Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 855: Shri Gaganantah stha (ōṃ gaganāntaḥsthāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother resides in the ether (open space)

Humans have one limiting structure or body; When humans focus on inside where the Divine Mother is residing within them, their sorrows will reduce. The Divine Mother resides there as Anantha Rupini (Brahman). Humans, using their judgements, create sorrows for them which are meaningless. If humans consider them as meaningful, it is due to the Divine Mother’s grace. The universe or the Divine Mother is widespread; humans are bonded, due to their ignorance, which tends to increase. Humans must remove their bondage in this universe; for that they must pray to the Divine Mother who resides in open space ether. Then surrendering to the Divine Mother is the best means to avoid their sorrows in their life.

She is in the centre of Akasha or ether. What we see outside is one of the elements Akasha. Inside our heart, Chit form Dharsan is there. The Divine Mother created the wider open space Akasha or ether. The Divine Mother is in its centre holding the brightness to its full limit. During Pralaya, Akasha can turn into Ahankara. The Divine Mother is at the end of it.

Here the ‘ether’ refers to space of the heart as Daharakasha; see namam 609 ‘Daharakasha rupini’ with the meaning the Divine Mother is subtle Self in the heart; Dahara means small, and akasha means subtle space. This is pointing to Brahman or the Divine Mother.

The Divine Mother is the consciousness that dwells in elemental ether. She is Supreme Parakasa (bright) Brahman.

She remains even at the time of dissolution (anta) of element ether during Pralaya. Of the five elements, during Pralaya, the earth dissolves in the water first, the water dissolves in fire, the fire dissolves in air and the air in ether. The ether finally dissolves. The Divine Mother remains strong even at those times.

According to Tantrasastra, Gagana stands for the syllable ‘ha’. The consonants ya, va ra and la are known as antastha (in grammar). These five are also the bija syllables representing the five elements.

The Divine Mother resides in the ether (open space)

C N Nachiappan 

Singapore, 28 May 2022; updated 18 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