101. Hakārarūpā हकाररूपा

She is in the form of “ha” (ह), the sixth akṣara of Pañcadaśī mantra.

Varivasyā-rahasya  (II.70) says that the “ha”, the first akṣara of the second kūṭa is capable of destroying external sensory afflictions, which is considered as the major impediment in realizing the Self. “ha” also means omnipresence, auspiciousness and knowledge. By this single letter, Brahman is referred. That is why it is often said that “ha” represents Śiva. The supreme mantra “haṁsa” is the combination of sa and ha, the two phonemes. During the union of ha and sa, the universe is created and this subtly refers to the union of Śiva and Śakti (Lalitā Sahasranāma 999).

In Sanskrit, I is known as ‘aham’, which is the combination of three letters a + ha + m, where adenotes Śiva, ha denotes Śakti and m denotes man. This explains the process of creation beginning from Śiva and Śakti to nara or all other beings. During the process of realization, these letters are reversed, ma + ha + a, where the m representing nara first realizes ha, Śakti and finally gets merged with a, Śiva. Former is known as sṛṣṭi and latter is known as saṁhāra. During creation mahatbecomes aham and during realization aham becomes mahat. Lalitā Sahasranāma 774 Mahatī explains mahat (intellect or the principal factor of underlying self-consciousness).

In all, akṣara ha is extremely powerful and endows all kinds of auspiciousness and ultimate liberation.

102. Haladhṛtpūjitā हलधृत्पूजिता

Haladhara means plough. It is said that She was worshipped by Balarāma, who had plough as his weapon and elder brother of Kṛṣṇa. Since She was worshipped by the one, who had plough as his weapon this nāma adores Her as Haladhṛtpūjitā.

103. Hariṇekṣaṇā हरिणेक्षणा

She is deer eyed. Her eyes are compared to deer to make us understand that She looks at all sides simultaneously. This refers to Her omnipotence.

Lalitā Sahasranāma 561, mṛgākṣī, conveys the same meaning and is explained thus:  Her eyes appear like that of a deer.  Since the description of the Brahman is not possible, a reference is always made to the best known object.  A deer’s eyes look gorgeous and will always be revolving, glancing at all the sides at the same time.  Lalitāmbikā being the administrator of the entire universe looks all-round for two reasons.  First, She administers the universe by personally overseeing all the activities.  Secondly, while doing so, She liberates Her true devotees by glancing at them.  She does not want them to wait even for a second to attain liberation. She grants them liberation by a mere glance. 

104. Harapriyā हरप्रिया

She is loved by Śiva. Interdependency of Śiva and Śakti has been adequately explained. Only because of this interdependence, the universe is created and sustained. She executes all the acts of Śiva on His behalf. Śiva totally trusts Her and has handed over His independent and exclusive Power of Autonomy known as Svātantrya Śakti to Her. The universe functions only because of this Svātantrya Śakti.

105. Harārādhyā हराराध्या

Ārādhya means established or created. She was created by Śiva and in fact, She is the only creation directly effected by Śiva.

Ārādhya also means worship. Śiva worships Her through His own Pañcadaśī mantra:

ह स क ल ह्रीं। ह स क ह ल ह्रीं। स क ल ह्रीं। ह स क ल ह स क ह ल स क ल ह्रीं ॥
ha sa ka la hrīṁ | ha sa ka ha la hrīṁ | sa ka la hrīṁ | ha sa ka la ha sa ka ha la sa ka la hrīṁ ॥

Śiva is not only Her creator, but also Her Guru and Consort. Śiva has revealed to Her many tantras as Her Guru. During the conversation between them, He addresses Her as priye (O! My dear) Even as Her Guru, He chose to held Her very close to His heart, but keeps a distance from Her. As His Consort, either He holds Her on His left lap or give half of His body to Her (Ardhanārīśvara form). When She is alone, carrying out the duties given to Her by Śiva, She takes the form of Rājarājesvarī (Lalitā Sahasranāma 684). She becomes Kāmeśvarī, when Śiva becomes Kāmeśvarā. She has multiple roles to play. On one side, She has to take care of Śiva and on the other side, She has to take care of the universe and Her assistants (other gods and goddesses).  Hence She is adored as Śrī Mātā.

