Vak Devis description of Lalithambikai - Part 7






जन्म-मृत्यु-जरा-तप्त-जन-विश्रान्ति-दायिनी (851)

Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-tapta-jana-viśrānti-dāyinī

Living beings are afflicted by birth, old age and ultimate death. She provides solace to such beings. Solace is in the form of salvation.





सर्वोपनिषदुद्घुष्टा (852)

Sarvopaniṣadudguṣṭā

She is glorified in all the Upaniṣads. ud is used for implying superiority in place, rank or power and guṣṭā means announcing. This nāma says that all the Upaniṣads announce Her glory. 

शान्त्यतीत-कलात्मिका (853)

Śantyatīta-kalātmikā

Śantyatīta is a kāla or time factor. Śantyatīta means transcending peace (Śanti). This is the stage of jīvanmukti, the stage where avidyā has been totally destroyed by acquiring Supreme knowledge.  However, a trace of ignorance still prevails in this stage to undergo pains or pleasures of the balance in karmic account.  The next stage is liberation.  Transcending the jīvan mukti stage is known as Śantyatīta kalā.  She is said to be in that form.





गम्भीरा (854)

Gambhīrā

Gaṁ (गं) is Gaṇapati bīja, bhī (भी) means fear and ra means drives away.  The fear of Her devotees are driven away by making them worship Lord Gaṇeśa whose bīja is gaṁ.

गगनान्तस्था (855)

Gaganāntasthā

The One who permeates the space. 

Gagana means the ākāś.  

गर्विता (856)

Garvitā

She is proud.  

गान-लोलुपा (857)

Gāna-lolupā

She is fond of songs.





कल्पना-रहिता (858)

Kalpanā-rahitā

Kalpana means formation of ideas and rahita means absent.  She is devoid of approximations, as She is the endowment of Reality.  

काष्ठा (859)

Kāṣṭhā

She's the highest goal attainable by anyone . She's the Brahman and there's nothing higher than the Brahman. 

अकान्ता (860)

Akāntā

She is the destroyer of sins.

कान्तार्ध-विग्रहा (861)

Kāntārdha-vigrahā

She has half the body of Her husband Śiva.  Kāntā means Śiva. This form is known as Ardhanārīśvara form, half-male and half-female.





कार्य- कारण-निर्मुक्ता (862)

Kārya- kāraṇa-nirmuktā

She is not subjected to cause and effect, as She's the Brahman 

काम-केलि-तरङ्गिता (863)

Kāma-keli-taraṅgitā

She overflows with joy in the presence of Śiva.  Kāma means Śiva.





कनत्-कनक-ताटङ्का (864)

Kanat-kanaka-tāṭaṅkā

She is wearing glittering ear studs made of shining gold. 

It is  said that sun and moon are Her ear studs. 

लीला-विग्रह-धारिणी (865)

Līlā-vigraha-dhāriṇī

She takes different forms, just like child's play.





अजा (866)

Ajā

She is unborn.  She's without birth and beginning. 

क्षय-विनिर्मुक्ता (867)

Kṣaya-vinirmuktā

She is free from decay.  Decay here means death.  When there is no birth, there is no death.  Brahman is beyond birth and death as everything originates from Him.  

मुग्धा (868)

Mugdhā

She is beautiful. Mugdhā also means innocent. Innocence is a quality that lacks intent to injure others. 

Quality of innocence makes Her beautiful. 

क्षिप्र-प्रसादिनी (869)

Kṣipra-prasādinī

Kṣipra means quickly. 

If She is worshipped, salvation is attained in this birth itself.






अन्तर्मुख-समाराध्या (870)

Antarmukha-samārādhyā

She is worshipped by those who look within. She has to be realized by internal search and exploration. This is based on the theory that Ātman resides within.

बहिर्मुख-सुदुर्लभा (871)

Bahirmukha-sudurlabhā

Previous nāma conjoins with this nāma to declare the process of Self-realisation.  She is very difficult to attain for those who are not able to look within. Mind is the prime factor to look within. Unless senses are controlled, it is difficult to control the mind. This nāma says that She cannot be attained only by external means.





