The Secret Doctrine of Goddess Lalita
(Sri LalitaAṣṭottara Rahasyārthamu)
45. duḥkhahantrī 46. puruṣārthapradā
She who is the destroyer of sorrow.
She who grants the four-fold objects of human life.
The instant the seeker attains the vision Oneness, all knots of ignorance will fall apart. Sorrow (duḥkha) is one such knot. The scripture refers to the body-mind organism as a dwelling of sorrow. No body is exempted from sorrow, neither the rich nor the poor.
We spend all our life trying to get rid of sorrow. But our efforts are in vain. If we manage to get rid of one misery, another pops up. The only way to completely eradicate sorrow is to cultivate a homogenous vision of the Self in all. Since Devī bestows such a vision and frees the seeker from all misery, She is called duḥkhahantrī. Since She is svasthā, free from all afflictions, She is the destroyer of all afflictions. Sorrow is an affliction. When one realizes that Self alone IS, one is freed from sorrow and other afflictions.
When one is free of sorrow, one can effortlessly attain puruṣārtha, the four goals of human life. As individuals, we are afflicted with likes and dislikes. We are happy when we get what we desire, and unhappy when we get what we do not desire. We crave happiness and shun misery. Hence, happiness is our ultimate goal. The four things we strive for in life (puruṣārtha) are dharma (virtuousness), artha (wealth), kāma (desires), and mokṣa (liberation). The first three goals are worldly (anātmā) in nature. Hence, they can only bring misery and momentary happiness.
The fourth goal, mokṣa brings lasting happiness. There is not even a trace of worldliness in it. Therefore, mokṣa is the ultimate goal of human life. When mokṣa is attained, the other three goals are also attained. There is no need to strive for them separately. Therefore, Devī is called puruṣārthapradā, the One who helps us attain both worldly and spiritual goals.