SRI

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

WITH TEXT, TRANSLATION AND NOTES

BY

D. S. SARMA, M.A.,

Retired Principal, Vivekananda College, Madras

[SECOND EDITION]

GI

atunga, bombay-400 010

PUBLISHED BY

THE MADRAS LAW JOURNAL OFFICE

MADRAS 4

1961 First Edition, 1950 Second Edition, 1961

All Rights Reserved.

Price.

Rs6

PRINTED AT THE 1. L. J. PRESS PRIVATE LTD MYLAPORE MADRAS 4. INTRODUCTION

PORVA-BHAGA

NYASA AND DHYANA

TEXT

TRANSLATION

NOTES

NAMAVALI

PHALA-SRUTI

CONTENTS

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..

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Pages.

1-45

i-vi

vu-viii

47-65

66-104

105-122

123-147 148-156 TO

THE MEMORY OF HER

WHOSE FAITH AND SUFFERING LED ME

TO

THIS FAMOUS LITANY PREFACE

It will be seen from the Dedication that this book is for me a work of piety. Otherwise I would not have undertaken to translate a Stotra which is couched in such a difficult literary form as the Sahasranama As far as I know, there is nothing like it in English. I have, however, tried my best to make the translation as readable as possible, not by taking any undue liberties with the text, but by grouping the names into paragraphs and In the interpretation of the names I have mostly followed the traditional commentary of Bhaskararaya And, in giving a brief historical account of the Devi cult in the Introduction, I found the works of Das Gupta, Radhakrishnan, Woodroffe and Farquhar helpful

sections

My grateful thanks are once again due to my old and esteemed friend, Prof M. R. Rajagopala Aryangar, who has helped me in this book, as he did in almost all my previous books I am also very thankful to my friend, Mr S Ramaswami of Presidency College, Madras, who took a keen personal interest in the book throughout and saw it through the press

In this edition, in addion to the text and translation of the Sahasranama, I have also given the pūrva-bhaga, nāmāvalı, nyasa, dhyana and phalaśrut I hope this will considerably enhance the value of the book

MADRAS, 25-7-1961

DSS OTHER BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR

A Primer of Hinduism

What is Hinduism >

The Tales and Teachings of Hinduism The Prince of Ayodhya

The Master and the Disciple

The Bhagavad Gita-Text and Translation

Lectures and Essays on the Gita

Gandhi Sutras

The Father of the Nation The Hindu Standpoint Hinduism through the Ages The Upanishads-An Anthology SRI CHAKRA INTRODUCTION I

The Lalitäsahasranama is a sequel to the Lalitopukhyana which forms part of the Brahmanda Purana. It consists of three chapters. The first is only introductory, the second gives the thousand names of the great goddess Lalita and the third contains the usual phalaśruti.

In the introductory chapter Agastya, who has been listening to the account of the deeds of the goddess given by Hayagriva, as set forth in the Lalitopakhyana, asks the latter why he did not include in his narrative the thousand names of the goddess. He says:"You have narrated to me the most wonderful history of Lalità Devi. You have narrated in detail the birth of the Mother, then her coronation, and then her slaying of the demon Bhanda. You have described Sripura in all its glory and also the greatness of the Panchadasi mantra...... But you have not told me the thousand names of Lalità Devi. Have you forgotten to do so or have you deliberately refrained? Or am I unworthy of hearing the names?"

Thus questioned, Hayagriva replied, "I did not tell you, because I thought it was a secret. Now that you have asked me with devotion, I will impart it to you." And then he gave him the thousand names, saying that they had been composed by the goddesses of speech at the express command of Lalita Paramesvari herself. 2

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

II

The story of Lalită to which the Lalitasahasranama thus refers is briefly as follows:-

When Manmatha, the god of love, was reduced to ashes by Siva opening his third eye, the ashes were collected by Chitrakarman, one of Siva's attendants, and used for drawing the figure of a man Siva glanced at the figure and at once it leaped into life and became a living person The artist now advised the person he thus created to pray to Siva and repeat the SataRudriy The person did so and Siva was pleased and blessed him with the overlordship of the world for sixty thousand years On hearing this, Brahma cried in dismay, "Bhand, Bhand," and so the person came to have the name Bhanda When Bhanda grew up, he became a great Asura and established his capital in Sonitapura. He oppressed the gods and made life intolerable for them Thereupon Närada advised Indra, the king of the gods, to do penance and seek the help of Para caktı. Indra, accordingly, performed a great sacrifice, and out of the sacrificial fire there arose a great chakra and, in the midst of it, was the lovely figure of the Devi who embodied the spirit of the Trimu 1 The gods praised her and she promised to vanquish their enemy Bhandasura But Brahmä said

that

veto

the

proposal and assured her that her independence would in

1 Brahma-Visnu Sivatmıl am INTRODUCTION

3

no way suffer by her marriage Then the goddess consented and threw up a garland It fell round the neck of Siva who had assumed the lovely form of Kamesvara The marriage of the beautiful couple was celebrated by the gods with great pomp and Lalita became Kamesvars and was crowned along with her husband. After the gods had left, the goddess set out to fulfil her mission with an army of Saktis well equipped with chariots, elephants and horses. The battle between her and the demon raged for four days and at last Bhanda was kille I with all his kinsmen and followers, and his capital was razed to the ground The gods praised the goddess and requested her to take pity on Rati, the wife of Manmatha, who had been burnt to death by Siva She consented and revived the god of love and then went and settled down at Srinagara This city was built for her by both Visi karma and Maya on one of the peaks of Mount Meru An elaborate description of it is given in the Purana. In the midst of this wonderful city is a palace built of precious chintamani stones and in the centre of the palace is the seat of the Devi. On a jewelled cot, the legs of which are formed by Brahma, Visnu, Isvara and Maheśvara and the covetlet by Sadasiva, the great goddess Sri Lalita Devi sits in the lap of her husband, Kamesvara The Stichakra is, besides other things, diagrammatic representation of the goddess and her capital Sripura Devotees of the goddess are thereforc exhorted to worship the Srichakra, perform japam with the Panchadasaksarı mantra which forms the subtle body of the Devi and repeat this litany of a thousand 4

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

names, which was composed by the goddesses of speech at the express command of Sri Lalita Paramesvari herself.

III

The Avatar of the Bhagavad Gitä says in a wellknown verse, "Howsoever men approach me, even so do I accept them." We may therefore approach God and call Him either father or mother. God is in truth beyond the distinctions of sex and even beyond personality, as we too often conceive it. The ineffable Absolute is endowed by us with the highest attributes we can think of, so as to bring it into relation with us And the world we live in. Accordingly, the distinction between the impersonal Brahman and the personal Iśvara is well recognised in our philosophy. The former is God as He is in Himself, the latter is God as He appears to us, when He is viewed through human spectacles. We may call these two views of God the scientific view and the poetic view respectively. The impersonal Absolute, when viewed through the human mind, becomes a personal God. And this personal God in His capacity as creator becomes Brahma, as protector becomes Vişņu and as destroyer becomes Rudra. And, lastly, when as protector He comes down and takes a human form to save mankind from evil, He becomes an Avatar. Thus we try to bridge the yawning gulf between the Supreme Spirit and the spirit of man.

When the Absolute is thus brought into relation with us and the world we live in, we have inevitably INTRODUCTION

5

to think of it as an active power Hence the distinction that we draw between the quiescent Brahman and the active Isvara In Sakta theology this distinction is transferred to Siva and Sahti S117 corresponds to the inactive Brahman and Sahti corresponds to the active Isvara And as the word 'Śakti' is of feminine gender in Sanskrit, the personification results in a goddess S111s Sakti, and Sal ti is SIV as Brahman is Isvara and Isvara is Brahman In fact, they are only two different aspects of the same Reality They are the static and the dynamic aspects of the sume Spirit They are as inseparable as fire and heat or sun and sunshine But Sakti, the dynamic aspect of the Reality, is more important to us, as we are caught up in this dynamic universe of created beings and have in us an urge to transcend our present state

If Isvara, as we said above, is a poetic conception of the Absolute, Isvari or Sakti or Devi is certainly a more poctic one And as we generally fear our fathers and love our mothers, the concept of mother goddess

appeals more to our hearts than that of a father-god Also in the representation of a female deity, there is more scope for grace and beauty, and hence for greater poetry and art Accordingly in the Lahta sahasranama, which is a stotra addressed to a goddess, we see poetry and romance, religion and philosophy occultism and psycholozy vying with one another in coining names for the deity The author his embodied in this litany not only the Puranic story of Lalita and her fight with the demon Bhanda but also the philosophy and the ritual of Sri Vidya The most striking LALITA SAHASRANAMA

feature of the hymn is the perfect balance it maintains between its pure poetry and its technical theology by me ins of the genuine religious spirit which runs through it In dealing with his subject matter the author had to avoid two pitfalls On the one hand there was the danger of his litany becoming a purely secular poem like the Agamanı songs addressed to the goddess by the Bengali poets of later day and, on the other, there was the danger of the hymn becoming a mere exposition of a system of theology like the Tantras of an earlies day And he has succeeded in avoiding both His poetry never ceases to be religious and his philosophy seldom becomes merely technical His admiration for the dazzling beauty of the goddess and his comprehension of all that she stands for in the hearts of men go up in fine Jets of poetry, even while he is expounding abstract philosophy or complex ritual Consequently, the goddess in this hymn neither vanishes into the thin air of a mere idea nor comes down to the earth as a purely human figure She remains a goddess of transcendent beauty, leading a host of divinities against the forces of evil She is not a cold virgin, but a young wife passionately fond of her Kamesvara She is also a mother who loves her children and takes pride in their exploits She is ever young, ever rose red like the morning sun, and the jewels she wears rival the stars in their splendour Her breath has the perfume of camphor, her voice is sweeter than the vina of Sarasvati and her person is fragrant with the scent of sandal She is passionately fond of flowers-champaka asoka punhusband6 INTRODUCTION

7

naga and others and constantly wears them in her hair She herself is a flower, says the poet She shines like a china rose or like a pomegranate flower or a bandhuka blossom. But she is more fond of the flowers of the spirit (chaitanya kusuma priya) She is fond of poetry, of dancing and music and the chanting of the Veda She is, in fact, the home of all arts, the treasurehouse of all rasas She is the essence of all scriptures as well She is the priceless pearl, says the poet, hidden in the depths of all scriptures The Vedas bow to her and take the dust of her feet on their heads, for is she not their mother? And what do the UpaniSads proclaun? They proclaim only her glory. She is worshipped by the highest gods in heaven and yet she is accessible to all-even to the child and the peasant. Her grace is easily won, for her mercy demands no merit on our part She is the light that dispels the darkness of our hearts She is the rain of nectar that falls on the parched soil of our earthly existence She is the wind that drives away all our misfortunes She is the thunderbolt that cleaves asunder the mountains of human ills She is a Kalpataru and a Kamadhenu to all her worshippers At the same time, she is the ultimate Reality--above all tattvas and categories of thought, above all dualisms-the one indivisible Spirit, without qualities, without parts-ever free, ever pure formless and timeless-and without a cause, without a Inpse and without a limit

IV

Such a magnificent conception of the goddess is, of course, the result of a long process of evolution LALITA-SAHASKANAMA

beginning probably with a crude tribal deity in the dim pre historic past There are some critics who, in judging religions and cults other than their own, invariably point the finger of scorn at their humble, inelegant origins and ignore their later developments We should judge a tree by its fruits, not by its roots The fruit may be sweet and fragrant while the root> may be buried in stinking soil and manure It is quite probable that in the present case, as critics point out, not one but many tribal deities worshipped in different places and at different times have been fused together in the course of ages and made into a single Deity and then subjected to all the refining influences of poetry, religion and philosophy and, not the least of all, to the wonderful charm and grace of Indian womanhood Speaking of the women of India, Mrs Besant once said in her own characteristic way, "Fairer flowers never grew on this earth" It is the idealization of these flowers of the earth that gives us this heavenly flower of Devi Lalit of transcendent beauty and fragrance The Lalitas, the Sitas and the Savitris of poetry could not have come into being, had not their creators been inspired by the Lalitäs the Sitas, and the Savitiis in real life There is no doubt that the poet of the Lahtusahasranama has drawn as much from the fe around him as from tradition and legend, and religion and philosophy We should remember that he lived in a country which, even amidst the many crudities of its social life, developed the doctrine that every woman is an incarnation of the goddess and may be actually worshipped in her place-a doctrine that should ge

8 INTRODUCTION

9

rise in the hearts of men to fir purer feelings and sentiments than the code of chivalry that prevailed in mediaeval Europe Woodroffe quotes from one of the Tantras which says, Whosoever has seen the feet of woman, let him wor hip them as those of his guru. (Strinam adathm drstva guruvid-bhavayet sada Kubjika Tantra)

V

The process of evolution mentioned above was similar to that earlier process by which the Vedhe gods gave place in later times to the supreme God of a nonotheistic faith- Visnuora Siva And, first of all, just as there were no hard ad fast lmes between one Vedic god and another, each of the gods fading off into the others so there were no hard and fast lines between one goddess and another The famous Vedic dictum, Elam Sat, vpra bahudha vadanti-(The Reality is one, the wise speak of it in different ways)applied as much to the later goddesses as to the earlier gods Also, just as Visnu is sud to have descended several times to punish the wicked Raksasas, 1 Haran yıkasıpu, a Ravana or Sisupal, so in the parallel development of the Devi, we have several of her forms arising to quell the demons of the day-Chandi arising to quell Mahişasura, Kali coming to hall Chanda and Munda, and Lalita rising out of the sacrificial fire to slay Bhanda and his sons And, closely parallel to the famous Gita passage in which the Bhagavan explains why He comes down as an Avitar from age to 10

LALITÄ-SAHASRANAMA

age, we have the following passage in the DeziMahātmya:

"Whenever there is trouble of this kind caused by the Dänavas, at each such time I shall incarnate myself and accomplish the destruction of the enemy."

Thus in the history of our religion there have arisen two types of monotheism-one centring round a supreme God and another sound a supreme Goddess, both of whom are admittedly only symbols of the impersonal Absolute.

VI

In the early Vedic literature we have no supreme Goddess any more than a supreme God. There were a number of goddesses like Uşas, Rātri, Väk, Prithivi and Sarasvati, and a number of consorts of gods, like Indrāni, Varunani, etc. But all of them occupy a very subordinate position. However, before the end of the Vedic period we see signs of the emergence of a supreme Goddess as well as of a supreme God. Just as

of the other goddesses, especially Väk. For instance, in a passage in the Taittiriya Aranyaka she is referred to by three different names-Katyayani, Kanyakumari and Durga. In the Kena Upanişad she is identified with Umä Haimavati, who symbolizes Brahma-vidyā. And two other names which afterwards become associated with her, vis., Kali and Karali, occur in the Mundaka Upanişad where they denote two tongues of r

INTRODUCTION, in the ag

fire This process of syncretism which begins in the Vedie period itself continues in the pic period on a much larger scale, till at last Devi worshipping sect 15 formed, equal in status to the worshippers of Viş: u and Siva by the beginning of the Pur inic period There are two hymns in the Mahabharata which illustrate the process They are both addressed to Durga One is by Yudhisthira just before the Pandas as enter the kingdom of Virita, and another by Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukşetra just before the Bhagavad Gita episode Both are evidently hater interpolations, for they are not found in the best South Indian manuscripts However, they afford interesting study in the earher hymn we are told that the goddess is virgin observing a vow of clas tity Her constant abode is on the Vindhy a mountains She 13 called Durgs, hi and Mahisasura nasını She takes delight in wine and ment and sacrificial victims She is identified all the same, with Vidy Siddin, Kantı ete And, in the introduction to the hymn, slic 15 described as the child of Yasod and the sister of Kri hn-the one who ascended the shres when dashed by Kams on the stony ground The hymn to the goddess by Arjuna is more interesting Curiously enough it is at the instance of Krishna himself that Arjuna descends from his chariot and prays to Durga for success in battle The goddess appears before him and assures him of victory One of the noteworthy features of the hymn is the number of names by which the goddess is addressed She is called Kumari, Kapalı Kapıl, Bhadrakalı, Mahakalı Chandi Katyayanı, Karalı Kausihi, Umi Sakambhari LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

Mohini, Maya etc Here agam she is described as the sister of Krishna and as having been born in the cowherd family of Nanda She is adorn ed with various jewels and armed with spear and sword and shiell She delights in battle and thirsts for the blood of Mahisa She lives in inaccessible

places in places full of fears and

difficulties as well as in chastyas and the abodes of her devotees She dwells in the nether regions al o and conquers the demons in battle Her virginity is not mentioned On the other hand she is described as the mother of Skanda She is the mother of the Vedas as well and she is hailed as Brahma vidy among vidyas

12

In the Vişnu purana there is, again an interesting passage on the goddess Visnu while giving instructions to his Yoga nidra as to what she should do in connection with the birth of Krishna says

5

Those who shall reverently invoke you morning and evening and praise you and call you Arya, Durga, Vedagarbha, Ambika Bhadra Bhadrakalika, Ksemi or Ksemankarı shall receive by my grace whatever they desire And pleased with their offerings of wine and flesh and various other kinds you shall grant the prayers of mankind By my favour, all men shall have perpetual faith in you Assured of this, go goddess, and carry out my orders

Finally, there is a hymn in the Harivamsa which throws some light again on the origins of the goddess Here too she is described as the sister of Krishna and as living in the Vindhya mountains and in all sorts of INTRODUCTION

13

fearful places-caves, forests and groves-and as being greatly worshipped by savage tribes-Sabaris, Barbaras and Pulindas But she is also described as the Savitr of the Vedas and hailed as the knower of Brahman and finally as supreme Brahman

On these early hymns Bhandarkar makes the following comment in his book, Vaishnavism, Sarism etc

In the account here given it will be seen that there is one goddess with a number of different names But the critical eye will see that they are not merely names but indicate different goddesses who owed their conception to different historical conditions but who were afterwards identified with the one goddess by the usual mental habit of the Hindus'

The critical eye will see here something more than what the learned author has indicated It will see not only the process of identification by which a host of tribal deities are brought under one supreme Goddess, but also another mental hbit of the Hindus of those days that of bringing all the cults and cultures of the land under the aegis of the Veda an 1 the spiritualizing influence of the Vedanta philosophy while allowing them to retain a large measure of their individuality. For we find that the tribal deity of mountain fastnesses who is fond of flesh and wine and the sacrificial victims offered by the tribesmen is here already being huled as the mother of the Vedas and as the presiding deity of Brahma-vidya and even being identified with Brahman These are the germs which develop later 14

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

into the mighty theophanies of the Devi-Mahatmya and the Lahtasahasranama And, as this development proceeds apace, the mountain fastnesses, the inaccessible places, the sacrificial victims and the spirituous liquors of the early hymns shrink into mere specks on a vast flood of spirituality For instance, miles away as the Lalita is from these odes, we still hear distinct echoes of them in its thousand names We are still told that the goddess lives in the Vindhy a mountains (Vindhyachala-niväsını} that she is fond of mead (kadambari priya) and that she even becomes intoxicated (varuni mada-vihvala, madhvi-panalasa). But we hardly remember these merely traditional epithets in the flood of the new subject matter regarding the marvellous beauty of the goddess, her heroic fight with the forces of evil, her vast and varied powers and her extensive dominion in the hearts of men To take one example, while the early hymns describe her as living in dreary deserts (kantāra-vāsını), the Lalita describes her as the swan that swims in the hearts of saints (muni-mānasa-hamsikā).

VII

A distinct stage in the process of development is represented by the famous Chandi-Mahatmya in the Markandeya Purana, which describes the Devi's fight with Mahisisura and the other demons, Sumbha and Nisumbha. The very story of her birth is significant of the new developments There was once a long war between the gods and the demons The former were INTRODUCTION

15

headed by Indra and the latter by Mahisa The gods were vanquished and Mahisa became supreme The vanquished gods went to Visnu and Siva and told them of their discomfiture When Visnu and Siva heard their plaints they became very angry and there issued from their mouths a great tejas And from the bodies of the other gods also there went forth at the same time great energies All these energies gathered together and assumed a female form The gods were pleased and each of them gave her a weapon or an ornament Accepting these gifts, the goddess mounted the lion which had been presented to her by Himavat and uttered a loud roar as a challenge to the enemy The demonshcard the roar and rushed to the place, headed by Mahisa Then began a fierce battle between the gods and their enemies "in which every region of the sky was illumined with weapons, and arms were hurled in abundance". At last the goddess, who had fortified herself with a cup of wine, leapt on the Asura and kicked him on the neck with her foot, struck him with her spear and cut off his head with her sword This detail of the Devi kicking the demon half dead with her foot important, for almost the whole of Chandi sataka of Bana is based on it Bana's poem is an ode more to the feet of the goddess than to the goddess herself After Mahisa was slain the gods and rists assembled together and sang paeans of praise and thanksgiving for their deliverance They asked a boon of the goddess that, whenever they called on her for help in similar difficultics, she should come to their rescue Be it so", said

the goddess and vanished from their sight LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

Then the narrative proceeds to describe how on another occasion the gods prayed to her for help against Sumbha and Nisumbha who had conquered them and driven them from heaven. While they were thus praying on the Himalayas, Pärvati came there to bathe in the Ganges and asked them, "Whom are you praying to?" At once from her own body issued forth Ambika and said, "For me is this hymn uttered by the gods who have been routed by Sumbha and Nisumbha " This new goddess was surpassingly beautiful. She illumined the whole sky with her lustre, and reports of her presence were taken to the two demons by their servants, Chanda and Munda. Sumbha thereupon sent a message to her, offering her his hand in marriage. The goddess replied that she had taken a vow that she would marry only that hero who could vanquish her in an open fight. So if Sumbha wanted to marry her, he should come at once and fight with her. This challenge was joyfully accepted by the demon and the fight began. The battle on this occasion was much more prolonged and fierce than the battle with Mahisa. At one stage of it, the goddess grew so dark with rage that out of her forehead issued forth Käli with a terrible form, clad in a tiger skin and wearing a garland of skulls and lolling out her tongue for the blood of the enemy. The fight now becomes most ghastly. Káli roams about on the battlefield crushing the demons or devouring them or drinking the blood of the slain, She destroys Chanda and Munda and is rewarded by Ambikä with the title of Chamunda. After her work is over, Kali retires again into the body of Chandi, who thereafter single-handed

16 INTRODUCTION

17

despatches the two leaders-Sumbha and Nišumbha, and the fight comes to a close. The gods sing again a hymn of thanksgiving, and the goddess vanishes after promising that she will take birth again and again for vanquishing the wicked demons in the future ages.

VIII

In the course of this narrative we find four hymns to the Goddess, which show a great advance from the early hymns we have already considered. First of all, the very origin of the Goddess, as we said above, is significant. It indicates that Chandi is not simply a goddess with many names, but that she is the very essence of all the gods, including Brahma, Vişnu and Siva. Secondly, she is now represented as having two sets of forms a set of gentle forms and a set of terrible forms. In the gentle form she is surpassingly beautiful and in the terrible form she is surpassingly fearful. Thirdly, it is interesting to notice that, while in the early hymns the name Durga is explained as one who rescues men from dangers and difficulties, it is explained here as one who helps men to cross the difficult ocean of existence. It is also stressed that the Devi can give prosperity on earth and happiness in heaven and also emancipation from samsära. Fourtbly, great emphasis is laid on her immanence. In one of the hymns here, there are more than twenty ślokas heginning with the words ya devi sarvabhüleşu and saying that the goddess is present in all creatures as consciousness, as power, as intellect, as memory, as desire and so on. And finally, equally great emphasis is laid on her connection with

2 18

LALITA SAHASRANAMA

Visnu She is not only called Visnumäyä and hailed as the sister of Krishna as in the early hymns, but is also addressed as Narayanı in seventeen ślokas and identified with his Sakti which had manifested itself in the Avatars She is likewise represented as being the Sahtı of Brahma, Mahesvara Kumara and Indra Thus we have here the beginnings of the doctrine of Sakti which afterwards led to astonishing developments in the worship of the Goddess

IX

The Devi cult enters on a new stage in the period which saw the rise of Tantric literature in our country. Such works as the Lalitasahasranama, the Devi Bhagavata and the Saundaryalahari and the later Sakta Upanisads as well as the Tantras themselves represent this stage of development The period may be said to begin from the seventh century AD The Tantras of the Sakti worshippers, which are generally in the form of dialogues between Siva and Sakti are treatises which, unlike the older Puranas, are wholly devoted to the philosophy and the ritual of the cult Strictly speaking, a Tantra, according to the definitions given, should consist of (1) jñana, te, philosophical doctrines, (2) yoga, e instructions regarding meditation, (3) briya, e, instructions regarding ritual, (4) charya, te, instructions regarding conduct and social duties very few of the sixty four Tantras known to us strictly observe this regulation The Tantras are essentially Their aim is severely practical,

But

sadhana-Sastras

They generally accept the philosophy of the Advaita INTRODUCTION

19

Vedānta and suggest ways and means of reaching the goal of that philosophy, viz., self-realization. However, some of the modifications they introduce into the Vedāntic theories of the ultimate Reality and of the process of creation lead to striking innovations in the worship of the Devi.