त्रयी (872)

Trayī

Trayī means three and here it refers to three Veda-s, Rig, Yajur and Sāma. In fact, She is revered as the mother of Veda-s , Veda jañanī.  This nāma says that She is in the form of three Veda-s. 

त्रिवर्ग-निलया (873)

Trivarga-nilayā

She prevails in all three factors of time, past, present and future.

त्रिस्था (874)

Tristhā

There are many triads.  Past, present and future; Brahma, Viṣṇu and Rudra; Creation, sustenance and dissolution; the three letters of ॐ a, u and m; the three types of karma-s prārabdha, sañcita āgāmya or kriyamāṇa; three guṇa-s – sattva, rajas and tams; icchā, jñāna and kriyā śaktī-s, etc.

She is present in all the triads. 

त्रिपुरमालिनी (875)

Tripuramālinī

Tripuramālinī is the presiding deity of sixth āvaraṇa of Śrī Cakra, known as sarva rakṣāakara (the Supreme Protector).  She is assisted by other yogin-s known as nirgarbha-yogini-s (not born from wombs). This āvaraṇa represents sṛṣṭi (creation).

Mālini is also known as wife of Kāma (Śiva). Tripura could also mean three primary stages of consciousness (awake, dream and deep sleep).  In this context this nāma means that She rules over the initial three stages of consciousness.  The ultimate level of consciousness is Śiva.





निरामया (876)

Nirāmayā

She is devoid of diseases.  Maya means medical treatment for diseases. She is beyond body and mind. She is the remedy to all diseases . 

निरालम्बा (877)

Nirālambā

She is without support and everything is supported by Her.

स्वात्मारामा (878)

Svātmārāmā

She rejoices in Her own Self.

सुधास्रुतिः (879)

Sudhāsrutiḥ

She is the cause for the  divine nectar  that flows down the upper palate and throat when one enters the blissful state.





सम्सार-पङ्क-निर्मग्न-समुद्धरण-पण्डिता (880)

Samsāra-paṅka-nirmagna-samuddharaṇa-paṇḍitā

She rescues Her devotees who are entangled in saṃsāra. Saṃsāra means materialistic life.





यज्ञ-प्रिया (881)

Yajña-priyā

She is fond of sacrifices. 

यज्ञ-कर्त्री (882)

Yajña-kartrī

Yajña means sacrifice.  In an yājña, the (yajamanan) performer is considered as Śiva Himself.  His wife is Śaktī.  She is in the form yajamānā’s wife.

यजमान-स्वरूपिणी (883)

Yajamāna-svarūpiṇī

She is in the form of yajamāna who directs sacrificial rites.





धर्मा-धारा (884)

Dharmā-dhārā

She is in the form of Dharma. 

धनाध्यक्षा (885)

Dhanādhyakṣā

Dhanādhyakṣā is Kubera, the lord of wealth.  She is said to be the Lord of wealth.

धन-धान्य-विवर्धिनी (886)

Dhana-dhānya-vivardhinī

She is the increaser of wealth and granary.  This happens automatically for Her true devotees.





विप्र-प्रिया (887)

Vipra-priyā

Vipra means learned.  She is fond of the learned and wise. 

विप्र-रूपा (888)

Vipra-rūpā

She is the embodiment of knowledge itself.

विश्व-भ्रमण-कारिणी (889)

Viśva-bhramaṇa-kāriṇī

Viśva means entirety and in this context all the universes or brahmāṇḍa-s .  She is always referred as akhilāṇḍakoṭi brahmāṇḍa nāyakī अखिलाण्डकोटि ब्रह्माण्ड नायकी which means that She is the creator of number of universes.





विश्वग्रासा (890)

Viśvagrāsā

She devours universes.  This refers to Her act of dissolution. 

विद्रुमाभा (891)

Vidrumābhā

Vidrumā means coral coloured. Coral is red in colour, which is Her complexion. Vidrumā also means tree of knowledge.  

वैष्णवी (892)

Vaiṣṇavī

She is in the power of Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu and Lalitāmbikā are said to be brother and sister. 

