Lalitā Sahasranāma

Hymn

A hymn of a thousand names for the goddess Lalitā, from the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. Six of the thousand, in order, as they open the text.

Name 1

śrīmātā

The Mother — the first name, and the simplest: everything that follows describes what she already is.

Name 2

śrīmahārājñī

The great queen. Not a ruler over territory, but sovereign over the whole of what is.

Name 3

śrīmatsiṃhāsaneśvarī

She who is seated on the lion-throne — the seat itself signifying rule, unshaken.

Name 4

cidagnikuṇḍasambhūtā

Born from the fire-pit of consciousness: the Purāṇa tells of her rising from the fire of the gods' sacrifice.

Name 5

devakāryasamudyatā

Risen and ready to do the gods' own work: the text says she was invoked to end a threat they could not.

Name 6

caturbāhusamanvitā

Four-armed, in the traditional image — each hand holding something the names that follow will name in turn.

Whole

śrīmātāśrīmahārājñīśrīmatsiṃhāsaneśvarīcidagnikuṇḍasambhūtādevakāryasamudyatācaturbāhusamanvitā

Part of the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa: the god Hayagrīva, at the sage Agastya's request, is said to have taught him these thousand names of the goddess Lalitā. Devotees recite the whole hymn as worship; the names are addressed to her, not explained.

A thousand names. These are the first six.

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