Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
541. Anuttamā
Meaning – She holds the most superior position. She is unsurpassed.
This name is synonymous in meaning to Nirupama.
Up to this name Anuttamā, all the names pertained to yagna.
542. Puṇyakīrtiḥ
Meaning –
a) To Her, the devotees’ the punya (merit, virtue) is itself Her glory/fame.
Such acquisitions of Her devotee give her enormous happiness.
b) Puṇyakīrtiḥ also implies that the devotee who increases the balance of merit (punya) to his credit can achieve great renown (keerti, fame). Such sadkeerti (good, auspicious fame) leads him towards divinity.
A person can become famous by efficiently mimicking a donkey, but of what use is such fame? It leads the person nowhere. There is a Vedic aphorism – ‘Keertirasya poorvaagacchati janataa maa yataha’ which means that sadkeerti is a primary pre-requisite for being blessed with a good body and good health. Fame achieved due to meritorious, benevolent and good tasks is sadkeerti. In other words, merit earned from good deeds results in good fame (keerti) and this in turn forms the basis for acquiring a good body, good family and good health in the subsequent birth.
543. Puṇyalabhyā
Meaning – Only those with meritorious deeds to their credit can reach Her.
Merit (punya) is that which is earned through penance (tapas) and charity (daanam). It grants happiness not in this world but in the other worlds.
Adi Shankaraacharya begins the entire Soundarya Lahiri with emphasis on punya.
Shiva shaktya yukto yadi bhavati shaktah prabhavitum
na ched-evam devo na khalu kusalah spanditum api;
Atas tvam aradhyam hari-hara-virinchadibhir
api
pranantum stotum va kathama-krta-punyah prabhavati.
The last line in the above verse states that even to hear about Her, sing Her hymn or offer obeisance to Her, the individual should possess a balance of merit (punyah) to his credit.
The balance of punya (merit, virtue) that one possesses is the determining factor for his/her attraction towards God. If even to enter a temple or to think of God the person should have tremendous amount of punya to his credit then can you imagine the balance of punya that would be necessary to enable a person to recite hymns or to worship the Almighty? People with no balance of merit to their credit cannot even visit the temple at the right hour.
544. Puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanā
Meaning – Just hearing (shravana) or singing Her divine names (keertana) results in the person being blessed with tremendous merit (punya).
It is said that even if one is simple passing by and the Lord’s name such as Krishna, Narayana or Srimata falls into his ears, it grants him immense merit (punya). If so, what more can be said regarding the virtue (punya) that would be earned by singing the names of that Lord?
545. Pulomajārcitā
Meaning – Pulomaja (Sachi Devi), wife of Lord Indra ardently worships Her.
Indra was filled with great remorse after killing the terrible demon Vrittasura. The task was undeniably undertaken for the welfare of the world, but still the regret of having killed a great ascetic (tapasvi) haunted him. Added to this was the fact that the demon had to be destroyed through slightly crooked means and this did not digest well. Along with Vrittasura hordes of demons were also destroyed. In order to alleviate himself from this sin (prayaschitta) Indra hid himself in the lotus stalk in a pond and worshipped the Lord. After a certain period he transformed into a snake and continued to live in the same pond, all the time contemplating on the Supreme.
Snakes are reptiles that suffer from excessive fear. The hiss of a snake is a display of this inner fear. A small sound causes it to disappear into its hole out of fear. True fear can be understood purely through practical experience. For this reason Lord Indra transformed into a snake. Meanwhile Sachi Devi, his wife, had to suffer at the hands of Nahusha, who temporarily had assumed the position of Indra during the latter’s absence. Pulomaja (Sachi Devi) who was in complete distress approached Lord Vishnu who further directed her to worship the Supreme Mother in the form of Katyayini. The Supreme Mother came to her rescue. Nahusha’s ego and arrogance led to his downfall and he fell to earth as a snake. Sachi Devi’s worship was thus rendered fruitful and Indra was restored to his original position.
546. Bandha-mocani
(There should be no break between Bandha and Mochani as it is one word. Pausing in between them alters the meaning.)
Meaning – She relieves her devotees from the various bondages (bandha) of life.
These bondages are karma bandhas i.e. the bondages that arise due to the actions of the person.
547. Bandhūrālakā
Bandhūrālakā can also be read as Barbarālakā.
Meaning – Her long hair loaded with curls is magnificent.
Hair is symbolic of kāla (time). All beings are trapped within this time (kāla). The curls in Her hair symbolize the ups and downs or the waves of ignorance and bondages in our life. She destroys these bondages and uplifts the devotees.
The entire verse starting from Puṇyakīrtiḥ (542) up to Bandhūrālakā (547) explains about the rewards earned due to performance of good deeds. Akin to Pulomaja, every earnest devotee will be rescued. Such essence is also summed up in the following neeti (moral)-
vane rane shatrujalaagnimadhye
mahaarnnave parvatamastake vaa
suptam pramattam vishamasthitam vaa
rakshanti punyaani puraakritaani
Meaning – It is the various deeds of the past lives that protect a person wherever he is, whether he is in a forest, in a war, in water, in fire, deep in an ocean, on the hill-top, whether he is awake or asleep or in any dangerous situation.
This above verse teaches the importance of acquiring virtue in the lifetime. Simultaneously it is essential to undertake repentance (prayaschitta) for the mistakes and sins of the past. The name Pulomajārcitā teaches this.
548. Vimarśa-rūpiṇī
Meaning – She is the power of discrimination between the real and unreal. Such discrimination (vimarsha) leads towards viveka (wisdom).
Vimarsha and Prakasha are two aspects of the Absolute Consciousness. Prakasha is the illumination, the Supreme brightness that is beyond the scope of visualization. It requires immense sadhana to be blessed with its vision.
Vimarsha on the other hand is critical examination, investigation, discussion, recapitulation, reflecting about the same matter all the time and strengthening our inner beliefs on what is learnt about the Absolute Consciousness.
Vimarsha is wrongly understood to mean critical commentary about others. The truth is that it is a deep study about one’s own self. Vimarsha is self- awareness. It is reflective awareness. Even though a mirror reflects the image, to see it we have to open our eyes. In other words, viewing of the reflection is possible only with open eyes. It is of extreme importance especially in the case of viewing our eyes. No being can see his/her eyes except as a reflection in the mirror. Likewise, the individual consciousness has to contemplate on his nature at first.
The absolute consciousness can be understood only after proper understanding of the self (self- awareness or atma Jnana). This is Vimarsha.
The Supreme Mother is the energy of Vimarsha within the being and causes such knowledge to arise in the devotees.
549. Vidyā
Meaning – She is the Supreme Knowledge.
The words Avidyā or amatih refer to the worldly (loukika) knowledge; Vidya refers to the Supreme Knowledge.
The knowledge that grants liberation, that which enables us to enjoy the supreme bliss (amrutattva) and to have a vision of the Supreme Essence is true Vidyā. The process of Vimarsha gets strengthened with acquisition of this knowledge.
550. Viyadādi-jagat-prasūḥ
Meaning – Beginning with the sky (akasha or viyat), She has created this entire universe (jagat).
The Taittiriya Upanishad states- Atmana ākāshaḥ sambhuta- i.e. Paramatma at first created space. From the space other elements such as air, fire, water etc. were created.
Viyat Vishnu pādam vāpi- Space (viyat) is Vishnu’s feet (pādam). Space clearly proves that God is all pervading. To be broad-minded means to be able to see this ‘God element’ in each and every object within this universe.