Lalitha – The Vibrant One

Lalitha is the joyful, dynamic and scintillating expression of the Self. A free consciousness, without craving and aversions, well-founded in the Self, is naturally joyful and vibrant. This is the space of Lalitha.

In the Lalitha Sahasranama, we chant a thousand names of the Divine Mother. Names have significance. If we remember a sandalwood tree, we carry the memory of its perfume. Each name of the Divine in the Sahasranama refers to different quality or attribute of the Divine.

Our needs and desires change in every stage of our life – from infancy to adolescence to youth and so on. Along with it, the quality of our consciousness undergoes a sea change. When we chant each name, it enlivens those qualities in our consciousness and they manifest in us according to the need of the hour.

Having enlivened the qualities within us by chanting the many names, we also gain the ability to cognize and appreciate them in the world around us. This leads to a full and prosperous existence. We are grateful to our ancient seers who by worshipping the divinity in all its diverse qualities showed us the way to lead a full life.

Chanting the Sahasranama is a ritual by itself. It purifies the mind and uplifts the consciousness. These chants capture our wandering mind. Even if for half an hour, the mind is one-pointed and focused on one divinity and its attributes, it stops wandering. This is a natural form of relaxation.

The Saharasnama has Bhasa saundarya. The language is beautiful and has both a deeper meaning and Laukika (transliteration). For example: Lotus-eyed signifies beautiful and pure vision. A lotus grows in the mud. Yet it is beautiful and pure. The lotus-eyed one can live in this world and see beauty and purity in spite of all its challenges.

Lalitha aims to share with the reader an insight of the different qualities described in the Sahasranama with a glimpse into both layers of meaning. The various references to a particular quality have been threaded together. This will help to present multiple dimensions of each quality in continuity.

Let us know that we have come to this planet for a beautiful and higher purpose. When read with awareness and Shraddha, Lalitha will bring refinement in the consciousness and make us a storehouse of positivity, dynamism, and joy. So, let us enjoy and become a joy to the world.

~ Bhanumathi Narasimhan, sister of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Meditation teacher; Director of The Art of Living's women welfare and child care programs; Author