Śrīmat Siṃhāsaneśvarī श्रीमत् सिंहासनेश्वरी (3)

Lalitāmbikā as the queen of queens is sitting on a lion.  Lion is associated with ferociousness and is known as the king of animals. The supreme queen is using lion as her vehicle. This description of Lalitāmbikā talks about Her role as the supreme dissolver.  Simha in Sanskrit means lion.  The root for the word siṃha is derived from the word himsa.  Himsa in Sanskrit means destruction.   Śrīmat + siṃha + āsanam + Iśvarī.  Śrīmat means the supreme respect given to Her in Her capacity as the destroyer of the universe, simha means lion, āsanam means seat (here it means throne), Iśvarī means the ruler.

The first three nāma-s of this Sahasranāma begin with the letter Śrī. Śrī means prosperity, wealth, etc.  This bīja Śrī represents the goddess Lakṣmī, the goddess of wealth.  She is the wife of Śrī Mahā Viṣṇu.  This nāma also conveys that the worshipper of Lalithai will attain all material prosperity.

According to Jñānārnava, one of the ancient texts, there are eight mantra-s called simhāsana mantra-s to be performed on the four sides of the bindu in the Śrī Cakra and one in the bindu itself.  Twenty four goddesses are worshiped in this simhāsana mantra. This nāma also means that Lalitāmbikā is the Īśvarī for these twenty four goddesses. 

The first three nāma-s refer to the Supreme nature of Lalitāmbikā, the creator, the sustainer and the dissolver.  As far as Her act of dissolution is concerned, She destroys those who commit sinful acts.  But She ensures that Her true devotees merge with Her.  This merger is called laya or absorption.

Cidagnikuṇḍa-saṃbhūtā चिदग्निकुण्ड-संभूता (4)

Cit + agni + kuṇḍa + saṃbhūta.  Cit means the nirguṇa Brahman or the Brahman without attributes (the foundational consciousness).  Agni kuṇḍa means a fire altar, in which fire sacrifices are done by offering oblations.  Saṃbhūtā means born.  Agni kuṇḍa or the fire altar means the dispeller of darkness.  Darkness means lack of knowledge or ignorance which is called a-vidyā (vidyā means knowledge).  This should not be interpreted as the one who was born out of the fire.  She is the supreme consciousness who dispels ignorance.  She dispels ignorance through Her form of pure consciousness, who illuminates within, dispelling the darkness of māyā.

The same explanation is given by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad Gīta (IV.37), “Like a fire turning the fire logs into ashes, the fire of knowledge burns to ashes all the karma-s (sarva karmani).”  Complete knowledge of the pure Brahman residing within, destroys all our karma-s whether good or bad.  One should have no balance in karmic account to avoid further births.

Devakārya-samudyatā देवकार्य-समुद्यता (5)

She has manifested Herself to help deva-s (gods and goddesses).  What is the help She can do for devās?  It goes back to a story where deva-s were engaged in a war with the demons who are called as asura-s.  She helps deva-s to win the battle with the demons.  Deva-s do not perform evil deeds, therefore She always helps deva-s.   When She is said to be a part of the Brahman, why She should manifest afresh to destroy the demons?  When She is said to be the part of the Brahman, it refers to Her prakāśa form.  Prakāśa (the principle Self-revelation; consciousness; the principle by which ever other thing is known.) form represents Śiva and vimarśa (Self-consciousness as opposed to Self-revelation of Śiva ; the awareness of Śiva , full of knowledge and actions that bring about the world process) form represents Śaktī.  Since She is a part of the Supreme Śiva who Has created Her as His vimarśa form, the prakāśa form of Lalitāmbikā is subtly highlighted here without explicitly saying so.  This nāma discusses Her prakāśa form.

There is an important saying in Yogavasiśtā, “I have two forms, ordinary and supreme.  The ordinary form of mine is with hands and legs.  This form of mine is worshiped by ignorant men.  The other one is my supreme form, the formless form without a beginning and an end.  This form of mine has no qualities or attributes and is called the Brahman, Ātman, Paramātman, etc.”

In this nāma demons or asura-s means avidyā or ignorance.  Deva-s means knowledge or vidyā.  She helps those who seek knowledge about the Brahman.