Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 227: Shri Maha mantra (OM mahAmantrAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is the greatest mantra; She is in all mantra forms. 

Mantras are made of two parts; First part, Manan At means ‘having in mind’ or ‘by mental repetition’. And second part, TrAyate means ‘to protect’ or ‘to save’. 

Basically it implies that the recitation of mantras gives protection to the person. It is like a seed; when planted, in due course it grows in to a very big tree to give all kinds of benefit to mankind. Repetition of Mantra is an easier route to reach the chosen deity; here it is the Divine Mother. 

As we have seen in last Namam 226 Maha Tantra, the Divine Mother is in various forms. She is worshipped through Sri Vidya, Bala, Balaka Kali, Annapoorana and Gayatri mantras, a few good ones to mention here. Since they are used for worshipping the Divine Mother or the Maha Sakthi, these are called the Maha Mantras. 

Mantras are used to invoke various deities; each mantra will be used to worship a specific deity. In earlier Namams we have discussed that mantras representing different deities appeared in front of the great sages. 

The greatest of all these mantras, Sri Vidya, is given by Lord Shiva and it is the best. Sri Vidya mantra helps the devotees to reach the Divine Mother easily than others.

 

Shri Gayatri Devi is ready to bless Her devotees with knowledge

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 07 September 2020.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 226: Shri Maha tantra (OM mahAtantrAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is worshipped by using greatest tantras. 

The word tantra is made up by the joining of two Sanskrit words: tanoti (expansion) and rayati (liberation). Tantra means liberation of energy and expansion of consciousness from its gross form. It is a method to expand the mind and liberate the dormant potential energy, and it is the principle form and the basis of all yogic practices. Hence, the Tantra scriptures refer to techniques for achieving a result. 

Tantras are essentially methodologies to reach the goal, here is worshipping the Divine Mother. There are specific tantras for the Divine Mother worship to reach for Her grace. Tantras are used for the absolving the sins, clarity of consciousness, a peaceful heart, massive protection, dynamic aura, robust health, and the magnificent grace of abundance of every type. One should chant the sacred names in sixty-four tantras. We should never expect to minimize their potential. They are not minor deities. They are none other than originated from the Divine Mother, the Parasakti residing over every aspect of the relative plane. They can pull a soul from the lowest depths of illusion into the most elevated heights of grace-light. 

Lord Shiva originally formulated these 64 tantras. But, he seemed to have given only small siddhis to the human’s soul. This had diluted effect for them in leading to their ultimate goal to reach the Brahman. The Divine Mother requested that Lord Shiva bring out the Sri Vidya mantra which confers the supreme goal of life according to Soundarya Lahari (verse 31) by Adi Sankarachariya. 

The Divine Mother is having wonderful tantra forms, best known  64 are shown in a table below.  She is also in mantra form as specified in tantric sadhanas. 

Shri MahaVidya, the Supreme Wisdom Goddess is ready to bless Her devotees

      

C N Nachiappun 

Singapore, 06 September 2020.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 225: Shri Maha yogesvaresvari (OM mahAyogeshvareshvaryai namaH)

 In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is worshipped even by the greatest of the yogis. 

Lord Shiva is considered to be the Adi yogi; therefore He is the Maha yogesvaran; She is the consort of Him; So She is the Maha Yogesvaresvari. 

The Divine Mother is the Goddess of all other yogis; some yogis have gone deeper in their tapas; such yogis are called Maha yogis. They realize that all their best qualities had come from the Divine Mother. They firmly believe in the Divine Mother’s greatness; and that whatever is happening to them is due to Her kindness. In fact the Divine Mother creates many such Maha yogis. 

Maha yoga is the highest order of all the yoga methods. The ones who reached Maha yoga siddhi is himself Isvara, Siddas  consider the Divine Mother as their Goddess and leader; they worship Her always. So She is Maha yogesavari. 

Joining two separate things is a form of yoga. The devotee is separated from the Supreme Self. Yogas help the devotee to join with the Brahman; the devotee worships the Divine Mother and She helps them with Her grace. 

