LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 906 - 911

Tattvadikā (906)

She is beyond tatvas or principles (generally tatvas are 24 or 36).

Tattvamayī (907)

This is the continuation of the previous nama. This nama says that She is the embodiment of tatvas. Tatvas can be explained as the real essence or the ultimate principle underlying the phenomenal creation. A self realised person is called ‘tatvadarshin’ which means the truth has been revealed. Knowledge about tatvas is known as ‘darshana’ meaning spiritual revelation. Tatvas are also known as ‘bahyakarana’ (eternal tools or the breakdown of five basic elements akash, air, fire, water and earth) as opposed to ‘anthakkarana’ (internal tools comprising of mind, intellect, consciousness and ego). The five basic elements break down into tatvas comprising of organs of perception, cognitive faculties, organs of action and action faculties. These are the twenty tatvas. Anthakkarana, which consists of four tatvas make the total of 24 tatvas, known as atma tatvas. Vidya tatva (consisting of another six tatvas) and Suddha Vidya tatva (consisting of four tatvas) make another ten tatvas. The most superior tatvas are Shakthi tatva and Shiva tatva. All these make 36 tatvas.

This nama says that She is the embodiment of these tatvas. She is asserted as the Brahman through various namas of this Sahasranamam. The primary quality of the Brahman is omnipresence. Tatvas relate to prakriti. Since She is Brahman as well as prakriti, this nama says that She is the personification of tatvas.

The previous nama said that She is beyond tatvas. Brahman does not get Himself associated with any actions. The previous nama, considering Her as the Brahman says that She is beyond tatvas and this nama treating Her as prakriti says that She is the embodiment of tatvas.

Please refer nama 991 for further details.

Tattvamartha-svarūpinī (908)

‘tat’ means the Brahman and ‘tvam’ means the soul. The union of the two is called realisation or Self-realisation. This nama says She is in the form of Maha vakyas (the great sayings or the great pronouncements) “Tat tvam asi” or “You are That”. Her tat-tvam form is the cause for Self-realisation. Without Her grace the explanation for “Tat-tvam’ (Tat-tvam-asi) is not possible to comprehend.

“Tat tvam asi” is the articulation of Chandogya Upanishad (VI.viii.7). The Upanishad says “That which the subtlest of all is the Self. ‘tat satyam’ That is the truth, ‘sah atma’ that is the Self, tat tvam asi’ that is you.” The Upanishad affirms that Self, the essence of pure spirit is the real identity of the self.

Sāmagāna-priyā (909)

Sāma means the Sama Veda, gāna means songs and priyā means fond of. This nama says that She is fond of songs of Sama Veda or She is fond of those who render Sama Veda. The verses of Sama Veda are rendered in musical notes. It is said that Shiva is fond of Sama Veda. Ravana of Ramayana got boons from Shiva by praising Him in Sama Veda. This is said in Valmiki Ramayana (Uttarakanda.XVI.34): “Dasanana glorified Mahadeva (Shiva) by singing psalms from Sama Veda.” Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (X.22) “Among Vedas, I am the Sama Veda.”

Chandogya Upanishad (I.vi.1) establishes firm connection between Rig Veda and Sama Veda. “The earth is like Rig Veda and fire is lime Sama Veda. The Sama is based on the Rig Veda and this why the Sama is sung based on the Rig Veda. The earth is ‘sa’ and fire is ‘ama’ which together make ‘sama’.”

Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad are the important Upanishads that belong to Sama Veda.

Soumyā (910)

This nama is also pronounced as ‘somyā’. The word ‘soma’ refers to Shiva with His consort Uma, who forms a part of Shiva. This has been already discussed in nama 392.

Somyā also means ‘resembling the moon’, auspicious, happy, pleasant, cheerful, etc. All these characteristics apply to Her.

The nama also means that She is worthy of adoration through soma sacrifice (soma yāga).

{Further reading on Soma yāga: The Srauta Sutras of the late Vedic period offer several definitions of ritual known as Srauta Sutras. The main components of the rituals are oblations (different substances offered into the fire), the deity (oblations are offered to the deity who is invoked in the fire) and the renunciation (renouncing the benefits accruing on account of the ritual). The Srauta rituals consist of three main categories. They are ‘haviryajna’ also known as ‘ishti’, the purported animal sacrifices and soma rituals. There are many restrictions for performing soma yaga. One has to be married and the soma yaga should come through lineage. Soma is a sacred plant that is grown in high mountains and juice is extracted from the plants and offered as oblations. The principle characteristic of soma yaga is the sequence of chants from Sama Veda, sung in chorus by three priests.}

Sadāśiva-kuṭumbini (911)

The consort of Sadāśiva or belonging to the family of Sadāśiva (Shiva). Lalitha Trishati nama 231 is also ‘Sadāśiva’.

Sadāśiva is a principle or tatva, the pure element of Shiva, where one experiences the universe in an undifferentiated way, as the limbs of his own body of ‘I’ consciousness. In other words when one feels ‘aham idam’ or ‘I am this universe’ that stage is called Sadāśiva. There are five final elements in the path of Self realisation. They are (in the ascending order) Suddha Vidya, Isvara, Sadāśiva, Shakthi and finally Shiva, the Supreme.