Lalitha Sahasranamam - AN INTRODUCTION....of its ORIGIN..

Lalitha Sahasranamam - AN INTRODUCTION....of its ORIGIN.....SIGNIFICANCE & BENEFITS OF CHANTING...

Dear Friends....Good Morning....&....Wishing you all today and Every Day a DIVINE DAY.......JK

Lalitha Sahasranamam ...An Introduction...&...Benefits..

Lalitha Sahasranamam came directly from Lord Shiva......who passed it to Nandi.......From Nandi.....it went to..... Lord Hayagriva..... and then to ......Sage Agasthiyar......Then......Maharishi Vyasa conveyed it to the world.....&.....Thus now we have this wonderful gift of being able to learn and chant the Lalitha Sahasranamam !

It is more powerful than any forms of Tantra or Mantra.Lord Hayagriva Chanted Laitha Saharasanamam with the purest intention - for liberation.

SAGE AGASTHIYAR It is said that this is the most favoured form of prayer to Lalithambika Devi It is also said to be more powerful than any forms of Tantra or Mantra.

Lalitha Sahasranamam – An Introduction...

KAMESWARA & LALITHA DEVI

Slokas play an important role in Hinduism. The slokas in Sanadhana dharma are said to have an indefinite power that gives devotees power, peace, wealth, knowledge and whatever they ask for. Gyanopadesam attempts to study the significance of slokas. This is our attempt to understand the story behind a sloka, its structure, purpose, and significance.

To start with, let us discusses the significance of Lalitha Sahasranamam.

LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM

Lalitha Sahasranama is originally a text from Brahmanda Purana as Hayagreeva Aghasthya Samvaada, where it is found as a conversation between Hayagreeva and Aghasthya. Hayagreeva, the horse headed incarnation of Vishnu, tells the 1000 names (sahasra namas) of Lalitha Devi to Ahasthya, a sage on request, which is identified to be Lalitha Sahasranama.

Unlike other Sahasranamas, Lalitha Sahasranama is composed by Ashta Vak Devatas upon the command of Lalitha Devi, whereas, the other sahasranamas were passed on to people by Veda Vyasa.

The sahasranama was said to be initiated by Aghasthya at Lalithambal temple, Thirumeychur, which is located near Kumbakonam. The other legend holds that it was initiated at Kanchipuram.

STORY BEHIND THE SLOKA......

Devas conducted a fire sacrifice (Yaga) on the advice of Naradha to kill Bhandasura, a demon, who came from the ashes of Manmadha, who was reduced to ashes by Shiva as he disturbed his meditation. From the fire, came Lalitha Tripura Sundari, to save the Devas from the hands of Bhandasura. Lalitha Sahasranama was the sloka that praises the Devi and discusses the story of Manmadha and Bhandasura Samhara.

The slokas can be classified into four segments......

1. The description of Lalitha Devi.

2. Nagara, description of her kingdom.

3. Description of the center of Nagara, where there is Maha Padma Vana (the great lotus forest).

4. Bhandasura Vadha.

The sahasranama describes the beauty and power of Lalitha Devi from head to toe (Kesadhi Padham). The sloka covers five works (Pancha Kritya) of Lalitha Devi that are....

1. Srushti (Creation).

2. Sthuthi (Protection).

3. Samharam (Destruction).

4. Throdhanam (Hiding).

5. Anugraham (Blessing).

The Devi is described in the sloka as “Pancha Krithya Parayana”, which means she does all the above. The Devi is considered to be Brahma as she creates, Vishnu as she protects, and Rudra as she destroys the evil forces.

STRUCTURE OF THE SLOKA.....

The sahasranama has three parts.

1. Poorva Bhaga

2. Stotra

3. Uttara Bhaga

The poorva bhaga talks about the origin of the sloka. Stotra contains the 1000 names of Lalitha Devi and Uttara Bhaga gives details on the benefits of reciting this sloka.

HOW TO CHANT THE SAHASRANAMA?

The Sahasranama can be chanted by anyone at anytime. As the sloka says, one can pray to Lalitha whenever he or she wishes to.

Even not completing the sloka will not bring in any ill effect, as each nama is complete and has a meaning by itself.

Chanting Lalitha Sahasranama has no restrictions in terms of caste, age, sex, including the place. One can recite the sloka, even when s/he travels.

The Sahasranama is said to give its best effects when learned from a Guru. When there is no Guru, one can learn this sloka, sitting before Ganesha, considering him as the Guru.

There are 183 slokas in the sahasranama that takes around 20 minutes for one to complete it.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SLOKA...............

It is said that chanting the sahasranama on Poornima/Pournami (Full moon day), facing the moon, helps one to get rid of physical ailments.

Regular chanting of the sloka is found to be an antidote to diseases, untimely deaths, and misfortunes.

