The Kachapi Veena & Melodious Voice of Devi

Soundarya Lahiri-AdiSankaracharya

Book Ref-Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati

Story Behind Verse-2( Cont)

 

The 66th hymn from the Stotra kavya of the Soundarya Lahari, a famous hymn attributed to Adi Shankara reveals the sweetness and divine nature speech of Lalita Tripurasundari!

विपञ्चया गायन्ती विविधमपदानं पशुपतेः

त्वयारब्धे वक्तुं चलितशिरसा साधुवचने।

तदीयैर्माधुर्यैरपलपिततन्त्रीकलरवां

निजां वीणां वाणी निचुलयति चोलेन निभृतम्॥

vipañcayā gāyantī vividhamapadānaṁ paśupateḥ

tvayārabdhe vaktuṁ calitaśirasā sādhuvacane |

tadīyairmādhuryairapalapitatantrīkalaravāṁ

nijāṁ vīṇāṁ vāṇī niculayati colena nibhṛtam ||

Vipañcayā gāyantī: Singing (while playing) the stringed instrument (Veena)

Vividham-apadānaṁ paśupateḥ: The various glorious deeds of Lord Shiva (Pashupati)

Tvayārabdhe vaktuṁ: When You (Parvati) began to speak/sing

Calitaśirasā sādhuvacane: Noddng Your head in appreciation (saying "Sadhu" - Excellent!)

Tadīyair-mādhuryair-apalapitatantrīkalaravāṁ: Because the sweetness of Your voice overshadowed the faint notes of the Veena strings

Nijāṁ vīṇāṁ vāṇī: Goddess Sarasvati (Vani)

Niculayati colena nibhṛtam: Secretly hides/covers her Veena

Meaning: “O Mother! Goddess Saraswathi is acclaiming on the veena, the heroics of Your spouse Kamesa, in front of You. Involved in appreciation of her praise, You are nodding your head! You are about to compliment Goddess Saraswathi on her performance! The extraordinary and incredible sweetness of your speech put to shame the melodious sound of the veena! Goddess Saraswathi had no other alternative but to stop playing on it and put it under cover!”

"Vipanchya Gaayanthi vividamapadhaanam Pasupathe"The Veena is considered as a Divine instrument. It is not that all can master it. Goddess Saraswathi's Veena is called “Kachchapi” She is represented as holding the Veena in her hands.

 

The Kacchapi Veena is an ancient Indian stringed instrument, often identified as the original form of the Saraswati Veena held by the goddess of knowledge. Its name derives from kachhapa (tortoise), referring to its resonator shape, symbolizing the withdrawal of senses for spiritual wisdom. It is a form of lute.

Key Aspects of Kacchapi Veena:

Symbolism: The tortoise-shaped body (or gourd) signifies the ability of a seeker to withdraw their senses, just as a tortoise hides in its shell, to achieve focused knowledge.

   Its Association with Saraswati and it is the traditional instrument held by Goddess Saraswati, representing divine music and wisdom.

    Structure: It is a plucked string instrument (lute). While often associated with the modern Saraswati veena, it has also been referred to as a form of vina.

 Saraswathi playing Veena containing the many different accounts of Parameshvara's  sport,and plays the veena at the same time Saraswathi too knows how to please the one before whom she sings and plays the Veena. In the presence of Amba She sings the glory of Parameshwara so as to make Amba happy!

"Thvayaarabhe vakthum chalitha shirasaa saadhuvachane"-Amba who was shaking her head in appreciation of Saraswathi's recital though thawas not enough and that she must speak one or two words,"saadhuvachanam"(words of appreciation). During music recitals,Amba express her appreciation of the performance by exclaiming, good, excellent ("Bhale!Sabash! ) These are part of saadhu vachanam. In this way one or two similar words came from Amba's mouth.

 

Thethirdverse- "Thadeeyaih maadhuryaih apalipita-thanthri kalaravaam."-"Saraswathi,having observed that the melodious strains of the strings of the veena were disgraced by the sweetness of the words that Amba had just begun to speak.

 The last verse,-"Nijaam Veena Vaani nichulayathi cholena nibhrutham...."Its literal meaning,In the sweetness of Amba's speech the sound of the veena was vanquished; When Sarasvati heard Her voice, she felt ashamed, as Her voice was much more melodious and sweeter than her singing and the melody of her Veena. Unable to bear this humiliation, she stood up and covered her Veena.

Sankara's description is in line with what Sri Lalita Sahasra Nama Stotra has described in the first line of the eleventh sloka is निजसल्लाप माधुर्य विनिर्भर्त्सित कच्छपी Nija-sallāpa-mādurya-vinirbhartsita-kacchpī and is explained thus: “Sarasvati’s Veena is called kachapi. which means “the speech of Goddess is more melodious than the Veena of Sarasvati known as Kachhapi” this also mean that Devi”s speak more melodiously and softly like the nada that comes from a Veena.

Sankara visualizes the sweetness of Amba/ Devi’s speech! How much must one love to be able to express this and imagine this? Sankara's vision is itself extraordinary and metaphorical! In every aspect of his Divine Mother he sees something significant and special! Coupled with his inner eye and inspiration he sees pictures of Amba   which none else can see! Is it possible for anyone else to conjure up such images of Devi? It is because of his intense bhakti and total dedication to worship of Devi that such scenes come to his memory and vision!