306) Sri Rajni

— Crowned Queen.

317) Sri Raksakari

— The Saviour.

325) Sri Jagatikanda

— Root of the Universe.

326) Sri Karunarasa-Sagara

— Ocean of Compassion.

329) Sri Kanta

— Ultimate Form of Reality.

The self-existent constrains the senses which turn to external objects.
Therefore man sees the external objects, not the internal self;
But the wise, with eyes averted and desirous of immortality, behold the inner self.

"The Reality, considered as the innermost Self of any particular creature or object, is called the Atman — as we have already seen. When the Reality is spoken of in its universal aspect, it is called Brahman. This may sound confusing, at first, to Western students, but the concept should not be strange to them. Christian terminology employs two phrases — God immanent and God transcendent — which makes a similar distinction. Again and again, in Hindu and Christian literature, we find this great paradox restated — that God is both within and without, instantly present and infinitely everywhere, the dweller in the atom and the abode of all things. But this is the same Reality, the same God head, seen in its two relations to the cosmos. These relations are described by two different words simply in order to help us think about them. They imply no kind of duality. Atman and Brahman are one."

"Nondualistic Vedanta

Vedanta presents an ancient worldview that fully accords with contemporary quantum physics and cosmology. Furthermore, Vedanta offers plausible extensions to these sciences and provides means for advancing their current frontiers! Vedanta is based on the Upanishads which form the final parts or conclusions of the Vedas — a set of Indian scriptures written 2500-500 B.C. The teachings of the Upanishads are rather indefinite and have led to several interpretations. Two main approaches have evolved — one dualistic (dvaita) and the other non-dualistic (advaita). Only the latter will be considered at this site.

The Ultimate Reality alone is real. The universe is unreal. The individual Self is not other than the Ultimate Reality.

These three statements of Shankara (8th century A.D.) express the essence of advaita Vedanta. The Ultimate Reality (Brahman) is the source and cause of the universe but is not an intrinsic part of it. The relationship between the Ultimate Reality and the universe resembles the relationship between the Sun and its reflexion on a lake. The Sun is the source of the reflexion but is not contained in it. In the same sense that the Sun is the only reality behind the reflexion, the Ultimate Reality is the only reality behind the universe. — The second of Shankara's sentences does not state that the universe does not exist, it just states that the universe only exists in the same sense that the Suns reflexion on the lake exists. If not for the Sun there would be no reflexion and if not for the Ultimate Reality there would be no universe. On the other hand, as the Sun is independent of whatever happens to its reflexion, the Ultimate Reality is independent of whatever happens to the universe — and is always present behind the scenes.

The third of Shankara's sentences states that our individual Selves are actual manifestations of the Ultimate Reality. The Self is related to the mind and body much in the same way as the Ultimate Reality is related to the whole universe — i.e. the Self is the source and cause of the mind and body but is not an intrinsic part of these. Nevertheless, the Self is always present behind the scenes and is just veiled by the various mental activities of the mind. These activities can be stilled by means of certain techniques, whereby the veil vanishes so that the Self is experienced directly. Since the Self is an actual manifestation of the Ultimate Reality, a direct experience of the Self equals a direct experience of the Ultimate Reality."

To many it is not given to hear of the Self. 
Many, though they hear of it, do not understand it.

Wonderful is he who speaks of it. Intelligent is he who learns of it.

Blessed is he who, taught by a good teacher, is able to understand it.

The truth of the Self cannot be fully understood when taught by an ignorant man,

For opinions regarding it, not founded in knowledge, vary one from another.

Subtler than the subtlest is this Self, and beyond allegoric.

Taught by a teacher who knows the Self and Brahman as one, 
A man leaves vain theory behind and attains to truth.

The awakening which you have known does not come through the intellect,

But rather, in fullest measure, from the lips of the wise....

Words cannot reveal him. Mind cannot reach him. Eyes do not see him.

How then can he be comprehended, 
Save when taught by those seers who indeed have known him?

Katha Upanishad 1.2.7-9; 2.6.12

338) Sri Veda-Janani

— Mother of the Vedas.

The Vedas are the breath of this great Being.