As in the Advaita, we have in the Tántric philosophy also one ultimate Reality called here Parama Siva, who is again conceived of as being both nişkala and sakala. And, as in the Advaita, the world is considered unreal in a sense, for it owes its existence to the association of Brahman with Māyā or, to use the Tantric terms, Siva with Sakti. But, while Maya in the Advaita is anīrvacaniya or that which cannot be described to be either true or false, Sakti in the Tantric philosophy possesses as much reality as Siva. In fact, the two are identical. Thus, while the changes in the world are unreal in the sense that they are only the apparent modifications of the same identity, vis., Siva-Sakti, they are real in the sense that they are the modifications of an entity which is entirely real. The Advaita says there is no real change, but only the appearance of it. The Tantra, on the other hand, says that the ultimate Reality is immutable in one aspect, but undergoes a real evolution in another aspect. The Advaita effects its synthesis by its doctrine of different levels of reality, but the Tantra does it by its doctrine of unity in duality and duality in unity. According to the Tantra, the ultimate Reality is neither wholly static nor wholly, dynamic. It is both. For, while Siva is the prakása aspect of the Realitythat is, pure self-illumining thought, impersonal, inactive 20

LALITA

SAHASRANAMA

and devoid of any relativity, Sakti is the vimarfai aspect of the same Reality-that is, the inherent activity of thought Siva is pure consciousness, Sakti is the formative energy of that consciousness That which appears as thought in one aspect appears as activity in another Sakti is the power latent in pure unrelated consciousness It is the Absolute personified It is consciousness developing subject object relationship which gives rise to the world of distinctions and changes It is these ideas of Sakta philosophy that are expressed in the Lalitasahasranama through the names-Siva-saktyChideka-rasa-rupini, Siva-murtih, Siva,

aikyarupını Svaprakasa Vimarsa-rupini, etc

X

In its account of the evolution of the world from Si Sakts, the Tantra accepts the twenty-four tattvas or categories of the Sankhya system from Prakriti down to the Mahabhutas and adds twelve more, taking them from the Saiva system with some modifications, and makes them thirty-six And these are divided into three groups (1) five pure tattvas, (2) seven partly pure and partly impure tittvas and (3) the twenty four impure taltvas as in the Sankhya The first group

consists of (a) Siva, (b) Saktı, (c) Nada, (d) Bindu and (c) Suddha-Vidya and it is here that we have the Tantric modifications for, in the Saiva system corresponding to these, we have (a) Siva, (b) Sakti, (c) Sadasiva (d) Isvara and (c) Suddha vidya In the Tantric

1 Vimaißa' is the same as the Vedantic Iksana'. INTRODUCTION

21

scheme the first two tattvas viz., Siva-tattva and Saktitattva are really one. As we have already said, the former is the static and the latter the dynamic aspect of the ultimate Reality. Then we came to Näda and Bindu. Näda here does not mean sound, and Bindu does not mean a drop. In the philosophy of the Tantra they have become technical words denoting successive momenta in creation. Näda denotes the thrill of the first impulse towards creation, and Bindu, which means a point, symbolizes the infinite potentialities of the universe about to be unfolded. The writers of the Tantra often compare it to a grain of gram (chanaka) which within its husk contains a double seed in undivided union, from which the sprout will rise and grow into a plant. The seeds are, of course, Siva and Sakti. The former is Prakāśa and the latter Vimarsa, as explained above. Prakāśa passes into Vimarsa and is reflected back into itself and becomes self-conscious. Thought can know itself only when it is reflected in action. And when it is so reflected it becomes individualized. Thus the original Bindu, called Parabindu or Mahäbindu, becomes differentiated into three the svetabindu, the point of pure thought; the raktabiidu or the point of activity which acts as a reflector and the miśrabindu, the point of the return of thought through action, resulting in the union of both under the principle of individuality. The three differentiated bindus are sometimes represented by a triangle. They are together called Kämakalā. Here Kāma, according to one interpretation, means both Kameśvara and Kämesvari, and Kalá is their manifesta22

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

tion. This threefold aspect of Bindu is also spoken of as Jñanaśaktı, Krijāśaktı and Icchāśaktı, and figuratively described as Tripura-sundari The rest of the tattvas are the same as in the Saiva and Sankhya systems and call for no comment It is in accordance with this theory of creation that the author of the Lalta calls the goddess Nadarüpa, Nädarūpini, Bindumandala-vásını, Baindavasana, Kāma-kalā-rūpā,

Srimattripura-sundarı, Tattvasana, Tattvamayı, Icchasahti-jñānasaktı-kriy asaktı-svarupini.

XI

Just as the Tantric philosophy adapted for its own purpose some of the ideas of the Vedanta, Sankhya and Saiva systems, so also it laid the Mimâmsã and yoga systems under contribution The Mimámsakas believed that both sabda and artha-words and their meanings-are eternal. The denotation of a word, according to them, did not depend on any human convention, but belonged to the nature of the word itself. The word is eternal and therefore its denotation is also eternal Also, the word is not in any way different from the letters composing it, though when it is pronounced we hear only a unity of sounds The Mimamsakas, however, believed that both sabda and artha were inanimate. The Tantra accepted the MImamsakas'theory of the eternality of sabda and artha, but asserted that they were as much the embodiments of Siva-Sakti as the universe itself. In fact, they called their Parăbindu Sabdärtha-Brahman instead of mere Sabda-Brahman. For it was the source of both words and things, INTRODUCTION

Sabda as well as artha-words as well as objects-are manifestations of Sakti And, as sabda was of the nature of the varnas composing it, the Tantra affirmed that the creative force of the universe resided in all the letters of the alphabet The different letters symbolized the different functions of that creative force, and their totality was designated matrika or the Mother in miniature Thus we arrive at the famous doctrine that a mantra is not a mere combination of sounds, but is the subtle form of the presiding Devata herself, and that the object of one's meditation on the mantra is to identify oneself with the Devata of the mantra Again, just as pure thought has to pass through several stages before it becomes a concrete creative force, so it was believed that sound has to pass through several stages before it is actually heard by the ear These stages were called para, pasyantı, madhvama and vaikhari and these were believed to be as much the phases of the divine Sakti as the stages in the evolution of the universe This theory of the eternality of sabda and artha, which the Tantra had borrowed from the Mimamsa and transformed through its own vital doctrine of Saktı, has had a remarkable development in our mantra sastra and has produced marvellous results in practice.

23

The most celebrated mantra connected with the worship of the Devi is the Panchadasakşarı mantra As its name indicates, it consists of fifteen syllables divided into three kutas or sections, known as Vagbhava-kuta presided over by Agni, Kamaraja-kūta pre24

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

sided over by Surya and Saktı kuta presided over by Soma The mantra, it cannot be too often repeated, is not a mere formula It is the Devi herself in her subtle form The Panchadasaksari mantra may be called the Gayatri of the Sahtas In his book Varivasya rahasyam Bhaskararaya the celebrated commentator on the Lalitasahsranama takes pains to point out that this mantra could, indeed be interpreted in fifteen different ways so as to establish its identity with the Gayatri, its identity with the Devi, its identity with the Tattvas, its identity with Sri Chakra and so on And just as the Gayatri which is usually said to contain three feet (tripada) has also fourth foot, which is kept secret and communicated only to a few adepts, so the fifteensyallabled mantra has also a sixteenth syllable which is kept secret When this sixteenth syllable is also taken into consideration the mantra is called sodasaksarı mantra With this background in view we are now in a position to understand in the Lalitasahasranama the significance of names like matrika varna rupini, panchasat pitha rupini, sarvamantra svarupini and the series-para, pasyantı madhyama vaikharı rupa

The syllables of the Panchadasaksarı mantra are not given in the Sahasranama either directly or in directly, but the three kutas of it are mentioned and identified with the face the trunk and the limbs of the goddess in the following names



srimad vagbhava kutaika svarupa mukha pankaja, kanthadhah katıparyanta madhyakuta svarupını saktı kutatkatapanna katydhobhaga dharini mula mantra INTRODUCTION

25

śrişodaśāk şari-vidya,

-tmikā, müla-küta-traya-kalebarā, trikūtā, etc.

It may be observed, by the way, that while the Lalitasahasranama does not give the syllables of the Panchadasākṣiri, the Lalitātrisati, which contains only three hundred names, has fifteen sets of twenty names each, each name beginning with one of the syllables and thus gives the mantra indirectly.

XII

The creative world-process, according to the Tantric philosophy, is seen not only in the production of articulate speech but also in the organization of the human body. That man is an epitome of the universe, that the microcosm is an exact parallel to the macrocosm, that conditions are the same in both pinda and brahmända is a very ancient idea. It had found expression in various ways in the Upanişads. The Tantra took up this idea and made it the basis of an elaborate system of sadhana. The creative force of the universe which was supposed to dwell in the letters of the alphabet was also supposed to dwell in the nervecentres of the human system. In fact, the creation of the external world-order, the production of articulate speech and the organization of the human body with its nerve-centres are, according to the Tantra, the manifestations of the same primordial Sakti. The divine power dwells as surely in the human body as it dwells in the sounds of speech and in the elements of the universe. The goddess is in us as surely as she is in the worlds she has created and in the mantras she has 26

LALITA-SAHASRANĀMA

revealed. So one way of realizing her is to concentrate our attention on the nerve-plexuses, or chakras, as they are called, in our system, and develop the divine power latent in every one of us

These chakras are described as so many symbolic lotuses, each with its own fixed number of petals, its own presiding Saktis and its own association with various (1) tattvas, (2) varnas and (3) bhavas (or elements, letters and emotions)¹ The most important of these lotuses are muladhara, svadhisthana, manipura, anahata, visuddha and äjfiâ. They are generally divided into three groups:

(1) Muladhara, which is at the end of the spinal column in the pelvic region, and Svadhisthana, which is a little above the genitals, form what is known as Agnikhanda Above this group is a granthi or knot known as Brahma-granthi.

(2) Manipura, which is near the navel, and Anahata, which is near the heart, form what is known as Sürya-khanda, and above them is the knot, Visnugranthi

(3) Visuddha, which is near the throat, and Ājñā, which is between the eve-brows, form what is known as Chandra-khanda, and above them is the knot Rudragranthi Above these six important cakras is the sahas1 There is a difference of opinion about the association of tattvas Some associate manipüra with fire, others with water. The author of Sat-chakra-miripana holds the former view, while the author of the Saundarya-lahari holds the latter view. 27

INTRODUCTION

răra in the head. As its name indicates, it is a lotus of a thousand petals. It is the seat of Siva-Sakti.

According to the yoga system of philosophy, when the mind is concentrated on any tattva, say, earth, water, fire or air, the sãdhaka becomes one with it and is able to rise through its own inner power to higher and higher tattvas, till he gains liberation from Prakriti itself. The Tantra adopts this principle of discipline and teaches that the sadhaka should by appropriate means rouse the Kundalini Sakti which lies coiled in him like a serpent in the mulādhāra and make it go up from one chakra to another-that is, from one tattva to anotherpiercing the three granthis inentioned above, till she reaches the sahasrära and becomes united with Siva there. The sadhaka thus attains self-realization, which is the goal of the whole sādhana. ¹

It should be noted here that, though we call these chakras nerve-centres, they are really psychological levels and not physiological plexuses, for they are unknown to modern anatomy or physiology. So what we have to understand by the practice of Kundalini-yoga, is that the sādhaka, by means of concentration of mind, has to rise from one level of consciousness to another passing through one spiritual crisis after another-for that is the meaning of a granthi-till he reaches the level of universal consciousness. Thus, it will be observed, the doctrine of şat-chakra-bheda is parallel to

"This eternal union of the Jiva and Paramātman in the Sahasrara is known as going into the seventh plane." (Sri Ramakrishna.) 28

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

that of the upasana of the Panchadasäksari mantra, the three khandas of the former corresponding to the three kūtas of the latter

It is necessary for us to know these details of the Kundalini yoga for understanding a good number of names in the Lahta, as the author deals rather extensively with this subject For instance, the names from No 99 to No 110 refer to the chakras and the granthis mentioned above They are as follows

muladharaika-nilayā, manipüranta-rudita,

brahma-granthi-vibhedini, vişnu granthi-vibhedini, ajñāchakranta-ralastha, rudra-granthi-vibhedini, sahasrarāmbujā rudha, sudhasarabhivarsını, etc

And, not satisfied with this, he devotes again about sixty names (No 475 No 534), giving a mass of rather tiresome details about the seven Saktis-Däkini, Räkını, etc, dwelling in these seven lotuses, together with their forms, colours, tastes, weapons and attendants And each of these Saktis is supposed to be a form of the supreme Goddess herself

XIII

The kind of symbolism by which the various aspects of the divine governance of the world are represented by means of deities with their appropriate lokas, vahanas ayudhas, etc, is, of course, very common in our Puranas, and our sculptural and pictorial arts are mainly based on it Sometimes it is simply symbolism run mad The Tantra, as we have seen, adopts the same method for representing the governance of the inner world 29

INTRODUCTION

of man and indicating the various psychological levels to be reached in his progress towards God. It goes further and employs diagrams called yantras for representing these Śaktis. It is but appropriate that a Sakti, which is of the nature of force or energy, should be represented by lines and curves and their combinations. For surely a diagram consisting of mere lines and points is a more spiritual symbol of a divinity than an anthropomorphic image of it in the round or a picture of it in colours. That is why the Tantra regards yantropāsana as being superior to the older pratikopāsana. And the greatest of all yantras, according to it, is the famous Sri Chakra, which is the central object of worship in Sri Vidya.

The Sri Chakra, again, like the Pancadaśākşarī mantra, is considered a form of the Goddess. If the mantra is a revelation of the Mother in sounds, the yantra is a revelation of her in lines. And it is a symbol of the Devi not only in her true form as Siva and Sakti in one, but also in her three phenomenal forms the universe of mahābhūtas and the two miniature universes of the human body and the alphabet of articulate speech (varṇamālā).

The Sri Chakra is that rather complicated diagram of interlocked triangles with which we are all more or less familiar. It consists of a circle with a Bindu at the centre. On the vertical diameter of this circle are arranged five triangles with their apexes pointing down1. चक्रस्यापि मद्देश्या न भेदलेशोऽपि भाव्यते विबुधैःKamakalā-vilāsa. 30

LALITA-SAHASRANĀMA

wards and four triangles with their apexes pointing upwards. The former are indicative of Sakti and the latter of Siva and are called Siva-yuvatis and Srikanthas respectively. The circle in which these nine triangles are interlocked is enclosed in two other concentric circles technically called lotuses. The first outer circle is a lotus of eight petals, and the second a lotus of sixteen petals. The circumference of the second is moreover marked not by one line, but by four lines close to one another. The whole figure is then enclosed in a quadrilateral the walls of which are formed of three parallel lines drawn close to one another. The quadrilateral is moreover provided with four openings-one at the centre of each side.

The diagram thus obtained is said to consist of nine parts technically called chakras. They are-according to layakrama, i. e., if we proceed from outside to the centre as follows:-

(1) The three-lined quadrilateral called Bhūgrha (2) The sixteen-petalled lotus (sōḍasa-dala-padma) (3) The eight-petalled lotus (aşta-dala-padma) (4) The chakra of fourteen triangles (chaturdasara) (5) The chakra of ten outer triangles (bahir-daśāra) (6) The chakra of ten inner triangles (antar-dasāra) (7) The chakra of eight 'triangles (aşta-koņa) (8) One inner triangle (trikona) (9) The central point (Bindu)

There are technical names for all these parts and each part has its own colour. But it is unnecessary here to go into further details except to state that the INTRODUCTION

31

central Bindu is called Sarvanandamaya and is coloured red. It represents the united Kämefuara-Kameśvart called Tripura Sundari or Lalitāmbikā.

Elaborate correspondences are worked out by writers on Sri Chakra between its nine parts and (1) the tattvas of the universe (2) the varnas of the alphabet, (3) the cakras of the human body and (4) even the tithis of the month and the days of the year.. Moreover each part is supposed to be guarded by various Āvarana-devatäs or subordinate Saktis having different functions. In the Bindu, for instance, there are fifteen Nityas surrounding the Devi. In the early stages of worship the sadhaka is taught to look upon these devatas presiding over the various parts of Sri Chakra as separate deities, and later that all of thei are only fragments of one primordial Sakti which created the universe and man and his speech and dwells in them, and, finally, that he himself is one with this Sakti.

Thus the Sri Chakra is a symbolic representation of all the fundamental principles of Tántric philosophy. Hence its unique place in Tântric worship. The Lalitásahasranama indicates this in the names-śrichakraraja-nilaya, chakrarāja-niketanā, trikoṇagã and trikoṇāntara dipikā.

XIV

While the upasana of Panchadasākşarī mantra, the practice of Kundalini yoga and the puja and bhavana (contemplation) of Sri Chakra form the corner-stones of Tantric sadhana, the ordinary simple emotion of 32

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

bhakti towards the goddess has also its legitimate place in the system, as the Devi Bhagavata amply testifies (See especially Book VII, Chapter XXXVII) Accordingly, the Lalitasahasranama has such names as the following, indicative of this element

bhaktipriya, bhaktıgamya, bhaktivasyā, bhaktimatkalpalatıka, bhakta manasa-hamsika, bhakta-chitta-kekighana-ghana, etc

And, after all, it is these simple names inspired by genuine piety that possess universal validity, whereas the names that embody the doctrines of an arbitrary system or the details of a Puranic story can appeal only to the members of a sect. Hence the former constitute the most enduring and valuable part of the litany. The names dealing with the war against Bhandasura and with the three-headed and four-headed Saktis Rakini and Lakini that guard the chakras of the Kundalini-Yoga, and even the names describing the physical beauty of the goddess, in spite of their sonorous language, are mere tinsel compared with the pure gold of the names that point to some aspect or other of the Teligious experience of men in all ages and countries To this superior class belong such names as the following:



antarmukha-samaradhya, bahırmukha-sudurlabhā abhyasatıśaya-jnātā, avyāja karuna-mürtih, harunarasa sagara, vandāru-jana-vatsala, sadyah-prasadını, visva saksīni, sāksı varjita, prema-rupā, priyam-karı, svargāpavargadā, bhāva-jna, bhava roga-ghni, bhavachakra-pravartini, etc 33

INTRODUCTION

XV

It has to be admitted that there is a dark as well as a bright side to the Tantrik sadhana There is unmistakable evidence, both in history and in literature, to show that human sacrifices obscene rituals and orgies of licentiousness were once associated with certain forms of Sakt worship Winternitz in his History of Indian Literature rightly says.

"In Saktism and its sacred books, the Tantras, we find the loftest ideas on the Deity and profound philosophical speculations side by side with the wildest superstition and the most confused occultism, and side by side with a taultless soci il code of morality and rigid asceticism we seen cult disfigured by wild orgies, inculcating extremely reprehensible morals"

The fact seems to be that the worship of the Goddess which as we have seen, included many tribal cult was in some parts of the country not fully assimilated to the orthodox Vedic religion And so rituals and practices which that religion would have discouraged went on unchecked and, when they invaded even the higher classes, were sought by some to be justified by pseudophilosophical theories based on some stray passages in the Vedic literature They were tolerated by others in accordance with the Hindu doctrine of adhik ira bheda The Devi Bhagavata for instance says in one place "The Brahmins are not adhikaris for those Tintrik texts that are contradictory to the Vedas Those persons that have no claim to the Vedas can be adhikaris

3 34

LALITA SAHASRANAMA

for such texts" In another place, it says, "The Vaidikas should not follow the Tantrik rules and the Tantriks should not follow the Vaidik rules 2

Hence arose two broad divisions among the worshippers of Sahti-those who followed the Vedic ritual and those who followed the non Vedic Tantrik ritual The former were supposed to belong to Daksınachara and the latter to the Vamachara Vamachara is defined in Sabdakalpadruma as vamo viparito, veda-viruddho v, acharah There are doctrinal as well as ritual differences between the two divisions of Sakti worshippers

(1) The followers of Daksınachara believe in the absolute equality of Sna and Sahtı, and they analyze this equality into equality of (1) adhisthana (abode), (11) anusthana (occupation), (111) avastha (condition), (iv) rupa (form) and nana (name) Hence their faith is called samaya mata The Saundarya Lahari (stanza 34) puts this equality in a nutshell It says that the relationship of sesa and sesi subsists mutually between Siva and Sakti During the creation and maintenance of the world the Sakti element predominates But after pralaya, till creation starts again, the Siva element predominates On the other hand, the followers of

1

Devi Bhagavata VIII 39 31-32 Do XII 7 149-150

2

3 It is best to translate these terms as traditional' and 'independent'.

4 अत शेप शेपीत्ययमुभयसाधारणतथा स्थित सय घो या INTRODUCTION

Vamach tra believe that Sakti is always predominant For them Siva is involved in Sıktı They do not recognize a separate Siva tattv This is represented symbolically by the figure of Suva lying under the feet. of Sahti

35

(2) The Samains believe that in the kundalini yoga sahasrara is the goal whereas the followers of Vama believe that the kundalını Śaktı, after reaching sahasrara and conferring blies on the sadhaka, comes back to the muladhara and sleeps there again Hence, while the Samyins worship the Devi internally as stationed in sahasrarn the Vamas worship her externally in the two centres of mulidhar and sydhisthana Muladhara is otherwise called Kult and the Devi occupying it is called Kaulini and her worshippers are called Kaulas

(3) For the Samay ins the authoritative scriptures are the samhitas of Sanaka, Sananda, Sanntkumara, Suha and Vasışta collectively known as Subha-agamapanchka For the Kaulas the authorities are Parasurama Sutras and the sixty-four Tantras

(4) The Rise of the Samay ins is Daksinamurti and their devatas are called Kamestara and Kamešvarı The Rise of the Kaulas is Bhairava, and their devat s are called Anandabhaira and Anandabhairava

(5) The external worship of the Samyins is according to the halpa sutras of the Vedic tradition, and their offerings consist of milk and fruits The worship of the haulas on the other hand, is according to the independent Tantrik rites, involving the worship of young women-even of naked women, and their 36

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

offerings consist of the notorious pancha-makäras (matsya, māmsa, madya, mudrã and maithuna).

The samaya-mata is thus pure and noble. It is associated with the honoured name of Sankara. The kaulamata also is in many cases inoffensive, for, generally, harmless substitutes are introduced for the pancha-makaras. Honey and ginger are used in the place of wine and a pumpkin or a coconut in the place of flesh-like pişta-pašu in some of our yajnas. It is only with the extreme section of Kaulas-called Uttara Kaulas that all those abominations which have brought Säktism into disrepute are associated.

When there are two divisions in a sect, it is but natural that each should consider itself superior to the other. No wonder therefore that the Kaulas regard themselves as superior to and more advanced than the Samayins, as the Samayins regard Kaulamata as something belonging to the lower classes. The Kulärnava Tantra¹, for instance, arranges the main stages of Tantrik discipline in the following ascending order:(1) Vedächāra (2) Vaisnavācāra (3) Šaivācāra (4) Dakṣiṇāchāra (5) Vämächāra (6) Siddhāntāchara and (6) Kaulāchāra.

We are told that the first three stages form, as it were, an introduction to the fourth, namely, Dakşinā1.

सर्वेभ्यश्चोत्तमा वेदा वेदेभ्यो वैण्णवं महत् । वैष्णवादुत्तमं शैवं शैवाद्दक्षिणमुत्तमम् ॥ दक्षिणादुत्तमं वामं वामात्सिद्धान्तमुत्तमम् । सिद्धान्तादुत्तमं कौलं कौलापरतरं नहि ॥ 37

INTRODUCTION

chara Vedachara in this series means some Vedic ritual as modified by the Tantra It is purely external in character The second, Vatşnavachara is the path of devotion and the third, Sanachara is the path of knowledge After completing these three preliminaries of karma, bhakti and jnana the sãdhaka passes on to Daksınachara, which means it seems, the achara which is favourable to the accomplishment of higher sadhana These four stages belong to the Pravritti marga After completing them, the sadhaka enters upon the path of Nivrittı, the first stage of which is the Vamachara At this stage with the help of a guru he undergoes special initiation and tries to conquer his destres-not by renunciation but by means of sublimation and consecration He has to rise by the very things by which the ordinary man falls The Kular nava Tantra says, "Yaireva patanam dravyuh siddih taireva chodita" This is the characteristic Tantrik. doctrine which opens the door to all kinds of licence under the cloak of religion When man ist ught that his impulses towards eating and drinking and sexual enjoyment are best subjugated by religiously satisfying them we know what the teaching will lead to in practice

The discipline that begins in Vamachara is said to become complete in the next two stages-Siddhanta and Kaula In these stages the sadhah is supposed to become more and more free from the bonds of samsara He is attached to nothing, he hates nothing fears nothing and is ashamed of nothing He becomes free from the bonds of family, sect and society As the LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

Mahanirvana Tantra puts it, "Possessing merely the form of man, he moves about this earth for the salvation and the instruction of the world." In other words, he becomes a jivanmukta

38

The Tantra divides all men into three classes-pasu, vira and divya-according to the three gunas, tamas, rajas and sattva. We are told that the sadhaka is in the paśu or animal stage in the first four achäras mentioned above. He enters on the vira or heroic stage in the Vāmāchāra, develops himself in the Siddhanta stage and finally enters on the dis ya or divine stage in the Khulachär. Before we dismiss all this as mere moonshine we should remember that Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa trod this path of Tantrik sadhana and reached the goal of self-realization. In this connection we should read carefully the chapter on Tantrik sadhana in this saint's biography. Obviously, it is the Vamachara that he practised, for he says:"The Brāhmani put me through all the exercises mentioned in the sixty-four principal Tantra books. Most of these were extremely difficult sâdhanas-some of them so dangerous that they cause the devotee to lose his footing and sink into moral degradations But the infinite grace of the Mother carried me through them unscathed"

If a sadhaka like Sri Ramakrishna found these practices so dangerous, no wonder that many an ordinary man attempting them became engulfed and lost all his moral moorings. The Vamâchãra was most prevalent in Bengal, Bihar and Assam. What havoc it INTRODUCTION

39

was causing there at one time can be known from the scathing words of one of the noblest sons of Bengal, Swami Vivekananda. In one of his speeches in Calcutta, soon after his return from America in 1897, the Swami said :

"Give up this filthy Vámächära that is killing your country. You have not seen the other parts of India. When I see how much the Vamachara has entered our society, I find it a most disgraceful place with all its boast of culture. These Vamachara sects are honeycombing our society in Bengal.... Fathers of Calcutta, do you not feel ashamed that such horrible stuff as these Vämacira Tantras, with translations too, should be put into the hands of your boys and girls, and their minds poisoned and that they should be brought up with the idea that these are the Shastras of the Hindus? If you are ashamed, take them away from your children, and let them read the true Shastras-the Vedas, the Gita, the Upanishads. "

How like a breath of fresh air come these words into the fetid atmosphere of degenerate Tantrik rituals! From this denunciation we should not conclude that the Swami was blind to the merits of the better types of Tantras. For, in a speech delivered at Dacca on 31st March, 1901, we find him saying:

"Barring some of the abominable things in the Tantras, such as the Vâmāchara, etc., the Tantras are not so bad as people are inclined to think. There are many high and sublime Vedāntic thoughts in them. In fact, the Brāhmana portions of the Vedas were 40

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

modified a little and incorporated into the body of the Tantras All the forms of our worship and the ceremonials of the present day, comprising the Karmakända, are observed in accordance with the Tantras,"

XVI

We are now in a position to understand the references in the Lahtäsahasranama to the two main divisions among the Saktas, 21, the followers of Samayachara and the followers of Kaulächära. By calling Siva and Sakti Kamešvara and Kämeśvari in his litany and by giving the Goddess the names samayācara-tatpara, samayantastha, sama-rassa-parayana and dakşınāmurti svarūpini, the author aligns himself definitely on the side of the Daksinächära. But he tries to hold the scales even by giving full recognition to the other school also He indicates by various names that the worship by the Kaulas is equally acceptable to the Goddess. He calls her kaula-margatatpara-sevitä, kula-sanketa-palini, kaulini-kevalā, viraradhyā, vira-gosti-priya, etc, and probably refers to the secret rites of the Kaulas in the two namesraho-yaga-kramaradhya and rahastarpana-tarpitā And he refers to the two acharas together in the names daksınädaksınārādhyā, savyāpasavya-margastha, and indicates that the Goddess could be reached by both the ways But by calling the Goddess durachāra-śamani and dusta-dura he condemns, of course, all evil ways and wicked men. INTRODUCTION

XVII

41

When we compare the Lalitasahasranama with the Chandi-mahatmya we see what a great change s come over the worship of the Goddess through the influence of the Tintrih ideas As in the earlier poem, we have in the Lalità too references to the fight of the Goddess with a demon But the war in the Lalito. Fakhyana is on a more refined plane, as Bhanda is a more refined Asura than the bison-headed Malişa; and, as their names indicate, Lalita represents the gentle side, and Chands the fierce side, of the Goddess. Probably both the fights were meant to be allegories. If so, Mahis would be the best in man and Bhanda the ego in man, and the Devi the divine spark in him To realize the God in himself, man has to conquer first of all the beast in himself and, at a later stage, the egoism in himself. The second fight is on a much higher level and with superior weapons-astris instead of śastras. In the earlier fight, man resorts to ws and regulations, and in the later to prayer and contemplation. In truth, the battle on both the fronts is a never-ending one for these Asuras neser die. Slain in one form, they rise in another and renew the attack For instance, if all that is said against Vāmichira is still true, should we not imagine that Mahişısura has risen from the dead and, taking the form of a follower of the Devi, is treacherously attacking the Goddess from behind?

