Kumkum prompts us to immerse ourselves in Satsang all the time. What is Satsang? Any activity that propels us towards truth is Satsang – whether it is reading the Bhagavad Gita, Devi Mahatmyam or Guru Gita, watching a spiritual programme on TV or reading a spiritual article in the newspaper. If we are looking at our Guru’s photo in the car and chanting Om Jai Gurudeva, we are in Satsang. When we do our sadhana or constantly chant our mantra, we are in Satsang. Right now, as we are sitting here and eulogising Devi, we are in Satsang. Once we energise our third eye with her kumkum, mother who is enthroned there as Lalitha, gives us no option. She pulls us from the front and pushes us from behind and constantly propels us towards herself. This is the eighth truth.
Even when we know nothing about it, our third eye exercises a strong meditative pull on us. When we place a finger on it to apply kumkum, our eyes automatically close, at least for an instant.
Only when we stand in front of the mirror to apply it, we are able to keep our eyes open. As we apply kumkum everyday, we should chant Om Lalitha Tripurasundaryei Namaha. Just touching our third eye with a finger is enough to make all worldly things recede to the background and make Divinity come to the forefront. This is the ninth truth.
Mother says – “My energy also works in you as hormones to bring equilibrium and harmony between your body, mind and soul.” Though there are many hormones coursing through our body, progesterone is most important for women and testosterone is most important for men. When we get Sanjeevini, our hormones also become harmonious and balanced.
When we engage ourselves in chanting, sadhana and spiritual satsangs, Anjaneya constantly accompanies us and charges us with Sanjeevini. Then, Devi Lalitha infuses us with her vitality by transforming our hormones into ojas and tejas (spiritual energy and radiance).
Then, her effulgence overflows from us and is visible on our face as radiance or Kanti. This radiance is also visible in all of us for about 30 – 45 minutes after we visit a Devi’s temple.
That is why in the Devi Stuti we chant – Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu Kanti Rupena Samsthita, Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namaha. The more we adore Devi as Lalitha, the brighter will be the glow on our face. That is why we say ‘Flow with the flow and glow with the glow.’
As we flow with her grace, She keeps filling us with Her nectar. This happens even when we worship Lord Shiva. When we worship Lord Vishnu, whose colour is blue, our skin shines with a dark, bluish lustre.
We should add the prefix Lalitha Tripurasundari to all the names of Devi, for example – Om Lalitha Tripurasundari Nimishambayei Namaha. This is her most basic form, from which all her other forms have arisen. Goddess Lalitha is so deeply interwoven into our cultural fabric that a few decades ago, many of our girls would be named after her. This was done with the firm belief that the body, mind and qualities of that child would reflect the attributes of Devi.
Whatever name we have been given, we should mentally prefix ‘Lalitha’ to it, to connect ourselves to her. This name gives our body and mind a lot of strength.
Anybody who is named Lalitha, especially if they are on the spiritual path, will never suffer from any kind of hormonal problems. Such is the power of this divine name.
Extract from The Book of Direct Truths, Subtle Truths and The Mystical Truths of Devi Mahatmyam by Shri Shri Nimishananda