Can we read Lalitha Sahasranamam at night?
The vast and ancient wisdom of the Shastras offers guidance on every aspect of life, including our spiritual practices. Today, we delve into the auspicious recitation of the Lalitha Sahasranamam, a powerful mantra dedicated to the Maa Lalita Devi.
Lalita Devi: Unveiling Her Power
рдЕрд╖реНрдЯрд╛рджрд╢рдн рднреБрд╡рдирд╛рдирд╛рдВ рдХрд╛рд░рдгрдВ рдкрд░рдореЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░реАред
рддреНрд░рд┐рдкреБрд░рд╕реБрдиреНрджрд░реА рд╕рд╛рдХреНрд╖рд╛рддреН рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдордиреНрддреНрд░рд╕реНрд╡рд░реВрдкрд┐рдгреАрее
Lalitha Tripurasundari is the cause of the eighteen worlds. She is the supreme goddess and the embodiment of all mantras themselves.
рд╢рдХреНрддрд┐рдГ рд╢рд┐рд╡рд╕реНрдп рдкрд░рдорд╛ рддреНрд░рд┐рдкреБрд░рд╕реБрдиреНрджрд░реА рдЬрдЧрдиреНрдордпреАред
рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╛рдиреН рдХрд╛рдорд╛рдиреН рд╡рд░рджрд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдкрд╛рдкрд╣рд░рд╛ рдЪ рд╕рд╛рее
Lalitha Tripurasundari is the highest Shakti of Shiva. She is the embodiment of the universe, the bestower of all desires, and the destroyer of all sins.
рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдЬреНрдЮрд╛ рд╕рд░реНрд╡реЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░реА рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╛рдирдиреНрджрд╛ рддреНрд░рд┐рдкреБрд░рд╕реБрдиреНрджрд░реАред
рдпрд╛рд╕реНрдпрд╛рдГ рд╕реНрд╡рд░реВрдкрдВ рди рдЬрд╛рдирд╛рддрд┐ рд╕ рдПрд╡ рдореВрдврдорддрд┐рдГрее
Shree Lalitha Tripurasundari is omniscient, the supreme ruler, the embodiment of all bliss. One who does not understand her true form is indeed a fool.
рдЕрдЦрдгреНрдб рдЬреНрдпреЛрддрд┐рд░реНрдордпреА рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдордЩреНрдЧрд▓рдордпреА рдЪ рд╕рд╛ред
рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдЬреНрдЮрд╛рдирдордпреА рдЪреИрд╡ рд╕рд░реНрд╡реЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░реА рддреНрд░рд┐рдкреБрд░рд╕реБрдиреНрджрд░реАрее
She is the embodiment of unbroken light, the embodiment of all auspiciousness. She is also the embodiment of all knowledge and the supreme ruler.
рддреНрд░рд┐рдкреБрд░рд╛ рд╕реБрдиреНрджрд░реА рд╕рд╛рдХреНрд╖рд╛рддреН рдкрд░рдмреНрд░рд╣реНрдо рд╕реНрд╡рд░реВрдкрд┐рдгреАред
рдЕрдирд╛рджрд┐ рдЕрдирдиреНрддрд╛ рдЪреИрд╡ рд╕рд░реНрд╡реЗрд╢реНрд╡рд░реА рддреНрд░рд┐рд▓реЛрдЪрдиреАрее
Lalitha Tripurasundari is the embodiment of the supreme Brahman itself. She is without beginning and without end, the ruler of all.
Lalita Devi, also known as Tripura Sundari or Parameshwari, is the supreme goddess in many Hindu traditions. She is considered the embodiment of Shakti, the divine feminine energy that pervades the universe. Lalita Devi represents creation, sustenance, and dissolution тАУ the very essence of existence. The Lalitha Sahasranamam, literally translating to “thousand names of Lalita,” is a sacred stotra that extols her thousand divine attributes. Reciting these names is believed to be a potent way to invoke her blessings, seeking wisdom, grace, and liberation.
