lalitā

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

I wrote,

we use red, as lalitā is quite fond of red; we are told this in the lalitā-sahastanāma, 23rd, 37th, 49th, 133rd śloka i.e. each and everything of sarvāruṇa is red in color i.e. aruṇa means red.

Is there significance behind this red ?

nira�janā = pure, spotless ( this is the 133rd name of lalitā)
yet ni + ra�jana has the following implications:

• ni = 'within' or 'into or in' ; it can also express dāna ( giving), uparama ( stopping or giving-up); ni can also represent mokṣa
• ra�jana = pleasing , charming , rejoicing , delighting , red sandalwood

praṇām

[JaiMaaDurga]

Namaste yajvan,

Once again I thank you for helping all who might come across this
thread to see how multi-faceted the Sahasranama truly can be-
you have a true gift for presenting knowledge in such a way
that encourages one to deepen understanding, and to pursue further
what else awaits those who seek beyond the surface!

JAI MATA DI

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

I will leave the red question for others to answer...

I thought to make the following observation. With śrīmātā's name, we find Her name
as 'nir' + _____ no less then 20+ times within the lalitā-sahastanāma. Here's a few examples:

• nirupamā
• nirantarā
• nirupādhiḥ
• nirīśvarā

We can take note that nir = nis = 'without' , 'destitute of' , 'free from'. So in the names above, śrīmātā is being described 'without or free from' some thing.
The last name is quite interesting as it offers nir + īśvarā . She ( śrīmātā ) is without (nir) a ruler, master, lord, superior (īśvarā). Why so ? Because She is Supreme, She is non-different then the Supreme.

We too will find multiple names that begin with nis + ___ e.g. niṣkalaṅka or stainless, immaculate. Yet in this case it is spelled 'niṣ'. When we use this spelling 'niṣ' it is based upon the rules of grammar that is found in saṃskṛtam.

We too have names that begin with niś + ____ e.g. niścintā, meaning She without worries or anxiety (cintā).
Hence we have nir, nis, niṣ and niś , offering a variety of things She is free from or without.

Yet is there more then we see here? I think so. It lies within the first sound form of 'na' न , the first letter of the phonemes aforementioned. This 'na' न has a few meanings. One can guess it must have some connection to the word meanings offered above, and it does i.e. some type of simple negation of being without, or ' no' or 'not' or 'neither'. Yet it too is associated with knowledge. It is also associated with vacuum or ākāśa ( space). This na is also another form ( and core ) for the ṇa sound form, the cerebral nasal sound, resonating in the nose.

This ṇa is exquisite as it is considered nirvṛti - this means complete satisfaction or happiness , bliss , pleasure , delight and we find it as part of kṛṣṇa's name. Nirvṛti also means emancipation or nir-vāṇa . Nirvāṇa means blown or put out , extinguished and applies to extingishing ignorance, the repetition of birth and death.

How does this na fit into the conversation of śrīmātā ? She is also known by the name nārāyaṇī. The beauty here is the components of nā + rā + aya + ṇa ( Note that ṇī is the female version of ṇa). We take note that we understand the idea of 'na' from the conversation above; If we look at ayana it means the path or the direction, moving in the direction of . So it is nāra (humans) moving in the direction of (ayana) complete satisfaction or happiness , bliss , pleasure , delight (ṇa). It is the human that is moving to nir-vāṇa.

So śrīmātā = nārāyaṇī = nā + rā + aya + ṇa = where we are headed as humans... the resting place or nir-vāṇa.

praṇām

[shian]

I ♡ Mother Lalita, thank you Yajvan ( always waiting )

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

Another name of śrīmātā that attracts me is kālasaṃkarṣinī. This name does not appear in the lalitā-sahasranāma but is found in the mālinīvijayottaratantra.

kāla + saṃ + karṣinī

• kāla = black , of a dark colour , dark-blue
• kāla = kālī = durgā who is durgatināśinī = She who removes distress
• kāla is rooted in kal , 'to calculate or enumerate' , 'a space of time' or time in general.
• saṃ = union , thoroughness , intensity, completeness
• saṃ is rooted in yuj , 'to join together'
• saṃkara - mixing together , commingling , intermixture ; yet this word is rooted in kṝ and is defined as 'to pour out , scatter , throw , cast , disperse'.
• karṣiṇī is drawing along , pulling , dragging

Based upon the disambiguation� of this name by breaking it down into its components, what you think is the nature of this name what collectively re-assembled ? That is, what quality of śrīmātā is being offered by this name kālasaṃkarṣinī ?

praṇām

words
disambiguation - clarification that follows from the removal of ambiguity

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

what quality of śrīmātā is being offered by this name kālasaṃkarṣinī ?

There are many meanings to this name and we can review several of them if there is interest. Yet there is one meaning that I think is insightful is made from the following :

• kal , 'to calculate or enumerate' , 'a space of time' or time in general.
• saṃ is rooted in yuj , 'to join together'
• karṣiṇī is drawing along , pulling , dragging

It is She who presses (out) time; or, She who pulls along time.

Now I tend to like the notion of pressing out, the same as mother giving birth to a child - she presses or pushes out the child. In this case kālasaṃkarṣinī is Mother Divine who presses out all of time.

praṇām

[JaiMaaDurga]

Namaste yajvan,

Again many thanks for your continued exploration, please forgive
my indulgence in sharing some thoughts your post has brought forth.

The mention of pulling or drawing along brings to mind the process of
weaving; we can see Her as the "weaver of time" in the forms
of the twin Devis Ratri and Usha of the Rig Veda, as Night and
Dawn, dark and light, warp and weft.

Just as time may be said to be "drawn" like a thread, or "pressed out"
as in birth, there is also that which may physically
be both "drawn" into thread and woven, and "pressed out" into oil-
that being flax, which brings us to yet another name and form of Devi, Uma..

The more I seek to know about Devi, the greater my love and wonder
for Her grows!

JAI MATA DI

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

Another name for śrīmātā is paśupāśavimocinī or paśu +pāśa +vimocinī

• paśu = 'to see, behold!' ; yet it also is a tethered animal.
• pāśa = a snare , trap , noose , tie , bond , cord , chain. It is one that is tied, or trapped.
  • If we take this word apart we have pā +aśa and we will see how it applies.
  • This pā is to draw in, to drink, feast upon , to drink or eat repeatedly + aśa or 'aś' is 'to cause to eat , feed ' and hence we take it as hunger
• vimocinī - for this word I wish to only offer the suffix nī as the overall word becomes a bit lenthly to explain.

The nī portion will do nicely as it means to carry away, to lead, to bring into any state or condition.

So this overall name paśupāśavimocinī becomes quite interesting (to me). We within the human condition are considered paśu's or tethered animals. We are 'tethered' to the senses, to pleasure and wish to avoid pain. We are trapped ( pāśa ) and we are tethered to the desire of eating , or drawing in (pā) as we hunger ( aśa ) and feed our senses. This means food no doubt, but also those experiences that bring pleasures to us - as we are stuck in this cycle of desire, experience, feed the senses, and hunger (aśa) for more experience for the senses.
In this name śrīmātā is called paśupāśavimocinī becasue it is She that carries or leads us away (nī) from this condition of thirst.

Yet there is more ( as one would expect).... One could look at pāśa like this: pā + śa

• pā - is the same as before and we can define it as 'hunger'
• śa (3rd derivitive) =śiva

Now we have She who leads (nī) the tethered animal (humans or paśu ) to hunger (pā) for śiva (śi); We may even say to behold śiva because paśu also means to behold or see.

Is there more to this name ? Yes, but we will leave it for another time.

praṇām

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

Another name we find in the lalitā-sahasranāma for śrīmātā� is tāpasārādhyā. We may look at this work in this manner tāpa +sāra +ā + dhyā to gain its appreciation.

• tāpa = heat and what is being suggested is tapas - one's spiritual practice
• sāra = essence ; it also means stretching out , extension
• ā = śiva and also is considered śivā - another way of writing the energy of śiva or His wife durgā or pārvatī
• dhyā = meditation;

So as we look to the components of Her name tāpasārādhyā we come to the following: She (ā) who is the essence (sāra) of one's meditation ( dhyā ) .

Now if we come to appreciate the term tapas it is performed by the tāpasī or tāpasa i.e. the ascetic ( female or male) that practices religious practices or tapas. Hence, She is tāpasārādhyā , is the essence (sāra) of
the tāpasī or tāpasa's practice ( dhyā ) .


praṇām

1. śrīmātā - the one that creates ( measures out) the universe

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�


Another name we find in the lalitā-sahasranāma for śrīmātā is tatpadalakṣyārthā. We may look at this work in this manner tatpada +lakṣya +arthā to gain its appreciation.

• tatpada = the place of that ; or this also says 'the word tad' ; tad = brahman
  • or we can look at it as tat + pada
  • tat = tad = brahman
  • pada = mark, step, stide
  • tat + pada = the mark of brahman
• lakṣya = mark, sign, aim , object
• arthā = substance , opulence ; aim or purpose

So with this tatpadalakṣyārthā, it clearly points to the notion that She is brahman, that (tad).


praṇām