120. Bhaktivaśyā
Devi comes to the aid of the devotee if there is real devotion. The ‘vaśya’ means 'controlled'. Even the Supreme Empress can be controlled through devotion and diligence. Since Devi manifests Herself as the entire cosmos, this implies the control of the yogi over the cosmic forces. These are called the siddhis. One of the siddhis, which keeps manifestation in the early stages of sādhana, is a vākśuddhi, sometimes called vāksiddhi. This means that what one says becomes true. This being so, the devotees are cautioned to refrain thinking evil thoughts. Through love and affection anyone can be controlled. Sometimes control can be exercised through fear. But such control creates more than it solves.
When a devotee starts using the siddhis for selfish or egoistic purposes, namely such purposes which are for the benefit of oneself and not truly meant for the benefit of the person whom he is trying to control, then the siddhis start disappearing, consuming the tapas done by the devoted sādhaka. On the contrary, siddhis used for the real benefit of the person being controlled, enhance the siddhis. It is obvious that it is not always true that the use of the powers given to the devotee results in a loss of tapas. The purpose is important. There are enough evil people or evil thoughts in the world. It is not necessary, nor even advisable to shun the acquisition of siddhis when they naturally come, provided the person acquiring the siddhis acts for the good of everyone. Sometimes what may appear to be doing good for one person or a set of people may not be so. It is necessary that the good forces must be made stronger in this world to achieve peace and stability and to contain the evil forces to a tolerable level.
121. Bhayāpahā
Devi eliminates fear from the mind of the devotees.
The condition is that Devi is worshipped as oneself. This oneself exists in both the inside and outside. As long as the entire cosmos is not realised to be one's own self there is an element of fear. By expanding the consciousness of the devotee, Devi eliminates fear in them.
122. Śāmbhavī
Śambavi is the name of a mudrā. It means the fixation of the focus of the eye between the object seen and the seer, namely on the space halfway between them. This eliminates the object from the vision. The subject alone remains.
123. Śāradārādhyā
She is worshipped by Sarasvatī, sometimes called Śāradā.
There is a book in mantra śastra called Śāradātilakam. This described the worship of the deity and its various modes. All the important religious centers of Hinduism are called the Śāradā Pīṭhams. Adi Śaṅkarācārya established the various Śaṅkara Mutts all over India. She is worshipped four times a day, on all the days in all these Pīṭhams.
Devi is worshipped as Durgā during the nine day festival of Dasārā, and She is worshipped as Sarasvatī on Vijayadaśamī as conqueror of evil forces. Vijayadaśamī is also the same day formerly when the Kings, having finished their pūjā of Durgā, used to sort out vanquishing their armies. For the Kṣatriyas, i.e. the warrior class, Vijayadaśamī is a day of worship of weapons. This pūjā continues until today as pūjā of the machinery by the workers in the factories all over India, and of the books by children, etc. The ninth day of the Śāradā Navarātris, called the Mahānavamī, is the most important day of the year. That is the day when Devi chooses to visit the devotees as Mahākuṇḍalinī to remove ignorance from the devotee. Normally the total initiation from the Guru is usually given on the Mahānavamī. Since Devi is worshipped during the Śāradā Navarātris as Śāradā, She is called Śāradārājaḥ.
The word ārādhanā means worship according to the 16 upācaras or the 64 tantras. According to numerology it is interesting to note that the irreducible of 16 i.e. 1+6=7 and 64 i.e. 6+4=10 which reduces to one. The number 7 is sacred to the Indians because it represents the 7th lotus, the Sahasrāra. The number 1 is also important because in spite of all the apparent diversity, very confusing sometimes to people, God is only one.
124. Śarvāṇī
Śarva means Śiva and Śarvāṇī is the wife of Śiva. Also Śam means auspiciousness and piety. Arvāṇī means the enjoyer. Thus the name means the enjoyer of auspicious and pious things and thoughts.
125. Śarmadāyinī
Śarma means happiness. She is the giver of happiness to Her devotees.
126. Śāṅkarī
The word Śāṅkara is derived from the noun ‘Śam’ and ‘Karoṭi’. Thus, Śāṅkara means, the maker of bliss. The wife of Śāṅkara is called Śāṅkarī.
127. Śrīkarī
The word Śrī means grace. Śrīkarī means that She showers abundant grace on Her devotees.
128. Sādhvī
Sādhu means a sage. Sādhvī is a sagely woman.
If we consider the letter meanings, according to the Śiva Sūtras:
the letter Sa stands for sattvaguṇa,
the letter dha of yoni and
the letter va is amṛta or nectar.
Thus this combination implies the derivation of nectar from the source of the universe, the womb of the universe, mentally, through a contemplation on the last sound ‘ī’.
129. Śaradcandranibhānanā
Her face emits the cool glow of the full moon in the month of Āśvayuja. The rainy season will then just be getting to a close and the skies are clear of dust, the moon shines coolly and brightly as the sun.
Coolness manifests in the head when thoughts are clear, sharply defined and bereft of vexing emotions. The emotions are swept away by the raining grace of the Devi. The moon is the symbol of the mind. The mind rests in the head. Thus, a cool and a bright moon a symbol for a dispassionate and clear-thinking mind. Such a mind is capable of receiving bliss by itself and also conferring this bliss on those who come in contact with it.
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