Sri Suktam Lecture 12 on 28 March 2024

Full Transcript (Not Corrected)

Sri Lakshmi Prasad Siddhiyarthe Japhe Ho Meva Kaniyogaha So we are studying the Sri Suptam. The actual Sri Suptam consisting of 15 riks, we have already completed. Now we have to deal with what is called Phala Siddhi. What do we get? That is where the 16th rik comes. And there afterwards, an additional 13 riks have been added by various great people. And they are also so beautiful. We are going to study even those 13. But at the same time, in a very brief manner, not as elaborate. In fact, these 13 which have been added later on, they are in the modern Sanskrit language, not the archaic Rig Vedic language. So they are much much easier to understand. Even the very words indicated to us, even if people do not know Sanskrit, the meanings are crystal clear rather. In our last class, we have concluded, but just to recollect what we have studied. This is a prayer, not directly to Divine Mother Lakshmi, but a prayer to Agni Devata. Let us remember, in all the Vedas, in the past, people used to lit the fire, offer oblations and through the Agni Devata. Agni himself is also offered oblations, but Agni is considered what we call nowadays Purohita, that is a temple priest. In the olden days, Vedic times, there were no temples. Nature itself is the temple. So worshipping the Sun, the Moon and the Pancha Devata and various Indra, Varuna, etc., who are all the manifestations of only Saguna Brahma called Ishwara. The word Ishwara came later on, but Hiranyagarbha, we get about it a lot. We study in the Chandogya as well as Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which are considered to be quite thousands of years old, archaic. So these earlier days, what used to be called Purohita, nowadays who is called Pujari. They are equivalent. So there are so many of these rigs, prayers addressed to the Divine Mother, but through the Agni Devata. So first two we have seen and the last three also we have seen. This word Jata Veda comes and then in this last one also we are seeing Jata Veda. This is a prayer. What is the prayer? Please invite and you yourself lead her so that she comes. Where? To me. And to me means what? Inside me, outside me. What does that mean? Inside me, that means in my heart, in my mind, that is what is meant by inside. What is the difference between mind and heart? Mind is full of thoughts. So beautiful divine thoughts, contemplations, Upasanas, that is called mind. Heart means complete Upasana, feeling that you are my mother, you are the mother of everybody, not only my mother, so you are the Divine Mother. And accepting you, there is nothing in this world, the whole universe is nothing but the manifestation of the Divine Mother in the form of Nama, Rupa and Guna and each differentiated by Sattva Guna, Prajna Guna and Tamo Guna. So manifestation of the Divine, whether you call it Brahman or Ishwara or Divine Mother or Shakti, it doesn't really matter. So please bring that Divine Mother. What happens? She will manifest herself in the form of auspicious qualities. This is so graphically put in the Durga Saptashati, Chandi. Yad evi sarva-bhuteshu cetane tya vidhiyate Then goes on a catalogue of all the qualities, what we consider not only the positive but also the negative qualities. For example, Kshuda Rupena, Trishna Rupena, Brahante Rupena. Positive qualities, Vidya Rupena, Eshwara Rupena, Lakshmi Rupena, Udhya Rupena, then Kshama Rupena, Daya Rupena, Kante Rupena, Jyate Rupena, Lajja Rupena etc. etc. All the qualities that we encounter in various human beings, they are nothing but the manifestations of the Divine Mother. Our physical bodies are the manifestations of the gross five elements. Our mind including Buddhi are the manifestations of the same five elements. We call them in English language but Panchabhutas but in a very subtle form called Tanmatras. Subtle doesn't mean small. Subtle means that which is not accessible to any of our files and organs. Whether it be extended by microscope, telescope, no scope will reveal that excepting Vedanta scope. So the whole universe, Jagat consisting of both the body and mind, outside and inside is nothing but a manifestation. First of all Nama, Rupa, Guna, forms, names and qualities but each one manifesting a combination of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. But we think we are unique, we are separate from God, separate from the Divine Mother. So here is a beautiful prayer, O Mother, so you will have to come to me but I do not have the capacity to invite you. But Esther, if we wish to have an appointment with the PM or President, we have to go through somebody who is close to these highly placed persons. Similarly, we have to go through the Agni Devata and as we discussed earlier, Agni stands for the fire. Fire is symbolic. What does it do? One of the greatest qualities of the fire is purification. So you boil the water, water becomes pure. Then you heat the iron or silver, any