But, fortunately, it is the better side of the Tantras that his influenced the Lalitlsahasranama. At the LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

commencement of the poem the author describes at great length the person of the Goddess and refers throughout the litany to her marvellous beauty Her jewels her flowers, her smiles and glances and her likes and dislikes are all revealed to us with such exquisite skill that we feel the gracious presence of the Devi and believe that she is really as the poet says, a maha lavanya sevadhih-a treasure house of beauty From the point of view of pure poetry, this part of the Sahasranama is the most artistic one But we do not read the Lalita for its poetry We read it for its religious content And from the port of view of religious thought, if we compare it with the odes in the Chandi mahatmya we are struck at once with its far wider range and its greater depth and variety In the earlier work, as we have seen it is the immanence of the deity that is stressed In the Lalita it is both the transcendence and the immanence that are stressed In such names as sat-nsat rupa dharını, saty? Jnanananda upa sachidananda rupini, nitya suddha nity buddha niravadya, nirantara-and there are about forty five names beginning with such negativeswe see how deeply the litany is pervaded with Vedantic thought And we observe its strong Advaitic tiend in such names as nirdvaita, dvuta varjita biahmatmaikya svarupini, tattvamartha svarupini, jñatr-jñeya svarupını and mithya-jagad adhusthana But what mal es the Lalitasahasranama entirely different from the Devi mahatmya and the earlier hymns to the Goddess is the predominant influence of Tantrik

42 INTRODUCTION

43

philosophy and sadhana We have seen how the three great pillars of Tantrik teaching-the Panchindasi mantra, the Kundalini yoga and the Sri Chakr-stand out prominently in this noble and imposing structure of many halls and apartments which can give shelter to various classes of the devotees of the eternal Mother-Sri mata, Sri mahn-rajni, Srimat simhisnesvari

XVIII

As a literary form, the Sahasranama is peculiar to Sanskrit literature, like the sutra and the sam Probably is a set-off against the prolisities and wild exaggerations of our popular literature, we have these elliptical, mnemonic literay forms from which every unnecessary word is removed in the Sahasranama the poet has to express his religicus feelings and his philosophy of life, as well as his theological beliefs, through the names he coins for his deity He has no room here for the elaboration of his subject, not even for logical connection between one statement and another Topics have to be huddled together, like the words in a sarrasa, without any connecting links And, in Sahasranama, when samisas themselves are huddled together without even conjunction, the resulting structure is like a building in which the walls are formed by neatly chiselled stones being placed one above the other without any mortar or cement between them Hence, as a literary form, the Sahasranamn has its own abous disadvantages as well as advantages If it encourages brevity and restraint, it also encourages inLALITA-SAHASRANAMA

coherence and obscurity When the poet is not required to show any logical connection he easily succumbs to the temptation of not conceiving any The besetting drawback of many a Sahasranama is that all logical thinking is sacrificed to the tin gods of alliteration and assonance Hence we often have more sound than sense Alliteration has, no doubt, a special value in such a mnemonic literary form as the Sahasranama, but when it is secured at the expense of logical sequence it gives an uncomfortable jolt to the mind of the reader who is not content to be a mere parrot In this respect the Lahtasahasranama is much better than many other Sahasranamas There is so much logical connection implied in the names that they easily fall into sections like those dealing with the physical form of the Goddess, her fight with Bhandasura, her different abodes, her manifestations in the chakras of the human body and so on But there are also many instances of want of logical sequence. For instance, the names (Nos 844-846) chandassara, Sastrasara, mantrasara are followed in the same line by talodari which means that the goddess is the very essence of the Vedas, the essence of the Sastras, the essence of Mantras and that she has a slender waist Similarly, the very next line when translated literally would run as follows-Her fame is extensive, her glory 25 boundless and she has the form of the letters of the alphabet' Instances like these, which give a jolt to the intelligent reader and a headache to the conscientious translator, may be multiplied.

44 INTRODUCTION

45

Agun, the convention of having exactly one
thousand names is more a disadvantage than an advan-
tage It is no doubt a mercy to the reader as well as to
the temple priest that the line is drawn at a thousand
But it is not always easy to devisc a thousand names for
the god or goddess you worship without repeating
yourself And repetition of a name with the same
meaning IS forbidden by "the rules of the
game" So, when the legitimate subject-matter
is over in five or six hundred names the poet is
forced to complete the list by something far fetched
or fanciful, just as in actual worship of the
deity when all the flowers on hand are over we
use coloured rice (aksata) in their stend to complete
the ritual And if, by mischance, he repeats a name
which has already been used, the commentator who
comes in his wake has to rack his bruns to give it
a different meaning or cut it into two different bits and
give some forced interpretation to each of the bits
Moreover, if logical connection has no leg to stand on
even when coherent material is at hand, it vanishes into
the thin air amidst these insubstantial word juggleries
Fortunately, there are not many instances of these
defects in the Lalitasahasranama On the whole the
poet has been able to raise a very noble monument to
the Goddess in spite of the exceedingly difficult literary
form he has chosen to adopt here
॥ श्रीः ॥

॥ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् ॥ पूर्वभागः

अगरस्य उवाच

अश्वानन महाबुद्धे सर्वशास्त्रविशारद ।
कथितं ललितादेव्याचरितं परमाद्भुतम् ॥ १ ॥
पूर्व प्रादुर्भवो मातुस्ततः पट्टाभिपेचनम् ।
भण्डासुरवधञ्चैव विस्तरेण त्वयोदितः ॥ २ ॥
वर्णित श्रीपुरं चापि महाविभवविस्तरम् ।
श्रीमत्पञ्चदशाक्षर्या महिमा वर्णितस्तथा ॥ ३ ॥
पोढा न्यासादयो न्यामा न्यासखण्डे समीरिवाः ।
अन्तर्यागनमश्चैव वहिर्यागक्रमस्तथा ॥ ४ ॥
महायागक्रमञ्चैव पूजासण्डे प्रकीर्तितः ।
पुरश्चरणसण्डे तु जपलक्षणमीरितम् ॥ ५ ॥

होमखण्डे त्वया प्रोक्तो होमद्रव्यविधिक्रमः । चकराजस्य विद्यायाः श्रीदेव्या देशिकात्मनोः ॥ ६ ॥ रहस्यखण्डे तादात्म्यं परस्परमुदीरितम् । स्तोत्रखण्डे बहुविधाः स्तुतयः परिकीर्तिताः ॥ ७॥ मन्त्रिणीदण्डिनीदेव्याः प्रोक्ते नामसहस्रके । न तु श्रीललितादेव्याः प्रोकं नामसहस्रकम् ॥ ८॥ 11

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्र पूर्वभाग

तत्र मे सशयो जातो हयग्रीव दयानिधे ।

कि या त्वया विस्मृत तज्ज्ञात्वा वा समुपेक्षितम् ॥ ९ ॥

मम वा योग्यता नास्ति श्रोतु नामसहस्रकम् ।
किमर्थं भवता नोत्त तन मे कारण वद् ॥ १० ॥

सृत उवाच-
इति पृष्ट हयग्रीवो मुनिना कुम्भजन्मना ।
प्रहृष्टो वचत प्राह तापस घुम्भसम्भवम् ॥ ११ ॥

लोपामुद्रापते ऽगस्त्य सावधानमना श्रृणु।
नाम्ना सहस्र यन्नोक्त कारण तद्वदामि ते ॥ १२ ॥

रहस्यमिति मत्वाह नोक्तनास्ते न चान्यथा ।
पुनश्च पृच्छते भक्त्या तस्मात्तत्ते वदाम्यहम् ॥ १३ ॥
ब्रूयाच्छिप्याय भक्ताय रहस्यमपि देशिक ।
भवता न प्रदेय स्याद्भक्ताय कदाचन ॥ १४ ॥

न शठाय न दुष्टाय नाविश्वासाय कहिं चित् ।
श्रीमातृभक्तियुक्ताय श्रीविद्याराजवेदिने ॥ १५ ॥
उपासकाय शुद्धाय देय नामसहस्रकम् ।
यानि नामसहस्राणि सद्य सिद्धिप्रदानि वे ॥ १६ ॥
तन्त्रेषु ललितादेव्यास्तेषु मुख्यमिद मुने ।
श्रीविद्यैव तु मन्त्राणा तन कार्यथा परा ॥ १७ ॥
श्रीललिता सहस्रनामस्तोत्र पूर्व भागः
पुराणां श्रीपुरमिव शक्तीनां ललिता यथा ।
श्रीविद्योपासकानां च यथा देवो वर. शिवः ॥ १८ ॥

तथा नामसहस्रेषु वरमेतत् प्रकीर्तितम् ।
यथास्य पठनाद्देवी प्रीयते ललिताम्विका ॥ १९ ॥

अन्यनामसहस्रस्य पाठान्न प्रीयते तथा ।
श्रीमातुः प्रीतये तरमादनिशं कीर्तयेदिदम् ॥ २० ॥

बिल्वपत्रैश्चक्रराजे योऽर्चयेहलिता म्बिकाम् ।
पर्वा तुलसीपत्रैरेभिर्नामसहस्रकैः ॥ २१ ॥

सद्यः प्रसादं कुरुते तत्र सिंहासनेश्वरी ।
चक्राधिराजमभ्यर्च्य जप्त्वा पञ्चदशाक्षरीम् ॥ २२ ॥

जपान्ते कीर्तयेन्नित्यमिदं नामसहस्रकम् ।
जपपूजाद्यशक्तोऽपि पठेन्न मसहस्रकम् ॥ २३ ॥
सागार्चने सागजपे यत् फलं तद्वाप्नुयात् ।
उपासने स्तुतीरन्याः पठेदभ्युदयो हि सः ॥ २४ ॥

इदं नामसहस्रं तु कीर्तयेन्नित्यकर्मवत् ।
चक्रराजार्चनं देव्या जपो नाम्ना च कीर्तनम् ॥ २५ ॥

भक्तस्य कृत्यमेतावदन्यदभ्युदयं विदुः ।
भक्तस्त्यावश्यकमिद नामसाहस्रकीर्तनम् ॥ २६ ॥

1. श्रीमत्सिंहासनेश्वरी इत्यपि पाठः । IV

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्र पूर्वभाग तन हेतु प्रवक्ष्यामि शृणु त्व कुम्भसम्भव । पुरा श्रीललितादेवी भक्ताना हितकाम्यया ॥ २७ ॥ वाग्देवीर्वशिनीमुख्या सम हूयेदभनवीत् ।

वाग्देवतावशिन्याया शृणुध्व चचन मम ॥ २८ ॥
भवत्यो मत्प्रसादेन प्रोल्लसद्वाग्विभूतय ।
मद्भक्ताना वाग्विभूतिप्रदाने विनियोजिता २९ ॥

मञ्चक्रस्य रहस्यज्ञा मम नामपरायणा ।

मम स्तोत्रविधानाय तस्मादाज्ञापयामि व ॥ ३० ॥

कुरुध्यम स्तोत्र मम नामसहस्रकै ।
येन भक्तै तुताया मे सद्य प्रीति परा भवेत् ॥ ३१ ॥

इयग्रीव उवाचइत्याज्ञप्ता थचोदेव्य श्रीदेव्या ललिताम्वया। रहस्यैर्नामभिर्दिव्यैश्चक्नु स्तोत्रमनुत्तमम् ॥ ३२ ॥ रहस्यनामसाहस्रमिति तद्विश्रुत परम् ।

तत कदाचित् सदसि स्थित्वा सिंहासनेऽम्बिका ॥ ३३ ॥ स्वसेवायसर प्रादात् सवपा धुम्भसम्भव । सेवार्थ मागतास्तन ब्रह्माणीत्राकोटय ॥ ३४ ॥ लक्ष्मीनारायणाना च वोटय समुपागता । गौरीकोटिसमेताना रुद्राणामपि कोटय ॥ ३५ ॥ मन्त्रिणोदण्डिनीमुग्या सेनार्थ या समागता । शक्तयो विविधाकारास्तासा सङ्घना न विद्यते ॥ ३६॥ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रपूर्वभाग:

दिव्यौधा मानवौघात्र सिद्धौघाश्च समागताः ।
तत्र श्रीललिता देवी सर्वेपां दर्शनं ददौ ॥ ३७॥
तेषु दृष्ट्वोपविष्टपु स्वेश्ये स्थाने यथाक्रमम् ।
तत्र श्रीललितादेवीकटाक्षाक्षेपनोदिताः ॥ ३८ ॥
उत्थाय पशिनीमुख्या वद्धाञ्जलिपुटास्तदा ।
अस्तुवन्नामसाहस्रैः स्वकृतैललिताम्बिकाम् ॥ ३९ ॥
श्रुत्वा स्तवं प्रसन्नाभूखलिता परमेश्वरी ।
सर्वे ते विस्मयं जग्मुर्ये सत्र सदसि स्थिताः ॥ ४० ॥

ततः प्रोवाच ललिता सदस्यान् देवतागणान् ।
ममाशयैव वाग्देव्यञ्चक्रुः स्तोत्रमनुत्तमम् ॥ ४१ ॥
अङ्कितं नामभिर्दिव्यैर्मम प्रीतिविधायकैः ।
तत् पठध्वं सदा यूयं स्तोत्रं मप्रीतिवृद्धये ॥ ४२ ॥
प्रवर्तयध्वं भक्तेषु मम नामसहस्रकम् ।
इदं नामसहस्रं मे यो भक्तः पठते सकृत् ॥ ४३ ॥

समे प्रियतमो ज्ञेयस्तस्मै कामान् ददाम्यहम् ।
श्रीचक्रे मां समभ्यर्च्य जप्त्वा पञ्चदशाक्षरीम् ॥ ४४ ॥

पश्चान्नामसहस्रं मे कोर्तयेन्मम तुष्टये । मामर्चयतु वा मा या विद्यां जपतु वान वा ॥ ४५ ॥ कीर्तयेन्नामसाहस्रमिदं मत्प्रीतये सदा ।

मयीत्या सकलान कामोल्लभते नात्र संशयः ॥ ४६ ॥ S.

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रपूर्वभागः

तस्मान्नामसहस्रं मे कीर्तयध्वं सदादरात् ।

हयग्रीव उवाच

इति श्रीललितेशानी शारित देवान् सहानुगान् ॥ ४७ ॥

तदाज्ञया तदारभ्य ब्रह्मविष्णुमहेश्वराः ।
शक्तयो मन्त्रिणीमुख्या इदं नामसहस्रकम् ॥ ४८ ॥

पठन्ति भक्त्या सततं ललितापरितुष्टये ।
तरमावश्यं भक्तेन कीर्तनीयमिदं मुने ॥ ४९ ॥

आवश्यकत्वे हेतुस्ते मया प्रोक्तो मुनीश्वर ।
इदानीं नामसाहस्रं वक्ष्यामि श्रद्धया शृणु ॥ ५० ॥

॥ इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डपुराणे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीहयग्रीवागस्त्यसंवादे
श्रीललितारहस्यनामसाहस्रस्तोत्रपूर्यभागः सम्पूर्णः ॥
॥ न्यासः ॥

अस्य श्रीललितादिव्यसहस्रनामस्तोत्रमहामन्त्रस्य, वशिन्यादिचाग्देवता ऋपयः । अनुष्टुप् छन्दः । श्रीललितामहात्रिपुरसुन्दरी देवता । श्रीमद्वाग्भवकूटेति योजम् । मध्यकूटेति शक्तिः । शक्तिकूटेति कीलकम् । मूलप्रकृतिरिति ध्यानम् । श्रीललितामहात्रिपुरसुन्दरीप्रसादसिद्धिद्वारा चिन्तितसकलफलावाप्यर्थे जपे विनियोगः ॥ ( मूलमन्त्रेण अङ्गन्यासं करन्यासं च कुर्यात् ॥ )

॥ ध्यानम् ॥

सिन्दूरारुण विग्रहां त्रिनयनां माणिक्यमौलिस्कुरचारानायकशेखरां स्मितमुरीमापीनवक्षोरुहाम् । पाणिभ्यामलिपूर्णरत्नचपकं रक्तोत्पलं विभ्रती सौम्यां स्नघटस्थरक्तचरणां ध्यायेत् परामम्बिकाम् ॥ अरुणो करुणातरङ्गिताक्षीं

तपाशाङ्कुशपुष्पबाणचापाम् ।

अणिमादिभिरावृतां मयूखे-
रहमित्येव विभावयेद्भवानीम् ॥

ध्यायेत् पद्मासनस्थां विकसितवदनां पद्मपत्रायताक्षीं
हेमामां पीतवस्त्रां करकलितलसद्धेमपद्मां वराङ्गीम् ।
सर्वालङ्कारयुक्तां सततमभयदां भक्तनमां भवानी
श्रीविद्यां शान्तमूर्ति सकलसुरनुतां सर्वसम्पत्प्रदात्रीम् ॥
॥ श्रीः ॥

॥ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् ॥

N.B.—The numbers in the text below refer not to the order of the verses, but to the order of the names of the Goddess.

श्रीमाता श्रीमहाराज्ञी श्रीमत्सिंहासनेश्वरी ।
चिदग्निकुण्डसम्भूता देवकार्यसमुद्यता ॥
उद्यद्भानुसहस्रामा चतुर्बाहुसमन्विता ।
रागस्वरूपपाशाढ्या क्रोधाकाराङ्कुशोज्ज्वला ॥
मनोरूपेक्षुकोदण्डा पञ्चतन्मात्रसायका ।
निजारुणप्रमापूरमजदूब्रह्माण्डमण्डला ॥
चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागसौगन्धिकलसत्कचा ।
कुरुविन्दमणिश्रेणी कनत्कोटीरमण्डिता ॥
अष्टमी चन्द्र विभाजद लिकस्थलशोभिता ।
मुखचन्द्रकलङ्काममृगनाभिविशेषका ॥
चदनस्मरमाङ्गल्यगृह तोरण चिल्लिका ।
वक्त्रलक्ष्मीपरीवाहचलन्मीनामलोचना ॥

नवचम्पकपुष्पामनासादण्डविराजिता ।
ताराकान्तितिरस्कारिनासाभरणमासुरा ॥

९

१२

१८

२० श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् सफुड्कुमविलेपना मलिकचुम्बिकस्तूरिकां समन्दहसितेक्षणां सशरचापपाशाङ्कुशाम् । अशेषजनमोहिनीमरुणमाल्यभूषाम्बरां जपाकुसुमभासुरां जपविधौ स्मरेदम्बिकाम् ॥1

अथ पञ्चपूजा - लं पृथिव्यात्मने गन्धं समर्पयामि । हूं
आकाशात्मने पुष्पाणि समर्पयामि । यं वाय्वात्मने धूपमाघ्रापयामि ।
रं अन्यात्मने दीप सन्दर्शयामि । वं अमृवात्मने अमृतं महानैवेद्यं
निवेदयामि । सं सर्वात्मने सर्वोपचारान् समर्पयामि ॥

1

viii

1. "अरुणाम्" इत्यार "म" इत्येतत्सर्यन्ताः श्लोकाः
कचिमुद्रिते पुस्तके दृश्यन्ते । नरमादिहापि ते मुद्रिताः ॥
॥ श्रीः ॥

॥ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम् ॥

N.B. The numbers in the text below refer not to the order of the verses, but to the order of the names of the Goddess.

श्रीमाता श्रीमहाराज्ञी श्रीमसिहासनेश्वरी ।
चिदग्निकुण्डसम्भूता देवकार्य समुद्यता ॥
उद्यद्भानुसहस्राभा चतुर्बाहुसमन्विता ।
रागस्वरूपपाशाट्या क्रोधाकाशोज्ज्वला ॥
मनोरूपेक्षुकोदण्डा पञ्चतन्मात्रसायका ।
निजारुणप्रमापूरमजमझाण्डमण्डला ॥

चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागसौगन्धिकलसत्कचा ।
कुरुविन्दमणिश्रेणी कनस्कोटीरमण्डिता ॥
अष्टमीचन्द्र विभ्राजद लिकस्थलशोभिता ।
मुखचन्द्रकलङ्काभमृगनाभिविशेषका ॥
वदनस्मरमाङ्गल्य गृह तोरण चिल्लिका ।
वक्त्रलक्ष्मीपरीवाहचलन्मीनामलोचना ॥

नवचम्पकपुष्पामनासादण्डविराजिता ।
ताराकान्तितिरस्कारिनासाभरणभासुरा ॥

९

१२

१८

२० 48

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

कदम्बमञ्जरीक्ऌप्तकर्णपूरमनोहरा ।
ताटङ्कयुगलीभूततपनो डुपमण्डला ।
पद्मरागशिलादर्शपरिमाविकपोलभूः ।
नव विद्रुमबिम्बश्रीन्यक्कारिदशनच्छदा
शुद्धविद्याङ्कुराकारद्विजपङ्किद्वयोज्ज्वला ।
कर्पूरवीटिकामोद समाकर्पद्दिगन्तरा ॥

॥

निजसल्लापमाधुर्यविनिर्भसितकच्छपी ।

मन्दस्मितप्रभापूरमजत्कामेशमानसा ॥

अनाकलितसादृश्य चुबुक श्रीविराजिता ।
कामेशबद्धमाङ्गल्यसूत्रशोभितकन्धरा ॥
कनकाङ्कद केयूरकमनीयभुजान्विता ।
रत्नग्रैवेय चिन्ताकलोलमुक्ताफलान्विता ॥
कामेश्वरप्रेमरत्नमणिप्रतिपणस्तनी ।
नाम्यालवालरोमालिलता फलकुचद्वयी ॥

लक्ष्यरोमलताघारतासमुन्नेयमध्यमा
स्तनमारदलन्मध्य पट्टयन्धवलित्रया ॥
अरुणारुण कौसुम्भवमास्वत्कटीतटी ।
रत्नकिङ्किणिकारम्यरशनादामभूपिता ॥
कामेशज्ञात सौभाग्य मार्दवोरुद्वयान्विता ।
माणिक्यमकुटाकारजानुद्वय विराजिता ॥

२२

२४

To २६

२८

३०

३२

३४

३६

४० श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

इन्द्रगोपपरिक्षिसरमरतॄणामजद्दिका ।
गूढगुल्फा कूर्मपृष्ठजयिष्णुप्रपदान्त्रिता ॥

नखदीधितिसंछन्ननमज्जनतमोगुणा ।
पदद्वय प्रभाजालपराकृतसरोरुहा ॥
शिखान मणिमञ्जीरमण्डितश्रीपदाम्बुजा ।
मरालीमन्दगमना महालावण्यशेवधिः ॥

सर्वारुणाऽनवद्यागी सर्वाभरणभूपिता ।
शिवकामेश्वराङ्कस्था शिवा स्वाधीनवल्लमा ॥
सुमे रुमध्यशृङ्गस्था श्रीमन्नगरनायिका ।
चिन्तामणिगृहान्तःस्था पथब्रह्मासनस्थिता ॥

महापद्माटवीसंस्था कदम्बवनवासिनी ।
सुधासागरमध्यस्था कामाक्षी कामदायिनी ॥

देवर्पिगणसङ्घातस्तूयमानात्मवैभवा ।
भण्डासुरवधोयुक्त शक्तिसेनासमन्विता ॥

सम्पत्करीसमा रूढसिन्धुरज सेविता ।
अश्वारूढाधिष्ठिताश्च कोटिकोटिमिरावृता ॥
चकराजरथा रूढसर्वायुषपरिष्कृता ।
गेयचक्ररथारूढ मन्त्रिणीपरिसेविता ॥

किरिचक्ररथारूढदण्डनाथापुरस्कृता ।
ज्वालामालिनिकाक्षिप्तवह्निप्राकारमध्यगा ॥

4

49

४३

४५

४८ 20

५४

५८

६५

६९

७१ 50

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

।

॥

भण्डसैन्यवधोयुक्तशक्तिविक्रमहर्षिता
नित्यापराकमाटोपनिरीक्षणसमुत्सुका
भण्डपुत्रवधोयुक्तवाला विक्रमनन्दिता ।
मन्त्रिण्यम्याविरचितविषङ्गवतोपिता ॥
विशुक्र प्राणहरण वाराही वीर्यनन्दिता ।
कामेश्वरमुखालोककल्पितश्रीगणेश्वरा ॥

महागणेशनिर्मिन्नविघ्नयन्त्रप्रहर्षिता ।
मण्डासुरेन्द्रनिर्मुक्तशस्त्र प्रत्य स्त्रवर्पिणी ॥

।
॥

७३

कराङ्गुलिनखोत्पन्ननारायणदशाकृतिः
महापाशुपतास्त्राग्निनिर्दग्धासुरसैनिका
कामेश्वरात्र निर्दग्धस मण्डासुरशून्यका ।
ब्रह्मोपेन्द्र महेन्द्रादिदेव संस्तुतवैभवा ॥
हरनेत्रासिन्दग्धकामसंजीवनौषधिः ।
श्रीमद्वाग्मव कूटैक स्वरूपमुखपङ्कजा ।
कण्ठाघः कटिपर्यन्त मध्य फूटस्वरूपिणी ।
शक्ति कूटैकता पन्नकट्यघोमागधारिणी ॥
मूलमन्त्रात्मिका मूलकूटत्रयकलेवरा ।
कुलामृतैकरसिका कुलसंकेतपालिनी ॥
कुलाद्गना कुलान्तःस्था कौलिनी कुलयोगिनी ।
अकुला समयान्तःस्था समयाचारतत्परा ॥

