Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 817: Shri Satya vrata (ōṃ satyavratāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother abides firmly in Eternal Truth, the Supreme Brahman.

She not only abides in Sathya, but She is also Sathya Herself. At all times Satya is the best offering for Her. Raja Harishchandra with all his struggles, maintained Satya in his life; he attained Brahman. Eternally Brahman is Satyam. From time to time, universal beings appear and disappear; therefore, they cannot Sathyam. If something us there in and not there in another, it cannot be Satyam. Brahman without all these disappearances is there always. All others are subject to time and place, which are not Satyam. Brahman, the Divine Mother, is functioning eternally.

Devotees abiding by Sathyam attain eternal happiness. Following Vedic norms is a form of action for the devotees to gain Satyam. In the tattva sense, the universe is false. Those who set aside universal objects and seek Brahman abide in Satyam Those who go against this, do not.

Jabala did not know his lineage. His mother was not in a good profession and yet Jabalan did not hide that. Through his selfless actions abiding in Satyam, he was accepted by his Guru and praised as Satyakama.

Vrata is austerity and discipline for attaining a good goal. Thoughts, words and actions should be completely focused on the goal. The Divine Mother is firm in Her Vrata. To abide in truth is Her vow. She appears through people who follow Satyam.

Whatever vows are made in Satya for worshipping the Divine Mother, they will turn true. Gopis vowed to attain Krishna and worshipped the Divine Mother and attained Him, with the Divine Mother’s grace. With the Divine Mother’s grace people with Satya vows will get all the things for them.

Abidance in truth/Satyam means words that match much with thought and deeds that match such words. Satya is Brahman and Vrata means dear. This implies that those abide in Brahman are dear to the Divine Mother.

Saubhagya-Bhaskara interpreted Satya as “that which yields results quickly.” The Nama then can mean “One who gives quick results to vows.” The Vishnu Bhagavata says that the Gopis who worshipped the Divine Mother with a firm vow to attain Krishna had their wish fulfilled quickly.

Satya also means “refuge”. The Divine Mother is one who observes a vow to give refuge to every living being. Shri Rama took the oath, whoever takes refuge in Me, to him I give protection; this is my Vow.”

If Satya is given the meaning of bodily health, then this Nama means, “She is intent on giving good health.” Siva Sutra says, “care of the body should be taken as a vow.” This is so, because the body is the temple of the Atman. The protection of this body, filled with the nectar of devotion to Shiva is, indeed, to be treated as a vow. Bhattotpala says, “may this body be nourished by the nectar derived from Shakti. Live long to enjoy”.

The Divine Mother is also hailed as Satyavrata because, She is pleased by a Brahmana named Satyavrata and blessed him. This story is told in Devi Bhagavata. Satyavrata was illiterate and very foolish. Once he was frightened by a boar and ran away repeating “ai.ai” the sound he heard from the mouth of the boar. Repeating this syllable which is a name of the Divine Mother (although missing the final “m”), he became the wisest of the wise. The ever-compassionate Divine Mother became pleased with him and made him the King of the forest.

The Divine Mother abides firmly in truth. 

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 20 April 2022; updated 06 July 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