विष्णुरूपिणी (893)

Viṣṇurūpiṇī

She is the form of Viṣṇu.





अयोनिः (894)

Ayoniḥ

Yoni is generally used to indicate the divine procreative energy, also known as the source of origin. A-yoni means She is without origin. 

योनि-निलया (895)

Yoni-nilayā

She is the Creator.

कूटस्था (896)

Kūṭasthā

Kūṭasthā means engaging in ignorance. This nāma says that She abides in ignorance!

कुल-रूपिणी (897)

Kula-rūpiṇī

Kula means noble, eminent or race or chief, etc.  Kula also means mūlādhāra cakra. She's present in all these forms.





वीरगोष्ठी-प्रिया (898)

Vīragoṣṭi-priyā

Vīra  means overpower or subdue. Those who have overpowered their senses are known as warriors or vīra. Conquering senses is like fighting in a battle field. The victorious ones are called vīragoṣṭi (group of warriors). She's fond of such warriors. 

वीरा (899)

Vīrā

She is valorous. 

नैष्कर्म्या (900)

Naiṣkarmyā

She transcends karma. She is not afflicted by karma-s. 

नाद-रूपिणी (901)

Nāda-rūpiṇī

Shakthi is known as Nāda, the unmanifest from of sound.  ॐ represents this nāda form of Śabda Brahman. Again,  She is the Śabda Brahman, the creator of the universe.

Vak Devis description of Lalithambikai - Part 6






पुष्टा (801)

Puṣṭā

Puśṭi means nourishment. Her form is made up of thirty six tattva-s and beyond. She does not need any nourishment.  The entire nourishment emanates from Her or the universe is nourished by Her through these thirty six principles.  It can also be said that She is nurtured by the love of Her devotees. 

पुरातना (802)

Purātanā

Purātanā means ancient (the oldest). She is so addressed because She is the first amongst creation. Śiva created Her and the entire creation originated from Her. 

पूज्या (803)

Pūjyā

Pūjyā means worshipful.  She is worshipful because She is complete in everything. 

पुष्करा (804)

Puṣkarā

She gives puṣṭi to all Her devotees .  

It is said that there is no difference between ra and la. If the last two alphabets ra is replaced with la then puṣkarā becomes puṣkalā. Puṣkal means copious, abundant, full, complete, etc. 

पुष्करेक्षणा (805)

Puṣkarekṣaṇā

Puṣkar means several things such as lotus-eyed, blue coloured lotus flower, heaven, sky, earth, tip of the trunk of an elephant, etc.  Puṣkara also means water that made the earth deluged. At the time of annihilation water surrounded the earth leading to annihilation.  Īkṣaṇā means eye sight.  In this context Puṣkarekṣaṇā could mean Her motherly look during this deluge for recreation.  Contextually also, this interpretation seems to be appropriate. 





परञ्ज्योतिः (806)

Paraṃjyotiḥ

Para means supreme, Jyoti means light and paraṃjyotiḥ means ‘Supreme Light’. Supreme Light means the Brahman.

परन्धाम (807)

Parandhāma

Parama + dhāma = paraṃdhāma.  Parama means the highest degree of excellence and dhāma means brilliance (tejas) or a class of super human beings or abode.  She's the supreme abode. 

परमाणुः (808)

Paramāṇuḥ

She is the Supreme atom (the aboriginal matter). Supreme atom means smaller than an atom (smaller than the smallest).

परात्परा (809)

Parātparā

Para means supreme.  Parātpara means the highest level of Supremacy.  There is nothing superior to parātpara.






पाश हस्ता (810)

Pāśa hastā

She has a noose in Her hand.  

Pāśa also means anything that binds a soul. This nāma could also mean that She helps in unbinding a soul from karmic afflictions for realisation.  As long as karma-s remain, realisation is not possible. 

पाश हन्त्री (811)

Pāśa hantrī

She is the destroyer of pāśa.  Pāśa here means bondage, attachment, etc.  These are the negative factors in realizing Śiva.  She destroys bondage and attachments for those who deserve to know Śiva.  

