LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 615 - 618.

Adishakthi (615)

She is the primordial energy of creation. Shiva has no creator. Shiva’s only creation is Shakthi who in turn created the universe. Hence She is called as Adi (first) Shakthi (energy). In fact, Shakthi is the creative pulsation of Shiva. It is only because of Shakthi, empiric individual realises his essential divine nature.

Further reading: Shakthi asks many questions to Shiva. The questions of Shakthi and answers of Shiva are in the form of various tantra sastras. There are three positions from which Shakthi seeks answers from Shiva. The first position is Shakthi sitting by the side of Shiva. The questions asked from this position are only preliminaries. The next position is Shakthi sitting on the lap of Shiva. Questions asked from this position are towards attaining Shiva. When She gets clarifications from

Shiva and through the knowledge gained during the question answer sessions, She merges with Shiva and becomes a part of Shiva – the ardhanarishvara form. This form leads to ‘linga’ form where there are no manifested forms. This is a typical example of realisation. When one is at the beginning stage of spirituality there is a gap between the Brahman and the seeker. When he acquires knowledge of advaita, he moves closer to Him. When He realizes the Brahman, he merges with Him and his consciousness loses duality. Finally he transforms into “I am That”.


Ameya (616)

She is immeasurable. Mortals are measureable and eternal is not measureable. Katha Upanishad explains this phenomenon. It says “smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest” (I.ii.20). This is a popular verse among all the Upanishads. The original Sanskrit version goes like this “anoraniyan mahato mahiyan atma asya......” This is the unique nature of the Brahman.


Atma (617)


Like Self and self atman is also known by Atman and atman. self or atman indicates the soul and Self or Atman indicates the Brahman. When one realizes self as the Self, it is known as Self-realization. This nama means soul as the next nama makes a reference to the Brahman. atman is also known as jiva. When jiva is covered by body, it is known as jivan.

Soul is also known as purusha. Soul worships Atman by means of meditation. The soul within a shape and form is known as yajamana or the master. The object of meditation is Atman and meditation is a process by which atman seeks the Atman by modification of his mind. The fruit of mediation is the bliss leading to the merger of atman with Atman. Atman indicates Shiva and atman indicates Shakthi and the merger between the two is known as Shiva-Shakthi ikyam. (ikyam – union). This process happens at sahasrara.


Parama (618)

The previous nama addresses Her as atman and this nama addresses Her as Atman also known as the Brahman. From these two namas one can understand that She is both saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes) and niruguna Brahman (Brahman without attributes), confirming Her Superior status.

‘Para+asya+ ma’ indicating that She is the wife of Shiva. Being the wife of Shiva, She helps spiritual seekers in realising Shiva.

Lingapurana (Chapter 86. Verses 97 – 99) says “Atman is neither having intellectual awareness within nor having intellectual awareness without, nor is He in both ways. He is not perfect knowledge nor wise nor having ignorance. Brahman is not the one that is known, nor one to be known. In fact He is extinction, devoid of ailments, immortal, imperishable, Parama-Atman, Brahman, Paratpara (greater than the greatest), devoid of doubtful alternatives, devoid of fallacious appearances, knowledge. All these are synonyms.” She is in this form

Para-Brahman (the Supreme Brahman, Shiva and Shakthi combine) has four forms. They are the purusha (soul), un-manifested, manifested and time. She has transcended all these four forms to remain as the Supreme.