Keerthnam-Simha Sanastithe
Simha sanastithe is a beautiful keerthnam I learned from my guru Roja Kannan, and a choreography by her guru Sri Adyar Lakshman sir. It is in ragamalika and talam rupaka. It also includes a verse from Amba Pancharatnam Shloka. I have included below.
Lyrics follows:
या सा शुम्भगनशुम्भदैत्यशमनी या रक्तिीजाशनी - Ya sa shumba, nishumba, daitya shamani, Ya Rakta Bija shini
या – yā - the one (that devi); सा – sā – that; शुम्भ - Śumbha - Shumbha; गनशुम्भ - niśumbha - Nishumbha; दैत्य- daitya – demons (son of ditis); शमनी - śamanī - subdued
(killing); या – yā - the one; रक्त िीजा - raktabījā - Rakta Beeja – a demon –( lieutinent of Shumbha and Nishumbha) ; अशगन -Aśanī – she consumed (ashanam -food)
She is the one who killed the demons Shumbha and Nishumbha, (sons of Ditis). She also killed Raktabeeja, who was a lieutinent of Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Notes: Devi had to physically consume Raktabeeja as her food. She also brought Matrika devis, Sapta Matrikas, viz, Brahmi, Vaishnavi, Indrani, Chamunda, Maheshwari, Koumari & Varahi (described in various puranas). They killed Raktabeeja. When one drop of Raktabeeja’s blood falls on battleground, another Raktabeeja is created. This is the boon granted to him, by Shiva. The killing operation, resulted in Raktabeejas multiplying exponentially (lakhs and crores) in the battlefield. All the devas were worried and then, Chandika produced Kaali from her forehead, asked her to extend her broad tongue and consume each drop of blood to ensure, no drop of blood falls on the ground as she kills each of Raktabeeja. Kali is the form of Devi again. That is why she is described as ‘Raktabeeja Ashani’, who consumed all the blood of Raktabeeja.
या श्री गवष्णुसरोजनेत्रभवना र्ा ब्रह्मगवद्याऽऽसनी । - yā śrī viṣṇusarōjanētrabhavanā yā brahmavidyā: asanī |
या - yā – the one ; श्रीगवष्णु - śrīViṣṇu – Sri Vishnu; सरोज – Sarōja – lotus; नेि- Nētra - eye ; भवना– bhavanā - residence; या- yā: - the one; ब्रह्मगवद्या - Brahmavidyā - Knowledge of Parabrahmam; - आसनी – asanī –seat;
She is residing in the lotus eyes of Vishnu; she is seated on Brahmavidya.
She is residing in the lotus eyes of Vishnu. That is why Vishnu is described as Pundarikaksha. We worship to seek his blessing (Kataksha), because all grandeur / power of Vishnu’s eyes is granted by Devi herself. Vishnu and Shiva cannot exist without Sri’s (Devi) blessing.
She is seated on Brahmavidya, the Vidya which tells us about Parabrahmam as distinct from Jeeva / Jagat. There are three concepts, in Vedanta, namely, Jeeva, Jagat and Brahman. Jagat is unreal, which does not exist. Jeeva is none different from Brahman as per Adi Shankara. The knowledge / description of three entities, and more so of Brahman, leading Jeeva to Brahman is called Brahmavidya. Devi is the possessor of Brahmavidya.
Some books mention as ‘Brahmavidya Sati’. She is very personification of Brahmavidya. Sati means the establisher of pativrata drama (dharma of the wife) by herself adopting it, when she was on earth. Sati was the name given by Daksha. She was also known as Dhakshayani because she was the daughter of Dhaksha. Kamakshi, when she did penance to attain Ekamreshwara / Shiva etc, displayed her pativrata dharma.
या देवी मधुकैटभासुरररपुर्ाय मागहिध्वांगसनी - yā dēvī madhukaiṭabhāsuraripuryā māhiṣadhvaṁsinī
या - yā - the one ; देवी - dēvī - Devi ; म ुकैटभ - madhukaiṭabhā - Madhu Kaiṭabha; असुर āsura – demon (asura); ररपु: - ripuah – Enemy; या - yā - the one; मागहिध्वंगसनी- Māhiṣadhvaṁsinī - who killed the demon, Mahisha.