७५

3० ७७

७९

८१

८३

८५

८७

९८ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

मूलाघारैक निलया ब्रह्मग्रन्थिविभेदिनी ।
मणिपूरान्तरुदिता विष्णुग्रन्थिविमेदिनी ॥

आज्ञाचक्रान्तरालस्था रुद्रग्रन्थिविमेदिनी ।

सहस्राराम्बुजारूढा सुधासारागिवर्षिणी ॥
तटिलतासमरुचिः पचको परिसंस्थिता ।
महाशक्तिः कुण्डलिनी विसतन्तुतनीयसी ॥
भवानी भावनागम्या भवारण्यकुठारिका ।
मद्रप्रिया मद्रमूर्तिर्मक्तसौभाग्यदायिनी ॥
भक्तिप्रिया भक्तिगम्या भक्तिवश्या भयापहा ।
शाम्भवी शारदाराच्या शर्वाणी शर्मदायिनी ॥
शाङ्करी श्रीकरी साध्वी शरच्चन्द्रनिभानना ।
शातोदरी शान्तिमती निराधारा निरञ्जना ॥

नित्यमुक्ता निर्विकारा निष्प्रपञ्चा निराश्रया ।
नित्यशुद्धा नित्यबुद्धा निरवद्या निरन्तरा ॥

51

निष्कारणा निष्कलका निरुपाधिर्निरीश्वरा ।
नीरागा रागमथनी निर्मदा मदनाशिनी ॥
निश्चिन्ता निरहंकारा निर्मोहा मोहनाशिनी ।
निर्ममा गमताहन्त्री निष्पापा पापनाशिनी ॥

१०२

१०६

०१११

११७

१३३

निर्लेपा निर्मला नित्या निराकारा निराकुला । निर्गुणा निष्कला शान्ता निष्कामा निरुपलवा ॥ १४३

१२५

१५१

१५९

१६७ 52

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

निष्क्रोधा क्रोधशमनी निर्लोभा लोमनाशिनी ।
निःसंशया संशयनी निर्मवा भवनाशिनी ॥

निर्विकल्पा निराबाधा निर्मंदा भेदनाशिनी ।
निर्माशा मृत्युमथनी निष्क्रिया निष्परिग्रहा ॥

दुष्टदूरा दुराचारशमनी दोपवर्जिता ।
सर्वज्ञा सान्द्रकरुणा समानाधिकवर्जिता ॥

निस्तुला नीलचिकुरा निरपाया निरत्यया । दुर्लभा दुर्गमा दुर्गा दुःखहन्त्री सुखप्रदा ॥ 50 १९२

सर्वशक्तिमयी सर्वमङ्गला सद्गतिप्रदा ।
सर्वेश्वरी सर्वमयी सर्वमन्त्रस्वरूपिणी ॥
सर्वयन्त्रात्मिका सर्वतन्त्ररूपा मनोन्मनी ।
माहेश्वरी महादेवी महालक्ष्मीर्मृडप्रिया ॥

महारूपा महापूज्या महापातकनाशिनी ।
महामाया महासत्त्वा महाशक्तिर्महारतिः ॥

महामोगा महैश्वर्या महावीर्या महावला ।
टायोगेश्वरी महाबुद्धिर्महासिद्धिर्महायोगीश्वरेश्वरी ॥

१७५

महातन्त्रा महामन्त्री महायन्त्रा महासना ।

महायागक्रमाराध्या महाभैरवपूजिता ॥ महेश्वरमहाकल्पमहाताण्डवसाक्षिणी

।

महाकामेशमहिषी महात्रिपुरसुन्दरी ॥

१८३

१९८

२०४

२११

२१८

२२५

२३१

२३४ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

चतुःषष्ट्यपचाराट्या चतुःषष्टिकलामयी । महाचतुःपष्टिकोटियोगिनीगणसेविता ॥ मनुविधा चन्द्रविद्या चन्द्रमण्डलमध्यगा ।

चारुरूपा चारुहासा चारुचन्द्रकलाघरा ॥

चराचरजगन्नाथा चक्रराज निकेतना ।
पार्वती पद्मनयना पद्मरागसमप्रमा ॥
पञ्चप्रेतासनासीना पञ्चब्रह्मस्वरूपिणी ।
चिन्मयी परमानन्दा विज्ञानघनरूपिणी ॥

ध्यानध्यातृध्येयरूपा धर्माधर्मविवर्जिता ।
विश्वरूपा जागरिणी स्वपन्ती तेजसात्मिका ॥

सुप्ता प्राज्ञात्मिका तुर्या सर्वावस्थाविवर्जिता ।
सृष्टिकर्त्री रूपा गोत्री गोविन्दरूपिणी ॥
संहारिणी रुद्ररूपा तिरोधानकरश्विरी ।
सदाशिवानुग्रहदा पञ्चकृत्यपरायणा ॥
मानुमण्डलमध्यस्था भैरवी भगमालिनी ।
पद्मासना भगवती पद्मनामसहोदरी ॥
उन्मेषनिमिषोत्पन्न विपन्नभुवनावलिः ।
सहस्रशीपषदना सहस्राक्षी सहस्रपात् ॥

आवाकीटजननी वर्णाश्रमविधायिनी ।
निजाज्ञा रूपनिगमा पुण्या पुण्यफलप्रदा ॥

53

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२६७

२७४

२८०

२८४

२८८ 54

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

श्रुतिसीमन्त सिन्दूरीकृतपादाब्जधूलिका ।
सकलागम संन्दोहशक्तिसम्पुटमौक्तिका ॥
पुरुषार्थप्रदा पूर्णा मोगिनी भुवनेश्वरी ।
अम्बिकानादिनिधना हरिब्रह्मेन्द्र सेविता ॥

नारायणी नादरूपा नामरूपविवर्जिता ।
ह्रींकारी ह्रीमती हृद्या देयोपादेयवर्जिता ॥

राजराजाचिंता राज्ञी रम्या राजीवलोचना ।
रञ्जनी रमणी रस्या रणत्किकिणिमेखला ॥
रमा राकेन्दुवदना रतिरूपा रतिप्रिया ।
रक्षाकरी राक्षसनी रामा रमणलम्पटा ॥
काम्या कामकलारूपा कदम्बकुसुमप्रिया ।
कल्याणी जगतीकन्दा करुणारससागरा ॥
कलावती कलालापा कान्ता कादम्बरीप्रिया ।
वरदा वामनयना वारुणीमदविला ॥
विश्वाधिका वेदवेद्या विन्ध्याचलनिवासिनी ।
विधात्री वेदजननी विष्णुमायाविलासिनी ॥
क्षेत्रस्वरूपा क्षेत्रेशी क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञपालिनी ।
क्षयवृद्धि विनिर्मुक्ता क्षेत्रपालसमचिंता ॥
विजया विमला वन्द्या वन्दारुजनवत्सला ।
वाग्वादिनी वामकेशी वह्निमण्डलवासिनी ॥

२९०

२९७

३०४

३१२

३२०

३२६

३४०

३४५

३५२ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

भक्तिमत्कल्पलतिका पशुपाशविमोचिनी ।
संहताशेपपापण्डा सदाचारप्रवर्तिका ॥

तापत्रयान्झिसन्तप्त समाहादनचन्द्रिका ।
तरुणी तापसाराध्या तनुमध्या तमोऽपहा ॥
चितिस्तत्पदलक्ष्यार्थी चिदेकर सरूपिणी ।
स्वात्मानन्दलवीभूतब्रह्याद्यानन्दसन्ततिः ॥
परा प्रत्यञ्चितीरूपा पश्यन्ती परदेवता ।
मध्यमा वैखरीरूपा भक्तमानसहंसिका ॥
कामेश्वरप्राणनाडी कृतज्ञा कामपूजिता ।
शृङ्गाररस सम्पूर्णा जया जालन्धरस्थिता ॥

ओड्याणपीठनिलया बिन्दुमण्डलवासिनी ।
रहोयागक्रमाराध्या रहस्तर्पणतर्पिता ॥

सद्यः प्रसादिनी विश्वसाक्षिणी साक्षिवर्जिता ।
पडङ्गदेवतायुक्ता पाड्गुण्यपरिपूरिता ॥
नित्यक्लिन्ना निरुपमा निर्वाण सुखदायिनी ।
नित्यापोडशिकारूपा श्रीकण्ठार्धशरीरिणी ॥

प्रभावती प्रभारूपा प्रसिद्धा परमेश्वरी ।
मूलप्रकृतिरव्यक्ता व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिणी ॥

व्यापिनी विविधाकारा विद्याऽविद्यास्वरूपिणी ।

महाकामेशनयनकुमुदाह्लादकौमुदी ॥

55

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३७८

३८२

३८७

३९२

३९९

४०३ 56

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

भक्तहार्दतमोमेद मानुमद्भानुसन्ततिः ।
शिवदूती शिवाराध्या शिवमूर्ति: शिवंकरी ॥

शिवप्रिया शिवपरा शिष्टेष्टा शिष्टपूजिता ।
अप्रमेया स्वप्रकाशा मनोवाचामगोचरा ॥

चिच्छक्तिश्चेतनारूपा जडशक्तिर्जडात्मिका ।
गायत्री व्याहृतिः सन्ध्या द्विजवृन्दनिषेविता ॥

तत्त्वासना तत्त्वमयी पञ्चकोशान्तरस्थिता ।
निःसीममहिमा नित्ययौवना मदशालिनी ॥
मदघूर्णितरक्ताक्षी मदपाटलगण्डमू: )
चन्दनद्रवदिग्धाही चाम्पेयकुसुमप्रिया ॥

कुशला कोमलाकारा कुरुकुल्ला कुलेश्वरी ।
कुलकुण्डालया कौलमार्गतत्परसेविता ॥

४०८

तेजोवती त्रिनयना लोलाक्षी कामरूपिणी ।

मालिनी हंसिनी माता मलयाचलवासिनी ॥

४१५

४२३

४३१

४३५

४४१

कुमारगणनाथाम्बा तुष्टिः पुष्टिर्मतिर्धृतिः । शान्तिः स्वस्तिमती कान्तिर्नन्दिनी विनाशिनी ॥ ४५१

४५८

सुमुखी नलिनी सुम्रः शोमना सुरनायिका । कालकण्ठी कान्तिमती क्षोभिणी सूक्ष्मरूपिणी ॥ ४६७ वज्रेश्वरी वामदेवी वयोऽवस्थाविवर्जिता ।

सिद्धेश्वरी सिद्धविद्या सिद्धमाता यशस्विनी ॥ ४७४ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

विशुद्धचक्र निलयाऽऽरक्तवर्णा त्रिलोचना ।
खट्वाङ्गादिप्रहरणा वदनैकसमन्विता ॥

पायसान्नप्रिया स्वक्स्था पशुलोकमयङ्करी ।
अमृतादिमहाशक्तिसंवृता डाकिनीश्वरी ॥
अनाहताब्जनिलया श्यामामा वदनद्वया ।
दंष्ट्रोज्ज्वलाऽक्षमालादिधरा रुधिरसंस्थिता ॥

कालरात्र्यादिशक्त्यौघवृता स्निग्धौदनप्रिया ।

महावीरेन्द्रवरदा राकिण्यम्वास्वरूपिणी ॥
मणिपूरा जनिलया वदनत्रयसंयुता ।
वज्रादिकायुधोपेता डामर्यादिभिरावृता ॥
रक्तवर्णा मांसनिष्ठा गुडान्नप्रीतमानसा ।
समस्तमक्तसुखदा लाकिन्यम्वास्वरूपिणी ॥

स्वाधिष्ठानाम्बुजगता चतुर्वपत्र मनोहरा ।
शूलाद्यायुधसम्पन्ना पीतवर्णाऽतिगर्विता ॥

मेदोनिष्ठा मधुप्रीता चन्दिन्यादिसमान्विता ।
दध्यन्नासक्तहृदया काकिनीरूपधारिणी ॥
मूलाधाराम्बुजारूढा पञ्चवक्त्राऽस्थिसंस्थिता ।
अकुशादिप्रहरणा वरदादिनिषेविता ॥

मुद्रौदनासक्तचित्ता साकिन्यम्यास्वरूपिणी ।

आज्ञाचक्राब्जनिलया शुक्लवर्णा पडानना ॥

57

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४९०

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४९८

५०३

५०८

५१३

५१८

५२३ 58

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

मज्जासंस्था हंसवतीमुख्यशक्तिसमन्विता ।
हरिद्रान्नैकरसिका हाकिनीरूपधारिणी ॥
सहस्रदलपद्मस्था सर्ववर्णोपशोभिता ।
सर्वायुधधरा शुक्लसंस्थिता सर्वतोमुखी ॥
सर्वौदनप्रीतचित्ता याकिन्यम्यास्वरूपिणी ।
स्वाहा स्वधामतिर्मेधा श्रुतिः स्मृतिरनुत्तमा ॥

पुण्यकीर्तिः पुण्यलम्या पुण्यश्रवण कीर्तना ।
पुलोमजाचिंता बन्धमोचनी बन्धुरालका ॥

विमर्शरूपिणी विद्या वियदादिजगत्प्रसूः ।
सर्वव्याधिप्रशमनी सर्वमृत्युनिवारिणी ॥

अग्रगण्याऽचिन्त्यरूपा कलिकल्मपनाशिनी ।
कात्यायनी कालहन्त्री कमलाक्षनिषेविता ॥
ताम्बूलपूरितमुखी दाडिमीकुसुमप्रभा ।
मृगाक्षी मोहिनी मुख्या मृडानी मित्ररूपिणी ॥

नित्यतृप्ता मक्तनिधिर्नियन्त्री निखिलेश्वरी ।
मैत्र्यादिवासनालम्या महाप्रलयसाक्षिणी ॥
पराशक्तिः परानिष्ठा प्रज्ञानघनरूपिणी ।
माध्वीपानालसा मत्ता मातृकावर्णरूपिणी ॥
महाकैलासनिलया मृणालमृदुदोर्लता ।
महनीया दयामूर्तिर्महासाम्राज्यशालिनी ॥

५२७

५३२

५४१

५४७

५५२

५५८

५६५

५७१

५७७

५८२ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रन्

आत्मविद्या महाविद्या श्रीविद्या कामसेविता ।
श्रीपोडशाक्षरीविद्या त्रिकूटा कामकोटिका ॥
कटाक्षकिकरी मूतकमलाकोटिसेविता ।
शिरःस्थिता चन्द्रनिमा मालस्थेन्द्रधनुःप्रमा ॥

हृदयस्था रविप्रख्या त्रिकोणान्तरदीपिका ।
दाक्षायणी दैत्यहन्त्री दक्षयज्ञविनाशिनी ॥
दरान्दोलितदीर्घाक्षी दरहासोज्ज्वलन्मुखी ।
गुरुमूर्तिर्गुणनिधिर्गौमाता गुहजन्मभूः ॥
देवेशी दण्डनीतिस्था दहराकाशरूपिणी ।
प्रतिपन्मुख्य कान्ततिथिमण्डलपूजिता ॥
कलात्मिका कलानाथा काव्यालापविनोदिनी ।
सचामररमावाणीसव्यदक्षिण सेविता ॥
आदिशक्तिरमेयात्मा परमा पावनाकृतिः ।
अनेककोटिमा । ण्डजननी दिव्यविग्रहा ॥
लीड्कारी केवला गुह्या कैवल्यपददायिनी ।
त्रिपुरा त्रिजगद्वन्द्या त्रिमूर्तिखिदशेश्वरी ॥
त्र्यक्षरी दिव्यगन्धाढ्या सिन्दूरतिलकाश्चिता ।
उमा शैलेन्द्रतनया गौरी गन्धर्वसेविता ॥
विश्वगर्भा स्वर्णगर्भाडवरदा वागधीश्वरी ।
ध्यानगम्याऽपरिच्छेद्या ज्ञानदा ज्ञानविग्रहा ॥

59

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६१०

६१४

६२१

६२९

६४४ 60

श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

सर्ववेदान्तसंवेद्या सत्यानन्दस्वरूपिणी ।

लोपामुद्रार्चिता लीलाक्लप्तब्रह्माण्डमण्डला ॥

६४८

अदृश्या दृश्यरहिता विज्ञाली वेद्यवर्जिता । योगिनी योगदा योग्या योगानन्दा युगन्धरा ॥ ६५७

इच्छाशक्तिज्ञानशक्तिक्रियाशक्तिस्वरूपिणी ।
सर्वाधारा सुप्रतिष्ठा सदसद्रपधारिणी ॥

६६१

9

अष्टमूर्तिरजाजैली लोकयात्राविधायिनी ।
एकाकिनी भूमरूपा निर्देता द्वैतवर्जिता ॥
अन्नदा वसुदा वृद्धा ब्रह्मात्मैक्यस्वरूपिणी ।
बृहती ब्राह्मणी ब्राह्मी ब्रह्मानन्दा वलिप्रिया ॥
मापारूपा बृहत्सेना भावाभावविवर्जिता ।
सुखाराध्या शुभकरी शोभना सुलभागतिः ॥

राजराजेश्वरी राज्यदायिनी राज्यवल्लभा ।
राजस्कृपा राजपीठनिवेशित निजाश्रिता ॥
राज्यलक्ष्मीः कोशनाथा चतुरङ्गवलेश्वरी ।
साम्राज्यदायिनी सत्यसन्धा सागरमेखला ॥
दीक्षिता दैत्यशमनी सर्वलोकवशङ्करी ।
सर्वार्थदात्री सावित्री सच्चिदानन्दरूपिणी ॥
देशकालारिच्छिन्ना सर्वगा सर्वमोहिनी ।
सरस्वती शास्त्रमयी गुद्दाम्बा गुह्यरूपिणी ॥

६६८

६७७

६८३

૬૮૮

६९४

७००

७०७ श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

सर्वोपाधिविनिर्मुक्ता सदाशिवपतिव्रता ।

सम्प्रदायेश्वरी साध्वी गुरुमण्डलरूपिणी ॥
कुलोत्तीर्णा मगाराध्या माया मधुमती मही ।
गणाम्चा गुह्यकाराध्या कोमलाङ्गी गुरुप्रिया ॥

स्वतन्त्रा सर्वतन्त्रेशी दक्षिणामूर्तिरूपिणी ।
सनकादिसमाराध्या शिवज्ञानप्रदायिनी ॥
चित्कलाऽऽनन्दकलिका प्रेमरूपा प्रियङ्करी ।
नामपारायणप्रीता नन्दिविद्या नटेश्वरी ॥

मिथ्याजगदधिष्ठाना मुक्तिदा मुक्तिरूपिणी ।
लास्यप्रिया लयकरी लज्जा रम्भादिवन्दिता ॥
भवदावसुधावृष्टिः पापारण्यदवानला ।
दौर्भाग्यतूलवातूला जराध्वान्तरविप्रभा ॥

भाग्याब्धिचन्द्रिका भक्तचित्तकेकिघनाघना ।
रोगपर्वतदम्भोलिर्मृत्युदारुकुठारिका ॥

महेश्वरी महाकाली महाप्रासा महाशना ।
अपर्णा चण्डिका चण्डमुण्डासुरनिपूदिनी ॥
क्षराक्षरात्मिका सर्वलोकेशी विश्वधारिणी ।
त्रिवर्गदात्री सुभगा त्र्यम्बका त्रिगुणात्मिका ॥

स्वर्गापवर्गदा शुद्धा जपापुष्पनिभाकृतिः ।

ओजोवती यतिधरा यज्ञरूपा प्रियव्रता ॥

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श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्
दुराराध्या दुराधपी पाटलीकुसुमप्रिया ।
महती मेरुनिलया मन्दारकुसुमप्रिया ॥
वीराराध्या विराडूपा विरजा विश्वतोमुखी ।
प्रत्यरूपा पराकाशा प्राणदा प्राणरूपिणी ॥

मार्ताण्ड भैरवाराध्या मन्त्रिणीन्यस्तराज्यधूः ।
त्रिपुरेशी जयत्सेना निश्चैगुण्या परापरा ॥

सत्यज्ञानानन्दरूपा सामरस्यपरायणा ।
कपर्दिनी कलामाला कामधुक्कामरूपिणी ॥

कलानिधि काव्यकला रसज्ञा रसशेवधिः ।
पुष्टा पुरातना पूज्या पुष्करा पुष्करेक्षणा ।
परंज्योति परधाम परमाणु परात्परा ।
पाशहस्ता पाशहन्त्री परमन्नविमेदिनी ॥
मूर्तीऽमूर्ताऽनित्यतृप्ता मुनिमानसहसिका ।
सत्यव्रता सत्यरूपा सर्वान्तर्यामिनी सती ॥
ब्रह्माणी ब्रह्म जननी बहुरूपा बुधार्चिता ।
प्रसविनी प्रचण्डाज्ञा प्रतिष्ठा प्रकटाकृतिः ॥

प्राणेश्वरी प्राणदात्री पञ्चाशत्पीठरूपिणी ।
विशृङ्खला विविक्तस्था वीरमाता वियत्प्रसूः ॥

मुकुन्दा मुक्तिनिलया मूलविग्रहरूपिणी ।
भावज्ञा भवरोगती मवचक्रप्रवर्तिनी ॥

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छन्दःसारा शास्त्रसारा मन्त्रसारा तलोदरी ।
उदारकीर्तिरुद्दा मवैभवा वर्णरूपिणी ॥
जन्ममृत्युजराततजनविश्रान्तिदायिनी ।
सर्वोपनिषदुदुघुष्टा शान्त्यतीतकलात्मिका ॥
गम्भीरा गगनान्तःस्था गर्विता गानलोलुपा ।
कल्पनारहिता काष्ठाऽकान्ता कान्तार्धविग्रहा ॥

कार्यकारण निर्मुक्ता काम केलितरङ्गिता ।
कनस्कनकताटका लीलाविग्रहधारिणी ॥
बजा क्षयविनिर्मुक्ता मुग्धा क्षिप्रप्रसादिनी ।
अन्तर्मुखसमाराध्या वहिर्मुखसुदुर्लभा ॥
नयी त्रिवर्गनिलया त्रिस्था त्रिपुरमालिनी ।
निरामया निरालम्बा स्वात्मारामा सुधासृतिः ॥

संसारपकनिर्मग्र समुद्धरणपण्डिता ।
यज्ञप्रिया यज्ञकर्त्री यजमानस्वरूपिणी ॥
धर्माधारा घनाध्यक्षा धनधान्यविवर्धिनी ।
विप्रप्रिया विप्ररूपा विश्वम्रमणकारिणी ॥
विश्वग्रासा विद्रमाभा वैष्णवी विष्णुरूपिणी ।
अयोनियनिनिलया कूटस्था कुलरूपिणी ॥
वीरगोष्ठीप्रिया वीरा नैष्कर्म्या नादरूपिणी ।
विज्ञानकलना कल्या विदग्धा बैन्दवासना ॥

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श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्

तत्त्वाधिका तत्त्वमयी तत्त्वमर्थस्वरूपिणी ।
सामगानप्रिया सौम्या सदाशिवकुटुम्बिनी ॥

सव्यापसव्यमार्गस्था सर्वापद्विनिवारिणी ।
स्वस्था स्वभावमधुरा धीरा धीरसमर्चिता ॥
चैतन्यार्घ्य समाराध्या चैतन्यकुसुमप्रिया ।
सदोदिता सदातुष्टा तरुणादित्यपाटला ॥
दक्षिणादक्षिणाराध्या दरस्मेरमुखाम्बुजा ।
कौलिनी केवलाऽनये
कैवल्यपददायिनी ॥
स्तोत्रप्रिया स्तुतिमती श्रुतिसंस्तुतवैभवा ।
मनस्विनी मानवती महेशी मङ्गलाकृतिः ॥

विश्वमाता जगद्धात्री विशालाक्षी विरागिणी ।
प्रगल्मा परमोदारा परामोदा मनोमयी ॥
व्योमकेशी विमानस्था वज्रिणी वामकेश्वरी ।
पञ्चयज्ञप्रिया पञ्चप्रेतमञ्चाधिशायिनी ॥
पञ्चमी पश्चभूतेशी पञ्चसहयो१चारिणी ।
शाश्वती शाश्वतैश्वर्या शर्मदा शम्भुमोहिनी ॥

घरा घरसुता धन्या धार्मिणी धर्मवर्धिनी ।
लोकातीता गुणातीता सर्वातीता शमात्मिका ॥

चन्धूककुसुमप्रख्या वाला लीलाविनोदिनी ।
सुमङ्गली सुखकरी सुवेपाढ्या सुवासिनी ॥

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श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रम्
सुवासिन्य चैनप्रीताऽऽशोभना शुद्धमानसा ।
विन्दुतर्पणसन्तुष्टा पूर्वजा त्रिपुराम्बिका ॥
दशमुद्रा समाराध्या त्रिपुराश्रीवशङ्करी ।
ज्ञानमुद्रा ज्ञानगम्ना ज्ञानज्ञेयस्वरूपिणी ॥
योनिमुद्रा त्रिखण्डेशी त्रिगुणाऽम्बा त्रिकोणगा ।
अनघाऽद्भुतचारित्रा वाञ्छितार्थप्रदायिनी ॥

अभ्यासातिशयज्ञाता पडघ्वातीतरूपिणी ।
अव्याजकरुणामूर्तिरज्ञानध्वान्तदीपिका ॥
बाबालगोपविदिता सर्वानुलइयशासना।
श्रीचक्रराजनिलया श्रीमत्तिपुरसुन्दरी ॥
श्रीशिवा शिवशक्त्यैक्यरूपिणी ललिताम्बिका ।
एवं श्रीललितादेव्या नाम्नां साइतकं जगुः ॥

5

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१००० LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

1-3 She is the Holy Mother, the great Queen, the Sovereign enthroned on the lion's back.

4-5 From the altar fire of Divine Consciousness has she sprung, she has sprung up to fulfil the purpose of the gods Radiant as a thousand suns rising all at once is she-the four-armed One

6-7

8-9

The noose in her hand is woven of her love, and her flashing goad is wrought out of her anger

10-11 Her sugar-cane bow is framed out of her own mind, and out of the five subtle elements themselves are shaped her arrows

12

And in the rose-red splendour of her form is the whole universe bathed

13-14 Bright and fragrant with flowers-cham pika, asoha and punnaga-are her locl s of hair, and she wears crown shining with rows of kuruvinda gems

1-16 And bright as astame moon is her forehead

and like the spot in the moon is the kasturt tilaka thereon 68

200

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

17. In the radiance of her face dwells the god of love; and like archways unto his dwelling shine her eye-brows.

18. And like fish in a stream do her eyes move in the light streaming from her face.

19-20. Like a fresh-blown champak is her shapely nose and the jewels thereon outshine the stars in their splendour.

t

-21-22. Radiant in her charm is-she with a bunch of kadamba flowers over here ars, and the ornaments she wears in her ears are, verily, the sun and the moon.