परमन्त्र-विभेदिनी (812)

Paramantra-vibhedinī

Para mantra means mantra-s that cause enmity. Para means alien or hostile.  These types of mantra-s are known as ari mantra-s.  These mantra-s are used in witchcraft and black magic. Vibhedini means breaks apart.  By destroying such evil mantra-s, She protects Her devotees.





मूर्ता (813)

Mūrtā

She is with forms  – gross and subtle .

अ-मूर्ता (814)

A-mūrtā

She is without forms.  Subtle is not the right word to interpret this nāma.  She is beyond Her subtlest form kuṇḍalinī.  

अनित्य-तृप्ता (815)

Anitya-tṛptā 

Nāma 556 is nitya-tṛptā. A-nitya means things that are perishable. She is happy with the offerings of perishables. In fact, She does not need either perishable or imperishable as everything originates from Her. What She needs is only the unstinted and untainted devotion. 

मुनि-मानस-हंसिका (816)

Muni-mānasa-haṃsikā

She appears as swans in the minds of sages. Muni means sages, mānasa means expressed in mind and haṃsikā means swans.





सत्य-व्रता (817)

Satya-vratā

She can be attained by the vow of speaking truth always. 

The importance of speaking truth is emphasized in this nāma. 

सत्य रूपा (818)

Satya rūpā

She is the embodiment of truth. 

सर्वान्तर्यामिणी (819)

Sarvāntaryāmiṇī

She exists in the soul within or She exists as soul within. She is realised only by internal search.

सती (820)

Satī

She was born to Dakṣa as Satī. Liṅga Purāṇa (V.27) says “Satī, the mental creation of the Lord was adopted as his daughter by Dakṣa.”

She destroyed the yajñā of Dakṣa and then immolated Herself and was reborn as Umā to Himavān.






ब्रह्माणी (821)

Brahmāṇī

She is the energy of the Brahman (Śiva). Śiva is prakāśa and Śaktī is vimarśa. The ultimate Reality is Śiva and the universal process is Śaktī.  The one without the other cannot function. 

Aṇī means the pin of the axle of a cart. Without this aṇī the cart cannot run. In this context, the nāma means that Brahman (Śiva) cannot function without Śaktī (aṇī).

Brahman is Śiva and Brahmāṇī, the wife of Brahman is Śaktī. This is like Bhairava and Bhairavī.

ब्रह्म (822)

Brahma

She is the Brahman. Since there is no difference between Śiva and Śaktī, She is addressed here as Brahman. 

जननी (823)

Jananī

The Mother or Śrī Mātā .

बहु-रूपा (824)

Bahu-rūpā

She has multi fold forms. 

बुधार्चिता (825)

Budhārcitā

She is worshipped by the knowledgeable. Knowledgeable are Self-realised persons. Still they perform actions to nullify their karma-s.






प्रसवित्री (826)

Prasavitrī

She gives birth to universe. Literally it means that She has delivered the universe. The universe is born out of the conjugal bliss of Śiva and Śaktī. 

प्रचण्डा (827)

Pracaṇḍā

She is wrathful. Brahman is also wrathful to enforce discipline. 

आज्ञा (828)

Ājñā

Ājñā means orders.  She commands. 

प्रतिष्ठा (829)

Pratiṣṭā

She is the foundation.

She forms the foundation of the universe. This foundation is made up of dharma and righteousness. 

प्रकटाकृतिः (830)

Prakaṭākṛtiḥ

Prakaṭa means evident, manifest, clear, public and ākṛti means form, figure shape.  This nāma means that Her form or nature is made known to all.





प्राणेश्वरी (831)

Prāṇeśvarī

She is prāṇa or the chief of prāṇa -s.  Individual consciousness bound by ego in association with prāṇa and senses manifest in a bodily form.  Thus prāṇa being one of the vital forces of creation, She is addressed here as the chief of prāṇa -s. 

प्राणदात्री (832)

Prāṇadātrī

Prāṇa nourishes senses.  Without prāṇa, senses and mind cannot function.  The previous nāma said that She is the chief of prāṇa  and this nāma says that She is the giver of prāṇa.  

