āsthāna-vidvān śāstrālaṅkāra Vēdabrahmaśrī K P Shankara śastrī
(on the occasion of the completion of Lalitā Sahasranāma kōṭi kuṅkumārcana, 3/13/94)
On the auspicious occasion of Srī Lalitā kōṭi kunkumārcana, which has gained special significance on account of being performed in the sannidhi of Mahāgaṇapati and Annapūrnēśvarī, I pray to the lotus feet of Srī Lalitāmbikā for bhaktalōkakṣēma. But is it not appropriate to use names from Annapūrṇā sahasranāma to perform archana to the deity here rather than Lalitā sahasranāma? It is said in the śāstra:
āvāhya dēvatāmanyāṁ nānyanāmabhirarcayēt ||
This would mean that one should not perform the āvāhana of Rāma on Rāmanavamī and perform archana with Kr̥śṇāṣṭōttara or use Rāmāṣṭōttara on Janmāṣṭamī to worship śrīkr̥ṣṇa. Though this does make sense at some level, one can certainly use Viṣṇu sahasranāma to worship various mūrtis such as Rāma, Kr̥ṣṇa, Varāha or śrīnr̥siṁha. As all these deities are considered to be avatāras or aṁśas of śrīmannārāyaṇa, using the sahasranāma of the mūla dēvatā does not result in dōṣa.
There is this statement in Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa:
laukikādvacanānmukhyaṁ viṣṇunāmānukīrtanam |
It is meritorious to recite the names of śrīmannārāyaṇa rather than speak worldly words.
The scriptures describe at length the great merit attained by reciting the sacred name of śrīmannārāyaṇa:
rāma nārāyaṇānanta mukunda madhusūdana |
kr̥ṣṇa kaśava kaṁsārē harē gōvinda mādhava |
ityēkādaśanāmani sadā saṅkīrtayēnnaraḥ ||
Lord Mahādēva describes the glory of Rāma-nāma to śailajā thus:
śrīrāma rāma rāmēti ramē rāmē manōramē |
sahasranāma tattulyaṁ rāma nāma varānanē ||
Lalitōpākhyāna describes the recitation of śiva-nāma as more meritorious than Hari-nāma:
viṣṇunāmasaharācca śivanāmaikamuttamam ||
Other scriptures assert the importance of Shiva nāmasmaraṇa as well:
śivēti dvyakṣaraṁ nāma yairudīritamuccakaiḥ |
tē dhanyāstē mahātmānaḥ kr̥takr̥tyāstathaiva ca ||
Elsewhere:
vidyāsu śrutirutkr̥ṣṭā rudraikādaśinī śrutā |
tatra pañcākṣarō mantraḥ tatra śiva ityakṣaradvayam ||
Lord śrīkr̥ṣṇa himself sings the glory of Shiva nāma thus:
mahādēva mahādēva mahādēvēti vādinam |
bhaktyāhamanugacchāmi nāmaśravaṇavāñchayā ||
Though we state here categorically that Shiva nāma is greater than Viṣṇu nāma, it can also be seen that Shiva is ever immersed in meditation on Kr̥ṣṇa:
svapnē jāgaraṇē śaśvat kr̥śṇadhyānarataḥ śivaḥ ||
It is stated next in Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa that reciting the names of Srī Lalitā is much more meritorious than even Shiva nāma:
śivanāmasahasrācca dēvyā nāmaikamuttamam ||
When scriptures describe at length the greatness of Shiva and Viṣṇu nāmas, how is it that we claim Dēvī nāma to be the greater than them? Here is where one should carefully analyze to understand the underlying tathya. Though Shiva, Viṣṇu, etc. represent Saccidānandātmaka Parabrahma vastu, śudda brahma is napuṁsaka; in other words, it lacks puṁsatva. Then how can it be responsible for the creation, maintenance, etc. of the prapañca? Only when associated with Pārāśakti do these activities become possible:
napuṁsakaṁ parabrahma kathaṁ nāṁ jagatsr̥jēt |
svaśaktisaṅgamē tattu jagatkāraṇatāṁ vrajēt ||
Thus, jagatkāraṇatva is attained only by association with svaśakti. This concept is further clarified in Brahmasūtra (prakr^itiśca pratijñādr̥ṣṭāntānuparōdhāt), Kēnōpaniṣad and Dēvī Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa (dvādaśa skandha). Following is the essence of Kēnōpaniṣad:
tēna vinā tr̥ṇamapi na calati |
Thus, the importance of śakti and thus śakti nāma for various activities, laukika or otherwise, becomes established. Though Dēvī can be worshipped through various other sahasranāmas such as Rājarājēśvarī or Sundarī sahasranāmas, the nāmasāhasrī of Lalitā is considered to be special due to many reasons, one of which is overflowing mādhurya with anything and everything associated with Lalitā. śrīmadācārya states in Vēdapāda stava:
lalitēti sudhāpūramādhurīcōramambikē |
tava nāmāsti yattēna jihvā mē madhumattamā ||
Thus, it is impossible to sing the glory of Lalitā sahasranāma, which lists the names of Parabrahma-śakti Lalitā, whose mahimā is lōkātīta and whose svarūpa is śuddha sattvamaya (unlike other dēvatā mūrtis as pointed by Bhāskararāya Makhīndra). It is the same Parāśakti who has assumed various forms such as Shāradā, Annapūrṇā, Mīnākṣī, etc. for various activities that amount to lōkānugraha:
ēkaiva śaktiḥ paramēśvarasya
bhinnā caturdhā viniyōgakālē |
bhōgē bhavānī samarēṣu durgā
kōpēṣu kāḷī puruṣēśu viṣṇuḥ ||
Now that we understand the concept of Parāśakti or the Mūla śuddha Brahma-śakti (from who all other śaktis originate) as the adhiṣṭhātr̥ dēvatā of this sahasranāma, we now need to clearly understand abheda between śakti, Shiva and Viṣṇu.
The following verse describes abheda between śrīmannārāyaṇa and Durgā:
śvētadvīpē śayānā phaṇipatiśayanē paṅkajaṁ dhārayantī
dōṣṇā vāmēna lakṣmīmr̥ditabhujalatā bhūmisaṁlāḷitāṅghriḥ |
dēvī divyairmunīndraiḥ suravaranivahaiḥ stūyamānā samantāt
sarvānarthōpaśāntyai bhavatu bhagavatī śāntidurgābhidhānā ||
Elsewhere:
nirjitya daityānakhilān jagaddruhaḥ
śāntāmanantōragabhōgaśāyinīm |
bhaktākhilōpadravahētubhañjanīṁ
dēvīṁ prapadyairdiviṣadbhirīḍitām ||
Even the nāmasāhasrī describes Ambikā as Gōptrī Gōvindarūpiṇī, Mukundā Muktinilayā, etc. The puṣṭi for this statement can be seen in other Purāṇas as well:
kadācidādyā lalitā puṁrūpā kr̥ṣṇavigrahā |
vēṇunādavinōdēna vivaśīkurutē jagat ||
Owing to ignorance, men perceive Ambā to be different from Shiva or Viṣṇu and as non-identical with Brahma-vastu. But the truth is that she is indeed the Supreme tattva:
yōyaṁ cakāsti gaganārṇavaratnaminduḥ
yōyaḥ carācaraguruḥ puruṣaḥ purāṇaḥ |
yadvāmamardhamidamandakasūdanasya
dēvi tvamēva taditi pratipādayanti ||
For the sake of clarity, one can examine a few more such pramāṇas:
sahasramūrdhānamanantaśaktiṁ sahasrabāhuṁ puruṣaṁ purāṇam |
śayānamicchā lalitē tavaiva nārāyaṇākhyaṁ praṇatō’smi rūpam || (Kaurmē)
mamiva pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ gōpikājanamōhanam |
kadācillalitādēvī dhr^itaśrīkr̥ṣṇavigrahā |
vēṇunādavinōdēna mōhayatyakhilaṁ jagat || (Brahmavaivartē)
ahaṁ ca vāsudēvākhyō nityaṁ kāmakalātmakaḥ |
ahaṁ ca lalitādēvī puṁrūpā kr̥ṣṇavigrahā |
āvayōrantaraṁ nāsti satyaṁ satyaṁ hi nārada || (Pādmē)
Abheda between Dēvī and Rāma is also stated in Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa:
kiṁ tvāmanyata vaidēhaḥ pita mē mithilādhipaḥ |
rāma jāmataraṁ prāpya striyaṁ puruṣavigraham ||
Here, the phrase striyaṁ puruṣavigraham is interpreted by vyākhyās like Mahēśvaratīrtha-tilaka to indicate the fulfillment of a prophecy in Shiva Purāṇa:
ityuvāca mahēśō’pi priyāṁ himavataḥ sutām |
pārvatī rāmarūpēṇa sūryavaṁśē bhavatpurā |
sītārūpēṇa bhargastu vidēhānvayajō’bhavat ||
According to the tale in Shiva Purāṇa, Bhagavatī Pārvatī incarnated as Rāmacandra and Lord Mahādēva as Sītā.
The abheda between Shiva and Shakti has been a much-discussed topic. Even in laukika prapañca, a human bereft of śakti cannot accomplish much and the cosmic activities of Shiva can be seen in a similar light. Though a man can feel that he either has śakticor does not, such a vyavahāra is simply imaginary. In the world, a couple is described as śakti and shaktimAn. No one is permitted entry between them except the children as they are considered to be ātmābhinna. The same tattva gets stated as below in the scriptures:
na śivēna vinā śaktiḥ na ca śaktyā vinā śivaḥ |
śivō’pi śavatāṁ yāti tayā virahitaḥ svayam ||
Thus, keeping this abheda tattva in mind, one should interpret the words stating mahimātiśayatva of Lalitā sahasranāma and benefit by its recitation. Another significant aspect of this sahasranāma is its mantrākṣaramayatva. The sahasranāma is filled with bījākṣaras: examples are names such as Padmanābhasahōdarī, śrīmātā, etc. Bhattanārāyaṇa, Bhāskararāya, and others point out such names which are mantragarbhita nāmas. As these names reveal mantra, chakra and arcā saṅkētas, they are secretive in nature, unlike many other sahasranāmas.
Without initiation into śrīvidyā, it is not advisable to recite Lalitā sahasranāma and Triśatī:
yō dadāti vimūḍhātmā śrīvidyārahitāya vai |
tasya kupyanti yōginyaḥ sō’narthaḥ sumahān smr̥taḥ ||
śrīvidyā is not attained by alpa puṇya as stated by Lord Shiva:
dēvatāntaramantraughajapaśrīphalabhūtayā |
jāpakastava dēvyantē vidyayā vindatē’mr̥tam ||
By reciting the sahasranāma with devotion, after obtaining instruction from Sadguru, one is blessed with aihikāmuṣmika bhōga and mōkṣa.
sadgurucaraṇāravindārpaṇamastu