\engtitle{.. lalitaa trishati (300 names of Goddess Lalita)   ..}##
 \itxtitle{.. lalitaa trishati ..}##\endtitles 
#indian
##
           Three hundred names of Goddess Lalita

          Introduction

This introduction deals with the background of
lalitaatrishatiistotram.

Among the 18 puraaNas, brahmANDa-purANa is well known for the
extolling of Lalita . It explains in detail the appearance of
the Goddess Lalita to save the world from the clutches of the
demon bhaNDAsura . There are three important sub-texts in this
purANa.

The first of these texts is Lalitopaakhyaana, consisting of 45
chapters and is found in the last section of the purANa . The
last five chapters are especially well known . They extol the
the Divine mother, explain the significance of the mantra
of the goddess (shoDashAksharii-vidyA), the various mudras and
postures to be practiced, meditations, initiations etc., and
the mystical placement of the deities involved in Shri Chakra.

The next text is the celebrated Lalitaa sahasranaama, which
consists of 320 verses in three chapters.

The third text is the lalitaa trishati in which 300 names of the
goddess is featured . There is a well known commentary on this
work attributed to Adi Shankaraachaarya.

Lalita trishati and lalitaa sahasranaama are dialogues between
the sage Agastya and the god HayagrivaPronounced as hayagriiva.
Hayagriva is the
incarnation of VishhNu who assumed the form of a horse
to kill a demon by the same name . Agastya was a
sage of great renown, who is immortalized as a star in the
celestial heavens(one of the seven Rishi-s, saptarshhi or Ursa Major).
He is the patron saint of Tamilnadu being a
founder of a system of medicine called Siddha, and also having
drunk the whole ocean in his kamaNDalum .  According to yAska's
Nirukta, Agastya is the half-brother of the great sage,
VasishTha.

The story of the meeting of Agastya and Hayagriva is
given in the lalitopaakhyaana and is quite interesting . Agastya
was visiting several places of pilgrimage and was sad to see
many people steeped in ignorance and involved in only sensual
pleasures . He came to kAJNchi and worshiped kAmAkshI and sought
a solution for the masses . Pleased with the devotion and his
caring for the society, Lord VishhNu appeared before Agastya
and provided the sage Agastya with the solution of `curing' the
worldly folk from ignorance . He explained that He is the
primordial principle, and the source and the end of everything.
Though He is above forms and guNas, He involves himself in
them . He goes on to explain that a person should recognize that
He is the pradhhAna (primordial) transformed into the universe,
and that He is also the purushha (conscious spirit) who is
transcendental and beyond all qualities(guNa-s) and forms . However to
recognize this, one has to perform severe penance,
self-discipline etc .  If (since) this is difficult, Lord VishhNu
advises that the worship of the goddess will achieve the
purpose of life, given as liberation from bondage,
very easily . He points out that even
other Gods like Shiva and Brahma have worshiped the goddess
Tripuraa . VishhNu concludes his discourse saying that this was
revealed to Agastya so that he (Agastya) can spread the message
to gods, sages, and humans . VishhNu requests Agastya to approach
his incarnation, Hayagriva and disappears from Agastya's
sight.

Agastya approaches Hayagriva with devotion and reverence.
Hayagriva reveals to Agastya that the great Goddess, lalitaa,
is without beginning or end and is the foundation of the entire
universe . The great goddess abides in everyone and can be
realized only in meditation . The worship of
goddess is done with the lalitaa sahasranamaa (1000 names) and Hayagriva
teaches him this great sahasranaamaa.

After this Agastya thanks Hayagriva and tells him that though he has heard
about Sri Chakra upaasana and the sahasranaama he lacks the satisfaction of
knowing all the secrets and catches hold of Hayagriva's feet . Hayagriva is
taken aback and keeps quiet . At this time Goddess Lalita appears to Hayagriva
and tells him that both Agastya and his wife Lopamudra are very dear to her,
and that Agastya is worthy of receiving the secret Lalita trishati and then
disappears . Hayagriva lifts up Agastya and tells him that he is indeed a great
man since Lalita herself had commanded him to impart the trishathi to Agastya.
He also tells him that he is fortunate to have Agastya as a disciple since he
had the vision of Lalita due to Agastya . He then gives him the following
trishathi.

           ## lalitaatrishatiistotram.h ## 

##

          .. atha shriilalitaatrishatii stotram.h ..

