Tag: The Mother

LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM MAI SAHASRANAMAM
801)Pooshtaa पुष्टा -Because She gets Herself nourished from the very joy that She experiences by doing the welfare of Her devotees. ललिता सहस्र नाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 801

802)  Pooraatanaa पुरातना – Ancient, being the first of all. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र नाम क्रमांक 802

803) Poojyaa पूज्या – She that has been worshipped and prayed in all times by deities and devotees. Then the aspirant worship and prays to her.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 803

804) Pushkaraa पुष्करा – Lotus bodied. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 804

805) Pushkar-ekshanaa पुष्करेक्षणा – Keeping Her protective eye on Vishnu sleeping as a child on the banyan leaf. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 805

806) Parama-jyotih परमज्योतिः – Most supreme Illuminator.
Giver of light which is much brighter than that of Sun.
The sun shines only when he is illumined by Her. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 806

807) Parama-dhaama परंधाम -The highest abode which needs no sun, moon or fire. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 807
The sun never illumines that, nor moon, nor fire.
Param Dhaam  is the state of consciousness, after reaching which one does not return to the lower consciousness. Stability in such consciousness is the attainment of Mother’s supreme abode.
Dhaam, is really not a certain place or space but the state of consciousness.
The State of tranquility, reality, knowledge and bliss represents Mother’s abode.
When all differences vanish, including even that of the enjoyer and the enjoyed and sameness is experienced in all the three states of waking, dreaming and sleeping, and when I and myness is squeezed out from every other thing except Mother, that state of consciousness represents Mother’s supreme abode.

808) Paramaanu परमाणुः – Supreme atom, more subtle than the atom. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 808
809) Paraatparaa परात्परा –   The supremest of the supreme.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 809

Mother is greater than the greatest, nearer than nearest, more befriending than the most befriending. The worship of he Highest Lord, Servant of the lowest servant, grosser than the grossest, and subtler than the subtlest.

810) Paashahastaa पाशहस्ता – Holding the noose in Her hand. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र ,नाम क्रमांक 810

811) Paashahantri  पाशहन्त्री – Destroyer of noose.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र नाम क्रमांक 811

The noose is to be seen in Mother’s lower left hand. She removes the bonds of Her devotees with Her own hand.
The above two names are indicative of the fact stated before, viz., that She will bind with the noose and She will again destroy or release the very noose. The same weapon is used either for binding one  or for releasing one or another.

812)Para-mantra-vibhedini परमन्त्रविभेदिनी -Destroyer of hostile charm.There are three energies : Prabhu Shakti (lordship), Mantra Shakti (diplomacy) and Utsah Shakti (armed force) and if with these energies any one is trying to subdue or harass Her devotee, She destroys all these energies as also deadly weapons, if any, directed towards the devotees. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम  क्रमांक 812
813) Murtaa मूर्ता – Shapely. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 813

814) Amurtaa अमूर्ता – Shapeless.  ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 814
Murtaa is earth, water and fire. Amurtaa means air and ether. The former is so called because it has form, whereas the latter has no form.
Further Murta means the five gross elements mingled with each other; Amurta means the subtle elements which are not mingled with each other.
Again Murta means Universe and Amurta means Brahman. Also they mean perishable and imperishable respectively.
815) Anitya-triptaa अनित्यतृप्ता – Satisfied with most trivial perishable offerings. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 815
This is so because Her taste is much higher. She is only pleased with devotion. She accepts whatever is offered, however trivial, with greatest joy provided it is offered with devotion.
This is apparent even in human life.The higher a man evolves, the lesser value he attaches to material objects and enjoyments, Her joy is in praises with devotion as under :-

817) Satyavrataa सत्यव्रता – Mother, who after the creation of the desire of amassing  merit by all possible avenues , creates the desire of living out a righteous life. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 817