Lalitha Sahasranama is said to be the most powerful sahasranama, which drives away the evil forces and protect the family and surrounding of the one who chants it.

Chanting the sloka during navratri is said to be very effective. It is believed that the devotees of Lalitha Devi are free from any form of sins.

The Story of Sree Lalithambiga........

Goddess Lalitha and Lalitha Sahasranamam - Kameshwara and Maa Lalitha

Kameshwara and Laitha Devi.

During the ancient times, there was a powerful demon named Taraka. He was controlling and lording over the Universe with his unequalled power and strength. A group of devas then resolved that only Skanda can destroy Taraka. But, due to the penance of Lord Siva, the birth of Skanda had been delayed. Manmata (the God of love) was assigned by the devas to wake up Lord Siva from his deep meditation. With the intention of performing his job, Manmata applied the flower – shafts of lust on Lord Siva, who then roused with uncontrollable anger and burnt Manmata with the energy of his Third eye. Another energy flame from Lord Siva’s third eye gave birth to Lord Skanda, who then destroyed Tarakasura.

However, due to the absence of Manmata, creation in the World had stopped. Realizing this, Lord Siva blessed Manmata for his rebirth. As he sprinkled the holy water over the ashes of Manmata, another demon named Banasura was accidentally created. The supreme strength of the demon spoiled the righteousness of the three worlds. Indra, the king of Devas performed a yagna according to the advice of Lord Siva and as a result of this yagna, Devi Sree Lalitha appeared, embodying the powers of creation, protection and destruction. The Devas praised her in eloquent terms as Universal Mother.

Lord Siva married her in the avatar of Kameshwara and the Kingdom of Sree Lalitha originated from the Sreepura, a beautiful city at the crest of the mount Meru, built in the form of Sree Chakra. In a fierce battle that lasted for a long time, Sree Lalitha destroyed Banasura.

The philosophical base of this unprecedented success of the Devi is that, the ‘ajnana’ (ignorance) is removed by ‘Jnana’ (realization).

Wisdom Behind the Story of Goddess Lalitha......

Daksha means a skilled person, often we see that we get skills in many fields and in the process we sometimes knowingly or unknowingly get arrogance, due to this arrogance we ignore the divinity in us, who is represented by Lord Shiva. We often don’t listen to our conscience and fall to various trouble. Dakshas daughter Sati is representing the energy of the divinity, the truthfulness, who gets married to Shiva. When arrogance in us reaches its peak and ignores totally our consciousness, insulting it, then Sati, the truthfulness sacrifices herself…in arrogance we often don’t see the truthfulness of us or others and act in a manner which brings miseries to us and around us.

Once the tragedy happens out of arrogance, then our conscience pricks us, this is represented by Lord Shiva punishing Daksha. Later, as lust (Manmatha) peaks and try to affect our conscience, two things can happen, either fall in to the sensations of lust or control ourselves by killing the lustful desires, same thing is represented by Lord Shiva killing Manmatha by the fire of his third eye, then when Gods pray, he revives him but lust now takes the form of Banasura, the anger resulting out of unfulfilled lustful desires.

Bandakasura and Manmatha, endowed with Thamoguna and Rajoguna respectively, are personifications of anger and lust. Unfulfilled lust leads to anger and Desire is the root cause of misery. One should strive to overcome these two qualities. Though both anger and desire cannot be completely effected, they can be kept under proper check without causing any hindrance to the practice of Dharma with the grace of Goddess Shri Lalitha Tripura Sundari, Sri Kamakshi. The three gunas namely...... Sathvaguna..... Rajoguna .....and..... Thamoguna.... signify judicious action, indiscriminate action, and inaction respectively. By vanquishing Bandakasura and subduing Manmatha, Goddess Sri Kamakshi (one who fulfills the desires of her devotees) demonstrated to the entire world the futility of inaction the need for careful avoidance of indiscretection and the importance of incidences in judulgence action.

So this anger is later killed by the shakti of the divine by raising our consciousness from lustful desires and anger to the state of bliss, a bliss, which is the blessings received by reciting the thousand names of Shakti , Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari. Thus, showing how we can turn our various material and lustful filled desires in to inward blissful state of consciousness, merging of the Shakti with Shiva in us, atmarathi.

The Significance of Sree Lalitha Sahasranama........

Sree Lalitha Sahasranama, is most pleasing to Sree Lalitha Parameshvari. There is nothing to equal this in the Vedas or Tantras.

The daily chanting of this hymn gives the same merit as that obtained from bathing in holy rivers and giving gifts of wealth, food, land and cows.

Barren women get the gift of children by taking ghee that has been made potent by chanting Lalitha Sahasranama.

By daily chanting of the Sahasranama, the effects of evil spells are removed.

