Sri Lalitäsahasranäma - 1000 Names of Devi - by Ätmaprajnänanda Saraswati
49.7 هزار بار بازدید -
13 سال پیش
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Introduction 'Sri Lalitäsahasranäma'- 'Thousand names
Introduction
'Sri Lalitäsahasranäma'- 'Thousand names of the Devi' is extremely popular in not only the Shakta tradition, but other devotees also. The whole Book IV of 'Brahmanda Purana' the story upakhyana of Lalita is presented as a dialogue between Hayagriva, the horse-faced deity of all learning, who is also a partial avatara of Bhagavan Vishnu, and the great Sage Agastya. Agastya is a Vedic seer, and brother of Sage Vasishtha.
Hayagriva imparts this Stotra to Sage Agastya after his persistent pleas. He conditions that it ought not to be shared with 'the inaustere, undevoted and those who revile Devi'. It is used in various modes of worship of the Devi i.e. -- parayana (recitation), archana (with offerings of flowers or kumkumam), homa (fire-ritual) etc.
'Lalita' means lovely, elegant or charming. It is one of the complete Stotras. 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' although dedicated to the Devi, is also used in the worship of Durga, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati. It is one of the principal texts in the Shakti tradition, others being 'Saundaryalahari' and 'Saptasati Chandi'.
No Repetitions
As the name suggests, there are a 1000 names, however the Stotra does not suffer from punarukti dosha -- the flaw of repetition. Further, in order to complete the metre, many Sahasranamas add inconsequential words like tu, api, ca, hi, that are only conjunctions. 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' does not suffer from this pada-puranartha, and is pure enumeration of 1000 holy names of the Devi.
Siddharikoshtam is a test of eligibility applied by the guru before initiating a disciple into a particular mantra. In the case of 'Sri Lalitasahasranama', this test is not necessary. Thus, it is accessible to all devotees, who acknowledge the significance of the Devi.
Neat structuring
It is very well-structured. The slokas are organized in such a way that Devi is described from 'head to toe' -- kesadi padam'. There is a definite order in the sequence of events suggested by the various attributes. Thus, after a brief description of the exquisite and charming form, the Stotra describes her seats, and her exploits in the battle with Bhandasura. Her saguna and nirguna aspects follow brief references to her Mantrarupa and Kundalini. Referring to Kundalini and Sri Chakra, both the paths (Vama and Dakshina, or Kaula and Samaya) are shown to be equally agreeable. The names -- Samayachara-tatpara (98) and Kaulamarga-tatpara-sevita (441) confirms this.
The Vama-marga was clearly disapproved by Adi Sankara. In 'Saundaryalahari', which is a clear exposition of the fundamentals of 'Sri Vidya', Sankara has discredited the methods of Kaula practice. Since Sankara's time, the practices of Dakshina-marga have been more in vogue, and those of Vama-marga has fallen into disuse. Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati (1824-1883), the great social reformer and founder of Arya Samaj also abolished the Vamachara practice during his time.
Comparision with Vishnusahasranama
The two Sahasranamas popular among the devotees are -- 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' and 'Sri Laitasahasranama'. The first one occurs in the Anusasanika-parva of the 'Mahabharata', and the second in the 'Brahmanda-Purana'. 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' is the earliest of this kind of hymnology. Its style is epic, and therefore simple, as it existed before the development of ornate style of the Kavyas, which is reflected in 'Sri Lalitasahasranama'. This can be found from the number of syllable-combination in its words.
In 'Sri Vishnusahasranama', the largest number of words is three-syllabled and are 338, Following it, come 273 words of four-syllables, 228 of two-syllables, 106 of five-syllables, 34 of six-syllables, 18 of eight-syllables, and 3 of single-syllable.
In contrast to this, 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' contains 72 words of sixteen-syllables, 3 words of twelve-syllables, 3 of eleven-syllables, 7 of nine-syllables, 242 of eight-syllables, 2 of seven-syllables, 34 of six-syllables, 122 of five-syllables, 278 of four-syllables, 138 of three-syllables, and 3 of a single-syllable.
The length of the word-combinations and the abundance of various samasas and alankaras are the characteristic of 'Sri Lalitasahasranama', whereas 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' is noted for its verbal austerity, and lack of embellishments. Extensive alliteration in the beginning of words is a common feature of all Sahasranamas.
- Atmaprajnananda Saraswati
Bibliography/References
1. Dikshitar Ramachandra, V.R., The Lalita Cult, Motilal Banarasidass, Madras, 1942, Reprint 2006
2. Padmanabhan, A.S., Lalitasahasranama, Tattvaloka, December 2007
3. .http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalita_saha..., accessed 4.12.2011
Audio rendering by - Swämini Ätmaprajnänanda Saraswati
P.S. - Selected images of the Devi is interspersed with various stages of the Full Moon during a Purnima, since 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' is traditionally chanted on all Thursdays, and definitely on all Purnimas.
