Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
231. Mahā-bhairava-poojitā
Meaning –
Mahā – bhairava worships Her.
Bhairava is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and He is the kshetra pālaka (protector of the sacred place; guardian deity) at various temples. The trip to such sacred places is incomplete unless this kshetra pālaka temple is visited. He guards the sacred town of Kashi in his form as Kāla bhairava.
Bhairavas are many – Kāla-bhairava, Kalpānta-bhairava, Ruru-bhairava, Ugra-bhairava, Chanda-bhairava, Prachanda-bhairava and so on. As all these Bhairavas worship Her, She is Mahā-bhairava-poojitā.
Very similar to this, within the being there is a kshetra pālaka (guardian deity) who protects the being. This is the intellect (buddhi). It is this intellect that is being referred to here subtly. The subtle advice is to use this intellect (Mahā bhairava) to eternally worship Her.
232. Maheśvara-mahākalpa-mahātāṇḍava-sakṣiṇī
(This is one single name of 16 alphabets).
Meaning – She is the witness (sākshi) for the dance of bliss (maha tāndava) performed by Maheswara (Lord Nataraja) at the time of the final dissolution (maha kalpa).
Yugas (eons) are 4. They are in the order of Krta Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. Kali Yuga is the last. We are in Kali Yuga.
Kali Yuga spans across 4,32,000 years. Dwapara Yuga had twice the number of years i.e. 8,64,000 years. Treta Yuga had thrice the number of years as in Kali Yuga i.e. 12,64,000 years. Krta Yuga had 4 times the number of years as in Kali Yuga i.e. 17,28,000 years. Thus one set of 4 Yugas (eons) has 43,20,000 years.
71 such sets of 4 Yugas form one Manvanthara (43,20,000*71). 14 such Manvantharas is one day of Lord Brahma i.e. (43,20,000*71*14) or 4,29,40,80,000 years This is the period of one Kalpa.
Brahma has a life span of 100 years i.e. (4,29,40,80,000*100). This period is called the Maha Kalpa.
The greatest dissolution takes place at the end of this Maha Kalpa when this entire creation is wiped out. At such hour, Lord Maheshwara performs the dance of absolute bliss (mahā tandava). She is the sole witness to this dance of bliss.
233. Mahā-kāmeśa-mahiṣī
Meaning – She is the queen (mahishi) of Maha-kameśa i.e. Parabrahma.
The names Kameśwara and Kameśa refer to Parabrahma. After the great deluge (explained above), when even Brahma ceases to exist, only Parabrahma remains. His divine energy is being addressed as His queen.
Parabrahma, immersed in His state of uninterrupted divine bliss (Ananda) remains motionless (sthānu). The energy (Divine Mother) winds Herself like a creeper (latā) around Parabrahma who is thus sitting motionless (sthanu). Her energy stimulates Him towards action. It results in a fresh creation.
This process is visible in the Mallikarjuna temple at Srisailam (Andhra Pradesh). The (Old) Vruddha Mallikarjuna Swamy lingam, that is worshipped as Shiva and which appears as a rock is actually the fossil of a tree trunk. Bloodstains are clearly visible on it. When Parabrahma was seated motionless, His energy wound itself around Him like a jasmine creeper. With this, the dried up trunk began to sprout and this once again led to creation. When the tree had fully grown with all its branches, it was mercilessly cut off. It thus repeated 5 times; each time the tree was mercilessly chopped. Finally the creeper decided to stay away from the tree.
This is visible even within the human body. A person who is drained of all energy lies motionless. When food is supplied, the shakti (energy) returns and winds itself around the motionless body. This causes stimulation to the body and it begins to move.
In the human body such stimulation should be provided to the blood cells. Pranayama causes such stimulation to them. Pranayama should be undertaken until the body heats up and sweats profoundly. This process of deep breathing revives the healthy cells and kills the sickly poisonous cells in our body. Poisonous cells thrive with short breath.
This process of Pranayama and the stimulation that it causes has been explained through the story of the creeper. Deep breathing through the process of Pranayama leads to the stimulation of the nādis (the subtle astral nerves, referred to as a creeper). The primary nādis are the Ida, Pingala and Sushumna. Through Pranayama, when life is infused into these naadis, a new consciousness (chaitanya) begins within us. Until this is done, we are deprived of this chaitanya.
Observe the sequence in the progression of the names. After the great deluge (maha pralaya), the Supreme Shiva performed the dance of bliss (maha tandava) to which she (shakti, energy) was the sole witness. Now He was in supreme bliss. To trigger a new creation, the divine energy caused stimulation in Him. The next name explains the state that emerges after the infusion of stimulation, i.e. the first step in creation is detailed. The first step in creation is always the triad (set of three, Triputi).
Let us try to relate this process at the individual level. Through performing the inner worship (Mahā- yāga-kramārādhyā, explained in the above names) the individual goes into a state of meditation and merges into the infinite. This is the Maha Pralaya (great deluge, total merger). At this point the Maha tandava, or the dance of supreme bliss, takes place. In such a person, who is sitting motionless like a rock, enjoying his bliss, she (energy) causes stimulation. He awakens from that deep meditation and begins his descent into the material world. The first point in creation is the triputi (triad). With this, the individual now comes back into the material world.
234. Mahā-tripura-sundarī
Meaning – She is Maha Tripurambika, the cause of the entire creation.
In the Srichakra, the topmost dot is the Bindu. Just below this Bindu is the triangle called Trikona/ Tripura. As She is the greatest empress who rules this tripura, She is addressed as Mahā-tripura-sundarī.
The first step in creation is the triad (set of three, triputi or Tripura). This entire creation is within this Triad. For every aspect, there are 3 constituents viz., subject, object and the process of knowing the object. The person who is undertaking the analysis or learning is the ‘subject’. What he seeks is the ‘object’. The process through which he seeks the object is the third constituent. Such triads can be found in every plane of existence and every aspect in this creation can be broken down into these three constituents.
235. Chatuḥ-ṣaṣṭyupacārāḍhyā
Meaning – She is worshipped with 64 forms of services (upachāra).
The routine puja performed at homes comprises of 16 types of services offered to the deity (shodasha upachāra puja). In reality, the deity is offered 64 forms of services and such puja is dear to her. It is an extremely detailed procedure of puja that can be witnessed during the navāvarana puja procedure.
236. Catuḥṣaṣṭi-kalāmayī
Meaning – She is a personification of the 64 arts (kalas).
All these 64 arts exist in Her and are a part of Her; She can be called an embodiment of these arts.
237. Mahā-catuḥ-ṣaṣti-koṭi-yoginī-gana-sevithā
Meaning – 64 crore (640 million) troops of yogini-devatas (demigoddesses) serve Her.
238. Manu-vidyā
Meaning – She can be worshipped through the method called Manu-vidya.
There are various procedures regarding Her worship. One among them is Manu-vidya or the procedure adopted by Manu. Manu is the main causative factor behind this current period of time (manvantara) and is the king who is ruling this present period of time.
Manu also refers to mantra and hence it refers to Mantra Vidya (knowledge of mantras).
239. Chandra-vidyā
Meaning – She can be worshipped through the method called Chandra-vidya.
Chandra is the moon. The method that he adopts to worship Her is known as Chandra-vidya.
240. Chandra-maṇḍala-madhyagā
Meaning – She is seated in the centre of the Chandra mandala (the moon galaxy).
Here Chandra (moon) refers to the Ajna chakra (the 6th chakra that is located at the centre of the eyebrows). She resides here in a subtle form. Moon cools the mind and showers happiness. She too showers this happiness on to us. This name is deeply connected to yoga.