Soundarya Lahari - Part 45

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These two functions are called ‘tirodhAna’ and ‘anugraha’ respectively. The meaning of the root verb ‘tiras’ is to be secretive or to hide. It is from the verb ‘tiras’ that the Tamil word ‘tirai’ (meaning, ‘curtain’) has come. It is MAyA that blinds the real thing from us by a ‘tirai’ (curtain). Just as the three functions of creation, sustenance and dissolution have been assigned (by the para-brahma-shakti) to BrahmA, Vishnu and Rudra (Hara), so also Her assignee for the tirodhAna function is called ‘Ishvara’ (also ‘maheshvara’) and that for the anugraha function is called ‘SadAshiva’. The first three functions are subject to MAyA. This mayic activity is in the control of Ishvara. Release from MAyA is granted by SadAshiva.  

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