Thread by @anbezhil12

#MahaPeriyava #ResultofAmbalWorship
Ambal upasana itself is a great blessing. We do not require any other boon. But due to the entanglement in the world which is perceived through Maya, we are unable to shed our ego initially and seek the happiness derived out of meditating on

Her and for Her sake alone. We expect something in return and worship her in anticipation of our wishes getting fulfilled. She also gives allowance by answering all our prayers as long as they are fair and not against Dharma.
Acharyal knows the nature of humans. He knew that if

said initially that by the upasana of Ambal we can get rid of births and attain Moksha no one would be interested to involve themselves. So when listing out in the #Soundaryalahari as to what one can get by Ambal’ s worship, he starts with knowledge, wealth, and beauty. In the

Sloka beginning with ‘Saraswathya Lakshmya’ he lists out the benefits arising out of worshipping Ambika. There is a special feature here. Usually at the end of every stuthi, the norm is that the poet states the benefits one derives by reciting that stotram. It is called

phalasruti. The composer repeats the things one can obtain by reciting the said verse and that gives a feeling that benefits are due to the greatness of the composition. Whereas Shankara who has no ego states, “oh mother, you bestow all these to the one who worships you” instead

of stating that the benefits are accrued by the recital of Soundaryalahari. He first says that one would get the grace of Saraswati. That means good education and, as an outcome of good education one would get good conduct. Next he says one would get the Grace of Lakshmi meaning

one would acquire lots of wealth. Generally people don’t seek virtue through prayers as much as they seek wealth. What is the use of money if one is devoid of virtues? So even if we seek wealth, Ambal thinks,” this ignorant child is praying for wealth. Without a discreet

knowledge, the Artha (wealth) will become Anartha (disastrous). He will end up accumulating as much sins, as the money he is given. So first let me give him the prudence to spend money towards Dharma and then bestow wealth.” If a child wants sweets, the mother gives castor oil

also so as to protect the child from the ill effects of the sweets. So first she gives the grace of Saraswathi and then Lakshmi’s grace. In Taitreerya Upanishad also we find a prayer first seeking ‘Medha’ (knowledge) and then asking for ‘Shree’ (wealth). While writing commentary

for this, Acharya has said that Artha given to an ignorant man will result in Anartha. In Bhajagovindam also he sang Artham Anartham. Those who worship Ambal need not worship Saraswati and Lakshmi separately. They both are by Her side and keep fanning Her. This is described in

Lalitha Sahasranama (sa chaamara ramaavaani savya dakshina sevithaa). If we worship Parasakthi who is the base of all the energy, she would make Saraswati and Lakshmi bestow their grace on us. Saraswati and Lakshmi are the two eyes of Kamakshi. Ka means Brahma. Just as Siva’s

wife becomes Sivaa, Ka’s wife becomes Kaa. Maa means Lakshmi. Maa-dhavan means Lakshmi’s husband. The one who has Kaa and Maa as Her akshi (eyes) is Kamakshi. I said one gets Lakshmi and Saraswathy kataksham by worshiping Ambal. In this aspect the nature of men is quite strange!

Everyone thinks that he is very smart and likes to project himself as super intelligent. But nobody seems to earnestly pray for good intelligence. Generally smartness is considered as intelligence. But wisdom and discretion are the real intelligence. Nobody aspires for this. They

feel that they are clever and shrewd and happy about their ‘capability to fool everyone’ and stop with that. However much we have Lakshmi Kataksham we are not satisfied. Even a fool wants to project himself as intelligent, but an affluent man attempts to cover up his wealth and

projects himself as a poor man. One is very happy if somebody says ‘how intelligent he is’. But if someone is identified as having lakhs and lakhs in the bank, he gets annoyed. It is because of an insatiable feeling about money. Satisfaction is wealth and dissatisfaction is

poverty. So if we are really intelligent we can be wealthy although poor by having a satisfied mind. Is there anybody to help us with money if we claim to be poor? Let us not speak out our condition and be contended so that we are more satisfied than a wealthy person. In addition

to wealth and wisdom everyone desires to look beautiful. Like the notion we carry about our intelligence, we consider ourselves to be good looking too. That is why we get ourselves decked up so much. The change in fashion every day is to showcase our beauty. Ambal who is an

epitome of compassion grants even the boon of beauty though it relates to just the body, composed of blood and muscle. Acharyal mentiones this in the sloka, ‘Saraswathya lakshmya’ in Soundarya lahari. ‘The devotee of Ambal would get Saraswathi’s grace so much that it will make

even Brahma jealous. Mahalakshmi would cause Vishnu’s envy by her abundant grace. The grant of wish for beauty would be such as to make Rathi wonder whether this man is Manmatha’. It won’t be of any use if a person blessed with all these does not live long. So Ambal gives

longevity too, says Shankara.
‘Does anyone need more than this’? Actually only now the need to seek Ambal’s supreme grace arises. ‘We have spent our life with these things – money, beauty, and intelligence. Are we totally satisfied with these? In spite of all these there is some

restlessness in the mind. Have we attained permanent comfort or peace? How to get it?’ This query would be cropping up in the mind. Though such query arises it gets dragged away by Maya. Instead of us posing the question, if Ambal through Her worship, directs our thought process

then the yearning will keep growing. We will realise that the attachment towards wealth, intellect, beauty, and longevity will drag us into the pitch of ignorance. Pasha (Attachment) means rope. A cow is tied to a rope. We are like the cow which cannot go beyond a short distance

and is grazing within that enclosure feeling temporarily happy thinking that this is the world. We should break away from the rope. Then there is full freedom. The great permanent bliss ensues being rid of the small comforts of our sensory organs! Then we become Parabrahmam. Once

we get detached from the longing towards minor pleasures of wealth, intelligence, longevity, and beauty and start practicing towards the greatest pleasure, then with Ambal’s grace we would achieve eternal bliss. There is no greater reward than this. At the very end, Acharyal

sums up that Ambal graces the devotee by making him experience the nectar of supreme bliss.
Jaya Jaya Shankara Hara Hara Shankara!
Sarvam Sri Krishnarpanam