CHAPTER: IV

LALITASAHASRANAMASTOTRAM: THE SHAKTA

CULT.

‘Shakti’ too is the Divine powers of the Ultimate god, Para Brahma. The concept

emerged form the very ancient times. The Goddess of power has its roots in the

Rigveda. The Rigveda believes that the Ultimate Element has innumerable

powers. The Maya is one of them. The Ultimate god Indra endowed with all

grandeur gets in to various forms with ‘Maya’ and irs innumerable powers and

creates different universes:

Rupam rupam pratirupo babhuva tadasya rupam pratichakshanaya I

Indro mayabhihi pururupa iyate yukta hyasya haraya shata dasha II

(6.47.18)

Each God, according to the Vedas, has a wife. Indra has a wife called Shachi or

Indrani. Varuna has Varuna, Agni has Agneyi, Aditya has Bharati, etc. S. K Das.

notes in his book, Shakti or Divine Power, “In tasks of creations, powers are

required equally from both the male divine element and the female divine

element. Such an understanding of found in the term ‘jnah’ that the Vedic sages

employed. It is like later on it is delineated in the literature that in order to

perform the cosmic tasks Shiva or Vishnu desires a help of his wife, Parvati or

Lakshmi” (15, 16). According to the Tantra, Mayashakti is the power by which

the infinite, formless consciousness veils itself to itself so that it may experience

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itself as a form. This Mayashakti assumes forms of the tatvas which is composed

of three gunas- attributes, namely satva, rajas and tamas.

‘Maya’ or ‘Shakti’ etc. of the Vedas is called ‘Prakruti’ in the Upanishadas. The

Ultimate God is inexpressible element and ‘Shakti is his expressible form. He is

the master of both these ‘Avyakta’ and ‘Jivarupa’ Prakruti - Shakti. The Gita

calls them “Para” and ‘Apara”. Thus, the ‘Maya’ of the Vedas is the ‘Prakruti’ of

the Upanishadas and the Gita. The Brahman creates the world with the support of

the ‘Mayashakti’. Hence, one should know the Prakruti in the form of the ‘Maya’

and God aas the master of the ‘Maya’. The world created of this power is a spark

of God, a part of the Whole. This concept of ‘Purush’ and ‘Prakruti’ becomes the

foundation of the Sankhyadarshan. Shakti has various forms like ‘Vak’ (Rigveda),

‘Aditi\Kathoupanishad), ‘Dhyava- Pruthvi’ fRigveda), ‘Purandhri’, goddess of

prosperity (Rigveda), ‘Vak’ as Prajapati’s wife (Atharvaveda), ‘Hrim’ or

Lakshmi’ (Teitariyaupanishad), ‘Aja’ (Shweta), ‘Heimavati Uma’, Lord Shiva’s

wife (Kenoupanishad), etc. The Mahabharata too recognizes Shakti or

Bhagavati- Goddess as highly honoured deity. At the beginning of the great battle

Sauti worshipped Goddess Durga. The Durgastotra is available in the Viratparva.

The books mentions the Goddess as the Maya who was bom as Lord Krishna’s

sister and whom Kamsa hit on a stone platform and then she was bom again from

Yashoda’s womb. This story throws focus on the fact that worship of Durga was

prevalent in the Mahabharata times and Lord Krishna and Arjun accepted it as

practice.

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The worship of Shakti isa popular since the Vedic times. It has the roots in the

“Devistotra”

Ya devi sarvabhuteshu shaktirupena samsthita I

Namastasyei namasteyei namasteyei namo namah II

means, “O! Goddess! You stay in all living beings in the form of power or energy,

we bow to you, we bow to you, we bow to you and hail to thee!” The worship of

Shakti is found to be developing in the Upanishadas. In the times of the

Ramayana, Mahabharata and the puranas several new forms of God like Surya,

Ganapati, Shakti, Shiva, Vishnu came to be worshipped as practice. The

Ramayana mentions Sita’s form as Laxmi: Laxmistatha padminim pachahasta I

and that Rama worshipped Durga to obtain enough power to kill Ravana. The

Puranas mention various forms of Shakti. They reveal the truth that the Brahman

Element abounds with eternal power or energy. As Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, Krishna

are different forms of the same Eternal Element. Likewise, His powers stay as

different forms of Laxmi, Parvati, Sita, Radha, etc. and they are different of the

One and only Goddess called the Parashakti. They are no different in element.

Hence, the “Durgasahasrastotra” of the Markendayapurana mention Durga as

Laxmi, Maya, Parvati, Sharda, etc. The Vishnupurana mentions Laxmi as

combined with Lord Vishnu, the mother of the world and omnipresent like

Vishnu. One story in the Markendayapurana mention that Goddess Mahamaya

was pleased and appeared before Lord Brahma at his prayer and killed the

demons Madhu and keitabh. The Goddess’s form “Mahishasur-Mardini” is the

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most popular form. The Devi-Mahatmya gives a story of the Goddess’s creation

that Goddess Durga takes birth again and again, kills evil people and demons and

protects the world. She is the compassionate mother of the world. The

Devibhacavat was written basically to adore her powers and significance.

