Lalitha Sahasranamam (1000 names of devi) is a secret and very sacred text or mantra in Hindu religion.This mantra has been revealed to mankind through the discussion between lord Hayagriva and the great saga Agasthya.
It is very popular and many of us recite it on a daily basis or at least on Friday.
Though we chant this often many of us doesn’t know why we do this and the benefits we acquire by doing this.Here is an attempt to summarize the benefits (both materialistic and Spiritual) of chanting Lalitha Sahasranama as per the “Phalasruthi” [ Sanskrit for "results" ] given in Devi Bhagavatham and Devi Puranam:
Lalitha Sahasranama Phala Sruthi
[The effect of reciting the thousand names of this mantra ]
Courtesy & Translation by P. R. Ramachander
[Unlike Vishnu sahasranama, where phala sruthi is the part of the stotra, in the case of Laitha Sahasranama, phala sruthi is the next chapter and separate from it. So it is not recited along with the thousand names of Lalitha. ]
Nama sahasram khaditham they ghatothbhava,
Rahasyaanam rahasyam cha Lalitha preethi dayakam,
Aanena sadrusam stotram na bhootham na bhavishyathi. 1
These 1000 names which were told, Oh Agasthya,
Are secret of the secrets and are very dear to Lalitha.
This type of prayer has never existed in the past or will never exist in future.
Sarva roga prasamanam sarva sampath pravardhanam,
Sarvaapath mruthyu shamanam akala mruthyu nivaranam. 2
This cures all diseases and gives rise to all types of wealth,
It cures all accidental deaths and is an antidote to untimely death.
Sarva jwararthi hananam deergayushya pradhayakam,
Puthra pradhama puthraanaam purushartha pradhayakam. 3
It is a cure for all types of fever, and gives rise to long life,
It will bless you with son (that too first son) and gives three types of wealth.
Yidham visesharidevya sthothram preethi vidhatakam,
Japen nityam prayathnena lalithopasthi thath para. 4
This special prayer of goddess which pleases Lalitha Devi very much ,
Should be chanted daily after worshipping of Lalitha.
Pratha snathwa vidhathena sandhya karma samapya cha,
Pooja gruhe thatho gathwa chakra rajam samarchayeth 5
Take bath in the morning, finish the oblations of the dawn,
Go to the prayer room and first worship the Sree Chakra.
Vidhyam japeth sahasram vaa trishtatha shathameva cha,
Rahasya naama saahasra midham paschad paden nara. 6
Chant the Sri Vidya mantra either 100 times or 400 times,
And then these secret thousand names should be read.
Janama madhye sakruchapi ya yevam padathe sudhee,
Thasya punya phalam vakshye srunu thwam Kumbha Sambhava. 7
Oh, Sage born out of the pot, please hear the results,
Of reading these in the middle of life by devotees.
Gangadhi sarva theertheshu ya snayath koti janmasu,
Koti linga prathishtam thu ya kuryadh vimukthake. 8
Kurukshethre thu yo dadyath koti vaaram ravi gruhe,
Koti sournabharanam srothreeyeshu dwijanmasu 9
Ya kotim hayamedhanaa maharedh gaangarodhasee,
Achareth koopa kotiyom nirjare maru bhoothale. 10
Durbhikshe ya prathi dhinam koti brahmana bhojanam,
Sradhaya parayaa kuryath sahasra parivathsaraan. 11
The devotee would get the effect of taking bath in sacred rivers like Ganga,
Or One crore times and also the same effect as consecrating one crore lingas.
Or One crore times giving in Kurukshetra on Sundays giving,
One crore gold ornaments to the twice born who has learned Vedas,
Or doing one crore Aswa medha yagas in the shores of the Ganges
Or digging one crore wells with water in the deserts,
Or feeding one crore Brahmins daily during the famine,
Or doing with great attention training/teaching one thousand children.
Thath punyam koti gunitham labhyeth punyamanuthamam,
Rahasya nama saahasre namno apyekasya keerthanaath, 12
One crore times the good effect of doing all these matchless blessings,
Would be got even by chanting one name out of the one thousand secret names.