23-24. Fairer far than a ruby mirror are her

cheeks, and her lips do outshine both fresh coral and bimba fruit.

25.

26-27.

.

28.

29.

".

Like sprouts of pure knowledge shine her

two rows of teeth.

Pervasive all around is the fragrance of the camphor-scented betel in her mouth, and sweeter far is the melody of her speech than the viņa of Sarasvati.

And in the splendour of her smile lies submerged the mind of Mahadev. Radiant is the beauty of her chin, incomparable is its splendour. 30-32. Her neck doth shine with the mangalasitra fastened there by her Lord; her LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

69

beautiful arms are decked with golden

bracelets, and from her gem-set necklace hangs a big pearl.

33-35. Her breasts are the price she pays for that priceless gem-the love of her Lord. They seem like the fruits which that fine creeper beats-the creeper of hair which springs from her navel; and from that creeper so well-sustained we infer she has a waist.

35. Her waist, bending under the burden of

her breasts, is supported by a belt formed by the three folds of her stomach.

37-38. A garment of deep red, of the colour of saffron, covers the region of her hips; and she is adorned with a beautiful girdle of little bells set with precious

stones.

39. The beauty and the smoothness of her thighs they are known only to her Lord, the Conqueror of Love.

40-41. Her knees are like jewelled crowns, and her calves like the quivers of the god of love wrought, as it were, of Indragopas. 42-43. Her ankles are well filled, and the arch of her foot rivals the back of a tortoise.

44. The splendour of the nails on her toes dispels the darkness in the minds of those who bow down at her feet. 70

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45-46. The radiance of those feet casts into the shade the beauty of the lotus, and with tinkling jewelled anklets are they adorned.

47 Gentle is her gait like that of the swan.

48-51. She is indeed a treasure-house of beauty, rosy-hued all over, faultless in every limb and adorned with diverse ornaments.

52-54. She rests on the lap of Siva, her Lord; and blissful she is, for He is her own Love.

55-56. On the midmost peak of mount Meru she lives, and she is the Queen of the City of Bliss.

57-58. Of Chintamani gems is her mansion built, and of the five Brahmäs is formed the seat on which she rests.

59-61. In the midst of a wide forest of lotuses she dwells in a kadamba grove, and she is at the centre of the sea of nectar.

62-63. Her eyes are full of grace, and she doth grant us our desires.

64. Hosts of gods and saints do praise her

power.

65.

Under her command is an army of Saktis intentondestroying the demon Bhanda. LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

66-67. She is attended by a troop of elephants under the lead of Sampatkari and is surrounded by millions of horses under the command of Aśvarudha. 68. Fully armed she rides her own chariot Chakrarāja.

71

69-70. She is attended by her minister Syämalä in the chariot Geyachakra and she is preceded by her commander Dandanātha in the chariot Kirichakra.

71. She takes her stand at the centre of the, rampart of fire constructed by Jvālāmālinikā.

72-73. She delights in the valour of her Saktis

who are eager to destroy the armies of Bhanda, and rejoices when she sees the rising spirit of her Nityās.

74. She is indeed overjoyed with the heroism of her Bāla, who is intent on slaying the sons of Bhanda.

75-76. She is delighted when Vişanga is slain by Syamala and rejoices in the might of Värähi, who takes the life of

Visukra.

77-78. With a mere glance at her Lord she creates Sri Ganesa; and when he breaks up the obstacle of the magic slab she is overjoyed.

79-80. With many a missile she counters the missiles thrown at her by Bhanda the 72

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demon king, and from the nails of her hands leap up once again the ten Avatars of Visnu

81-82 With the fire of the great missile Pasupata che scorches to death the armies of the demon, and with the flames of the missile of Kamesvara she destroys both Bhanda and his capital Sunyaka Her power is now praised by all the gods -Brahma, Visnu, Indra and others And then, like a life-giving herb she revives the god of love who was burnt to death by the fire of Siva's

83

84

eye

85 Fair as a lotus her face represents the Vagbhava part of the Panchadašī

mantra

86-87 And from her throat to her waist she represents the central part of the mantra and from below her waist she represents Śakt: the last part

88-89 She is the original mantra itself, and

her body stands for all the three parts

She revels in the nectar of the mystic lotus with a thousand petals

She guards the mysteries of the Kaula doctrine, she is a woman of honour She is the essence of the Kaula scriptures, the core of the Kaula faith, and she

90

91-92

93-96 73

is the object of Kaula worship, and resides in the Akula lotus.

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

97-98. She is likewise the centre of the Samaya doctrine; she doth cherish the Samaya traditions as well.

99.

100-103.

Her chief abode is the Muladhāra. She breaks through the Brahma-granthi above and makes her appearance in the Manipura; and then, breaking through the Vişnu-granthi, she occupies the centre of the Ajna-chakra. 104-106. Then again she breaks through the

Rudra-granthi and reaches the lotus with a thousand petals and sends down from there streams of nectar.

107-108. Shining like a flash of lightning she establishes herself above the six

chakras.

109. She longs ever more for this consummation.

110-111. Like a coiled serpent is she, and fine as the fibre of a lotus stalk.

112-113. She is Bhavani and she is realized through meditation.

114. She is the axe which cuts down the jungle of Samsāra.

115-116. She loves whatever is auspicious, she is herself auspiciousness. 74

117-118

119 120

121

122 123

124-125

126 127

128 129-131

132-135

136-138

139 140

141-143

144 145

146 147

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She bestows prosperity on her devotees, she loves her devotees

By devotion she is to be reached, and by devotion she is overcome She dispels all fear

She is Sambhavi she is adored even by Sarasvati

She is Sarvanı she give us happiness She is Šankarı she confers prosperity She is of unequalled virtue

Her face is like the autumnal moon, and she has a waist that is slender and a mind full of peace

On nothing does she depend, and she is free from stain free from impurity and from all blemish

She is eternal and formless, she is never agitated

She is without qualities, and is not divisible into parts

She is ever serene, she is free from desires and free from afflictions She is ever free she never changes She is not diffuse, she is not dependent She is ever pure, she is the eternal

consciousness

150-151 There is no flaw in her, nor any differ

ence

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155. Neither has she any superiors. 156-157. She has no passions, she destroys all passions.

158-159. She has no pride, she destroys all pride. 160-161. She has no cares and no egoism.

162-163.

She has no illusions, she dispels all illusions.

164 165.

She has no self-interest, she uproots all self-interest.

166-167.

She has no sin, she destroys all sin. 168-169. She has no anger, she allays all anger. 170-171. She has no greed, she destroys all greed. 172-173. She has no doubts, she removes all doubts. 174-175. She is unborn and she puts an end to births and deaths.

176-179. There is no uncertainty in her, no error at all, and no difference whatever-she destroys all differences.

She is not subject to death, she con180 181.

quers death.

182 183. She does no deeds, she takes no gifts. 184-185. She is peerless with her dark locks of hair.

186 187.

She is imperishable, she is indestructible. 188-190. She is hard to attain, hard to approach aud difficult of access.

191-192. She destroys all sorrow, she bestows all happiness.

193. To the wicked she is ever far away... LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

194-195. She puts an end to evil ways, she is free from evil.

196-197.

She is omniscient, and she is also deeply compassionate.

198. There is none equal to her, nor is there

any one superior to her.

She is all power, all auspiciousness. She will lead us on to the right path. She is the Ruler of all, she is the All. She is the essence of all Mantras, the soul of all Yantras and the embodiment of all Tantras. She is the transcendent mind.

208-210. She is the consort of the Supreme Lord, she is the Supreme Goddess, the Goddess of prosperity.

76

199-200.

201.

202 203. 204-207.

211-214. She is the beloved of Siva, she is

magnificent in form, she is the supreme object of devotion and she destroys even the most heinous of sins.

215 216.

217 218.

219-223.

She is the greatest illusion; she is the greatest Reality.

Boundless is her energy and boundless is her delight.

She is supreme joy, syk power,

supreme valour, s

and suprente wisdo

224. Great insleed are all'

"P LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

77

.225. She is the Sovereign of the great masters of Yoga.

226-228. She is herself the greatest Tantra, the greatest Mantra and the greatest Yantra.

229-230. Sublime is her seat and intense is the sacrifice required for her worship.

231-232. She is worshipped even by the great Siva himself; and at the end of a cycle she is a witness to the cosmic dance of the great Lord.

233-234. She is the great Queen of the Conqueror of Kama; she is the beautiful Ruler of the threefold city.

235-237. Four and sixty are the rites with which

she is worshipped; four and sixty are the arts which she embodies; and more than four and sixty crores are the yoginis who attend on her. 238--239. Her doctrine is called Manuvidyā; it is also termed Chandravidyā.

240 243.

She stands at the centre of the sphere of the moon; exquisite is her form, wonderful is her smile and she wears a crescent.

244. She is the Queen of the world of that which hath life and that which hath not.

245. Her abode is the Sri Chakra. LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

277-280. She also wears the garland of prosperity and has the lotus as her seat; she is then Bhagavati, the blessed, the sister of Vişnu.

79

282-284.

281. By opening and closing her eyes she creates and destroys worlds on worlds. A thousand heads has she, a thousand faces, a thousand eyes and a thousand feet.

285-286. She is the generator of all--from Brahmã down to the worm; and it was she that ordained these castes and orders.

287-288. The Vedas are but the expression of her commands; she is indeed the Dispenser of the fruits of righteousness and sin.

289. The dust of her delicate feet doth colour and adorn the locks of hair on the head of the Sruti, as the latter prostrates before her.

290. She is indeed the priceless pearl within the shell of all scriptures. She grants the desires of men, she is fullness itself, and is full of bliss. She is the Ruler of the universe, the mother of all; she has neither beginning nor end.

291-293.

294-296.

297 298. Visnu, Brahma and Indra-they wait upon her; and of Nārāyaṇa she is the counterpart. 78

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246 248. She is Pärvatî, her eyes are like lotuses, and she shines like a ruby.

249 250.

251-253.

255.

256-262.

254. She is herself the meditation, the person who meditates and is likewise the object of meditation.

263. 264-269.

On five lifeless deities is her seat arranged, and of five Brahmás is her form composed.

Pure consciousness is she and supreme bliss and deep understanding.

274.

275 276.

And she is beyond both good and evil Like ourselves, she has a Višva form in the waking state, a Taijasa form in the dreaming state and a Prājñā form in the state of deep sleep. She has also a fourth state which transcends all other states

She is again devoid of all such states. She is the creator in the form of Brahma, the protector in the form of Visnu and the destroyer in the form of Rudra.

270 273. And she causes involution as Isvara;

and as Sadasiva she graciously starts the process of evolution again.

She is ever absorbed in all these five functions.

She stands at the centre of the sphere of the sun; she is Bhairavi the terrible. LALITÄ-SAHASRANAMA

79

277-280. She also wears the garland of prosperity and has the lotus as her seat; she is then Bhagavati, the blessed, the sister of Visņu.

281. By opening and closing her eyes she creates and destroys worlds on worlds. 282-284. A thousand heads has she, a thousand faces, a thousand eyes and a thonsand feet.

285-286. She is the generator of all-from Brahma down to the worm; and it was she that ordained these castes and orders.

287-288. The Vedas are but the expression of her

commands; she is indeed the Dispenser of the fruits of righteousness and sin.

289. The dust of her delicate feet doth colour

and adorn the locks of hair on the head of the Sruti, as the latter prostrates before her.

290.

291-293.

294 295.

She is indeed the priceless pearl within the shell of all scriptures. She grants the desires of men, she is fullness itself, and is full of bliss. She is the Ruler of the universe, the mother of all; she has neither beginning nor end.

297 298. Visņu, Brahma and Indra-they wait upon her; and of Narayana she is the counterpart. 80

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

Sound is her form; other name or form has she none; and the syllable Hrim is her symbol.

302-304. Modest she is, and cordial withal; she rejects nothing, she seeks nothing.

305-306 She is worshipped by Kubera himself, for she is the Queen.

299-301.

307-308. Lovely she is, and her eyes are like lotuses. 309-311. She gives delight, she is full of charm, she is the essence of all things we

enjoy.

312-313. She wears a girdle of tinkling bellsshe is Lakşmi herself.

314-316. Her face is like the full moon, her form is like that of Rati, and to Rati she is ever dear.

317-320. She is the Saviour, she slays the demons; but she is also like a woman passionately fond of her husband.

321-322. She is to be longed for, she is herself both Siva and Devi.

323-326. She is fond of kadamba flowers-the Blessed one, the Root of the world, the Sea of Compassion.

327-328. She is the embodiment of all arts; art is indeed her own speech.

329 333. Lovely is she and fond of mead; she is the giver of boons, her eyes are full of grace; she is intoxicated with the offerings of the juice of dates. LALITA-SAHASRANĀMA

81

334-335. She transcends the universe and can be } known only through the Veda.

336-340. Her abode is on the Vindhya mountains; she is the creator of the world, she is the source of the Veda; she is the Maya of Visņu, she is the power that projects the universe.

341-342. She is the body of all creatures; and she is also the ruler of the body.

343-345. She rules the soul as well as the body; she is without increase, without decrease, and the soul ever worships her, 346-350. She is ever victorious, pure and adorable; she loves those who worship her and she abides in their speech.

351 352.

353-354. To her devotees she is the Kalpa trec itself, and she releases the ignorant from their bonds.

Beautiful locks of hair has she, and in a circle of fire she lives.

355-356. She destroys all heretics and inspires men to right conduct.

357. She is like the moonlight that gives joy to those who are burnt by the triple fires of misery.

358-361. She is ever young and yet she is worshipped by ascefics; she is slender in the waist; but she can dispel the ignorance of men.

6 82

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

She is called Chit, she is denoted by the term Tat, she is of the nature of pure consciousness

365 And the bliss of Brahma and others is but a mere fraction of her own bliss 366-371 She is the transcendent word and is of the nature of inner consciousness, she is also the omniscient word, the supreme deity, she is then the inter mediate and, finally, she takes the form of the articulate word

362-364

372

373 374

She is the swan that lives in the manasa lake of her devotee's mind

376

377 378

379 380

She is the very life blood of the Lord of Kama, and whatever men do-she knows it all

375 She is worshipped by the god of love, (or she is worshipped where the god of love doth dwell)

She is the essence of love, (or she lives where love's fullness is found)

She is the victorious One, she dwells in the Anahata chakra

She is also seated in the Ajña chakra and likewise does she live in the Brahmarandhra

381-383 By secret rites she is to be worshipped, by secret libations she is gratified, and she confers immediate grace LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

83

384 385. She witnesses all things, but she has no witnesses herself.

3863-87. She is ever accompanied by the deities of the six angas and she is endowed with the six good qualities in perfection. She is ever compassionate and peerless, and she confers the bliss of Nirvana.

388-390.

391 392. She is in the form of the sixteen Nityas, she has a body half in common with that of Siva.

Effulgent is she, she is effulgence itself. Celebrated is she-the Ruler supreme,

the first Cause, the Unmanifest. She is the Manifest as well as the Unmanifest; she is all-pervading; she has various forms; she is both knowledge and ignorance.

403-404. As the moonlight gladdens the water393 394. 395-398.

399 402,

405-406.

407 408.

409-410.

lilies, so does she gladden the eyes of the great Lord of Kama; and as the sun's rays dispel the darkness of the world, so does she dispel the ignorance of her devotees.

Siva is her herald, she is worshipped by Him.

Siva is indeed her form, she is the dispenser of happiness.

She is the beloved of Siva and she is ever devoted to Him. LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

Dear is she to all who are righteous and she is adored by them

She is the Infinite the Self illumined, she is bevond the range of our minds and speech

416 419 She is the power of consciousness, she is consciousness itself, she is likewise the energy of inanimate things, she is their inmost essence

84

411-412

413 415

420 423 She is the Gavatri mantra, she is also the invocation therein, she is the Deity of the sandhya worship she is worshipped by all the twice born 424-427 Her seat is the elements, she is That",

she is "Thou", she is the familiar "Ayı"

She is within the five kotas of man, her glory is indeed boundless

428 429

430-433

She is ever young and radiant with joy, her eyes are red and restless and her cheeks are rose red with rapture

434 435 Fragrant is her person with the scent of sandal and she loves to wear the fra grant flowers of the champak Skilful is she and graceful in form She is the deity Kurukulla, she is the deity that rules the Kula

436-437,

438 439.

440 441

She is the deity that abides in Kulakunda, she is the deity that is worshipped by the devotees of the Kaula sect LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

85

442. She is also a mother-the mother of Kumāra and Gananātha.

443-447.

She is blessedness, she is fullness, she is wisdom, fortitude, serenity.

448-450. She is the supreme Reality-the Luminous, the Blissful

451. She puts an end to all obstacles. 452 453 She is effulgent, she has three eyes 454 456.

She is love in women, she wears a garland, she is the hamsa mantra. 457-462. She is the Mother dwelling on the Malaya mountain. Her face is lovely, her -eyes are lotus-like and her eyebrows are fine-she is radiant with beauty. 463-467. She is the leader of the gods, she is the

wife of Nilakantha; she is radiant, she is inspiring, but her form is subtle.

A

468-472 She is Vajreśvari, she is Vámadevi, she is exempt from age and change; she is also Siddhešvarı, her mantra is ever fruitful.

473-474. She is the Mother ever at hand, she is most renowned

475-484.

When she abides in the Visuddhi centre

of man she possesses a rose-red complexion and has three eyes, she is armed with a club and other weapons and has a single face; she likes the offering of rice in milk, presides 86

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

over the skin, frightens the ignorant and is surrounded by Amrita and other great Saktis-she is then termed the goddess Dākını

485-494 When she abides in the Anahata centre she possesses a dark complexion and has two faces and shining fangs, she wea: a rosary, presides over the man's blood and is attended by a company of Saktis including Kalarătri; she then loves the offering of rice mixed with ghee, grants boons to great heroes and has the form of Räkini. 495-503. When she abides in the Manipura centre

she has three faces, she is then armed with a thunderbolt and other weapons and is surrounded by Damarı and other Saktis, she has a ruddy hue and presides over the flesh; she loves to have the offering of rice cooked in jaggery and bestows happiness on all devotees and has then the form of mother Lakini

504-513. When she abides in the Svadhistāna

centre she is fascinating with four faces and is armed with a trident and other weapons; she has a yellow hue and is very proud; she presides over man's fate and loves to have the offering of mead; she is then surroundLALITA-SAHASRANAMA

87

ed by Bandini and other Saktis and longs to have the offering of curds and rice and has the form of Käkini. 514-520. When she moves to the Muladhara centre she exhibits five faces and presides over the bones; she is then armed with a goad and other weapons and is served by Varada and other deities; she loves to have the offering of boiled pulse and rice and has the the form of mother Säkini. 521-527. When she abides in the Ajña centre she is white in complexion and has six faces; she presides over the marrow and is attended by Hamsavati and other deities; she then loves the offering of saffron-flavoured rice and

assumes the form of Hâkini.

528-534. When she abides in the Sahasrãrã centre

she shines with all colours and is armed with all weapons; she presides over the vital fluid and has faces all round; she then loves to have the offerings of all kinds of food and assumes the form of mother Yakini.

535-541. She is Svähä, she is Svadha; she is Avidya, she is Buddhi; she is Sruti, she is Smriti-there is none superior to her.

542-545. She is famed for holiness, she is to be attained by holiness; and it makes for 88

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

holiness to hear of her, she is adored

wife-Pulomaja.

her or to praise even by Indra's

546-550 She sets us free from bondage-she, the wavy-haired, she is the divine deliberation, the divine knowledge, the universe beginning with spice had its origin in her.

551-552 She cures all ills and wards off all kinds of death.

553-554* She is to be reckoned as the First;-her form transcends our thought

555-558 She destroys the sins of the Kali age, she is Katyayanı, she can also put an end to the time process, she is worshipped even by Visnu

559-562 Her mouth is filled with betel, she shines like a pomegranate flower, her eyes are like those of a fawn, she is of bewitching beauty

563-564. She is the first-born of creation, and she is wedded to the Divine Dispenser of happiness.

565-566 Effulgent like the sun, she is eternally happy

567-569 She is a treasure to her devotees, she is

a guide to them, and she is also the Buler of the world

1 . LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

89

570. She is to be attained through lovingkindness and other such dispositions. 571-576. She witnesses the dissolution of the universe, she is the supreme power, the supreme end and knowledge absolute, and inactive then she is like one who is drunk and intoxicated.

577-578. The letters of the alphabet constitute her form and her abode is the great Kailasa.

1

1

579.' Her arms are smooth and slender like a pair of lotus stalks.

580-582. She is adorable, she is compassion itself, and her empire is wide.

583-586. She is the doctrine of the Self, the sublime doctrine, the sacred mantrathat which was once meditated upon by the god of love.

587-589. She is the Sodasal şarī mantra, tripartite is that mantra, and the Lord of Kama is her end and aim

590. By a mere glance of her eye, millions of Laksmis are made to wait on her and serve her.

591-597. In the head she resides and shines like

the moon; in the forehead she stays and has the colours of the rainbow, in the heart she stands and blazes like the LALITA SAHASRANAMA

sun, and further down she takes the form of a triangular fire

598-600 She is Daksa's daughter, this slayer of demons, and it is she that caused the destruction of Daksa's sacrifice

90

601-602 Gently move her wide eyes and a gentle smile lights up her face

603-606

She assumes the form of a guru, and she is a treasure-house of virtue, she is the mother of speech as well as of Kumara 607-609 She rules the gods, she sits on the throne of justice, and she is also the subtle self in the heart of man

610-611 She is worshipped on all the days, from the first day to the day of the full moon, she is herself the embodiment of all the phases of the moon

612-614 She is the mistress of all the arts, she delights in the language of poesy, on either side of her stand Sarasvati and Laksmı with fans in their hands and serve her

615-618 She is the primordial energy, she transcends all measure she is the self in all

beings and she is also the supreme Self

619-622 Her form is holy, she has given birth to many millions of worlds, her shape 15 heavenly, she has composed the syllable Klim LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

91

623-625. She is the Absolute, the Mysterious, and she confers absolute bliss.

626-627. She is more ancient than the Trinity, and three worlds worship her.

628-630. She has a triple form-this Queen of the gods; she is a mantra of three syllables. 631-632. Full of heavenly fragrance is she, and adorned with the vermilion tilak on her forehead.

633-636. She is Uma, the daughter of the King of mountains; she is Gauri waited on by the Gandharvas.

637-638. She has the universe in her womb; she herself was born of the "womb of

gold".

639-641. She is the slayer of the unholy; she is the goddess that presides over speech and she can be realized through meditation.

642-644. She is the Infinite; she bestows supreme knowledge, she herself is in the form of supreme knowledge.

645-647. She is the One to be known through all the Vedas, she is the supreme Reality. supreme Bliss; she is worshipped through the mantra named after Lopamudra.

648-650. Many a universe is created by her in sport, but she cannot be seen, she transcends what is seen. 92

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

651-652. She is the knower and she has nothing else to know..

1

653-656. She is a yogini; she can besfaw yoga on others; she is also the object of yoga and the bliss realized in yoga.

657-658. She bears the yoke of ages; she is the power of will, the power of-knowledge and the power of action.

659-662. On her doth everything rest and she is the best support; she is both being and non-being, and she has an eightfold form.

663-668. She overcomes Avidya, she directs the *cosmic process; she is the One, the Infinite; she has no second, .she is ever without a' 'second.....

}

11

669-672. She is the giver of food, she is the giver of wealth; she is also the Primal One, she is the symbol of the oneness of Brahman and Aiman.

673-676. Immense she is; she is the widom of the Eternal; she belongs to the Eternal. 677-678. She loves our offering, she is the language we speak.

AI

7

21

J

A

679-680., Mighty armies she has; but being and non-being she has not.

681-683. She is easy to worship and she confers , blessings; her, path is both beneficent and easy. LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

93

684 686. She is the Ruler of those who rule over kings, she bestows dominion, she loves dominion..

i

687-689. She is gloriously compassionate; she raises her devotees to kingly seats; she is the goddess of sovereignty.

690-692. She presides over treasuries; she commands armies well-equipped in all the four arms; and she bestows imperial dominion.

693-698. She is wedded to Truth; her girdle is the sea; she is under a vow, she will quell the demons, she will subjugate the worlds and she will grant us all that we desire.

699-703. She is the creative Power; she is the absolute Sat-chit-ananda; she is not limited by space or time; she is present in all things; she casts her spell on all.

704-707. She is Sarasvati, she is all sciences; she

is the Mother that dwells in the cave of the heart, her form is subtle.

708 709. She is free from all limitations, she is Sadāśiva's devoted wife.

710-713. She is the guardian of the sacred tradition; she is rightly interpreted and denoted by the syllable I; she em94

LALITA SAHASRANAMA

bodies in herself the teaching of successive generations of teachers

714 716 She transcends the sphere of the senses, she is to be worshipped in the sphere of the sun, she is Maya, the mysterious power

717-718 She is Madhumat: the ultimate step to be taken by the highest yogin, and she is also Mah the common ground

719-722 She is the mother of Siva's hosts and she is worshipped by the divine guhyakas, her form is tender, she is the beloved of Siva, the great Guru

723 724 She is mistress of herself, she is the presiding deity of all Tantras

725-727. She took the form of Dahsın imurti and was worshipped by Sanaka and other, sages; and to them she imparted the knowledge of Siva

728-729 She is a spark of Divine Consciousness a spark of Divine Bliss

730-731

She is Love too and grants us what we love

732-734 She is pleased with the litany of her

names, she is the mantra of Nandıkesvara, she is the counterpart of Natesvara LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

95

735-737. She is the ground of this illusory universe; she is the giver of salvation, she is herself salvation.

She loves the rhythmic dance, she is the creator of harmony.

738-739.

740-741. She is modesty itself, and yet she is adored by Rambha and other celestial damsels.

742-743. She is the rain of nectar that puts out the wild fire of samsãra; and she herself is the wild fire that burns down the jungle of sin.

744 746. She is the wind that drives away the flakes of misfortune; she is the sun that lights up the gloom of old age, and she is the moon that sets up the tides of good fortune.

747-749. She is the cloud that makes the hearts of her devotees dance like peacocks with joy, she is the thunderbolt that strikes the mountain of disease and she is the axe that cuts down the tree of death.

750-753. She is the supreme Sovereign; she is Mahakali; she is the great Devourer, she is the great Destroyer.

754-756. She is Aparna, she is Chandika; she is the destroyer of the demons Chanda and Munda. 96

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

She is both the Perishable and the Imperishable; she is the Ruler of all the worlds and it is she that supports the whole universe.

757-759.

760-763. She can bestow on us the three objects of life, she is the goddess of affluence the three-eyed goddess; and in her the three dispositions of Nature are in harmony.