metal, it becomes pure by getting rid of all the brass, not only that. By putting in the fire, we can make different shapes according to our wish and that is what the Divine Mother is. Our fire brings that Divine Mother and who is the Divine Mother? It is fire itself. Fire is a manifestation of the Divine Mother who acts as go-between like Garuda. I mentioned earlier, if you remember, Garuda is equated with Guru, especially in the South Indian tradition because he brings God from Vaikuntha. This is a popular mythological interpretation. God is living in Vaikuntha. It is a long distance off and then we cannot climb there and then he has to be brought. So God himself, his own, a bit of his compassion takes the form of a Guru and Guru brings God to us and he who carries God to each one of us, he is called a Guru. So Agni is also like that only. He who brings every Deva-Devata and I want to share, even though I have spoken about it earlier, a Devata is not like a person having something. A rich man has a lot of riches but he is not the richest. He is separate, riches are separate. So he can be there, riches can go away. Riches may be there, he may disappear, he may die. But when we say fire, the heating power of fire or the lighting power of fire, they are his very nature. If there is heat, that means there is fire and if there is light, there is fire. If there is fire, there is light and heat. So Surya-Devata, sunlight, the light is the sun, sun is the light. So grace of God, God and God are not two separate things. So you bring the Divine Mother and what is the Divine Mother? She is consisting of both the manifest and the unmanifest. The unmanifest is her real nature before creation. Her manifest aspect is whatever we see, including ourselves. But if that same Divine Mother manifests in me, I would not stay. Either she is there or I am there. That is complete surrender. This is called, what does the fire do? It will remove my Ahamkara and what remains is there. You can call it Atma, you can call it Paramatma, call it Divine Mother, it doesn't really matter. So fire has that quality. So he first purifies us and then he brings the light. What is the light? You are the light. We become the fire. We become the light and that light can take the shape of Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati or Vishnu, Brahma or Shiva or Jesus or Buddha or any form. Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopa. This is how we have to understand. The 15th is a prayer to the Agni Devata, O God of fire, Jata Veda, because he knows everything. Because everything is the manifestation of friction. Fire means friction. So anything, the scientist's mind and then the knowledge, deep thinking is this concept of Upasana or contemplation or in other words, creating through friction, joining two objects. This is called contemplation and this is beautifully expounded in the first chapter of the Taittiriya Upanishad. So Mata Purvaroopam, Pita Uttararoopam, Prajananagum Praja Sandhi, Prajananagum Santanam. Let us just take briefly this example. So mother is what is called one object and father is another object and they come together. A friction is created. That friction is called the act of unification and the result is Praja or the offspring, Santana. So the Sishya, the student is the Purvaroopam. Acharya is the Uttararoopam. Vidya, that which we are teaching is the Sandhi and Gnanam is the Sandhanam. That is the, what is the result? The knowledge which is in the teacher now becomes one with the student and when the student becomes a person of knowledge and the teacher is already a person of knowledge, then what is the difference between the teacher and the student? There will be no difference at all. This is the process of contemplation which in modern terms we have started thinking about meditation. So this idea is a good clarification for all of us. Meditation or contemplation is an attempt, an effort to become one between the contemplator and that which is contemplated and that is the meaning we have to bring here. Hey Jata Veda, you become me and what are you capable of? Purifying me. What are you capable of? Making me also fire, Agni, Jata Veda. I also become Jata Veda and then what happens? You can manifest yourself as every Devata, Deva, Devi, Sarva Deva, Devi, Swaroopam and one of your forms is Lakshmi. But unfortunately, as we have been interpreting this Sri Suktam, it is not merely wealth. For most people, Lakshmi is the spouse of Lord Vishnu and there is a deep inner meaning in that. So Vishnu is the person who nourishes us, who protects us, who shelters us because a mother has to not only give birth, she will be the protector. How long? Whole life. That protection in the form of protection, that is called motherliness. So at one point of time, it will be our physical mother. At some other point of time, it's the knowledge. At some other point of time, it may be a sport. It may be a doctor. Some other time, it may be a