130. Om satodaryai namah: I bow down to Amma who is slender-waisted
My slender-waisted Amma. Slender-waisted and large hearted. Satodari is Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Yet again, a reference to the divine union of Shiva and Parvati. But today I feel the need to write about the Sri Lalita Sahasranamavalli. Amma strongly recommends chanting these mantras everyday. She promises that regular chanting will cleanse us and ensure fear-free lives. There are many a times I started chanting. Especially when I was worried about something. A medical report. Something important professionally. Something critical personally. Each time, I would start by 'bribing' Amma. Please Amma, please grant me this. I will chant the sahasranamam everyday. I promise!
The fever would last a month perhaps before losing to hectic work schedules, sleepiness, tiredness and general unsupported procrastination. The next dilemma or worry and there I would be, back to holding the prayer book and chanting. During "off" periods, I would rationalize with myself: I don't even understand all the mantras. Isn't it just better to take Amma's name regularly? Would Amma like my chanting the mantras half asleep? Of course not! So therefore there was no need to chant. It was enough to take Amma's name 108 times a day. Ok, maybe 54 some days. 27 on really hectic ones. Most days, 9 was a good number. Lucky. Complete spiritual cycle. But Amma doesn't want us to chant the 1000 names in vain. We are meant to keep our focus on divinity while chanting each of them. 1000 ways to get happier. After we finish chanting, how lovely to hug ourselves and say: I just got a thousand times luckier!
It truly is a powerful prayer. 1000 names of Devi. 1000 names of everything divine in the world. 1000 ways to perfect our lives everyday. If Amma is saying we must, we must. Because She will only tell us what is good for us. I hope my run of chanting it stays. Because this is one habit I hope to make into a routine. Just as I wake up, do my ablutions and eat, so also chanting should become second nature. Because Amma has said so. And if She has, Her will be done!
Om Amriteswariye namah!
My slender-waisted Amma. Slender-waisted and large hearted. Satodari is Parvati, wife of Lord Shiva. Yet again, a reference to the divine union of Shiva and Parvati. But today I feel the need to write about the Sri Lalita Sahasranamavalli. Amma strongly recommends chanting these mantras everyday. She promises that regular chanting will cleanse us and ensure fear-free lives. There are many a times I started chanting. Especially when I was worried about something. A medical report. Something important professionally. Something critical personally. Each time, I would start by 'bribing' Amma. Please Amma, please grant me this. I will chant the sahasranamam everyday. I promise!
The fever would last a month perhaps before losing to hectic work schedules, sleepiness, tiredness and general unsupported procrastination. The next dilemma or worry and there I would be, back to holding the prayer book and chanting. During "off" periods, I would rationalize with myself: I don't even understand all the mantras. Isn't it just better to take Amma's name regularly? Would Amma like my chanting the mantras half asleep? Of course not! So therefore there was no need to chant. It was enough to take Amma's name 108 times a day. Ok, maybe 54 some days. 27 on really hectic ones. Most days, 9 was a good number. Lucky. Complete spiritual cycle. But Amma doesn't want us to chant the 1000 names in vain. We are meant to keep our focus on divinity while chanting each of them. 1000 ways to get happier. After we finish chanting, how lovely to hug ourselves and say: I just got a thousand times luckier!
It truly is a powerful prayer. 1000 names of Devi. 1000 names of everything divine in the world. 1000 ways to perfect our lives everyday. If Amma is saying we must, we must. Because She will only tell us what is good for us. I hope my run of chanting it stays. Because this is one habit I hope to make into a routine. Just as I wake up, do my ablutions and eat, so also chanting should become second nature. Because Amma has said so. And if She has, Her will be done!
Om Amriteswariye namah!
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