{"id":15868,"date":"2021-09-27T12:02:32","date_gmt":"2021-09-27T06:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pillaicenter.com\/blog\/?p=15868"},"modified":"2021-10-20T16:23:02","modified_gmt":"2021-10-20T10:53:02","slug":"navaratri-chant-lalitha-sahasranama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pillaicenter.com\/blog\/navaratri-chant-lalitha-sahasranama","title":{"rendered":"This Navaratri, Chant Lalitha Sahasranama"},"content":{"rendered":"

\",<\/a><\/p>\n

Introduction to Lalitha Sahasranama <\/h2>\n

The term \u2018Sahasranama\u2019 is of Sanskrit origin and means \u2018the Thousand names.\u2019 Hinduism has several sacred texts praising the Gods and Goddesses, and Sahasranama is one of them. Saharanama contains praise in thousand different names of a God or Goddess. Therefore, there are different Sahasranamas for each God or Goddess.<\/p>\n

Of the available Sahasranamas, Vishnu Sahasranama, Lalitha Sahasranama and Shiva Sahasranama are very popular. While some devotees recite Sahasranama daily, some recite it once a week or during auspicious days or festivals.<\/p>\n

Lalitha Sahasranama<\/a> praises the divine mother and lists a thousand names of her. \u2018Lalitha\u2019 itself is one of the important names of the Goddess. \u2018Lalitha Tirupura Sundari\u2019 is the supreme form of the divine mother, and thus this powerful Sahasranama is known by her name. A thousand names in Lalitha Sahasranama praises the qualities of the divine mother, each of the names is so powerful and full of divine vibrations.<\/p>\n

The legends of Lalitha Sahasranama <\/h2>\n

As per the legends, Lalita Sahasranama was composed by the eight vaag devis (Vasini, Kameshvari, Aruna, Vimala, Jayani, Modini, Sarveshvari, and Kaulini) upon the directions of the Goddess Lalitha herself.<\/p>\n

This stotra appears in the Brahmanda Purana, an ancient Hindu text, in the chapter of discussion between Lord Hayagriva and Sage Agastya. Lord Hayagriva, featuring the head of a horse, is one of the incarnations of Lord Maha Vishnu. He is worshipped as the God of Knowledge and was the one who retrieved the Vedas from Asuras who stole them. On the other hand, Sage Agastya is one of the saptharishis (the stars of the constellation Saptarishi).<\/p>\n

Agastya wanted to know the thousand holiest names of Sri Lalita and did penance towards Lord Hayagriva to have them taught to him. Lord Hayagriva, satisfied at the penance, appeared before Sage Agastya and taught him these thousand names of the Goddess. <\/p>\n

It is widely believed that the Lalithambigai temple at Thirumeyachur, near Myladuturai, is where Agastya was initiated into this sahasranama. An alternative belief is that the Upanishad Bramham Mutt located at Kanchipuram is where this initiation happened.<\/p>\n

Why is Lalitha Sahasranama significant <\/h2>\n

Though there are many stortras dedicated to the Goddess, the Lalitha Sahasranama stands out. The following points make it significant.<\/p>\n