Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 823: Shri Janani (ōṃ jananyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the Mother of all universal beings.

She is creating the whole universe; and constantly updating it. She is in Her own form always, the root cause of the universe; She created all five basic elements, the first element is Akasa. Like the Divine Mother, the Akasa is without any physical movement. From Akasa, Vayu (air) forms; Vayu is moveable element; From Vayu, the Agni or fire is created; from Agni, water is created. Following all these the final element Earth is formed. When water is formed, living beings are created and they reach the earth. Likewise, the Divine Mother creates very many other universal beings. When a devotee controls his mind, to meditate and reach the Brahman, he is purified. To consider the universe and its beings as the forms of the Divine Mother, is to get purified to attain the Brahman or the Divine Mother.

The Divine Mother is identified in five names, such as, the Janani is the mother, one who joins with the father to fertilize within Her; next Matha is the one who holds the egg within Her; then Prasavitri is the one who sees the egg grow and when the child is ready to come out, She helps the child to come out; next Dhatri is the one who cares to grow the new born child; then Amba is the one who saves the child, when it faces trouble. The Divine Mother does all these five functions; She gets all these five names. In these five names. Janani is the first stage in creation; the Divine Mother thus gets the name Janani, as this Namam is called.

As the Divine Mother is the Mother of all, from Brahma to the lowest level micro insect, She is the Mother of the universe.

 

The Divine Mother is the Mother of all universal beings

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 26 April 2022; updated 10 August 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