Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 955: Shri Dhara (ōṃ dharāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is Mother Earth. Dhara means Support.

The Divine Mother is in the form of Earth, which is one of the five key elements. Earth is our place of living. Whatever we can visualize are the Divine Mother’s glories. Humans can use the Earth properly or improperly. Being patient, the Earth bears these two groups of people within it.

Earth or here the Divine Mother is the one who bears all of us. As the Divine Mother is bearing the whole universe, She is called ‘Dhara’. Earth is also called Dhara. She is also in Lum beja form. Patience is the key aspect of Earth. The Divine Mother is in that patience form being Dhara.

The Earth is one of the five elements the Divine Mother created to help universal beings. The Divine Mother is the support for all five elements. We can recall that the position of the Earth element (Prithvi tattva) is the Muladhara, which is the support of all. Just as the Earth supports everything, the Divine Mother bears the comic bodies in Her fingertips, merely as a sport. Hence, She is Dhara, the one who carries the whole universe.

According to mantra sastra, this Nama means, the Divine Mother who is in the form of syllable ‘la’. Bhaskar Acarya, an expert on Shri Lalitha Saharanama meanings and explanations, quotes from Jnanarnava: “The syllable ‘la’ is the Goddess Earth, with mountains and forests, the essence of all the holy places of pilgrimage and blessed with fifty Shakti Peethas.”

The Divine Mother is Mother Earth

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 05 September 2022; updated 28 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar. 

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 954: Shri Shambhu mohini (ōṃ śambhumōhinyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother deludes Shiva.

The Divine Mother with Kama makes Shiva attracted towards Her in Mohini form. Getting attracted to Kama is not the true form of Shiva, who hates Kama the Lord of desires. Shiva is the Spouse of the Divine Mother.  He is considered an enemy of Kama. The Divine Mother’s beauty (not only external, but internal as well) is enough to spark the desire even in that slayer of Kama, Shiva. To describe and glorify Her internal beauty, Poet Kalidasa wrote the fifth chapter in Kumara Sambhava.

Shambhu is doing good for all living beings, source of happiness or source of bliss. Shiva, after his patience (meditation) to control five senses, only married the Goddess Uma Devi or Parvathy Devi. Even with great divinities, Kama can come up.  We can imagine the conditions of common human beings towards Kama. Jagan Mohini, the Divine Mother, is controlling the living beings with their Kama feelings. The souls needing to reach the Brahman must fully clear their Kama. Soul holding humans must surrender to the Divine Mother to remove their Kama feelings. Humans eliminating their Kama feelings are considered full people.

Sam meaning auspiciousness, is the other name for Shiva. It is produced in a place called Sambhu which is Shiva Himself. The Divine Mother can attract even Sambhu in Mohini form is the message of this Namam.

Deluding is delivering something that is not true, here Shiva hates Kama, yet he is attracted with Kama itchai by the Divine Mother.

                    The Divine Mother deludes Shiva with Kama.           

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 04 September 2022; updated 28 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 953: Shri Sharmada (ōṃ śarmadāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother gives out happiness.

Sharmada means "conferring happiness," "giver of peace and joy," or "making prosperous".

She gives happiness and comfort to Her devotees and all other universal beings, as and when required; The happiness given by the Divine Mother does not have suffering as result. Normal beings go through happiness and sufferings in cycles in their universal life. The Divine Mother’s granting of such happiness to Her devotees is very special.

She is giving happiness, which is untouched by afflictions or anxiety of danger.

The Divine Mother gives out happiness. 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 03 September 2022; updated 27 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 952: Shri Shasvataisvaraya (ōṃ śāśvataiśvaryāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother holds eternal Sovereignty. Sovereignty can be defined as supreme authority.

She eternally rules over all things in this universe. To rule and to have immense wealth is called Aishwarya, meaning wealth, prosperity, and abundance. The Divine Mother has given birth to all beings in this universe, and later without any slippage She rules over them. A Shepard saves his sheep from fox and lion; likewise, the Divine Mother saves universal beings and ensure that there is no misunderstanding between the universal beings, Appropriate punishment is met up with failing people. Universal ruling can be carried out, without being exposed to the authoritative people: failing people can still escape from punishment. But the Divine Mother’s ruling is without such pitfalls, run smoothly, with appropriate punishment. If we put fire somebody’s hand without his knowledge, he cannot escape the heat. With the same heat good food can be cooked also. Those who do not understand the Divine Mother’s punishment still goes down in their maturity. 

