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TRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER: IV
LALITASAHASRANAMASTOTRAM: THE SHAKTA
CULT.
‘Shakti’ too is the Divine powers of the Ultimate god, Para Brahma. The concept
emerged form the very ancient times. The Goddess of power has its roots in the
Rigveda. The Rigveda believes that the Ultimate Element has innumerable
powers. The Maya is one of them. The Ultimate god Indra endowed with all
grandeur gets in to various forms with ‘Maya’ and irs innumerable powers and
creates different universes:
Rupam rupam pratirupo babhuva tadasya rupam pratichakshanaya I
Indro mayabhihi pururupa iyate yukta hyasya haraya shata dasha II
(6.47.18)
Each God, according to the Vedas, has a wife. Indra has a wife called Shachi or
Indrani. Varuna has Varuna, Agni has Agneyi, Aditya has Bharati, etc. S. K Das.
notes in his book, Shakti or Divine Power, “In tasks of creations, powers are
required equally from both the male divine element and the female divine
element. Such an understanding of found in the term ‘jnah’ that the Vedic sages
employed. It is like later on it is delineated in the literature that in order to
perform the cosmic tasks Shiva or Vishnu desires a help of his wife, Parvati or
Lakshmi” (15, 16). According to the Tantra, Mayashakti is the power by which
the infinite, formless consciousness veils itself to itself so that it may experience
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itself as a form. This Mayashakti assumes forms of the tatvas which is composed
of three gunas- attributes, namely satva, rajas and tamas.
‘Maya’ or ‘Shakti’ etc. of the Vedas is called ‘Prakruti’ in the Upanishadas. The
Ultimate God is inexpressible element and ‘Shakti is his expressible form. He is
the master of both these ‘Avyakta’ and ‘Jivarupa’ Prakruti - Shakti. The Gita
calls them “Para” and ‘Apara”. Thus, the ‘Maya’ of the Vedas is the ‘Prakruti’ of
the Upanishadas and the Gita. The Brahman creates the world with the support of
the ‘Mayashakti’. Hence, one should know the Prakruti in the form of the ‘Maya’
and God aas the master of the ‘Maya’. The world created of this power is a spark
of God, a part of the Whole. This concept of ‘Purush’ and ‘Prakruti’ becomes the
foundation of the Sankhyadarshan. Shakti has various forms like ‘Vak’ (Rigveda),
‘Aditi\Kathoupanishad), ‘Dhyava- Pruthvi’ fRigveda), ‘Purandhri’, goddess of
prosperity (Rigveda), ‘Vak’ as Prajapati’s wife (Atharvaveda), ‘Hrim’ or
Lakshmi’ (Teitariyaupanishad), ‘Aja’ (Shweta), ‘Heimavati Uma’, Lord Shiva’s
wife (Kenoupanishad), etc. The Mahabharata too recognizes Shakti or
Bhagavati- Goddess as highly honoured deity. At the beginning of the great battle
Sauti worshipped Goddess Durga. The Durgastotra is available in the Viratparva.
The books mentions the Goddess as the Maya who was bom as Lord Krishna’s
sister and whom Kamsa hit on a stone platform and then she was bom again from
Yashoda’s womb. This story throws focus on the fact that worship of Durga was
prevalent in the Mahabharata times and Lord Krishna and Arjun accepted it as
practice.
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The worship of Shakti isa popular since the Vedic times. It has the roots in the
“Devistotra”
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shaktirupena samsthita I
Namastasyei namasteyei namasteyei namo namah II
means, “O! Goddess! You stay in all living beings in the form of power or energy,
we bow to you, we bow to you, we bow to you and hail to thee!” The worship of
Shakti is found to be developing in the Upanishadas. In the times of the
Ramayana, Mahabharata and the puranas several new forms of God like Surya,
Ganapati, Shakti, Shiva, Vishnu came to be worshipped as practice. The
Ramayana mentions Sita’s form as Laxmi: Laxmistatha padminim pachahasta I
and that Rama worshipped Durga to obtain enough power to kill Ravana. The
Puranas mention various forms of Shakti. They reveal the truth that the Brahman
Element abounds with eternal power or energy. As Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, Krishna
are different forms of the same Eternal Element. Likewise, His powers stay as
different forms of Laxmi, Parvati, Sita, Radha, etc. and they are different of the
One and only Goddess called the Parashakti. They are no different in element.
Hence, the “Durgasahasrastotra” of the Markendayapurana mention Durga as
Laxmi, Maya, Parvati, Sharda, etc. The Vishnupurana mentions Laxmi as
combined with Lord Vishnu, the mother of the world and omnipresent like
Vishnu. One story in the Markendayapurana mention that Goddess Mahamaya
was pleased and appeared before Lord Brahma at his prayer and killed the
demons Madhu and keitabh. The Goddess’s form “Mahishasur-Mardini” is the
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most popular form. The Devi-Mahatmya gives a story of the Goddess’s creation
that Goddess Durga takes birth again and again, kills evil people and demons and
protects the world. She is the compassionate mother of the world. The
Devibhacavat was written basically to adore her powers and significance.
