Lalitha Pancharathnam

Courtesy: Sri.Srinivasan

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One of the most widely worshipped forms of the Divine Mother is Goddess Lalitambika or Lalita. It is a pleasing and pleasant form for contemplation and meditation and the great Adi Sankaracharya has commended this form for meditation and worship. Since the Goddess is the fountain-head of all knowledge, prosperity, wealth and happiness and is auspiciousness personified, the Acharya recommends that one should remember Her and Her attributes in the early hours of the morning so that the day starts auspiciously. Further, what is there more rewarding than gratefully remembering the Mother and contemplating her auspicious form? The Acharya has composed five beautiful verses, each one of them, a gem and has strung them together into a five-gem garland to be offered at the feet of the Divine Mother and known as the Lalita Pancharatnam.

Now read on:
prataha smarami lalitha vadanaravindam
bimbadharam pruthulamouktika shobhinasam!
akarnadirghanayanam manikundaladhyam
mandasmitam mrugamadojvala phaladesam!!
I contemplate in the morning the beautiful lotus face of Goddess Lalita – the exquisitely beautiful mouth, the delicate nose shining with nice pearl nose ring, the long eyes (extending up to the ears), the diamond studded eardrops adorning the ears, the graceful smile and the forehead adorned with Kasturi fragrant with musk.
Notes: The beauty of the face of the Divine Mother is described in this Sloka. The whole face is like a lovely lotus in bloom, pinkish in color, in harmony with the pinkish glow of the dawn. Then the devotee sees the red lips, red like a ripe-fruit, the shapely nose above it adorned with big lustrous pearls, then above it the beauteous eyes, long and shapely, which look as if they extend upto the ears. Long, shapely eyes are considered a thing of beauty in India and the eyes which extend upto the ears, are considered particularly auspicious and beautiful. Next to the eyes which extend upto the ears, the devotee would note the shapely ears themselves with the eardrops set with precious stones dangling from them. The devotee next notices the broad forehead which is adorned by the Kasturi 'Tilak' and the entire forehead is resplendent. Fragrant substances go into the composition of the material which is used for applying the Tilak. The 'musk' of musk-deer
is a highly priced component which has lasting fragrance. Early morning, when the devotee wakes up from sleep, he must think of the beautiful and auspicious form of the Divine Mother in this manner.

pratarbhajami lalita bhujakalpavallim
ratnamguliya lasamguli pallavadhyam!
manikyahemavalayamgada shobhamanam
pumdrekshuchapa kusumesu srunirdadhanam!!

Early morning, I worship the tender flowery-soft, creeper-like hands of Goddess Lalita. Adorned by resplendent bangles and arm-clasps (bracelets) studded with precious gems, with the delicate fingers dazzling with diamond rings, these hands hold in them a bow made of sugarcane stalk, an arrow made of flowers and an ankush or goad.

Notes: The devotee remembers first the beautiful smiling face of the Goddess and then notices Her hands. They are tender and supple like a tender climber plant. The upper arms are adorned with gold clasps studded with gems. Gold bangles studded with diamonds adorn the wrists.

knr
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If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.

  Every moment, thank God