Significance of Naam Japa
рдирд╛рдорд╕реНрдорд░рдгрдорд╛рддреНрд░реЗрдг рдкрд╛рдкрдВ рдирд╛рд╢рдВ рдкреНрд░рд╛рдкреНрдиреЛрддрд┐ рд╣рд┐ред
рдордирдГрд╢рд╛рдиреНрддрд┐рдВ рдЪ рд▓рдмреНрдзреНрд╡рд╛ рдЪ рд╕реБрдЦрдВ рдЪреИрд╡ рд▓рднрддреЗ рдирд░рдГрее
Simply by remembering the names, a man attains the destruction of sin. He also gains peace of mind and happiness.
рдирд╛рдорд╕реНрдорд░рдгрд╛рджреН рднрд╡рддрд┐ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рд╕рд┐рджреНрдзрд┐рдГред
рд▓рднрддреЗ рдЪ рдордиреБрд╖реНрдпрдГ рдкрд░рдордВ рдкрджрдореНрее
Through the remembrance of names, all accomplishments are attained. A man also attains the highest abode.
рдирд╛рдорд╕реНрдорд░рдгрд╛рджреН рднрд╡рддрд┐ рдЪреЗрддрд╕реЛ рдирд┐рд░реНрдорд▓рддреНрд╡рдВред
рддрддрдГ рд╕рдорддрд╛ рджрд░реНрд╢рдирдВ рдЪ рднрд╡рддрд┐ рд╣рд┐рее
Through the remembrance of names, the mind becomes pure. Then, the vision of oneness arises.
рди рддрдкрдГ рдкреВрдЬрдирдВ рдирд╛рд╕реНрддрд┐ рди рдЪ рдпрд╛рддреНрд░рд╛ рди рдЪрд╛рдЧрдордГред рди рдЪ рд╣реЛрдордГ рди рдЪ рджрд╛рдирдВ рдирд╛рдиреНрдпрдГ рдХрд╢реНрдЪрд┐рджреН рдзрд░реНрдордГ рдХрджрд╛ред
рдпрдерд╛ рдирд┐рддреНрдпрд╕реНрдорд░рдгрдВ рджреЗрд╡реНрдпрд╛рдГ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рдордЩреНрдЧрд▓рдореВрд░реНрддрдпреЗрее
There is no austerity, no worship, no pilgrimage, no study of scriptures, no fire sacrifice, no charity, or any other dharma as powerful as the constant remembrance of the Divine Mother's names.
In Hindu tradition, the practice of naam japa (chanting the names of a deity) holds immense significance. Each name carries a specific vibration and meaning, resonating with a particular aspect of the divine. By chanting the Lalitha Sahasranamam, we connect with the multifaceted nature of Lalita Devi, seeking her guidance and empowering ourselves with her divine qualities.
Auspicious Brahmamuhurta
рд╕ рдмреНрд░рд╛рд╣реНрдореЗ рдореБрд╣реВрд░реНрддреЗ рддреБ рдкреНрд░рд╛рддрдГ рд╕реНрдирд╛рддреНрд╡рд╛ рд╕рдореБрддреНрдерд┐рддрдГред
рдЬрдкреЗрддреНрд╕рдВрд╕реНрдерд┐рдд рдЖрддреНрдорд╛рд░рд╛рдореЛ рдпрдерд╛рд╡рд┐рдзрд┐ рд╡рд┐рдзрд╛рдирддрдГрее
Waking up in the Brahma Muhurta and taking a bath in the morning, one should chant mantras while established (in a proper posture) and absorbed in the Self, following the prescribed method.
рд╡реЗрджрдкрдардирдВ рдЬрдкрд╣реЛрдордГ рд╕реНрдирд╛рдирдВ рджрд╛рдирдВ рдЪ рд╕рд░реНрд╡рджрд╛ред
рдмреНрд░рд╛рд╣реНрдореЗ рдореБрд╣реВрд░реНрддрдХрд░реНрдордгрд┐ рд╢реНрд░реЗрд╖реНрдардВ рднрд╡рддрд┐ рднрд╛рд░рддредред
Reciting Vedas, chanting mantras, performing yajnas (fire rituals), bathing, and giving charity - all these acts are considered most excellent when done in Brahma Muhurta, O Bharata.
