Generally, living beings suffer many diseases that affect their health in some way or other. Most of these common diseases can be cured with medicine and it is believed that the suffering caused by ill health gets cancelled at the end of one’s life. But there is the greater disease of samsara, commonly known as Bhava Roga, that chases all living beings through the seemingly never-ending journey of the cycle of birth. Meditating on Devi’s divine feet is a sure cure to this chronic ailment, as it helps to wash away the impurities and vasanas that the jivatma keeps adding in every birth, says Adi Sankara in the Saundarya Lahari, pointed out Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse.
If the body or one’s clothes get soiled by grime or mud, it is possible to remove these with water and with some effort. But this is not possible if the mind gets sullied. The impurities in the mind are subtle and deep seated; they pertain to the thought and get reflected in one’s speech and action as kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsarya, etc.
In a verse, the acharya celebrates the impact of the power of Her sacred feet. To Brahma the smallest particle of dust from Her feet is most precious and he gathers this carefully as it enables him to accomplish the enormous task of creation that She has assigned to him. So too, Vishnu carries this dust with reverence on his thousand heads, and as for Siva, he takes care to smear this all over his body as the sacred Vibhuti. The bhakti bhava evinced by the Trimurtis inspires devotees to seek shelter at Her feet. By Her compassion and grace the devotee’s mind can attain purity. She alone can protect all beings from dangers of all kinds, dread, fear, panic, anxiety, unease, concern etc, that are part of worldly existence.