Rahasya nama saahasre namaikaapi ya padeth,
Thasya paapani nasyanthi mahanthyaapi na samsaya. 13
Even if one name among the thousand secret names is read,
All the sins committed by him would be destroyed without doubt.
Nithya karmanushtaana nishidhakaranadhapi,
Yath paapam jayathe pumsam thath sarva nasyathi drutham. 14
Even the sin caused by very bad act of not doing the daily sacred routines,
Would go away and all the sins would be destroyed speedily.
Bahunathra kimukthena srunu thwam kalasi sutha,
Aathraika namne yaa shakthi pathakaanaam nivarthathe,
Thannivarthya magham karthum naalam loka schadurdasa. 15
Oh sage Agasthya, please hear from me how most people would get free,
By chanting according to their capability for getting rid of sins,
For these, without any doubt would remove sins committed in the fourteen lokas,
Yasthyakthwa nama sahasaram papa hani mabhhepsathi,
Sa hi seethe nivrthyartha hima shailam nishevathe. 16
Those who are desirous of getting rid of their sins,
If they hate to chant the thousand names,
It is like going to Himalayas to get rid of cold.
Bhaktho ya keerthyen nithya midham nama sahasrakam,
Thasmai sri lalitha devi preethabheeshtam prayachathi. 17
Devotees who daily sing these thousand names,
Would be blessed by Lalitha Devi by fulfilling their wishes.
Akeerthayennidham sthothram kadham bhaktho bhavishyathi. 18
How can he who does not sing them be a devotee?
Nithyam keerthanashaktha keerthayeth punya vasare,
Samkrathou vishuve chaiva swajanma thrithayeyane. 19
People who cannot sing it daily should chant it on special occasions,
Viz first of every month, first of the new year and the three birthdays.*
* Self, wife and son
Navamyaam vaa chathurdasyam sithaayaam shukravasare,
Keerthyen nama sahasram pournamasyaam viseshatha. 20
On Navami or on Chathurdasi or Fridays of the waxing moon,
And on the full moon day singing this is very special.
Pournamasyam chandra Bhimbhe dhyathwa sri lalithaambikaam,
Panchopacharai sampoojya paden nama sahasrakam. 21
Sarva roga pranasyanthi deergamayuscha vindhathi,
Ayam aayushkaro nama prayoga kalpanoditha, 22
On the full moon day facing the full moon and meditating on Lalitha,
Offer the five oblations and by reading the thousand names,
All diseases will vanish, long life would be given,
And accompany this with the Aayushkara prayoga*
* rite to get long life
Jwarartha shiirasimsprushtwa paden nama sahasrakam,
Thath kshnaath yaathi shiraamsthadho jwaropi cha. 23
He who has fever, if he touches his head and chants the thousand names,
At that moment the fever would descend away from the head and vanish.
Sarva vyadhi nivruthyartha sprushtwa bhasma japedhidham,
Thad bhasma dharanadeva nasyanthi vyadhaya kshanaath. 24
For getting rid of diseases touch holy ash and chant the thousand names,
And by wearing that ash all diseases would immediately be cured.
Jalam samanthrasya kumbhastham nama sahasratho mune,
Aabhishichedha graham grasthaan graham nasyanthi thath kshanaath. 25
Storing the water in a pot, and chanting the thousand names, oh sage,
And anointing oneself with that water would remove all problems created by planets*.
* Graha Doshas , Sade Sathi , Shani Dosha , Kala Sarpa dosha etc.
Sudha sagara madhyastham dhyathwa Sri Lalithambikaam,
Ya paden nama sahasram visham thasya vinasyathi. 26
Meditating on Goddess Lakshmi and goddess Lalithambika,
If the thousand names are read, effect of poison will vanish.
Vandhyaanaam puthralabhaaya, nama saahasra manthridham,
Navaneetham pradadyathu, puthralabho bhaved druvam. 27
For blessing with a son,for the lady who does not conceive,
Chant the thousand names and offer butter to the God,
By this she will be blessed with a son soon.
