Lalita- Sahasranama- # 1

In my need to understand the 1000 names of Lalita Tirupurasundari, I have embarked in this process of learning ONE name a day and today being day 1 I start with:

Sri Mataa:

1) she is the mother of Sri
The word sri stands for gih: meaning sarasvati or expresses sarasvati and here it means she is described as the birth giver of Laksmi and sarasvati. She could also be Rudraani who belong to the triad. So srimata stands for the queen of Parasiva and parabhattarika who is the mother of all the three Mahakali, mahalakshmi and mahasaraswati

2) She measures srih: meaning laksmi which means that she is a measurer of sri and sri here is GLORY. A person who measures glory is beyond glory therefore Srimata here means MOKSA which is glory par excellence

3) Sri is taken to mean the three vedas and ma is to reveal. The one who reveals the three vedas to Bramha or ma is alternatively explained as to classify..which would mean that the goddess is same as the one who compiled the vedas, ie Vyasa

4) The one who holds the poison in the throat -meaning siva

5) Sri Yukta Mataa: Sri is honorific and shows respect to the noun to which it is pre-fixed. Thus Sri Mata means the respected mother!

(lalita Sahasranama - L.M.Joshi)


This the First word of the Lalita Sahasranama. To me she is the primordial mother, the universal mother and one who is ever compassionate a form. I know that my own mother is with her and is looking out for me.I am after all an earthling with limited knowledge of what lies ahead of me...and I am hoping that understanding LSN will give me a little more clarity to where ever it is I am being directed by her.

I am hoping to be able to dedicate one name of her thousand names everyday...Please amma make this a reality!

In peace!