LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM 977 - 981

Daśamudrā-samārādhyā (977)


She is worshipped through ten types of finger gestures known as mudras. Samārādh means worship.

Mudras are the configuration of fingers that represent the energy of the deity concerned. They are the secret signs of exchange between the practitioner and the deity and should never be used in public. Mudras are highly powerful. It is said that if one meditates on the radiance of the sun and of the moon, chants the mantras, is empowered by the triple mystery, then the rays of the universal will shine forth and all obstacles of ignorance will instantly dissolve in the ocean of mind.

Agama sastra can be broadly classified under three paths, vama marga, tantra marga and kaula marga. They advocate three types of sacrifices, rites, worship and knowledge. There is another way of worship known as pañcaṅga, which consists of nyasa (attribution of mantras in different parts of the body with fingers in order to sanctify the body), mudra, japa, puja and worship of other gods and goddesses (such as Varuna for sanctifying the vessels, etc used in the rites). Mudras are also used to accomplish the mystical powers of various bijas. Mudras represent the union of Shiva and Shakthi (left hand is Shakthi and right hand is Shiva) and the potential auspicious energy arising out their union.

Daśamudrās or ten mudras are used in Sri Vidya, the worship of the Divine Mother. Sri Chakra has nine coverings or āvaranās and each of them is ruled by a Shakthi. Each of these Shakthis has a mudra and this accounts for nine mudras. In the ninth āvaranā Lalithambigai is worshipped with yoni mudra. Apart from worshipping the presiding deities of each āvaranā` with the respective mudras, Lalithambigai is also worshipped with yoni mudra in all the āvaranās . Those who are initated into Shodasi mantra worship Her with trikanda mudra (nama 983). Trikanda mudra means the union of various triads into single entity. For example, practitioner, his Guru and Devi or the knower, the known and the path of knowing, etc. This fact is highlighted in nama 254. Trikanda mudra is used to invoke the Goddess during rituals.

At the time of offering these mudras, the respective mantras along with the respective bijas should also be recited mentally.

Tripurā-śrivaśaṇkarī (978)

Tripurāśri is the name of the presiding deity of the fifth āvaranā of Sri Chakra. This āvaranā is known as the accomplisher of all objects (sarvārtha-sādhakā). This āvaranā further strengthens the bondage between the guru and his disciple. While worshipping this chakra, the names and forms of various objects merge into atma (soul), an important stage in the path of Self-realisation. Ten shakthis are worshipped in the āvaranās indicating the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, who is the authority for sustaining the universe in the best possible auspicious way.

Sri Chakra has nine āvaranās and each āvaranā is presided by a deity. All their names have been mentioned in this Sahasranamam in various namas, either directly or indirectly. In the ascending order they are namas 626, 787, 997, 970, 978, 455, 471, 976 and 234.

This nama means that Tripurāśri is a part of Lalithambigai. Alternatively, it can also be said that Vak Devis pay obeisance to Tripurāśri, the deity known for supreme knowledge before revealing Lalithambigai in the last nama. The unique feature of this Sahasranamam is that it makes the devotee exited when he progresses towards the last nama, where Lalithambigai is fully revealed. The revelation comes about only when one understands the meaning of each nama.

Jñāñamudrā (979)

This is also known as cin mudra. This mudra is made by connecting the tip of the index finger with the tip of the thumb, by keeping other fingers stretched. This gesture indicates the union of Paramatma with jivatma (union of Brahman with the soul). This mudra is called jñāñamudrā, as knowledge means the realisation of oneness of jivatma and Paramatma. Lord Dakshinamurthy (incarnation of Shiva. Also refer nama 725) used cin mudra to initiate His young disciples Sanaka (refer nama 726) and others (the psychical sons of Brahma).

This nama calls Her as jñāñamudrā as She is the symbol of knowledge. It can also be said that She is the passport (mudra also means passport) to knowledge (jñāña). Mud means bliss and ra means gives and in this context, the nama means that through knowledge She offers bliss to Her devotees.

Jñāna-gamyā (980)

Gamyā means approachable. She is approachable only through knowledge or She is perceived only through knowledge.

She can be attained through three means, either through bhavana or meditation (nama 113), second through bhakti or devotion (nama 119) or though jnana (the present nama). Ultimately, meditation and devotion merge into knowledge where Self-realisation takes place.

Following quotes of Krishna confirm the above interpretation.

“Sacrifice through knowledge is superior to sacrifice performed with material things. For all actions without exception culminate in knowledge” (Bhagavad Gita IV.33).

“On those ever united through devotion, with me and worship me with love, I confer that yoga of wisdom through which they come to me. In order to shower my grace on them I dwell in their heart and dispel the darkness born out of ignorance by shining the light of wisdom” (Bhagavad Gita X.10, 11).

{What is wisdom?: Is it all knowingness? Patanjali in his yoga sutra (I.25) says “In Him becomes infinite that all-knowingness which in others is only a germ”. Let us assume that someone steals money from somebody, thinking that his action of theft is not known to anybody. But it will be known to a Self-realised person, because his knowledge is not individualised but connected to cosmos. The sum total of individual knowledge is known as universal knowledge. All-knowingness is the very element of consciousness; where there is consciousness, there exists knowing. If consciousness is pervasive, then it is all-knowing. Knowledge is nothing but manifestation of consciousness through an appropriate mental mode.

Vivekachudamani (408 - 410) says “The wise one realises in his heart the infinite Brahman, which is an ineffable something, of the nature of eternal knowledge and absolute bliss, who has no exemplar, which transcends all limitation, is ever free and without activity, which is like the limitless sky, indivisible and absolute. The wise one realises in his heart in Samadhi, the infinite Brahman, which is devoid of the touch of cause and effect, which is the Reality beyond all imagination, which is homogeneous, matchless, beyond the reach of logical proofs, but proved by the experience of the wise and ever familiar to man as the basis of his Self-awareness. The wise one realises in his heart, in Samadhi, the infinite Brahman, which is imperishable and immortal, the Reality which is the negation of all negations, which resembles the ocean when the waves have subsided, which is without a name, in which have subsided all the modification of the gunas and which is eternal, pacified and ONE.”}

Jñana-jñeya-svarūpiṇī (981)

The importance of knowledge is being repeatedly stressed by Vak Devis towards the end of this Sahasranamam. This nama says She is the knowledge and the knowing. The previous nama said that She can be approached only through knowledge. Nama 979 said that She is the symbol of knowledge.

Krishna explains this on Bhagavad Gita (XIII.17) “The Supreme Brahman is said to be the light of all lights, and entirely beyond maya and is knowledge itself, worth attaining through real wisdom and is particularly seated in the heat of all.”

Jñana means knowledge, the essential nature of the Brahman. Jñeya is a qualifying word here, with intent to reveal that the primary duty of a man is to know Her. It means ‘to be learnt or understood or ascertained or investigated or perceived or inquired about’. She can be known only through knowledge as said in nama 980.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad (I.12) says, “You have to know that Brahman is always residing within. There is nothing higher than this knowledge. The jiva (the enjoyer), the jagat (that which the enjoyer enjoys) and the Brahman within, who directs – know these three as the Brahman.”