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Though the gods Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma (called the Trimurthi)
are the most important gods in Hinduism, there is a school of
thought which gives primacy to Shakti (literally meaning ‘the
strength’) which is the female aspect controlling even these
gods. The followers of Shakthi cult were called Shakteyas.
Among this group rose a fanatic group of sages who were called
Tantrics. They believed only in Shakti and worshipped her using
a strange method which was not usual, for example worshipping a
virgin, doing yoga sitting on a corpse and so on. They preferred
acts rather than words mostly. To them the names of Goddess had
some divine meaning, which would give them supernatural powers.
They also believed in animal and even human sacrifice.
From them arose voluminous religious literature dedicated to
Shakti. In these books, sounds were considered extremely
important. Chanting each sound was believed to result in
different powers or benefits.
The most important ancient books that they followed were the
Devi Bhagavatam (The story of Devi), Devi Mahatmyam (from
Markandeya Purana), Lalitha Sahasranama and Lalitha Trishathi
(both from Brahmanda Purana).
These are contained in the chapter called Lalithopakyanam
(The Essay on Lalitha). This entire chapter is in the form of a
conversation between
Hayagreeva
(an avatar of Vishnu with a horse head) and
Agasthya, who
is one of the important Saptha Rishis. Agasthya is also the
saint who is supposed to have been the origin of the Tamil
language by writing its first book of grammar. He was married to
Lopamudra. It is believed she became the holy river Cauvery that
made south India fertile.
Among the stotras in this chapter are the
Lalitha Sahasranamam (the thousand names of Lalitha) and
Lalitha Trishathi (the Lalitha Three Hundred).
Lalitha is the name of the Goddess, meaning she who can be
easily attained or she who is simplicity personified. Adi
Sankara wrote a bashyam (explanatory text) for Lalitha
Sahasranamam. He also has contributed to Shakteya literature by
writing a book called Soundarya Lahari (literally – waves of
beauty).
In the Lalithopakyanam chapter, Hayagreeva teaches Agasthya
the famous Lalitha Sahasranamam. But Agasthya does not get
satisfied because he feels that his teacher has not taught him
one other important stotra. Hayagreeva hesitates because that
one stotra is extremely secret. Then Lalitha herself appears
before Hayagreeva and asks him to teach Agasthya the most secret
of the stotras, called Lalitha Trishathi. She also tells him
that this is the Sarva Poorthikara Stotra, meaning “that stotra
which completes everything”. Then Hayagreeva thanks his disciple
for giving him an opportunity to see Goddess Lalitha and teaches
him the Lalitha Trishathi Stotra.
This stotra recounts the 300 names of the Goddess. Twenty
names each start from each of the 15 letters which form the
Pancha Dasakshari Mantra (the 15-letter mantra). This mantra is:
Ka- aa-ee-la-hrim
Ha –sa-ka-ha-la-hrim
Sa-ka-la-hrim
The first five letters (Vaag Bhava Koota) given in the first
line, originate from the Mooladhara (literally, basic support or
the support which is the root) which is situated below the
vertebral column. This is supposed to house the baser instincts
of man. This mantra (entire first line) is supposed to rise from
the Mooladhara like the fire in time of a deluge and touch the
anahatham (the basis for food).
The second six letters (Kama Raja Koota) start from the
anahatham with the power and brilliance of billions of sun and
touch the Agna Chakra (literally, the wheel of command).
The last four letters (Shakthi Koota) start from the Agna
Chakra like the soothing light of billions of moon and touch the
Lalata Madhya (the center of the forehead). The series of sounds
is supposed to start from the baser instincts (compared to a
coiled serpent sleeping in the Mooladhara) lights one by one the
stomach, the chest and travels through the Sushmna Nadi and
blossoms the unopened bud of the lotus with a thousand petals in
the brain.
Once this is opened, the yogis believed that there was no
knowledge on earth and heaven that you did not know.
Each line of Pancha Dasakshari Mantra is considered
equivalent to one
Gayatri.
Because of this, the chanting of Lalitha Trishathi is
supposed to lead to great benefits to the sadhaka. It is
supposed to give him all that is needed..
(to be continued)
(Translated by
P R Ramachander)
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Lalitha
Trishathi Stotram-1
