181. Lakārākhyā लकाराख्या

She is in the form of “la” (ल), the fifth letter of the second kūṭa of Pañcadaśī mantra. This is also the tenth letter of entire Pañcadaśī mantra. Nāma 61 Lakārarūpā also conveys the same meaning. According to Tripura Upaniṣad, this ल refers to Indra, the chief of gods. According to Śrī Śakti Mahimnaḥ (verse 17) this ल means producing wealth (vasudhā), which subtly conveys that Indra is capable of conferring both material wealth and spiritual wealth.

Indra is frequently referred in Vedas. There are several interpretations for Indra. Indra not only means the chief of gods and goddesses; he is also known as the eldest of Maruts (referred in Vedas). Maruts come in troops. They stay in the higher realms of cosmos and supposed to have originated from space. They cause rain and ripen fruits. They are elegant and brave and are good to those, who pursue spiritual path. Apart from being identified with Maruts, Indra is also identified with Vāyu, god presiding over air. He plays an important role in acquiring knowledge and also causes Bliss. Thus, Indra plays a very significant role in purifying one’s consciousness which leads to final liberation. He is the cause for showering Divine Grace.

There is difference between three ल-s used in Pañcadaśī mantra. First ल used in the first kūṭa ensures that an aspirant who practices Pañcadaśī mantra wins his battle against the influences of material word caused through sensory organs. Second ल used in the second kūṭa (this nāma)ensures that aspirant further advances towards liberation and as prelude to liberation, it showers divine energy on the aspirant and makes him to enter into the state of Bliss.

182. Latāpūjyā लतापूज्या

She is worshipped by graceful women. Latā also means slender creepers. Women are compared to creepers due to their slenderness. If this nāma is taken to mean creepers, then it means that She is worshipped by goddesses like Vanadurgā.

Parāśakti is compared to a creeper in Śivānandalaharī (verse 50). The verse says that a She is like a creeper with full of fragrant flowers, slender in nature and surrounded by bees for nectar in the flowers embraces Śiva, who is known as Mallikārjuna Mahāliṅgā . But why She in the form of a creeper, embraces Śiva? This is due to Her devotion for Him. There are certain examples for the highest form of devotion Śivānandalaharī (verse 61). It is like a creeper seeking (latā) a tree to hold, magnet attracting iron ore, woman depending on her husband, a river merging into an ocean, etc. In the same way, devotional love cannot be differentiated from Her.

{Further reading: There is a Scripture known as Vanadurgā Saptaśatī (Saptaśata means collection of 700 verses), which is not commonly known. This is extremely powerful, as it contains 700 verses in praise of Kuṇḍalinī, Caṇḍi, Bhairava, Śarabheśvara, Kārtavīryārjuna, Sudarśana, Śūlinī, Kālī, Vārāhi, Bagalāmukhi, Aṣṭamātṛ, Durgā, Navagraha,  Pratyaṅgirā and a few more deities and dig-bandhana mantras. The verses are not like Devīmāhātmyam, where every verse is a couplet. In Vanadurgā Saptaśatī, many verses are quite long and contain several bījākṣara-s.}

183. Layasthityudbhaveśvarī लयस्थित्युद्भवेश्वरी

Laya here refers to annihilation and sthiti means sustenance. These two are the acts of Brahman (creation, sustenance, destruction, annihilation and re-creation or creation, sustenance, destruction, concealment and Grace). This nāma says that She presides over sustenance and annihilation. Aslaya (annihilation) is first referred in this nāma, it is said that the universe exists from the beginning (time unknown) and after annihilation, the universe is recreated only from the essence of annihilation. At the time of time of annihilation, all the souls are kept safely in the form golden egg and from which She recreates the universe out of compassion for the beings.

Lalitā Sahasranāma-s 264 to 274 describe the five acts of Brahman.

184. Lāsyadarśanasantuṣṭā लास्यदर्शनसन्तुष्टा

Lāsya refers to dance by women as against tāṇḍava by men. Lalitā Sahasranāma 738 lāsyapriyā and Triśatī 172 also convey the same meaning.

This nāma subtly conveys Self-realization. As the ruler of the universe, She has all the five acts of Brahman. She has to create, sustain, cause death, annihilate the universe and re-create the universe. Apart from these five major acts, She has to offer liberation to true devotees by showering Her Grace on them and finally take them to Śiva for merging unto Him.

In order to do all these acts, She has to have an eye on every single being in the universe. The question is where is the time for Her to witness dance, etc. Here, the difference between sensory organs and mind is highlighted. She watches dance and listens to music and at the same time Her mind is fixed on the universe and She exercises complete control over all the gods and goddesses who are in charge of various activities of the universe. Her enjoyment in no way affects Her functionality. This is the state of sthitaprajña, when sensory organs do not influence the mind. This nāma explains the state of sthitaprajña, which alone leads to liberation.

