Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 763: Shri Trigunatmika (ōṃ triguṇātmikāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the essence of the three gunas.

From mud, various types of mud vessels are made; likewise, the whole universe is made with three gunas sattva, rajas, and tamas. The Divine Mother is in these three guna forms. There is no difference between the Divine Mother and the universe. With five senses, we experience the universe. With the Divine Mother’s presence eternally, we worship Her to get Her grace. All-universal creatures are included In Her three gunas.

In this world, the three gunas sattva, rajas, and tamas thrive. The universal creatures and souls are taking the Brahma Jana from worshipping the Divine Mother. Two gunas, rajas and tamas, control the humans for their attachments in this world. Sattva guna helps to release them from such worldly nly attachments. When we are fast asleep without any feeling we are under tamas. Gradually getting involved in divinity to reduce sleep, is a form of the Divine Mother worship. Black colored tamas should be overcome by humans to go into rajas. The ability and willingness to do higher level achievements are included in rajas. With sincerity, one cuts his accumulated sins to reach higher maturity.

Highly mature actions give clear Janam to the soul. To maintain the balance without fail is part of Sattva guna’s role.

The kite in the ground is like tamas, the spinning kite is like a rajas guna, and floating kite is sattva guna. The humans are coming up to higher maturity of sattva guna. Our involvement with worldly creatures is true worship. All universe beings are part of the Divine Mother, so the good relationship with all is the best Divine Mother worship.

Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas are represented within the Divine Mother. Brahma is to rajo guna; Vishnu to sattva guna and Rudra (Shiva) to tamo guna. They do their functions in creating, sustaining and dissolving actions respectively. Parvathi, Durgha and Kali represent sattva, rajas and tamas respectively.

The aggregate of these three is called Prakriti in Sankaya philosophy. At the sight of Purusha, the inert Prakriti is enlivened and mates with him, thus becoming the cause of enjoyment and liberation. Just as the lamp makes nearby objects also shine, when Purusha is imbued with consciousness, it awakens the inner prakriti. The Divine Mother is in both Purusha and Prakrit forms.

The Divine Mother is the essence of the three gunas.    

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 26 February 2022; Updated 11 May 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamis AparnaSan 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.