The Shivapurana mentions two forms of the Goddess: Sober (Saumya) and
Dreadful (Raudra). Parvati, Ambiks or Uma are her sober forms. Durga, Chandi,
Kali are her dreadful forms. The Tantra scriptures attach good importance to
worship of the dreadful form of the Goddess. Different books mentions nine
different forms of Durgs, such as Kali, Tara, Tripura, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi,
Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Matangi, Kamala, and Baglamukhi. Thus, Goddess
Shakti is worshipped as Ten Mahavidhya, Ten Goddesses of Knowledge. The
Shaiva cult has a branch called the Shakta cult and it describes Shakti as superior
ot Shiva and a worship of the Shakti element as the superior of all. The Sanskrit
literature contain ample references to the worship of Shakti. For instance,
Kalidas’s “Shyamadandak” mentions a worship of the Goddess Matangi;
Banabhatt’s “Chandishatak; Harsh’s drama “Naganand”; Bhavabhuti’s
“Maltimadhav”.
Adhya Shankaracharya wrote several sentimental prayers and hymns in praise of
several forms of the Goddess. In his “Devyaparadhakshamapanastotra”, he
expresses his wish to spend the rest of his life reciting the names of Bhavani,
Rudrani, etc. The significant feature of worship is a devotee’s devional appeal to
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the Goddess, like Gatistvam gatistvam tvameka bhavani... (“Bhavanyashtak”) and
Kuputro jayate kvachidapi kumata na bhavanina... (“Devyaparadhakshmapana”).
In this appealing tone one can hear a plea of Shankaracharya’s childlike pure
heart. Shankaracharya’s stotras and hymns evoke sentiments of a child to his
mother and it is true that this is the basic sentiment that occupies a devotee’s heart
involved in worship of Shakti. Shakti is widely worshipped as mother.
Shakti is the base of the Indian philosophical system. Shakti is the expressible
form of the Brahman. When the Inseparable Brahman got converted in to Duality,
the condition was known with names like ‘Shiva-Shakti’, ‘Purush-Prakriti’,
‘Rama-Sita’, Ganesh-Siddhi’, Krishna-Rukmani’, etc. Though the names appear
different, and bodies too appear different, and though their sports toolook
different, but in reality they are One and no different in any sense. The duality in
these forms are just for the sake of creation of the world. Shiva is the name of that
Authority free of all attributes and Shakti is His actions or sports. Brahma is
devoid of action, Shakti is the real kinetic energy to keep the world moving. The
Goddess tells it clearly in the 10th Sukta of the Rigveda. Lord Krishna, Lord
Rama and Lord Shiva admit in their respective contexts that Shakti is their real
energy or power, “It is with the grace of Shakti that all my movements and actions
are managed”. Therefore, honour is paid with devotion to Shakti that stays in all
living beings as the soul or life energy,
Ya devi sarvabhuteshu chaitanyetyabhidhiyate I
Namastasyei namastyei namastasyei namo namah II
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Ekeiva sa mahashakti taya sarvamidam tatam II
God is considered as both the Father and the Mother, “Mata dhata pitamaha”
(Gita); “Jagatah pitarau vande Parvati Parameshwarau”, “ Tvam hi mat ach pita
tvameva”, “Mata Ramo matpita Ramaehandra”. There is another form of God,
and it is the Ardhanarishwar. This form is an expression of the integral form of
Shiva and Shakti, Purush and Prakriti, etc. The relation of Shiva and Shakti in the
form of the Creator and the cause of the creation is ever living in the Indian
imagination. Lord Shiva’s “Third Eye” is projected as Shakti’s form. Lord
Shiva’s weapon the trident is a symbol of Power of Destruction. These and all
other symbols make it clear that all actions of the Shiva Element relies solely on
Shakti. Without Shakti, Shiva is no better than a dead body. The Shakti is Shiva’s
eternal partner. Both the elements are one and inseparable.
Shakti is understood as having various forms. The three type of shakti are: 1.
Satvik, Rajasik, Tamasic; 2. Jnan, Iccha, Kriya; 3. Aditya, Agni, Vayu; 4.
Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh; 5. Mahasaraswati, Mahalaxmi, Mahakali; 6. Laxmi,
Saraswati, Gayatri; 7. Safed (white), Lai (red), kala vama (Black complexion).
Sahkti has five forms: Radha, Laxmi, Durga, Saraswati, and Savitri. Bhautik
Shakti (Physicalpowers) are of six types: Tap, Tadit, Chumbak, Madhyakarshan
(Energy of Gravitation), Alok and Rasayanik. The Tantra Science mentions six
types: Parashakti, Jnanshakti, Icchashakti, Kriyashakti, Kundalini and Matruuka
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Shakti. The Shakti has seven forms: Prithvi (Earth), Akash (Space), Bhuchak-
Bhraman, Jagadadhar, Vayu and Akash.
The Shakti worship has the objective to arouse honour and respect in people’s
minds for women in the society. The Hinduism asserts that woman is not just a
means of sex and pleasure. She has to be considered as a companion of man in a
pious task of attaining completion in life and she is the medium through which
God’s divine sports of creation of the world has been carried out. The basic
objective of worship of Shakti is to curb and control sexual instinct in man and to
expand the will power to operate in life for success. The worship of Shakti
considers a woman as worthy of honour and she makes man pious. Woman is in
fact an idolized form of the Mahamaya. The Tantra scriptures too instruct to
worship woman as an idol of Goddess following the rituals properly. The wprship
of shakti is open to all. The Vaishanva goddesses like Laxmi, Sita, Tulsi are
milder and pleasant in character. The Shaivite deities like Uma, and Devi are
milder, while Kali is awful; whereas some like Durga show mixed traits.
