Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
371. Vaikhari-rūpā
Meaning – She appears in the form of Vaikhari – the final stage wherein sound converts into meaningful words and is audible.
372. Bhakta-mānasa-haṁsikā
Meaning – She is the swan (hamsa) who swims in the mind (manas) of genuine devotees (bhaktas).
She swims in the mind which is kept very pure and sacred. Such a mind is the sacred Mānasa sarovara (manasa is the mind; sarovara is the lake).
Swans are very hard to spot. Even at Mānasa Sarovara near Kailasa, it is rare to spot swans. These sacred birds do not like even the scent of human beings and hence they approach the lake selectively when it is devoid of human presence. They are very delicate birds that survive purely on water for sustenance.
373. Kāmeśvara-prāna-nāḍī
Meaning – She is the central life force (prāna nādi) for Lord Kāmeśwara.
Kāmeśwara is Parabrahma. She is the life force (chaitanya) for Parabrahma. She causes movement in Him, who is otherwise seated motionless.
Sushumna nādi is the main central energy channel in yoga through which the Kundalini energy flows and hence is the prāna nādi. It is located in the centre of the spine. The routine inhalation and exhalation (breathing) throughout life is called gamāgama. Ida and Pingala nādis perform this function. The breath needs to be willfully restrained (kumbhaka) and pushed on to the path of the Sushumna nādi. It then begins to ascend the steps within the Sushumna.
Pranayama should be performed until the body is tired or it perspires. Such method cleanses all types of sins. It renders the mind pure and prevents further committing of sins.
Even within the individual (jeevatma), it is the Divine Mother who causes the movement of the Sushumna. She is the main praana naadi.
374. Kṛtajñā
Meaning – She is all knowing. She is the witness for every happening in this universe. She has knowledge of all the actions (karmas) performed by the individual.
Sun, Moon, Yama (Lord of death), Kaala (time) and the five basic elements (pancha bhootas of earth, fire, water, air and space) are the eternal witnesses.
375. Kāma-pūjitā
Meaning – Kāma, the Lord of desires, reverentially worships Her. She lovingly accepts this worship.
Lord Kāma has no body (Videha). Arunopanishad is a great scripture that details about the Supreme Mother, Her upasana, about the Srichakra and many more. This great text describes about Kāma Deva and his upasana. It states that though this Lord has no body, he undertook penance. He has no tongue yet he tasted the sweetness that arises from sadhana. He has no neck yet he wears a garland around it.
Here Videha refers that person who is able to give up the attachment and pride (abhimāna) over his body. King Janaka was praised as Vaideha not because He was born in the kingdom of Videha, but because he had completely given up attachment towards his body. He was not consciousness of his physical body or of its needs. He had self-surrendered (atmārpana). Videha means he now exists in the form of kaama (desires). One who takes on the form of water will not fear water. Fire cannot fear fire. Likewise, a person who takes on the form of kāma (desires), cannot fear kāma (desires). The Supreme Mother loves worship offered by such persons.
A spiritual aspirant who undertakes intense Pranayama (Kāmeshwara prāna nādi), is cleansed of all his karmas and sins (i.e. reaches a stage of Krtagnya) and the worship of such persons is loved by the Divine Mother (Kāma poojita). Thus these 3 names teach the process to be adopted by the spiritual aspirants and the stages to which it shall lead.
376. Śṛṅgāra-rasa- saṁpūrṇā
Meaning – She is overflowing with the endless compassion (karuna rasa), which is the cream amongst all rasas (emotions).
Shrungara (love, attractiveness), hāsya (laughter, mirth), roudram (fury), kārunyam (compassion), bibhatsam (aversion, disgust), bhayānakam (fear, horror), vīram (heroic, valourous), adbhutam (wonder, amazement) and shanta (tranquility) are the nine emotions (rasas). Mentioning the first among them all implies that all the 9 emotions (rasas) are abundant in Her. Each of the 6 spiritual centers (shatchakras) is to be worshipped with one of these emotions (rasas).