diet. So protection is the important idea and that divine mother manifests in the form of the protection. She is called Matru Bhava. So Lakshmi, always whenever we use this word in the Sri Suktam or any Suktam and very interesting point is that whenever we worship our holy mother Sharda Devi, the mantra is always just like Shri Ramakrishna's mantra, Om Aim Ream Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopiniai Shri Sharda Devi Namaha. Especially when we are offering pooja, special pooja with 16 items, and at the end we invariably conclude it with a homam and that homam also is Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopini. Just like Shri Ramakrishna's Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopa, only a little bit of grammar has changed because of the gender that we are using it there. But it means there are no two beings there. He who is Sarva Deva Devi and He alone is Sarva Deva Devi Swaroopini also, holy mother and Shri Ramakrishna. And this lesson has been taught to Gulatma by Shri Ramakrishna. Just the devotees of Shri Ramakrishna might know about it, recollect about it. Once this Gulatma, she is what is called an amplifier. Her voice is so loud. Like, you know, once some monks were talking a little bit slowly, softly, and making cutting jokes, and this lady comes and shouts at them, You! Don't make noise. Sharath will be disturbed. And Sharath Maharaj had to stop her. So, some librarian, I have seen a cartoon, every minute it takes a big hammer and bangs, silence. Nobody should talk. Now he is creating more trouble. So, it is a beautiful prayer. Agni, we have to become Agni. And if we really pray, prayer means contemplation. Contemplation means becoming one. And when we become Agni, then we take the form of the Divine Mother. And the Divine Mother means everything. Shri, Lakshmi, Vidya, Saraswati, Parvati, every blessed quality and unblessed quality. Because remember, to distinguish one quality from the other, we require both. In our transactional world, it is not possible to have only one side of it. So, here is a prayer. Lakshmi, Yatha Veda, Ma Avaha. Please bring her to my house outside. That means everything will be to the best quality, plenty of it, but more important, inside, inside me. As what? So, Vidya, Daya, Matru, Bhava, etc. All the required spiritual qualities, wisdom. Please bring her to me. Not only bring her, see that she doesn't depart from me after that. Bringing is okay. You know, we see people and there may be poor people, they become rich and very soon they lose their riches also. And if you watch the stock market, you will see every day how many people are gaining billions and losing billions also. So, that is why Lakshmi is called Chanchala. But it is a bad epithet given to Mother Lakshmi. It is not Lakshmi who goes away. Lakshmi will always remain. But when I lose the power to retain her, then she will go to somebody who has the power to keep her. So, please see that I am fit to cherish, to worship, to contemplate Lakshmi, the Divine Mother. I always use the word not the Goddess of Wealth, but the Divine Mother. And then, यस्यां हिरण्यं प्रभूतं गावा दास्यः अश्वान्मिदें पुर्षानः So, Sri Ramakrishna used to say that a person who is blessed with Lakshmi, his house will always be lighted up. Plenty of light comes. Only a fellow who is wretched, who is rich, his house will be in darkness, both inside as well as outside. O God of Fire, kindly bring Goddess Lakshmi, who is none other than your own other form, because I am your devotee and I become you, and automatically you are she, and she will come to me and make me pure, so that make her stay with me and see that she abides with me forever. Let there be no separation between me and her. When is it possible? When I become Lakshmi, Divine Mother. So, when a Jivatma becomes one with Parvatma, there afterwards there would be no separation at all. And this is a prayer understandable for most of the householders. May I gain plentiful gold, wealth, wealth also not only money, but in the form of cattle, in the form of money, in the form of servants, maidservants, horses, and either children or attendants, assistants of the near and the dear. That means, let me never lack anything. So, if Goddess Lakshmi is invoked, she confers her blessings by staying in the devotee's home as well as heart, and she confers on her devotee everything. What is the purpose of everything? To have unbroken bliss. And wherever there is Lakshmi Devi, there will be unbroken bliss. So, with this 15th rig concludes the set of 15 rigs of the Sri Suktam. Sri Suktam has 15 rigs including 16 rigs. There is one more rig which is called Phalashruti. What do I gain by praying to Her or by becoming Her? So, out of the 15 verses, first two verses and the last three verses are addressed indirectly through Agni, which clearly indicates that to get best results, a Homa should be done. One should invoke the fire and then worship Her. As I mentioned in the Vedic times, this