Shakti is worshipped as Ten Mahavidhyas:
Kali tara mahavidhya shodashi bhuvaneshwari I
Bhairavi cchinnamasta chvidhya dhumavati taiha II
'Matangi siddavidya ch kathita bagalamukhi I
Eta dasha mahavidhyaha sarvatantreshugopitah II
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means, theys are: 1. Kali, 2. Tara, 3. Shodashi (Tripurasundari), 4.
Bhuvaneshwari (Raj-Rajeshwari, Shri Vidhya, Lalita), 5. Bhairavi
(Tripurbhairavi), 6. Cchinnamasta, 7. Dhumavati (Alaxmi), 8. Matangi, 9.
Baglamukhi and 10. Kamala (Laxmi).
Worship of Shakti is an ancient practice. When the Aryans were straggling to
settle down in India they required support from elements in nature. Hence, sages
did efforts to understand the existence of the Shakti. This worship is approved by
them on definite logic. Chitralekha Singh focuses on it in the “Preface” of the
book Durga (1999), “Nature nourishes us affectionately and makes generous gifts
to us of various comforts in life. Hence, she is called Mother”. In human thought
and also from anthropological point of view, the motherhood is respected with
love and reverence. The scripture too lay emphasis through a concept of
motherhood on Shakti (energy or power). Shakti is the mother or the supreme
Being just as Shiva is the father or the supreme being. The deotees invoke the
blessings of the Divine Mother through praise, prayer and worship to awaken the
dormant orr inert state of the cosmic energy, causing it to rise up through
consciousness and to vitalize it for the realization.
The Shakti is the female aspect of the Divine. It is Eternal, it is beyond births and
deaths. It is the beginning of the world. The male dominated Brahminic tradition
pushed it back for some time. But later on, Hinduism revived the worship of the
Goddess Mother and brought goddesses to the forefront. Nature the Universal
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Mother is personified in her generative and destructive power, says Singh in the
“Introduction” of her book Durga. The modern science affirms that Shakti or
energy never dies, it converts in to another form, it changes places, it changes
mediums, and this world expands with it. This world is created and visible with
this Eternal original energy. Sages got the vision of this immense energy and
named it the Mahashakti. One receives powers with the Mahashakti. In its
absence, Indra may crush this universe, the fire may bum it to ashes, the winds
blow it off, and the like. A visionary sage describes the Eternal Element as the
“Purusha” and the condition below Him as “Prakruti”. According to it, the
Purusha and the Prakruti operate together as the Mahashakti.
Worshippers of Shakti usually pray to ten Mahavidhyas. These Mahavidhyas
relieve them from all troubles. The story of the creation of the ten Mahavidhyas
relates to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The goddess wanted to go to her
father’s which the lord denied. At it, the goddess lost her temper and her limbs
trembled with anger. It seemed that her anger would bur the world to ashes. On
beholding Sati’s terrible form, Lord Shiva looked in to ten directions and from
each direction one goddess emerged. These ten goddesses came to be known as
the ten Mahavidhyas that are capable to bless a worshipper with a boon of success
and achievements. These ten Mahavidhyas are none other than ten powers of
knowledge that nature possesses (“Das Mahavidhya Rahasya”, Shri
Chhinnamasta mahavidhya - Sadhna and Sidhi 42- 43).
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Anna N. Subramanian states in his “Preface” of Bharat Bhushan’s commentary on
the Lalitasahasranama that appears in the Brahmavaivartakpurana: “Brahma
Vidya and Sri Vidya constitute, as it were, the theoretical and practical aspects of
spiritual science. Shri Vidya elaborates the paths of religious practice through
which the truths of Brahma Vidya may be realized and experienced” (12).
Sri Vidya is the Tantrashastra It presents the truths of the Vedas. It is a “system of
doctrine” (Eliot). It is a means by which the knowledge of metaphysics or
philosophy is advanced. It includes contemplation on God’s form, inculcation of
virtues (gunas), religious deeds or rituals and rites, worship of yantras and
chakras, worship by means of mantras, japas, tarpan-vidhi, nyasa, recital of
thousand names (namasahasra), stotras and many other worship (upasana). The
Tantrashastra is the presentation of the Vedantic truth as regards the mode of life
and ruitual to meet the characteristic of Kaliyug. For each yug or age a suitable
study is prescribed. For Satyug and Tretayug, the study of the Vedas is prescribed.
For the Treta and Kali, the study of puranas is prescribed. And for the Kaliyug,
the study of the Tantrashastra is prescribed. The Tantra writings are the ‘samhita’
for the Vaishnavas and the ‘agama’ for the Shivaites and the Tantras for the
Shaktas. The word ‘Tantra’ has option in the word ‘agama’ that means it spring
our of Lord Shiva’s mouth, enters Goddess Pravati’s mouth, and gets Lord
Vishnu’s approval. According to it, Lord Shiva is the first speaker of the Tantras,
and Lord Vishnu is to approve it. Goddess parvati listens to them and imparts
them to living beings tobless them with bliss. In this way, the Tantrashastra is a
scripture that suggests remedies for pleasures and salvation.