The Shivapurana mentions two forms of the Goddess: Sober (Saumya) and

Dreadful (Raudra). Parvati, Ambiks or Uma are her sober forms. Durga, Chandi,

Kali are her dreadful forms. The Tantra scriptures attach good importance to

worship of the dreadful form of the Goddess. Different books mentions nine

different forms of Durgs, such as Kali, Tara, Tripura, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi,

Chhinnamasta, Dhumavati, Matangi, Kamala, and Baglamukhi. Thus, Goddess

Shakti is worshipped as Ten Mahavidhya, Ten Goddesses of Knowledge. The

Shaiva cult has a branch called the Shakta cult and it describes Shakti as superior

ot Shiva and a worship of the Shakti element as the superior of all. The Sanskrit

literature contain ample references to the worship of Shakti. For instance,

Kalidas’s “Shyamadandak” mentions a worship of the Goddess Matangi;

Banabhatt’s “Chandishatak; Harsh’s drama “Naganand”; Bhavabhuti’s

“Maltimadhav”.

Adhya Shankaracharya wrote several sentimental prayers and hymns in praise of

several forms of the Goddess. In his “Devyaparadhakshamapanastotra”, he

expresses his wish to spend the rest of his life reciting the names of Bhavani,

Rudrani, etc. The significant feature of worship is a devotee’s devional appeal to

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the Goddess, like Gatistvam gatistvam tvameka bhavani... (“Bhavanyashtak”) and

Kuputro jayate kvachidapi kumata na bhavanina... (“Devyaparadhakshmapana”).

In this appealing tone one can hear a plea of Shankaracharya’s childlike pure

heart. Shankaracharya’s stotras and hymns evoke sentiments of a child to his

mother and it is true that this is the basic sentiment that occupies a devotee’s heart

involved in worship of Shakti. Shakti is widely worshipped as mother.

Shakti is the base of the Indian philosophical system. Shakti is the expressible

form of the Brahman. When the Inseparable Brahman got converted in to Duality,

the condition was known with names like ‘Shiva-Shakti’, ‘Purush-Prakriti’,

‘Rama-Sita’, Ganesh-Siddhi’, Krishna-Rukmani’, etc. Though the names appear

different, and bodies too appear different, and though their sports toolook

different, but in reality they are One and no different in any sense. The duality in

these forms are just for the sake of creation of the world. Shiva is the name of that

Authority free of all attributes and Shakti is His actions or sports. Brahma is

devoid of action, Shakti is the real kinetic energy to keep the world moving. The

Goddess tells it clearly in the 10th Sukta of the Rigveda. Lord Krishna, Lord

Rama and Lord Shiva admit in their respective contexts that Shakti is their real

energy or power, “It is with the grace of Shakti that all my movements and actions

are managed”. Therefore, honour is paid with devotion to Shakti that stays in all

living beings as the soul or life energy,

Ya devi sarvabhuteshu chaitanyetyabhidhiyate I

Namastasyei namastyei namastasyei namo namah II

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Ekeiva sa mahashakti taya sarvamidam tatam II

God is considered as both the Father and the Mother, “Mata dhata pitamaha”

(Gita); “Jagatah pitarau vande Parvati Parameshwarau”, “ Tvam hi mat ach pita

tvameva”, “Mata Ramo matpita Ramaehandra”. There is another form of God,

and it is the Ardhanarishwar. This form is an expression of the integral form of

Shiva and Shakti, Purush and Prakriti, etc. The relation of Shiva and Shakti in the

form of the Creator and the cause of the creation is ever living in the Indian

imagination. Lord Shiva’s “Third Eye” is projected as Shakti’s form. Lord

Shiva’s weapon the trident is a symbol of Power of Destruction. These and all

other symbols make it clear that all actions of the Shiva Element relies solely on

Shakti. Without Shakti, Shiva is no better than a dead body. The Shakti is Shiva’s

eternal partner. Both the elements are one and inseparable.

Shakti is understood as having various forms. The three type of shakti are: 1.

Satvik, Rajasik, Tamasic; 2. Jnan, Iccha, Kriya; 3. Aditya, Agni, Vayu; 4.

Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh; 5. Mahasaraswati, Mahalaxmi, Mahakali; 6. Laxmi,

Saraswati, Gayatri; 7. Safed (white), Lai (red), kala vama (Black complexion).

Sahkti has five forms: Radha, Laxmi, Durga, Saraswati, and Savitri. Bhautik

Shakti (Physicalpowers) are of six types: Tap, Tadit, Chumbak, Madhyakarshan

(Energy of Gravitation), Alok and Rasayanik. The Tantra Science mentions six

types: Parashakti, Jnanshakti, Icchashakti, Kriyashakti, Kundalini and Matruuka

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Shakti. The Shakti has seven forms: Prithvi (Earth), Akash (Space), Bhuchak-

Bhraman, Jagadadhar, Vayu and Akash.

The Shakti worship has the objective to arouse honour and respect in people’s

minds for women in the society. The Hinduism asserts that woman is not just a

means of sex and pleasure. She has to be considered as a companion of man in a

pious task of attaining completion in life and she is the medium through which

God’s divine sports of creation of the world has been carried out. The basic

objective of worship of Shakti is to curb and control sexual instinct in man and to

expand the will power to operate in life for success. The worship of Shakti

considers a woman as worthy of honour and she makes man pious. Woman is in

fact an idolized form of the Mahamaya. The Tantra scriptures too instruct to

worship woman as an idol of Goddess following the rituals properly. The wprship

of shakti is open to all. The Vaishanva goddesses like Laxmi, Sita, Tulsi are

milder and pleasant in character. The Shaivite deities like Uma, and Devi are

milder, while Kali is awful; whereas some like Durga show mixed traits.