Rajakarshana kaamasche drajavasadha ding mukha, 28
Trirathram cha padeth ethad, sridevi dhyana thathpara,
Sa raja paravasyena thurangam vaa matham gajam. 29
Aarohya yathi nikatam dasavath prani pathya cha,
Thasmai rajyam cha kosam dadhya deva vasangatha. 30
For attracting the king (people with authority/Rulers) , face the palace of the king,And read the thousand names meditating on the Goddess,
And then the king would be under your control, would ride a horse or elephant,Come to your side, would salute and serve you,
And offer you his country or a state of his country*.
*Your words/requests will not be turned down by any one – even by people of influence or those who are in powerful positions in society.
Rahasya nama sahasram ya keerthyathi nithyasa,
Than mukhaloka mathrena muhye loka thrayam mune. 31
As soon as they see the face of one who chants,
The thousand secret names daily, the saints salute him.
Yasthvidham nama sahasram sakruth padathi bhakthiman,
Thasya yea sasthravasthesham nihantha Sharabheswara. 32
The enemies of the devotee who reads these thousand names.
Would be killed by arrows by Sharabheswara *.
*Your dis-tractors/enemies will not succeed against you.
Yo vabhicharam kuruthe nama sahasra padake,
Nivarthya thath kriyaam hanyatham vai prathyangira swayam. 33
He who does black magic against one who reads the thousand names,
Would be killed by Prathyangira devi herself for protecting the devotee*.
* Prathyangira devi – Most fierce and powerful avatar of Devi
Yea Kroora drushtya veekshanthe nama sahasra padakam,
Thaan andhaan kuruthe ksipram swayam marthanda bhirava. 34
He who sees with cruelty the one who reads these thousand names,
Would be made blind,immediately by Marthanda Bhairava himself *.
*Those who plan ill deeds against the one who chants this will be distracted or blinded by other thoughts that he will not be able to execute his plans.
Dhanam yo harathe chorair nama sahasra japeen,
Yathra kuthra sthiram vaapi Kshethra palo nihanthi thaam. 35
He who steals the wealth of one who reads these thousand names,
Wherever he hides would be killed by The Kshethra pala.
Vidhyasu kuruthe vadham yo vidwan nama jaapeena,
Thasya vak sthambhanam sadhya karothi Nakuleshwari. 36
He who argues with the learned man, who reads the thousand names,
Would be made dumb immediately by Nakuleshwari *
* Nobody can win argument against the devotee who chants Lalitha Sahasranamam
Yo raja kuruthe vairam nama sahasra japeen,
Chathuranga balam thasya Dandinee samhareth swayam. 37
The army of the king who attacks the one who reads thousand names,
As an enemy would be immediately destroyed by Dandinee herself.
Ya paden nama saahasram shan masam bhakthi samyutha,
Lakshmi chanchalya rahitha sada thishtathi thad gruhe. 38
He who reads these thousand names daily for six months with devotion.
Will have the fickle minded Goddess of wealth, live in his house permanently.
Masamekam prathi dhinam, thri vaaram ya paden nara,
Bharathi thasya jihvagre range nruthyathi nithyasa. 39
He who reads it daily for one month or at least three weeks,
Will have Saraswathi the goddess of intelligence dancing on the tip of his toungue.
Ya paden nama saaharam janma madhye sakrunnera,
Thad drushi gochara sarve muchyathi sarva kilbihai. 40
The one who reads these thousand names in the middle of his life,
Would be able to see everything and all his sins would be pardoned.
Yo vethi naama sahaasram thasmai dheyam dwijanmane,
Annam vasthram dhanam dhanyam nanyebhyasthu kada chana. 41
He who makes the thousand names as his,would be made the twice born,
Get food, cloths, wealth, cereals and all that he wishes.