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Mantras constitute a major component of the Tantra practices. A ‘mantra’ is a
verse composed with a sequence of words. Arvind explains it, “The language of
the. Veda itself is a shruti, a rhythm not composed by the intellect but heard; a
divine word that came vibrating out of the Infinite to the inner audience of the
man who had previously made himself fit for the impersonal knowledge” (6).
Mantra is power to inspire extra sensual powers and a process to control invisible
powers. Mantra helps one to attain salvation form life that binds ‘jiva’ - soul from
various bindings of this world. Mantra is a formation or group several letters or
words. It is basically formed of words. A word contains in it a sequence and set
composition of sounds, letters, and specific kind of sound. In the method of
worship mantra and its chanting acquires lot of significance. The seers of the
Upanishads believed that mantras have power to remove all impurities, to
overcome the evil and to transcend death. Mantras have power to attract all and it
has power to conquer all the worlds. Recitation of mantras proved to be an
inevitable need in worship. Out of this need, writing like that of sahasranam of
gods and goddesses had its emergence. In the Shakta cult, various kinds of
sahasranamstotras were created for the purpose of worship. Some most famous
and in current practice sahasranama writing may be summarized under the
category of the Devisahasranamstotra:
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Lalitasahasranamstotra
In a series of sahasranamstotras, Lalitasahasranamastotra is the most
conspicuous and in current practice. In the Brahmandpurana, Threre is a part
titled, “Lalitopakhyan”. It appears as a part of the dialogue between Lord
‘Hayagriva’ and Sage Agastya. In the beginning, the stotra is called ‘wonderful’
and it has several unique features as compared to other sahasranamstotras.
1. It can be said that this stotra is rich in its effect as the tantra.
2. It is related to ‘Shrichakra’ and ‘Chakraraj’.
3. The names like ‘Lalita’, ‘Tripurasundari’, Tripura’, ‘Kamakshi’,
‘Shridevi’, ‘Shrividhya’, ‘Kameshwari’, etc are found here and there
as options.
4. The sahasranamastptra is big in size. It contains 320 verses.
5. The stotra is devides into different‘Kalas’.
6. The stotra is unique, worth, well defined and contains secrets.
Bhaskarray has written a commentary on the stotra.
As the anecdote goes, originally Bhagawan Hayagriva gave this sahasranama to
Sage Agastya after teaching him the mode of worship of Lalita Parameshwari.
Lalita is the most important of the Divine Mother’s forms.
Lalitasahasranamastotra is the most important of the sahasranamas. Anna
Subramanian points out its unique feature, “From the fifty-one letters of the
Sanskrit alphabets, thirty-two are selected to beign the names and it is said that
the letters are specially auspicious. Tha Suta Samhita says, ‘I adore her who has
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divided herself in to thirty-two letters.’” (7). This sahasranama was originally
composed by the deities presiding over speech at the command of the Divine
Mother Herself in the assembly of gods. After listening to it, the Goddess said
“let one formally worship me or not, never miss the chanting of this
sahasranama.” It is auusred that by chanting it, one becomes free of all
afflictions. It cures diseases. It grants fulfillment of cherished desires and endow a
devotee with long life. Therefore, a worshipper invokes the goddess with names
like ‘Kamadayani’ - fulfiller of desire, ‘Annada’ - giver of food, ‘Vasuda’ - giver
of wealth, ‘Sarva Vyadhi Prashamani’ - destroyer of all diseases, ‘Shivajnan
Pradayini’ - bestower of the knowledge of Shiva. The names in the stotra are no
ordinary names. Every name becomes a ‘mantra’and the whole series a
‘malamantra’.
The story of Goddess Lalita goes like this: When Lord Shiva burnt Kamadev in to
ashes with anger of his Third Eye, gods showed pity and sympathy on him and
prayed the lord to revive Kamadev in to a human form. At God’s appeals and
entreaties, Lord Shiva blessed Kamadev with a new life. But then he was not a
human but a demon, Bhandasura, terrible in body and mind. He afflicted tortures
on gods and human beings and made their lives miserable. At this, Sage Narad
advised Indra to worship Para Shakti through a yajna, sacrifice. From the
sacrificial fire, there arose Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari. The Goddess wedded
God, attacked Bhandasura’s empire Shonitapur and killed him.
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The sahasranam begins with a description of Goddess Lalita. She is Shiva and
Shakti on one. She ia the Mother Lalita who is so called because she sports which
means ‘lalate\ She sports in and through all worlds. The word ‘Lalita’ has eight
meanings, viz. Brilliancy, Manifestation, Sweetness, Depth, Fixity, Energy, Grace
and Generosity. The sahasranama elaborates all these qualities. Further, it is said
that the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu sprang from the fingernail of the
Goddess. The Goddess is without pride and she destroys pride; she is without sin
and she destroys sins; she is without anger and she destroys anger, and the like.
She is the triad of Knowledge, Knower and Known. She transcends virtues and
vices. She creates the world in the form of Brahma, protects as Vishnu, destroys
as Shiva, absorbs as Ishwara and blesses as Sadashiva. The Goddess assumes
many-fold forms as Kamala, Saraswati, etc. Corresponding to different functions,
she is Gayatri, Vyahiri, Savitri and Sandhya. The Goddess has yogic connections
also. In the Vishuddhi Chakra, she is Dakini; in the Anahatchakra, Rakini; in the
Manipuraehakra, Lakini; in the Swadhistahnchakra, Kakini; in the
Muladharachakra, Shakini; in the Ajnachakra, Flakini, each with increase of faces
by one. The faces reveal the mystery of the emergent evolution of the mind.
