Shri Lalitha Saharsranamam (shrI lalitA sahasranAmAvalI): An introduction note

Shri Lalitha Sagaranamam, was instructed by Shri Lalitha Herself and recorded by her assistant Devis. It is considered the highest Saharsranamam by Hindu Vedas. There are many people, in the past, had written the meaning for this Saharsranamam, the well known being the Acharya Bhaskaraya. In recent times, many well known religious institutions had written very detailed meaning for this Saharsranamam in many Indian languages, I understand there are even full meaning English versions, available in book form in India. Those versions are done by professional people with high professional standards, needing a better level of understanding for a common man. For me, by Purvapuniyam effect, I had learnt this Saharsranamam, namavalli some 40 years ago and had the pleasure of reciting it almost every day and learnt the meaning some of these names which are in Sanskrit. I wish to come up with meaning of each name, in my own understanding way to bringing it to the common man level. I am not perfect in my understanding of these names, yet it is my sincere attempt to present explanations for each name in readable way in simple English. I give a start on this Thai Amamavasi day.

There are only 1000 namams in this Saharsranamam as against expectation of 1008 Namams in most Saharsranamams, starting from Shri Matha and ending with Shri Lalithambigai. I will continue in proper sequence from 25.01.2020 starting from Namam 1 and going forward to 1000, one name each day.

Today, I will prepare a sample write up on my favourite Namam (989): Vangitharthaprathayini. This Namam gives the complete essence of Divine Mother’s kindness and providing functions for the whole universe, controlled by Her other half Lord Siva. In my view this name Vangitharthaprathayini summaries this Saharsranamam in total.

If a five to six month old child cries, only the child’s mother will know the reason for the child’s crying, for example, the child is hungry or having pain somewhere in its body or needing sleep or in confused due to external noise / conditions. The child’s mother will do the needful to calm and put the child most probably to sleep.  

In a similar way, the Divine Mother, you have now put me in this materialist world in this birth, I do not know the ways to meet all my needs, you only know my needs in all and you provide for them for me. You are doing this not for me alone; you are doing for the whole universe with billions of human creatures, animals living on land, sea and in outer planets etc. You control all assets for the materistic uses above and below earth for mankind. Other Deivams such as Lord Vishnu also performs similar saving and providing functions but his reach is, we believe is limited. All other Deivams get their instructions and help from you only. You are the Ultimate in providing for all living souls and giving them the mukthi or liberation from the birth and death cycle to reach you with no further birth for them from this current life for the soul.

For all other Deivams, there are meaningful songs which have described them as Mother, as well. Apper, Sundarar, Thirunaukkarar and likes have described Lord Siva in motherly role, Shanda Anupoothi 42 th song says Lord Muruga is the mother and similarly Vinava write ups show Lord Vishnu in motherly role, meaning all these do the motherly function, but the Ultimate Mother is only you, the Divine Mother. There is no one else but you who can provide for me for meeting my life’s needs. I pray to you in full faith to take care my needs in total.

C N Nachiappun,

Singapore.

24 January 2020, Friday, Thai new moon day