LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 841 - 850

Bhāvajñā (841)

Bhāva has too many meanings: becoming, transition into, continuance, condition, character, intention, to make a firm resolution, learned man, universe, womb, superhuman power, meditation, etc.

This nama can fit into any of the above meanings. Different scriptures have attributed different contextual interpretations to Bhāva. In the present context this nama means that She is the knower of Bhāva all beings. She knows mental modifications of men. Some will have dual characteristics. What they think will be different from what they speak. She knows the thoughts of such men. If She happens to know that one’s thoughts and actions differ, She punishes them in terms of nama 827 ‘pracaṇḍā’.

The root of bhava is bhu, the unconditioned. Namas like 397, 398 and 399 have already discussed Her unconditioned state.

In an ancient treatise known as ‘Yogini hṛdaya’ six types of interpretations are given to Panchadsi mantra and one among them is ‘bhavartham’.

It can be said that this nama refers to Her different lineaments and attributes.

Bhava-rogaghni (842)

Bhava is used here to mean samsara or worldly life. Samsara is referred to as a disease and She relieves the pains of samsara. Shiva is said to be the alleviator of miseries of samsara. Bhava (bhavau) also means Shiva and his consort Shakthi. Both of them alleviate the pains of worldly life. Rogam means disease.

Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam namas 578 and 579 refer to this attribute of the Brahman. Rig Veda (II.33.4) says “bhiśaktamaṃ ava bhiśajāṃ sriṇomi” which means ‘I hear You to be the most competent one among physicians.’ Physician because She cures the disease of samsara.

Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (IX.1) “I shall now unfold the most secret knowledge of nirguna Brahman along with the knowledge of divinity, knowing which you shall be free from the evil of samsara.”

{For further reading: Samsara (transmigration of existence) can be explained as the continuous process of birth and death. This is due to ignorance or a-vidya. Due to the prevailing ignorance, samsara is embroiled in full of pairs and opposites. It is unreal and full of unbearable sufferings and inconsequential pleasures. It is under the sway of a-vidya or nescience, a soul undergoes endless births, bound by passions, fears, desires and pains. The psychophysical view of human existence is closely related to the doctrine of karma or the law of karma. As long as one is bound by samsara, realisation and ultimate liberation is not possible. Krishna gives solution to get away from the clutches of samsara. He says “Desire, anger and greed, the triple gates of hell brings about the ruination of a soul. Therefore, one should avoid all these three.” (Bhagavad Gita XVI.21)}

This nama says that She frees Her devotees from the adversities of samsara.

Bhava-chakra-pravartini (843)

Samsara is compared to a wheel which is rotated by Her. Rotation of a wheel is compared to births and consequential deaths. A point in a wheel goes up and comes down and in the same way births and deaths happen like the rotation of a wheel, to those who indulge in samsara. Remedial measure to get away from the hardships of samsara is discussed in the previous nama. It is said, ‘Wise men worship Hari (Vishnu), the remover of pain of those who seek refuge in Him.’

Bhava means Shiva, chakra means mind (as per Vishnu Purana) and pravartini means guide. This means that She is the guiding factor of Shiva, the Supreme. This nama once again confirms Her Brahmanic status.

Chandaḥ-sārā (844)

Chandas means meter, the study of poetic meter and the art of versification known as metrical science. Mundaka Upanishad (I.i.5) says that chandas is secular knowledge (apara). Para knowledge is spiritual. Sārā means the substance or essence or marrow or heart or essential part of anything, best part, etc.

Rig Veda (X.xiv.16) says “All the sacred meters, the tristubh (heaven), the Gayatri (earth) and the remaining ones converge in the Lord of Cosmic Order.”

Chandas depends upon the number of letters in a word of a verse. Chandas also mean the Vedic hymns. The essence or the essential parts of Vedas are Upanishads. This nama says that She is well established in Upanishads.

Gayatri chandas is considered as the most important of all chandas. ‘Varivasya Rahasa’ (I. 6, 7) says “Fourteen vidyas have been declared to be expedients in this world to understand Her. Even among them the most essential are the Vedas and therein Gayatri. She (Gayatri) has two forms. One is recited in four Vedas and other (Sri Vidya) is not clear, being esoteric.” Therefore, it is apparent that Panchadasi mantra is superior than Gayatri (one recitation of Panchadasi mantra is equivalent to three recitations of Gayatri mantra), which is the form of all the four Vedas. Since, there is no differentiation between Her and Sri Vidya (Panchadasi), this nama originated. This interpretation is further confirmed by another ancient tantric treatise ‘Pingala Tantra’, which discusses Sri Chakra.

Shāstra-sārā (845)

She is the essence of all śāstras. Brahma Sutra (I.i.3) says “śāstrayonitvāt”. It says that Brahman is the source of scriptures. In other words, Vedas originated from the Brahman. This is because Vedas have all good qualities and cannot possibly originate from any other source, other than all-knowing Brahman. Yet another nama that reconfirms Her Brahmanic status.

Mantra-sārā (846)

Mantra is the combination of alphabets. Since She is Shabda Brahman and all the alphabets originate from Her. This nama therefore says that She is the essence of all mantras. Please refer to nama 204 ‘sarva mantra svarupini’.

Talodari (847)

She has slender waist. Nama 35 also describes Her waist.

There is another interpretation. If ‘a’ is added to this nama, it becomes ‘atalodari’. When She assumes ‘virat’ form (nama 778 virat rupa), Her waist becomes ‘atala loka’ (one of the fourteen lokas of cosmography. Atala loka is eighth from the highest (purest)).

Udāra-kīrtiḥ (848)

Her invigorated fame prevails everywhere. She also gives fame to Her devotees. She grants fame quickly if properly worshipped, devoid of ego.

‘ud’ is a prefix to indicate superiority, ‘ā’ means all pervading, ‘ara’ means swift and ‘kirti’ means fame. Chandogya Upanishad (I.vi.7) says “He is called ‘ud’ because he is above all weakness”.

Her fame is compared to two famous lakes ‘Ara’ and ‘Nya’ in Brahma loka. This is described in Chandogya Upanishad (VIII.v.4) “When they attain the Brahmaloka (the abode of Brahman. This should not be construed as material plane. This is the place of no return for the soul as defined by Brahma Sutra (IV.iv.2) which says ‘The soul attains liberation’) through silence (referred as brahmacharya in the Upanishad), they can freely move in all the worlds (omnipresence).

Uddāma-vaibhavā (849)

Her glorification is not bound by limits. Dama means rope, which is used to bind materials. Her glory is beyond such bindings.

Varna-rūpini (850)

She is in the form of letters. Please refer nama 577 ‘matrka varna rupini’.

According to Sambhava School (Pāṇiniśikṣhā, a treatise on correct pronunciation of words in Vedas, particularly Rig Veda), the number of alphabets is 64. She is said to be in the form of the 64 letters referred here.