Residing in the head is the Goddess herself, moon-like in luster, and din the
forehead like a rainbow, in the heart like the sun and in the solar plexus as the
fire. She is the meeting ground of Jiva and Shiva.
Shakti has dual aspects, says Arvind, “Terrible in her face to asuras, dangerous
and ruthless her mood against the haters of the divine, for she is the warrior of the
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world who never shrinks from battle... Her divine hand is everywhere, in birth as
well as in death, in health as well as in disease, in peace as well as in warfare,...”
the Goddess should be worshipped with integral understaning ahd awakened
consciousness of this dual aspects. Worship of the Goddess is understood as
synthesis and harmony, reconciliation of all contradictions. In it, diverse and
sometimes conflicting tendencies of human endeavour are accommodated. This is
exemplified in a life of Shri Ramakrishna. An adept of Shri Vidhya can be a
Shakta at heart, a Shaivate at outlook and a Vaishanava in practice. Madhav
Pandit in his “Invocation” describes Shri Lalitasahasranamastotram is “the key to
the pure Tatra Sadhna of the Divine Mother.
Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra
The Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra is counted as among the most brilliant
sahasranamastotras. The tile of the stotra itself, “Dakaradi” suggests its
uniqueness. The 230th verse says,
Durva durvadalashyama durvadalasamadhyutihi I
Namnam sahasram durgaya dadinamiti kirtitam II
‘Dadinam’ means ‘da’ stays in the beginning of names and, thus, this is the
“Dakaradi” “Durgasahasranamastotra”. The stotra has 236 verses. It appears
under the “Kulamavatantra”. Pandit Shivadatta Misra has taken it in his edited
book, Durgatantra. It is assumed the he has derived form the book,
Shaktapramod. Each name takes the “Oum” and ends in ‘namah’ with the name in
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the dative case, for instance, 1. ‘Oum Durgayei namah’; 2. ‘Oum Durgatiharayei
namah': ...1000. ‘Oum Durgadalasamadhyutaye namah’, etc .
Shridevi is the speaker of the Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra and its listeners
are gods in the divine assembly. It is said that Lord Shiva created it. He delivered
a lecture on it. According to the Shaktapramod, its source is “Kulamavatantra. In
the stotra, allsahasranama od Goddess Durga are “dakaradi” and nor “dukaradi”
or “durgadi”. This sahasranamastotra renders ample benefits to a devotee. The
Shaktapramod gives its beginning,
Devyuvacha- Mama nama sahasram cha Shivapurvavinirmitam...
It has the end,
Durva durvadalashyam durvadalasamadhyutihi I
A brief‘falashruti’ appears in six verses.
Dashamahavidhyasahasranamastotra
The Shaiva, Shakta and Agam scriptures mention ten Mahavidhyas. They are
siddha - Mahadevis, great goddess whose names are:
1. Kali, 2. Tara Mahavidhya, 3. Shodashi, 4. Bhuvaneshwari I
5. Bhairavi, 6. Chhinnamasta ch, 7. Vidhya Dhumavati, tatha II
8. Bagla siddhavidhya, 9. Matangi, 10. Kamalatmika I
Eta dosha Mahavidhyaha siddhividhyaha prakirtitaha II
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1. Kalisahasranamastotra
“Kakaradi” - Kalisahasranamastotra is mentioned as among unique stotras. Its
chief unique feature, as Shaktapramod counts, is the “kakaradi” which means all
thousand names begin with the letter 4k\ The second feature isis that Shri Kali is
the first name mentioned in the Ten Mahavidhyas. The stotra has one more
feature that Kali is the prominent power among the Mahavidhyas to cause
Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution in the world. The story of ‘Mahakali’
appears first in the three-fold stories of the “Durgasaptashati”. Lord Vishnu stays
in unconscious condition under Goddess Kali’s control. He could kill the demon,
Madhu-Keitabh only after getting free from the illusionary powers of the
Goddess.
In all 17 tantras in the Shaktapramod, the “Kalitantra” is the first one and it
contains 115 pages. Mahavidhya- Mahamaya Kali is without the beginning and
the end. She is “Brahmaswarupini” - the form of the Brahman. She is formless
and yet appears before her devotees in a form that they can see her in meditation.
Kali has many ‘upabheda’ - kind such as, 1. ‘Chintamani-Kali’, 2. ‘Sparshamani-
Kali’, 3. 1 Shantiprada- Kali’, 4. ‘Siddida- Kali’, 5. ‘Dakshina-Kali’, 6.
‘Kamakala-Kali’, 7. ‘Hansa-kali’ and 8. ‘Guhyya-Kali’. In the Tantrshastras, Kali
is called the form of the Mahavidhya. She redeems devotees who surrender them
to her. The books od the Agamshastra abounds in praises of the Goddess. She is
the superior for the attainment of knowledge, and penance. In the Kaliyug, the
worship of Kali renders all benefits to a devotee.