Shrungāra also indicates the stage of uniting into the supreme (aikya). In the 9th stanza of Soundarya Lahiri this rasa has been praised-
Mahim mulādhāre kamapi manipurē huthavaham
Sthitham svādhistane hridi marutamakasam upari;
Mano’pi bhruu-madhye sakalamapi bhittva kula-patham
Sahasrare padme saha rahasi patyā viharase
Meaning – O Mother Goddess! After breaking through the subtle pathways, after having overcome the power of Mooladhāra, Swadhisthana, Anāhata, Manipura and Ajnā chakras, You reach the Sahasrāra chakra (the 1000 petalled lotus) and there you wander about freely with your consort.
The verse ‘Saha rahasi patyā viharase’ is a yogic statement. Through intense yogic practices, the aspirant successfully carries the Kundalini energy to the Sahasrara. At this point the Kundalini merges with the supreme consciousness (shuddha chaitanya) which inherently exists there. This merger has been explained in the form of a simile of the Divine Mother wandering about happily with her husband. To re-iterate that this is a yogic state, the stanza uses the words ‘sahasrare padme’ (in the lotus called sahasrara).
Those who misunderstand such yogic statements are ineligible and undeserving to even read or hear about it. Bhagavatam is a sacred text that explains the sports of that infinite Lord. When reading Bhagavatam, even if a sinful thought about the Lord comes to the mind, one should immediately close the book. This happens more so during the episode of raasa-kreeda. The sin that will attach on account of the bad thought relegates to the background any merit (punya) that would have accumulated. It is therefore wise to set aside the book under such circumstances.
377. Jayā
She grants victory or is the cause of victory.
Jaya symbolizes the number 18. Mahabharata is also called Jaya. 1+8=9. The soul (atma) has 8 qualities. Those who develop and nurture these 8 qualities are blessed with the vision of the Supreme who is non-dual (represented by the number 1). The combination of 8 qualities and 1 Supreme essence is 9, which represent total completeness (poornatva). This is the true victory that She grants.
From now on yogic lessons known as bandhās, for those who have been initiated into those streams of yoga, are taught. Bandhana means to bind/ tie a knot. The vital air (Prāna vāyu) is tied down and held firmly at certain points and rendered immobile. Hata yoga is a series of bandhana kriyas. The term ‘hata’ means ‘extreme willpower’. Using extreme willpower these knots are bound firmly. These are special techniques that need to be learnt and mastered purely under the guidance of an able Guru. For the ordinary people, kriya yoga is the most ideal. Such bandhas when undertaken without the guidance of an efficient Guru is very harmful. Initially they may appear to work but there are innumerable cases where they have misfired. When undertaken with the proper guidance of an able Guru, even the most difficult bandhas can be accomplished with great ease and perfection.
378. Jālandhara-sthitā
She resides within those yogis who perform the Jālandhara bandha.
Jālandhara bandha is one special bandha (knot) at the neck position. ‘Jal’ means net. The nādis (energy channels) form a net at the neck position (Vishuddha chakra). Jālandhara bandha means to lock all these energy channels (nādis) at one go.
379. Oḍyāṇa-pīṭha-nilayā
Meaning – She resides in those who perform the abdominal lock (odhyana bandha).
This knot prevents the yogic energy from flowing downwards. With this, the energy begins to move upwards towards the intellect and leads to the advancement of the intellect (buddhi vikasa).
The tradition of tying the waistband (odiyana, molataadu) emerges out of this yogic practice. The waist should eternally be tied. This acts as a support for the nādis (energy channels) that pass through this point. While the waistband is an external belt, this abdominal lock (odyana bandha) is an internal lock. Odhyana also refers to Odisha state. She resides here as Girija Devi.
380. Bindumaṇḍala-vāsini
Meaning – She resides within the bindu mandala (galaxy). Bindu is the top most/ central dot over and above the Srichakra.
In the order of progression, bandhas (locks) come first, followed by the sound (nāda). Bindu exists beyond this state of sound (naada).