Because there arose from the Kundalini, 
which is triangular in form, the vowels and consonants;
Hence She is the Mother of the Vedas.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

"Precious or durable materials — gold, silver, bronze, marble, onyx, or granite-have been used by most ancient peoples in an attempt to immortalize their achievements. Not so, however, with the ancient Aryans. They turned to what may seem the most volatile and insubstantial material of all — the spoken word — and out of this bubble of air, fashioned a monument which, more than thirty, perhaps forty, centuries later, stands untouched by time or the elements. For the Pyramids have been eroded by the desert wind, the marble broken by earthquakes, and the gold stolen by robbers, while the Veda remains, recited daily by an unbroken chain of generations, traveling like a great wave through the living substance of the mind."

"In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life; it will be the solace of my death."

"There is a mighty law of life, a great principle of human evolution, a body of spiritual knowledge and experience of which India has always been destined to be guardian, exemplar and missionary. This is the Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Religion. Hinduism is the one religion which impresses on mankind the closeness of God to us and embraces in its compass all the possible means by which man can approach God."

"Whenever I have read any part of the Vedas, I have felt that some unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching of the Vedas, there is no touch of the sectarianism. It is of ages, climes, and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of the Great Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am under the spangled heavens of a summer night."

"Spiritual life is the true genius of India. Those who make the greatest appeal to the Indian mind are not the military conquerors, not the rich merchants or the great diplomats, but the holy sages, the rishis who embody spirituality at its finest and purest. India's pride is that almost in every generations and in every part of the country, from the time of her recorded history, she has produced those holy men who embody for her all that the country holds most dear and sacred."

"India's spirituality is undoubtedly the most versatile in the world. Nowhere on earth has the impulse toward transcendence found more consistent and creative expression than on the Indian peninsula."

"If I were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow — in some parts a very paradise on earth — I should point to India. If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed the choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solution of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant-I should point to India. And if I were to ask myself from what literature we here in Europe, we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thought of Greeks and Romans, and of one Semitic race, the Jewish, may draw that corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human, a life not for this life only, but a transfigured and eternal life-again I should point to India."

"The Sanskrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than Greek, more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either."

"What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the light of a higher and purer luminary which describes a loftier course through a purer stratum-free from particulars, simple, universal."

"The Rig-Veda, the first of the Vedas, is probably the earliest book that humanity possesses. In it we find the first outpourings of the human mind, the glow of poetry, the rapture at nature's loveliness and mystery."

Jawaharlal Nehru

"Among all the great religions of the world there is none more catholic, more assimilative, than the mass of beliefs which go to make up what is popularly known as Hinduism."

W. Crooke

"In religion and culture, India is the only millionaire! There is only one India! The land of dreams and romance. The one land all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the globe combined."

339) Sri Visnu-Maya

— Produces an illusion of limitation, even to Visnu who is limitless.

This My divine illusion, consisting of gunas is very difficult to transcend.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

340) Sri Vilasini

— Universe is for Her Pleasure.
— Opens or closes way to Self-Realization.

There one should know the cavity of Brahman [Brahmarandhra], surrounded by millions of Rudras. . . .
There is another Sakti called Brahmani, seated on the lap of Brahman,
Obstructing the door of the path of salvation.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

358) Sri Taruni

— Ever Young

359) Sri Tapasaradhya

— Worshipped by Penance.
— Beyond those incapable of meditation and penance.

361) Sri Tamopaha

— The Remover of Ignorance.

"Ignorance (avidya), because of which the seeming reality of our empirical experience remains superimposed upon the ultimate reality of Brahman, is thus absolutely inexplicable, through its very nature. It cannot be demonstrated by reasoning, since reasoning itself can never stand apart from ignorance. Analyzing ignorance by reasoning is like searching darkness with the help of darkness. But neither can it be demonstrated by knowledge; for with the awakening of knowledge no trace of ignorance remains. Analyzing ignorance by knowledge is like studying darkness with a blazing light. "The very character of ignorance," declares the Vedantic philosopher Suresvara, "is its sheer unintelligibility. It cannot bear any proof; if it could it would be the real thing." It is, on the contrary, a false impression (bhranti.) "This false impression is without real support and is contradictory to all reasoning," the same authority states in another text. "It cannot stand against reasoning anymore than darkness against sun."

The existence of ignorance, then, has to be accepted, even though it is inexplicable in itself; otherwise we should deny the undeniable fact that the phenomenal world is experienced. Brahman is experienced, and that experience is the sage's proof of Brahman; but if experience counts in one context it must be allowed to count also in the other. Hence, ignorance is described as "something" which may be said to have "the form or appearance of a floating or transient reality" (bhavarupa.) In common with the beings and the experiences rooted in it, this "something" has the "form of becoming" (also bhavarupa): it is transient, perishable, conquerable. Having come into existence at the beginning of time, as the very basis of world experience and ego consciousness, it can go out of existence again. If it were truly existent (sat, "real beyond changes") it could never be dispelled, and there would be no experience of Atman-Brahman as the sole reality; there would be no Vedanta. But on the other hand, if ignorance were non-existent it would not display all these effects. The only thing that can be found out about it, therefore, is that this "something" is "antagonistic to knowledge, incompatible with wisdom," for it vanishes, with all its modifications, at the dawn of knowledge; and furthermore, that the gunas are inherent in it, for it cannot be separated from them any more than a substance from its attributes. The proof of its existence, finally, is the simple awareness, "I am ignorant." "

365) Sri Svatmananda-Lavibhuta Brahmadyananda-Santatih

— All Bliss enjoyed from Sri Brahma downwards are a drop in     Ocean for Her.
— "The sum total of hundred anandas makes single unit of Sri     Brahma’s Bliss." Taittiriya Upanisad 2.8.4

366) Sri Para

— The Ultimate.

There is a Shakti called Kundalini. 
Having known Her, who is ever engaged in the work of the creation of the universe,
A man never again enters his mother’s womb as a child.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

"The notion of divinity which works on this basis of power is the cult of Sakti. It is through energy that the motionless substratum gets energised and the universe can be created, maintained and destroyed. She is the power of Siva. This primordial Goddess is worshipped as the "Veiled Kundalini" in Swami's song on Guharini (—20). The quiescent aspect of Siva and the dynamic activity of Sakti combine to beget countless centres of energies in the macrocosm and microcosm. "It is in the union of Sivam and Sakti that true wisdom is fully revealed." "

(source: Himalayan Academy, 1998, www.hinduismtoday.kauai.hi.us/)

367) Sri Pratyak-Chiti-Rupa

— Inner Consciousness or Knowledge.

Those who see Truth and speak Truth, their bodies and minds become truthful.
Truth is their evidence, Truth is their instruction, True is the praise of the truthful.
Those who have forgotten Truth cry in agony and weep while departing.

As the heat of a fire reduces wood to ashes, 
The fire of knowledge burns to ashes all karma.
Nothing in this world purifies like spiritual wisdom.
It is the perfection achieved in time through the path of yoga,
The path which leads to the Self within.

369) Sri Para Devata

— The Ultimate Godhead.

If you neglect Me, O King of the Mountain, 
You cannot attain the pure rest of the Supreme Nirvana,
Therefore seek refuge in Me as One, as many, or as combined; 
Thus worshipping Me, O great King, you will attain that state.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

372) Sri Bhakta-Manasa-Hamsika

— The Female Swan in the Mind; dwells in devotee's mind.

"The Human Mind

In Vedanta, the mind is regarded as a conscious force which manifests itself as intellect, will, ego and memory. The mind is called intellect, when it is concerned with discrimination, decision or bringing knowledge. The mind is called will, when it, via the nervous system, forces the body or senses into activity. The mind is called ego, when it identifies itself with the body and senses and takes part in their troubles and pleasures. The mind is called memory, when it recalls earlier wishes, thoughts, actions, events etc.

The mind works from five different levels — the unconscious, the subconscious, the conscious, yoga-nidra and the superconscious level. Of these the first three reside in the chitta (or mind-stuff) which is a certain fine manifestation of the kundalini energy. The chitta is the reservoir for all impressions and the mind must always refer to the chitta to recall earlier wishes, thoughts, actions, events etc. The conscious level corresponds to the knowledge that can be recalled without deep thinking. Any active wish or thought leaves an impression in the chitta at the conscious level, but if not repeated the impression sinks down to the subconscious level. Here it remains for a while and can be recalled by deep thinking. If not recalled here, the impression sinks further down to the unconscious level, where it remains in a causal form. In the normal, awaken state the mind cannot recall impressions from the unconscious level but they may be recalled in dreams, instinctive actions, under inspiration or by certain unconscious habits. According to Vedanta, the two remaining levels, yoga-nidra and superconciousness, can only be (intentionally) accessed by those who have practiced the techniques of yoga and meditation. (Yoga-nidra is a state in which one is asleep but nevertheless is fully aware of the surroundings).

Like everything else, the mind is composed of the three gunas and is caused by their interactions. One guna always dominates the other two, and it is the dominating guna that determines the general state of a person's mind. A person, in which the tamas-guna is dominating, is confused and lives in darkness — tendency to anger, greed, hate, laziness etc. is prevailing. If the rajas-guna is the dominating, the person is very active and possesses a mixture of positive and negative tendencies. The rajas-guna person may lie, swindle and commit murder but for each such deed, he or she will feel deep regret and guilt. The rajas-guna either works towards tamas-guna suppressing sattva-guna, or works towards sattva-guna suppressing tamas-guna. When the sattva-guna is the dominating, the person is calm and peaceful and has a pure, powerful and concentrated mind. A sattva-guna person is always unselfish, truthful, fearless and wise.

Now, since the play of the gunas is a dynamical affair, it is always possible to change ones general state of mind. Actually, the various mind improving techniques — be they of ancient Eastern or modern Western origin — are essentially aimed at getting a hold of the rajas-guna and consciously ease it towards the sattva-guna — regardless of whether the originators and practioners may know it or not. — On the next couple of pages, the classical techniques of Eastern origin will be introduced. We shall not postulate that these are superior to the techniques of modern Western origin, but they certainly do have at least one great advantage — they have been developed and thoroughly tested for millennia by numerous practioners."

373) Sri Kamesvara-Prananadi

— Life-breath of Sri Shiva.
— "Without Her, He is unable to move." Saundhara-Lahari 1.

The guru, it is declared, is the very Lord himself.

To approach the guru, to worship the guru, is to approach the Lord, worship the Lord.

Why should the Lord choose to manifest through the guru, 
Why should he not act directly?

Shiva is really all-pervading, above the mind, without features, imperishable... infinite;

How can such a one be worshipped? 
That is why, out of compassion for his creatures,

He takes the form of the guru and, when so worshipped in devotion,
Grants liberation and fulfillment.

Shiva has no binding form, Shiva is not perceivable by the human eye;

Therefore He protects the disciple conforming to Dharma in the form of the guru.

The guru is none other than the supreme Shiva enclosed in human skin;

He walks the earth, concealed, for bestowing grace on the good disciples....

To him who is loaded with sinful karma, the guru appears to be human;

But to him whose karma is auspicious, meritful, the guru appears as Shiva.

374) Sri Krtajna

— Witness and Judge of all.

389) Sri Nirupama

— Unequalled.

390) Sri Nirvana-sukha-dayini

— Giver of the Bliss of Liberation.

Within this body are countless objects. 
The Gurmukh attains Truth, and comes to see them.
Beyond the nine gates, the Tenth Gate is found, and liberation is obtained.

392) Sri Srikanthardha-saririni

— Half the body of Sri-kantha i.e. Siva. The equal status of Siva and Sakti are indicated by this name.

Even Siva by worshipping whom, by meditation, by the power of Yoga, 
Becomes the Lord of the siddhis, and becomes half-female (ardhnarisvara)

In the beginning was Self alone. . . . 
He then divided Himself into two, 
And thence arose husband and wife.

(source: R. A. Sastry, Lalita-Sahasranama, The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras, 1988.)

The powerful energy cannot be distinct from the substratum from which it arises.
The word Sakti meaning 'energy' is found in the Vedas, 
Where its equivalent saci (Divine grace) represents divine energy.
It should be known that energy assumes various forms,
At the command of Him who is the maker of time, who is omniscient, 
Who is Pure Consciousness itself, and by whom all this is ever enveloped."

(source: Himalayan Academy, 1998, www.hinduismtoday.kauai.hi.us/)

396) Sri Paramesvari

— The Ultimate Ruler.

397) Sri Mulaprakrtih

— The Original Nature.

400) Sri Vyapini

— All Pervading.

"In what does the Infinite rest?" 
"In its own glory — nay, not even in that.

In the world it is said that cows and horses, elephants and gold, 
Slaves, wives, fields, and houses are man's glory —

But these are poor and finite things. 
How shall the Infinite rest anywhere but in itself?

"The infinite is below, above, behind, before, to the right, to the left. 
I am all this. This Infinite is the Self.

The Self is below, above, behind, before, to the right, to the left. 
I am all this.

One who knows, meditates upon, and realizes the truth of the Self, 
Such a one delights in the Self, rejoices in the Self.

He becomes master of himself, master of all worlds. 
Slaves are they who know not this truth."