Sri manthra rajam yo vethi sri chakram ya samarchathi,
Ya keerthayathi naamaani tham sath pathram vidhur budha, 42
He who learns the king of sri Manthras and offers it to Sri Chakram,
And sings these thousand names, would be considered as holy by the learned.
Thasmai dheyam prayathnena Sri Devi preethimichata,
Ya keerthayathi namaani manthra rajam na vethi ya. 43
To him the goddess would give with love, whatever he wants,
Who sings these names and learns the king of Manthras.
Pasu thulya sa vijneya thasmai datham nirarthakam,
Pareekshya vidhya vidhusha thasmai dadhya dwichakshana. 44
There is no point in giving this Mantra to animal like people,
And it should be given to those who are learned and wise.
Sri manthra raja sadruso yadha manthro na vidhyathe,
Devatha lalitha thulyaa yadhaa nasthi ghatodhbhava. 45
There are no chants which are equal to Sri Mantra Raja,
And there is no goddess equivalent to Lalitha, Oh Agasthya.
Rahasya nama saahasra thulyaa nasthi thadha sthuthi,
Likhithwa pusthake yasthu nama saahasram uthamam . 46
Samarchayed sada bhakthya thasya thushyathi Sundari,
Bahunathra kimukthena srunu thwam Kumbha sambhava. 47
There is no prayer as great as the secret thousand names,
And he who writes it in a book, these thousand names,
And submits to her, would make the pretty one happy,
And please hear much more about it, Oh sage Agasthya.
Naanena sadrusam stotram sarva thanthreshu vidhyathe,
Thasmad upasako nithyam keerthyedhida madarath, 48
There is no such prayer any where in literature of Thanthra,
And so those who practice Thanthra sing it with devotion daily.
Yebhir nama sahasthraishtu Sri Chakram yo aarchayedh sakruth,
Padmair va thulasee pushpai, kalhaarai vaa, kadambakai. 49
Champakair jathee mallika kara veerakai.
Uthpalai bilwa pathrer vaa, kunda kesara patalai. 50
Aanyai sugandhi kusumai kethaki madhavee mukhai,
Thasya punya phalm vakthum na saknothi Mahesvara. 51
Even Lord Shiva would not be able to tell adequately,
The effect of worshipping the Sri Chakra using the thousand names,
With lotus, leaves of Thulasi, Kalharraa, kadambha flowers,
Jasmine, Champak, Kara veera, Uthpala leaves of Bilwa.
Jasmine buds and Kesara flowers,
And other scented flowers like lots, Kethaki Madavee Mukha,
Sa vethi Lalitha devi saw chakrarchanajam phalam,
AAnye kadham vijaaneeyur Brahmadhyaa swalpa medhasa. 52
Only Goddess Lalitha can tell some thing about the result of worshipping her chakra,
And possibly Lord Brahma may be able to narrate it to certain extent.
Prathi masam pournamasya mabhir nama sahasrakai,
Rathrou yas chakra rajastha marchayeth para devathaam, 53
Sa yeva lalitha roopa sthad roopa lalitha swayam,
Na thayo vidhyathe bhedho bedha ckruth papakruth bhavedh. 54
In every month during the full moon day, if she is worshipped,
By the thousand names, in the night on the Sri Chakra,
He would himself have the form of The goddess Lalitha,
And he cannot be seen as another one, for it is a sin to see him as anything else.
Maha navamyam yo bhaktha Sri Devi chakra madhyagaam,
Archaye nnama saahasrai sthasya mukthi kare sthithaa. 55
That devotee who worships her on mahanavami day,
On the Sri Chakra using these thousand names,
Would certainly attain salvation.
Yasthu nama sahasrena Shukra vare samarchayeth,
Chakra rajo maha devim thasya punya phalam srunu. 56
If these thousand names are dedicated on Friday,
To the Sri Chakra of the goddess, please hear the benefits.
Sarvan kaamaan vpyeha, sarva soubhagya samyutha,
Puthra pouthradhi samyuktho bhukthwa bhogaan yadepsithaan. 57
All your desires would be fulfilled,
You would lead a life with all blessings,
You would be surrounded by sons and grand sons,
And enjoy all the pleasures of life.
