Mother Goddess is addressed in Lalita Sahasranama as ‘Kamakshi’ and this name is combined with ‘Kamadayini’ name. As these two are combined and the common word being Kama (desire), Mother is often seen as the one who provides for all the desires or the one who ensures desire fulfilment. It is true, but it is truer beyond simple meaning.
Kama is one of the Purusharthas. Purusha+Artha mean the human pursued dimensions. These are four viz Dharma (righteousness), Artha (Sampada), Kama (Desires), and Moksha (Liberation). Often the underlying belief is that Moksha is ‘beyond life’ and ‘other worldly’. Clarity may be missing in such an interpretation. Mother Goddess inspires us with an understanding that Artha and Kama when pursued within the bound of Dharma, the result is ‘living’ Moksha or state of Jeevanmukta. In other words, the life lived fully but with righteous conduct is what Moksha is.
Of the four Purusharthas we have, the Kama appears boundless. Moksha is hazy and Artha is only means. Dharma is often less followed and more discussed in Ethics classes. Thus, if Kama is beyond bounds, then how to conquer it is the question. Underlying hypothesis is unless we control, how we can moderate? In other words, if one doesn’t control, the life becomes ‘un-umbilical kite swaying in the free wind’. Can we afford this in a life that aspires high and plans pursuing higher goals? No is the answer and Goddess is the only recourse.
Kamakshi literally means the one with power of fulfilling the desires by blessing through her ‘eyes’. Deeper meaning is Mother who can control the Kama to be within the bounds. Once the bounds are set mentally, and pursuit becomes limited physically, then energies can be channelized for higher pursuits. When the pursuit is within bounds, we to stay regimented, and sway becomes limited.
When the material desires become limited, we do not expend our energies in lower-level activities. Either through the Pancha+Kosha theory or through the Shat+Chakra approach, we easily appreciate that the higher elevations are welcoming us when we are open in not pursuing lower level embedded objectives. Thus, Kamakshi by limiting our basal pursuits, makes us ‘move up’ and higher. Mother fulfils the biggest desire of ‘not having desires’. Bliss awaits.
Prof S Ainavolu is a Mumbai-based teacher of tradition and management. He is with VPSM. Views are personal. https://www.ainavolu.in/blog
