Navaratri Special – Soundaryalahari – Day 9

हे भगवति – ஹே பகவதி – O Divine Mother! O Supreme Goddess!

पशुपतेः – பசுபதே: – of Paśupati, Lord Śiva

विविधं – விவிதம் – various; manifold

अपदानं – அபதானம் – the glorious exploits and heroic deeds, such as the destruction of Tripura, the subduing of Dakṣa’s sacrifice, the drinking of the Hālāhala poison, the slaying of Jalandhara, the destruction of Gajāsura, and similar divine episodes.

विपञ्च्या – விபஞ்ச்யா – on the Vīṇā (Vipañcī)

गायन्ती – காயந்தீ – singing

वाणी – வாணீ – Vāṇī, Goddess Sarasvatī

चलितशिरसा – சலிதசிரஸா – with the head moving or nodding out of great delight

त्वया – த்வயா – by You

साधुवचने – ஸாதுவசனே – the word of appreciation, “Sādhu!”, meaning “Excellent!”, “Bravo!”, or “Well done!”

वक्तुं – வக்தும் – to say; to utter

आरब्धे (सति) – ஆரப்தே (ஸதி) – as soon as You began (to say it)

तदीयैः माधुर्यैः – ததீயை: மாதுர்யை: – by the sweetness of those words

अपलपिततन्त्रीकलरवां – அபலபிததந்த்ரீகலரவாம் – whose melodious sound of the strings was put to shame / surpassed

निजां वीणां – நிஜாம் வீணாம் – her own Vīṇā

चोलेन – சோலேன – with its cover / case

निभृतं – நிப்ருதம் – quietly, silently and discreetly

निचुलयति – நிசுலயதி – she covers it up / puts it away

O Divine Mother! Sarasvatī beautifully sings on her Vīṇā the heroic and benevolent deeds of Lord Śiva, such as His victory over Tripura and His other great acts performed for the welfare of the worlds.

Hearing her music, You, the supremely devoted consort of Śiva, become so delighted that You cannot contain Your joy. You nod Your head appreciatively and utter words of praise, comparable to saying, “Bravo!” or “Excellent!”

But the sweetness of Your spoken voice is so extraordinary that it surpasses even the sweetness of the notes produced by the strings of Sarasvatī’s Vīṇā. Consequently, as though embarrassed that the sweetness of her Vīṇā has been surpassed by Your voice, Sarasvatī quietly and modestly places her instrument inside its cover.

The principal idea is that the sweetness of the Divine Mother’s voice exceeds even the exquisite sweetness of Sarasvatī’s Vīṇā.

This idea is also expressed in the Lalitā Sahasranāma:

निजसल्लापमाधुर्यविनिर्भर्त्सितकच्छपी
நிஜஸல்லாப மாதுர்ய விநிர்பர்த்ஸித கச்சபீ

The sense is: “She whose Kacchapī, Sarasvatī’s Vīṇā, is put to shame by the sweetness of Her own conversation.”

A similar idea is expressed in the Tripurasundarī Vedapāda Stotra (26):

पुंस्कोकिलकलक्वाणकोमलालापशालिनि
பும்ஸ்கோகில கலக்வாண கோமலாலாபசாலினி

This describes the Divine Mother as possessing soft and melodious speech, sweet like the charming call of the cuckoo.

Spiritual significance

Those who meditate upon the Divine Mother in this aspect, contemplating the extraordinary beauty and sweetness of Her speech, are traditionally said to acquire exceptional eloquence and the ability to captivate others through the grace and skill of their speech.

Traditional fruits attributed to the Śloka

Repeated recitation of this śloka is traditionally associated with:

• attainment of proficiency in Vīṇā and other forms of music;
• excellence in vocal music;
• skill in playing musical instruments;
• relief from illness; and
• proficiency in learning, knowledge, arts and accomplishments.

For those seeking excellence in knowledge, education and the arts, Ślokas 15, 16 and 17 are regarded as particularly important.