LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM MEANING 575-577

Madhvipanalasa (575) She is in languorous stage, because of consuming an intoxicated drink made out of honey (some texts quote that it is mixture of grape extract and honey). The secretive meaning of this nama is that She is in a state of samadhi and enjoying the ultimate bliss. She always meditates on Her creator Shiva. During the higher levels of kundalini meditation, a honey like fluid drips into throat, known as ‘madhu’ (madhu means honey) because of its taste and viscosity that resemble honey. This normally happens in the stage of bliss where a person remains lackadaisical as his consciousness remains fixed with the Brahman. She is said to be in this stage of bliss, the eternal happiness. Matta (576) Because of consuming the drink referred in the previous nama, She is in the stage of intoxication. This intoxication is because of the reasons given in the previous nama. It is also said that She represents ego of Shiva. Since She is in the stage of introversion, She appears inebriated. These two namas possibly elucidate the stage of bliss and its importance. Bliss can be attained either by progressing in kundalini meditation or remaining as an introvert and exploring the Self within. Matrka-varna-rupini (577) She is in the form of 51 alphabets of Sanskrit called matrka. These 51 alphabets are split into six groups and worshipped in the six chakras from muladhara to ajna. These alphabets have different colours and is said to be closely related to cosmological studies. A comparative narration is drawn between Shiva and shakthi and vowels and consonants. Vowels are always active and dynamic in nature and therefore vowels are compared to shakthi; consonants are compared to Shiva. Without Shiva-Shakthi combine, the universe cannot exist, as they are two different aspects of the Brahman. In the same way, sound cannot exist without vowels-consonants combine. The sound originates from Shabda Brahman where as the universe originates from the Brahman. She is the Shabda Brahman. She wears a garland made up of 51 alphabets, which has discussed in nama 489 ‘aksha-maladi-dhara’. Another interpretation says that She is the Mother (matrka) of all letters (varna-rupini). This theory goes to prove that She is the creator of all the alphabets. These alphabets are the foundation of Sri Chakra. Based upon the theory that Sri Chakra is a human body, these alphabets form the foundation of human existence. The difference between animals and man is the decoding and understanding of sound, which becomes possible because of Shabda Brahman. Meditating matrkas and Shiva as one is a way of worshipping Sri Chakra. This is called ‘kailasa-prastara’. There are two more prastaras. They are ‘meru-prastara’ where titi nitya devis and Sri Chakra are meditated upon as one and meditating vak devis (authors of this Sahasranamam) and Sri Chakra as one is called ‘bhu-prastara’.