Shakti is worshipped as Ten Mahavidhyas:

Kali tara mahavidhya shodashi bhuvaneshwari I

Bhairavi cchinnamasta chvidhya dhumavati taiha II

'Matangi siddavidya ch kathita bagalamukhi I

Eta dasha mahavidhyaha sarvatantreshugopitah II

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means, theys are: 1. Kali, 2. Tara, 3. Shodashi (Tripurasundari), 4.

Bhuvaneshwari (Raj-Rajeshwari, Shri Vidhya, Lalita), 5. Bhairavi

(Tripurbhairavi), 6. Cchinnamasta, 7. Dhumavati (Alaxmi), 8. Matangi, 9.

Baglamukhi and 10. Kamala (Laxmi).

Worship of Shakti is an ancient practice. When the Aryans were straggling to

settle down in India they required support from elements in nature. Hence, sages

did efforts to understand the existence of the Shakti. This worship is approved by

them on definite logic. Chitralekha Singh focuses on it in the “Preface” of the

book Durga (1999), “Nature nourishes us affectionately and makes generous gifts

to us of various comforts in life. Hence, she is called Mother”. In human thought

and also from anthropological point of view, the motherhood is respected with

love and reverence. The scripture too lay emphasis through a concept of

motherhood on Shakti (energy or power). Shakti is the mother or the supreme

Being just as Shiva is the father or the supreme being. The deotees invoke the

blessings of the Divine Mother through praise, prayer and worship to awaken the

dormant orr inert state of the cosmic energy, causing it to rise up through

consciousness and to vitalize it for the realization.

The Shakti is the female aspect of the Divine. It is Eternal, it is beyond births and

deaths. It is the beginning of the world. The male dominated Brahminic tradition

pushed it back for some time. But later on, Hinduism revived the worship of the

Goddess Mother and brought goddesses to the forefront. Nature the Universal

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Mother is personified in her generative and destructive power, says Singh in the

“Introduction” of her book Durga. The modern science affirms that Shakti or

energy never dies, it converts in to another form, it changes places, it changes

mediums, and this world expands with it. This world is created and visible with

this Eternal original energy. Sages got the vision of this immense energy and

named it the Mahashakti. One receives powers with the Mahashakti. In its

absence, Indra may crush this universe, the fire may bum it to ashes, the winds

blow it off, and the like. A visionary sage describes the Eternal Element as the

“Purusha” and the condition below Him as “Prakruti”. According to it, the

Purusha and the Prakruti operate together as the Mahashakti.

Worshippers of Shakti usually pray to ten Mahavidhyas. These Mahavidhyas

relieve them from all troubles. The story of the creation of the ten Mahavidhyas

relates to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The goddess wanted to go to her

father’s which the lord denied. At it, the goddess lost her temper and her limbs

trembled with anger. It seemed that her anger would bur the world to ashes. On

beholding Sati’s terrible form, Lord Shiva looked in to ten directions and from

each direction one goddess emerged. These ten goddesses came to be known as

the ten Mahavidhyas that are capable to bless a worshipper with a boon of success

and achievements. These ten Mahavidhyas are none other than ten powers of

knowledge that nature possesses (“Das Mahavidhya Rahasya”, Shri

Chhinnamasta mahavidhya - Sadhna and Sidhi 42- 43).

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Anna N. Subramanian states in his “Preface” of Bharat Bhushan’s commentary on

the Lalitasahasranama that appears in the Brahmavaivartakpurana: “Brahma

Vidya and Sri Vidya constitute, as it were, the theoretical and practical aspects of

spiritual science. Shri Vidya elaborates the paths of religious practice through

which the truths of Brahma Vidya may be realized and experienced” (12).

Sri Vidya is the Tantrashastra It presents the truths of the Vedas. It is a “system of

doctrine” (Eliot). It is a means by which the knowledge of metaphysics or

philosophy is advanced. It includes contemplation on God’s form, inculcation of

virtues (gunas), religious deeds or rituals and rites, worship of yantras and

chakras, worship by means of mantras, japas, tarpan-vidhi, nyasa, recital of

thousand names (namasahasra), stotras and many other worship (upasana). The

Tantrashastra is the presentation of the Vedantic truth as regards the mode of life

and ruitual to meet the characteristic of Kaliyug. For each yug or age a suitable

study is prescribed. For Satyug and Tretayug, the study of the Vedas is prescribed.

For the Treta and Kali, the study of puranas is prescribed. And for the Kaliyug,

the study of the Tantrashastra is prescribed. The Tantra writings are the ‘samhita’

for the Vaishnavas and the ‘agama’ for the Shivaites and the Tantras for the

Shaktas. The word ‘Tantra’ has option in the word ‘agama’ that means it spring

our of Lord Shiva’s mouth, enters Goddess Pravati’s mouth, and gets Lord

Vishnu’s approval. According to it, Lord Shiva is the first speaker of the Tantras,

and Lord Vishnu is to approve it. Goddess parvati listens to them and imparts

them to living beings tobless them with bliss. In this way, the Tantrashastra is a

scripture that suggests remedies for pleasures and salvation.

