Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 720: Shri Guhyakaradhya (ōṃ guhyakārādhyāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is worshipped by Guhyaka. Guhyakas are types of devas such as Yaksas, Kinnaras, Gandharvas and Kimpurusas.. Guhyakar is also the Kubera who protects all the wealth in Kailasha.

Guhyakas serve Kubera, the holder of wealth on behalf of Shiva and the Divine Mother. The people in the current world, who go after money represent these Guhyakas. These are people praying for increasing their wealth, which they ever keep secret. The Divine Mother grants what they desire in such a way to progress them towards Brahman. Those who are keen only on amazing wealth are provided with such riches by the Divine Mother, until they reach a stage not to desire wealth anymore. So, She is called as Guhyakaradhya.

Kunera is one of twelve key worshippers of the Divine Mother. All his attendants are also called Guhyars.

Guhyaka refers to that which is most secret. It may be assumed then, that the Divine Mother is worshipped in great secrecy and thus the name ‘Guhyakaradya.

The Divine Mother is worshipped by Guhyakas in great Searcy.

CN Nachiappan

Singapore, 14 January 2022.; Updated 16 March 2025

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 719: Shri Ganamba (ōṃ gaṇāmbāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is the Mother of Shiva’s attendants. She is also the Mother of Ganesa.

Shiva’s attendants are called ganas. She is Mother of all such ganas and lord Ganesa. Such ganas, due to their devotion to Shiva are in many forms. For such skillful Ganas, Veerabadhra is their leader. They all have Shiva as their Father and the Divine Mother as their Mother. She gets them engaged in Shiva devotion and provide wisdom with Her kindness.

Ganesa is overall leader of these ganas. As the Divine Mother, She is called Ganamba. Ganesa helps people in the right paths and blocks the people in wrong or evil ways. He is called Vigneswara as He is eliminating, the Vigna or evil. He has learned from His Mother, the Divine Mother, the process of creating blockage and removing the blockages. The Divine Mother empowers Ganesa to run the universe systematically. So, She is called Ganamba.

Devas, Siddhars, Gandavara, and Kinnaras are various types of devas who have highest maturity and reached Brahman. They are all called ganas; they are attendants to Shiva. Shiva’s Ganas also called Vasu, Rudra and Aditya form of Pitru Ganas. The Divine Mother is their Mother. Lord Ganesa is the overall leader of all these Ganas. The Divine Mother is worshipped by these groups of Ganas such as Ganamba.

 

The Divine Mother is the Mother of Shiva’s attendants or Ganas.

CN Nachiappan

Singapore, 13 January 2022; Updated on 16 March 2025.

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 718: Shri Mahi (ōṃ mahyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is Goddess Earth.

The Divine Mother is in Earth form. All creatures in this earth are based on Mother Earth; water-based ocean is about three fourths of the total earth surface, and all the creatures living in the sea all have the earth as their base. All the flying birds from the sky come down to earth as well. The Divine Mother in Earth form is holding all the creatures.

Humans dig the earth at various levels, yet Mother Earth does not do any harm back to the them. She has all the patience. Mother Earth provides all the goods to all living creatures in this world. She is the Divine Mother who takes care of all creatures in this universe.

The means to reach Brahman are all shown and happening in the earthly life. As the highly mature souls live on this earth, they are gaining punya.

Since Mother Earth is widely spread, She is called Mahi. The Divine Mothers in Mother Earth form shows Herself as Mahi holy river and its sacred waters. She is in Mahat aspect.

Mahi is also the name of a sacred river, and the Divine Mother is in the form of its waters. She is given the name Mahi, since devotees worship her on the banks of that sacred river, Mahi.

The Divine Mother is the Mother Earth with all the patience.

CN Nachiappan

Singapore, 12 January 2022.; Updated 16 March 2025

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 717: Shri Madhumati (ōṃ madhumatyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is as sweet as honey.

She is offered honey in worship by the devotees. For highly nourished food, honey is used, which is good for the human body, mind and providing oxygen to the body. Honey is not passed as waste from our bodies. The Divine Mother is in such a honey form. Para-vidya is also called Madhu-vidya. The word Madhu reflects the Brahman. She is helping the devotees in current and future lives, by providing all the wealth needed for current life; She is like honey to Her devotees. For the souls to reach the Brahman, all the happiness and auspiciousness are there. The Divine Mother is praised as Madhumati.

Honey is the key worship offering from Her devotees. Upanishads say Madhumati is vidya. Yoga sastra says Madhumati is earth and in holy river form.

Madhu is honey and intoxicating liquor. It said that honey is dear to the Divine Mother. The devotees offer more of honey to Her during worship. This Nama’s simple interpretation is that ‘She is offered Madhu in worship’.

The Divine Mother is as sweet as honey.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 11 January 2022.; Updated 16 March 2025

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 716: Shri Maya (ōṃ māyāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother creates illusion or She herself is Maya, the grand illusion.

The Divine Mother is in Maya form. One of the effects of Maya Shakti is to hide from the original thing. Ravana came in the form of deer and Seetha Devi was deceived even after Lakshmana warned Her about it; She believed that was a deer. This shows how humans are put to difficulties by Maya.

In dreaming, humans assume many positive things for them due to Maya effect and on waking up, the humans find no such things. What was there just earlier, is not there essentially due to Maya. This universe is a Maya form. Ever since we were born due to blood and energy flow our body is constantly changing. But we believe we do not go through the change due to the Maya effect.

