Lalita Sahasranama

hbdave hbd at DDIT.ERNET.IN
Thu Apr 18 04:13:01 CDT 2002


riccardonova wrote:

> >--- "Jaldhar H. Vyas" <jaldhar at BRAINCELLS.COM> wrote:
> >>
> >> Lalita Sahasranama is part of Brahmanda Purana which is a "public"
> >> work.
> >> Perhaps it is only the esoteric meaning which is secret.  That's what
> >> Shri
> >> Bhaskararaya  says about Chandi Patha which as part of the Markandeya
> >> Purana is in the same class.
> >>
> >
> >Yes, it is work in puraNa and it is open to all varNa-s and gender.
> >Yet, phala shruti says initiation to shrii vidya is required(unless you
> >dismiss it as artha vaada). If you have the text the phala shruti of
> >either lalita sahasranaama and lalita trishati, please read and it will
> >make it clear.
> >
>
> Unfortunatly in my edition "Sri RamaKrishna Math Mylapore, Chennai 600 004"
> the Phala shruti is not included, a very brief description of it's contents
> is reported in the Preface by the editor.
>
> As a musician I am very much interested in the musical qualities of this
> text end his hipnotic and repetitive structure; also the meditations on the
> meanig of the various manifestations/functions is helping me a lot
> inproving my spiritual life _ "Om Isvaryai namaha " _  I am therefore
> intrested in the musical implication of this text and in it's astonishing
> message for mankind -
> Thanks for reminding to me that full respect should be given to such a text.
>
> "Om catuh sasti kalA mayyai namaha "

If you can locate  saubhaagyabhaaskarabhaasya   by Bhaskararaya, it is
considered the most illuminating commentary on Lalitaasahasranaama.

shriilalitaa is considered the kaameshvarii swarupa of  brahmavidyaa,
i.e. parabrahmamahi.sii

she is  "s.rgaarapradhaana
other names are :
"sriividyaa  raajaraaje"svarii  mahaatripurasundarii  baalaa  pa~ncadasii
.suda"sii
and is equivalent to  cit "sakti  in Vedanta.

She seats on the lap of mahaakaame"svara (= "siva = brhman of Vedanta),
on a platform upheld by pa~ncamahaapreta.

She controls va"sinii vaak etc.

The interesting thing from view point of Advaita is :
the total non-duality  (paramasaamya) of Shiva and Shakti is called
saamarasya, and its achievement is considered the ultimate achievement.
That achievement is represented by "sriilalitaambaa.

A musician will naturally be attracted by the phonetic quality of the
stotra. Set to proper raaga according to the mood of the meaning of
a particular group of names and proper taala, the stotra should be
an unforgettable  experience.  Though the basic metre is simple anu.s.tup
("sloka) as mentioned by Shri Jaldharji,  the phonetic patterns can be
used to weave other rhythemic patterns, overlayed on the basic rhythm.

The basic concept is the infinite variety of play of Maya and if a musician
can bring about a representation of this via rhythemic and tonal patterns,
(raaga maalikaa?) it should be a  memorable experience as mantioned above.

Best wishes,
-- Himanshu



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