aparaS SATA
LALITASAHASRANAMASTOTRAMeras TL,
LALITASAHASRANAMASTOTRAM
(Text with Jayamaigala Commentary
of Bhai
ardyana)
Edited by
DR. P. G. Lalye
BKP
Buaratiya KALA PRAKASHAN
DELHI (INDIA)First Edition : 2007
All rights reserved, no part of this Publication may be reproduced in
any form of by any means without permission of the Publisher.
Published by C.P, Gautam
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Introduction
‘Adoration of a female deity or a Goddes, embodying the
Supreme Absolute spirit, has been an important aspect of the
spiritual life of India, right from the Vedic times. The consort
‘of God was worshipped with equal veneration at the beginning
Gradually the power of God was personified and was treated
‘as the Mother of the Universe. The consorts of the famous Gods
Were the object of equal veneration. Visnu-Laksmi, Siva-Siva
or Bhavant, Brahma-Sarasvati are the well-known pairs. It is
believed that these female deities are inseparably related with
their male-counterparts
‘A web of mythology is developed around these deities in the
‘Tantra, Sakta and Purana literature. Many deities performed the
{asks of subduing the demons as was done by the corresponding
‘ale Gods, The epithets of the female deities (Devis) convey their
noble tasks of destroying the demons who were the enemies of
Gods. Thus the epithets like the Mahisisuramardini, Bhandasura-
Vadhodyukta, Kaulini, Lalita, Jagadamba, Bhuvanesvari and
many other crystalize some traditional legends in themselves.
‘The Tantras and many Puranas have eulogized the Goddess in
glowing terms.
‘The panegyric or eulogy of the Goddess is epitomized in
Sanskrit in the form of “One thousand epithets” (Sahasranama)
‘This type of eulogy was pionecred by many Puranas. Most of
them are in regular recitation of the devotees. The epithets are
Adjectives which refer to the various feats performed by the Gods.
__ The Lalitasahasranimastotra is a thousand-named compo
Sition in the Brahmanda Purana in the Hayagriva-Agastya
_—_—_conversation. The Lalitd incarnation of the Supreme Power has
killed the demon called Bhanda. Every epithet is a radiant
symbol of the divine characteristics of Goddess Lalita. Both
empirical and transcendental qualities of the Devi are described
in it. The etymological and the grammatical import show the
universal spectrum of Devi’s lustre. The text is a concatenation
of epithets but has become an instrument of various double
entendres and endless possibilities of meanings in the Tantra
and Sakta parlances. This garland of names exudes perfume of
various Tantric doctrines like Bija, Kuta, kula. The epithets
synchronize the supreme, divine and benevolent nature of Devi
Lalité and also her evil-destroying faculties. Almost all the
epithets contain allusions to her extra ordinary feats on micro
and macro levels of connotations. Lalitasahasrandmastotra is
highly venerated throughout India as an important treatise on
Mantrasastra
Obviously, many scholars, especially scholars of Tantra-
sdstra were inspired to write commentaries on this work. Here
are a few commentaries, known to the editor.
1. Saubhagya Bhaskara of Bhdskara Raya, Nirnaya Sagar
Press Mumbai 1933
Kalyana Srikala of Kalyananda Bharatt, Ajanta Art
Printers, Vijayawada, 1950.
Vimalananda—The manuscript was found in Kanchi-
puram
Vidyananda Munisvaraé commentary (A disciple of
Anantardya Pujyapada),
Bhattanarayana’s Jayamafigala (The present text).
There are many translations with notes on the work in
Marathi
In Telugu, Gudharthadipika by Rachakonda Venkatesvara
Rao; “Parimala’ by R. Ananta Krishnasastri are well-known
commentaries. Some scholars like Krishna Swamy; Swamy
Vimalananda and Ch. Suryanarayana Murty have furnished
(vii)
English translation with notes. Dr. I. Panduranga Rao, of Delhi
has written the exposition of the work in Hindi. Of these the
Saubhagya Bhaskara” commentary of Bhaskara Raya has
become very popular.
Bhaskara Raya was a master of Mantra and Tantra Vidyas.
He has profusely quoted from various Upanisads, lexicons,
Tantra works and Puranas. He has offered a number of alter-
tative explanations, displaying deep erudition in many Sastras
‘The Nirnayasagar Press edition gives a list of works, composed
by him. It appears from the commentary that he is more inclined
to the Vamamarga of the Tantras.
Bhaskara Raya has pointed out 32 syllables, selected as
the beginning leters of epithets of the text of Lalitasahasranima.
The epithets, according to him, are in all the three genders and
so they qualify the Brahman only. This commentary pre-supposes
‘a good deal of acquaintance with the Tantra and Vedanta works
oon the part of the reader.