Agni and there are Agnis also, there are separate divisions are there. Occasional Agnis and short Agnis and Dirgha Agnis. See, there is a Satra. Satra also is a type of Agni. 12 years it is there. But there is something called Nityagni. So, these people, Brahmanas especially, who maintain the fire, same fire, they don't take a matchstick and then light up a fire. Whenever they do this Yajna Yaga, in a small way of course, not in a bigger way, they have to bring fire only from that old fire. So, it is said for hundreds of years, some people are protecting that fire, continuously feeding it with some faggots etc. These special people, they are called Nitya Agni Hotris. And at least I know that in South India, I have heard a few people are there, especially in Karnataka, probably there are, of which I have no idea, in the North India also. So, in the Phala Shruti, Phala means the result. Shruti means the Veda itself is telling, what are we going to get if we do this Agni Hotra or invoke the fire and offer oblations to Mother Lakshmi, what do we get? But there is an alternative, this thing is there. One can also do Japam. And it is said that those who specially need something, they will have to do this Japam, because Shri Sukta contains 15 ricks. Therefore, they have to do continuously these 16 ricks 15 times. That kind of tradition is there. So, below there are very beautiful verses are added. We will come to that later on. Now we are going to deal with the 16th verse. Padma Priye, Padmini, Padmaaste, Padmalaye, Padmadalayatakshi, Vishwapriye, Vishnumanonukule, Dvapadapadmam, Mahi, Sannidhatsva. As I mentioned, these are very, very beautiful, enchanting, inspiring shlokas. Why do I call them shlokas? Earlier ones in the Vedas, they are called ricks. And what follows now, this is what is called shlokas. Somebody had added to them later on. So, what does this mean? Oh Mother, you love the lotus and hence carry one in your hand. The lotus is your manifestation and you abide in the lotus. Your eyes resemble the petals of a lotus. You are adored by the entire universe and you remain ever loving near the Lord Krishna, who is your beloved spouse. Kindly set your foot firmly in my home and abide there forever and also in my heart. So, the word Padma in the 16th verse is used six times. Padma Priye, one who is fond of lotuses. As we know, in India, the national flower is lotus. And why did India choose? Because the lotus is very beautiful for many reasons. I will give you only one or two reasons. The very first reason is that many schools of philosophy have taken how to live in this world. So, the lotuses are grown on ponds, especially on not very clean ponds. And the dirtier the pond, the more will be the lotuses. Why? Because what we call dirt is the greatest fertilizer in the whole world. And this lotus is a very, very fine type of fragrance. If you put so many lotuses in one place, we get a little bit of that fine fragrance. That is the first reason. So, what is the second reason? That is, even though a lotus plant is there in the dirty water and then the flower when it grows, even the leaves of the Padma Patra, they are completely detached from the water. Water cannot stain it. If you put a piece of cloth, the whole cloth will absorb the water. That is why in the Bhagavad Gita, it is said that you live in this world like a lotus leaf. So, that means you live, you do everything, but you are completely unattached. What is unattached, you are not affected by it any longer. You don't become either happy or unhappy because you believe firmly that this is the will of God. So, this word Padma, that is the national flower. But what is more important in the Tantric system school of philosophy, this Padma, every what we call Chakra, different Chakras are there in the human body. They are there also in a potential form in every living creature. So, each Chakra is described as a lotus and Sairam Krishna confirms it that once I had a vision and then all the lotuses were hanging upside down and then a Paramahamsa exactly resembling me, he went and touched each hanging upside down lotus with his tongue. As soon as he touched, immediately it stood erect. Some lotuses are having two petals, some are having four, six, ten, eight, ten, twelve, one thousand, etc. This is for the sake of contemplation. So, whether it is what is called Muladhara, so from Muladhara to Sahasrara, there are seven Chakras are there and each Chakra is comparable to a state of consciousness and each state of consciousness Chakra is represented by a particular type of lotus having a particular number of petals. So, this has become very familiar and then there is many times I have mentioned also the Divine Mother Kali, is she is playing with these what is called Padmas. Padma Vana, that is in a forest of these lotuses, the Divine Mother is playing and then people look blank. What is this, what is a forest of lotuses? It is nothing but these seven Chakras, the Divine Mother