рд╕рдиреНрдзреНрдпрд╛рдВ рдкреНрд░рд╛рддрдГ рд╕реНрдорд░реЗрдиреНрдирд┐рддреНрдпрдВ рдмреНрд░рд╛рд╣реНрдореЗ рдореБрд╣реВрд░реНрддрдореБрддреНрддрдордореНред
One should always remember God during Sandhya (twilight) and especially in the excellent Brahma Muhurta.
рдмреНрд░рд╣реНрдордореБрд╣реВрд░реНрддрдВ рддреБ рдпрддреН рдкреНрд░рд╛рддрдГ рд╕рддреНрддреНрд╡рд╛рдирд╛рдВ рднрд╛рд╡рдиреЗ рд╢реБрднрдореНред
рддрджреЗрд╡ рдирд┐рд╢реНрдлрд▓рдВ рдпрд╛рддрд┐ рдХрд╛рд▓-рд░рд╛рддреНрд░реНрдпрд╛рдВ рдкреНрд░рджреЛрд╖рд┐рдХрд╛рее
One who gets up at Brahmamuhurta attains all kinds of prosperity and happiness. His sins committed during the night get destroyed.
рдпрддреНрдкреНрд░рд╛рддрдГ рд╕реНрдорд░рдгреАрдпрд╛рд░реНрдердВ рдп рдПрд╡рдВ рд╡рд┐рдзрд┐рддрдГ рдХреНрд░рд┐рдпрд╛рдГред
рд╕рдВрд╡рддреНрд╕рд░рд╕реНрдп рдпрдГ рд╢реЗрд╖рдГ рд╕ рдмреНрд░рд╛рд╣реНрдордгреЛ рдирд┐рд░рд╛рдордпрдГрее
He who meditates during the Brahmamuhurta gains greater results than one who meditates at other times, just as the swan that can extract milk from a mixture of milk and water.
The Shastras emphasize the importance of timing our spiritual practices for optimal benefit. Brahmamuhurta, the period roughly between 3:30 am and 5:30 am before sunrise, is considered the most auspicious time for spiritual activities. During Brahmamuhurta, the atmosphere is believed to be particularly sattvic (pure and serene), creating an ideal environment for meditation, japa, and connecting with the divine.
Why Brahmamuhurta is Ideal
Brahmamuhurta offers several advantages for chanting the Lalitha Sahasranamam:
Heightened Focus and Clarity: The quietude and stillness of Brahmamuhurta promotes mental clarity, allowing for deeper concentration on the meaning of the names and their connection to Lalita Devi.
Enhanced Energy: The pre-dawn period is said to be imbued with a specific energy conducive to spiritual practices. Chanting during Brahmamuhurta allows us to tap into this energy, amplifying the impact of the recitation.
Increased Receptivity: The calmness of Brahmamuhurta makes us more receptive to the divine blessings of Lalita Devi. A focused mind during this period allows us to fully absorb the energy of the mantra.
Anytime is Good, But Night Holds Considerations
While Brahmamuhurta is considered the most auspicious time, the Shastras acknowledge that any sincere practice holds value. If Brahmamuhurta is not feasible due to your daily routine, chanting the Lalitha Sahasranamam during other times, including the evening, is perfectly acceptable.
However, it’s important to consider the energetic shifts that occur throughout the night. According to the Shastras, the later hours of the night (beyond midnight) are believed to be a time when tamasic (impure) energies may be more prevalent. While Lalita Devi’s power transcends these energies, some schools of thought suggest that reciting the Lalitha Sahasranamam during these late hours might not be as conducive for spiritual growth as compared to Brahmamuhurta or the evening.
The wisdom of the Shastras guides us to choose Brahmamuhurta as the most auspicious time to recite the Lalitha Sahasranamam. If this is not possible, the evening hours are also a suitable alternative. However, it’s advisable to avoid reciting the Lalitha Sahasranamam very late at night, as the energetic shifts might not be as supportive for your spiritual practice.
Remember, the most important aspect is your sincere devotion to Lalita Devi. By chanting the Lalitha Sahasranamam with a focused mind and an open heart, you can connect with her immense power regardless of the time. Let the recitation be a source of transformation, drawing you closer to the divine essence embodied by Lalita Devi.
It is always recommended to consult with a qualified Guru within your specific tradition for personalized guidance on spiritual practices.
108 Names of Maa Durga