Yogis are not ordinary men. They are spiritual persons who are skilled in tapas to reach the Supreme Being. They are considered almost Isvara. The scriptures all say that the Knower of the Brahman becomes the Brahman. Even for such persons, the Divine Mother is the Goddess to be worshipped to give them their needs. 

As the Divine Mother is helping the Maha yogis to grant their wants; She is the Maha yogesvaresvari.

oddess Mahagauri Devi is ready to bless Her devotees 

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 05 September 2020.

 

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 224: Shri Maha siddhih (OM mahAsiddhyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother has the highest attainment. 

Siddhih is complete understanding and enlightment with supreme intelligence. Also it is a paranormal power possessed by a Siddha. 

The Divine Mother is the great Siddhih form; whichever being has reached the maturity to attain the Supreme Self, would have the Siddhis to understand the Divine Mother and Her all forms. 

Siddhis help to correct the human’s shortfalls in intelligence and helps to become the full self. The Divine Mother is converting the devotee’s weakness to strengthen his intelligence. She takes no rest in doing this correction for all universal creatures. 

The well known ashta maha or eight great Siddhis are listed below:

1.       The power to become as minute as an atom at will (Anima)

2.       To grow as large as universe (Mahima)

3.       To become as light as cotton fibre (Lagima)

4.       To become as heavy as a mountain (Garima)

5.       To lord over everything (Ishitva)

6.       To win over and control everything (Vashitva)

7.       To effortlessly and instantaneously reach places that are even beyond imagination (Prapti)

8.       To manifest whatever, wherever  and whenever needed (Prakamya) 

A matured soul may get to use one or more of above siddhis. If he uses the siddhis for the benefit of the mankind, his soul will move up towards the Supreme Being. If the person uses such siddhi for his personal favour to gain money, fame etc, then that soul will go down in level from the Supreme Self. It is an area to watch the religious Gurus’ actions in India. 

The Divine Mother has much more than the known eight ashta maha siddhis, to create and to manage this wider universe. She is working without any rest to help all universal creatures get the maturity to seek Supreme Self. So, She is Maha siddhih Herself.

 Goddess Siddhidatri Devi is ready to bless Her devotees

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 04 September 2020.

 

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 223: Shri Maha buddhih (OM mahAbuddhyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is Supreme, in intelligence. 

Supreme intelligence is part and parcel of universal creation, protection and dissolution; The Divine Mother with Her Supreme intelligence, She is ruling the universe smoothly. 

The Divine Mother is greatly intelligent. The universal creatures are at varying degrees of intelligence, which is useful for their own living needs. A person considered poor in intelligence, still has certain intelligence to survive with his life; basically his intelligence has not crystallized from its confused state. The Divine Mother worship improves to get better intelligence. The intelligent person prays to the Divine Mother for gaining even more intelligence. 

The intelligence helps to easily understand anything including any minute or micro issues. The Divine Mother has the super intelligence to understand all things in the universe. Any devotee, who understands the Divine Mother, knows the universal things as they are. 

Devi Mahatmya says “Many salutations to Her, who exists in all beings in form of intelligence”. 

The Divine Mother bestows great intelligence to Her devotees. Everything becomes clear, when the intelligence is firmly fixed on Her. “Which, when, known all is known” says the Chandogya upanisad. 

For all our achievements, intelligence is needed. When there is no intelligence, all is dead. If we lack the intelligence and others who are with us lack the intelleigence, they can bring us danger to us. The most important Gayatri Mantra prayer asks for “kindly awaken our intelligence” from Almighty. 

Lord Krshna in Gita warns” From lack of intelligence, utter ruin comes”. 

The Divine Mother with all Her super intelligence; She is providing intelligence to Her devotees; 

She is the Maha Buddhih.

Goddess Gayatri Devi of the most important Gayatri Mantra form 

 C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 03 September 2020.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 222: Shri Maha bala (OM mahAbalAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is Supreme, in might. 

Bala has many meanings. Some of the meanings are: might, smell, taste, form, soul and corpulence (being fat). 