##

          lalitaatrishatiistotram.h

##

kakaararuupaa kalyaaNI kalyaaNaguNashaalinI .
kalyaaNashailanilayaa kamaniiyaa kalaavatI .. 1..

kamalaakshii kalmashhaghnii karuNaamR^ita saagaraa .
kadambakaananaavaasaa kadamba kusumapriyaa .. 2..

kandarpavidyaa kandarpa janakaapaaN^ga viikshaNaa .
karpuuraviiTii saurabhya kallolita kakuptaTaa .. 3..

kalidoshhaharaa kaMjalochanaa kamravigrahaa .
karmaadi saakshiNii kaarayitrii karmaphalapradaa .. 4..

ekaararuupaa chaikaaksharyekaanekaaksharaakR^itiH .
etattadityanirdeshyaa chaikaananda chidaakR^itiH .. 5..

evamityaagamaabodhyaa chaikabhakti madarchitaa .
ekaagrachitta nirdhyaataa chaishhaNaa rahitaaddR^itaa .. 6..

elaasugaMdhichikuraa chainaH kuuTa vinaashinii .
ekabhogaa chaikarasaa chaikaishvarya pradaayinii .. 7..

ekaatapatra saamraajya pradaa chaikaantapuujitaa .
edhamaanaprabhaa chaijadanekajagadiishvarii .. 8..

ekaviiradi saMsevyaa chaikapraabhava shaalinii .
iikaararuupaa cheshitrii chepsitaartha pradaayinii .. 9..

iiddR^igitya vinirdeshyaa cheshvaratva vidhaayinii .
iishaanaadi brahmamayii cheshitvaadyashhTa siddhidaa .. 10..

iikshitriikshaNa sR^ishhTaaNDa koTiriishvara vallabhaa .
iiDitaa cheshvaraardhaaN^ga shariireshaadhi devataa .. 11..

iishvara preraNakarii cheshataaNDava saakshiNii .
iishvarotsaN^ga nilayaa chetibaadhaa vinaashinii .. 12..

iihaaviraahitaa chesha shakti riishhat.h smitaananaa .
lakaararuupaa lalitaa lakshmii vaaNii nishhevitaa .. 13..

laakinii lalanaaruupaa lasaddaaDima paaTalaa .
lalantikaalasatphaalaa lalaaTa nayanaarchitaa .. 14..

lakshaNojjvala divyaaN^gii lakshakoTyaNDa naayikaa .
lakshyaarthaa lakshaNaagamyaa labdhakaamaa lataatanuH .. 15..

lalaamaraajadalikaa lambimuktaalataaJNchitaa .
lambodara prasuurlabhyaa lajjaaDhyaa layavarjitaa .. 16..

hriiMkaara ruupaa hriiMkaara nilayaa hriiMpadapriyaa .
hriiMkaara biijaa hriiMkaaramantraa hriiMkaaralakshaNaa .. 17..

hriiMkaarajapa supriitaa hriiMmatii hriiMvibhuushhaNaa .
hriiMshiilaa hriiMpadaaraadhyaa hriiMgarbhaa hriiMpadaabhidhaa .. 18..

hriiMkaaravaachyaa hriiMkaara puujyaa hriiMkaara piiThikaa .
hriiMkaaravedyaa hriiMkaarachintyaa hriiM hriiMshariiriNii .. 19..

hakaararuupaa haladhR^itpuujitaa hariNekshaNaa .
harapriyaa haraaraadhyaa haribrahmendra vanditaa .. 20..

hayaaruuDhaa sevitaaMghrirhayamedha samarchitaa .
haryakshavaahanaa haMsavaahanaa hatadaanavaa .. 21..

hatyaadipaapashamanii haridashvaadi sevitaa .
hastikumbhottuN^ka kuchaa hastikR^itti priyaaMganaa .. 22..

haridraakuMkumaa digdhaa haryashvaadyamaraarchitaa .
harikeshasakhii haadividyaa hallaamadaalasaa .. 23..

sakaararuupaa sarvaGYaa sarveshii sarvamaN^galaa .
sarvakartrii sarvabhartrii sarvahantrii sanaatanaa .. 24..

sarvaanavadyaa sarvaaN^ga sundarii sarvasaakshiNii .
sarvaatmikaa sarvasaukhya daatrii sarvavimohinii .. 25..

sarvaadhaaraa sarvagataa sarvaavaguNavarjitaa .
sarvaaruNaa sarvamaataa sarvabhuushhaNa bhuushhitaa .. 26..

kakaaraarthaa kaalahantrii kaameshii kaamitaarthadaa .
kaamasaMjiivinii kalyaa kaThinastana maNDalaa .. 27..

karabhoruH kalaanaatha mukhii kachajitaambhudaa .
kaTaakshasyandi karuNaa kapaali praaNa naayikaa .. 28..

kaaruNya vigrahaa kaantaa kaantidhuuta japaavaliH .
kalaalaapaa kaMbukaNThii karanirjita pallavaa .. 29..

kalpavallii samabhujaa kastuurii tilakaaJNchitaa .
hakaaraarthaa haMsagatirhaaTakaabharaNojjvalaa .. 30..

haarahaari kuchaabhogaa haakinii halyavarjitaa .
haritpati samaaraadhyaa haThaatkaara hataasuraa .. 31..

harshhapradaa havirbhoktrii haarda santamasaapahaa .
halliisalaasya santushhTaa haMsamantraartha ruupiNii .. 32..

haanopaadaana nirmuktaa harshhiNii harisodarii .
haahaahuuhuu mukha stutyaa haani vR^iddhi vivarjitaa .. 33..