106. Haribrahmendravanditā हरिब्रह्मेन्द्रवन्दिता

She is worshipped by Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Indra.

This worship is also referred in Lalitā Sahasranāma 297 as Haribrahmendra- sevitā.

Hari (Viṣṇu), Brahma and Indra worship Her.  In Śrī cakra pūja, Hari, Brahma and Indra are all worshipped.  The importance of Śaktī worship is underlined in this nāma.  The Gods mentioned here are no demigods, but the creator and upholder and the lord of all gods and goddesses.  They too, on their own merits are powerful.  Śiva is not mentioned here possibly due to two reasons.  He being Her consort, is not worshipped by Her or there is no difference between Śiva and Śaktī.  The second interpretation seems to be appropriate.  It has been discussed earlier that Brahman is the combination of static and kinetic energy.  Though kinetic energy originates from the static energy, the latter cannot function without the aid of the former.  This concept is explained here.  Hari (Viṣṇu), Brahma and Indra should not be taken in literal sense.  In fact, Veda-s talk about them more frequently than Śaktī.  It is also to be understood that mastery of Veda-s alone do not help to realize the Brahman.  One has to go beyond Veda-s to understand the Creation and the Creator.  Both Creation and the Creator refer to the Supreme Mother or “Ma” as She is fondly called. 

The same interpretation is conveyed in Śivānanda Laharī (verse 4) for Śiva. “Thousands of Gods abound, offering trifling gifts to them who pray and never even in my dreams would I pray or request gifts from them. Śiva who is close to Viṣṇu, Brahma and other Gods, but is difficult for them to near Him, I would beseech and beg always for His lotus feet.”

107. Hayārūḍhāsevitāṅghrī हयारूढासेविताङ्घ्री

Haya and aśva both mean horse; rūḍha means mounted. She is worshipped by the one who is mounted on a horse. This nāma refers to the worship made by the chief of Her horse cavalry, Aśvārūḍhā.

Aśvārūḍhā is in the form pāśa (a type of rope) that She holds in Her left lower arm and hence, she worships Her perpetually. Hence, special mention is made about her worship in Triśatī. Her horse cavalry is described as sensory organs. Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.iii.9) makes an interesting reading. “Superior to the sensory organs are their corresponding objects; superior to these objects is the mind; superior to the mind is the intellect; superior to the intellect is the Self.”  This says that in order to attain the Self, one has to transcend sensory affliction, mind and intellect.

Lalitā Sahasranāma 8 and 67 describe Aśvārūḍhā.

108. Hayamedhasamarcitā हयमेधसमर्चिता

Hayamedha means horse sacrifice and generally refers to aśvamedha yāga, wherein horses are sacrificed. There are other interpretations about aśvamedha yāga (Ṛg Veda I.162 and 163 describes aśvamedha yāga), as described in Rāmāyaṇa.

This nāma probably says that by worshipping Her, one gets the benefits of performing aśvamedha yāga, which is the ultimate of all yāga-s and is capable of bestowing everything on earth.

109. Haryakṣavāhanā हर्यक्षवाहना

Haryakṣa means lion. In Her Durgā form, She has lion as Her vehicle. Devi Bhāgavata describes Her as Siṁhavāhinī (the one with lion as vehicle).

In Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa (11.8-12) it is said that Śrī Daṇḍanāthā (referred in Lalitā Sahasranāma 70) mounted on a great lion, her own vehicle known by name Varjakoṣa.

110. Haṁsavāhanā हंसवाहना

She has swan as Her vehicle. Previous nāma said that She has lion as Her vehicle and in contrast, this nāma says that She has swan as Her vehicle. Lion is ferocious and swan is soft in nature. This nāma can be interpreted in many ways.