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All thousand name in the stotra are ‘kakaradi’ means beginning with a letter
‘k’.Thespeaker of the stotra is Lord Shiva who possesses a style of ‘Yamaliya’
and the listener is Goddess Bhavani-Parvati. The stotra is presented in 182 verses.
Shaktapramod details on its worship, rituals, etc.
2. Shritara-takarasahasmnama (Mahavidhya- the second)
Shri Tara-Mahavidhya (or Ugratara- Mahavidhya) is perhaps little known. Its
worship is more known among Buddhist tatra-worshippers. It has separate verses
for meditation. Tara-Mahavidhya is also known as ‘NilsaraswatP. The
‘Tarastotra’ says that it is more known. The Tarasahasranamastotra is compiled
in the Yamal scripture namely, Bramayamal. It is unique about this stotra that all
thousand names in the stotra are ‘takaradi’, means all names begin with letter ‘f,
The stotra begins with the 11th verse and ends with the 244th verse. Lord brahma
is its speaker and Sage Vashitha is theone who listens and raise questions.
3. Trip urns undarisahasranamastotra
Tirpurasundari is the second for Shodashi Mahavidhya. Tripurasundaristotra
written by Adya Shankaracharya is very popular. Its popular name is
“Saundaryalahari”. It is very popular and prevalent among Tatrik worshippers.
Goddess Tripurasundari is endowed with all different forms of beauty and all of
them bloom fully. Further, she incorporates in her the element of are of Lord
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4. Bhuvaneshwarisahasranamastotram
The sahasranama appears in the “Mahamavatantra”. It is a hymn through one can
meditate on the Goddess. The stotra contains 184 verses. Lord Shiva is the
speaker of the stotra and Goddess Parvati listens to it from the lord. Ishan himself
says in the verse 202nd,
Vishnave kathitam purva brahmaneapi priyamvade l
Adhunapi lava snehat kathitam parameshwari! II 202 II
5. Chhinnamastasahasranamastotram
Goddess Chhinnmasta has another name ‘Pracandachandika’. The listener of this
stotra is Goddess Parvati and the speaker is Lord Shiva. This Mhavidhya is a
goddess of a worship called ‘Vamopasana’. If the goddess is worshipped with
this sahasranamastotra with all required rituals it renders to a devotee aggressive
results.
6. Tripurabhairavisahasranamastotram
The verse in adoration ‘Mahavidhya Tripurbhairavi’ appears in the beginning of
Shaktapramod, There is famous temple of Goddess Tripurasundari at Kashi.
Thousands of people vist the temple regularly. Daily they have the darshan of the
goddess. The street too is named “Tripurabhairavi”. Sometimes ‘Tripurabhairavi'
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is also called ‘Bhairavi’. The speaker of the stotra is Mahakal Bhairav and the
listener is Goddess Maheshani. Thestotra contains 1008 names of the goddess.
7. Mahavidhya Dhumavatidevi.
The Shaktapramod mentions Goddess Dhumavati in the beginning. The
meditation of this form reveals her as ‘Bhimarupa’. There is a temple of Goddess
Dhumavati at Kashi. Many devotees visit the temple. The street too is known as
‘Dhupachandi’. ‘Dhupachandi’ or ‘Dhumchandi’ are the other names of Goddess
Dhumavati. The speaker of this stotra is Shri Bhairav and Shri Bhairavi is the
listener. The total verses in it are 169. Then follows the ‘Falashruti’. The stotra
has no mention in the Shaktapramod. One scholar says that the sahasranama
appears in Rudryamal.
8. Baglamukhi-sahasranamastotra
There are two verses in worship of Baglamukhi in the “Bagalmukhi tantra” of
Shaktapramod. It gives verses of worship of the goddess and also mentions about
the benefits by its worship. This Mahavidhya is also called “Pitambara”. The
recital of the Baglamukhistotra and its chanting is in good practice. Its chanting is
done with a garland of ‘Haridra’. Its worship is very popular for motives like
defeat of an enemy, stopping of his speech, his failure, and destroying an
enemy’s power of thinking. Some verses in the stotra mentions very clearly the
effect of the Goddess Baglamukhi. The sahasranamastotra contains powerful
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verses on the Mahavidhya. The chief speaker of the stotra is God and the chief
listener is Goddess Uraa - Bhavani.
9. Malt a vidhyamatangisah as ran amastotram
The stotra appears in the Rudrayamal, a famous Tantra scripture as prayer in
adoration of the goddess. The speaker of the stotra is God himself and the listener
is Goddess Sumukhi. The source of the stotra is the “Uttarkhand” of the
Shrinandhyavarttatantra.
10. Kamalatmika mahavidhya r Sahasranamstotra
Goddess Kamalatmika means ‘Kamala’ or ‘Laxmi’. At the beginning of the
stotra, Sanatkumar shows the ancient history of its emergence. According to it,
the stotra was told by Lord Vishnu and its listener was Lord Brahma. Lord
Vishnu presents the stotra. This stotra has a series of other stotras.
Besides these sahasranamastotras, other major sahasranamastotras are mentioned.