that is Kundalini Shakti, goes up and down, up and down and that is Mahapurush Maharaj had a beautiful vision of the Mother Kali when this particular Bengali song is being sung. So, that reminded me of this particular description. Padmapriya, very fond of lotuses. In fact, not only that, Padmini, she is called Padmini because she is the lotus, she is the manifestation. Padmahaste and her hands are like lotuses, so pure, so beautiful, so fragrant and so what is called soothing. When a mother touches the baby, the baby becomes completely calm and quiet and then there is a special type of smell emanating from every mother which the baby can sense. Even in his sleepy state, a baby, if he misses mother's smell, he becomes restless, unbeknownst to himself. But as soon as he smells, it may be an old cloth worn by the mother, immediately the baby feels reassured. My mother is near, she is safety for me, I have nothing to worry. So, not only that, psychologists have found out that anything you do with hand has a tremendous effect whether it be on any living creature and those who love, that love flows through the hands. When a mother takes the baby and the baby for some reason, understand, gets disturbed, the mother passes her hand at the back of the baby and then immediately the baby, slowly, he cools down, he calms down. And this, supposing, this is just a bit of fun that I want to pull somebody's legs. You know, in the West, nowadays, many Indians are also, when they eat food, they use forks and spoons. So, if a mother takes some fork and spoon and caresses the baby's back, now I leave it to your imagination, what would be its effect? So, this human hand has a very, very special power and if somebody has got also the skill to message somebody, it is not done. Even sparsha can be done, pada sparsha also. In Kerala, they do it and they make the patient lie down on his back and then the pole is there across, they catch hold and then they give the message with the feet and the person gets a lot of relief and strength, etc. The power of human touch, that is what I am trying to tell you. So, Divine Mother has said padma haste. Then padmalai, where is your house? Padma. They are in the lotus of the heart of every devotee. Padma talayata akshi. Ayata means very huge. If you look at the various Gods and Goddesses forms as painted or depicted, they are the lotus eyes and if you want to have an idea, you look at the, what is called Swami Vivekananda's posture when he is in meditation, like half lotus, so beautiful and for God's sake, don't do it, apply it to Sri Ramakrishna. I don't think there is any lotus like resemblance, any resemblance there. Lotus feet may be, not certainly lotus eyes, but our Holy Mother, she also has got that compassionate eyes. So padma talayata akshi. Akshi means eye. So main akshi, then vishala akshi, so kama akshi, so many, this is very favorite names of the Divine Mother. Akshi means eye. So the Hindu Gods and Goddesses, whether it be male or female, they have long eyes and Sri Ramakrishna was a great painter. He used to promote in the Kamarpakur and there were some image makers, especially when special pujas are done, whether it is Durga puja, etc. So he used to correct these traditional image makers. The eyes of any God or Goddess should be quite long. So, O Mother, yours are huge eyes, but they are like petals of a lotus. Why are they huge eyes? Why? Because you have to look at your children and you require really the largest eye to keep an eye on every one of your child. That is the inner meaning. Vishwa Priya and O Mother, you are universally loved. Everybody loves, even the most sensual person. For him, the Mother means, she represents literally God. Whether it is an animal, baby or birds, how with what love animals look after their youngest children, offspring. It is amazing. Once I have mentioned, there was a film, I don't know whether it is available or not, The March of the Penguins. How they go to 80 miles, 100 miles and then gorge themselves and all the time their mind is on their offspring, which they leave in the form of an egg with their husbands, the males and the males will be starving. They will be, of course, storing all the fat, etc. and the bird is hatched with their feathers and then it becomes, naturally it has to be fed and the father had to feed it until the mother returns and several times it so happens the mother is unable to return because they have been eaten away by the sharks and other animals, seals, etc. and then as soon as the mothers die, the fate of these babies are also completely sealed. So, who doesn't love one's own mother? Not only that, everybody loves. Why? What is the root cause of love? Love means joy. Everybody loves Ananda and mother is a source of Ananda because she is not only food, not only warmth, not only protection, but she is the very embodiment of motherly love. So, everybody loves joy, happiness, bliss, Ananda. Therefore, universally loved. That is the