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Mantras constitute a major component of the Tantra practices. A ‘mantra’ is a

verse composed with a sequence of words. Arvind explains it, “The language of

the. Veda itself is a shruti, a rhythm not composed by the intellect but heard; a

divine word that came vibrating out of the Infinite to the inner audience of the

man who had previously made himself fit for the impersonal knowledge” (6).

Mantra is power to inspire extra sensual powers and a process to control invisible

powers. Mantra helps one to attain salvation form life that binds ‘jiva’ - soul from

various bindings of this world. Mantra is a formation or group several letters or

words. It is basically formed of words. A word contains in it a sequence and set

composition of sounds, letters, and specific kind of sound. In the method of

worship mantra and its chanting acquires lot of significance. The seers of the

Upanishads believed that mantras have power to remove all impurities, to

overcome the evil and to transcend death. Mantras have power to attract all and it

has power to conquer all the worlds. Recitation of mantras proved to be an

inevitable need in worship. Out of this need, writing like that of sahasranam of

gods and goddesses had its emergence. In the Shakta cult, various kinds of

sahasranamstotras were created for the purpose of worship. Some most famous

and in current practice sahasranama writing may be summarized under the

category of the Devisahasranamstotra:

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Lalitasahasranamstotra

In a series of sahasranamstotras, Lalitasahasranamastotra is the most

conspicuous and in current practice. In the Brahmandpurana, Threre is a part

titled, “Lalitopakhyan”. It appears as a part of the dialogue between Lord

‘Hayagriva’ and Sage Agastya. In the beginning, the stotra is called ‘wonderful’

and it has several unique features as compared to other sahasranamstotras.

1. It can be said that this stotra is rich in its effect as the tantra.

2. It is related to ‘Shrichakra’ and ‘Chakraraj’.

3. The names like ‘Lalita’, ‘Tripurasundari’, Tripura’, ‘Kamakshi’,

‘Shridevi’, ‘Shrividhya’, ‘Kameshwari’, etc are found here and there

as options.

4. The sahasranamastptra is big in size. It contains 320 verses.

5. The stotra is devides into different‘Kalas’.

6. The stotra is unique, worth, well defined and contains secrets.

Bhaskarray has written a commentary on the stotra.

As the anecdote goes, originally Bhagawan Hayagriva gave this sahasranama to

Sage Agastya after teaching him the mode of worship of Lalita Parameshwari.

Lalita is the most important of the Divine Mother’s forms.

Lalitasahasranamastotra is the most important of the sahasranamas. Anna

Subramanian points out its unique feature, “From the fifty-one letters of the

Sanskrit alphabets, thirty-two are selected to beign the names and it is said that

the letters are specially auspicious. Tha Suta Samhita says, ‘I adore her who has

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divided herself in to thirty-two letters.’” (7). This sahasranama was originally

composed by the deities presiding over speech at the command of the Divine

Mother Herself in the assembly of gods. After listening to it, the Goddess said

“let one formally worship me or not, never miss the chanting of this

sahasranama.” It is auusred that by chanting it, one becomes free of all

afflictions. It cures diseases. It grants fulfillment of cherished desires and endow a

devotee with long life. Therefore, a worshipper invokes the goddess with names

like ‘Kamadayani’ - fulfiller of desire, ‘Annada’ - giver of food, ‘Vasuda’ - giver

of wealth, ‘Sarva Vyadhi Prashamani’ - destroyer of all diseases, ‘Shivajnan

Pradayini’ - bestower of the knowledge of Shiva. The names in the stotra are no

ordinary names. Every name becomes a ‘mantra’and the whole series a

‘malamantra’.

The story of Goddess Lalita goes like this: When Lord Shiva burnt Kamadev in to

ashes with anger of his Third Eye, gods showed pity and sympathy on him and

prayed the lord to revive Kamadev in to a human form. At God’s appeals and

entreaties, Lord Shiva blessed Kamadev with a new life. But then he was not a

human but a demon, Bhandasura, terrible in body and mind. He afflicted tortures

on gods and human beings and made their lives miserable. At this, Sage Narad

advised Indra to worship Para Shakti through a yajna, sacrifice. From the

sacrificial fire, there arose Lalita Maha Tripura Sundari. The Goddess wedded

God, attacked Bhandasura’s empire Shonitapur and killed him.

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The sahasranam begins with a description of Goddess Lalita. She is Shiva and

Shakti on one. She ia the Mother Lalita who is so called because she sports which

means ‘lalate\ She sports in and through all worlds. The word ‘Lalita’ has eight

meanings, viz. Brilliancy, Manifestation, Sweetness, Depth, Fixity, Energy, Grace

and Generosity. The sahasranama elaborates all these qualities. Further, it is said

that the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu sprang from the fingernail of the

Goddess. The Goddess is without pride and she destroys pride; she is without sin

and she destroys sins; she is without anger and she destroys anger, and the like.

She is the triad of Knowledge, Knower and Known. She transcends virtues and

vices. She creates the world in the form of Brahma, protects as Vishnu, destroys

as Shiva, absorbs as Ishwara and blesses as Sadashiva. The Goddess assumes

many-fold forms as Kamala, Saraswati, etc. Corresponding to different functions,

she is Gayatri, Vyahiri, Savitri and Sandhya. The Goddess has yogic connections

also. In the Vishuddhi Chakra, she is Dakini; in the Anahatchakra, Rakini; in the

Manipuraehakra, Lakini; in the Swadhistahnchakra, Kakini; in the

Muladharachakra, Shakini; in the Ajnachakra, Flakini, each with increase of faces

by one. The faces reveal the mystery of the emergent evolution of the mind.

