parents) applies only to her incarceration as Sri Lalithambika or Maha Tripura Sundari.
In other incarcerations such as Sati (Dakshayani), Uma (Parvati) and Meenakshi the names of Devi's parents are also mentioned.
As Sati (Dakshayani) Devi was born to Daksha Prajapati and Prasuti.
As Uma (Parvati) she was born to Himavat, the personification of the Himalayan Mountains and Mena. The couple begot four children - Parvati, Ganga, Mainaka and Krauncha.
As the incarnation as Devi Meenakshi, she was born in southern India in Madurai and her parents were the Pandya King Malayadwaja Pandya and Queen Kanchanamala.
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