Lalitha as portrayed in Sahasra Nama

[Guest guest]

My dear Sir,

Here is the portrayal of Lalitha and her description in the first

part(84 names) of Lalitha Sahasranama:-

She was extremely beautiful, having dark thick long hair with

scent of Champaka, Asoka and Punnaga flowers, having the musk

thilaka on her forehead, Having eyelids which appeared as if it is

the gate of the house of God of love ,having eyes which were like

fish playing in the beauteous lake of her face, Having nose with

studs which shined more than the stars, Having ears with sun and

moon as studs, having cheeks which were like mirror of Padmaraga,

Having beautiful rows of white teeth, Chewing Thamboola with

camphor, having voice sweeter than the sound emanating from Veena of

Sarswathi, Having such a beautiful smile that Lord Shiva himself

could not take his eyes off, Wearing Mangala soothra and necklaces

with beautiful shining dollars, Having breasts which were capable of

buying the invaluable love of Kameswara, having row of faint

beautiful hair raising from her belly, having stomach with three

pretty folds, wearing red silk tied with a string with red bells.

Having thighs which steal the heart of Kameshwara, Having knees

which looked like crowns made of precious gems, having voluptuous

legs, having upper part of the feet resembling the back of tortoise,

Having feet which resembled the lamps made of gems which could

dispel worries from the mind of devotees and a body with the golden

red colour. She was given in marriage to Lord Kameshwara and made to

stay in Sree Nagara at the top of Maha Meru Mountain.

Sree nagara had 25 streets circling it. They are made of iron,

steel, copper, lead, alloy made of five metals, silver, gold, the

white Pushpa raga stone, the red Padmaraga stone. Onyx, diamond,

Vaidoorya, Indra neela (topaz), pearl, Marakatha, coral, nine gems

and mixture of gems and precious stones. In the eighth street was

the forest of Kadambas. This is presided by Syamala. In the

fifteenth street live the Ashta Digh palakas.In the sixteenth lives

Varahi alias Dandini who is her commander in chief. Here Syamala

also has a house. In the seventeenth street live the different

Yoginis.In the eighteenth street lives Maha Vishnu.In the nineteenth

street lives Esana, in the twentieth Thara Devi, twenty first

Varuni , the twenty second Kurukulla who presides over the fort of

pride, twenty third Marthanda Bhairawa, twenty fourth the moon and

twenty fifth Manmatha presiding over the forest of love. In the

center of Srinagara is the Maha Padma Vana(The great lotus forest)

and within it the Chintamani Griha (The house of holy thought),In

its north east is the Chid agni kunda and on both sides of its

eastern gate are the houses of Manthrini and Dhandini.On its four

gates stand the Chaduramnaya gods for watch and ward. And within it

is the Sri chakra.In the center of Sri Chakra on the throne of

Pancha brahmas on the Bindu Peeta(dot plank) called sarvanandamaya

(universal happiness) Sits Maha Tripura Sundari.In the Sri Chakra

are the following decorations viz., The square called Trilokya

mohanam(most beautiful in the three worlds), The sixteen petalled

lotus called Sarvasa paripoorakam(fulfiller of all desires), the

eight petalled lotus called Sarvasamksopanam(the all cleanser), the

sixteen corner figure called Sarva sowbagyam(all luck),the external

ten cornered figure called Sarvartha sadhakam (giver of all assets),

the internal ten cornered figure called Sarva raksha karam(All

protector), the eight cornered figure called Sarva roka haram(cure

of all diseases), triangle called Sarva siddhi pradam(giver of all

powers) and the dot called Sarvananda mayam(all pleasures).

The devas prayed her to kill Bhandasura..When she started for the

war with Bandasura, she was accompanied by the powers called anima,

mahima etc, Brahmi, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Mahendri, Chamundi,

Maha Lakshmi, , Nitya Devaths and Avarna Devathas who occupy the Sri

Chakra.While Sampatkari devi was the captain of the elephant

regiment, Aswarooda devi was the captain of the cavalry.The army was

commanded by Dhandini riding on the Charriot called Giri Chakra

assisted by Manthrini riding on the chariot called Geya

Chakra..Jwala malini protected the army by creating a fire ring

around it.ParaShakthi rode in the center on the chariot of Sri

Chakra.Nithya Devi destroyed a large chunk of Bandasura's armies ,

Bala Devi killed the son of Bandasura, and Manthrini and Dhandini

killed his brothers called Vishanga and Vishukra.When the Asuras

created blockade for the marching army, Sri Lalitha Tripura sundari

created Ganesha with the help of Kameshwara to remove the

blockade.Then Bandasura created the asuras called Hiranyaksha,

Hiranya Kasipu and Ravana.The Devi created the ten avatars of Vishnu

and destroyed them. She killed all his army using Pasupathastra and

killed him with Kameshwarasthra.The gods then praised her.She then

recreated Manmatha for the good of the world. This story is

contained in the first 84 names of the first 34 slokas of Lalitha

Sahasra nama .With best wishes, Ramachander