Residing in the head is the Goddess herself, moon-like in luster, and din the

forehead like a rainbow, in the heart like the sun and in the solar plexus as the

fire. She is the meeting ground of Jiva and Shiva.

Shakti has dual aspects, says Arvind, “Terrible in her face to asuras, dangerous

and ruthless her mood against the haters of the divine, for she is the warrior of the

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world who never shrinks from battle... Her divine hand is everywhere, in birth as

well as in death, in health as well as in disease, in peace as well as in warfare,...”

the Goddess should be worshipped with integral understaning ahd awakened

consciousness of this dual aspects. Worship of the Goddess is understood as

synthesis and harmony, reconciliation of all contradictions. In it, diverse and

sometimes conflicting tendencies of human endeavour are accommodated. This is

exemplified in a life of Shri Ramakrishna. An adept of Shri Vidhya can be a

Shakta at heart, a Shaivate at outlook and a Vaishanava in practice. Madhav

Pandit in his “Invocation” describes Shri Lalitasahasranamastotram is “the key to

the pure Tatra Sadhna of the Divine Mother.

Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra

The Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra is counted as among the most brilliant

sahasranamastotras. The tile of the stotra itself, “Dakaradi” suggests its

uniqueness. The 230th verse says,

Durva durvadalashyama durvadalasamadhyutihi I

Namnam sahasram durgaya dadinamiti kirtitam II

‘Dadinam’ means ‘da’ stays in the beginning of names and, thus, this is the

“Dakaradi” “Durgasahasranamastotra”. The stotra has 236 verses. It appears

under the “Kulamavatantra”. Pandit Shivadatta Misra has taken it in his edited

book, Durgatantra. It is assumed the he has derived form the book,

Shaktapramod. Each name takes the “Oum” and ends in ‘namah’ with the name in

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the dative case, for instance, 1. ‘Oum Durgayei namah’; 2. ‘Oum Durgatiharayei

namah': ...1000. ‘Oum Durgadalasamadhyutaye namah’, etc .

Shridevi is the speaker of the Dakaradi Durgasahasranamastotra and its listeners

are gods in the divine assembly. It is said that Lord Shiva created it. He delivered

a lecture on it. According to the Shaktapramod, its source is “Kulamavatantra. In

the stotra, allsahasranama od Goddess Durga are “dakaradi” and nor “dukaradi”

or “durgadi”. This sahasranamastotra renders ample benefits to a devotee. The

Shaktapramod gives its beginning,

Devyuvacha- Mama nama sahasram cha Shivapurvavinirmitam...

It has the end,

Durva durvadalashyam durvadalasamadhyutihi I

A brief‘falashruti’ appears in six verses.

Dashamahavidhyasahasranamastotra

The Shaiva, Shakta and Agam scriptures mention ten Mahavidhyas. They are

siddha - Mahadevis, great goddess whose names are:

1. Kali, 2. Tara Mahavidhya, 3. Shodashi, 4. Bhuvaneshwari I

5. Bhairavi, 6. Chhinnamasta ch, 7. Vidhya Dhumavati, tatha II

8. Bagla siddhavidhya, 9. Matangi, 10. Kamalatmika I

Eta dosha Mahavidhyaha siddhividhyaha prakirtitaha II

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1. Kalisahasranamastotra

“Kakaradi” - Kalisahasranamastotra is mentioned as among unique stotras. Its

chief unique feature, as Shaktapramod counts, is the “kakaradi” which means all

thousand names begin with the letter 4k\ The second feature isis that Shri Kali is

the first name mentioned in the Ten Mahavidhyas. The stotra has one more

feature that Kali is the prominent power among the Mahavidhyas to cause

Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution in the world. The story of ‘Mahakali’

appears first in the three-fold stories of the “Durgasaptashati”. Lord Vishnu stays

in unconscious condition under Goddess Kali’s control. He could kill the demon,

Madhu-Keitabh only after getting free from the illusionary powers of the

Goddess.

In all 17 tantras in the Shaktapramod, the “Kalitantra” is the first one and it

contains 115 pages. Mahavidhya- Mahamaya Kali is without the beginning and

the end. She is “Brahmaswarupini” - the form of the Brahman. She is formless

and yet appears before her devotees in a form that they can see her in meditation.

Kali has many ‘upabheda’ - kind such as, 1. ‘Chintamani-Kali’, 2. ‘Sparshamani-

Kali’, 3. 1 Shantiprada- Kali’, 4. ‘Siddida- Kali’, 5. ‘Dakshina-Kali’, 6.

‘Kamakala-Kali’, 7. ‘Hansa-kali’ and 8. ‘Guhyya-Kali’. In the Tantrshastras, Kali

is called the form of the Mahavidhya. She redeems devotees who surrender them

to her. The books od the Agamshastra abounds in praises of the Goddess. She is

the superior for the attainment of knowledge, and penance. In the Kaliyug, the

worship of Kali renders all benefits to a devotee.