The Divine Mother manifest Herself in Hers powers of creation, protection and dissolution. For each of three tasks all three Icca shakti / shakti. Jnana shakti , Jnana shakti and Kriya shakti powers at different levels are needed. The Divine Mother provides all needed powers needed for each task. 

The humans with might are seen as able persons in life. Might is for life ahead positively. Tiredness is an indication of decay towards death. Mightiness will lead to the Divine Mother’s worship. The strong man embraces even death happily. 

Mightiness can also be viewed as having strength and army. The Divine Mother has all the strengths in abundance within Her. 

Yogavasistha, a sage says that Bhushunda, the crow with his twenty brothers, worshipped the Divine Mother for many years. The Divine Mother granted them liberation to reach the Supreme Being, even in their crow bodied physical form. 

The Divine Mother with Her many forms is Maha bala.

 

Goddess Bala Tripura Sundarai ready to bless Her devotees.

 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 01 September 2020.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

                    

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 221: Shri Maha virya (OM mahAvIryAyai namaH)

 In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is the Supreme valor and or powerful. 

Virya means might, semen, glory and strength as indicated in Visvakosa, an ancient religious document. 

Virya is also the physical strength when it is felt by others. Ability to do powerful actions and providing opposing strength when needed is also virya. The Divine Mother holds all such strengths in great quantities within Her, in performing the creation, protection and dissolution of the universe. 

Shri Rama had given much trouble to Vali and thereby corrected Vali’s mind is an example of Valor or virya. Also, reducing in stages the Ravana’s strengths and correcting Ravana’s mind is another of Shri Rama’s Valor. 

Similarly the Divine Mother improves Her devotees’ devotion in stages and turn them towards Supreme Being. Since, She is doing this positive change for all universal creatures, She is called Maha virya. 

The Divine Mother is behind all creative and productive or regenerative human activities. Those activities causing good karma for the humans are through  Her greatness. 

She destroyed effortlessly several strong asuras. Her power and strength are far beyond any comparable measure in this universe. 

 

Devi Mahathmya with all Her strengths to destroy the evil. 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 01 September 2020. 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.

                    

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 220: Shri Mahaisvarya (OM mahaishvaryAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described.

 

The Divine Mother is the Supreme power or authority or sovereignty. She is the posser of all forms of wealth. She has the ability to control and use them.

 

The Divine Mother is said to hold the seat for all Godly qualities (aisvarya) which are, lordliness (aisvarya), valor (virya), fame (kirti), auspiciousness (sri), wisdom (jnana)  and dispassion (vairagya).

 

Aisvarya also means the ability to rule. She is controlling the smooth functioning of the whole universe.

Also wherever, the Divine Mother’s presence is felt, it is part of spreading her blessings. These two are part of Her key aisvarya qualities.

 

There are other eight superhuman abilities (Astama Siddhis) which are also considered as aisvarya. We will soon discuss further in Namam 224 “Maha Siddhih”. She is unequal to anybody in all these richly aisvarya qualities.

 

Astama or eight classical Siddhis are:

·         Aṇimā: the ability to become smaller than the smallest, reducing one's body to the size of an atom or even become invisible.

·         Mahimā: the ability to become infinitely large, expanding one's body to an infinitely large size.

·         Laghimā: the ability to become weightless or lighter than air.

·         Prāpti: the ability to instantaneously travel or be anywhere at will.

·         Prākāmya: the ability to achieve or realize whatever one desires.

·         Īśiṭva: the ability to control nature, individuals, organisms, etc. Supremacy over nature and ability to force influence upon anyone.

·         Vaśiṭva: the ability to control all material elements or natural forces.

The eighth is given as either:

·         Kāma-avasayitva (per Kṣemarāja and Vyasa): satisfaction, suppression of desire or (as Yatrakāmāvasāyitva) wishes coming true.

·                Garimā (per the Rāmānanda Sampradāya): the ability to become infinitely heavy and be immovable by   anyone or anything. 

She is Mahaisvarya.

 

Goddess Mahalaksmi with all Her aisvarya ready to give out to Her devotees. 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 31 August 2020.

 

References:

1.       The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.       Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.       The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar.