LSBhasya3

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3. The ruler on the lion-throne (Srimat Simhasanesvari).

The throne occupied by the kings is called simhasana, i.e. the

best seat.

The word simha may mean the lion that is the vehicle of Devi. The

Devi Pr. in the chapter on the meaning of her names says, “The Devi,

in her girlhood, seated on a lion slew Mahisa (an asura); hence she

is known as the slayer of Mahisa and as Simhasanesvari ( the Queen

seated on a lion).â€

Again, simha, pain. The grammarians say: The word simha came out

of the root hims, pain, siva, from the root vas desire; these two

words are formed by reversing their respective letters like the word

pasyaka (seer) to kasyapa.†Asana expelling, and isvari powerful;

i.e. she is the destroyer of the universe. Thus the Sruti (Tai. Up.

III.2) says, “ That into which they enter at their death.â€

Or, ma five. There are eight mantras called Simhasana, from

Caitanyabhairavi to Sampatpradabhairavi. Six of these taken

together form three pairs, which with the remaining two make up

five, situated in the four quarters and in the centre. The

Jnanarnava says: “ O great ruler, tell me how Devi Tripura, ascended

the five thrones and how the thrones came into existence.†Thus

questioned Siva replied, “ O ruler of the Devas, Brahma, when he

began to create was devoid of intellect ; he worshipped

Tripurasundari and became the creator. Having with great Tapas

worshipped Brahma, Indra became the king of the Devas and the

protector of the Eastern quarter. Then Tripura became pleased and

established herself in the eastern part of the throne, etc.†Thus

the name which contains the mantras is the Simhasana mantra.

Having thus by the above three names indicated Brahman in his

three aspects of creator, preserver, and destroyer, the author

proceeds to state from names 4 to 999, the birth, etc. of the Mother,

according to the Puranas, indicating the other two aspects,

disappearance, and conferring benefits, otherwise called the cause of

bondage, and the removal from it.