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All thousand name in the stotra are ‘kakaradi’ means beginning with a letter

‘k’.Thespeaker of the stotra is Lord Shiva who possesses a style of ‘Yamaliya’

and the listener is Goddess Bhavani-Parvati. The stotra is presented in 182 verses.

Shaktapramod details on its worship, rituals, etc.

2. Shritara-takarasahasmnama (Mahavidhya- the second)

Shri Tara-Mahavidhya (or Ugratara- Mahavidhya) is perhaps little known. Its

worship is more known among Buddhist tatra-worshippers. It has separate verses

for meditation. Tara-Mahavidhya is also known as ‘NilsaraswatP. The

‘Tarastotra’ says that it is more known. The Tarasahasranamastotra is compiled

in the Yamal scripture namely, Bramayamal. It is unique about this stotra that all

thousand names in the stotra are ‘takaradi’, means all names begin with letter ‘f,

The stotra begins with the 11th verse and ends with the 244th verse. Lord brahma

is its speaker and Sage Vashitha is theone who listens and raise questions.

3. Trip urns undarisahasranamastotra

Tirpurasundari is the second for Shodashi Mahavidhya. Tripurasundaristotra

written by Adya Shankaracharya is very popular. Its popular name is

“Saundaryalahari”. It is very popular and prevalent among Tatrik worshippers.

Goddess Tripurasundari is endowed with all different forms of beauty and all of

them bloom fully. Further, she incorporates in her the element of are of Lord

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Shiva. The stotra is taken from “Shrivamakeshwartantra”. It beA|is with the

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4. Bhuvaneshwarisahasranamastotram

The sahasranama appears in the “Mahamavatantra”. It is a hymn through one can

meditate on the Goddess. The stotra contains 184 verses. Lord Shiva is the

speaker of the stotra and Goddess Parvati listens to it from the lord. Ishan himself

says in the verse 202nd,

Vishnave kathitam purva brahmaneapi priyamvade l

Adhunapi lava snehat kathitam parameshwari! II 202 II

5. Chhinnamastasahasranamastotram

Goddess Chhinnmasta has another name ‘Pracandachandika’. The listener of this

stotra is Goddess Parvati and the speaker is Lord Shiva. This Mhavidhya is a

goddess of a worship called ‘Vamopasana’. If the goddess is worshipped with

this sahasranamastotra with all required rituals it renders to a devotee aggressive

results.

6. Tripurabhairavisahasranamastotram

The verse in adoration ‘Mahavidhya Tripurbhairavi’ appears in the beginning of

Shaktapramod, There is famous temple of Goddess Tripurasundari at Kashi.

Thousands of people vist the temple regularly. Daily they have the darshan of the

goddess. The street too is named “Tripurabhairavi”. Sometimes ‘Tripurabhairavi'

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is also called ‘Bhairavi’. The speaker of the stotra is Mahakal Bhairav and the

listener is Goddess Maheshani. Thestotra contains 1008 names of the goddess.

7. Mahavidhya Dhumavatidevi.

The Shaktapramod mentions Goddess Dhumavati in the beginning. The

meditation of this form reveals her as ‘Bhimarupa’. There is a temple of Goddess

Dhumavati at Kashi. Many devotees visit the temple. The street too is known as

‘Dhupachandi’. ‘Dhupachandi’ or ‘Dhumchandi’ are the other names of Goddess

Dhumavati. The speaker of this stotra is Shri Bhairav and Shri Bhairavi is the

listener. The total verses in it are 169. Then follows the ‘Falashruti’. The stotra

has no mention in the Shaktapramod. One scholar says that the sahasranama

appears in Rudryamal.

8. Baglamukhi-sahasranamastotra

There are two verses in worship of Baglamukhi in the “Bagalmukhi tantra” of

Shaktapramod. It gives verses of worship of the goddess and also mentions about

the benefits by its worship. This Mahavidhya is also called “Pitambara”. The

recital of the Baglamukhistotra and its chanting is in good practice. Its chanting is

done with a garland of ‘Haridra’. Its worship is very popular for motives like

defeat of an enemy, stopping of his speech, his failure, and destroying an

enemy’s power of thinking. Some verses in the stotra mentions very clearly the

effect of the Goddess Baglamukhi. The sahasranamastotra contains powerful

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verses on the Mahavidhya. The chief speaker of the stotra is God and the chief

listener is Goddess Uraa - Bhavani.

9. Malt a vidhyamatangisah as ran amastotram

The stotra appears in the Rudrayamal, a famous Tantra scripture as prayer in

adoration of the goddess. The speaker of the stotra is God himself and the listener

is Goddess Sumukhi. The source of the stotra is the “Uttarkhand” of the

Shrinandhyavarttatantra.

10. Kamalatmika mahavidhya r Sahasranamstotra

Goddess Kamalatmika means ‘Kamala’ or ‘Laxmi’. At the beginning of the

stotra, Sanatkumar shows the ancient history of its emergence. According to it,

the stotra was told by Lord Vishnu and its listener was Lord Brahma. Lord

Vishnu presents the stotra. This stotra has a series of other stotras.

Besides these sahasranamastotras, other major sahasranamastotras are mentioned.