'Sri Lalitäsahasranäma'- 'Thousand names of the Devi' is extremely popular in not only the Shakta tradition, but other devotees also. The whole Book IV of 'Brahmanda Purana' the story upakhyana of Lalita is presented as a dialogue between Hayagriva, the horse-faced deity of all learning, who is also a partial avatara of Bhagavan Vishnu, and the great Sage Agastya. Agastya is a Vedic seer, and brother of Sage Vasishtha.
Hayagriva imparts this Stotra to Sage Agastya after his persistent pleas. He conditions that it ought not to be shared with 'the inaustere, undevoted and those who revile Devi'. It is used in various modes of worship of the Devi i.e. -- parayana (recitation), archana (with offerings of flowers or kumkumam), homa (fire-ritual) etc.
'Lalita' means lovely, elegant or charming. It is one of the complete Stotras. 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' although dedicated to the Devi, is also used in the worship of Durga, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati. It is one of the principal texts in the Shakti tradition, others being 'Saundaryalahari' and 'Saptasati Chandi'.
No Repetitions
As the name suggests, there are a 1000 names, however the Stotra does not suffer from punarukti dosha -- the flaw of repetition. Further, in order to complete the metre, many Sahasranamas add inconsequential words like tu, api, ca, hi, that are only conjunctions. 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' does not suffer from this pada-puranartha, and is pure enumeration of 1000 holy names of the Devi.
Siddharikoshtam is a test of eligibility applied by the guru before initiating a disciple into a particular mantra. In the case of 'Sri Lalitasahasranama', this test is not necessary. Thus, it is accessible to all devotees, who acknowledge the significance of the Devi.
Neat structuring
It is very well-structured. The slokas are organized in such a way that Devi is described from 'head to toe' -- kesadi padam'. There is a definite order in the sequence of events suggested by the various attributes. Thus, after a brief description of the exquisite and charming form, the Stotra describes her seats, and her exploits in the battle with Bhandasura. Her saguna and nirguna aspects follow brief references to her Mantrarupa and Kundalini. Referring to Kundalini and Sri Chakra, both the paths (Vama and Dakshina, or Kaula and Samaya) are shown to be equally agreeable. The names -- Samayachara-tatpara (98) and Kaulamarga-tatpara-sevita (441) confirms this.
The Vama-marga was clearly disapproved by Adi Sankara. In 'Saundaryalahari', which is a clear exposition of the fundamentals of 'Sri Vidya', Sankara has discredited the methods of Kaula practice. Since Sankara's time, the practices of Dakshina-marga have been more in vogue, and those of Vama-marga has fallen into disuse. Maharshi Dayananda Saraswati (1824-1883), the great social reformer and founder of Arya Samaj also abolished the Vamachara practice during his time.
Comparision with Vishnusahasranama
The two Sahasranamas popular among the devotees are -- 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' and 'Sri Laitasahasranama'. The first one occurs in the Anusasanika-parva of the 'Mahabharata', and the second in the 'Brahmanda-Purana'. 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' is the earliest of this kind of hymnology. Its style is epic, and therefore simple, as it existed before the development of ornate style of the Kavyas, which is reflected in 'Sri Lalitasahasranama'. This can be found from the number of syllable-combination in its words.
In 'Sri Vishnusahasranama', the largest number of words is three-syllabled and are 338, Following it, come 273 words of four-syllables, 228 of two-syllables, 106 of five-syllables, 34 of six-syllables, 18 of eight-syllables, and 3 of single-syllable.
In contrast to this, 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' contains 72 words of sixteen-syllables, 3 words of twelve-syllables, 3 of eleven-syllables, 7 of nine-syllables, 242 of eight-syllables, 2 of seven-syllables, 34 of six-syllables, 122 of five-syllables, 278 of four-syllables, 138 of three-syllables, and 3 of a single-syllable.
The length of the word-combinations and the abundance of various samasas and alankaras are the characteristic of 'Sri Lalitasahasranama', whereas 'Sri Vishnusahasranama' is noted for its verbal austerity, and lack of embellishments. Extensive alliteration in the beginning of words is a common feature of all Sahasranamas.
- Atmaprajnananda Saraswati
Bibliography/References
1. Dikshitar Ramachandra, V.R., The Lalita Cult, Motilal Banarasidass, Madras, 1942, Reprint 2006
2. Padmanabhan, A.S., Lalitasahasranama, Tattvaloka, December 2007
3. .http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalita_saha..., accessed 4.12.2011
Audio rendering by - Swämini Ätmaprajnänanda Saraswati
P.S. - Selected images of the Devi is interspersed with various stages of the Full Moon during a Purnima, since 'Sri Lalitasahasranama' is traditionally chanted on all Thursdays, and definitely on all Purnimas.
13 سال پیش
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