Lalitha Sahasranama names 221 - 230
Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name
221. Mahā-vīryā
Meaning - In valour and strength (virya) She is unsurpassed.
Among the Divine Mother’s foremost disciples is Manmatha (Lord of desires). This lord stirs up our mind causing desires, thoughts, intentions (sankalpas) and doubts (vikalpas) within us. He rules over us. No emperor of this universe, however mighty he could be, can equal Him as He can stir up even the emperor’s mind and cause havoc. The Supreme Mother controls even this all-powerful Lord Manmatha.
This is explained in Soundarya Lahiri in the stanza - Dhanun paushpam maurvi madhu-kara-mayi pancha visikha
It is said that this lord of desires is empowered just by the casual looks that are merely cast upon him by the Divine Mother. What more is needed to describe Her energy & strength better? Through Manmatha as a medium, it is She who, in fact, rules this creation.
222. Mahā-balā
This nama has 2 meanings -
a) She possesses utmost strength (balā) and fills our body with the required strength.
b) She blesses even animals and birds with liberation.
Balā also means crow. The story of Kakabhushunda appears in Yoga Vashishta. Kakabhushunda was a crow. He came from a family of 21 siblings. Among them were some swans and some crows. All of them together conducted the Brāhmi upasana. Those crows and *** that crow during the Brahmi muhurtam are said to be conducting the Brāhmi upasana.
This Brāhmi muhurtam is Saraswati muhurtam. (Muhurtam means ‘auspicious time’). Those who study at that time are blessed with good memory and intellect. It is mandatory for all students to be awake by that time. Saraswati, the energy of Brahma, will be moving about at that time.
To the crow, crowing is the mantra. Due to the relentless Brahmi muhurta upasana, gradually kakabhushunda was blessed with liberation. This summarises that all animals and birds also are blessed by her with liberation.
223. Mahā-buddhih
Meaning - She is the epitome of intelligence and wisdom.
Explaining the ‘Vibhuti Yoga’ in Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna said - Buddhir bhudimatām asmi- I am the intellect in those great intellectual persons.
She is the intellect (buddhi) in all the beings. We should pray that She comes and settles in our intellect.
224. Mahā-siddhih
Meaning - She is the storehouse of the greatest or the most-supreme siddhis (accomplishments).
What is that most supreme accomplishment that She possesses?
A common man presumes that acquiring the ability to fly in air, stand in fire, to be present simultaneously at multiple places and the like are siddhis (accomplishments). Such accomplishments are not the end in itself. Great mahatmas display such accomplishments purely to attract the ordinary onto the divine path and to create in them a desire to progress spiritually.
Siddhi (accomplishment) is that which causes a calm state of sthitapragna (where the consciousness/ mind is free from even the remotest agitation) and hence is immobile and steady. This is the greatest accomplishment (Mahā-siddhi) sought by a yogi.
During the Anagha vrata puja conducted on ashtami day, the ‘ashta siddhis’ (8 supernatural accomplishments) are invoked and worshipped together with Anagha Swami and Anagha Devi. What does it symbolize?
In this vrata, Parabrahma, as Anagha Swami seats himself in the centre of the lotus together with his energy (Maha shakti) depicted as His spouse, Anagha Devi. The 8 super natural powers (ashta siddhis) position themselves around them as their children.
‘Anagha’ is the energy that destroys sins. This name depicts that He is over and above any form of sin. Worshipping them blesses the devotee with the 8 super natural accomplishments (ashta siddhi). Asthami, the 8th day of the lunar calendar, is that day which creates the eight fold nature (ashta aatma guna) in us. Let us understand about these eight supernatural powers (ashta siddhis) briefly -
Anima, mahima chaiva garima laghima tatha
Praaptih praakāmya īshatvam vasitvam chāstha siddhayah
a) Anima -
Rasānām swata ullasaha prathamā siddhi reerita
Inherently each being possesses several tastes (rasas) that delight and attract the mind. For instance the mouth waters when a favourite dish is placed in front of the eyes. Controlling the mind (niyantrana) and preventing it from running behind the attractions and tastes is the first siddhi (accomplishment). No further progress can be achieved unless and until this is accomplished.
b) Mahima -
Dvandvai ranabhi bhootischyā dviteeya siddhi reerita
Dvanda is the concept of dualism. Rising over and above this state of dualism and being without conflicts is itself the second accomplishment.
c) Garima -
Adhamotamata bhavaha truteeya siddhi ruttamā
Rising above the state of seeing differences within people; no longer defining or classifying people as good and bad (uttama and adhama), great or small, is in itself the third accomplishment.
