Lalitha Sahasranamam

: The concept of God as Mother is unique to Hindu religion. Sakthi Cult depicts Siva as Being and Sakthy as becoming. We may also explain that one is Awareness and the other is its Expression as consciousness.The analogy of water and ocean – water appearing as ocean and waves, is relevant here.We may also conceive that one is swaroopam and the other is swabhavam. In terms of Energy, one is potential and the other is dynamic. Awareness is sometimes termed as Pure Consciousness and its expression as Ego consciousness. In essence there is no two – Adwaitham is the Truth..


Bhakthy tradition advocates chanting of divine names viz., stotras like vishnu sahasranamam, Lalitha sahasranamam. In one way or other they help us in the direction of OM (nadam) which is the first vibration for manifestation or expression and this OM continues to vibrate in the entire cosmos similar to sruthy to the music.Contemplation, concentration, meditation and anuboodhy are some of the stages through which the mind progressively attunes to the Divine. This can be explained by the simily of churning the butter (contemplation) collecting the butter (with concentration) and tasting it (in meditation) and finally experiensing fulfilment ie; anuboothy. The chanting of the divine attributes in the form of stotras is a kind of contemplation, while keeping in mind the central idea of the divine attributes is concentration .The state of becoming one with that idea is meditation and anuboothy is the fulfilment.



The story behind the avatar of Lalithambika is that as a result of Devas’ prayer, She appeared from fire for the destruction of Bandasura. Similarly, Chandy appeared to destroy Mahishasura and Kali to destroy Chanda and Munda. There are many names like Kumari, Kapali, Karali, Katyayani, Uma, Mohini, Maya, Ambika, Vishnumaya for Lalithambika. It is interesting to note that while Mahisha represents the attavistic qualities of human beings, Bandasura represents the ego sense – mamatha and ahanthai in men! The latter is more difficult to win over than the former. Only with the understanding of the Absolute Reality the ego sense can be outlived ,and Lalithambika expressing herself as Pure Consciousness does the job. In everyone she resides as Atmachaitanya (kudastha) .

Lalitha sahasranamam is supposed to have been recited by Hayagreeva ( he is not the same Hayagreeva who stole the vedas which were later recovered in matsyavatharam!) and listened to by sage Agasthya. It is a part of Brahmanda Purana. I give below some selected namavalihs:

Om cid-agni-kunda-sambhutayai namah (Salutations to Her who came out of the fire of Pure Consciousness)
Om nirakarayai namah (Salutations to Her who is not limited to and by any form)
Om nitya buddhayai namah (salutations to Her who is ever awake consciousness)
Om Chinmayyai namah (Salutations to her who is Pure Consciousness)
Om Paramanadayai namah (Supreme Bliss)
Om dyna dhayathru dheyaya rupayai namah ((meditator, meditation and objected meditated upon combined)

Om Chidekrasa rupinyai namah (Nature of Pure Consciousness)
Om Prathyak chithy rupayai namah (consciousness turned inward into Awareness)
Om Prajnana ghana rupinyai namah(pure Consciousness condensed)
Om Paramayai namah (Supreme self)
Om sarva adharayai namah (Mooladharam; the Base on which the substratum rests)
Om sachidananda rupinyai namah (Existence, Knowledge and Bliss)
Om satya gnana ananda rupayai namah (Truth Knowledge and Bliss)
Om Paratparayai namah (Superior to Consciousness ie; Absolute Awareness)
Om Amurthayai namah (Without form)
OM Sri-matre namah Salutations to Divine mother
OM Sri-maha-rajnyai namah: salutations to the great Empress of the whole Universe
OM -cid-agni-kunda sambhutayai namah (came out of fire of Pure Consciousness)
OM Pancha-tanmatra-sayakayai namah (holds 5 arrows representing tanmatras
OM pancha-brahmasana sthitayai namah (rests on a seat formed of Brama,Vishnu,Rudra, Isana and sadasiva)
OM karanguli nakhotpanna narayana dasakrtyai namah (Out of Her finger nails recreated all the ten incarnations of Vishnu
OM sat-cahropari samsthitayai namah (establishes herself above six chakras)
OM mahaasajtyai namah (whose immense joy consists in Asakthi - union with Siva)
OM bheda nasinyai namah (destroys the sense of difference)
OM sarvajnayai namah (omniscient)
OM pancha-brahma swarupinyai namah (whose form is composed of Brahma,Vishnu,Rudra,Iswara and Sadasiva)
OM Ksetra-Ksetranjna palinyai namah (salutations to Her who is Kshetra as well as Kshetrajna)
OM srikanthardha saririnyai namah (who has a body constituting the half of Diva)
OM avyakthayai namah (Unmanifesting state of Universe)
OM vyakta-avyakta-swarupinyai namah (who is the manifest as well as unmanifest state)
OM Sivaradhyayai namah (worshipped by Siva)
OM Sivamurtyai namah (salutations to Her whose form is Siva)
OM Sivapriyayai namah ( who is the beloved of Siva)
OM Aprameyaya namah (who is the infinite that is immeasurable
OM Chetana rupayai namah (who is pure Consciousness itself)
OM panchakosantara sthitayai namah (Jiva within the five kosas)
OM lolakshi kama rupinyai namah (salutations to Her who is love in women)
OM kali kalmasa nasinyai namah (destroys the sins of Kali yuga)
OM Prajnana ghana rupinyai namah (who is pure Consciousness condensed)
OM mattayai namah ( who is ego consciousness of Siva)
OM Atmane namah (who is Self in all)
OM Paramayai namah (Supreme Self)
OM Iccha sakthi - Jnana sakthi kriya sakthi svarupinyai namah
OM Sad asad rupa dharinyai namah
OM Brahmatmaikya svarypinyai namah (Oneness of Brahman and Atman)
OM Virat rupayai namah
OM para aparayai namah (both the Absolute and Relative)
OM Svatmaramayai namah (merged in the joy of Her own Self)



