LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 271-274

Iswari (271) The one who does the act of thirodana explained in the previous nama. Ishwara tatwa is the 26th tatwa (principle) out of the 36 tatwas that we have discussed earlier. Ishwara controls everything. Vishnu Sahasranamam nama 36 is also Ishwara. When these are the qualities of Ishwara, why She is referred here as Ishwari? SL verse 7 offers explanation for this. It says ‘pura mathituh aho purushaka’ which means the ‘the proud consort of Shiva’. From another angle of Her administrative duties, all the five actions are carried out by Her. Sadashiva (272) Look at the beauty of placement of namas. As deliberated earlier, the Brahman has got five actions to perform. We have already discussed about the first four. In these namas first the action was referred followed by the form of the Brahman who looks after that particular action. For example take namas 264 and 265. Nama 264 is ‘srshti-kartri, the act of creation and 265 is ‘Brahma-rupa’ the form of god who performs the act of creation. Same is the case with other three. While talking about the blessing gracious aspect of the Brahman, the form of God is referred first, then the action. Possibly they could have thought that merely uttering this nama would give salvation. She is in the form of Sadashiva. Sada means ever and Shiva means auspicious. The Sadashiva form of the Brahman is the most auspicious form and She is said to be in that form. In the stage of Sadashiva tatwa, Iccha shakthi or the will (to create) is predominant. The concept of “I am this” begins to dawn (please note, this stage is not “I am That”). In this stage universal consciousness is discovered. The individual consciousness has not yet merged with the universal consciousness. Shakthi is the intent of the Brahman to recreate. The power of will of the Brahman at this stage is to bless the universe for recreation and this act is being described in the next nama. Anugrahada (273) The action of the gracious Sadashiva, the blessing is being referred. Anugraha means grace. When the universe got dissolved, there exists nothing. The atoms of all the souls got compressed and embedded in the hiranyagarbha or the golden egg. The blessing aspect of the Brahman is recreation after the dissolution. This act of recreation is done by Shakthi, the Supreme Mother. Sadashiva form of the Brahman is endowed with compassion. The importance of Guru is stressed in ancient scriptures. While worshipping Sri Chakra, Guru Lineage is worshipped first. Guru is worshipped in the form of pranava (OM) first, then in the forms of Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Mahadeva and Sadashiva. The Five forms of the Brahman are worshipped in the form of Guru. Panchakrtya-parayana (274) She is the abode of all the five functions discussed above. SL 24 describes these acts and the details of which we have already seen. We have discussed in nama 250 ‘pancha-brahma-swarupini’ that She is in the cause of all these five acts. All these five acts are carried out by Her as “prakasha (cit) vimarsha (shakthi) maha maya swarupini”. She is also known as Cit Shakthi. Cit means the consciousness that is absolute and unchanging.