The names are woven into the Anuṣṭubh metre (8 syllables per quarter), the most common meter in Sanskrit for sutras and didactic verses. Example: śrī mātā śrī mahārājñī śrīmat-siṃhāsaneśvarī 3.2. Grammatical Cases: While many names are in the nominative case (direct address: “She is…”), a significant number are in the dative case (e.g., brāhmaṇyai , śivāyai , vaṣaṭkārāyai ), indicating “to her” as the recipient of worship. Some are in the instrumental ( vidyayā , “by knowledge”), signifying means of attainment.
Author: [Your Name/Academic Institution] Date: [Current Date] Abstract The Lalitha Sahasranamam (ललितासहस्रनामन्) is one of the most revered Sanskrit stotras (hymns) in the Śrī Vidyā tradition of Hinduism. Composed entirely in the Sanskrit language, it enumerates one thousand names (nāmāni) of the Supreme Goddess, Lalitha Tripurasundarī. This paper analyzes the text from three perspectives: (1) its mythological and textual origin within the Brahmanda Purana , (2) its unique linguistic and metrical features in Sanskrit, including the use of specific cases, compounds, and poetic devices, and (3) its theological function as a mantra-śāstra where each name is considered a condensed mantra for meditation. The paper argues that the Sahasranamam is not merely a litany of praise but a systematic Sanskrit map of non-dual (Advaitic) metaphysics, encoded through sound, etymology, and esoteric meaning. 1. Introduction Among the vast corpus of Sanskrit devotional literature, the Sahasranamam (literally, "a thousand names") genre holds a distinct position. While the Vishnu Sahasranamam is widely known, the Lalitha Sahasranamam is arguably the most sophisticated in terms of tantric and philosophical depth. It is the central liturgical text of Śrī Vidyā, a tradition that worships the Divine as the Supreme Feminine Principle ( Śakti ). The text is found in the Lalitopakhyana (the narrative of Lalitha) within the Brahmanda Purana , framed as a dialogue between the sage Hayagrīva and the sage Agastya. lalitha sahasranamam sanskrit
This paper explores how the Sanskrit language, with its precise grammatical structures and phonetic resonance, serves as the vehicle for conveying both the immanent and transcendent nature of the Goddess. Each of the thousand names functions as a bīja (seed) or a mantra , making the recitation a transformative ritual. The Lalitha Sahasranamam is embedded in the Uttara Khanda (later section) of the Brahmanda Purana . According to the narrative, after the Goddess Lalitha annihilated the demon Bhandasura, the gods requested Hayagrīva (an incarnation of Vishnu with a horse’s head) to reveal the means of worshipping her. Hayagrīva then teaches the thousand names to Agastya. The names are woven into the Anuṣṭubh metre