They are:

1. Gayatrisahasranamastotra,

2. Devisahasranama,

3. Laxmisahasranama

4. Saraswati or Shardasahasranama.

Devisahasranamavalihi edited; by ShivadattaMisra Shastri and published by

Thakurprasad and Sons Bookseller (Second Edition) of the year 1979 mentions

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the two: “Devisahasranamavali” and “Gayatrisahasranamavali”. The book does

not have a collection of sahasranamastotras. These and many other

sahasranamastotras that relate to individual forms of Shakti and are in the

knowledge may be listed as under:

1. Devisahasranama - Mahabhagavat, Devipurana and Kurmapurana.

2. Lalitasahasranama - Brahmandpurana and Naradapurana.

3. Saraswatisahasranama - Shaktiyamal

4. Gayatrisahasranama - Devibhavat, Gayatripanchang and Shri

Rudryamal

5. Bhavanisahasranama - Shaktapramod I.

6. Bhuvneshwarisahiasranama - Shaktapramod I.

7. Renukasahasranama - Agamasarvasva.

8. Kalikasahasranama - Shaktapramod I.

9. Durgasahasranama - Kulamavatantra.

10. Baglasahasranama - Shabarnagendra - Shaktapramod.

11. Kundalinisahasranama - Rudryamal - Uttartantra.

12. Kumarisahasranama - Rudryamal - Uttartantra.

13. Bhairavisahasranama Vishwasaratatva.

14. Dhumavatisahasranama - Shaktapramod.

15. Matang isahasranama -N adhyavartasutra - Uttarakhand.

16. Annapumasahasrahama - Annapumapanchang.

17. Radhikasahasranama - Brahmyamal.

18. TuijasahasranamaBrahmyamal.

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Rivers acquire lot of significance in the growth od human culture and civilization.

The Aryans worshipped the elements in nature like rivers, earth, sky, fire,

mountains, vegetation, wind, etc. primarily because they are givers of life, rather

contributors of human existence. Water being elixir of life proved it inevitable for

life. Rivers being the live and the near most source build affiliation with people

who put up their settlements on and around their banks. It may be for such reason

that all major civilizations of the world were settled and flourished on the banks

of rivers. This makes rivers worthy of worship and all human being, whether he

believes in god or not, has to consider rivers important for life. Like that, rivers

started being worshipped basically as mother, a giver of life. Hence, we worship

the rivers with a famous verse and the like,

Ganga chayamune cheiva godavari saraswai I

Namrade sindhu kaveri jalesminn sannidhikurum II

There is a unanimous opinion that the Rigvedasamhita is the oldest in the Sanskrit

literature. The “Nadisukta” in ti gives one very famous verse,

Imam me gange yamune saraswati shutudri stomam sachata paurshnya I

Asikanya marudbudhe vivastayarjikoye shrunuhya sushomaya II

(Rigvedasamhita, 10/75/5).

Ganga is the first name on the list of rivers worthy of worship. The river enjoys

superior among all rivers as the most significant river on the earth. The Aryans

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recognized its significance since the early Vedic periods. There is perhaps no

scripture or book on the earth tat remains untouched with the name Ganga. The

Rigvedasamhita, Shatpath-Brahman, Valmiki-Ramayana, Mahabharata,

Vishnupurana, Padmapurana, Brahmapurana, Naradiyapurana, Varahapurana

Garudapurana, Shivapurana Shrimadbhagavadpurana, and several other

scripture sing hymns and prayers in the glory of the sacred river.

The Gangasahasranamastotra is available in several independent books and

reference books of Sanskrit literature in the form of “Gangakirtan”. or

“Gangamahatmya” or “Gangavakyavali” or “Gangabhaktitarangini”. They are

available in books like Tirthakalpataru by Laxmidhar, Tristhalisetu,

Tirthachintamani by Vachaspati Misra. The following writing may be mentioned

as those desribing the significance of Ganga.

1. Gangadharpaddhati - written by Gangadhar.

2. Gangakrutyaviveka - It is said that this book was written by

Vardhaman between the years 1450 and 1500.

3. Gangabhaktitarangini (Pratham) - It was written by Dharashwar’s son

Ganapati in the year 1766.

4. Gangabhaktitarangini (Dwitiya) - The writer is Chaturbhujaharya. The

time is not known.

5. Gangamrut - It has a co- authorships of writers namely Vardhaman

and Raghunandan. The time is that of Vardhaman which is around

1450- 1500.

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6, Gangavakyavali - The writer is Vidhyapati who wrote it for the queen

Vishwasdevi of the king of Mithila.

7. Gangabhaktiprakash - It was written around the year 1795-95 (V. S.©

1842).

Beyond these stotras, there hundreds of stotras are written on the Ganga in

Sanskrit and in other languages thousands of stotras are written. They include

“Gaagashtak” by Sage Valmiki and “Gangashtak” by Kalidas and

Shankaraeharya. Jagannath’s “Gangalahari” is a unique poetry on the Ganga with

its lucidity.

The famous stotras in the name of sacred rivers are:

1. Gangasahasranama - Kashikhandontargatam.

2. Yamunasahasranama - Gargasamhita.

3. Narmadasahasranama - Narmadapurana.

Shrigangasahasranamastotra.