AAnthe lalitha devya sayujyam adhi durlabham,
Prathaneeyam shivadhyaischa prapnothyeva na samsaya, 58
At the end you would get salvation under Lalitha, which is difficult to obtain,
And get all benefits of praying Gods like Shiva without any doubt.
Ya sahasram Brahmanaana mebhir nama sahasrakai,
Samarchaya bhojayedh bhakthya payasa poopa shad rasai. 59
Thadsmai preenaathi Lalitha swasamrajyam prayachathi.
Na thasya durlabham vasthu thrishulokeshu vidhyathe. 60
Dedicating these thousand names to thousand Brahmins,
Feeding them with sweet Payasam, Vada made out of black gram,
And a meal which is blessed with all six tastes,
Would make one dear to Goddess Lalitha,
And she would bless you with her kingdom,
And there would be nothing in the three worlds,
That would be difficult to get to this man.
Nishkama keerthayedhyasthu nama Sahasramuthamam,
Brahma jnana mavapnothi yena muchyathe bandanath. 61
He who chants these thousand names,
Without any desires or attachments,
Would get the knowledge of Brhamam,
And would be released from the bonds of life.
Dhanarthi dhanam aapnothi, Yasorthi prapnuyath yasa,
Vidhyarthi cha aapnuyath vidhya, nama sahasra keerthanaath. 62
One who wants money would get money,
One who wants fame would get fame,
And one who wants knowledge would get knowledge,
By singing these thousand names.
Naanena sadhrusham sthothram Bhoga moksha pradham mune,
Keethaneeyamidham thasmad bhoga mokshadhibhir narai, 63
There is no prayer similar to this one,
Which would give pleasures and salvation, Oh sage,
For men by singing these thousand names,
Would get both pleasures as well as salvation.
Chathurashrama nishtaicha keerthaneeyamidham sada,
Swadharma samanushtaana vaikalya paripoorthaye. 64
In all the four stages of life*,
Singing these thousand names,
And also following one’s own Dharma,
Would help reach his goal without any problem.
* 4 Stages – Baalyam , Youvanam , Grahasthashramam , Vanaprastham , Sanyasam
Kalou papaika bahule dharmanushtana varjathe,
Namanu keerthanam mukthwa nrunaam nanya paraayanam. 65
In the age of Kali*, when all Dharmas are forsaken,
Men would get salvation by singing these names and no other.
* This Yuga – Kali Yuga
Loukeekath vachanath mukhyam Vishnu nama keerthanam,
Vishnu nama saharaischa Shiva namaikamuthamam. 66
In the family life it is important to sing the names of Vishnu,
But better than singing names of Vishnu is singing names of Shiva.
Shiva nama sahasraischa devyaa namaikamuthamam,
Devi Nama sahasraani kotisa santhi Kumbhaja. 67
Better than the thousand names of Shiva are the names of the Devi,
And Oh Agasthya, the thousand names of Devi are one crore times better.
Theshu mukhyam dasa vidham nama sahasra muchyathe,
Rahasyanama saahasramidham sashtham dasaswapi. 68
There are ten important names *out of these thousand names,
And all these are praise worthy.
(* The names are : Ganga, Gayathri, Syamala, Lakshmi, Kali, Bala, Lalitha, Rajarajeswari, Saraswathi and Bhavani.)
Thasmad sankeethayennithyam kali dosha nivruthaye,
Mukhyam Sri mathu naamethi na janathi vimohithaa. 69
Singing them daily would cure the ill effects of Kali age,
And the name Matha is important and should not be forgotten.
Vishnu nama paraa kechith Shiva nama paraa pare,
Na kaschid aapi lokeshu Lalitha nama thathpara. 70
Better than the names of Vishnu are the names of Shiva,
But in all the worlds there is nothing better than names of Lalitha.
Yenanya devathaa nama keerthitham Janama kotishu,
Thasyaiva bhavathi sradhaa Sri devi nama keerthane. 71
Even if the names of other Gods are sung in crores of births,
It is equal only to singing of the thousand names with devotion.