185. Lābhālābhāvivarjitā लाभालाभाविवर्जिता

Lābhālābh means gain and loss and vivarjita means free from. She is free from gain and loss. Gaining and losing are the result of desires. When there is gain, the mind becomes elated and when the money is lost, mind becomes dejected. Elation and dejection are the inherent qualities of human mind and in order to attain liberation, one has to transcend these dualities. When there is elation, there is bound to be dejection and when there is dejection, there is bound to be elation. Status of the mind swings from one extreme to another extreme. With this kind of mind, one cannot reach his spiritual goal. When Brahman is free from these dualities, those who want to merge with Brahman have to have the same qualities of Brahman. These qualities already exist in a person, but due to māyā, Her playground where She plays with Her devotees, one is not able to realize the true nature of the Soul within. Māyā can be dispelled only through sincere spiritual practice, known as sādhana and not through ritualistic worship such as pūja, homa, etc.

186. Laṅghyetarājñā लङ्घ्येतराज्ञा

Laṅghya means to be transgress and ājñā means command. She cannot be commanded and Her commands cannot be transgressed. This establishes Her Supremacy.

Lalitā Sahasranāma 995 Sarvānullaṅghya-śāsanā conveys the same meaning and is interpreted thus:

Her commands are never disobeyed.  Even if one realises Her, he too cannot disobey Her commands.  Even Brahma, Viṣṇu and Rudra do not disobey Her.  Saundarya Laharī (verse 24) says, “Brahma creates the universe.  Viṣṇu sustains it and Rudra dissolves it.  Annihilating them, Īśvara conceals Himself as well.  Sadāśiva approves them, pursuant to Your command conveyed through thy creeper (beautifully curved) like eye brows moved but for a moment.”

{Further reading on the above verse: Brahma is the creator, Viṣṇu is the sustainer, Rudra is the dissolver, Īśvara is the cause for tirodhāna (concealment), and Sadāśiva is the ultimate in whom all the other four commingle. (Sadāśiva is explained as the stage where the experience of “I” is more pronounced than the existence itself. Icchā śakti is predominant in this tattva). This happens during annihilation or the great deluge Śaktī is eternal with Sadāśiva, who is also known as Śiva.  Apart from the four stages, there is yet another stage called as re-creation.  During the process of re-creation, Īśvara originates from Sadāśiva and from Īśvara originates Rudra, from Rudra originates Viṣṇu, from Viṣṇu originates Brahma and Brahma starts creation to get annihilated again.} 

187. Lāvaṇyaśālinī लावण्यशालिनी

Lāvaṇya means beauty and charm and śālini means abundance. This nāma says that She is abundant with beauty and charm. She is perfectly created as per Sāmudrikalakṣaṇa, a Scripture that defines perfectness of body parts. Second part of Saundaryalaharī describes Her body parts in detail. There are nāma-s in Lalitā Sahasranāma also, which describe Her beauty.

188. Laghusiddhidā लघुसिद्धिदा

Lalitā Triśatī nāma 47 said that She gives siddhi-s and this nāma says that She confers these siddhi-s easily. This nāma could also mean that She confers these siddhi-s with ease. Siddhi-s are automatically conferred on a devotee who contemplates Her perfectly and is generally said to be associated with kuṇḍalinī meditation. When She, in the form of kuṇḍalinī ascends from lower chakras to higher chakras, She confers siddhi-s to the practitioner.

189. Lākṣārasasuvarṇābhā लाक्षारससुवर्णाभा

Lākṣā refers to a kind of red coloured dye produced from insects and animals. Suvarṇa means brilliant like gold and ābhā means to appear. This nāma says that She appears lustrous red in colour like the rising sun. Red means compassion. Every part of Her body gives various boons and since She offers boons to Her devotees through various parts of Her body, Her entire body is described as shining red in complexion.

190. Lakṣmaṇāgrajapūjitā लक्ष्मणाग्रजपूजिता

Agraja means an elder brother and elder of brother of Lakṣmaṇa is Lord Rāma and this nāma says that She is worshipped by Lord Rāma. Viṣṇu also worshipped Her through His own Pañcadaśī mantra (ha sa ka la hrīṃ; ha sa ka ha la hrīṃ; sa ka la hrīṃ;  sa ha ka  la hrīṃ; sa ha ka ha la  hrīṃ; sa  ha sa ka la hrīṃ.) The implied interpretation is that Viṣṇu, though is the sustainer of the universe, derives His power to sustain the universe by worshipping Her. This also means that by worshipping Her, one derives high level of spiritual energy, which ultimately leads to liberation.