The very concept that Lalithambika came out of fire conveys that She is Absolute Purity and without form.The arrow held by Her is interpreted as five tanmatras – sabda, sparcha, roopa, rasa and gandha.Also it could mean panchaboodham – earth, water, air, fire and eather.



Vishnu sahasranamam: This is a portion in Mahabharatha and is supposed to have been recited by Bhishma and listened to by Pandavas and SriKrishna himself. Sri Sankaracharya has written a commentary on the same. Some of the selected namas are given below:

Purushottama:A synthesis of kshara and akshara (changeful and unchanging) is called Purushottama
Bharta: supports the universe as athishtanam – substratum.
Pranah: Absolute life force
Bhugarbha: containing the universe within
Pratyayah: Consciousness
Sarvadih: First cause of the elements
Viswayonih: The source of the universe
Vardhamanah: multiplies as universe
Lokadyaksha: Witness
Viswam: Viswam is only an expression of that Reality
Bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-praphu master of past, future and present
Putatma: purity in nature
Sakshi witness
Kshetrajnah: Knower of the field or body
Bhavanah: generates the fruits of karmas
Bharta: substratum of the universe
Vidhata: He who generates karmas and their fruits
Amara-prabhy Master of amaras
Pranadah: pne who activates the prana
Bhygarbhah: one who has got the world within Himself
Madhavah: consort of Ma - (Madhava to be known through mauna, dhyana and yoga)
Sarvadhi: one who is the first cause of all elements
Samatma: equanimity
Sasvatha-sthanuh unchanging
Vedavit: one who knows the veda and its meaning
Visvayonih: the source of the universe
Anirdesya-vapuh: One who cannot be indicated to another as "He is this" because He cannot be objectively known
Guhah: One who hides one's own nature with the help of His maya.
Dharma One who suppoets all beings
Jnanagamyah: He can be known only through Gnana.

There are other epithets seemingly paradox such as Kritha and Akritha; Bhayakrit, Bhayanasana, Anuh, Brihat; Krsah, sthoola, Guna-bhrt, Nirguna.


Vishnu – Supreme Reality personified – hold Conch representing thamasa ahamkaram, nandaki (sword) representing spiritual illumination, Chakra as Cosmic mind, Gadha as cosmic knowledge and sarngadhanva (bow &arrow)representing rajasic quality.By His own Will Iswara has adopted Pure Satwa as His personality, with the conch He has created the viswam and through the disc, gadha and bow and arrow He has created the Cosmic mind, Cosmic Knowledge and Jeeva and thus the Viswam functions at his command. (Samkhabrn nandaki cakri sarngadhanva gadadharah) The nama ‘Durlabhah’ is interpreted as ‘One who can be attained by Bhakthy and this bhakthy is difficult to be endowed with’ Also in this context Sage Vyasa’s saying has been quoted “By means of Tapas, Jnana and samadhy practised in many births men’s sins are destroyed and they get devotion to Krishna”(Sri Sankara’s commentary reproduced – authority RamakrishnaMath Publication “Sri Vishnu Sahasranama”)