LALITHA SAHASRANAAM
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BACK TO PROGRAMSThe Lalita Sahasranama is said to have been composed by the eight Vaag Devis (Vasini, Kameshvari, Aruna, Vimala, Jayani, Modini, Sarveshvari, and Kaulini) upon the command of the goddess Lalita herself. The Sahasranama says that "One can worship Lalita only if she wishes us to do so." This stotra occurs in the Brahmanda Purana (history of the universe) in the chapter of discussion between Bhagwaan Hayagriva, an incarnation of Lord Narayan and Agastya Rishi. Bhagwaan Hayagriva is an incarnation of Vishnu with the head of a horse and is held to be the storehouse of knowledge. Agastya Rishi is one of the sages of yore and one of the stars of the constellation Saptarishi. At the request of Agastya Rishi, Bhagwaan Hayagriva is said to have taught him the thousand holiest names of Lalita. The temple at Thirumeyachur, near Kumbakonam, is said to be where Agastya was initiated into this Sahasranama. An alternative origin is that the Upanishad Bramham Mutt at Kanchipuram is where this initiation happened.
"Lalita" means "She Who Plays." In its root form, the word "Lalita" means "spontaneous" from which the meaning "easy" is derived and implicitly extends to "play". Lalitāsahasranāma is a text from the Brahmanda Purana. The Lalita Sahasranama is the thousand names of the Mother Goddess Lalita. This is a sacred text for worshippers of the Goddess Lalita Devi, who considered to be a manifestation of the Divine Mother (Shakti). A principal text of Shakti worshipers, it names the goddess's various attributes in the form of names organized in a hymn. This Sahasranama is used in various modes for the worship of the Divine Mother like parayana (recitations), archana, and homa. The names are organized as hymns, or stotras, but are often broken into mantras to represent all 1000 names. Therefore the Sahasranama can be chanted in stotra form, or namavali form. The Lalita Saharanama is one of the only Sahasranamas that does not repeat a single name. Generally, Sahasranamas use the artifice of adding words like tu, api, ca, and hi, which are conjunctions that do not necessarily add to the meaning of the name except in cases of interpretation. The Lalita Sahasranama does not use any such auxiliary conjunctions and is unique in being an enumeration of holy names that meets the metrical, poetical and mystic requirements of a Sahasranama by their order throughout the text. OBJECTIVE Since Lalitha Sahasranaam is suggested as a daily parayana practice it becomes very important to also understand the enormity and the essence of what is being chanted. This is a humble attempt to enumerate the importance and beauty of this chant that we have all come to love and depend on so much. DURATION 4 HOURS a month ongoing format BOOKS Lalitha Sahasranaam FACILITATOR SHRINKA AGRAWAL DONATION Suggested donation $50 | Rs.3500 Per month CONTENTS 1. Mythology 2. Dhyaanam 3. Sahasranaam 4. Phalastuti |
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