764. She can give us both the pleasures of Paradise and the eternal happiness of Moksa.

765-768. She is pure, her complexion is of the colour of the japa flower; she is full of energy, full of splendour.

769-772. She is the embodiment of sacrifice; she is fond of vows; she is hard to worship, hard to resist.

773-776. She is fond of Patalt flowers; she is the great goddess who resides on mount Meru and who loves mandāra flowers.

777-780. She is worshipped by warriors, she is the Virät; she is stainless and she faces all directions.

781-785. She is the self within, the ethereal self; she gives life, she is life itself; she is worshipped even by Martanda Bhairava.

786-788. Her kingdom is in her minister's charge; she is the Queen of Tripura and has victorious armies at her command. LALITÄ-SAHASRANAMA

97

789-791. She is devoid of the three dispositions of Nature, she is both high and low; she is Truth, Knowledge and Bliss.

792-794. She is the abode of equality, she is the equal partner of Siva and she wears a garland made of all the arts.

795-796. She is a Kāmadhuk to her devotees, she can assume any form she likes.

797-798. She is the treasure-house of all arts, she is the Art of Poesy.

799-800. She appreciates all the Rasas, she is herself a treasure-house of Rasa.

8018-03. She is full of vigour, she is the most ancient of beings; she is worthy of worship

801-805. Like a lotus in bloom is she, and lotuslike are her eyes.

806-809. She is the supreme Light, the supreme Abode; she is also the minutest atom and she is the supremest of the supreme.

810-812. She holds a noose in her hands, she cuts our bonds and breaks the enemy's spell.

813-815. She hath form, and yet she is formless, and she is satisfied even with our perishable offerings.

816-819. She is the swan that swims in the hearts of saints; she is vowed to truth, she

7 LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

is herself Truth and she pervades all things.

820 825. She is the ideal wife, the soul of the Creator; she is herself the Creator, she is the Mother of the universe; her forms are manifold and the wise worship her.

98

826-829. She gave birth to the world, she is aweinspiring; she is the divine commandment, she is indeed the foundation of all things.

830-833. Her form is manifest to all; she rules

our senses, she gives us life and she is the fifty basic sounds of our speech.

834 835. She is unfettered withal, and she lives in the hearts of the wise.

836-837. She is the mother of heroes; she is the mother of the skies above.

838-840. She is the giver of salvation; she is herself the abode of salvation; she is at the root of all powers.

841-843. She knows our thoughts, she can remove this disease of earthly existence; and it was she that set in motion the wheel of samsära.

844-847. She is the essence of the Vedas, the essence of the Sastras, the essence of all mantras-she, the goddess with the slender waist. LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

99

848-850 Extensive is her fame and boundless 15 her splendour-the very letters of our lingunge denote her form

851 She gives peace to us who are afflicted with birth, death and old age

854 856

All the Upanisads proclaim her being, she transcends even the state of peace She is inscrutable, she pervades all space, she is proud of her creation 857-860 She is fond of music, she is beyond the world of illusion, she is the goal of life, the end of all sin

852-853

861-863 She is half the person of her Lord, she is not subject to the law of cause and effect, she overflows with joy in the company of her Lord, Kamesvar 864-867 She wears in her ears ornaments of burnished gold, she as umes in sport any form she pleases, she is the unborn, she is not subject to decay 868-869 Youthful and charming is she, she is also easily pleased

870-871 Easy of worship is she for those whose gaze is turned inwaids, and difficult of attainment for those whose gaze is turned outwards

872-875 She is the threefold Veda, she is implicit

in the threefold aim of life, she resides in the three worlds, and she is the goddess of the threefold circle LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

She is free from the ills of life, she depends on none, she rejoices within herself-she is indeed a stream of nectar,

880

881-883

And very skilful is she in rescuing men who are sunk in the mire of sansara She loves sacrifices, she directs sacrifices and she takes the form of the sacrificer 884-886 She is the support of Dharma, she presides over riches, and it is she that causes the increase of riches and harvests

100

876-879

887-888. She loves the learned, she manifests herself as the learned

889-890 She causes the universe to revolve, but she also devours the universe at the end

891-893 Like coral is her complexion, but she has the powers of Vişnu and she takes the form of Visnu

894-896 She has no origin, she is the origin of all, and she is changeless

897-899 She is the goddess of the Kaula sect, she loves the company of heroic souls and she is herself heroic

900-902. She is free from action, she is the prima! sound and the realization of the Absolute

903-907 Blessed is she and wise as well, she dwells in the Bindu, she transcends all categories, she is the ultimate Reality 908

909 910

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

101

She is the 'That' and 'Thou' of the great Vedic passage

She loves the chant of the Sama Veda, she is the object of adoration in the Soma sacrifice

911-912 She is Sadasiva's devoted wife, and she is reached by both the paths-the Left as well as the Right

913-915 She wards off all dangers, she is ever self possessed and sweet by nature

916-917 She is wise, and rightly do the wise worship her

918-919 She is best worshipped with the offerings of the spirit, she loves the flowers of the spirit

920-922 She is ever sublime, ever pleased and ever rose-red like the morning sun

923-924 She is adored by both the learned and the unlearned, her tender face is ever wreathed in smiles

925-926 She is the ultimate object of Kaula worship and she confers the priceless state of ultimate bliss

927-929 She loves praire, she is worthy of praise, her glory is prused by the Vedas

930-935

Self possessed is she, and high minded

as well, she is the great Queen with a benignant form, she is the mother 102

941 942

LALITA SAHASRANĀMA

936 937 Her eyes are large, and she is utterly passionless

938-940

943-944

of the universe, the protectress of the world

She is supremely daring, supremely generous and supremely joyful.

She is all spirit, the skies above are but the hair of her head

She sits high in her celestial car, and the thunderbolt is the weapon she wields

945-946 She is the presiding deity of the leftward Kaula path, but she also loves the five sacrifices of the rightward Samaya path

947-948 She ever rests on a couch supported by five divine but inert forms, and yet of the fifth of these she is the consort

949-950. She rules over the five great lements, and she is worshipped with the five fold offerings

951-954 She is eternal, and eternal is her dominion, she gives eternal happiness

955-957 She is the earth on which all beings rest, she is the daughter of the mountain Himavat, supremely blessed is she

958 959 Righteous is she, and she promotes righteousness in others 103

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

960 963 She transcends all the worlds, transcends all attributes-indeed, she transcends all things, she is the soul of peace

964-967 She has the tender grace of a bandhuka blossom, she is 'eternally young and she delights in the sport of the

universe

967-968 Most auspicious is she in herself, she makes for auspiciousness

969-971 Graceful is her attire and, being herself married, she is ever pleased with the worship of married women

972-973 Lovely is she, and ever pure of mind 974-976 She is pleased with the libations offered to the Bindu, she is the first born, the mother-goddess of the threefold city 977-78 She is worshipped through the ten mudras and she controls Tripurasrı, the fifth of the deities of the threefold city

979-981 She is the mudra of knowledge, she is attained only through knowledge, but she is both knowledge and the object of knowledge

982-983 She is the mudra of creation as well, and she is also the presiding deity of the mudro which goes by the name of Trikhanda

984-986 She is endowed with the three qualities, she is the mother who dwells in the triangle of Sri Chakra 104

987-989

I ALITĀ SAHASRANAMA

She is stainless, her ways are wonderful, and she gives whatever objects we desire

990-993 She can be known only through concentrated meditation, she transcends the six modes of meditation, she is the prevenient Grace, the Light that dispels the darkness of ignorance

994-995 She can be understood by all-cven by a child or a cowherd, but none dare transgress her law

996-997 In the sovereign Sri Chakrashe lives-this divine Tripurasundari

998-1000 She is the blessed Siva himself, she is

indeed Siva and Sahtı in onc, she is Lalita the Mother

Thus did they sing the thousand names of the Godde s Lalita NOTES

NB The numbers in these Notes refer to the order of the names in the Sahasranama

3 The expression Simhasanesvarī means not only that the Devi is seated on a throne but also that the lion is her vahana. The lion plays an important part in Chandi's fight against Mahisasura

7. The Devi has three forms-sthúla (physical), sūksma (subtle) and parã (supreme). The description of the physical form begins with this name

11. The Tanmatras (subtle elements) are sound, touch, smell, form and taste.

25. Pure knowledge-the reference is to the Sodašāksarı mantra Her teeth resemble the sixteen syllables of the mantra.

27. The vint of Sarasvati is called Kacchapi

41. Indragopas are insects which are deep red in colour

52 After describing the physical form of the Goddess the poet now proceeds to describe her abode.

55 The mountain Meru is said to have four peaks Three of them are occupied by Brahma, Visnu and Siva In the middle is the fourth peak, it is four hundred yojanas in height This is occupied by the Devi

56 Śrīmannagara is also explained as Sri-chakra 106

LALITĀ-SAHASRANAMA

57 Chintamani is said to be a gem which yields all objects of desire The Devi's palace is built of these gems

58 The five Brahmãs are Brahma, Visnu, Rudra, Isvara and Sadasiva The first four are said to form the four legs of the Devi's couch and the fifth the counterpane on it

59 The 'lotus forest' may also have reference to the sahasrara-the thousand-petalled lotus, supposed to be the seat of Siva and Sakti in the head of man

60 Similarly the 'ocean of nectar' may have reference to the moon in the pericarp of sahasrara.

65 From here the author begins to refer to the details of the Devi's fight with Bhandasura The commentator points out that the fight is only an allegory. Bhanda is the Jiva steeped in ajñana and Lalita is the Atman and Saktis are the inherent powers of the soul

66 Sampatkarī is the Sakti who was at the head of the elephants in the army

The elephants are supposed to stand for the senseobjects

67. Aśvarudha is the Sakti who was at the head of the horse in the army. Horses are supposed to represent the senses

68 Chakraraja is a kind of chariot mentioned in the Lalitopakhyāna It may also be taken to mean the Sri Chakra NOTES.

107

69. Geyachakra is another kind of chariot, and Mantriņi is another name for Syâmalā.

70. Kirichakra, as its name indicates, is a chariot in the form of a boar, and Daṇḍanātha is another name for Vārähi.

71. Jvālāmālīnikā is a Sakti who was ordered by the Devi to construct a fortress of fire, a hundred yojanas in circumference and thirty yojanas in height. The Devi's army was stationed afterwards in this fortress.

73. Nityas are the fifteen deities who preside over the fifteen days of the bright fortnight (śukla pakşa) of the month. They destroyed the fifteen leaders of the armies of Bhanda.

74. Bālā is the nine-year old daughter of Lalitā; she distinguished herself in the battle by killing the sons of Bhanda who were thirty in number.

75-76. Vişanga and Visukra are the brothers of Bhanda. According to the Lalitopakhyānā, Bhanda himself created them out of his right and left shoulders. The commentator says that the sons of Bhanda stand for the impurities of the fettered soul. Vişanga stands for its worldliness and Viśukra for its egoism.

77. The Lalitopakhyāna says that in the course of the fight, when the Devi heard that her armies were fettered by the magical yantras of the Asuras, she looked at the face of her Lord and smiled, and from that smile arose a god with the head of an elephant. 108

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

78

Vighna-yantra was a magic figure inscribed on a slab which was thrown by Visukra on the army of the Devi It was broken to pieces by Ganesa

80 In the fight with the Devi, Bhanda threw upon her army a missile called Sarvasurästra and from this sprang up all the old Asuras like Ravana and Hiranyakasıpu whom Visnu had vanquished through his Avatars To counteract this missile the Devi created out of her own fingers' ends the Avatars of Visnu again.

81 It is said that Mahāpasupata is different from Pasupata The former mantra belongs to Sadasiva, the latter to Siva.

82 The weapon of Kamesvara is even more powerful than Mahapasupata Sünyaka is the capital of Bhand "Sainika" is another reading

83. After the fight was over all the gods headed by Brahma and Visnu waited on the Devi and praised her

84 When the gods prayed to Lalita for the life of Manmatha, the god of love and the husband of Rati, she was pleased to revive him

85. Now the author proceeds to describe the sūksma (subtle) form of the Devi The subtle form is made up of the Panchadasaksarı mantra More subtle than that is the Kama kala-bija, and the most subtle is the Kundalını sakt: The Panchadasaksarı mantra consists of three kutas or sections-Vagbhava-kuta, Kama-rajakata or Madhya-kuta and Saktı küta. The first is a NOTES

109

group of five syllables, the second of six syllables and the third of four syllables The Devi's face represents the Vagbhrva-küta, her trunk the Madhyakūta and her body below the waist the saktı küta

89 The commentator says that there is also a hidden meaning in this name The word mila means the subtler form of the Devi, namely, the Kama-kalā The three divisions are the three parts of Käma kalā. See Introduction for the explanation of Kama-kala.

90 After describing the suksma (subtle) and the sūksmatara (riore subtle) forms of the Devi, the author next proceeds to describe the suksmatama (most subtle) form is, that of Kundalini in müladhāra in man The Kundalini saktı which lies coiled like a serpent in mūlādbāra is roused by 3ogic exercises Then it goes up and piercing the six chakras-mülādhara, svādhiştāna, manipura, anahata, visuddhi and ajña-reaches the sahasrara in the head and from there causes streams of nectar to flow through the whole system. The whole process is referred to in the names that follow-Nos 99-111

91 For Kaula doctrines,

see Introduction

96. Akula is the name given to the thousandpetalled lotus at the bottom of susumnā nādi, below mülādhāra. This lotus is said to be red, whereas the thousand-petalled lotus called sahnsrära at the top of susumnă in the head is said to be white

97. For Samaya doctrines. see Introduction

99 For the chakras and the grandhis mentioned in the names 99-111 see Introduction. 110

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

109. Asakti here means the union of Siva and Sakti, 132. The commentator points out that nirädhärä may also mean nirädhara worship. Even internal worship is of two kinds-sädhära and nirädhära. The former is meditation on a mental image or a mantra, and the latter is simply the absorption of the mind in the Devi. The object of the nirädhāra worship is indicated in the names 133 to 198 by assertions, negations and the elimination of attributes.

199. From this name the author sets forth the saguna form of the Devi.

to the

207. It is said that there are eight centres from the centre of the eyebrows Brahma-randhra. Manonmani is the eighth centre just below the Brahmarandhra. It is so called because there the mind is transcended.

238. Srividya is of twelve kinds according to the twelve famous Upasakas of it-Manu, Chandra, Kubera, Lopamudra, Manmatha, Agastya, Agni, Sürya, Indra, Skanda, Siva and Dürväsa.

240. Chandra-mandala here means the pericarp of the sahasrära.

245. For Chakra-räjaor Sri Chakra, see Introduction. 249. The five Brahmãs who form the Devi's couch are described as 'pretas' because without Sakti they are inactive and powerless. Compare with this the first verse in Saundaryalahari-which says, "Only when united with Sakti is Šiva able to create, otherwise the god is unable even to stir."

Saundaryalahart is a stotra in praise of the Devi by Sankara Bhagavatpada. NOTES

111

256 In the names 256-263 the author points out that the Devi, like the Jiva, has different forms in the waking, dreaming, sleeping and the turtya states At the same time, she is also devoid of all such states According to the Vedanta, the Jiva has in these states the forms called vaikhanasa, taljasa, prajña, ātma respectively, and the Supreme Spirit has the forms called Virat, Hiranyagarbha, Isvara and Brahman respectively

264 In the names 264-274 the author describes the five functions of the Devi in her capacity as Iśvara controlling Maya-vis, creation, protection, destruction, absorption and resumption The mention of the last two is characteristic of Saiva and Sakta philosophies

280 The tradition that the Devi is the sister of Visnu is very old The statement occurs in Arjuna's hymn to Durga on the field of Kuruksetra

282 284 These names are, of course, reminiscent of the opening words of the Puruşa sukta

301 The syllable hrim is interpreted to mean crention, preservation and destruction

305 Rajaraja is Kubera, But the word may also mean an emperor

322 Kamakala-Kama here stands for both Kamesvara and Kamesvars, and kala means manifestation.

330 Kadambari in this name and Varuni in No 333 should be taken as wine offered to the Devi by the Kaula devotees 112

LALITA-SAHASRA VAMA

336 The tradition that the Devi resides in the Vindhya mountains is again very old It is mentioned an the Mahabharath hymns to Durga

341 The terms kşetra and ksetrajña are familiar to us from their use in the Bhagavad Gita Chap XIII 345 Ksetrapala is Jiva

354 Pasu is a technical term for the soul in bondage and pasa denotes the bonds

365 The grades of ananda beginning with manus ananda and ending with Brahmananda are given in a well known passage in the Ananda vall of the Taittırıya Upanisad

366 The names para, pasyantı, madhyama and vaikhari which occur in Nos 366 371 are technical terms for the four stages of Vah (speech) according to Sakta philosophy

375 379 The terms kama in 375 purna in 376, Jalandhara in 378 and odhyana in 379-refer to mula dhara anahata visuddhi and ajña chakras respectively 386 The six anges are-heart, head hair, eyes armour and weapons Or we may take angas to mean the well known six Vedangas The six good qualities are-prosperity, righteousness, fame riches, wisdom and detachment

391 The sixteen Nitvas are (1) Kamesvari (2) Bhagamalin, (3) Nityaklinna, (4) Bherunda, (5) Vahnısasını (6) Mahavajresviri (7) Svaduti (8) Tvirta (9) Kulasundari, (10) Nity, (11) Nila patakını, (12) Vijaya, (13) Sarvamingala, (14)

Jvalamalını, (15) Chitra, (16) Tripurasundari NOTES

113

392. The reference is to the Ardha-närīśvara form. 397 398. Mülaprakriti and Avyakta-both indicate, according to the Sankhya system, Primal Nature, from which are derived Mahat, Ahankāra, etc.

405. In the Devi-mahatmyam we read that Siva was sent as a messenger by the Devi. Hence she is called here Sivadūtī.

417. Cf. the famous verse in the Devi-mähätmyam:-ya devi sarvabhūteṣu cetanetyabhidiyate.

424. In the Säkta system the tattvas are thirty-six in number from Prithivi (earth) to Siva.

425-427. The commentator Bhaskararāyā divides tattvamayi here into three names-tat + tvam + ayi, Ayi is the familiar expression used in addressing a friend. Bhatta Nārāyaṇa, another commentator, more naturally takes tattvamayi as one name.

428. The five kośas in man according to the Vedānta philosophy are annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya and anandamaya.

438. Kurukulla is the name of the deity that presides over a well, called vimarśamaya, in Sripura.

439. Kula is a technical name given to the triad— the measurer, the act of measuring and the object measured.

440. Kulakunda is müladhara which is one of the abodes of the Goddess.

441. Bhaskararaya says that there are three modes in the worship of the Devi-samaya, mišra and kaula.

8 114

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

See Introduction for the doctrinal and other differences between samaya-marga and kaula-marga

453 The three eyes of the Devi are said to be the sun the moon and fire

454 Note that lolakşı kama-rupini is taken here as one word

468 Vajresvari is one of the guardian deities of Sri chakra

469 Vamadeva is Siva Hence his wife is called Vamadevi

471 Siddhas are the demigods who possess superhuman powers called siddhis

475-534 In this list of names the author identifies the Devi with the seven yoginis who preside over the seven chakras in man He gives their names, their functions, their forms, their weapons, their attendants and the offerings they like The following are the chakras and their yogiris in the order in which they are mentioned in the text:

(1) Visuddhi-Dakını (2) Anahata-Rākını (3) Manipura-Lakını (4) Svadhistana-Kakını (5) Muladhara-Sākını (6) Ajña-Hakını

(7) Sahasrara-Yakına

535-536 The word svaha is used when the gods are invoked to come and receive their offerings The word svadha is used when the Pitris are invoked NOTES

115

545 Pulomaja, the daughter of Rışı Puloma, is the wife of Indra When Indra lost his kingdom and was an exile his wife worshipped the Devi and got him restored

548 Vimarsa is a technical term in Sakta philosophy to denote the inherent power of vibration in Parama Siva which gives rise to creation, and prakasa is the term which denotes the other aspect of Siva-namely, that of self illumining thought. The Vimarsa sakti not only creates but also destroys the time process That is why the Devi is called kala hantri in No 577.

564 Mridani is the wife of Mrida, that 1, Siva. Mrida means the giver of happiness.

570 The vasanas referred to are (1) lovingkindness towards friends, (2) compassion towards the afflicted, (3) complacency towards the good, and (4) indifference towards the evil

577 Mätrikas are the letters of the alphabet They are fifty one in number and are supposed to be of different colours As all mantras and sastras are formed out of these, the Devi is identified with them She is also supposed to wear a garland of letters One of the aspects (called Kailasa-prastara) of Sri chakra is to identify the various parts of it with the fifty one letters of the alphabet

587 The sixteen syllabled mantra is got by adding one syllable (Srim) to the fifteen syllabled mantra Like the fourth pada of the Gayatri it is taught by the Guru only to very advanced upasakas 116

LALITA-SAHASRANAMA

588 The reference is to the three kutas of the Panchadasaksari mantra

589 Kama here means Paramasiva and koti means aim or goal

591-592 The Devi is supposed to reside in the Brahma randhra in the head The pericarp of the sahasrara lotus' below Brahma randhra is like the moon There is also veiled reference here to the third kut of the Panchadas: vidya

593-594 The Devi resides in the forehead in the form of the bindu of the syllable hrim

59596 In the heart where she is contemplated she has the form of the sun as anahata which is near the heart, forms part of the solar region in the body This is a reference to the second kuta of the Panchadasıvidya The chakras in the human body are grouped

thus

(1) muladhara and svadhistana-fire (2) manipura and anahata-sun (3) Visuddhi and ajña-moon (4) sahasrara the higher moon

600 The legend of Daksa s sacrifice has many forms The substance of it is that Daksa one of the Prajapatis wanted to perform a sacrifice, from which Siva was to be excluded Thereupon Uma the wife of Siva (and the daughter of Daksa in her former birth) instigated her husband to display his power and assert himself Accordingly Siva went to the sacrifice with a host of his followers, broke up the sacrifice and injured the gods assembled NOTES

117

605. Go' in Sanskrit has many meanings. It is best to take the word here to mean 'speech'.

610. The Devi has to be worshipped, according to the Tantras, on the fifteen days of the bright fortnight (Sukla pakşa) in the form of Nitya deities-beginning with Kāmesvari and ending with Chitrā.

622. Klim is the Kamaraja-bija.

626. Tri-pura-Older than the Trimurti. Being the Para Sakti, she is prior to the Trimurti.

628. She has three qualities-sattva, rajas and tamas and also three colours-white, red and dark. Or we may take the three forms to be Iccha-śakti, Jñana-Sakti and Kriya-śakti (see No. 658).

630. The three syllables here mean the three groups of syllables in the Panchadasi mantra.

639. Notice the name here is avara-da-one who slays the wicked Asuras.

647. Lopamudrà is the wife of Agastya. The Panchadasi mantra is also called Lopamudra mantra (See Note on No. 238).

662. It is best to take the eight forms here as the carth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intellect and egoism, as in the Bhagavad Gita VII. 4.

663. Ajā (the unborn) is avidya, and the Devi is the conqueror of avidyā.

667. Nos, 667, 668, 672 and 735 show the Advaiti has is of the Sahasranama. 118

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

683. Note that Sobhana-sulabhā-gatih is here taken as one compound to avoid the repetition of No. 462. 691. The chaturanga of an army in ancient India consisted of the cavalry, elephant force, chariots and infantry.

711-712. The expression sadhvi is divided here into sãdhu+i, so as to avoid the repetition of No. 128. Hence we have two names. The first one-säādhumeans ucitam or proper. The meaning is that the Devi is properly interpreted as the Power that dispels ajñāna. The second one, viz., is the fourth letter of the alphabet, with the bindu becomes in which symbolizes Kāma-kalā. For the explanation of Kamakalā see Introduction.

714. Kula here means the senses.

717. Madhumati is the name given to the highest plane which the most advanced yogin has to cross. The Devi is here identified with that plane.

722. Gurupriya-Siva is the guru of the world and the Devi is his beloved.

725-727. The reference here is to the story that Siva once took the form of the sixteen-year-old Dakşiņāmürti and by his very silence imparted the highest knowledge to Sanaka and other Rişis. The Devi is here identified with that Guru. It is to be noted that Dakşināmürti is the Rişi of the followers of Dakṣiṇachāra among the Sāktas.

733. Nandi or Nandikeśvara is the chief attendant of Siva. Nateśvara in the next name is Siva himself. NOTES

119

735. Notice that, by calling the world mithya, the author subscribes himself to the Maya-vada of Sankara.

754. Parvati, the daughter of IIimavat, was called aparna because, when she was making tapas for obtamning Siva, she abstained from taking even a leaf (parna) as food

755 Chandika was the form that the Devi took for killing Mahisasura, as narrated in the Markandeya Purana

756 It is narrated in the Märkandeya Purana that when Käli killed the two Asuras-Chanda and Munda, Chandika was pleased and conferred on her the title of Chamunda.

766 Japa flower is the so-called china rose

773

Patali is the pale red trumpet flower

776

Mandāra is the flower of the coral trec-one of the five trees in Indra's Paradise

785 Mārtānda-bhairava is one of the eight Bhairava forms of Siva.

786 Lalita Deva's mantrını is Syamalambă according to the Lalitopakhyāna

790 Para and Apara are the unconditioned and the conditioned forms respectively of Brahman

793. She is the abode of equality-the equality of Siva and Sakti

795. Kāmadhuk is the well known celestial cow which yields whatever one desires. 120

LALITĀ-SAHASRANĀMA

799. Rasa in literature means idealized emotion. There are nine rasas beginning with śringāra according to Sanskrit writers on aesthetics.

840. The müla-vigraha is the Raja-rajeśvarī śakti which is the source of all other Saktis.

860. The name here is akanta-aka (sin)+anta (end).

873. The three Vargas are dharma, artha and kāma. 875. Tripuramalini is the goddess of the Antardasāra chakra which is one of the parts of Sri Chakra. 895. Yoni-nilayā may also be interpreted as one ho dwells in the triangle of Sri Chakra'.

897. Kula here means the Kaula cult.

898. Vira here may be a technical term. The Tantra divides all men into three classes-pasu (animal), vira (heroic), divya (divine), according to the three predominant qualities-Tamas, Rajas and Sattva.

905. The reference here is to the Bindu (called Sarvanandamaya) in Sri Chakra.

906. The tativas or categories are twenty-five in number according to the Sankhya system, and thirtysix according to the Saiva and Säkta systems. (See Introduction).

908. The reference here is to the famous Mahävākya Tat-tvam-asi (That thou art) in the Chandogya Upanişad.

912. Notice that the Devi is represented here as favouring both the Samaya and the Kaula forms of the worship of the Goddess. NOTES

121

918-919. Notice how the author spiritualizes the Sākta worship in these two names.