All the faults arising from not completing puja rituals or from not observing various rites on time are removed by the chanting of this hymn. This hymn may be chanted instead of various expiatory rituals.

Relief from afflictions due to the influence of planets or evil spirits can be removed by chanting the Sahasranamam while holding some water and then pouring that water over the head.

Devi protects those who chant this hymn daily from dangers and from attacks by enemies. Victory in battle is gained through the chanting.

Daily chanting of the Sahasranama augments prosperity, eloquence and fame.

The Sahasranama may be chanted by those who are in any of the four stages of life (brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa).

By performing yagnas of Lalitha Sahasranama, the consolidation of dharma becomes possible in the Kali Yuga.

It is difficult to please Devi without the chanting of Lalitha Sahasranama. Through this hymn, the sins accrued in many births are removed.

Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam is a sacred text to the Hindu worshippers of the Goddess Lalitha Devi. i.e., the Divine Mother, in the form, Shakthi. Lalitha is the Goddess of bliss, an epithet for Shiva's wife Goddess Parvathi.

Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam (1000 names of devi) is a very sacred text or mantra in Hindu religion. It should be chanted slowly, clearly & loud enough so that you can hear.

Benefits of chanting lalitha sahasranamam

Regular chanting of Sree Lalitha Sahasranama is as beneficial as visiting religious places, taking bath in a holy river, offering food, offering materials. It is an indirect blessing to those who cannot do these kind of offerings to God.

Regular chanting of Sree Lalitha Sahasranama will ward off the evil from uncompleted pooja vidhis or rituals etc. It will also form a way of penance.

Fever can be cured by religiously chanting Sree Lalitha Sahasranamam by touching on a persons forehead. The number of times you chant the more benefit you are likely to get. The vibhuti used for Sree Lalitha Sahasranama archana can be applied then on the forehead, which will give much relief to fever and headache.

If chanted on full moon day , all diseases will vanish and long life will be guaranteed.

If chanted,you get benefits of taking 1 crore baths in the Ganges.

Gets the benefit of establishing 1 crore Lingas.Gets benefit of feeding 1 crore Brahmins during a famine time.Gets benefit of teaching 1 crore students.

It is said that if one chants religiously Sree Lalitha Sahasra Namam keeping a pot of water (or in a vessel) in front and then pours it over the head, all sorts of troubles related to once planetary positions and from evil spirits will be warded off.

It is said that if a person chants Sree Lalitha Sahasranama keeping in mind a picture of Sree Lalitha Devi situated in the divine ocean which contains `Amrut' , he will be cured from any kind of disease related to poison.

It is said that if a person consumes ghee, which is kept while chanting Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam, he will be cured of impotency and will have children.

Regular chanting of Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam will ward off any kind of evil deeds or rituals (black magic) aimed at the person who chants the namam. The power derived from the chanting supersedes all other forms of prayers and the person will no more require to consult astrologers or any sorts of occultists. He will have tremendous self confidence in himself.

Through the regular chanting of Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam, the atmosphere will be purified. Each nerve in our body will be invigorated and subtle energies will be awakened in the person.

Sree Lalitha Devi will protect a person who regularly chants Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam from accidents and from the attacks of enemy and will make him victorious in all his good deeds.

Regular chanting of Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam will make a person blessed with word power, fame, good will etc. Particular importance should be given to chant Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam on Friday's which is very auspicious for the blessing of Devi.

Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam is the form of prayer that any one and every one can chant at any time and every time. It does not matter if one could not complete it. Because each of the namam in itself is powerful and will provide all sorts of benefits. It depends on what you wish and how you go about it.

It is said that chanting the name of Lord Siva once is as good as chanting the name of Mahavishnu a thousand times. And chanting the name of Devi once is as good as chanting the name of Siva, a thousand times. And of which Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam is the most important one to Sree Lalitha Devi herself.

It is very beneficial if all members of the family unite and chants Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam once in a day in the evening or whenever time permits. A family that prays together stays together. It will bring about unity, peacefulness, clear mind to perform and by thus prosperity.

In homes where Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam is chanted regularly there will never be any shortage of the basic necessities of life. This is the reason why the ancient Gurus would instruct their disciples to chant Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam even after initiating them into the mantras of other deities such as Lord Krishna, Lord Rama and other Gods and Goddesses.

Regular chanting of Lalitha sahasranamam has its own benefits and makes one more closer to divine mother.

Sree Lalitha Sahasra namam is the form of prayer that any one and every one can chant at any time and every time. It does not matter if one could not complete it. Because each of the namam in itself is powerful and will provide all sorts of benefits. It depends on what you wish and how you go about it.

It makes a person blessed with word power, knowledge and immense self confidence.

J.KANNAN, M.Com, FIATA

"WE DON'T THINK TO BREATHE

 WE BREATHE TO THINK"