‘The commentary Jayamafigalé by Bhatta Narayana which
is being published in the Devandgart script for the first time, is
also unique in many respects. Hari Radhakrishna Murty, a great
devotee of the Devi and a well-known scholar of Sanskrit and
Telugu, unfortunately could not publish it. His worthy son,
Professor Hari Sivakumara, Retired Professor and Head, Depart
ment of Telugu, Kakatiya University, Warangal (A.P.)
undertook the work of publishing it and accomplished it
assiduously, He has written a scholarly introduction to it. 1 am
indebted to him for allowing me to use the data given by him in
the introduction
We learn from the beginning and from the colophon of
Jayamangala that Bhatta Narayana was the son of Venkata
Ghvari, an Advaita teacher. The name of his mother was
Nardyanamba, His Guru in Srividya was Paramasivananda
‘Ratha. Nothing more is known about him.
Bhatta Narayan has divided the text into ten sections while
Raya has divided it into twelve kalds or sections. Both
_—(viii)
the scholars have quoted profusely from the earlier scriptures.
Bhatta Narayana has quoted verses of Hayagriva and citations
from many Saiva and Tantric works. Though these two are
prominent commentators, their arrangement of the thousand
words differs. in many respects. The thousand epithets are
sometimes split into parts for the Commentorial felicity. Some
epithets are clubbed together, But the number-one thousand-
remains unchanged, There are variant readings in the case of
some epithets. A few examples of each type are given below.
Division of epithets
Jayamangala Saubhigya Bhaskara
et waar, &
% ahd wore ARTETA
2 there fa: vita gag
+, Bearman emreeseaticat
4, efron -feroreforrea
6. Sera rr FEAR
At some places, Bhatta Narayana has clubbed two epithets
together. No cogent reason has been given for that
fret + ents aca; daar + eet;
Some of the epithets have been left off though Bhaskara
Raya has commented on them. For example-
aiferh, sted, fini, waseraciea, wreTgaa,
aifssrarerefint, aaparrten, deren
Some epithets are repeated in the original text but Bhatia
Narayana has offered different explanation, For example.
weitarh, cera, genet, vier, ar,
It is observed that both the commentators have recorded
different readings in about fifty epithets. For example
(ix)
Jayamangala Saubhigya Bhaskara
Perey weyers
sor sefira
for fo
aerate aeermmrte
aH eat
dasa age
samen eT
Fragen sire
faaratear fare
feat aegt
ntact staff
saree eartferrttsie
In some cases like those of —
sornfert, arryfsen, aratarareran, aifafrer,
Bhatta Narayana’s explanation is more convincing than that
of Bhiskara Raya. Bhatta Narayana has quoted lines from a vast
range of literature. Some of the sources are as follows-Hayagriva,
Sankaracarya, Amrtinandanatha, Virupaksanatha, Kalidasa
(from the Saiva works of doubtful authorship), Utpaladeva, Kalyana-
‘carana (Kalyénana Bharati, the author of the commentary called
Srikala), Punyananda, Puspadanta, Krodhabhattaraka, Svacchanda
Bhataraka, Abhinava Gupta and many others. He has also quoted
Felevant passages from various Smrtis, Mahabhasya, Sarhkhya
Karikas and other works
He has taken extracts from many Saiva and Tantrika works
like the Sivasatras, Pratyabhijfiasutra, some upanisads and some
S. At three places, he has quoted lines from his own
Work like, "Aksara stotra
_@&®)
Bhaskara Raya has quoted lines from many Upanisads,
va and Tantra works and from lexicons.
Thus it is beyond doubt that both the commentators were
erudite scholars. They occupy a pre-eminent place in the
commentorial literalure of Sanskrit. The commentary of
Bhaskara Raya was already published. I have attempted to
transliterate this commentary from Telugu script into Devanagari
Script. In_ present endeavour, Sri C. Seshacharya V. V. Sanskrit
Kalasala Hyderabad has been of immense help to me. Prof.
Hari Sivakumar has laid me under permanent obligation by
giving his book in Telugu Script (with introduction in English)
for my perusal. In fact, I have based my list of epithets on his
list only.
T hope that the publication of this commentary will inspire
the scholars to undertake a fresh study of Lalitasahasra:
namastotra and also help them in comparing these two eminent
‘commentators as both the commentaries incorporate Saiva and
‘Tantra principles while explaining the epithets. A comparative
study of the two commentaries with influences of Vedanta, Saiva
and Tantra works will be quite useful. I hope, for the proper
understanding of the three branches of Indian philosophy, a
study of this commentary will be useful.
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sro! aro arctan wef oNTOA EH
deme a write tafe eft: Pattee ram
er ee, Ure she TASH eer
a aif a ar aerate rae fest
amraniefa areretraraat aareae aertt
mrcraiyparcta arcerata sift wea ara
adres fafirarearencra: frat weary BT
rerracrtameareteraayTaN
prattreteremarratat ira qgeTar ge
agatarcten ard sare stg Aste
Beramcintten efit a wart weft
marrage
arareaterarrearastnforargera
wet weret ara ar a PraTarengerfatiesrateya 7!
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arcana, faster: fen: gerd water safai ua
agar seater aqentatieg cera etl farted a ae wera
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