SSB — Part 9: Solar–Lunar Ornaments and the Revelation of Initiatory Knowledge (Nāmas 22–25)

 

22) Tāṭaṅka-yugalī-bhūta-tapanoḍupa-maṇḍalā
(She whose ear-ornaments are formed of the Sun and the Moon)

The Sun and the Moon have become pendants to Her ears.

In meditation, the cool orbs of the sun and the moon are perceived as a natural consequence of following the sound-channel wherever it leads. This cause–effect relationship between sound and light is expressed symbolically as earrings.

The Sun is the creative energy of the cosmos, the sovereign of the day. The Moon is the queen of the night; waxing and waning, it governs moods of hope and gloom. The Moon represents the mind, the bindu. The womb of the Moon is filled with the light of the Sun during the bright half of the month and emptied during the dark half. This lunar light is released into the subconscious, becoming the hidden source of love, fear, and other deep-rooted emotions.

This cosmic exchange of light between Sun and Moon is reflected in the biological rhythm of woman—the menstrual cycle. Human biorhythm follows cosmic rhythm. Passions wax and wane with the Moon. If one abandons self-centeredness and becomes cosmic-centered, one can perceive Sun, Moon, and Earth simultaneously through a shift of inner perspective. To such a one, there is no waxing or waning; the Moon is always full, the Sun never sets.

Thus the seven great sages are described as the stars of the Saptaṛṣi Maṇḍala—fixed points in the cosmos. From that vantage, the Sun is merely another star, and Earth and Moon disappear altogether. Such is the sages’ detachment from the world.

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23) Padmarāga-śilādarśa-paribhāvi-kapolabhūḥ
(She whose cheeks outshine mirrors made of red ruby)

The land of Her cheeks puts mirrors of red padmarāga jewels to shame. The jewels are nothing but the blushes of color playing upon Her cheeks.

The word padmarāga also means the lotus of attachment. Since the lotus symbolically represents an immense number (one followed by many zeros), the love She can express is immeasurable. Rāga itself means love or attachment.

Seen from outer space, the Earth resembles a blue jewel set in white clouds, with red patches peeking through—like gems. The Earth itself is a cheek of Lalitā. In ancient imagination, the Earth was envisioned as a fiery red sphere except where cooled by oceans.

In yogic experience, when Kuṇḍalinī abides in the sexual center, a raging fire of desire arises—this is the vahni maṇḍala.
When Kuṇḍalinī reaches the heart center, the Sun is seen in meditation, along with the unstruck sound Oṁ (Anāhata).
When Kuṇḍalinī ascends to the thousand-petaled lotus at the crown, the Moon is perceived.

Thus:

• Red (fire) corresponds to libido,

• Orange (Sun) to emotion and heart,

• Bluish white (Moon) to mind and seed.

Waters and oceans in meditation reflect the release of sexual tension. Lalitā’s cheeks and solar–lunar ornaments encode these experiential truths.

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24) Navavidruma-bimbaśrī-nyakkāri-radanacchadā
(She whose lips surpass the beauty of fresh coral and vermilion)

Her lush lips defeat the brilliance of newly polished vermilion stones.

From these lips flow descriptions of meditative experience. They are red with eros, with love of life and joy—just as the experience of Brahman itself is. Speech arising from realization carries the same life-force as the bliss it seeks to express.

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25) Śuddha-vidyāṅkurākāra-dvijapaṅkti-dvayojjvalā
(She whose shining rows of teeth are like sprouts of pure knowledge)

Her pure white teeth are the 32 mantras of Pūrṇa Dīkṣā, the complete initiation. One enumeration of these mantras, drawn from the Raśmi Mālā, is as follows:

• Tripada Gāyatrī — Mūlādhāra

• Indra — Anāhata

• Sūrya — Ājñā

• Praṇava — Brahmarandhra

• Turīya Gāyatrī — Moon

• Mahā Viṣṇu — Mūlādhāra

• Tārā — Brahmarandhra

• Gaṇapati — Mūlādhāra

• Śiva–Śakti — Anāhata

• Parā Brahma — Brahmarandhra

• Varṇamālā — Moon

• Kuṇḍalinī — Moon

• Bālā — Mūlādhāra

• Annapūrṇā — Mūlādhāra

• Aśvārūḍhā — Mūlādhāra

• Śrī Pādukā — Mūlādhāra

• Mātaṅgī — Anāhata

• Vāgvādinī — Anāhata

• Nakulī — Anāhata

• Śrī Guru Pādukā — Anāhata

• Mātaṅgīśvarī — Anāhata

• Rājaśyāmalā — Anāhata

• Kādi Vidyā (Śuddha) — Anāhata

• Vārāhī — Ājñā

• Svapna Vārāhī — Ājñā

• Tiraskariṇī — Ājñā

• Śrī Pādukā — Ājñā

• Vārtālī — Ājñā

• Kādi Pūrtī — Brahmarandhra

• Rājarājeśvarī — Brahmarandhra

• Parā Ṣoḍaśī — Brahmarandhra

• Mahā Guru Pādukā — Brahmarandhra

Each mantra has a precise location in the body and an associated mood:

• Mūlādhāra – female generative center (vulva and womb); mood: coital ecstasy

• Svādhiṣṭhāna – male generative center; mood: orgasmic release

• Maṇipūra – navel; mood: anger, fire

• Anāhata – heart; mood: song, dance, floating joy

• Viśuddhi – throat; mood: space-like calm

• Ājñā – between the brows; mood: detachment, witness-consciousness

• Brahmarandhra / Sahasrāra – womb of Brahman; experience of Ardhanārīśvara, unending orgasmic bliss (Brahmānanda), peace beyond understanding

Thus, Lalitā’s smile itself is initiation, and Her teeth are the luminous seeds of liberating knowledge.