GOD AS MOTHER : NAMES 1 TO 10

LALITHA SAHASRANAM ललिता सहस्रनाम  MAI SAHASRANAM माई सहस्रनाम

1) Shree Maataa श्रीमाता – “The Holy ” Mother.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 1

The birth-giving physical mother is usually remembered and called upon in times of sorrow; but our natural mothers are not able to remove the different kinds of pains. Great men believing in reincarnation have therefore said: “Millions of physical mothers I had, O Treasure-house of compassion! Thou art the only one Mother of Eternity. Save me from the vast and disastrous ocean of world-wormness.” The Mother is only one who is capable of removing the endless misery.

Shree means prosperity, success, beauty and wisdom

Shri is ambrosia. The title Shree is prefixed to eminent personages and is an honorific word.

2) Shree Mahaaraajni श्रीमहाराज्ञी – “The great” Queen. The controller of the created Universe. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 2

She by whose Grace the creation goes on. She who is the fighting Heroine Queen, and who fights out and dispels and controls all that is obstructive for Her devotees.

3) Shrimat Sinhaasaneshvari श्रीमत्सिंहासनेश्वरी –“The Ruler” on the lion-throne.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 3

One rendering is Sinha सिंह meaning pain and asana असन  means expelling.

She is the destroyer of universe or that into whom the created beings enter on their dissolution. She is the Queen of Queens, Mother who is the most supreme merciful Donor, holds Her Darbar and grants whatever is demanded by Her devotees, and by all in good relations with them.

4) Chidagnikunda-Sambhootaa चिदग्निकुण्डसंभूता – Who is born from the altar of the fire of consciousness. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 4

If Mother is such a heroic and Majestic Queen, is She also unapproachable like such queens? No, just the reverse, She is at your beck and call. From the fire of devotion of a devotee that burns within his heart uninterruptedly, without fuel, and dispels the darkness of desire and attachment to other things and other persons , She at times bursts forth. Devoted heart is a fire because it consumes the sins and evils of the Universe and Mother abides in that fire, though not born from it.

Mother has often appeared from the physical altar of religious sacrifices as well. Thus run some of descriptions – “Out of the sacrificial fire, slowly arose a woman divinely beautiful, adorned with divine ornaments and bright as the moon. She was Mother, the only one, the supporter of the Universe, equal to whom there is none “. Again we have ” Then the devotees constructed a very beautiful sacrificial altar and the devotees offered their body, mind and soul as oblations. When they were about to offer up the whole of their bodies, there appeared a great blaze of light, bright as millions of suns and cool as millions of moons put together; in midst of this light was seen an indescribable wheel-form ( Shree Chakra ); and from its centre the Great Mother shining like the morning sun dawned forth. On beholding the great Mother, the souls of all were filled with ecstasy and they bowed to Her again and again.”

5) Bhakta-Kaarya Samudyataa भक्तकार्यसमुद्यता – “Manifested Herself ” for fulfilling the objects of the Devotees.ललिता सहस्रनामस्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 5

In the original it is “Devakaarya “referring to Devaas. The same word can be retained and be interpreted to mean that Mother is constantly engaged in transforming Her devotees to be the most shining deified beings. But as the Universal Mother has no partiality to gods and demons, I make the change least that same may be perpetuate the long carried misunderstanding. Her eternal occupation is fulfillment of devotees’ desires and their transformation.

6) Uddyat-Bhaanu-Sahasraabhaa उद्यतभानुसहस्राभा – This indicates She is very red. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 6

Rosy complexion is indicative of freshness, Love and mercy. There are three forms of Mother, the physical (sthula स्थुल ), the subtle (sukshma सुक्ष्म )  and the supreme (para पर ).The physical form has hands,feet, etc. and is elemental, the subtle consists of Mantra and ethereal, while the supreme is made of the Vaasanaas वासना and is ideal.

7) Chaturbaahu-samanvitaa चतुर्बाहुसमन्विता – Endowed with four arms. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र,नाम क्रमांक 7

8) Raagasvarupapaashaadhyaa  रागस्वरूपपाशाढ्या – Holding the noose of desire.  ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र,नाम क्रमांक 8 

Desire is the Supreme, the third, i.e., the Vaasanaa form of Mother, the noose being the corresponding gross form. This weapon She has in Her lower left hand. The subtle form of noose is Hreem.

9) Krodhaakaaraankushojwalaa क्रोधाकारांकुशोज्ज्वला –Shining with the elephant-hook of both “wrath and worldly knowledge “.  ललिता सहस्रनाम, नाम क्रमांक 9 

Aakaara आकार may be taken to mean self-created universe of souls based on ignorance, world-attachment and world-wormness.

She shines, holding in Her lower right hand, the elephant-hook which increases or removes world-wormness, wrathfulness, hatred, etc. The noose and the elephant-hook of Her are spoken as desire and anger. The noose is Ichchhaashakti, the goad, JnaanaShakti ज्ञानशक्ती , and the bow and arrows referred to next, represents Kriyaashakti क्रीयाशक्ती .

10) Manorupekshukodandaa मनोरूपेक्षुकोदण्डा – Armed with the sugar-cane bow of mind.  ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र,नाम क्रमांक 10 

Mind characterised with both Sankalpa संकल्प and Vikalpa विकल्प  (healthy and unhealthy, rational and irrational thinkings)is the bow. This is in Her upper left hand. Mind has mainly four functions. {1} Covering the whole vision with thoughts of ” I, my, mine, not I, not my, not mine,” {2} Oscillating between several aspects of a question, {3} Discriminating and determining and {4} Unifying oneself with. These are, in one word, egoism, thinking, discriminating and being one with.

EXTRACT FROM : MOTHER AND MOTHER’S THOUSAND NAMES

AUTHOR : MAI SWARUP MAI MARKAND

MAI NIWAS, SARASWATI ROAD END, SANTACRUZ WEST MUMBAI 400054 INDIA