The greatest virtue which gives a lift in spirituality is Satya or Truthfulness.The usual outlook about the “Truth” of the routine religionist although he repeat that word hundred times is extremely narrow. Few have explained “Truth” except by some small definition of ” Conformity of word, thought and action”.
To realise the importance of this virtue , the ant out-look should be made elephant-outlook. “Satya” must be taken to mean “Arjavam”, i.e., straightforwardness. Giving a more practical aspect, I interpret “Satya” as absence of crookedness of heart, thought and action in practical routine life. This definition may be applied to oneself, in dealings with others and the universe as whole.
I say with experience that the degenerating influence of the highest sins is not that as great as that of the routine crookedness. The degenerating influence of constantly keeping yourself concealed from others as to what you are, utilising your speech and influence and action to give the wrong scent of your motives and further move, etc. is the violation of the truth.

I say by experience that crookedness and violation of truth is much worse than highest sin because it deadens the conscience and closes all doors against even the best saviours. No patient can be cured by even the most celestial doctor, if the very history he gives the false one. If you are unreliable, you are incorrigible and untouchable as well.Impurity of other sins soils you but the impurity of crookedness murders your higher self.
818) Satya-rupaa सत्यरूपा – Truthfulness incarnate. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 818

Satyarupaa is a higher form than the Satyavrataa which is again higher than Satyapriyaa. You are on the other side of truth.You side with people , customs, action and conduct in the right, that is Satyapriyaa. You yourself trying to best keep yourself in the right is Satyavrataa. When you can not feel easy yourself because you are not in the right, you are Satya-rupaa.

Satya-rupaa is the stage when the righteous living becomes so interwoven with one’s thought and action that any casual observer can mark you out whenever you speak an untruth or twist the truth or make the slightest departure from the right conduct.You are then Satyarupaa. There is so much of uneasiness, confusion and guiltiness stamp on your face, that even the dullest person can detect you. You are then Satya-rupaa. You can not remain composed till you have vomited out your crime, sin, fault or folly.

As an instance of Satyarupaa I quote a wonderful instance of actual happening of a young man. He having fallen a pray to weakness with a young woman in solitude, went direct to the woman’s husband and spoke to him thus : ” I and your wife succumbed now, being young and in solitude. We both are fools and uncontrolled. I do leave this place tonight so that the sin may not be repeated but our best saviour can be you.I therefor pray to you to do all the needful to save us both from direct hell.” Whatever he is another field, he is a Satyarupaa.

A similar instance I know of another person. For his service done some one came one night to him and in spite of flat refusals left a fifty rupee note. As soon as that man left, this Satyarupaa began to get headache and vomiting and after two hours he called his son and said , ” I know our poverty but if you wish I may not die before morning, please take this money and return to its owner.”

Satyarupaa सत्यरूपा are those who cannot bare the burden of any secret or the fact of having dabbled with truth or having hurt anyone  by unpleasant feeling, thought word or deed.

Satyavrataa सत्यव्रता may also be taken to mean She that is pleased by vow of speaking and living truth or She that becomes Satya, i.e., more known or manifested on observing Vrataas  (religious vows) sincerely and not hypocritically. Satya also means giving quick and lasting results, and Satyavrataa means She that gives quick and lasting results. Satyavrataa may also mean She that makes Her promises true in the matter of conferring all that is necessary for evolution till the attainment of salvation, on him who surrenders himself to Her.

In Devi Bhaagvat  there is a story of an illiterate and foolish Brahmin by name Satyavrataa who on repeating the sound “Ai” – ए which he heard from the mouth of a boar by whom he was frightened became the king of poets. Mother taking pity on him completed his “Ai”  ए  to be “Aim” एम and “Aim” एम become “MAI”  by continuous repetition.

