Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
31. Kanakāṅgada-keyūra-kamanīya-bhujanvitā
Meaning – Her arms are bedecked with the golden armlets Angada and Keyura. These armlets further add to Her grace and feminine beauty.
Arms represent the determination and the strength to uplift dharma (righteousness). Devatas, who are the establishers of righteousness (dharma) are said to be Her armlets. It is the grace of the Devatas that inspires the human being to uplift and protect dharma (righteousness).
The true essence/ purpose behind worshipping any deity (Devata) is to seek the creation of good thoughts and good intentions. Developing a positive attitude that strengthens dharma and which seeks the upliftment of one and all, leads to welfare of society.
32. Ratna-graiveya-cintāka-lola-muktā-palānvitā
Meaning – She wears on Her body an exquisite chain (haara) made of gems and pearls.
Pearl (mutya) symbolizes the mind and is used to control the mind. It renders the mind pure. The scriptures related to gems (ratna shastra) and astrology (jyotis shastra) declare that those suffering from infliction of moon (Chandra graha dosha) should wear pearls.
By wearing pearls, the Divine Mother indicates that She grants a pure mind and progress in yoga to the devotee. The person who fixes his mind on the throat of Devi, which is Her Vishuddha Chakra, when seeing the idol, is blessed with a pure mind and is relieved of tensions.
33. Kāmeśvara-premaratna-maṇi-pratipaṇa-stanī
Meaning – She has given her breasts in exchange for the love of Kameshwara.
It should be clearly understood that the Supreme Parabrahma, the single supreme entity, is being projected as two separate entities of husband and wife i.e. Lord Kameshwara and Goddess Kameshwari, for our easy understanding.
Kameshwara is a precious gem (ratna) and to procure this gem, the Divine Mother has traded away her breasts. A deep significance is hidden within this name.
Breasts imply that which is needed for growth/ sustenance of other beings. Therefore they represent Her task of sustenance of this creation. On the basis of His love, She began the creation and now She sustains the creation by providing the food for all the beings.
This earth is abounding in food, irrespective of floods or famines; irrespective of various forms of destruction or even when there is so much increase in population. This earth has sustained for trillions of years with adequate food for all its inhabitants based on the need of time. All this happens because She is sustaining it.
There is a wonderful story in Mahabharata about Maharishi Jadabharata.
He practised Madhukari and would go from house to house begging for food. He never looked at any lady except for her feet and hence did not even know how a woman looked. One day, it so happened that when the lady of the house came to offer alms, he inadvertently looked at her face and then at her body. He was taken aback when he noticed that her body did not resemble his. Jadabharata was of a pure mind; there were no evil thoughts. So he innocently asked her- why is your body different from mine?
The shocked woman ran and reported it to her mother-in-law. The elderly woman, being more mature in her understanding, realized that the mendicant waiting outside perhaps had a genuine doubt. So she came personally and the Maharishi repeated his question. The lady thought for some time and then said, “Woman’s body has been designed like this by God so as to provide food for the baby who will be born in future”.
This answer brought about profound change in the Maharishi. He thought-‘If the Supreme Mother provides food for a being that is yet to descend on to earth, then wouldn’t she provide for one whom She has already created?’
Leaving his begging bowl at the doorstep, he silently walked away, went to the forest and began meditation. He was confident that the Divine Mother would provide food. A few days passed. The king of the land happened to come there. Seeing a mendicant who was not striving for any food, he brought a few fruits and kept it beside him. Seeing the king serving this mendicant, all the villagers considered him to be a great monk and began to supply food daily to him. In this manner, the Supreme Mother provided him food.
34. Nābhyālavāla-romāli-latā-phala-kucadvayā
Meaning – From her navel there springs a creeper (hair) to which the breasts are the two fruits.
Her navel and waist are so slender and thin that they appear like a thin hair-like creeper. To this thin creeper, the breasts appear like fruits.
The navel is one of the focal points (kendra sthaana) for yoga; the significance of this focal point is being highlighted through this name.
35. Lakṣya-roma-latādhāratā-samunneya-madhyamā
(This entire line is one name and hence one should not pause in-between. Adharata is one word and hence it is wrong to split this word as ‘latadhaara’ and ‘ta-sammuneya madhyama’.)
Meaning- The fact that She has a waist can be understood only because of the presence of a thin creeper like hair (as explained in the previous name) that springs from her navel.
Her waist has a very thin, subtle existence. Her waist has been compared to a thin black streak of hair. This is to denote that in reality, She is the form of time (kala swaroopam). She is eternal.
She is eternally in the most supreme (unnata) state. But here, by depicting her thin hair-like waist, (her middle portion) it should be understood that for our benefit She is taking on a madhyama (in-between) state.
36. Stanabhāra-dalanmadhya-paṭṭabandha-valitrayā
Meaning – The three folds of Her abdomen form a waistband and support Her waist from breaking under the weight of Her breasts.
The 3-folded waistband represents the 3 Vedas (trayee is also another name for the Vedas). In other words, She retains the Vedas themselves as Her waistbands.
37. Arunaruna-kausumbha-vastra-bhāsvat-katītatī
Meaning – Her saree that is of a deep red colour adds to Her majestic and graceful form.
The word Aruna has been reiterated twice here (arunaruna) to highlight the depth of the colour of the saree. The deep red colour ‘Arunaruna’ also refers to the sunrise and sunset times. Red also denotes Her compassion and love.
(For deeper meaning of ‘Aruna’ refer to the dhyana shlokas)
38. Ratna-kinkinikā-ramya-raśanā-dāma-bhūśitā
Meaning – Her waist belt that is abounding in hanging diamonds and precious stones (ratna) adds to Her divine brightness. A melodious sound ‘Kinkini’ reverberates from that waist belt.
The word kinkini also represents the various melodious sounds in nature such as chirping of birds, water gushing through the valleys and many more.
Waist belt (odyana bandha) is at the location of the Mooladhaara and is a very important bandha (mystic knot) for the spiritual aspirants. During times of upanayana (sacred thread ceremony) and marriage, a string made of grass (darbha) is tied around the waist of the person. It is said that just the touch of this string on the waist is sufficient to grant good health. This is yet another one of our scientific traditions. From this science, originates the custom of every individual tying a black thread (molataadu) around the waist throughout life. This knot around the waist acts as a preventive measure against muscle pains, leg pains and cramps that could arise at a later age.
Note – The names 31 till 38 described Her madhya koota (middle portion) and we now step into Her shakti koota. This is also the middle portion of the 16 syllable Shodashi mantra.
39. Kāmeśa-jñāta-saubhāgya-mārdavoru-dvayānvita
Meaning – Only her husband Kamesha (Supreme Paramatma) knows the softness and beauty of Her thighs.
This highlights Her chastity (pativrata) and at the same time it once again highlights that Shiva and Shakti are, in reality, one single entity (aikya).
40. Mānikya-mukutākāra-jānudvaya-virājitā
Meaning- Her kneecaps (januni) are decorated with rubies or it can be understood that the kneecaps are as strong as rubies.
This name emphasizes the importance of yoga asanas and exercises such as Surya namaskaras that are the basis to get such strong knees.
Our scriptures declare that the legs and knees should never be hanging downwards. Table meals have been banned for this reason. The earth’s gravity causes the energy to flow downward and renders the legs weak over a period of time. It is essential therefore for a person to sit cross-legged with the feet facing stomach. Not only does this counter the effect of gravity, but also in addition it helps the strength to flow back into the legs. When sitting in a chair, the legs should be supported with a stool so that there is no weight thrown on it.