nature of the Divine Mother and then a beautiful epithet is inserted here, Vishnu Mano Anukule. So, mother, you remain ever completely united with Lord Vishnu because you are the embodiment of Vishnu's mind. What does it mean? It means if where there is godliness, there will be joy. Joy and godliness can never be separated and Vishnu here, very beautiful word if we go, Vyapakatvat Vishnuhu. That is He who is everywhere. God cannot be in one place. It is a mistake to think He is there only in Vaikuntha. That is not God. That is only an individual aspect of God, but real Vishnu. That is why even this word Vishnu comes only as the second word in the Vishnu Sahasranama. The first thing that comes is Vishnu is manifest in the form of Vishwam. So, wherever God is, there is the Divine Mother. Manifestation of the Shakti. Wherever divine power, there will be God. They can never be separated. That means what? If I want the Divine Mother with me all the time, I must become Vishnu or I must manifest myself as Vishnu. This is the prayer. And then the last sentence, You offer your lotus feet to me. Plant firmly your lotus feet in the lotus of my heart. I made myself a lotus. I made my heart into a lotus. What does it mean? That means I must make my heart as delicate, as fragrant, as beautiful, as unattached as a lotus. Then Divine Mother will definitely come because She is Padmapriya. She is the refund of lotuses. If I want Her to be in the lotus of my heart, then I must make my heart a lotus. And then making heart a lotus means I must develop all the Godly qualities, Vishnu's qualities. Then She will be with me forever. So may your lotus feet be ever firmly established in my heart. This is possible only by Mother's grace. Mother's grace will come only when we pray to Agni Devata. Agni makes me very pure by removing all my impurities, burning, turning them into purity. And that is the meaning of it. That whenever we invoke Agni Devata, the inner meaning is I must become pure like Agni. Because the purest thing is Agni. Because Agni is that which makes anything that comes into contact with Agni loses all the impurities. Impurity means that which is not that object. They are all removed totally. So you please bring. May the Divine Mother Lakshmi bless our home with Her multiple facets. What are they? Riches, peace and quietude of mind, harmony, health and well-behaved offspring, good health, right knowledge, wisdom. Not only that, may many people, atithis, friends and guests and all good people visit the poor and the needy. They all visit my home, as many of them as much as possible because my Mother is Lakshmi and She is capable of looking after all of them, not only physically, not only mentally, but spiritually also. We can understand now after hearing this one, why people always long to visit Jairambati even though it is an arduous journey and there is very little available. Many times even for what is called tea etc., Mother suffering from rheumatism has to go from house to house to beg a little bit of milk for the sake of her children. So this is the Phalashruti, 16th verse. From now onwards, whatever has been added, probably by, we don't know who added, by different people, but we are going to look at them very briefly. So there are, rest of the verses are added later on and now what we get is nearly 29, that means 13 more is there. So let us, well, This is the 16th Rig. What were we discussing until now? The 15th Rig. So this is called Phalashruti, meaning that whoever does Japam, either Homa or Japam, because why should we do Homa? Because it is here, clearly mentioned here. How? Juhayat, Ajyam, Anvaham. Anvaham means every day, continuously. Ajyam means with Ghee. Juhayat, offer oblations with Ghee into the fire. But later on, Rishis also have added, one need not do because everybody cannot do, but if they do Japam with Bhakti, as I mentioned, since there are 15 Rigs, 15 times, 15 Rigs, 15 into 15, every day if they do and if they live a beautiful life, clean, pure life, spiritual life, the Divine Mother will forever bestow Her Grace. She Herself is the Grace. This is the 16th Phalashruti. What is the meaning? Yaha, whoever, devotee, wants the Divine Mother, Shuchihi, he must become pure. Prayato Bhutwa, and he must always be up and doing, he must always try. Juhayat, Ajyam, Anvaham. Every single day, he must lit the fire and do this. Why should he do that? Because he desires to have from Her, these phala, the results. And what should he do? Shriyam, that is the Divine Mother Lakshmi. Pancha, Dasha, Archancha. Pancha means 5, Dasha means 10, these 15 Rigs, which are part of the, real part of the Shri Suptam. And then, who is this? Yaha means who? Shri Kamaha, he who wants the desire of the Divine Mother. Satatam Japet, either you do Homa or you offer prayers, you do Japam with true Bhakti and Japat Siddhi. Holy Mother used to say, through Japam also, Siddhi will be there. There is no doubt about it. So even a Japaka, he who does