819) Sarvaantaryaamini सर्वान्तर्यामिणी –  Pervading and directing all hearts. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 819

She knows the beginning and end the present condition of every being and everything, , and the working in every heart and head.
She is all in all and through all.
Having created the universe, She entered into it, and after entering it, She became animate and inanimate.
820) Sati सती – ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम  क्रमांक 820

This is the name of Paarvati and means chaste and faithful spouse.Even in imagination a true wife should not think of any other person as her husband or lover. When Rama was roaming like a madman after the loss of his beloved wife Seetaa,  Paarvati suspected if Rama, who appeared to be so much entangled in the love of his wife could be the incarnation of one of the three deities. So, She with a view to test him, took the form of Seetaa and approached Raamaa; but Raamaa at once bowed down to Her and said, ‘ O Mother wherefrom you here ? Is my Lord Shiva happy?”
Paarvati  was stunned on being detected, and She had just a reactionary idea. Even for the sake of testing Rama , I acted and personified as his wife. I am no longer therefore fit as a chaste spouse to Lord Shiva.”
Extremely repentant and unable to bear the idea of her moral degradation form the idealistic plane, she left her body. In the Kshatriya dynasty period faithful queens died after their husbands in war, and they were called Satis.
Sati means energy which enables chaste wives to make highest sacrifices for their husband.

821) Brahmaani ब्रह्माणी ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 821
Ani means tail and Active Mother is the tail of Passive Mother or Brahman. Ani also means giving life and then Brahmaani means Mother that creates or gives life to Brahmaa, the Creator of the Universe.

822) Brahman – ब्रह्मन Allied name.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र नाम क्रमांक 822

The stage which is attained by liberated souls. Or that knowledge is Brahman, which annihilates duality

823) Janani जननी – Mother. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र,नाम क्रमांक 832
Some read this with the previous word in the text and take one of the names of Mother to be Brahma-janani. This explains the Mother’s Lodge view. Some ask ” Is Mother the Mother of Krishna who is represented to be Poorna (Perfect) and of Shiva ?”
Mother’s Lodge explains thus,” Consider some deity, Mother  of that deity, Mother of that deity’s Mother, and so on. You must come to some end.That Finalmost Mother is the Mother of the Mother’s Lodge.. Highest variety that the Hindus can conceive of is Brahmaa. Mother’s Lodge says , ” If Brahmaa has Mother, the Mother of the Lodge is the Mother of Brahmaa.” There must an origin from which all this has originated and origin means  Mother.
Taking the Puraanic view even when Naaraayan is sleeping, Lakshmi, although represented to be shampooing is awake.It is worldly foolishness to infer that the shampooing entity is inferior.

824) Bahurupaa बहुरूपा  – Of manifold form.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 824

825)Budhaarchitaa बुधार्चिता –  Worshiped by wise or the enlightened.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 825
The primary one should be the path of hard toiling, which truth for the Maai-ists can not be too much emphasized. It is the practice of virtues . Before you go to devotion or knowledge , you must first have a very solid grounding, by actual practice , of self-control.
The first thing is conviction about the Karmic Law.
Just as hidden seeds shoot forth even after many years as soon as there is a small shower, so good and evil actions, thoughts and emotions bring their pleasures and pains, loves and hates, and bear their fruits sweet or sour, without fail.

826) Prasavitri प्रसवित्री – ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 826

827) Prachandaa प्रचण्डा – Wrathful.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 827

It is out of fear of the dispenser of the Karmic law, i.e.. of Her, that the different deities regularly discharge the duties assigned to them. The Sun revolves untiringly. Out of fear of Her, the wind blows. How can one without the possessing the capacity of showing anger, and whom the people do not fear, enforce righteousness ? People are often set right more by fear of punishment than by love of reward.
828) Aajnaa आज्ञा – She, who rules and set things as She desires, not by any hard effort but by mere command.Then the aspirant tries to know the ordinance through scriptures.  ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 828
829) Pratishthaa प्रतिष्ठा – Foundation. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र नाम क्रमांक 829
Pratishthaa means honour or fame , fixity and foundation.
Mother is the foundation of the Universe, and the supreme consciousness which She has or is , is the foundation of all consciousness about all things. She establishes certain relations  of cause and effect, substance and property, and laws governing all the phenomena of the Universe. Similarly in the path of evolution, it is Her Grace that lays the foundation of all evolution.
It is this Pratishthaa which gives fixity, character and devotion, and which establishes firmly in devotion and the path of progress.
Praan-Pratishthaa of an idol or a photograph means the sanctifying the same, by pouring in or establishing the soul force therein, by those that are empowered to do so, by intense devotion and purity, through Divine Grace.

