Book Review from the Hindu- .....LAKSHMI ASHTOTHRA SATANAMA NIRUKTHI STHUTHI [Names of the Divine Mother]

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Names of the Divine Mother

 

V.N. GOPALA DESIKACHARIAR [Oppiliappan Koil]

 

LAKSHMI ASHTOTHRA SATANAMA NIRUKTHI STHUTHI — Volume

1: V. S. Karunakaran; Sri Vishnu Sahasranama

Satsangam, C-8519, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070.

Price not stated.

 

Down the ages, there has been an unending stream of

devotional literature, extolling the glory of

Mahalakshmi, the divine consort of Lord Narayana.

Starting from the Sri Sukta, Medha Sukta, Aditi Sukta,

Sraddha Sukta et al in the Vedas, we have Lakshmi

Ashtottara Satanama stotra propounded by Siva, Sri

Stuti by Indra after churning of the Milky Ocean as

found in the Vishnu Purana, Mahalakshmi Ashtaka by

Indra, Kanakadhara stotra by Adi Sankara, Chatussloki

by Alavandar, Sri Stuti by Vedanta Desika and so on.

 

Lakshmi Ashtottara Satanama stotra is highly revered

and recited daily by the devout, along with Vishnu

Sahasranama. The names of Goddess Lakshmi in this

stotra are also chanted while performing archana to

the deity in Vishnu temples.

 

Features

 

Karunakaran, a reputed scholar in Sanskrit and

Vaishnavite philosophy, has given the meanings of each

of the names in English, together with interesting

anecdotes culled from the Vedas and the Puranas,

justifying the attributes.

 

Also, on the lines of the famous Nirukthi on the

Vishnu Sahasranama, the author has composed charming

verses in Sanskrit on the etymology of the names.

 

The present volume contains details of the first 36

names of the 108. The stotra eulogises the Divine

Mother as effulgent, compassionate, merciful,

possessing all forms of wealth, blemishless,

forbearing and forgiving to a fault.

 

The author has done a fine and praiseworthy job of

suitably interpreting the names and providing

perfectly apt anecdotes for each of the names; and the

explanations under names 3, 9, 11, 24 and 31 are

particularly nice.

 

Attributes

 

Some of the names here like Hiranmayi, Lakshmi and

Nityapushta, already occur in the Sri Sukta, and the

Lakshmi Tantra, the sacred Pancharatra text, discusses

elaborately the etymology and significance of these

names.

 

The paragraphs under name 6 have all got mixed up,

causing confusion. Besides, there are quite a few

printing mistakes throughout, both in English and

Sanskrit.

 

Furnishing the text of the stotra for purposes of

recitation, and an index of the names with

corresponding page numbers for easy reference would

have been useful. Karunakaran has to be congratulated

for undertaking this noble and valuable work, which

will immensely benefit the English-knowing people

 

http://www.hindu.com/br/2006/05/16/stories/2006051600571600.htm