925. Kaulini-kevala is taken as one name to avoid the repetition of No. 94.

947. The five pretas' are the same Brahmās as are mentioned in No. 58. They are represented here as dead, because without the Devi they are absolutely powerless.

948. The fifth of these gods is Sadasiva.

950. The five offerings are gandha (sandal), puşpa (flowers), dhūpa (incense), dipa (light), and naivedya (food).

964. Bandhūka is a red flower. The Devi, being the Vimarsa Sakti, is always imagined to be of rosy or red colour.

971. This name may mean either that the Devi is pleased with the worship performed by married women or that she is pleased with the worship of married women (as representatives of the Goddess) by others,

972. Notice that the name here aśobhanã means ever beautiful.

974. The commentator says that the offerings in the Bindu (called Sarvanandamaya) in Sri Chakra should be milk by Brahmans, ghee by Ksatriyas, honey by Vaisyas and mead by Sūdras.

977. Mudrās are ritual gestures by means of the fingers of the hands. There are ten recognized mudrās. 122

LALITA-SAHASRANĀMA

Three of them are mentioned in the text-jnana-mudrā, yon-mudra and, trikhanda-mudra.

978. Tripurāśrī is the deity that presides over the fifth chakra in Sri Chakra.

991. The six 'adhvas' referred to are:--

(1) pada (words), (2) bhuvana (worlds), (3) varṇa (letters), (4) tattva (categories), (5) kalā (parts) and (6) mantra (mantras).

And it is said that, of these, words, letters and mantras belong to Saktí as Vimarsa; and that worlds, categories and parts belong to Siva as Prakāša.

998-999. These two names indicate the absolute equality and identity of Siva and Sakti.

1000. Lalitāmbika-this is the last name.

They the goddesses of speech, who had been com-
manded by the Devi to sing the Sahasranāma.
॥ श्रीः ॥

॥ श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः ॥

नमः

ओं श्रीमात्रे " श्रीमहारापै श्रीमसिहासनेश्वर्यै

चिदग्निकुण्डसम्भूतायै

देवकार्यसमुद्यतायै

उद्यद्भानुसहस्राभायै

चतुर्थासमन्वितायै रागस्वरूपपाशाट्यायै क्रोधाकाकशोज्ज्वलायै मनोरूपेक्षुकोदण्डायै १०

पञ्चतन्मात्र सायकायै

निजारुण प्रमापूरमअह्याण्डमण्डलायै

चम्पकाशोकपुन्नागसौग

न्धिकलसत्कचायै

कुरुविन्दमणिश्रेणीकनत्कोटीरमण्डितायै

अष्टमीचन्द्रविम्राजदलिकस्थल शोभितायै मुखचन्द्रकलङ्काभमृगनाभिविशेषका यै

वदनस्मरमाङ्गल्यगृहतोरण चिलिकायै वक्त्रलक्ष्मीपरीवाहचलमनामलोचनायै नवचम्पकपुष्पामनासादण्डविराजितायै ताराकान्तितिरस्कारिनासाभरणभासुरायै कदम्बम खरीक्ऌसकर्णपूरमनोहरायै ताटङ्कयुगलीभूततपनोडुपमण्डलायै पद्मरागशिलादर्शपरिमाविकपोलमूवे नवविद्रुमषिम्यश्रीन्यकारिदशनच्छदायै शुद्धविद्या कारद्विजपतिद्वयोज्ज्वला ये कर्पूरवटिकामोद समाकर्षद्दिगन्तरायै निजसलापमाधुर्य विनिर्म त्सितकच्छप्यै

नमः

२० 124

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

नमः

ओं मन्दस्मितप्रभापूरमजल्कामे- यो कामेशज्ञातसौभाग्यशमानसाये अनाकलित सादृश्य चुबुकश्री. विराजिताये

कामेशयद्धमाङ्गल्यसूत्रशोभितकन्धरायै कनकाइद केयूरकमनीयभुजान्वितायै रत्नमैवेय चिन्ताकलोल

३०

मुक्ताफलान्वितायै

कामेश्वरप्रेमरत्नमणिप्रतिपणस्तन्यै नाम्यालवालरोमालिलताफल कुचद्वय्यै लक्ष्यरोमलताधारतासमुनेयमध्यमायै स्तनभारदलन्मध्यपट्टचन्धवलित्रयायै अरुणारुणकौसुम्भवस्त्रभास्वत्कटीतट्यै रत्नकिङ्किणिकारम्यरशनादामभूषितायै

मार्दवो रुद्रयान्वितायै नमः माणिक्यमकुटाकारजानुद्वय विराजिताये इन्द्रगोपपरिक्षिसस्मरतूणाम जाहिकायें गूढगुफाये कूर्मपृष्ठन विष्णुप्रपदान्विताये नखदीधितिसंछन्ननमअनतमोगुणायै

पदद्वयप्रभाजालपराकृतसरोरुहाये

शिक्षानमणिमञ्जीरमण्डित श्रीपदाम्बुजायै मरालीमन्द गमनायै महालावण्यशेवधये

सर्वारुणायै अनवद्यायै सर्वाभरणभूपितायै शिवकामेश्वराङ्कस्थायै शिवायें

४०

५० श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

औं स्वाधीनवलमायै सुमेरुमध्यगृहस्थायै श्रीमन्नगरनायिकायै

चिन्तामणिगृहान्तः स्थाये

पञ्चद्या सनस्थितायै

महापद्माटवीसंस्थायै

कदम्बवनवासिन्यै सुधासागरमध्यस्थायै

कामाक्ष्ये कामदायिन्यै देवपिंगणसङ्घातस्तूयमानात्मवैभवायै

1

नमः ओं किरिचकरथारूढदण्डनाथपुरस्कृतायै ७० नमः

६०

मण्डासुरवधोयुक्तशक्तिसेनासमन्वितायै सम्पत्करीसमारूढसिन्धुरनजसेवितायै अश्वारूढाधिष्ठिताश्च कोटिकोटिभिरावृतायै चक्रराजरथा रूढ सर्वायुधपरिष्कृतायै गेयचक्ररथारूढ मन्त्रिणीपरिसेवितायै

ज्वालामालिनिकाक्षिप्तवह्निप्राकारमध्यगाये

125

भण्डसैन्यवधोयुक्तशक्तिविक्रमहर्षितायै

नित्यापराक्रमाटोपनिरीक्षण समुत्सुकायै मण्डपुत्रवधोयुक्तबालाविक्रमनन्दितायै

मन्त्रिण्यम्चाविरचितविपशवधतो पितायै

विशुकप्राणहरणवाराहीवीर्यनन्दितायै कामेश्वरमुखालोककल्पित श्रीगणेश्वराये महागणेश निर्भिनविनयन्त्रप्रहर्षितायै भण्डासुरेन्द्र निर्मुक्तशस्त्रप्रयस्त्रवर्षिण्यै कराइ लिनखोसन्ननारायणदशाकृत्यै

८० 326

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओं अकुलायै

ओं महापाशुपतास्त्राग्निनिर्दग्धासुर सैनिकायै कामेश्वरात्र निर्दग्धसनमः

भण्डासुरशून्य कार्य

ब्रह्मोपेन्द्र महेन्द्रादिदेवसंस्तुतवैभवायै हरनेत्राग्नि सन्दग्धकामसंजीवनौषध्ये

श्रीमद्वाग्मच कूटैक स्वरूपमुखपङ्कजाये कण्ठाधः कटिपर्यन्तमध्य कूटकुलाङ्गनाये कुलान्तःस्थायै

कौलिन्यै

कुलयोगिन्यै

स्वरूपिण्यै शक्ति कूटैकतापन्न कट्यधोभागधारिण्यै मूलमन्त्रात्मिकायै

मूलकूटत्रय कलेचरायै कुलामृतैकर सिकायै ९०

कुलसङ्केतपालिन्यै

समयान्तःस्थायै समयाचारतत्पराये मूलाधारै कनिलयायै ब्रह्मग्रन्थिविभेदिन्यै १०० मणिपूरान्तरुदिता यै

विष्णुग्रन्थि विभेदिन्यै

आज्ञाचकान्तरालस्थायै

रुद्रग्रन्थिविभेदिन्यै

सहस्राराम्बुजारूढायै

सुधासाराभिवर्षिण्यै

तटिलतासमरुज्यै पट्चक्रोपरिसस्थितायै

महासक्त्ये कुण्डलिन्यै बिसतन्तुतनीयस्यै भवान्यै भावनागम्यायै मवारण्यकुठारिकायै

भद्रप्रियायै मद्रमूर्त्यै भक्तसौभाग्यदायिन्यै

नमः

११० श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

व भक्तिप्रियायै

भक्तिगम्यायै

भक्तिवश्यायै १२०

भयापहायै

शाम्मव्यै

शारदाराध्याये

शर्वाण्य

शर्मदायिन्यै

शायें श्री क

साध्यै

शरच्चन्द्रनिभाननायै शातोदय

शान्तिमत्यै

निराधाराये

निरञ्जनाये

निर्लेपाये

निर्मलायै

नित्याये

निराकारायै

निराकुलाये निर्गुणा ये

नमः ओं निष्कलाये शान्ताये निष्कामाये

निरुपलवाये

नित्यमुक्तायै

निर्विकारायै

निष्प्रपञ्चायै

निराश्रयायै

१३०

शुद्धायै

नित्यबुद्धायै

निरवद्यायै

निरन्तरायै

निष्कारणाये

निष्कलङ्कायै

निरुपाधये

निरीश्वरायै

नीरागायै

रागमथन्ये

निर्मदाये

मदनाशिन्यै

निश्चिन्तान्यै

निरहङ्काराये

127

नमः

१४०

१५०

१६० 128

ओ निर्मोहायै मोहनाशिन्यै

निर्ममायै

ममताइन्ध्यै

निष्पापाये

पापनाशिन्यै

निष्क्रोधायै

क्रोधशमन्यै

निर्लोभायै लोमनाशिन्यै

निःसंशयायै

संशयध्यै

निर्भवायै

भवनाशिन्यै

निर्विकल्पाये

निराबाधाये

निर्भेदायै

भेदनाशिन्यै

निर्माशायै

मृत्युमधन्ये

निष्क्रियायै

निष्परि

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

नमः ओं निस्तुलायै नीलचिकुरायै निरपायायै

१७०

१८०

निरत्ययायै

दुर्लभायै दुर्गमायै दुःखहन्ध्ये

सुखप्रदायै

दुष्टदूराये दुराचारशमन्यै

दोपवर्जितायै

सर्वज्ञायै

सान्द्रकरुणायै समानाधिकवर्जिताये

सर्वशक्तिमय्यै

सर्वमङ्कलायै

सद्गतिप्रदायै

नमः

१९०

२०० ओं मनोन्मन्यै

माहेश्वर्यै महादेव्यै

महालक्ष्म्यै

मृडप्रियायै

महारूपायै महापूज्यायै महापातकना शिन्यै

महामायायै

महासत्त्वायै

महाशक्त

महारत्यै

महामोगा ये

महैश्वर्याये

महावीर्यायै

महावलायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

महाबुद्धवै

महासिद्ध्यै

महायोगेश्वरेश्वर्यै

महातन्त्रायै

महामन्त्रायै महायन्त्रायै

9

नमः ओं महासनायै

२१०

२२०

नमः

महायागक्रमाराध्यायै २३० महाभैरवपूजितायै महेश्वरमहाकल्पमहाताण्डवसाक्षिण्यै महा कामेशमहिष्यै

129

महात्रिपुरसुन्द चतुःपष्टघपचाराठ्यायै चतुःषष्टिकलामय्यै महाचतुःपष्टिकोटियोगिनीगण सेविताये मनुविद्यायै चन्द्र विद्यायै

चन्द्रमण्डलमध्यगाये २४०

चारुरूपायै

चारुहासा यै

चारुचन्द्रकलाधरायै

चराचरजगन्नाथायै चक्रराजनिकेतनायै

पार्वत्यै पद्मनयनायै पद्मरागसमप्रभायै । श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओं पञ्चप्रेतासनासीनायै नमः ओं ईश्वर्यै पञ्चब्रह्मस्वरूपिण्यै २५०

130

चिन्मय्यै परमानन्दायै विज्ञानघनरूपिण्यै ध्यानध्यातृध्येय रूपायै

धर्माधर्मविवर्जितायै

विश्वरूपायै

जागरिण्यै

स्वपन्त्यै

तैजसात्मिकायै

सुप्तायै प्राज्ञात्मिकायै

तुर्यायै सर्वावस्थाविवर्जितायै

सृष्टिक

ब्रह्मरूपायै

गोये

२६०

गोविन्दरूपिण्यै

संहारिण्यै रुद्ररूपायै

तिरोधानक २७०

सदाशिवायै अनुग्रहदायै पञ्चकृत्यपरायणायै भानुमण्डलमध्यस्थायै भैरव्यै भगमालिन्यै

पद्मासनायै

गगवत्यै

नमः

पद्मनाभसहोदर्यै २८० उन्मेषनिमिपोत्पन्नविपन्नभुवनावल्यै सहस्रशीर्षवदनायै

सहस्राक्ष्यै सहस्रपदे आमाकीटजनन्यै

वर्णाश्रमविधायिन्यै

निजाज्ञारूप निगमायै

पुण्यापुण्यफलप्रदायै श्रुतिसीमन्तसिन्दूरीकृतपादाब्जधूलिकायै सकलागमसंन्दोहशक्तिसंटमौक्तिका २९० ओं पुरुषार्थप्रदायै पूर्णा ये मोगिन्यै

श्रीललिता सहस्रनामावलिः

नमः ओं रमायै

भुवनेश्वर्यै अम्बिकायै अनादिनिधनायै हरिमोन्द्र सेवितायै

नारायण्यै

नादरूपायै

नामरूपविवर्जितायै ३००

ह्रीं कार्ये

ही मत्यै

हायै

योपादेयवर्जितायै

राजराजाचिंतायै

राज्यै रम्यायै राजीवलोचनायै

रजन्यै

रमण्ये

रस्यायै रणरिक किणिमेसलायै

३१०

राकेन्दुवदनायै

रतिरूपायै रतिप्रियायै

रक्षाक

राक्षसन्यै रामायै

रमणलम्पटायै

काम्यायै कामकलारूपायै कदम्बकुसुमप्रियायै

कल्यण्यै जगतीकन्दायै करुणारससागरायै

कलावत्यै

कलालापायै

कान्तायै

कादम्वरीप्रियायै

वरदायै वामनयनायै वारुणीमदविलायै विश्वाधिकायै

131

नमः

३२०

३३० 132

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओं वेदवेद्यायै विन्ध्याचलनिवासिन्यै

विधाध्यै

वेदजनन्यै

विष्णुमायायै विलासिन्यै क्षेत्रस्वरूपायै

क्षेत्रेश्यै क्षेत्रक्षेत्रज्ञपालिन्यै क्षयवृद्धि विनिर्मुक्तायै

क्षेत्रपालसमर्चितायै

विजयायै

विमलायै

वन्द्यायै वन्दारुजनवत्सलायै वाग्वादिन्यै वामकेश्यै चह्निमण्डलवासिन्यै

भक्तिमत्कल्पलतिकायै

पशुपाशविमोचिन्यै

हताशेषपापण्डायै

सदाचारप्रवर्तिकाय

नमः ओं तापत्रयाग्निसन्तप्तसमाहृादनचन्द्रिकायै नमः

३४०

३५०

तरुण्यै

तापसाराध्यायै

तनुमध्याये तमोऽपहायै चित्यै तत्पदलक्ष्यार्थीयै चिदेकर सरूपिण्यै

स्वात्मानन्दलवीभूतब्रह्माद्यानन्द सन्तत्यै

परायै प्रत्यचिचती रूपायै पश्यन्त्यै परदेवतायै

मध्यमायै

वैखरी रूपायै भक्तमान सहंसिकायै कामेश्वरप्राणनाड्यै

• कृतज्ञायै कामपूजितायै शृङ्गाररस सम्पूर्णायै

३६०

३७० ओं जयायै जालन्धरस्थितायै

भोड्याणपीठनिलयायै

विन्दुमण्डलवासिन्यै

रहोयागमाराध्यायै

रहस्तर्पणतपिंतायै

सद्यः प्रसादिन्यै

विश्वसाक्षिण्यै

साक्षिवर्जितायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

पडङ्गदेवतायुक्तायै

पाड्गुण्यपरिपूरिता यै

प्रभावत्यै प्रभारूपायै

नित्यक्किन्नायै

निरुपमा यै

निर्वाणसुखदायिन्यै ३९० नित्यापोडशिकारूपायै श्रीकण्ठार्धशरीरिण्यै

प्रसिद्धायै

परमेश्वर्ये

मूलप्रकृत्यै अव्यक्तायै

नमः ओं व्यक्ताव्यक्तस्वरूपिण्यै नमः

४००

व्यापिन्यै विविधाकारायै

विद्याविद्यास्वरूपिण्यै महाकामेशनयनकुमुदाह्लाद कौमुये भक्तहार्दतमोमेद गानुमद्भानुसन्तत्यै

शिवदूत्यै शिवाराध्याये

शिवमूर्त्यै

शिवछयै

शिवप्रियायै

शिवपरायै

शिष्टेष्टायै

शिष्टपूजितायै

अप्रमेयाये

स्वप्रकाशायै मनोवाचामगोचरायै

133

चिच्छक्त्यै चेतनारूपायें जडशक्त्यै

४१० 134

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओंजडात्मिकायै गायत्र्यै व्याहृत्यै सन्ध्यायै द्विजवृन्द निपेवितायै तत्त्वासनायै

*तस्मै

तुभ्यं

अय्य

पञ्चकोशान्तरस्थितायै निःसीममहिम्ने नित्ययौवनायै मदशालिन्यै मदघूर्णितरक्ताक्ष्यै मदपाटलगण्डभुवे चन्दनद्रवदिग्धायै

चाम्पेय कुसुम प्रियायै कुशलाये कोमलाकारायै

कुरुकुलायै कुलेश्वर्ये कुलकुण्डालयायै

नमः ।ओं कौलमार्ग तत्परसेवितायै नमः कुमारगणनाथाम्बायै

४२०

४३०

तुष्टये

पुथ्यै

मत्ये धृत्यै शान्त्यै

स्वस्तिमध्ये

कान्त्यै नन्दिन्यै विनाशिन्यै

तेजोवत्यै त्रिनयनायै लोलाक्षीकामरूपिण्यै

मालिन्यै इंसिन्ये मात्रे

गल्याचलवासिन्यै

सुमुख्यै

नलिन्यै

सुवे शोमनाये

४५०

४६०

४४०

●"तस्मयो" इत्यस रात, घं, अयी इति त्रिधा विभज्य तस्मे नमः, तुम्य नमः, अय्यै नमः इति माध्यवारैः व्यख्यातम् । श्रिललितासहस्रनामावलिः

135

नमः ओं अनाहताब्जनिलयायै नमः

श्यामाभायै

वदनद्वयायै

दंष्टोज्ज्वलायै

अक्षमालादिवरायै रुधिरसंस्थितायै कालरात्र्यादिशक्त्यौघवृतायै स्निग्धौदन प्रियायै

ऑ सुरनायिकायै कालकण्ठ्ये कान्तिमध्ये

क्षोभिण्यै सूक्ष्मरूपिण्यै

वज्रेश्वर्ये

वामदेव्यै

वयोवस्थाविवर्जितायै ४७०

सिद्धेश्वर्यै सिद्धविद्यायै

सिद्धमात्रे

यशस्विन्यै विशुद्धिचक्रनिलयायै

आरक्तवर्णायै

त्रिलोचनायै

महावीरेन्द्रवरदायै

राकिण्यम्वास्वरूपिण्यै मणिपूरा ब्जनिलयायै

वदनत्रयसंयुतायै वज्रादिका युधोपेतायै डामर्यादिमिरावृतायै

त्वक्स्थायें

लोकम यमृतादिमहाशक्तिसंवृतायै डाकिनीश्वर्ये

४९०

रक्तवर्णायै

खट्वाङ्गादिप्रहरणायै

मासनिष्ठायै

वदनैकसमन्वितायै पायसान्नप्रियायै ४८० समस्तभक्तसुखदायै

गुडान्नप्रीतमान साथै

लाकिन्यम्वास्वरूपिण्यै

स्वाधिष्ठानाम्बुजगतायै चतुर्वक्त्रमनोहरायै शूलाचायुसम्पन्नायै

५०० 136

श्रिीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओं पीतवर्णायै अतिगर्वितायै

दोनिष्ठायै

मधुप्रीतायै बन्दिन्यादिसमन्विताये दध्यन्नासक्तहृदयायै

काकिनीरूपधारिण्यै

मूलाधाराम्बुजारूढायै

पञ्चवक्त्रायै

अस्थिसंस्थितायै

अकुशादिप्रहरणायै

वरदादिनिपेवितायै

नमः । ओं हाकिनीरूपचारिण्यै नमः सहस्रदलमध्यस्थायै सर्ववर्णोपशोभितायै सर्वायुधधरायै शुक्लसंस्थितायै सर्वतोमुख्यै सर्वोदनप्रीत चित्तायै याकिन्यम्वास्वरूपिण्यै

५१०

मुद्गौदनासक्तचित्तायै

साकिन्यम्वास्वरूपिण्यै ५२०

आज्ञाचक्राब्जनिलयाये

शुक्लनर्णायै

पडाननायै

मज्जासंस्था यै हंसवती मुख्यशक्तिसमन्वि तायै हरिद्रान्नैकरसिकायै

स्वाहायै

स्वधाये

अमत्ये

मेधायै

श्रुत्यै

स्मृत्यै अनुत्तमायै

पुण्यकर्त्यै पुण्यलभ्यायै पुण्यश्श्रवण कीर्तनायें पुलोमजाचिंतायै बन्धमोचन्ये *बन्धुरालकायै

•वरालकेति पाठे बर्बरालकाय नमः इति प्रयोज्यः ।

५३०

५४० ओं विमर्शरूपिण्यै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

विद्यायै वियदादिजगत्प्रसुवे सर्वव्याधिप्रशमन्यै

सर्वमृत्युनिवारिण्यै

अग्रगण्याये अचिन्त्यरूपायै कलि कल्पनाशिन्यै

कात्यायन्यै

कामहन्थ्ये

कमलाक्षनिषेविताये

ताम्बूलमुख्यै

मित्ररूपिण्यै

नित्यतृप्तायै

भक्तनिधये

नियन्त्र्यै निखिलेश्वर्यै

दाडिमी कुसुमप्रभायै ५६०

मृगाक्ष्ये

मोहिन्यै

मुख्यायै

मृडान्यै

नमः ओं मैन्यादिवासनालभ्यायै नमः महाप्रलयसाक्षिण्यै

५५०

पराशक्त्यै परानिष्ठायै

प्रज्ञानघनरूपिण्यै माध्वीपानालसायै

मत्तायै मातृका वर्णरूपिण्यै महाकैलासनिलयायै

मृणालमृदुदोर्लतायै

महनीयाये

दया मूर्त्यै महासाम्राज्यशालिन्यै

आत्मविद्यायै

महाविद्यायै

श्रीविद्यायै

कामसेवितायै श्रीपोडशाक्षरीविद्यायै

137

५८०

त्रिकूटायै कामकोटिकायें कटाक्षकिङ्करीभूतकमलाकोटिसेवितायें

५९० 138.