Charame janmani yadha Sri vidhyaupasako bhaveth,
Nama sahasra padascha thadha charama janmani. 72
If you become at your last birth an Upasaka of Sri Vidhya,
By reading the thousand names, this birth would become your last.
Yadhaiva virala loke sri vidyachara vedhina,
Thadaiva viralo guhya nama saahasthra pataka. 73
In this world it is rare to find Upasakas of Sri Vidhya,
And it is also rare to find those who read the secret thousand names.
Manthra raja japaschaiva chakra rajarchanam thadha,
Rahasya nama patascha naalpayasya thapas phalam. 74
Chanting the king of chants followed by worship of Sri Chakra,
And reading the thousand names gets the same result as doing Austerity (Thapas)
Apadannama saahasram preenayedhyaa Maheswareem,
Sa chakshushaa bina roopam pasyedheva vimoodadhi. 75
Without reading these thousand names and trying to please the Goddess,
Is like a fool trying to see a form without the eyes.
Rahasya nama saahasram thyakthwaa ya sidhi kaamuka,
Sa BHojanam vinaa noonam Kshunnivarthi mabheepsathi. 76
Forsaking the thousand names and trying to get occult powers,
Is like satiating hunger after forsaking all meals.
Yo Bhakthaa Lalitha devya sa nithyam Keertheyadhidham,
Nanyadhaa preeyathe Devi kalpa koti shathair api. 77
That devotee who sings these names of Lalitha Devi,
Need not sing any other for she will be pleased,
Only by singing of this even for hundreds of eons.
Thasmad rahasya naamani, Sri Mathu prayatha padeth,
Yithi they kaditham Stotram rahasyam, Kumbha sambhava. 78
These thousand names are to be read for making the mother happy,
But this prayer which I told is a secret, Oh sage Agasthya.
Na vidhyaavedhinebrooya nnama bhakthaya kadachana.,
Yadhaiva gopyaa Sri Vidhya thadha gopyamidham mune. 79
The learned in Vedas, if they do not recite these names at least once,
The Sri Vidhya would be kept secret from them, Oh sage.
Pasu thulyeshu na broyajjaneshu sthotramuthamam,
Yo dadhadhi vimoodathma Sri vidhya rahithaya thu. 80
People who do not tell this prayer are like animals,
If they give Sri Vidhya to the foolish without this prayer.
Thasmai kupyanthi yoginya, sonartha sumahaan smruth,
Rahasya nama saahasran thsmad sangopyedhidham. 81
The Yogis would be very angry with them,
For this would lead them to problems,
And that is why these secret thousand names,
Are kept as great secret from every one.
Swathanthrena mayaa noktham thavapi kalasee bhava,
Lalitha preranaa deva mayoktham stotramuthamam. 82
Of Sage Agasthya, I would not have told them to you independently.
But for the advice given to me by Goddess Lalitha to tell you these.
Keerthaneeya midham bhakthyaa Kumbhayone nirantharam,
Thena thushtaa Maha devi thavabheeshtam pradasyathi. 83
Please recite these with devotion, Oh sage Agasthya,
And the goddess will be pleased and fulfill your wishes.
Sootha Uvacha:
Sootha said:
Yithyukthwa Sri Hayagreevo dhyathwa Sri Lalithambikaam,
Aananda magna hrudaya sadhya pulakitho bhaved. 84
After telling thus, sage Hayagreeva meditated on Goddess Lalitha,
Was drowned in happiness and became enraptured.
Ithi Sri Brahmanda purane Uthara Kande,
Sri Hayagrrevagasthya samvade, Sri Lalitha sahasra nama stotra,
Phala srutheernama uthara Bhaga.
Thus ends the telling of effect of reciting Lalitha Sahasra Namam
Called The portion after,
Which is in Brahmanda Purana in the Uthara Kanda,
In the discussion between Sage Hayagreeva and Sage Agasthya.
