Meaning and elaboration
Meaning: Salutations To The one who is the embodiment of love, joy, and affection.
Elaboration
The name Prītaye is derived from the Sanskrit root ‘prī’, which signifies to please, to gladden, to delight, or to love. Thus, Prīti (प्रीति) refers to love, affection, joy, delight, pleasure, and fondness.
Embodiment of Love and Affection When Kalabhairava is invoked as Prītaye, it highlights his aspect as the embodiment of pure love, unconditional affection, and profound joy. While Kalabhairava, as a fierce manifestation of Shiva, is often associated with destruction and terror, this name reveals a paradoxical yet integral aspect of his being: his intrinsic nature as ultimate bliss (Ānanda) and benevolent affection towards his devotees. This is not a superficial love, but a deep, all-encompassing love that encompasses all creation.
Source of Delight and Joy As the one who is Prīti, he is the ultimate source of delight and pleasure for his devotees. This delight is not merely sensory pleasure but the spiritual joy and contentment that arises from devotion and a deep connection with the Divine. He is the one who causes joy, and also the one who experiences perfect joy within himself, reflecting the Satchitananda (existence, consciousness, bliss) nature of the Ultimate Reality.
The Goal of Devotion For the devotee striving for spiritual realization, Prīti represents the loving devotion (Bhakti) that binds the devotee to the Divine. Invoking him as Prītaye indicates that he is the ultimate object of this love, and also the state of loving presence that one seeks to attain. He is both the giver of love and the love itself. This name reminds us that even in his formidable aspect, his underlying purpose is to protect and nurture his devotees out of profound love, ultimately guiding them towards liberation and bliss.
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