They are:
1. Gayatrisahasranamastotra,
2. Devisahasranama,
3. Laxmisahasranama
4. Saraswati or Shardasahasranama.
Devisahasranamavalihi edited; by ShivadattaMisra Shastri and published by
Thakurprasad and Sons Bookseller (Second Edition) of the year 1979 mentions
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the two: “Devisahasranamavali” and “Gayatrisahasranamavali”. The book does
not have a collection of sahasranamastotras. These and many other
sahasranamastotras that relate to individual forms of Shakti and are in the
knowledge may be listed as under:
1. Devisahasranama - Mahabhagavat, Devipurana and Kurmapurana.
2. Lalitasahasranama - Brahmandpurana and Naradapurana.
3. Saraswatisahasranama - Shaktiyamal
4. Gayatrisahasranama - Devibhavat, Gayatripanchang and Shri
Rudryamal
5. Bhavanisahasranama - Shaktapramod I.
6. Bhuvneshwarisahiasranama - Shaktapramod I.
7. Renukasahasranama - Agamasarvasva.
8. Kalikasahasranama - Shaktapramod I.
9. Durgasahasranama - Kulamavatantra.
10. Baglasahasranama - Shabarnagendra - Shaktapramod.
11. Kundalinisahasranama - Rudryamal - Uttartantra.
12. Kumarisahasranama - Rudryamal - Uttartantra.
13. Bhairavisahasranama Vishwasaratatva.
14. Dhumavatisahasranama - Shaktapramod.
15. Matang isahasranama -N adhyavartasutra - Uttarakhand.
16. Annapumasahasrahama - Annapumapanchang.
17. Radhikasahasranama - Brahmyamal.
18. TuijasahasranamaBrahmyamal.
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Rivers acquire lot of significance in the growth od human culture and civilization.
The Aryans worshipped the elements in nature like rivers, earth, sky, fire,
mountains, vegetation, wind, etc. primarily because they are givers of life, rather
contributors of human existence. Water being elixir of life proved it inevitable for
life. Rivers being the live and the near most source build affiliation with people
who put up their settlements on and around their banks. It may be for such reason
that all major civilizations of the world were settled and flourished on the banks
of rivers. This makes rivers worthy of worship and all human being, whether he
believes in god or not, has to consider rivers important for life. Like that, rivers
started being worshipped basically as mother, a giver of life. Hence, we worship
the rivers with a famous verse and the like,
Ganga chayamune cheiva godavari saraswai I
Namrade sindhu kaveri jalesminn sannidhikurum II
There is a unanimous opinion that the Rigvedasamhita is the oldest in the Sanskrit
literature. The “Nadisukta” in ti gives one very famous verse,
Imam me gange yamune saraswati shutudri stomam sachata paurshnya I
Asikanya marudbudhe vivastayarjikoye shrunuhya sushomaya II
(Rigvedasamhita, 10/75/5).
Ganga is the first name on the list of rivers worthy of worship. The river enjoys
superior among all rivers as the most significant river on the earth. The Aryans
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recognized its significance since the early Vedic periods. There is perhaps no
scripture or book on the earth tat remains untouched with the name Ganga. The
Rigvedasamhita, Shatpath-Brahman, Valmiki-Ramayana, Mahabharata,
Vishnupurana, Padmapurana, Brahmapurana, Naradiyapurana, Varahapurana
Garudapurana, Shivapurana Shrimadbhagavadpurana, and several other
scripture sing hymns and prayers in the glory of the sacred river.
The Gangasahasranamastotra is available in several independent books and
reference books of Sanskrit literature in the form of “Gangakirtan”. or
“Gangamahatmya” or “Gangavakyavali” or “Gangabhaktitarangini”. They are
available in books like Tirthakalpataru by Laxmidhar, Tristhalisetu,
Tirthachintamani by Vachaspati Misra. The following writing may be mentioned
as those desribing the significance of Ganga.
1. Gangadharpaddhati - written by Gangadhar.
2. Gangakrutyaviveka - It is said that this book was written by
Vardhaman between the years 1450 and 1500.
3. Gangabhaktitarangini (Pratham) - It was written by Dharashwar’s son
Ganapati in the year 1766.
4. Gangabhaktitarangini (Dwitiya) - The writer is Chaturbhujaharya. The
time is not known.
5. Gangamrut - It has a co- authorships of writers namely Vardhaman
and Raghunandan. The time is that of Vardhaman which is around
1450- 1500.
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6, Gangavakyavali - The writer is Vidhyapati who wrote it for the queen
Vishwasdevi of the king of Mithila.
7. Gangabhaktiprakash - It was written around the year 1795-95 (V. S.©
1842).
Beyond these stotras, there hundreds of stotras are written on the Ganga in
Sanskrit and in other languages thousands of stotras are written. They include
“Gaagashtak” by Sage Valmiki and “Gangashtak” by Kalidas and
Shankaraeharya. Jagannath’s “Gangalahari” is a unique poetry on the Ganga with
its lucidity.
The famous stotras in the name of sacred rivers are:
1. Gangasahasranama - Kashikhandontargatam.
2. Yamunasahasranama - Gargasamhita.
3. Narmadasahasranama - Narmadapurana.
Shrigangasahasranamastotra.