ओं शिरःस्थितायै चन्द्रनिभायै फालस्थायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

इन्द्रधनुष्प्रमायैः

हृदयस्थायै

रविप्रख्यायै

त्रिकोणान्तर दीपिका

दाक्षायण्यै

दैत्यहन्त्र्यै

नमः ओं कलानाथाये काव्यालापविनोदिन्यै सचामररमावाणीसव्यदक्षिणसेविताये

दक्षयज्ञविनाशिन्यै ६०० रान्दोलित दरहासोज्ज्वलन्मुख्यै

गुरुमूर्त्यै गुणनिधये गोमाले गुहजन्मभुवे

देवेश्यै दण्डनीतिस्थागै दहराकाशरूपिण्यै

प्रतिपन्मुख्यराकान्ततिथि. मण्डलपूजितायै ६१०

कलात्मिकायै

नमः

आदिशक्त्यै

अमेयायै

आत्मने

परमायै

पावनाकृतये अकोटण्डजनन्यै दिव्य विग्रहायै

क्लींकायै केवलायै

गुह्यायै कैवल्यपददायिन्यै

त्रिपुरायै त्रिजगद्वन्द्यायै

त्रिमूर्त्यै त्रिदशेश्वयै

व्यक्ष दिव्यगन्धाढ्यायै सिन्दूर तिलकाञ्चितायै

६३० ओं उमायै

शैलेन्द्र तनयायै

ग गन्धर्व सेवितायै

विश्वगर्भायै

स्वर्णगर्माये

अवरदायै

वागधीश्वर्ये

ध्यानगम्यायै

अपरिच्छेद्यायै

श्रीललिता सहस्रनामावलिः

ज्ञानदायै

ज्ञानविग्रहायै

सर्ववेदान्त संवेद्यायै

अदृश्यापै

दृश्यरहितायै

विज्ञाव्ये वेद्यवर्जितायै

योगिन्यै

योगदायै

नमः ओं योग्यायै योगानन्दायै युगन्धरायै इच्छाशक्तिज्ञानशक्तिक्रियाशक्तिस्वरूपिण्यै

६४०

सत्यानन्दस्वरूपिण्यै लोपामुद्रा चिंतायै लीलाक्ऌप्तब्रह्माण्ड मण्डलायै

६५०

सर्वाधाराये

सुप्रतिष्ठायै सदसद्रपधारिण्यै अष्टमूत्यै अजात्र्यै लोकयालाविधायिन्यै

एकाकिन्यै

भूमरूपायै

निर्देताये

द्वैतवर्जितायै

अन्नदायै

वसुदायै

वृद्धायै

ब्रह्मात्मैक्यस्वरूपिण्यै

वृहत्यै

ब्राह्मण्ये

ब्राहायै

139

नमः

६७० 140

ओं ब्रह्मानन्दायै वलिप्रियायै

मापारूपायै

बृहत्सेनाये

श्रितायै राज्यलक्ष्म्यै कोशनाथायै चतुरगवलेश्वर्यै साम्राज्यदायिन्यै

भावामावविवर्जितायै ६८०

सुखाराध्यायै शुभक शोभनासुलभागत्यै राजराजेश्वर्यै राज्यदायिन्यै राज्यवल्लभायै

राजत्कृपाये राजपीठनिवेशित निजासत्यसन्धायै

सागरमेखलायें

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

दीक्षितायै दैत्यशमन्ये

नमः

६९०

ओं सर्वलोकवशङ्कर्ये सर्वार्थदात्र्यै सावित्र्यै सच्चिदानन्दरूपिण्यै ७०० देशकालारिच्छिन्नायै सर्वगाये सर्वमोहिन्यै

सरस्वत्यै शास्त्रमध्ये

गुहाम्बायै

गुह्यरूपिण्यै सर्वोपाधिविनिर्मुक्तायै सदाशिव पतिव्रतायै संप्रदायेश्वर्यै

* साधुने ये

गुरुमण्डलरूपिण्यै कुलोत्तीर्णायै भगाराध्यायै

मायायै

मधुमत्यै मही

नमः

७१०

* 'साध्वी इत्यत्र 'साधुने नमः, ये नमः' इति द्वे नामानी माध्यकारैः 'ये नमः' इत्यस्य विष्णुभगिनीरूपायै नमः इत्यर्थो विष्टतः ॥ ओं गणाम्बायै

गुकाराध्यायै

कोमलाइये

गुरुप्रियायै

स्वतन्त्रायै

सर्वतन्तेश्यै दक्षिणामूर्तिरूपिण्यै सनकादिसमाराध्यापै

शिवज्ञानप्रदायिन्यै

चित्कलायै

आनन्दकलिकायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

प्रेमरूपायै प्रियइयें

नामपारायणप्रीतायै

नन्दिविद्यायै

नटेश्वयै

मिथ्याजगदधिष्ठानाये

मुक्तिदायै

मुक्तिरूपिण्यै

लास्यप्रियाये

लयक लज्जाये

७२०

नमः ओं रम्भादिवन्दितायै भवदावसुधावृष्टयै पापारण्यदवानलाये दौर्भाग्यतूलवातूला ये

जराध्यान्तरविप्रमायै

भाग्याब्धिचन्द्रिकायै

७३०

७४०

141]

नमः

भक्तचित्त केकिघनाघनायै रोगपर्वतदम्भोळये मृत्युदा रुकुठारिकायै

महेश्वर्यै महाकाल्यै

महाग्रासायै

महाशनायै

अपर्णाये

चण्डिकायै चण्डमुण्डासुरनिदिन्यै क्षराक्षरात्मिकायै

सर्वलोकेश्यै

विश्वधारिण्यै

७५०

त्रिवर्गदात्र्यै ७६०

सुमगायै त्र्यम्बकायै 142

ओं त्रिगुणात्मिकायै स्वर्गापवर्गदायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

शुद्धायै जपापुष्पनिमाकृतये

ओजोवत्यै

यतिधरायै

यज्ञरूपाये

प्रियव्रतायै

दुराराध्यायै

दुराधर्षाये पाटलीकुसुमप्रियायै

महत्यै मेरुनिलयायै मन्दारकुसुमप्रियायै

वीराराध्याये

विराडूपायै

७७

विरजायै

विश्वतोमुख्यै ७८०

प्रत्यग्रूरूपायै पराकाशायै प्राणदायै प्राणरूपिण्यै

नमः ओं मार्ताण्ड भैरवाराध्यायै नमः मन्त्रिणीन्यस्तराज्यधुरे

त्रिपुरेश्यै जयत्सेनाये

निगुण्या ये परापराये

सत्यज्ञानानन्दरूपायै सामरस्यपरायणायै

कपर्दिन्यै कलामालायै

कामदुद्दे

कामरूपिण्यै

कलानिधये

काव्यकलायै

रसज्ञायै

रसशेवधये

७९०

पुष्टायै पुरातनायै

पूज्यायै

पुष्करायै पुष्करेक्षणायै परस्मै ज्योतिषे

८०० ओं परस्मै धाने

परमाणवे परात्पराये

पाशहस्तायै

पाशहन्ध्यै परमन्त्र विभेदिन्यै

मूर्तायै अमूर्तायै अनित्यतृप्तायै मुनिमानसहंसिकायै

सत्यव्रतायै

सत्यरूपायै सर्वान्तर्यामिन्यै

सत्ये ब्रह्माण्यै

ब्रह्मणे

जनन्यै

बहुरूपाये

बुधार्चितायै

• प्रसवित्र्यै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

प्रचण्डायै याज्ञायै

नमः ओं प्रतिष्ठायै प्रकटाकृतये

८१०

८२०

प्राणेश्वर्यै ग्राणदात्र्यै पञ्चाशत्पीठरूपिण्यै विशृङ्खलायै

विविक्तस्थायै

भावज्ञायै भवरोगधन्ये भवचक्रप्रवर्तिन्यै

छन्दस्साराये

शास्त्र साराये

८३०

वीरमाने

वियत्प्रसुवे मुकुन्दायै मुक्तिनिलयायै मूलविग्रहरूपिण्यै ८४०

मन्त्रसाराये

तलोद उदारकीर्तये

उद्दामवैभवायै वर्णरूपिण्यै

143

नमः

८५० 144

जन्ममृत्युजराततजनविश्रान्निदायिन्यै नमः

सर्वोपनिषदुष्टायै शान्त्यतीतकलात्मिकायै

गम्भीरायै

गगनान्तरस्थायै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

गर्वितायै गानलोलुपायै कल्पनारहितायै

काष्ठाये अकान्तायै कान्तार्ध विग्रहायै

कार्यकारण निर्मुक्तायै

काम के लितर द्वितायै

कनस्कनकताटकायै

लीलाविग्रहधारिण्यै

८६०

अजाये

क्षयविनिर्मुक्तायै

मुग्धायै क्षिप्रप्रसादिन्यै

व्यन्तर्मुखसमाराध्यायै ८७०

ओं बहिर्मुख सुदुर्लभायै नमः वय्ये त्रिवर्गनिलयायै

त्रिस्थायै त्रिपुरमालिन्यै

निरामयायै

निरालम्बायै

स्वात्मारामायै

सुधास्रुत्यै

संसारपङ्क निर्मग्न समुद्धरणपण्डितायै यज्ञप्रियायै

यज्ञकर्ये यजमानस्वरूपिण्यै

धर्माधाराये

धनाध्यक्षायै धनधान्यविवर्धिन्यै

विप्रप्रियायै

विप्ररूपायै

विश्वभ्रमणकारिण्यै

विश्वग्रासायै विद्रमामायै

८८०

८९० ओवैष्णव्यै

विष्णुरूपिण्यै

अयोन्यै

योनिनिलयायै

कूटस्थायै कुलरूपिण्यै वीरगोष्ठीप्रियायै

वीरायै नैष्कर्म्याये नादरूपिण्यै

विज्ञानकलनाये

कल्यायै

विदग्धायै

बैन्दवासनायै

तत्त्वाधिकायै

तत्त्वमय्यै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

नमः ओं स्वस्थाये स्वभावमधुरायै धीरायै

९००

तत्त्वमस्वरूपिण्यै

सामगानप्रियायै सौम्यायै सदाशिवक्कुटुम्धिन्यै सव्यापसव्यमार्गस्थायै सर्वापद्विनिवारिण्यै

10

९१०

धीरसमर्चितायै चैतन्यार्थ्यसमाराध्याये

चैतन्यकुसुमप्रियायै

सदोदितायै

सदातुष्टायै तरुणादित्य पाटलायै

145

स्तोत्रप्रियायै

स्तुतिमत्यै श्रुतिसंस्तुतवैभवायै मनस्विन्यै

मानवत्ये

महेश्यै महलाकृत्यै

विश्वमात्रे

जगद्धात्र्यै

नमः

९२०

दक्षिणादक्षिणाराध्यायै दरस्मेरमुखाम्बुजाये कौलिनी केवलायै अनर्थ्यकैवल्यपददायिन्यै

९३० 146

ओं विशालाक्ष्यै

विरागिण्यै प्रगल्माये परमोदरायै

परामोदायै

मनोमय्ये

व्योमकेश्यै

विमानस्थाये

वज्रिण्यै वामकेश्वर्ये पञ्चयज्ञप्रियायै पञ्चप्रेतमथाधिशायिन्यै पश्चभ्ये पञ्चभूतेश्यै

पक्षसहयोपचारिण्यै ९५०

शाश्वत्यै शाश्वतैश्वर्यायें

शर्मदायै शम्भुमोहिन्यै

श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ममः ओं घर्मिण्ये

धराये घरसुतायै धन्यायै

९४०

धर्मवर्धिन्ये

लोकातीतायै

गुणातीतायै

सर्वातीतायै

शमात्मिकायै बन्धूककुसुम प्रख्यायै वाला ये लीलाविनोदिन्यै

सुमङ्गल्यै

सुखकरें

सुवेपाढ्यायै सुवासिन्यै सुवासिन्यर्चनप्रीता ये आशोभनायै शुद्धमानसायै विन्दुतर्पणसन्तुष्टायै

पूर्वजायै त्रिपुराम्बिकायै दशमुद्रासमाराध्यायै

त्रिपुराश्रीवशङ्क ज्ञानमुद्रायै ज्ञानगम्यायै

नमः

९६०

९७० श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः

ओं ज्ञानज्ञेयस्वरूपिण्यै नमः ओं पडध्वातीतरूपिण्यै

अव्याजकरुणामूर्तये

योनिमुद्रायै

त्रिखण्डेश्यै

अज्ञानध्वान्तदीपिकायै

भात्रालगोपविदितायै सर्वानुल यशासनायै

0:147

नमः

त्रिगुणा

अभ्याये त्रिकोणगायै

अनवायें अद्भुतचारित्रायै

श्रीचक्रराजनिलयायै श्रीमत्त्रिपुरसुन्दर्ये श्रीशिवायै शिवशक्त्यैक्यरूपिण्यै

वार्थप्रदायिन्यै अभ्यासातिशयज्ञातायै ९९० ललिताम्बिकायै १०००

॥ इति श्रीललितासहस्रनामावलिः सम्पूर्णा ॥
॥ फलश्रुतिः ॥
इत्येतन्नामसाहस्रं कथितं ते घटोद्भव ।
रहस्यानां रहस्यं च ललिताप्रीतिदायकम् ॥ १ ॥
अनेन सहयं स्तोत्रं न भूतं न भविष्यति ।
सर्वरोगमनं सर्वसम्पत्प्रवर्धनम् ॥ २ ॥
सर्वापमृत्युशमनं कालमृत्युनिवारणम् ।
सर्वज्वरार्तिशमनं दीर्घायुष्यप्रदायकम् ॥ ३ ॥
पुत्रप्रदमपुत्राणां पुरुषार्थप्रदायकम् ।
इदं विशेषाच्छ्रीदेव्याः स्तोत्रं प्रीतिविधायकम् ।
जपेन्नित्यं प्रयत्नेन लहितोपास्तितत्परः ॥ ४ ॥
प्रातः स्नात्वा विधानेन सन्ध्याकर्म समाप्य च ।
पूजागृहं ततो गत्वा चक्रराजं समर्चयेत् ॥ ५ ॥
विद्यां जपेत् सहस्रं वा त्रिशतं शतमेव वा ।
रहस्यनामसाहस्रमिदं पश्चात् पठेन्नरः ॥ ६ ॥

जन्ममध्ये सकृञ्चापि य एवं पठते सुधीः ।
तस्य पुण्यफलं वक्ष्ये शृणु त्वं कुम्भसम्भव ॥ ७ ॥
गङ्गादिसर्वतीर्येषु यः स्नायात् फोटिजन्मसु ।
कोटिलिङ्गप्रतिष्टां च यः कुर्यादविमुक्तके ॥ ८ ॥
फुरुक्षेत्रे तु यो दधात् फोटिवारं रविग्रहे ।
कोटि सौवर्णभाराणां श्रोत्रियेषु द्विजन्मसु ॥ ९ ॥
यः कोटिं हयमेधानामाहरेद्राङ्गरोधसि ।
आचरेत् कूपकोटीर्यो निर्जले मरुभूतले ॥ १० ॥

11

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श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रे

दुर्भिक्षे य: प्रतिदिनं कोटिब्राह्मणभोजनम् ।
श्रद्धया परया कुर्यात् सहस्रपरिवत्सरान् ॥ ११ ॥
तत्पुण्यं कोटिगुणितं लभेत् पुण्यमनुत्तमम् ।
रहस्यनामसाहस्रे नाम्नोऽप्येकस्य कीर्तनात् ॥ १२ ॥
रहस्यनामसाहस्रे नामैकमपि यः पठेत् ।
तस्य पापानि नश्यन्ति महान्त्यपि न संशयः १३ ॥
नित्यकर्माननुष्ठानान्निषिद्धकरणादपि
यत्पापं जायते पुंसां तत्सर्वं नश्यति द्रुतम् ॥ १४ ॥ ॥
बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन शृणु त्वं कुम्भसम्भव ।
अत्रेकनाम्नो या शक्ति: पातकानां निवर्तने ।
तनिवर्त्यमघं कर्तुं नालं लोकाश्चतुर्दश ॥ १५ ॥
यस्त्यक्त्वा नामसाहस्रं पापहानिमभीप्सति ।
स हि शीतनिवृत्त्यर्थ हिमशैलं निपेवते ॥ १६ ॥
भक्तो यः फीर्तयेन्नित्यमिदं नामसहस्रकम् ।
तस्मै श्रीललितादेवी श्रीताभीष्टं प्रयच्छति ॥ १७ ॥
अकोर्तयन्निदं स्तोत्रं कथं भक्तो भविष्यति ।
नित्यं सङ्कीर्तनाशक्तः कोर्तयेत् पुण्यवासरे ॥ १८ ॥

}

सङ्क्रान्तौ विपुत्रे चैव स्वजन्मत्रितयेऽयते । नवम्यां वा चतुर्दश्यां सितायां शुक्रवासरे । कीर्तयेनामसाहस्रं पौर्णमास्यां विशेषतः ॥ १९ ॥ पौर्णमास्यां चन्द्रविम्वे ध्यात्व। श्रीललिताम्बिकाम् । पोपचारैः सम्पूज्य पठेन्नामसहस्रकम् ॥ २० ॥ फलश्रुतिः

सर्वे रोगाः प्रणश्यन्ति दीर्घमायुश्च विन्दति । अयमायुष्करो नाम प्रयोगः कल्पनोदितः ॥ २१ ॥ व्वरात शिरसि मृष्ट्ठा पठेन्नामसहस्रकम् ।

तत्क्षणात् प्रशमं याति शिरस्तोदो जरोऽपि च ॥ २२ ॥
सर्वव्याधितिवृत्त्यर्थं वा भस्म जपेदिदम् ।
तद्भरमधारणादेव नश्यन्ति व्याघयः क्षणात् ॥ २३ ॥
जलं सम्मन्त्र्य घुम्भस्थं नामसाहस्रतो मुने ।
अभिषिञ्चेहप्रस्तान् ग्रहा नश्यन्ति तत्क्षणात् ॥ २४ ॥
सुधासागरमन्यस्थां ध्यात्वा श्रीललिताम्बिकाम् ।
यः पठेन्नामसाहस्रं विपं तस्य विनश्यति ॥ २५ ॥
वन्ध्यानां पुत्रलाभाय नामसाहस्रमन्त्रितम ।
नवनीतं दद्यात्तु पुत्रलाभो भवेदध्रुवम् ॥ २६ ॥
देव्याः पाशेन सम्बद्धामाकृष्टामड्कुशेन च ।
ध्यालाभीष्टां स्त्रियं रात्री पन्नामसहस्रकम् ।
आयाति समीपं स यद्यप्यन्तःपुरं गता ॥ २७ ॥
राजाकर्षणकामध्ये द्राजावसथदिड्मुसः ।
त्रिरात्रं यः पठेदेतडीदेवीध्याननत्परः ॥ २८ ॥
स राजा पारवश्येन तुरङ्गं वा मतङ्गजन् ।
आरुह्यायाति निकटं दासनत् मणिपत्य च ।
तरमै राज्यं च कोशं च ददात्येव वशं गतः ॥ २९ ॥
रहस्यनामसाहस्रं यः कीर्तयति नित्यशः ।
तन्मुसालोक्मात्रेण मुह्येोकत्रयं भुने ॥ ३० ॥

1. नोदितःउक्त इत्यर्थ इति भाग्ये दृश्यते ।

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श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रे

यस्त्विदं नामसाहस्रं सकृत् पठति भक्तिमान् । तरय ये शत्रवस्तेषां निहन्ता शरगेश्वरः ॥ ३१ ॥ यो वाभिचारं कुरुते नामसाहस्रपाठके ।

निवर्त्य तक्रियां हन्यात्तं वै प्रत्यङ्गिराः स्वयम् ॥ ३२ ॥ ये क्रूरदृष्ट्या वीक्षन्ते नामसाहस्रपाठकम् । तानन्धान कुरुते क्षिप्रं स्वयं मार्ताण्डभैरवः ॥ ३३ ॥ धनं यो हरते चोरैर्नामसाहस्रजापिनः ।

यत्र कुत्र स्थितं वापि क्षेत्रपालो निहन्ति तम् ॥ ३४ ॥ विद्यासु कुरुते वादं यो विद्वान्नामजापिना । तस्य चावस्तम्भनं सद्य श्रोति नकुलेश्वरी ॥ ३५ ॥ यो राजा कुरुते वैरं नामसाहस्रजापिना । चतुरङ्गवलं तस्य दण्डिनी संहरेत् स्वयम् ॥ ३६॥ यः पठेन्नामसाहस्रं पण्मासं भक्तिसंयुतः । लक्ष्मीश्चाञ्चल्यरहिता सदा तिष्ठति तद्गृहे ॥ ३७ ॥ मासमेकं प्रतिदिनं त्रिवारं यः पठेन्नरः ।

भारती तथ्य जिह्वामे रङ्गे नृत्यति नित्यशः ॥ ३८ ॥ यस्त्वेकवारं पठति पक्षमात्रमतन्द्रितः । मुह्यन्ति कामवागा मृगाक्ष्यस्तस्य वीक्षणात् ॥ ३९ ॥ यः पठेन्नामसाहस्रं जन्ममध्ये सकृन्नरः । तद्द्दष्टिगोचराः सर्वे मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्विषैः ॥ ४० ॥ यो वेत्ति नामसाहस्रं तस्मै देयं द्विजन्मने । अन्नं वस्त्रं धनं धान्यं नान्येभ्यस्तु कदाचन ॥ ४१ ॥ फलश्रुतिः

श्रीमन्त्रराजं यो वेत्ति श्रीचक्रं यः समर्चति ।
यः कीर्तयति नामानि तं सत्पानं विदुर्बुधाः ।
तस्मै देयं प्रयत्नेन श्रीदेवीप्रीतिमिच्छता ॥ ४२ ॥
न कीर्तयति नामानि मन्त्रराजं न वेत्ति यः ।
पशुतुल्यः स विज्ञेयस्तरमै दत्तं निरर्थकम् ॥ ४३ ॥
परीक्ष्य विद्याविदुपस्तेभ्यो दद्याद्विचक्षणः ।
श्रीमन्त्रराजसदृशो यथा मन्त्रो न विद्यते ॥ ४४ ॥
देवता ललितातुल्या यथा नास्ति घटोद्भव ।
रहस्यनामसाहस्रतुल्या नारित तथा स्तुतिः ॥ ४५
लिखित्या पुस्तके यस्तु नामसाहस्रमुत्तमम् ।
समर्चचेत् सदा भक्त्या तस्य तुष्यति सुन्दरी ॥ ४६ ॥

बहुना किमुक्तेन शृणु त्वं कुम्भसम्भव ।
नानेन सदृश स्तोत्रं सर्वतन्त्रेषु दृश्यते ।
तस्मादुपासको नित्यं कीर्तयेदिदमादरात् ॥ ४७ ॥
एभिर्नामसहस्रैस्तु श्रीचक्रं योऽर्चयेत् सकृत् ।
पर्वा तुलसीपुष्पैः कल्हारैर्वा कदम्य ॥ ४ ॥
चम्पकैर्जातिकुसुमैर्मल्लिकाकरवीरकैः ।
उत्पत्विपत्रे फुन्दकेसरपाटले: ॥ ४९ ॥
अन्यैः सुगन्धिक्कुसुमैः केतकीमाधवीमुखैः ।
तस्य पुण्यफलं वक्तुं न शक्नोति महेश्वरः ॥ ५० ॥
सा वेत्ति ललितादेवी स्वचक्रार्चनजं फलम् ।
अन्ये कथं विज्ञानीयुर्ब्रह्माद्याः स्वल्पमेधसः ॥ ५१ ॥

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श्रीललिता सहस्रनामस्तोत्रे

प्रतिमास पौर्णमास्यामेभिर्नामसहस्रकै । रात्रौ यश्चक्रराजस्थामर्चयेत् परदेवताम् ॥ ५२ ॥ स एव ललितारूपस्तद्रूपा ललिता स्वयम् । न तयोवियते भेदो भेदकृत् पापकद्भवेत् ॥ ५३ ॥ महानवम्या यो भक्त श्रीदेवीं चक्रमध्यगाम् । अर्चयेन्नामसाहस्रैरतस्य मुक्ति करे स्थिता ॥ ५४ ॥ यस्तु नामसहस्रेण शुक्रनारे समर्चयेत् । चक्राराजे महादेवीं तस्य पुण्यफल शृणु ॥ ५५ ॥ सर्वान् कामानवाप्येह सर्वसौभाग्यसयुत । पुत्रपौत्रादिसयुक्तो भुक्त्वा भोगान् यथेप्सितान् ॥ ५६ ॥ अन्ते श्रीललितादेव्या सायुज्यमतिदुर्लभम् । प्रार्थनीय शिवाद्यैश्च प्राप्नोत्येव न सशय ॥ ५७ ॥ य सहस्र नाह्मणानामे भिर्नामसहस्रके । समर्च्य भोजयेद्भवत्या पायसापूपपड्से ॥ ५८ ॥ तस्मै प्रीणाति ललिता स्वसाम्राज्य प्रयच्छति । न तस्य दुर्लभ वस्तु निषु लोकेषु विद्यते ॥ ५९ ॥ निष्काम कीर्तयेद्यस्तु नामसाहस्रमुत्तमम् । ब्रह्मज्ञानमवाप्नोति येन मुन्येत बन्धनात् ॥ ६० ॥ धनार्थी धनमाप्नोति यशोऽर्थी घाप्नुयाद्यश । विद्यार्थी चाप्नुयाद्विद्या नामसाइस्रकीर्तनात् ॥ ६१ ॥ नानेन सदश स्तोन भोगमोक्षप्रद मुने । पोर्तनीयमिद तरमाद्भोगमोक्षार्थिभिनर ॥ ६२ ॥ फउश्रुतिः

चतुराश्रमनिटेच कीर्तनीयमिदं सदा । स्वधर्मसमनुष्ठानवैफल्यपरिपूर्तये ॥ ६३ ॥ कलो पापैकबहुले धर्मानुष्ठानवर्जिते ।

नामानुकीर्तनं गुफ्त्या नृणां नान्यत् परायणम् ॥ ६४ ॥ लौकिकाद्वचनान्मुर विष्णुनामानुफीर्तनम् ।

विष्णुनामसहस्राय शिवनामैकमुत्तमम ॥ ६५ ॥

शिवनामसहस्राच्च देव्या नामैकमुत्तमम् ।
देवीनामसहस्राणि फोटिशः सन्ति कुम्भज ॥ ६६ ॥
तेषु मुख्यं दशविध नामसाहस्रमुच्यते ।
रहस्पनामसाहस्रमिदं शस्तं दशस्वपि ।
तस्मात् संकीर्तयेन्नित्यं कलिदोषनिवृत्तये ॥ ६७ ॥
मुख्यं श्रीमातृनामेति न जानन्ति विमोहिताः ।
विष्णुनामरताः केचिच्छिवनामपराः परे ।
न कश्चिदपि लोकेषु ललितानामतत्परः ॥ ६८ ॥
येनान्यदेवतानाम कीर्तितं जन्मकोटिपु ।
तस्यैन भवति श्रद्धा श्रीदेवीनामचीर्तने ॥ ६९ ॥
चरमे जन्मनि यथा श्रीविद्योपासको भवेत् ।
नामसाहस्रपाठश्च तथा चरमजन्मनि ॥ ७० ॥
यथैव विरला टोके श्रीविद्याचारवेदिनः ।
तथैव विरला गुह्यनामसाहस्रपाठकः ॥ ७१ ॥
मन्त्रराजजपश्चैव चक्रराजार्चनं तथा ।
रहस्यनामपाठ्य नाल्पस्य तपसः फलम् ॥ ७२ ॥

155 श्रीललितासहस्रनामस्तोत्रे

अपठन्नामसाहस्रं गीणयेयो महेश्वरीम् ।

स चक्षुषा विना रूपं पश्येदेव विमूढधीः ॥ ७३ ॥ रहस्यनामसाहस्रं त्यक्त्वा यः सिद्धिकामुकः । स भोजनं विना नूनं क्षुनिवृत्तिमभीप्सति ॥ ७४ यो भक्तो ललितादेव्याः स नित्यं कीर्तयेदिदम् । नान्यथा प्रीयते देवी करूपकोटिशतैरपि । तस्मात्रहस्यनामानि श्रीमातुः मयतः पठेत् ॥ ७५ ॥ इति ते कथितं स्तोत्रं रहस्यं कुम्भसम्भव । नाविद्यावेदिने त्र्यानाभक्ताय कदाचन ॥ ७६ ॥ यथैव गोप्या श्रीविद्या तथा गोप्यमिदं मुने । पशुतुल्येषु न ब्रूयाजनेषु खोत्रमुत्तमम् ॥ ७७ ॥ यो ददाति विमूढात्मा श्रीविद्यारहिताय तु । तस्मै फुप्यन्ति योगिन्यः सोऽनर्थः सुमहान् रमृतः । रहस्यनामसाहस्रं तस्मात् संगोपयेदिदम् ॥ ७८ ॥ स्वतन्त्रेण मया नोक्तं तवापि कलशोद्भव । ललिता प्रेरणादेव मयोक्तं रखोत्रमुत्तमम् ॥ ७९ ॥ कीर्तनीयमिदं भवत्या कुम्भयोने निरन्तरम् । तेन तुष्टा महादेवी तवाभीष्टं प्रदास्यति ॥ ८० ॥ श्रीसूत उवाच

इत्युक्त्वा श्रीहयप्रोयो ध्यात्वा श्रीललिताम्विकाम् ।
आनन्दमग्नहृदयः सद्यः पुलकितोऽभवत् ॥ ८१ ॥
॥ इति श्रीब्रह्माण्डपुराणे उत्तरखण्डे श्रीहयग्रीवागत्यसंवा दे
श्रीललितारहस्यनामसाहस्रफलनिरूपणं नाम फलश्रुतिः सम्पूर्ण ॥

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