shrImAtre namaH
Here is a verse from the phalasruti of Sri Lalita Sahasranama:
yastu nAmasahasreNa shukravAre samarchayet |
chakrarAje mahAdevIM tasya puNyaphalaM srNu ||
sarvAn kAmAnavApyeha sarvasaubhAgyasaMyutaH |
putrapautrAdisaMyukto bhuktvA bhogAn yathepsitAn ||
ante shrIlalitAdevyAH sAyujyamatidurlabham |
prArthanIyaM shivAdyaichsha prApnotyaiva na saMshayaH ||
Hayagriva – O Agastya, listen to the merits obtained by an Upasaka who worships Sri Lalita Devi by performing archana to Srichakra with the thousand names on a Friday. Such a blessed soul attains all his desires and after his lifetime attains the sAyujya of Sri Lalita, which is desired even by great deities like Shiva.
In some previous verses of the Phala Sruti, as well in some forthcoming verses, Bhagavan Hayagriva describes various merits of the Sahasranama, which confers Bhoga and also others which confer Moksha. Now, the special attribute of Srividya Upasana has been described in Tantras like Vamakeshwara to be: bhogashcha mokshashcha karasthitaiva – Srividya grants both Bhoga and Moksha to her Upasaka. Bhagavan is re-affirming the same in this verse. One who worships Sridevi in Srichakra in the said manner – every Friday – from the day of his Diksha till his death (yAvajjIvitam) – will attain all luxuries like health, wealth, prosperity, fame etc along with his near and dear ones and after losing his mortal body, attains the sAyujya of Sri Lalitambika.
It is said:
sAlokyaM chaiva sAmIpyaM sArUpyam cha tR^itIyakam |
sAyujyamiti deveshi muktiruktA chaturvidhA ||
tAsvanyopAsakAnAM syAdekaikA muktirIshwari |
shrIvidyopAsakAnAm kramAnmuktichatuShTayam ||
The Shastras describe four kinds of Mukti or liberation:
1. sAlokya – living in the loka or abode of Amba, which is Srinagaram
2. sAmIpya – living in the proximity of Sridevi in Manidwipam
3. sArupya – living with a form identical with Sri Lalita
4. sAyujya – merging totally into Sridevi and becoming HER
The four are progressive and one’s final goal is sAyujya, which is impersonal liberation and true Moksha, when there is true abheda between upAsya and Upasaka. A worshipper of Saguna Brahman like Sri Lalita, after death, takes the path of Devayana to travel to Srinagara and attains Salokya Mukti. Gradually, he is blessed with the knowledge of Nirguna Brahman and finally attains sAyujya. Follower of other paths qualify for one of the three (other than sAyujya), but a Srividyopasaka is blessed gradually with the four types of Mukti.
However, for a person who, through his upAsana, has attained Chitta Shuddhi and then the perfect knowledge of the Brahman through the anusandhAna of Upanishad vAkya, there is no devayana or the first three types of Moksha as he is already established in unity with Sridevi as Nirguna Brahman, and is hence a Jivanmukta – liberated even while living – waiting simply for the dissolution of the body. Such a person, whose goal is simply Moksha, has nothing to do with other desires or Bhoga and for such aspirants, Bhagavan Hayagriva prescribes the mode of NiShkama Upasana:
niShkAmaH kIrtayedyastu nAmasAhasramuttamam |
brahmajnanamavApnoti yena muchyeta bandhanAt ||
While reciting Sahasranama, one does various Sankalpas: sarvaroga nivrttyartham (for destruction of all diseases), sarvasaubhAgyAvAptyartham (for obtaining all desires), sarvApannivAraNArtham (for mitigating all evil) etc. However, a person who seeks Brahma Jnana alone, should perform the Samkalpa: Sri Lalita Mahatripurasundari Parabhattarika Prityartham. Reciting the Sahasranama without desires, solely out of overwhelming love and devotion for Amba, brings about Chitta Shuddhi and grants Moksha through the understanding of the essence of the Mahavakyas. It is for this reason that Srimadacharya Bhagavatpada has coined the phrase – shrIparameshwara prItyartham – during every sankalpa.
Bhava Shankara deshika me sharaNam