830) Prakataakritih प्रकटाकृतिः Of form experienced by all. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 830

Prakata ,experienced by all, akrutih Her nature. All men themselves know as “I”, and have no doubt about the existence of themselves and yet through delusion they never think, know or recognise all different selves to be proceeding from Mother.
A child believes, it is indebted to the house tap for allying thirst. A working cooly says he is indebted to the street pipeline. A mechanical engineer says he is indebted to the water work station. The hydraulic Engineer states he is indebted to the river dam. The physicist says he is indebted to the clouds. The geologist says , to the ocean , further someone to Sun and still further, the astronomer will refer to the solar system and so on. Each man is able to judge according to his capacity.

831 & 832) Praaneshvari  प्राणेश्वरी, Praanadaatri प्राणदात्री ,
-ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 831, 832
Praana means senses as also the five vital breaths. Mother is the Giver of life, which enables the body to perform its functions. Vivifier of the universe, the Supporter of the breathing and therefor of life and Nourisher of senses. Mother is Breath of breaths.
833) Panchaashat-peetha-roopini पंचाशतपीठरूपरुपिणी – ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 833
Peethas पीठ are places in Shree Chakra श्रीचक्र  for the arrangement of different letters , being places for residence of the energies conveyed by letters. Letters are really fifty-one, but one letter Ksha क्ष  is omitted by some authorities.
834) Vishrinkhalaa विशृंखला – Naked, unfettered.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 834
She that unfetters Her devotees from the cause of bondage. Nakedness is better than even best dressing. Wise devotees always always pray to Mother, ” Oh Mother ! Destroy my bad actions as also good actions. Fetters though of gold are not less strong to bind.”

835) Viviktasthaa विविक्तस्था- Abiding in solitude. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक  835

The universe is itself by holy.It is made unholy by people.Every ground is holy where no people go. Vivikta may be interpreted to mean the region of righteousness, but the importance of loneliness as most fitted for meditation can not be underrated.

Society and solitude both should be alternatively utilized. In solitude is the facility for awakening the higher powers.In society one has the school, the test and the means.

In forests there are sometimes fights of a deadly serpent and a mungoose. The mungoose  beats and the serpent bites.When the serpent’s poison becomes unbearable the mungoose runs away to it’s resting-hole where it smells some medicine which is antidote. By alternately fighting with the serpent and regaining powers in solitude , the mungoose finally kills the serpent. Such is Samsaar, the serpent of worldliness and the secret of success for the soul-mungoose is the alternate utilization of society and solitude.

Perhaps this illustration is repeated, but it has its appropriate place here and repetition is the secret of success.

The Maai-ist, if a renouncer, says,” All earth is mine.Mine by my universal service and mine by universal love.” In black forests of man’s ignorance there are poisonous wild trees of lusts, avarices and angers which have to be uprooted by practice.No amount of scriptural reading or Bhajans and Kirtans will help you.That uprooting has actually done by squeezing your own comforts and by crushing your lower mind.By extending love to all you make this earth much fairer to live in.

Aspirant on the path of salvation must from the very commencement fore-arm themselves against hard obstructors and tempters on the path.These are 1] egoism 2] doubt and oscillatoriness. 3] abuse of powers 4] lust 5]pure and misplaced love out of a wrong idea of duty or helplessness of the beloved 6] hate 7] clinging to life or fear of loosing life 8] pride and 9] ignorance etc.
The for-arming and fighting to success should be well practiced and not presumed on the ground of being Rishis’ and Professors’ sons or on the ground that you have never taken meals without bath.