The Divine Mother performs unusual action. She causes unexpected results. What is not fit to something is found well by Her. What is not something, She makes it look like that specific thing. Whatever is famous is made to look mean by her. She holds an immeasurable Shakti. Brahman’s shakti Maya is creating, sustaining, and holding the universe. Hreem is Beja form for Maya, who is Bhuvaneshvari Vidya. People say that Maya is making us confused. But it is our ignorance that we get confused.  Sun has no raising or setting, but it is bright as always, yet we see the sun as rising due to maya effect. Due to our greed we may think that a shiny clam shell is silver.  After testing it, we are disappointed. Is it the shell which caused us this disappointment?  It is our own illusion.

The Divine Mother gives us knowledge; She creates situations for us to get disappointment and She is testing our patience. If anyone has no selfish desire, he can reach Brahman. While knowing this, humans act as if not knowing due to Maya effect.

Maya is something that seems to be what it is not. Maya is not absence of something, but the apparent presence of something that is not real. In the known example of rope in darkness is seen as snake, Maya gave rise to not non-existent snake in the rope; it was a snake that was not the rope, as one is not scared by the absent snake; one is scared by the snake that was not the rope. These two forms of negations are different in meaning. The world is not something that is non-existent, it is just not what it appears to be. There is only Brahman. It gives appearance either as Brahman or as the universe. Therefore, we should not conclude that one is not the other; we should conclude that one is not something different from the other.

The Devi Purana says, ‘It is called Maya because it is the instrument of marvelous actions, producing unimagined results like those in dream or in magic.’

The soul dwells in this world with the mind (antahkarana) as its instrument upadhi,  meaning limitation or imposition;  whereas God dwells here with Maya as His instrument.

Maya is a strange power that makes the pure appear as impure and knowledge appear as ignorance. It hides the real nature of an object and superimposes on it something that it is not.

It is the power of Maya that creates the seasons, makes the moon wax and wane and the tides rise and fall. The power of Maya is the Divine Mother’s will power. For the creation of the universe matter and energy are not enough, willpower is the key element needed. The three sounds a, u, and m contained the sacred syllable AUM (OM) stands for the matter, energy, and willpower respectively. They are also referred to as sattva, rajas, and tamas, three Gunas and as Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Divine Mother is that willpower that prompts creation and the unison of Shiva and Shakti.

The Divine Mother has an illusion as Maya Herself.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 10 January 2022; Updated on 16 March 2025.

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 715: Shri Bhagaradhya (ōṃ bhagārādhyāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother is worshipped in the Sun’s disc. Bhaga means Sun’s disc in Anahata chakra in human hearts.

Bhaga can also mean one who creates; Her names such as Savita, Bhagavati, and Savithri have similar meaning. Sun helps to bring out all galaxies / worlds to sight. Brightness and heat are provided by the Sun as a life source for all universal beings. Ever existing Sun represents Brahman and or the Divine Mother. The powerful and shining Divine Mother is said to be worshipped at the Sun’s disc, which can be done in secret,

With Shiva and Shakti unison, the universe is being created, which represents unseen Brahman. In the Divine Mother, we worship Her in known or seen forms and unknown Brahman form. In Bhaga worship, all these things are included.

The Divine Mother is worshipped by the Sun. Bhaga is a name which means Sun, with all the Shakti of Shiva. He is one of the twelve worshippers of Shiva. Sun worships the Divine Mother to get full strength, and the Divine Mother is worshipped by devotees in Sun’s disc. When worshipping the Divine Mother in moon’s disc, we can meditate, but in Sun’s disc, we ought to focus the Divine Mother at the centre of the Sun’s disc; this form of worship satisfies the Kulottirna Devi worship also.

Bhaga also means yogini; in trigona (triangle) form of yantra, She is worshipped. For, the Divine Mother’s worship homa Kundams are made in trigona form which is called yogini Kundam. She is worshipped as Bhaga with all the Shakti of Shiva; Bhaga is a mantra syllable as well.

Bhaga also means Kamakala; reference to earlier Nama 277, Bhagamalini and Nama 279 Bhagavathi for additional meanings of the word Bhaga. Thus, the Divine Mother is one who is worshipped by six Aishwaryas, (attributes of excellence) namely: auspiciousness, supremacy, fame, valor, discrimination, and knowledge.

The Divine Mother is worshipped in the Sun’s disc.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 09 January 2022.; Updated 16 March 2025

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 714: Shri Kulottirna (ōṃ kulōttīrṇāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother are discussed.

The Divine Mother transcends the senses of universal beings.

The Divine Mother is beyond Kulas; Objects, enjoyments and sorrow experienced through human senses are termed as Kulas. Such worldly things cannot help the soul to reach the Brahman. The Divine Mother is beyond such senses and their effects; yet such human senses help to meditate and to pray to know the Divine Mother’s physical forms in temples and places of worship. The five senses are used for Divine Mother worship and to improve the functioning of the senses, to visualize all universal things seen as the deity to be worshipped, especially the Divine Mother. The senses get cleansed. When all the hurdles are overcome, then the Divine Mother’s realization is the final stage. The Divine Mother is praised as Kulottirna.

Kuals are senses based, as we have discussed as above. The Divine Mother is beyond kulas. The knowledge gained through the senses will be the knower, knowing and the known. This is small wisdom, in comparison to the total wisdom of the Divine Mother. We cross over the kula level knowledge to reach the Divine Mother who causes such wisdom. In Sri Chakra fifth fort/level, Devi Kulottirna is to be visualized.. She is the yogini, sustaining the ever-increasing Guru lineage.

The Divine Mother is the one who transcends the inner and outer senses (kulas). She is not the object of the senses and can be reached only through meditation. Likewise, since She is beyond the senses, She is not involved in worldly joys and sorrows.

This is the line of separation between humans and Goddess. We go through happiness and sorrow through our senses; divinity is beyond the entire family of senses.

The Divine Mother transcends the senses of Her devotees.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 08 January 2022; Updated 16 March 2025.

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