She is the one who killed the enemies, Madhu, Kaitabha and also Mahisha
Notes:
Madhu and Kaitabha, were two demons who could not be killed by Vishnu even after fighting for 5,000 long years. Vishnu, then prayed to Devi who appeared before him and gave the power to kill them. Devi also said, she will stay in sky and ensure they are distracted by her beauty so that he can kill them.
This is described in Durga Saptasathi and in greater detail in Devi Bhagavatham. Durga saptasati is only the essence taken from Devi Bhagavatam.
मामम्बापुरवागसनी भिवती हेरम्बमातावतु ॥ - māmambāpuravāsinī bhagavatī hērambamātāvatu ||
माम – mām – me; अम्बापुर –ambāpura – Sripuram; वागसनी vāsini - residing; भिवती – bhagavatī - having six qualities; हेरम्ब - hēramba - refers to form of Ganapathi; माता mātā - Mother; अवतु - avatu – let her protect;
Bhagavathi is residing in Sripuram (Amba puram). She is called so, as she possesses six opulences. May the mother of Ganapathi (also known as Heramba) protect me.
Notes: In this shloka, all the three important stories, connected with Devis, which are described in Devi Bhagavatam and Devi Mahatmyam, are mentioned viz, Shumbha-Nishumbha; Madhu-Kaitabha, Mahishasura; Raktabeeja, in addition, who is very powerful demon and a lieutenant of Shumbha-Nishumbha.
One basic aspect of these three -
Madhu-Kaitabha are known for Tamo (laziness) guna (quality). That is why Vishnu took 5,000 years. If you allow Tamo guna to develop in great measure, then you will need significant effort. That is the learning.
Mahisha, - attracted by Devi’s form and he wanted to get her as his wife (mentioned in Devi Bhagavatam, but not in Durga Saptasati). Rajo (always very active) and Tamo guna combination was in dense form in him. That is why huge power of so many Devas was required. That is how Mahishasuramardhini’s form evolved. One needs lot of Shakti to fight Rajo guna and Tamo guna.
Raktabeejas are connected to our desires. Desires are unending. One desire leads to another, multiplies exponentially, making it difficult to eliminate. If we have to kill Raktabeeja, we have to kill the basic desire of samsara (cycle of birth and death). This is the lesson.
Shumbha Nishumbha – represent more intense forms of Rajo and Tamo Guna. They multiply, making it difficult to kill. We need to mobilize lot of fighting forces if we allow Rajo and Tamo gunas to multiply.
We, definitely need these two qualities (Rajo and Tamo) for our human life. However, we always need to watch and keep them under control, by developing Satva guna
5.श्रीगवद्या परदेवताऽऽगदजननी दुिाय जर्ा चस्मण्डका िािा श्रीगत्रपुरेश्वरी गशवसती श्रीराजराजेश्वरी ।
श्रीराज्ञी गशवदूगतका श्रुगतनुता श ृङ्गाारचूाामगणः मामम्बापुरवागसनी भिवती हेरम्बमातावतु ॥
5.śrīvidyā paradēvatā:’:’dijananī durgā jayācaṇḍikā bālā śrītripurēśvarī śivasatī śrīrājarājēśvarī |
śrīrājñī śivadūtikā śrutinutā śr̥ṅgāracūḍāmaṇiḥ māmambāpuravāsinī bhagavatī hērambamātāvatu ||
Meaning & Explanation:
श्रीगवद्या परदेवताऽऽगदजननी दुिाय जर्ा चस्मण्डका - śrīvidyā paradēvatā dijananī durgā jayācaṇḍikā
श्रीगवद्या - śrīvidyā – Srividya (same as Brahmavidya); परदेवता - paradēvatā -Surpeme Devata ; आगद – ādi-first (Primeval); जननी – jananī - Mother; दुिाप - Durgā-another name of Parvati; जया - jayā -form of victory; चस्मण्डका - caṇḍikā – fierce form
She represents the supreme knowledge, she is the primeval Goddess, (there was nobody before her) Durga, very form of victory and having a fierce form.
We saw Brahmavidya in last shloka. Srividya is same as Brahmavidya. Brahmavidya is Vedanta Vidya which one has to go through, by following gnana maarga through the teaching of ‘nethi nethi’. (Elimination process). This means, nothing other than Brahman exists. Hence we need to attain Brahman which is not simple.
Though Srividya & Brahmavidya are same, the path is different. Upasana, Pooja, and meditation go together in Srividya. It is to be noted that Navavarana Pooja is done by Srividya Upasakas. All these are part of broad spectrum of Srividya. They need to get mantras / Pooja paddhathi initiated by competent Guru.
Bhavanopanishad describes how to do the meditation and how each part of your body can lead you into thinking of Devi. This is part of Srividya. She is the supreme Devata and the first Mother. In Saaktham, we believe Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the three children whom she created.
Durga is another aspect of Parvathi (Adi Prarashakti). Veda talks about Durga Sooktham. Etymologically, Durga means one who is difficult to attain. Brahmavidya and Srividya are not easy paths; moksha is not easy to attain. She will make it easy if we take refuge in her. One of the other meanings for Durga is she killed demon, Durgamasura. She is the very form of victory. Failure is unknown to her. So, she is Jaya. Always she is hailed (in Chandi homam etc) by the cry of Jaya Jaya.
When she went to battlefield, she took the fierce form Chandika to kill Shumbha and Nishumbha.
Pallavi
Raga: Saurastram
Simha sanasthite, sundara guruguha nuta lalite cidaanandaathoham vandeham vandeham
Translation
the Cidanandanatha, salute again and again goddess Lalita, seated on the lion throne, and praised by the handsome Guruguha.
Jathi
Ta Tei Tei Ta, Ta Ga, Dhi Tei Tei Ta, Ta Ga,
Ta Tei Tei Ta, Dhi Tei Tei Ta, Ta Tei Tei Ta, Dhi Tei Tei Ta,
(x2) Tei Hat Tei Hi, Ta ga dhi mi,
Tei Ya Tei Yi, Ta Gi Ta, Ti Ta, Tei dhi dhi Tei
Anupallavi
Raga: Vasanta
Brahmadi sakala devataradhita padayugale parashurama parama bhagavatapramukhopasita bagale
Translation:
Her feet are worshiped by Brahma and other celestials. She, as goddess Bagala, is worshiped by Pashurama and other distinguished devotees.
Jathi
(x2) Tei Yum Ta Ta, Tei Yum Ta hat, Tei Tei dhi dhi Tei
Ta Ga Dhi Mi,
(x3) Dhi Dhi Tei, Dhi Dhi Tei, Tei Dhi Dhi Tei
Charanam 1
Raga: Surati
Kamaleshanuta mahngale kavijana nata mahngale mantrini dandinl samuhadi mahngale
Translation:
Oh Mangala, the auspicious one, extolled by Vishnu, and saluted by the noble poets, grants auspiciousness to Mantrini and Dandini who surrounded her.
Jathi
(x2) Tei Hat Tei Hi, Tei Hat Tei Hi, Tei Ya Tei Yi
Tei Hat Tei Hi, Ta Ti Ta,
(x3) Ta Gi Ta, Tei Dhi Dhi Tei
Charanam 2
Raga: Madhyamavathi
Hayagrlba kumbhajadi poojitha nitya manhgale niratishaya shubha manhngale navanava vidha mahngale
Translation:
She is the Nityamangala, the eternally auspicious one, worshiped by Hayagriva and others. She is the astoundingly auspicious one, who bestows innumerable boons.
Jathi
(X2) Ta ga, Ta gi ta, ta gi ta
Ta ga, ta gi ta, ta gi ta, Tei ya tei yi
Tadhimginadhon, (ta)
Tadhimginadhon, (ta)
Tadhimginadhon
Meaning source from: http://www.medieval.org/music/world/carnatic/lyrics/TKG/mangala.html