All universal things are owned by the Divine Mother. In a short

 while, She can make a king a poor man or a poor man a 

 king. These are all Her sporting activities. To create the universe 

and to destroy it all are Her playful actions. If 

the devotee  focuses on relationship between him and

the Divine Mother, the devotee understands that 

the Divine  Mother never is failing in Her ruling of the universe.

 

She has permanent wealth (Aishwarya). She is ruling 

 the world  and beyond. Such rulings may not be visible at times

 but is possible to understand.

 Sometimes this Nama is interpreted from previous Nama as

“isasvataisvarya. This is split is ISA + ASVATA + AISVARAYA”

 giving the meaning, ‘She who holds dominion (Aishwarya) over

 Brahma and other Divinities (isa) putting them in the role of 

 horses (Asvata), as mounts or Vehicles.

            The Divine Mother holds eternal Sovereignty.         

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 02 September 2022; updated 27 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 951: Shri Shasvati (ōṃ śāśvatyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is forever Eternally. Shasvati means eternal or everlasting.

She is not like being present in one period and not like being present in one place to disappear in another period or place. She is there forever without change. Indra Dhanush with seven colours (rain bow) appears in one place and disappears elsewhere. The Divine Mother without disappearing is present everywhere. She never changes Her form. Due to Maya, whole universe is created for one reason and for another reason like Pralaya disappears. But the Divine Mother without any change to Her form is ever present eternally in all places.

She is stable as ever, Eternal. She is Shasvati, appearing forever and not disappearing. She is considered as permanent or Eternal. For those, who see Her continuously without any break, they can visualize Her as often disappearing and appearing in many forms; and She is not seen, and She continues like this forever.

The Divine Mother is called Eternal, as She remains without change in all three time periods (past, present and future). She is the one who is worshipped eternally.

The Divine Mother is forever Eternally.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 01 September 2022; updated 27 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 950: Shri Panca sankhyopacarini (ōṃ pañcasaṅkhyōpacāriṇyai namaḥ

The Divine Mother is worshipable, using five pure objects of worship. Worshipable means capable of being worshipped or worthy of reverence and great respect.

She is worshipped with five special simple objects. The Divine Mother, Parashakti is very simple when we worship for Her blessings.. We can offer naturally available five pure objects and pray to Her such as fragrance (sandal paste), flowers, incense lamps and food. These are easily preparable with devotion and pure heart. These are called Lum Ithathi Pancha pooja.  One ought to worship the Divine Mother, is the inner meaning of this Namam.

    

The Divine Mother is worshipable, using five pure objects of worship.       

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 31 August 2022; updated 25 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.

Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 949: Shri Panca bhutesi (ōṃ pañcabhūtēśyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the Goddess of the five elements, namely, Akasha, Vayu (air), Fire (Agni), Water and Earth.

She created them and is the leader of these five elements. When She is seen as total universe, She is taking the five elements’ forms.  She is ruling these five elements. The actionable part is the Shakti. Its base is Shiva as we have seen in earlier Namams. So, for any action, a base is needed. A base without any action is not useful.

Shiva is said to take the following forms: In Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India as earth, in Thiruvanaikkaval as water, in Kalahasthi as air, in Thiruvannamalai as fire, and in Chidambaram as sky or akasha. There is nothing against the Shakti or the Divine Mother. All visible things in this universe are to be treated as the Divine Mother and worshipped as ideal Mahavishnu, who is supposedly the brother of the Divine Mother. The Divine Mother gets the Pancha ratha malai (with Pearl, Ruby, Indira Neelam, Diamond and Jade) from Her brother Mahavishnu. Indra Neelam (a blue-black gem) from earth, Mauktika (pearl) from water, Kaustubha from fire, Vaidurya (lapis lazuli) from air, and Pusparaga (a red gem) from the Sky.  As can be seen these five gems have originated from the five elements. The Divine Mother is celebrated as Pancha bhutesi.

All five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and sky) are joined to form Eesvari, these originate as five and are of five kinds, they stay as five; they are all the Divine Mother’s forms.

Pancha bhutesi also means things that originate from the five elements. The Divine Mother wears an ornament decked with these gems as Vaijayanti.

There is a belief that wearing a chain or ring bearing gem like Indira Neelam is auspicious.

Bhuteshu means in all beings or in all living entities and is a Sanskrit word derived from bhūta (being, entity, existence).

The Divine Mother is the Goddess of the five elements

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 30 August 2022; updated 25 October 2025.

References:

1.The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published by Mata Amritanandam in California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2, Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Tiruchirappalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3. The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sith-Bavandar.