Japam is called a Japaka, and also obtains the Divine Mother. This is the meaning of this 16th. Now, the additions that we have been talking about, that we will talk about as much as possible. As I said, I am not going to go deep into them, but just the pure, plain, simple meaning. Padma Anane, Padma Vipadma Patre, Padma Dalayatakshi, Vishrapriye, Vishnu Manonukule, Tvatpada Padmam, Mai Sannidhatva. It is almost a recollection of what we have studied earlier. Padma Anane, that is your face. Anana means face, is like a lotus. That means what? Just as when the baby is looking joyfully at the mother, the mother's face breaks into the most happy face. That means very happy face. Padma Vipadma Patre. That is to say, she is very fond of the lotus flower, and even every part, every limb of her body, each one is like a lotus flower. And Padma Dalayatakshi, large, Vishalakshi, huge eyes looking at all her children, and each one of the eyes is like a Padma Dala, like the petal of a lotus. Vishrapriye, she is universally loved. Vishnu Manonukule, she can never be separated from Lord Vishnu. And Lord Vishnu represents all the dharmic life. Tvatpada Padmam, out of your infinite grace, your lotus, two lotus feet. My Sannidatsva. So you firmly plant your lotus feet in my heart. I will worship you in my heart. If it is possible, I will do Japam. If it is possible, I will do the Agnihotra also. So mother, please bless. Then we move on to the next one. This Padma, that is also many of these words come. Padmanane Padmavuru Padmakshi Padmasambhave Tvammam Bhajasva Padmakshi Ena Saukhyam Labhamyaham O Lakshmi, your face resembles a lotus flower. Your legs are also like lotus petals. Your eyes are like lotus flowers. You manifested from a lotus. Please bless me with everything that make me prosperous. Padmanane, your face is like a lotus, that is just as a lotus blooms. When the sun rises, there are two types of flowers. One is called lotus, another is called a lily. What is the speciality? So when the sun rises, the lotus blooms. When the moon rises, the lily blooms at night. So one is night, one is daytime. And here mother is compared to both of them. So there is a beautiful shloka, Agajanana Padmarkam Gajananam Aharnisham Anekadantam Bhaktanam Ekadantam Gajamyaham So what does it mean? So Agajanana Padmarkam. Gaja means what is called elephant. That which always moves, Gaja. But Agaja means that never moves. It is called mountain. And you are the daughter of the mountain. Agajana, she who is born from a mountain, that is Parvati. Parvatakumari is called Parvati. Padmarkam. So her face is like a lotus. Her heart is like a lotus. And she is the divine mother Parvati. And then her son Ganesha is like the sun. So when she beholds her son, just like any mother, when she beholds her beloved baby, immediately her face blooms. This is the hymn of Gajanana. So it is Agajanana Padmarkam. Gajananam Aharnisham. And what is the face of this? Her son like an elephant faced one. And I worship him all the time. Anekadantam Bhaktanam. For his devotees, for his otteries, Anekadantam. That is Eka means one. Aneka means plenty. He bestows upon his devotees plenty. So there is a play here. Arkam Arkam. And then Dantam and Dantam. Ekadantam Upasmahe. So he has got only one tusk. But he gives Dantam. Here Dantam. And he bestows plenty of things on his devotees. So beautiful you know. Agajanana Padmarkam. Gajananam Aharnisham. Anekadantam Bhaktanam. Ekadantam Upasmahe. This is a beautiful play on words in Sanskrit language. So mother, your face is like a lotus. Your whole body is like lotus. Earlier we have seen even your hands are like lotus. Here your legs are also like lotus. Your eyes are like lotus. And you are born of lotus. Where from Lakshmi is born? From Shera Sagar. Then churning of the milk ocean is being done. And when she came out, how did she come out? So she was standing on a lotus and then there simply she arose. Everybody wanted her. Vishwapriya. And then she straight went to Vishnu. Because if anybody takes her, she belongs only to him. But if she is given to, if something you earn and give to mother, it goes to everybody. Like Pandavas use it to go for begging and give everything to their mother. And she use it to equally distribute it. Vishnu is like that. Tvammam bhajasva. Oh mother, you bestow your grace. Earlier he is telling, I will do bhajan of you. Now after that you do bhajan of me, my child. Padmakshi. Again lotus. Please keep me in happiness. You make me very poor, that's fine. You make me illiterate, that is fine. You make me unhealthy, it is fine. I don't mind. But never make me unhappy because who am I? I am your child. And who are you? Satchitananda Swaroopini. Ananda Swaroopini. Therefore a child of Ananda Swaroopini can never become anything else. So there are some more. It is beautiful. We will slowly but very quickly complete these things. May Ramakrishna Holy Mother and Swami Vivekananda bless us all with Bhakti. Jai Ramakrishna.