Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
191. Duḥkhahantrī
Meaning – She dispels all grief and fears (dukha).
All the sorrows are classified under the 3 tāpatrayas (the 3 tāpas). Due to sorrows and afflictions the body gets tensed and heated (tāpa). The 3 tāpas are – ādhyātmika, ādhibhoutika and ādhi daivika.
Ādhyātmika tāpatrayās refers to bodily afflictions. Here the ādhyātmika should not be confused for troubles related to spiritual pursuits.
Ādhibhoutika tāpatrayās refers to afflictions caused by external elements like fever, snake bite etc. Afflictions due to unforeseen calamities are ādhi-daivika tāpatrayas for example afflictions due to rain, storm.
She relieves Her devotees from all these 3 types of afflictions.
192. Sukhapradā
Meaning – She bestows happiness and bliss (sukha) upon Her devotee. This includes both ordinary happiness as well as spiritual bliss.
It is not sufficient to relieve the devotee of his afflictions; granting him both happiness and bliss is more important. Worldly happiness is temporal; securing the divine happiness (bliss, ananda) is the real blessing.
Upanishads explain in detail about the different levels of bliss enjoyed by a being at various stages of evolution. This composition is called ‘Anandavalli’ of the Taittareeya Upanishad. In it is said that there are 11 types of bliss. Each type of bliss is merely 1/100th of the bliss enjoyed at the next level of progression. The human being who is at the bottom of the chain enjoys 1/100th of the bliss enjoyed by the Manushya-Gandharva (type of celestial being), who is at the immediate next level. The Manushya-Gandharva in turn enjoys 1/100th of the bliss that is enjoyed by the Deva-Gandharva, who is one level above him. In this manner, it elaborates the entire chain starting from the human being and ending with the bliss enjoyed by Brahma (Brahmānanda). In the middle of this chain is the bliss enjoyed by Gandharvas, Devas, Indra, Prajapati and others. Anandavalli also declares that engaging in Nishkāma karma (selfless/ desireless action), is the key to achieve this bliss.
193. Duṣṭadūrā
During recitation, this line should not be split as Duṣṭadūra durāchāra (pause) śamanī dośa varjita. ‘Duṣṭadūra’ is one name while ‘Durachāra śamani’ is one name. Pausing after durachāra alters the meaning causing negative effect.
Meaning – She drives away the bad feelings and thoughts (dushta bhāvana). She is unattainable by those who entertain bad thoughts and are evil.
The aim behind spiritual practices is purely to bring out a transformation in the individual, through which the bad traits within are driven away. Every individual should, at periodic intervals, reflect the degree of change that has come over in him/her due to the Sadhana. ‘In what way have I become a better person today?’ should be a question posed to the self every night before retiring.
The Divine Mother in this way drives away the evil thoughts and intents within the devotee.
Those with evil thoughts, deeds and intents cannot even fathom and comprehend Her. Desire to worship Her or to understand Her will not even spurt in such a mind.
194. Durācāra-śamanī
Meaning – She shreds away durāchāra from among Her devotees.
Āchāra refers to customs, observances, practices and code of conduct that is adhered. Sadāchāra is the proper/rightful way of conduct, observances and customs that are passed down the generations. Its antonym is durāchāra.
The Divine Mother, with her infinite grace, drives away from Her devotee all durāchāras.
In the Bhagavad Gita, it is stated –
Shreyan swa-dharmo vigunaḥ par-dharmāt swanusthitāt
Swadharmē nidhanaṃ śreyaḥ para-dharmō bhayāvahaḥ
Everyone has to mandatorily follow the dharma that has been laid down upon him/her by the ancestors even if it appears small and un-rewarding. To die doing one’s duty (dharma) is the best course. One should not try to do someone else’s dharma, because to do others jobs will not give the same fulfillment.
195. Doṣa-varjitā
Meaning – She relieves the devotee from all doshas (the bad habits, defects or bad traits that exist within).
While the arishadvargas (the 6 main internal traits of anger, jealousy etc.) are the most prominent bad traits, there are many more innumerable unwanted traits that exist within us. She frees her devotees by eliminating all of them.
196. Sarvajñā
Meaning – She is omniscient (all- knowing; master in all forms of knowledge.)
No being apart from the Almighty can ever claim mastery over all forms of knowledge.
197. Sāndrakaruṇā
She has limitless and intense compassion (karuna) towards her devotee.
‘Sāndra’ means thick, intense and dense.
198. Samānādhika-varjitā
Meaning – Every being is equal in Her eyes.
Without any differentiation, She is with Her extended arms drawing all forms of beings closer to Her. Merging them into Her is Her sole objective.
199. Sarvaśakti-mayī
Meaning – She is the form of all energies (sarva shakti). She is the entire energy.
200. Sarva-maṇgaḷā
Sarva-maṇgaḷa is one name. Hence while reciting one should not pause after the word Sarva. Instead, it should be – Sarvaśakti-mayī (pause) Sarva-maṅgaḷā.
Meaning – She is the cause for every form of auspiciousness (maṇgaḷa). She is an embodiment of auspiciousness.
The sacred text ‘Chandi Saptashati’ praises the Divine Mother as –
Sarva maṇgaḷa māngaḷye śive sarvārtha sādhike
Śaranye trayambakē devi nārāyaṇi namostute
Meaning – We bow to Goddess Nārāyaṇi, who is the cause of auspiciousness (Sarva maṇgaḷa) to all auspiciousness, She who is auspiciousness herself, who is the source of refuge and who is the mother of the three worlds.
Reference to the Divine Mother with this name also appears in the hymn ‘Lalita Trishati’. Sarva-maṇgaḷā is also one of the names of Lord Brahma. The following hymns explain the ever-auspicious nature of Lord Brahma.
Atikalyānarupatvāt nityakalyānasamśrayāt ǀ
Smartrunam varadatvacha brahma tanmangaḷam viduḥ ǁ
Meaning – Brahma is eternally auspicious; He possesses the most auspicious form; by just thinking about Him all the inauspiciousness is driven away and auspiciousness is bestowed.
Aśubhāni nirācaśte tanoti śubhasantatiṃ |
smṛti-mātreṇa yat pumsām brahma tanmangaḷam viduḥ ǁ
Meaning – Just by thinking about Brahma all forms of evils and inauspiciousness (ashubha) are driven away and auspiciousness (shubha) is bestowed upon the person.
Brahma is Sarva mangala (ever auspicious).
With this, 200 names are complete. Having crossed the second compound (avarana) we are now stepping into the third enclosure (avarana). In this enclosure, The Divine Mother assumes the name ‘Sarva Samkhshobini’. The enclosure itself goes by the name ‘Sarva samkshobhini chakra’.
The first enclosure was the ‘Trailokya mohana chakra’ where the un-manifest becomes manifest. The triad (triputi) comes into existence at this step. The second enclosure is the Sarvāśā paripūraka chakra. The term ‘Sarvāśa paripūra’ means fulfillment of every desire. The Divine Mother fulfills the desires of her children.
Isn’t it the duty of the mother to take the child who, although his desires are fulfilled still encircles at that spot, to the next level? Here comes the third enclosure – the Sarva Samkshobhini chakra. The attractions of the mind that cause emotional disturbances (kshobha) are driven away and the individual is led a step ahead.