Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 The Importance of Lalita Sahasranama Amma has chosen Lalita Sahasranama archana (and chanting) as a daily practice for relief from the perils in life and for spiritual progress, as She is fully aware of the unparalleled greatness of this hymn, which is full of the power of mantras and is capable of fulfilling all desires. Among the many hymns, mantras and devotional songs available, this Sahasranama is specially suitable for worship in the morning and produces quick results. While Sahasranamas giving material well-being and salvation are prescribed for all castes and in all stages of life, Lalita Sahasranama is especially suitable for householders. The aim of the Vedas and other scriptural texts is to inspire the love of God and dispassion in human beings and to raise them step by step to the realisation of the Self. The object of the phalashruti -- the description of the benefits accruing from a certain form of worship -- is to strengthen the sense of devotion in people and to make them qualified for higher forms of sadhana, by pointing out the way to remove the hardships of life and to gain prosperity. The main items in the phalashruti on Lalita Sahasranama given in the Brahmanda Purana are summarised below. 1. This Sahasranama, which is most secret, is most pleasing to Lalita Parameshvari. There is nothing to equal this in the Vedas or Tantras. 2. The daily chanting of this hymn gives the same merit as that obtained from bathing in holy rivers and giving gifts of wealth, food, land and cows. 3. Barren women get the gift of children by taking ghee that has been made potent by chanting Lalita Sahasranama. 4. By daily chanting of the Sahasranama, the effects of evil spells are removed. 5. All the faults arising from not completing puja rituals or from not observing various rites on time are removed by the chanting of this hymn. This hymn may be chanted instead of various expiatory rituals. 6. If this hymn is chanted while picturing Lalita Devi as residing in the ocean of nectar, one obtains relief from the effects of poison. 7. Relief from afflictions due to the influence of planets or evil spirits can be removed by chanting the Sahasranama while holding some water and then pouring that water over the head. 8. Chanting this prevents untimely death and grants long life and good health. Relief from fever is obtained if this hymn is chanted with a hand held on the head of the one who is suffering. The person who is suffering can do this himself. Depending on the severity of the disease, it may be necessary to chant the hymn several times. The holy ash used for Sahasranama archana brings immediate relief from all diseases. 9. Devi protects those who chant this hymn daily from dangers and from attacks by enemies. Victory in battle is gained through the chanting. 10. Daily chanting of the Sahasranama augments prosperity, eloquence and fame. Chanting on Fridays is especially good for prosperity. 11. The Sahasranama may be chanted by those who are in any of the four stages of life (brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha and sannyasa). Chanting it while wishing fame brings fame and wishing wealth brings wealth. Chanting this hymn with love and without any desire brings the knowledge of Brahman. 12. One name of Shiva is equal to a thousand names of Vishnu. One name of Devi is equal to a thousand names of Shiva. Of a thousand Sahasranamas dedicated to Devi, Lalita Sahasranama is the most exalted. 13. By holding yagnas of Lalita Sahasranama (worship in large groups), the consolidation of dharma becomes possible in the Kali Yuga. Chanting this hymn is most beneficial for individuals also, for eliminating the ill effects of Kali Yuga. There is no barrier of country, caste or religion in this regard. 14. It is difficult to please Devi without the chanting of Lalita Sahasranama. Through this hymn, the sins accrued in many births are removed. 15. There are many Sahasranamas dedicated to Devi. The following 10 are the chief among these: Gangastava, Bhavanistava, Gayatristava, Kalistava, Lakshmistava, Sarasvatistava, Rajarajeshvaristava, Balastava, Syamalastava and Lalitastava. Of these, the most exalted is the last one, Lalita Sahasranama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Thank you for this wonderful answer to something that has been bothering me lately! So much talk of the Lalita and I have no idea what it is. *blush* So now that I know what, how do I find out the actual words? I feel like a total newbie having to ask, but prior to the recent emails, I've never heard of it or the Devi it is intended for. -Katie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 ONS Katie, The text for this post wast taken from the book: The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother, Sri Lalita Sahasranama, with Commentary by T.V. Narayana Menon Published by Ammachi Publications This book goes into more detail about Shakti worship (Devi, or the Divine Mother) And it also gives a detailed description of each of the 1000 Names used in this Hymn, which is considered a complete form of worship in and of itself. S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 >So now that I know what, how do I find out the actual words? I >feel like a total newbie having to ask, but prior to the recent >emails, I've never heard of it or the Devi it is intended for. -Katie Hi Katie, Here are some links where you can print them out.It prints out on 23 pages, and this link contains the Roman version. You will need Adobe reader. If you do not have it, you can download it for free like at download.com : http://www.amma-mass.org/BhajanArchive/lalitaa1000E.pdf The menu of all the chants and mantras are at: http://www.amma-mass.org/BhajanArchive.htm There are a bunch more other links to different versions and other mantras. They also have the 108 Names of Mata Amritanandamayi which prints on three pages: http://www.amma-mass.org/BhajanArchive/Amma108namesE.pdf You can also buy it in small book form called The Archana Book at http://www.theammashop.org It is only $5.00. For the condensed 108 names version, you can print out this one on 11 pages (Scroll down a little bit.) http://www.stephen-knapp.com/108_names_of_devi.htm For the English translation: http://www.ambaa.org/download/namavali.html This one is good for understanding the meanings of each of the thousand mantras. I at first was a bit overwhelmed with learning all of the thousand names, so I started off with the 108 Devi names first to get a used to it and warm up my self to taking on the thousand names. If I'm also not up for sitting for an hour and chanting it, then I would chant the 108 Devi names which only takes me ten minutes. Tom has the audio mp3 files of the Sri Lalita Sahasranama in his if you would like to learn how to pronounce it. Ask him for more info. For me that one is too fast, I bought the CD at the Amma Shop which is much more clearer and slower and easier for me to listen to as I'm hearing impaired. Hope that helps you get started! Jai Amma! Stacy http://360./stacysgarage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Thank you so much for the quick replies! Now I feel much better having some resources for this. Jai Maa! -Katia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 > > Hi Katie, > Here are some links where you can print them out.It prints out on 23 pages, and this link contains the Roman version. You will need Adobe reader. If you do not have it, you can download it for free like at download.com : > http://www.amma-mass.org/BhajanArchive/lalitaa1000E.pdf Oh one more thing, the mantras from that pdf file are not broken up, they're all on one string. The ones in the Archana Book are broken up with hyphens and are so much easier to read and chant from. Just letting you know. Jai Amma! Jai Kali Ma! Stacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Stacy, A few of the links that you provided are not working on my end? Not sure if others are also having difficulty as well. Thank you for your resources, I did not know that the 108 Names of Devi, were a condensed version of the LS. Namah Shivaya S --- Stacy <stacysgarage > wrote: > > > > > Hi Katie, > > Here are some links where you can print them > out.It prints out on > 23 pages, and this link contains the Roman version. > You will need Adobe > reader. If you do not have it, you can download it > for free like at > download.com : > > > http://www.amma-mass.org/BhajanArchive/lalitaa1000E.pdf > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 14, 2006 Report Share Posted August 14, 2006 >Stacy, >A few of the links that you provided are not working >on my end? Oh no..it seems the amma-mass.org website is either taken down or temporarily out of service. I will find another website that has the Sri Lalitha Sahasranama in the Roman version. If any of you know of one, please either post it on here or email it to me as I keep that information on my blog as well. No worries, Amma will help me find it. She always does! Jai Amma! Stacy http://360./stacysgarage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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