पञ्चाशत्-पीठ-रूपिणी (833)

Pañcāśat-pīṭha-rūpiṇī

Pancāśa means fifty, pīṭha means seat and rupiṇī means form.  this nāma means that She is in the form of fifty alphabets of Sanskrit.  Her manifestation in alphabets is known as Śabda Brahman.





विशृङ्खला (834)

Viśruṇkhalā

vi means without and śṛuṇkalā means bondage.  She is without bondage. 

विविक्तस्था (835)

Viviktasthā

She abides in reclusive places. Reclusive places mean the hearts of learned men. Worshipping Śaktī should be done only in privacy.  She will not manifest in crowd.  She manifests only in places of purity.  She manifests in the minds of Self-realized persons.

वीर-माता (836)

Vīra-mātā

Vīra means Lord Gaṇeśa and His mother is Vīra-mātā.  Vīra also means warriors.  Since, She Herself is a warrior, She is addressed here as mother of warriors. Warriors are those who fight against evil. 

वियत्प्रसूः (837)

Viyatprasūḥ

She's the creator of ākāś or ether element, from which all other elements originated.





मुकुन्दा (838)

Mukundā

She gives salvation to jīva-s.  Mahā Viṣṇu is known as Mukundā. The one who gives mukti is known as Mukundā.  Mukti means final salvation, after which an individual soul ceases to exist.  It merges with the Brahman. 

मुक्ति-निलया (839)

Mukti-nilayā

She is the embodiment of mukti. 

Mukti is the stage where the self is completely disconnected from intellect causing liberation. 

मूल-विग्रह-रूपिणी (840)

Mūla-vigraha-rūpiṇī

Lalitāmbikā is the root of all śaktī-s. Vigraha means to assume form and mūla means origin, original, foundation, etc.  mūla vigraha means the original form. This is Her Śrī Mātā form.





भावज्ञा (841)

Bhāvajñā

Different scriptures have attributed different contextual interpretations to Bhāva. In the present context this nāma means that She is the knower of bhāva of all beings. She knows mental modifications of men.  Dualities and pretentious worship will be punished by Her. 

भव-रोगघ्नी (842)

Bhava-rogaghnī

Bhava is used here to mean saṃsāra or worldly life. Saṃsāra  is referred to as a disease and She relieves the pains of saṃsāra. 

भव-चक्र-प्रवर्तिनी (843)

Bhava-cakra-pravartinī

Bhava means Śiva, cakra means mind (as per Viṣṇu Purāṇa) and pravartini means guide. This means that She is the guiding factor of Śiva, the Supreme. This nāma once again confirms Her Brahmanic status.





छन्दः सारा (844)

Chandaḥ sārā

Chandas means meter, the study of poetic meter and the art of versification known as metrical science.  Sārā means the substance or essence or marrow or heart or essential part of anything, best part, etc. Chandas depends upon the number of letters in a word of a verse.  Chandas also mean the Vedic hymns.  The essence or the essential parts of Vedas are Upaniṣads.  This nāma says that She is well established in Upaniṣads. 

शास्त्र-सारा (845)

Śāstra-sārā

She is the essence of all śāstra-s. 

मन्त्र-सारा (846)

Mantra-sārā

Mantra is the combination of bīja-s. Since She is Śabda Brahman and all the alphabets originate from Her,  She is the essence of all mantra-s.

तलोदरी (847)

Talodarī

She has slender waist.





उदार-कीर्तिः (848)

Udāra-kīrtiḥ

Her invigorated fame prevails everywhere. She also gives fame to Her devotees. She grants fame quickly if properly worshipped, devoid of ego.  ud is a prefix to indicate superiority, a means all pervading, ara means swift and kīrti means fame. 

उद्धाम-वैभवा (849)

Uddhāma-vaibhavā

Her glorification is not bound by limits. Dhāma means rope, which is used to bind materials. Her glory is beyond such bindings. 

वर्ण-रूपिणी (850)

Varṇa-rūpiṇī

She is in the form of letters.