Many Puranas and other scriptures describe the Ganga as important as any
goddess. Ganganamakirtanstotra is available from them. The twenty seventh
canto of the “Kashikhand” gives the “Gangadashahastotra”. Skand, Goddess
Parvati’s son told about the Ganga’s significance to Sage Agastya. The
Gangasahasranamastotra is considered the most graceful, beneficial and sacred
among all stotras. Its recital renders one benefit almost equal to taking a sacred
bath in the river Ganga. Then the stotra begins with “Skanda uvacha”. It means
that the chief speaker is Skanda, goddess Parvati’s son
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Its recital relieves one from all kinds of troubles and sins (verse 181-183) and one
attains everything (verse 179-80). Shankaracharya wrote a commentary of the
Vishnusahasranamastotram, Shri Bhaskarray wrote a commentary of
Shrilalitasahasranamastotram. Likewise, Ramanand has written a commentary
on the Gangasahasranamastotra. The stotra has unique features.
a. The thousand names in the stotra begin with letter !a’ or ‘OunT
and they follow the alphabetical sequence to end up with the last
letter ‘ksh’ as the first letter of the last name.
b. The names follow the same sequence from alphabets ‘a5 to
‘ksh’.
c. The stotra gives benefit as equal to that of taking a sacred bath
in the river Ganga. Those devotees who are unable to go to the
banks of the Ganga and take the bath may take the benefit with
recital of the stotra.
d. The stotra has come to the print version for the first time. Hence,
it is missing matters like ‘ Viniyog’.
Yamunashtakam
The river Yamuna has been worshipped for its sacred ness. It has been associated
with Lord Krishna and Radha as it flows down the place mathura and Vrindavan
when Lord Krishna was bom and spent his early childhood with playful and
innocent sports with radha and other cowherdesses, Shrimad Bhagavad sings in
its glory in this connection. Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya of the Pushti set had a
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sacred vision of the river and he wrote the stotra, Yamunashtakam. Though the
stotra may not make up the total of one thousand names of the sacred but it
certainly captures the spirit and the value of a sahasranamastotra.
Shrinarmadasahasranamastotra
The river Narmada too remains among major rivers that arouse devotion in the
minds of Hindu devotees. Since the Vedic times, the river enjoys a special
reverence from devotees for its mythological connections The Narmada is
worshipped also for its contribution to human life and culture. It flows down
though five major regions of India and fertile the land with its waters. Its
contribution is unique to the growth of life and culture in these regions. People of
these regions value the river most for their prosperity and give out slogans like
“Namami Devi Narmade”, etc. The river takes many places on its banks and
sanctifies them to become true places of pilgrimage. It inspires religious activities
to consolidate people’s faith in Divinity and spirituality. Out of faith and devotion
for the river, devotees create hymns and prayers in her praise. A longer hymn of
the length of sahasranama too was created in her praise. One such stotra appears
in the “Revakhand” of the Skandapurana (16-30). The stotra begins with a verse,
Namam nama mahotvadiyacharanam ramve shive narmade I
Vadam vada mahotvadipa maskrunnameiva mauksha pradam II
The stotra appears as a dialogue between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord
Shiva describes the river as.
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Sadkupriye mahasadho lokanugrahakarini I
Narmada mahati maya sarvsampattikarini II
It means, “The Narmada is dear among noble people. She renders good to people.
Narmada is a great maya. She generates all kinds of wealth”. The stotra is
composed of fifty one verses. It ends with,
Eshvarchryadatrijanadukhahantri papantrivimalacchri I
Shivatmikalokapadasthitatvam Shirnarmade devimam prasida I
Mama prasida II 51II
This shows that the river is adored like a goddess as she nourishes people like a
mother and inspire them for higher thoughts like a guide or guru. We get a
complete text of the stotra in the book Shri Narmadapurana, pages 16 to 30. This
shows the affinity that people feel with elements in nature. Man is indebted to
these elements for his growth and prosperity. He gives a voice to his feeling of
gratitude in a stotra like this. Such stotras help to cause tuning between man and
elements in nature. Thus, it leads man to create harmony in the universe.
Since rivers are worshipped as mother they form a part of worship of Shakti, They
in fact form an extension of the Shakta cult to acquire practical dimension in view
of human existence on the earth. Its value, thus, counts in broader perspective of
socio-cultural and economic life Of the nation. Such a perspective counts rivers
valuable. The writing like sahasranamastotra indicates how valuable the river is to
people that they place her in line of gods and goddesses.
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The sahasranamastotras exhibit several kinds of variety.
1. Several sahasranamastotra follow the pattern of having the first letter of a
worshipped god. Like
a. the names in the Durgasahasranamastotra begin with a letter ‘d’.
b. the names in the Tarasahasranamastotra begin with a letter ‘t’.
c. several sahasranamastotra follow the sequence of the alphabets. For instance,
Gangasahasranamastotra.
d. Kamalasahasranamastotra does not follow the alphabetical sequence in the
beginning and at the end. But in the middle, it, however, follows the order from
letter ‘k’ to letter ‘m\ (48 - 50).
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REFERENCES
Purohit. “Das Mahavidhya Rahasya”, Shri Chhinnamasta Mahavidhya - Sadhna and Sidhi.
Bhushan, Bharat, 2002. Lalitasahasranama.
Ghosh, Aurobindo, 1956, On the Vedas.
Rigvedasamhita.
Shri Narmada Purana. (Skandpurana no Revakhand sampuma).
Singh, Prrem Nath C. 1999, Durga (Parama Shakti, Maheshwari, Mahadevi).
Tripathi, Karunapati. 1992. Gangasahasranamastotram.
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