hayyaN^gaviina hR^idayaa harikopaaruNaaMshukaa .
lakaaraakhyaa lataapuujyaa layasthityudbhaveshvarii .. 34..

laasya darshana santushhTaa laabhaalaabha vivarjitaa .
laN^ghyetaraaGYaa laavaNya shaalinii laghu siddhidaa .. 35..

laakshaarasa savarNaabhaa lakshmaNaagraja puujitaa .
labhyataraa labdha bhakti sulabhaa laaN^galaayudhaa .. 36..

lagnachaamara hasta shriishaaradaa pariviijitaa .
lajjaapada samaaraadhyaa laMpaTaa lakuleshvarii .. 37..

labdhamaanaa labdharasaa labdha saMpatsamunnatiH .
hriiMkaariNii cha hriiMkari hriiMmadhyaa hriiMshikhaamaNiH .. 38..

hriiMkaarakuNDaagni shikhaa hriiMkaara shashichandrikaa .
hriiMkaara bhaaskararuchirhriiMkaaraaMbhoda chaJNchalaa .. 39..

hriiMkaara kandaaN^kurikaa hriiMkaaraika paraayaNaam.h .
hriiMkaara diirghikaahaMsii hriiMkaarodyaana kekinii .. 40..

hriiMkaaraaraNya hariNii hriiMkaaraavaala vallarii .
hriiMkaara paJNjarashukii hriiMkaaraaN^gaNa diipikaa .. 41..

hriiMkaara kandaraa siMhii hriiMkaaraambhoja bhR^iN^gikaa .
hriiMkaara sumano maadhvii hriiMkaara tarumaMjarii .. 42..

sakaaraakhyaa samarasaa sakalaagama saMstutaa .
sarvavedaanta taatparyabhuumiH sadasadaashrayaa .. 43..

sakalaa sachchidaanandaa saadhyaa sadgatidaayinii .
sanakaadimunidhyeyaa sadaashiva kuTumbinii .. 44..

sakaalaadhishhThaana ruupaa satyaruupaa samaakR^itiH .
sarvaprapaJNcha nirmaatrii samanaadhika varjitaa .. 45..

sarvottuN^gaa saMgahiinaa saguNaa sakaleshvarii .
kakaariNii kaavyalolaa kaameshvara manoharaa .. 46..

kaameshvarapraNaanaaDii kaameshotsaN^ga vaasinii .
kaameshvaraaliMgitaaMgii kameshvara sukhapradaa .. 47..

kaameshvara praNayinii kaameshvara vilaasinii .
kaameshvara tapaH siddhiH kaameshvara manaH priyaa .. 48..

kaameshvara praaNanaathaa kaameshvara vimohinii .
kaameshvara brahmavidyaa kaameshvara gR^iheshvarii .. 49..

kaameshvaraahlaadakarii kaameshvara maheshvarii .
kaameshvarii kaamakoTi nilayaa kaaN^kshitaarthadaa .. 50..

lakaariNii labdharuupaa labdhadhiirlabdha vaaJNchitaa .
labdhapaapa manoduuraa labdhaahaMkaara durgamaa .. 51..

labdhashaktirlabdha dehaa labdhaishvarya samunnatiH .
labdha vR^iddhirlabdha liilaa labdhayauvana shaalinii .. 52..

labdhaatishaya sarvaaN^ga saundaryaa labdha vibhramaa .
labdharaagaa labdhapatirlabdha naanaagamasthitiH .. 53..

labdha bhogaa labdha sukhaa labdha harshhaabhi puujitaa .
hriiMkaara muurtirhriiNkaara saudhashR^iMga kapotikaa .. 54..

hriiMkaara dugdhaabdhi sudhaa hriiMkaara kamalendiraa .
hriiMkaaramaNi diipaarchirhriiMkaara tarushaarikaa .. 55..

hriiMkaara peTaka maNirhriiMkaaradarsha bimbitaa .
hriiMkaara koshaasilataa hriiMkaaraasthaana nartakii .. 56..

hriiMkaara shuktikaa muktaamaNirhriiMkaara bodhitaa .
hriiMkaaramaya sauvarNastambha vidruma putrikaa .. 57..

hriiMkaara vedopanishhad.h hriiMkaaraadhvara dakshiNaa .
hriiMkaara nandanaaraama navakalpaka vallarii .. 58..

hriiMkaara himavadgaN^gaa hriiMkaaraarNava kaustubhaa .
hriiMkaara mantra sarvasvaa hriiMkaarapara saukhyadaa .. 59..

.. iti shrii brahmaaNDapuraaNe uttaraakhaNDe
shrii hayagriivaagastyasa.nvaade
shriilalitaatrishatii stotra kathanaM saMpuurNam.h ..

##
The transliteration of Sanskrit terms is according to
ITRANS scheme, which is close to the pronunciation.

Please direct all your suggestions and corrections to
rbalasub@ecn.purdue.edu