Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
831. Prāṇeśwarī
Meaning- She is the ruler (Eshwari) for the life force (prāna).
Prānas are of 10 types consisting of the 5 prānas (Pancha prānas) and the 5 Upa-prānas. The five forces of Prāna, Apāna, Udāna, Vyāna and Samāna are referred to as the Pancha prānas. Our Upanishads declare-
Na prāṇena na apāṇena martyo jeevati kaschana
Itarena tu jīvanti yasmin etavupāshritau.
Meaning- A mortal does not depend on the Prāna nor on the Apāna for his life; there is some other force on which these two (prāna and apāna) depend; the being thus depends on this supreme force for its life.
832. Prāṇadātrī
Meaning- She bestows prana (life) upon the being.
833. Pañcāśat-pīṭha-rūpiṇī
Meaning- She is the form of the 51 shakti peethas.
Let us understand how these Shakti peethas came into existence.
Sati was the daughter of Daksha and wife of Lord Shiva. Daksha once organized a huge yagna to which everyone barring his son-in-law was invited. Sati Devi went to the yagna being conducted by her father, much against the wishes of Lord Shiva. However, unable to withstand the humiliation that she had to suffer there, she immolated herself. An enraged Shiva went to the place where Daksha was performing his yagna and destroyed it. Daksha was killed by Shiva’s ganas.
Shiva, who was in a state of wild grief, carried Sati’s body on his shoulders and roamed all over the world. At the behest of all other Gods, Lord Vishnu severed Sati’s body into 51 pieces with his Sudarshan Chakra (discus), so that Shiva would return to sanity. Parts of her body fell at 51 different places. These places came to be known as Shakti peethas.
At every Shakti Peetha, Goddess Shakti accompanied by Lord Bhairava (a manifestation of Lord Shiva) resides. At these places Her presence can be felt by eminent yogis. These places have great spiritual significance. Mere recollection of these names grants the merit of visiting the temple.
Most of these temples are in a dilapidated state. Visit to a shakti peetha should mandatorily be accompanied by a visit to the Bhairava temple else the visit is not fruitful.
834. Viśruṇkhalā
Meaning- As Shrunkala Devi She unties the knots of the bondages of Her devotees. She is not bound by any bondages. She unties the granthis (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra granthis, discussed earlier).
835. Viviktasthā
Meaning- She enjoys being all alone (ekanta/ exclusiveness). She loves ekanta puja offered by her devotees.
836. Vīra-mātā
Meaning- She is the Mother of heroic and valorous sons. Lord Ganapati, Lord Subrahmanya, Veerabhadra and many eminent yogis are referred to as Veera.
837. Viyatprasūḥ
Meaning- She has given birth to this vast space (akasha, viyat). She is the mother to the entire vast limitless sky.
Vedas state the process of creation as-
ātmana akasah sambhūtah. ākāsah vayoh vāyoh agni. agnir āpah. adbyah prithvi.
Paramatma at first created the space. Out of space was born the wind (air); from it was born the fire.
838. Mukundā
She bestows liberation.
Mukunda is the name of Krishna. ‘Mukun dadāteti mukunda’- He who gives liberation (Moksha) is Mukunda. The Lord who destroys the ignorance of the devotee, relieves him from the shackles (bondages) of life and removes the veil of illusion (maya) that envelops him is Mukunda.
839. Mukti-nilayā
Meaning- Liberation (mukti) is Her residence (nilaya).
840. Mūla-vigraha-rūpiṇī
Same as moola mantra swarupini.