AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Lalita Sahasranama meanings per name

311. Rasyā

Meaning- She is abounding in supreme essence, the taste of which is the source of unending joy.

Rasya means ‘extreme delight, taste, essence’. For example, understanding in depth the essence contained in the name ‘Rama’ bestows supreme joy and bliss. There is no wonder then, that Saint Tyagaraja, who was downed in this supreme unending joy, composed the bhajan ‘Rama nama yenta ruchira..’ which means - What sweetness/ taste exists in the name ‘Rama’!

Vedas and Vedanta are subjects that teach us about the true essence of the self (atma tattva). Through the deep understanding of this subject the person drowns in supreme joy; this supreme taste is unexplainable. It is like a cap for all the joys enjoyed in this universe. This is Rasya. This is the final state.

Taitareeya Upanishad explains this state in the verse- Raso vai sah Rasam hyeva'yam labdhva'nandi bhavati.
Meaning - The individual being (jiva) who has tasted the flavour (rasa) of the bliss of the Supreme, is also blissful.

To the one who is lost in this bliss, nothing else appears tasty in this world.

The name ‘Russia’ originates out of ‘Rasya’. Russia is a beautiful land fully covered in snow and is like a beautiful cap for this universe. Many great sages reside in this beautiful land. Kaikeyi (mother of Bharata or step mother of Rama) belonged to Rasya.

The seed-letters ‘Hreem’ and ‘Shreem’ are very dear to the Divine Mother. The names beginning from ‘Hrīṁkārī’ (nama 301) up to ‘Rasya’ explain the same essence of ‘Hreem’ and contain in-depth meanings hidden in the word Hreem. The worship of ‘Hreem’ (Hreem upasana) has been conducted here in the form of sound (nada roopa). This leads the aspirant towards Goddess Narayani. Upasakas meditate on Hreem when they recite these names.

312. Raṇatkiṅkiṇi-mekhalā

Meaning - The bells of Her waistband ‘Mekhala’ gently and tunefully reverberate with the sound ‘kinkini’.

This name has the same meaning as nama 38 - Ratna-kinkinikā-ramya-raśanā-dāma-bhūśitā.

Tying the waist with a thread or band is a spiritual exercise. The custom of women wearing waistband (odhyana) was prevalent primarily for the spiritual benefits that it confers.

The anklets as well as the bells in the waistband of the Divine Mother reverberate with the sounds of the Vedas.

‘Kinkini’ is the sound of the Vedas and it highlights Her connection with naada (sound). Modern science agrees that the universe was created out of sound. It is a well-known fact that sound has the capacity to bring about vibration even in a lifeless object. For example, the glass object kept on the table vibrates when loud music is played.

Likewise, the sound of the Vedas (generated from Her anklets and waistband) causes a movement in the minds of the Devatas, and fills them with enlightenment. These are auspicious sounds that lead to formation of good thoughts and good intellect (buddhi).

The following 8 names are connected to the seed letter ‘Shree’ (beejakshara). They are special mantras that relieve/ dispel problems and troubles and are to be recited regularly during troubled times and are known as ‘āpad kāla mantras’. They are contained in the verse -

Ramā rākenduvadanā ratirūpā ratipriyā
Rakṣākarī rākṣasaghnī rāmā ramaṇa-lampaṭā

313. Ramā

Meaning - She showers bliss and joy (ananda) upon Her devotees.

Ramā is the name of Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of prosperity) and ‘Shree’ is Her seed letter (beejakshara).

314. Rākenduvadanā

Meaning - Her face is as beautiful as the full moon. This depicts Her completeness.

This name is similar in meaning to the nama 16 - ‘Mukacandra-kalaṇkābha-mṛganābhi-viśeṣakā’.

315. Ratirūpā

Meaning - She is as beautiful as Rati, the wife of Manmatha (*** of Love) or She has taken on the form of Rati.
When Manmatha was reduced to ashes (refer introduction), his wife Rati fervently prayed to the Supreme Mother and composed many hymns (Rati stotram). Through these hymns she sought to know the faults for which her husband was thus punished and begged that he should be restored to life. Manmatha is Lakshmi Devi’s son. Rati as such is her daughter-in-law. Taking on the form of Rati (Ratiroopa) implies that She has placed herself in Rati’s shoes and thereby understands her grief. This highlights the beautiful relationship that she shares with her daughter-in-law.

