Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 809: Shri Parat para (ōṃ parātparāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the most Supreme of all the supreme ones.

She is far beyond everything in this universe. Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudra are doing their job of creating, safeguarding, and dissolving with the Divine Mother’s instructions. They are considered part of the Brahman; the Divine Mother is beyond all these three murtis.

“Para can be taken as a day in the life of Brahma and half of it is called parardha. Brahma’s life is measured in para, which is too large. Five hundred and twenty million normal universal years is one Chaturyugam. For Brahma, one thousand Chaturyugam is daytime and another one thousand Chaturyugams is nighttime. Such large day and night periods form one day for Brahma. There are three hundred and sixty-five days in one year for Brahma. He is said to be living one hundred years before reaching his end. When we think about these, it is mind blogging. She, the Divine Mother, is beyond all this. For a devotee to keep his mind calm, the Divine Mother is worshipped as Paratpara.

She is higher than all Supreme things in this universe. Yet, for one who is subtler than the subtle and grosser than the gross, the Divine Mother, there is no day or night.

Paratpara also means Supreme Knowledge that is even beyond all forms of realizable Supreme Knowledge. Basically, She is most Supreme Knowledge of all.

This and the previous Namas indicate that the Divine Mother’s nature is subtler than the subtle and grosser than the gross.

     The Divine Mother is the most supreme of 

all the supreme beings.     

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 12 April 2022; Updated 28 June 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna San Ramon 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 808: Shri Paramanuh (ōṃ paramāṇavē namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the subtlest particle.

She is subtler than subtle, microlevel. With being the Supreme, the Divine Mother can also be subtlest, micro level. She is far away from what we can visualize. For anything, a small picture projects all its aspects. Universe wide, the Divine Mother is also found to be in micro level by recent physical science studies. What we can understand here is that Supreme, the Divine Mother, can be in any form, doing any action. Being Supreme cannot be held in micro level beings alone. Akasha is very widely spread; being spread all over does not affect Akasha. Paramanu, any subtle particle cannot be other than the Divine Mother. She is the basis for all universal things. Also, Paramanu, a mantra, when recited nonstop by a devotee can elevate him to Brahman. When we visualize the Divine Mother in micro-form, all our Cit improvements are increased. The soul becomes the Brahman. By devotional effect, the soul can merge with the Divine Mother, the Supreme Brahman.

Anu is at the atomic level. The Divine Mother is subtler than the anu. She is in the most exalted mantra form.

The statement in the Sruti, “Subtler than the subtle. (anor aneeyan) ”

A very well-known Katha Upanishad; l.ii.20 says that the Divine Mother can be reached only through great effort. Anu also means a ‘mantra’. Thus, giving the meaning, “She, who is in the form of the most exalted mantra.”

                        The Divine Mother is the subtlest particle.    

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 11 April 2022; Updated 28 June 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna 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 807: Shri Param dhama (ōṃ parasmai dhāmnē namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the Supreme abode.

She has the supreme place (of residence). Dhamam means brightness. On solid materials, there is no brightness due to their nature. When they graduate to living beings, the brightness comes to them according to their maturity level. The Divine Mother is beyond all these beings which are always getting brightness from Her.

Dhamam can also mean a place of residence. For four elements Vayu, Water, Fire. and Earth, the fifth element Akasha are in their place of residence. Akasha itself has a place of residence within it. Likewise, the Divine Mother is the place of residence for all universal beings. During Pralaya, She absorbs all of them within Herself.

The Divine Mother occupies the highest state. Bhagavad Gita, XV.6, says that anyone reaching that state does not take birth again. Nor does the sunshine there, nor the moon, and nor the fire, having gone there, they do not return; that is my supreme abode.”

The Sruti describes this state as. “The supreme abode of Vishnu.” Kata Upanishad, l.ii.A, says Vishnu stands here for Brahman. Kumara Purana also describes the state: “My energy is Maheshvari, Gauri, spotless, tranquil, the truth, knowledge, eternal bliss, and the supreme abode; so, the Sruti also says.”

      The Divine Mother is the Supreme abode.   

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 10 April 2022; updated 28 June 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna 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 806: Shri Param jyoti (ōṃ parasmai jyōtiṣē namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the Supreme Light.

