Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
471. Siddheśvarī
Meaning – She is the ruler (Eshwari) all the siddhas (accomplished souls) and has them under Her sway. She is the presiding deity of Swadhisthana chakra.
The enlightened accomplished beings are known by the name siddhas. Gorakhnath and other siddhas (nathas) have worshiped Siddeshwari.
472. Siddha-vidyā
Meaning – She is the authority over all the knowledge that is possessed by Siddhas such as Agastya Maharishi. She is the presiding deity of Mooladhāra chakra, the primary/ first chakra.
473. Siddha-mātā
Meaning – She is the mother to all Siddhas. She is the presiding deity of Ajna chakra (located at the forehead).
474. Yaśasvinī
Meaning – She is very famous. The Supreme Mother is known as Yashaswini in Sahasrara chakra.
Da, Ra, La, Ka, Sā, Ha and Ya are the 7 seed letters and the names of the presiding deity at the various Chakras, referred to in the 7 preceding names.
The next 62 names refer exclusively to the details about the six spiritual centers within the body (shat chakras). The number 62 is associated with the Divine Yoginis Mothers (Yogini māta), who are the assistants of the Divine Mother.
Even at the time of the consecration of the idol within the temple, the Yogini mātas are invoked through the installation of the yogini mandala. The invocation of the deities connected to the vastu and Navagraha (planets) are also undertaken. These are done so that the persons visiting the temple and visualizing the idol also enjoy their blessings and thereby progress on the spiritual (yogic) path and attain salvation.
The description of the Chakras in this Sahasranama begins from the Vishuddha chakra located near the throat instead of the traditional approach of beginning from the Mooladhaara chakra located at the bottom of the spine. This is because Vishuddha is the primary point of contact for the air being inhaled by the person. The air touches the Vishuddha chakra and then travels down to the other Chakras. Vishuddha is also the hub for various nādis (astral subtle nerves) of the body, which converge at this point.
The namas 475 to 484 describe Goddess Dākini, who resides in Vishuddha Chakra.
475. Vishuddi-chakra-nilaya
Meaning – Vishuddha chakra, located at the throat, is Her residence.
The presiding deity for Vishuddha Chakra is Vajreshwari (refer nama 468) and Her yogic name is Dākini. Her seed-letter is Da. The temple for Dākini Devi is situated at Bangladesh.
Rasa (lymph), rakta (blood), maasa (muscle) medha (adipose tissue) asti (bone) majja (bone marrow) shukra (semen) ni dhatava- these are the 7 primary constituents (dhatus) which sustain the entire body. Without any of these, the body will simply collapse. Vishuddha chakra is the seat for the Rasa dhatu (lymph), which is the first among all the 7 constituents (dhatus).
476. āraktavarna
Meaning – At the Vishuddha chakra, the Divine Mother is in the āraktavarna colour (a colour that is a mixture of blood red and ash).
Within the womb the foetus on its very first day of its formation is in this colour -Ekaratre kalalam bhavati. The being that was until then formless and invisible has now come into contact with food (anna) and thus a gross body is being taken on by it.
The Divine Mother seated at the Vishuddha Chakra sustains and nourishes the foetus during the first month of pregnancy. She is its sole support. She ensures its growth. She gives a form to that being which was until then formless. As she blesses it with a firm and strong body She is ‘Vajreshwari’ (refer namas 468 & 475).
477. Trilochana
Meaning – The Divine Mother seated at the Vishuddha Chakra has 3 eyes. She is Trinayana.
478. Khatvāngādi praharana-
Meaning – Holding the ‘khatvānga’ and other weapons in Her hand, She is guarding (praharana) the foetus during its first month of growth.
Khatvānga is the long club-like instrument fitted with a skull on its head. Apart from the Khatvānga, the other weapons that She holds are khadga (sword), charma (skin) and trishula (trident).
This name subtly implies that She blesses the foetus with a head. By the time the foetus is one-month-old its head and skin are formed.
479. Vadanaika samanvitaa
Meaning – She has only one face.
This implies that She blesses the foetus with only one face.
480. Pāyasānna priya
Meaning – She loves pāyasānna.
During the first month of pregnancy, the expecting mother should offer pāyasānna to the Supreme Mother and thereafter consume it. Consuming this dish during the first month of pregnancy has immense health benefits for the growing foetus.
Yogis who are at the Vishuddha chakra and are trying to cross over it should exclusively consume pāyasānna albeit in limited quantities.
To prepare Pāyasānna-
1 cup raw rice; 2 cups milk (can be substituted with half cup milk and balance water); ½ cup cow’s ghee, ½ cup green gram (whole moong) and jaggery as required for sweetness.
Cook rice and moong in milk (water can be added as explained above). Add required quantity of jaggery for sweetness. Add ghee. Under no circumstances should sugar be added.
Those in yogic path should consume food in very limited quantities. Body should be flexible and light for yogic progress. Excessive eating causes drowsiness and distracts mind from yoga.
To offer any preparation as naivedya to the deity, one should necessarily be pure in heart and body. With clean clothes, using clean vessels the food should be prepared in complete purity.