d) Laghima -
Chaturthi tulyatā teshām ayusha sukha dukha yoh
The fourth accomplishment is an extension of the third. Achieving a state of treating everyone alike, seeing the Lord seated in every heart and therefore having a balanced outlook towards all beings is the fourth accomplishment. This is the fourth supernatural power. At this stage, the person also has to mentally be in a state that is above joys and sorrows (sukha- dukha).
e) Prāpti -
Kanterbalasya bāhulyam vishokā nāma panchami
The mental strength (mano balam) is achieved. Only at this point the inner lamp is lit.
f) Prākāmyam -
Paramātma paratvena tapo dhyānādi nishthitā
This is the next stage of accomplishment. Full and firm belief that everything in this universe is a form of that ***; it is His energy within us that is the cause of all actions should exist. With such belief, the person should be able to practice endless dhyana (contemplation).
g) Eeśitvam-
Nishkāma chāritvam saptami siddhi ruchyate
The seventh accomplishment lies in performing nishkāma karma - actions without entertaining even the remotest desire. Even meditation (dhyana) should be without any expectations (nishkāma).
h) Vashiśtvam - kāmāvasāyita
Ashtami cha tathā proktā yatra kvachana shayite
This last accomplishment is Kāmāvasāyita - it means putting an end to desires of any kind. The mind should be able to adapt to any kind of surroundings without any feelings of like or dislike. This state of sthitaprajna is the Mahā - siddhi.
225. Mahā-yogeśwareśwarī (or Mahā-yogeśwarī)
Meanin - She is the empress (Eshwari) who controls and rules the superior-most yogas; it can also be said that She is the empress who rules all the greatest yogis (ascetics and saints).
Only after crossing the stage of Mahā-siddhi a person can advance into Mahā-yoga state.
In the last verse of Bhagavad Gita, it is stated- Yatra yogeshwarah krishno yatra partho dhanurdharah. Here Sri Krishna is referred to as the Lord of Yoga (yogeśwara).
Krishna was a complete incarnation (poorna avatara). His teachings are known as Bhagavad Gita - the song of the Almighty. To depict that the Supreme Mother herself has incarnated in this form, Krishna stands in the feminine form of tribhangi (Tribhangi consists of three bends in the body - at the neck, waist and knee, hence the body is oppositely curved at waist and neck which gives it a gentle "S" shape). Moreover, the seed letters (beejaksharas) used for the worship of Krishna and the Supreme Mother are one and the same.
226. Mahā-tantrā
Meaning - She herself is the greatest tantra.
She is the essence of entire tantra including Sri Vidya tantra. It includes all those mediums through which knowledge is transferred.
In the Chandi Shaptashati, the Supreme Mother is praised as a form of knowledge (vidya roopa) -
Yā devi sarva bhuteśu vidyā rūpena samsthitha
Namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namō namah
Books, people who teach us and people who share their knowledge with us should always be revered and respected. This is because they are visible forms of knowledge. Books contain alphabets (akshara). It is through alphabets that knowledge is transferred.
227. Mahā-mantrā
Meaning - She is the Pranava mantra (Omkāra) which is the greatest mantra (mahā- mantra).
228. Mahā-yantrā
Meaning - She is the Sri-yantra, the greatest of all yantras.
Sri-yantra is the flat diagrammatic concentric design of the Srichakra. Worshipping Her as a Sri-yantra is very sacred.
229. Mahāsanā
Meaning -
1) She is seated on a greatest throne (maha + asana). She is Śrīmat Simhāsaneśvarī (refer nama 3).
2) ‘Mahat’ the fundamental principle (tattva) behind this creation is Her seat (asana).
This fundamental principle (tattva) Mahat is the root for all this creation including the creation of the five basic elements (pancha maha bhoothas). By retaining this Mahat as Her seat She teaches us that She is over and above this creation.
230. Mahā - yāga-kramārādhyā
Meaning - She is to be worshipped through the process of Mahā- yāga (the greatest yāga/ sacrifice).
Maha yaaga (greatest sacrifice, yagna) refers to the antar yāga (internal worship) of the Srichakra. In Her opinion, this is the most supreme yāga.
Everything in this creation inherently belongs to the Supreme Lord. We offer to Him what actually belongs to Him alone. Therefore, when making an offering during the puja, it is the deep mental feelings of love and offering that are most important. We should also have deep intense feeling that there is a homa bowl within us to which offerings are being made. The offerings could be on a mental plane. Then it constitutes antar yaaga (inner worship).