The Divine Mother is in big bright form. The sun, moon, fire and nakshatras (constellations) are all forms of the Divine Mother’s Jyoti or light. All these lose their light during the pralaya period. The Divine Mother is beyond light, time, and place. She is eternally Herself. There is nothing to compare to Her beauty. She is functioning in such a bright light form.

She has the ultimate brightness which is same as the Supreme light of the Brahman. This universe is felt and seen with Her light. Without light, it will be dark. A human’s darkness is ignorance. Sun, moon, fire, and constellations are all giving out light to the universe. The Divine Mother is all these forms.

The Divine Mother with Her Supreme Light turns the sun with a thousand rays into a much smaller light. Her brilliance or brightness is much more than ten thousand suns rising at once. Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad, lV.4.16, says, “upon that light of lights, the devas meditate for longevity.”

The Divine Mother is the Supreme Light.  

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 09 April 2022 updated 28 June 2025.

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna 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 805: Shri Pushkarekshana (ōṃ puṣkarēkṣaṇāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother’s eyes are like lotus petals.

It is customary to compare beautiful eyes to lotus petals. Here it is the Divine Mother who has eyes like lotus petals. The universe was initially in lotus form and later bloomed. The Divine Mother eyes exhibit such blossoming.

There is an island named Pushkaram. There are seven major islands on earth. For Pushkara Island, the symbol is lotus. The Divine Mother resides on Pushkara Island also. A banyan tree is also called Pushkaram. Banyan tree is the King of trees in the forest.

During pralaya, when the universe is sinking in water, the Divine Mother shows Her affection to Shiva and worked on recreating the universe.

There is a story in Padma Purana relating to this Nama. It is said that Pushkara is a planetary conjunction when the Sun is in Vishaka constellation, and the Moon is in Krittika constellation. Then there is antagonism between the Sun and the Moon. Since the Divine Mother continues to look at them without blinking Her eyes to avoid conflict, She is called Pushkarekshana.

Padma Purana describes an image in which the universe is a lotus with its upward petals as the world of barbarians and downward petals as the world of demons and serpents. The earth is pictured as originating from the pericarp of the lotus. Pushkarekshana describes the Divine Mother, whose eyes are fixed on the protection and wellbeing of the earth formed in such manner.

The Puranas describe Vishnu, at the time of Great Dissolution, as an infant lying on banyan leaf on the island of Pushkara. There, Vishnu Himself, is referred to as Pushkara. Since the Divine Mother beheld that infant with motherly affection, She became” Pushkarekshana” (the one with eyes on Pushkara).

Pushkara also means water. In this case, it means that the Divine Mother is the one who nourishes and protects four types of waters for devas, humans, manes and demons.

 The Divine Mother’s eyes are like lotus petals. 

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 08 April 2022; updated 21 June 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna 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 804: Shri Pushkara (ōṃ puṣkarāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is complete; She provides nourishment to all universal beings.

For all living beings She has created, She provides food and nourishment. Even for microorganisms She is providing food and nourishment. In Kashmir’s frozen mountain area there is a Shiva temple, which is also frozen. During winter nothing but ice is seen there. The birds living in the cave where Siva temple is there, get their food and needed nourishment. How they get such things is a mystery. The Divine Mother provides food for the birds there. This Nama can also mean that She gives all universal beings the wealth, they desire. Each living being accumulates the wealth it needs, with the Divine Mother’s grace and kindness.

She is fully nourished; She provides nourishment to all beings. This Nama Pushkara and earlier Nama Pushkala both mean the same thing, “She who is full and complete”.

Pushkara has many other meanings, such as lotus, sky, and water. Like the sky, the Divine Mother is all pervading, untainted and formless. Not only is the essence of water contained in Her, but She is also the source of life-giving power of the water.

The deity at the temple of Pushkara Tirtha is Pushkara Devi, representing the Divine Mother. Pushkala Devi is one of two wives of Swami Ayyappan

The Divine Mother is complete; She provides

  nourishment to all universal beings. 

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 07 April 2022; updated 21 June 2025.

 

References:

1.   The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayis Aparna 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