1. Lion denotes destruction. When She mounts on a lion, it means that She is going to destroy sinners. When She mounts on a swan, it means that She is going to shower Her Grace on Her devotees. Devotees are those who perpetually contemplate Her and stays connected with Her all the time through their minds. Right devotion arises only in the mind.

2. Swan known as haṁsa is the Supreme mantra pertaining to Brahman. Śiva and Śakti are contemplated as two swans in anāhatacakra, says Saundaryalaharī (38). Haṁsa also refers to paraprāsada-mantra, the supreme mantra, to be aligned with one’s breath. It is the union of individual soul with the Supreme Soul. Based on these interpretations, when She mounts on swan, it means that She is going to offer liberation to Her true devotees.

3. Swan has a strange nature of segregating milk from water. This means that in the material world, both good and bad co-exist like milk and water. Spiritually advanced person will choose only the good, ignoring the bad like a swan consuming only milk ignoring water. Contemplating Her with swan as Her vehicle will make one gain higher level of spiritual knowledge, leaving aside the mundane activities that happen in the world on a continuous basis.

4. This form could also mean goddess Sarasvatī, who in charge of literary knowledge.

This nāma subtly conveys the descend of Her Grace, the penultimate state to liberation.

111. Hatadānavāḥ हतदानवाः

Dānava refers to a class of demons, who are the worst enemies of gods and sages. Hata means slain. She annihilated Dānava-s by killing all of them to maintain the equilibrium between good and bad. Further, these kinds of demons cannot be destroyed even by gods like Indra. Therefore, She has to necessarily incarnate to destroy them. Śrī Devī Māhātmyam in seven hundred verses, describe Her valorous acts.

112. Hatyādipāpaśamanī हत्यादिपापशमनी

Hatya means killing.  When there are more murderers, in order to maintain the ratio between good and bad, She sends great saints back to earth to establish dharma. Here is the difference between liberation and merger. Merging with Śiva is the highest and that particular soul has become one with Śiva. That soul is lost forever. Liberation means that a soul gets rid of transmigration. It is not born again as a normal being. In extreme circumstances such as sinners and murderers become predominant and powerful, She sends Her messengers in the form of great sages and saints to preach dharma to better the basic orientation of humanity. These sages live as Her representatives and none of their actions cause any karmic afflictions to them, as they act only on Her behalf. Simultaneously, She incarnates and destroys these sinners to maintain the balance between good and bad.

Lalitā Sahasranāma 167 is Pāpanāśinī पापनाशिनी, which is interpreted differently thus:

She destroys the sins of Her devotees. Devotee is the one, who always thinks about Her not only at the time of reciting mantra-s, not only at the time of performing rituals but at all the times.  For such a devotee mantra-s and rituals become meaningless.  It is also presumed that Her devotees will not perform those actions that are termed as sins.  If knowingly someone commits a sin, She will not come to his rescue.  But why does She want to destroy the sins of Her devotees?  Kṛṣṇa answers this question in Bhagavad Gīta (IV.14) “One who understands this truth (refer the previous nāma) about me, does not become entangled in the results of reactions of work (results of reactions mean karma-s.  The concept of karma is based on Newton’s third law – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  This equal and opposite reaction is karma.).She wants Her devotees to pursue the path of liberation for which sins are impediments.  How does She consume their sins?  Chāndogya Upaniṣad (V.xxiv.3) says, pāpmānaḥ pradūyante, which means all sins are burnt up.  The Upaniṣad  further says ‘such sins are burnt like dry grass thrown into a fire’.  The point driven home here is that when She is worshipped with all sincerity, the devotee gets rid of all his sins except prārabdha karma-s (the sum total of all karma-s accumulated over several past births) that have to be experienced. 

Rudra Yāmala says “Indra! This supreme secret which destroys all sins immediately is to repeat Pañcadaśī mantra 1008 times by standing in water after taking bath with total devotion and faith.”