316. Ratipriyā

Meaning -
1) She loves her daughter-in-law Rati.
2) She is worshipped by Rati.
3) The beautiful compositions of Rati (Rati stotrams) are very dear to Her.

317. Rakṣākarī

Meaning - She eternally protects.

As it is the fire-*** who eternally protects us, it is to be understood that She is Agni (fire). She exists in the form of fire sacrifices (yagnas and homas).

Agni is one amongst the three visible Gods in this creation (pratyaksha daivam) and is also the medium that connects the humans to deities (Devatas). Like a postman the fire-*** carries our offerings to the concerned deities and thus makes us eligible to receive their blessings. He is thus our protector. He is titled Hayavāt.
Havyavāhana suggests that He is a medium.

The Supreme Lord created yagnas (sacrifices) at the start of creation. He sought that the beings should evolve to higher levels through the medium of the yagnas. The philosophy of life can be summed up through one-word ‘yagna’. This word assumes great significance in Bhagavad Gita. Every moment of the life is to be dedicated to the performance of sacrifice (yagna) that is aimed at higher fulfillment. Fire sacrifices (homams) are a part of this yagna. In a homa, mantras and Agni (fire) play the most critical role. In return, the fire *** blesses us with the ‘homa raksha’ i.e. the bhasma (holy ash). This bhasma is sacred as it has been energized by the recitation of various holy mantras. It is the blessing and protection (raksha) sent back to us by the deity who was invoked through the process of homa.

In ancient days, the practice of offering cooked food to Agni (fire ***) was prevalent. The lady of the house would offer the first morsel of the cooked food to the burning fire.

318. Rākṣasaghnī

Meaning - She is the annihilator of demons.
Deities (Devatas) and demons co-exist. The good and the bad thoughts within the individual are the Devatas and the demons respectively. The churning that takes place in the mind due to this, is the churning of the ocean (amruta mathana). These mental demons wreck havoc in the mind. In addition to these mental demons, there also exist physical demons. Of course, they do not possess horns and dreadful face unlike their counterparts of earlier eons.

The present day demons look like us, speak sweetly but yet carry out heinous deeds. Don’t we come across such people in this world?

He who, giving up thoughts of his own comforts and welfare reaches out to others who are in despair and seeks to uplift them is a Devata. To such person welfare of others gives most peace and joy. He who, takes care or seeks the welfare of others while seeking his own welfare is a madhyama (human). The third category consists of people who seek purely their own comforts and welfare. Towards achieving this they inflict trouble on others. They are human- rakshasas (demons in human form). They destroy the happiness of others for their selfish welfare and happiness. People of the fourth category harm others and in the process neither do they procure any happiness nor cause benefit to others. Such people are beyond all classifications and have no name.

Destroying demons means that the Supreme Mother ensures that good thoughts and feelings are cultivated even in such demonic personalities. It does not mean that She would take her trident and descend from heaven to *** them physically. It should be understood that She causes a transformation in such persons.

319. Rāmā

Meaning - She plays joyfully in the heart of the devotee/ yogi. She gives limitless joy and contentment.

‘Rāmā’ is not a name but is a title. It is a title for that person or energy who gives limitless contentment and joy (Ramayati). For uncountable eons great eminent saints such as Vashistha performed relentless penance. Yet they could not experience that limitless supreme bliss. At the time of Rāmā’s birth Maharishi Vashistha visited the palace. The mere sight of the infant filled his heart with limitless joy and he was blessed with the contentment that he was seeking all these eons. He aptly named the infant ‘Rāmā’.

The Supreme Mother showers this bliss and is Rāmā. Rāmā is the essence of Goddess Lakshmi (Lakshmi tattva) and depicts in totality the seed-letter ‘Sreem’.

320. Ramaṇa-lampaṭā

Meaning - She diligently follows Lord Ramana and is always by His side.

Ramana refers to Lord Venkata-ramana (Venkateshwara).

‘Lam’ is the seed letter for earth element (bhumi tattva). We understand this from the verse- ‘lam’ prithvi tatvātmikayai gandhaṃ parikalpāyami. ‘Paṭa’ stands for ignorance/ illusion (maya). ‘Lampata’ thus refers to the force that has covered this entire earth with maya (ignorance). This is Her position as Brahma. It also emphasizes that She blesses Her devotee with the associated joy.