836) Veeramaataa वीरमात्रा – Mother of warriors.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 836
Veera also means chief among devotees. Veera-Dikshaa is one of the initiations in one of the schools of the old Shaaktaas.

837) Viyatprasooh वियत्प्रसूः -Mother of the ether.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 837

838) Mukundaa मुकुंदा – Reliever from any miseries. Salvation-giver. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 838
Mukunda is the name of Krishna. That Krishna and Kaali are the same has been supported by many scriptures.
In the Tantra Raaja while describing several Gopal mantras it is thus stated, ” Lalitaa, once appeared in a male body as Krishna , with Her different energies  to support with Her in the form of Gopies. That the idol of Shri Nathji has been wearing a nose ring as a commemoration of the Mother’s devotee Vallabha Dholaa is well known fact.This devotee showed to Krishna’s devotees that Kaali was Krishna in male form by praying the idol to appear as Kaali and this the idol did.

839)Muktinilayaa मुक्तिनिलया – The abode of salvation, meaning the mine of gems of modes, of remedies, and dispensations, that go to restore freedom or secure salvation. Mysterious, unfathomable and innumerable are Mother ways of saving Her devotees. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 839
840) Mula-vigraha-roopini मूलविग्रहरूपिणी – Whose body is the root of all bodies.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 840

841) Bhaavajnaa भावज्ञा – Knower of thoughts, feelings, love , devotion, meditation and all the different modifications of head and heart. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 841
842) Bhava-rogaghni भवरोगघ्नी – Destroyer of earthly existence.
ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 842

843) Bhavachakrapravartini – भवचक्रप्रवर्तिनी ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 843
Mover and Turner of the wheel of the earthly existence  of individuals and of the universe , through birth, growth, decay etc. She is the final disposer as binder or releaser. She turns angle of vision of some towards material happiness, or of fewest, towards mental and individual happiness and of some towards Herself and Her glory and sportivity. Bhavachakra means the wheel of worldliness and is stated to be a chakra , being like a whirlpool constantly in a circular motion, with a speed which is swifter than that of mind.

844) Chhandahsaaraa छंदसारा  – ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक  844
Chhanda means metre or unrestrained conduct. She is the essence of metres, viz., Gaayatri. She is the essence of all joy arising from unrestrained conduct, which is merely a shadow of the joy proceeding from Her. Chhanda also means craving for unrestrained conduct. The highest joy resulting from unrestrained limitless craving, is when is one arising, from madness after Mother.

845) Shaastra-saaraa शास्त्रसारा – Essence of scriptures. Scriptures are instructions by texts, revealed or otherwise, for the guidance of the followers regarding what should be done and what should not be done, when, why and how, etc. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 845

846) Mantrasaaraa मन्त्रसारा – Essence of Mantra is Mother.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 846
847) Talodari तलोदरी  -Slender-waisted. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 847
Here Mother is described in the poetic strain. She is stated to be slender waisted.
(Please read shloka श्लोक  79 of Saundarya Lahari सौन्दर्य लहरी ).

848) Udaara-kirti उदारकीर्ति  – Giver of exalted fame.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 848

849 ) Uddaama-vaibhavaa उद्दामवैभवा – Whose glory is raised beyond limits of imagination.ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 849
850)Varna-roopini वर्णरूपिणी – In the form of letters which form the basis of language  whereby knowledge can be given and taken. ललिता सहस्रनाम स्तोत्र, नाम क्रमांक 850

Extract from the book : Mother and Mother’s Thousand Names

Author : Mai Swarup Mai Markand

MAI NIWAS, SARASWATI ROAD END SANTA CRUZ WEST MUMBAI 400054 INDIA