Many Puranas and other scriptures describe the Ganga as important as any

goddess. Ganganamakirtanstotra is available from them. The twenty seventh

canto of the “Kashikhand” gives the “Gangadashahastotra”. Skand, Goddess

Parvati’s son told about the Ganga’s significance to Sage Agastya. The

Gangasahasranamastotra is considered the most graceful, beneficial and sacred

among all stotras. Its recital renders one benefit almost equal to taking a sacred

bath in the river Ganga. Then the stotra begins with “Skanda uvacha”. It means

that the chief speaker is Skanda, goddess Parvati’s son

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Its recital relieves one from all kinds of troubles and sins (verse 181-183) and one

attains everything (verse 179-80). Shankaracharya wrote a commentary of the

Vishnusahasranamastotram, Shri Bhaskarray wrote a commentary of

Shrilalitasahasranamastotram. Likewise, Ramanand has written a commentary

on the Gangasahasranamastotra. The stotra has unique features.

a. The thousand names in the stotra begin with letter !a’ or ‘OunT

and they follow the alphabetical sequence to end up with the last

letter ‘ksh’ as the first letter of the last name.

b. The names follow the same sequence from alphabets ‘a5 to

‘ksh’.

c. The stotra gives benefit as equal to that of taking a sacred bath

in the river Ganga. Those devotees who are unable to go to the

banks of the Ganga and take the bath may take the benefit with

recital of the stotra.

d. The stotra has come to the print version for the first time. Hence,

it is missing matters like ‘ Viniyog’.

Yamunashtakam

The river Yamuna has been worshipped for its sacred ness. It has been associated

with Lord Krishna and Radha as it flows down the place mathura and Vrindavan

when Lord Krishna was bom and spent his early childhood with playful and

innocent sports with radha and other cowherdesses, Shrimad Bhagavad sings in

its glory in this connection. Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya of the Pushti set had a

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sacred vision of the river and he wrote the stotra, Yamunashtakam. Though the

stotra may not make up the total of one thousand names of the sacred but it

certainly captures the spirit and the value of a sahasranamastotra.

Shrinarmadasahasranamastotra

The river Narmada too remains among major rivers that arouse devotion in the

minds of Hindu devotees. Since the Vedic times, the river enjoys a special

reverence from devotees for its mythological connections The Narmada is

worshipped also for its contribution to human life and culture. It flows down

though five major regions of India and fertile the land with its waters. Its

contribution is unique to the growth of life and culture in these regions. People of

these regions value the river most for their prosperity and give out slogans like

“Namami Devi Narmade”, etc. The river takes many places on its banks and

sanctifies them to become true places of pilgrimage. It inspires religious activities

to consolidate people’s faith in Divinity and spirituality. Out of faith and devotion

for the river, devotees create hymns and prayers in her praise. A longer hymn of

the length of sahasranama too was created in her praise. One such stotra appears

in the “Revakhand” of the Skandapurana (16-30). The stotra begins with a verse,

Namam nama mahotvadiyacharanam ramve shive narmade I

Vadam vada mahotvadipa maskrunnameiva mauksha pradam II

The stotra appears as a dialogue between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Lord

Shiva describes the river as.

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Sadkupriye mahasadho lokanugrahakarini I

Narmada mahati maya sarvsampattikarini II

It means, “The Narmada is dear among noble people. She renders good to people.

Narmada is a great maya. She generates all kinds of wealth”. The stotra is

composed of fifty one verses. It ends with,

Eshvarchryadatrijanadukhahantri papantrivimalacchri I

Shivatmikalokapadasthitatvam Shirnarmade devimam prasida I

Mama prasida II 51II

This shows that the river is adored like a goddess as she nourishes people like a

mother and inspire them for higher thoughts like a guide or guru. We get a

complete text of the stotra in the book Shri Narmadapurana, pages 16 to 30. This

shows the affinity that people feel with elements in nature. Man is indebted to

these elements for his growth and prosperity. He gives a voice to his feeling of

gratitude in a stotra like this. Such stotras help to cause tuning between man and

elements in nature. Thus, it leads man to create harmony in the universe.

Since rivers are worshipped as mother they form a part of worship of Shakti, They

in fact form an extension of the Shakta cult to acquire practical dimension in view

of human existence on the earth. Its value, thus, counts in broader perspective of

socio-cultural and economic life Of the nation. Such a perspective counts rivers

valuable. The writing like sahasranamastotra indicates how valuable the river is to

people that they place her in line of gods and goddesses.

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The sahasranamastotras exhibit several kinds of variety.

1. Several sahasranamastotra follow the pattern of having the first letter of a

worshipped god. Like

a. the names in the Durgasahasranamastotra begin with a letter ‘d’.

b. the names in the Tarasahasranamastotra begin with a letter ‘t’.

c. several sahasranamastotra follow the sequence of the alphabets. For instance,

Gangasahasranamastotra.

d. Kamalasahasranamastotra does not follow the alphabetical sequence in the

beginning and at the end. But in the middle, it, however, follows the order from

letter ‘k’ to letter ‘m\ (48 - 50).

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REFERENCES

Purohit. “Das Mahavidhya Rahasya”, Shri Chhinnamasta Mahavidhya - Sadhna and Sidhi.

Bhushan, Bharat, 2002. Lalitasahasranama.

Ghosh, Aurobindo, 1956, On the Vedas.

Rigvedasamhita.

Shri Narmada Purana. (Skandpurana no Revakhand sampuma).

Singh, Prrem Nath C. 1999, Durga (Parama Shakti, Maheshwari, Mahadevi).

Tripathi, Karunapati. 1992. Gangasahasranamastotram.

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