201. Hrīṁkāriṇī ह्रींकारिणी

This hrīṁ is the last bījākṣara of the second kūṭa (Kāmarāja kūṭa) of Pañcadaśī mantra and is the eleventh akṣara of the entire Pañcadaśī mantra. Nāma-s 81 to 100 also commenced with hrīṁ. Totally there are sixty nāma-s in three groups that begin hrīṁ in Lalitā Triśatī and this is the second group of twenty nāma-s (201 to 220). This nāma says that She is in the form of hrīṁ and nāma 81 Hrīṁkārarūpā also conveyed the same meaning.

Varivasyā-rahasya (verse 127) says that the second kūṭa, which is ending with this hrīṁ confers on the aspirant valour, material wealth, good family and fame. This is in contrast to the previous kūṭa (vāgbhava kūṭa), which confers subtle spiritual intellect to the aspirant. Having attained spiritual knowledge (jñāna yoga), the aspirant enters the world of action (karma yoga and bhakti yoga) leading a virtuous, compassionate and contended life.

202. Hrīṁkārādyā ह्रींकाराद्या

She is the beginning of the universe or the universe was created by Her. In other words, She existed even before the formation of the universe.

In the beginning, Śiva alone existed and when He decided to create the universe, there was inexplicable vibration in Him leading to the creation of His Consort Śakti. She is not different fromŚiva in any way, as She represents His Absolute Power of Autonomy known as svātantrya śakti. By using His power, She created the universe and formulated different energies that hold all the planets together. Once these energies are withdrawn, the process annihilation begins to unfold. By referring to Her as hrīṁ, this nāma says that She exists before the creation of the universe.

Previous nāma that She is in the form of hrīṁ and this nāma addressed only by hrīṁ.

203. Hrīṁmadhyā ह्रींमध्या

Previous nāma said ādi (beginning, subtly conveying creation) and this nāma says that She is also in the middle. There are three primary actions of Brahman, creation, sustenance and destruction*. Creation as ādi was referred in the previous nāma and by referring that She is in the middle, this nāma talks about Her act of sustenance.

(*Further reading: Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva looked at each other and in the process there appeared a young girl.  On seeing the girl, these Lords asked her who she is.  She replied saying that She is Śaktī, the combined form of all the three of them.  They named the girl as Tripura.  Tripura form of Devi was born out of subtle looks of Gods of creation, sustenance and dissolution.  She is made of three colours, white, black and red.  White colour is Brahma.  He is sattvic in nature and hence described as white.  Next is black representing Viṣṇu’s rajo guṇa.  The third colour is red, representing the red colour of Rudra, a form of Śiva, tamo guṇa.  However, the guṇa-s of Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva are interpreted differently.  It is said that the Brahman has divided into three, Brahma, Viṣṇu and Rudra. The same three combined to form Śaktī. She is One into many and many into One.  That one is the Brahman.  Brahman is the cause and Śaktī is the effect.  For every cause there has to be effect/s.}

204. Hrīṁśikhāmaṇiḥ ह्रींशिखामणिः

Two interpretations are possible for this nāma. Śikhāmaṇi means a jewel worn on the head, possibly referring to cūḍāmaṇi, which is the name of a jewel worn on the head. This also indicates auspiciousness.

Śikhāmaṇi also means the best of a class or the chief. This nāma can be explained through Lalitā Sahasranāma 250, Pañca-brahma-svarūpiṇī. Brahman has five functions to perform.  They are creation, sustenance, destruction, annihilation and salvation.  Each of these activities is governed by different Gods.  These different Gods are only manifestations of Brahman. Though one talks about various forms of gods, all these refer only to Brahman, who does not have any form and is omnipresent.  In fact these Gods, Goddesses, ministers, yogini-s mean different natural activities that take place in the universe.   That is why Nature is called as Mother Nature and worshipped as a Goddess, as acts of the Brahman are unfolded only through Nature and in the arena of Nature.  Beyond all this, She is revered as Śrī Mātā (Lalitā Sahasranāma 1), the Universal Mother.

205. Hrīṁkārakuṇḍāgniśikhā ह्रींकारकुण्डाग्निशिखा

She is at the top of the (human) head in the form of fire altar, or She is in the form of fire that burns at the top of the head, which is compared to a fire altar. Śikhā means crown of the head and subtly conveys sahasrāra. When kuṇḍalinī is fully active, top of the head will produce heat. When this heat becomes too intent, the body may not be able to withstand the heat. This heat needs to be controlled by consuming a lot of fruits, milk, milk related products, tender coconut water, plain water, etc. If this heat is not controlled properly, it could manifest as various ailments. By saying kuṇḍāgniśikhā, this nāma subtly conveys Her presence in sahasrāra.

She is adored as Cidagnikuṇḍa-saṃbhūtā in Lalitā Sahasranāma 4 which is explained thus: “Cit + agni + kuṇḍa + saṃbhūta.  Cit means the nirguṇa Brahman or the Brahman without attributes (the foundational consciousness). Agni kuṇḍa means a fire altar, in which fire sacrifices are done by offering oblations.  Saṃbhūtā means born.  Agni kuṇḍa or the fire altar means the dispeller of darkness.  Darkness means lack of knowledge or ignorance which is called a-vidyā (vidyā means knowledge).  This should not be interpreted as the one who was born out of the fire.  She is the supreme consciousness who dispels ignorance.  She dispels ignorance through Her form of pure consciousness, who illuminates within, dispelling the darkness of māyā.

“The same explanation is given by Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad Gīta (IV.37), “Like a fire turning the fire logs into ashes, the fire of knowledge burns to ashes all the karma-s (sarva karmani).”  Complete knowledge of the pure Brahman residing within, destroys all our karma-s whether good or bad.  One should have no balance in karmic account to avoid further births.”

Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (I.ii.6) says that one has to offer oblations into the seven tongues of fire and if the oblations are properly done, the performer is taken to Indra loka (world of Indra). Previous verse of this Upaniṣad names the seven tongues of fire as Kālī, Karālī, Manojavā, Sulohitā, Sudhūmravarṇā, Sphuliṅginī and Viśvarucī. Yajur Veda (Taittiriya Samhitā IV.vi.5.14) says, “sapta te agne samidhaḥ sapta jihvāḥ सप्त ते अग्ने समिधः सप्त जिह्वाः” which means ‘O! Agni! Seven are your fuels and seven are your tongues’. This nāma says that She presides over these fires (chief of these agni-s) or She is in the form of seven types of Agni.

206. Hrīṁkāraśaśicandrikā ह्रींकारशशिचन्द्रिका

Śaśi means moon and candraka means moon’s illumination or its rays which are cool in nature. This nāma and the previous nāma are directly related. Previous nāma said that She is in the form of fire at sahasrāra, which will be active only in a very few. She willingly helps them by being present as the rays of the moon, which are cool in nature. This is what is known as Her Grace. There is also another subtle conveyance in this nāma. When sahasrāra is fully active, nectar flows from sahasrāra down to the throat which is called amṛtavarṣini (amṛta means nectar and varṣini means flow). This is explained in Lalitā Sahasranāma-s 105 and 106 Sahasrārambujārūḍhā and Sudhāsārabhi-varṣiṇī. There is one soma chakra in the middle of sahasrāra.  When Kuṇḍalinī reaches this cakra, out of the heat generated by Her presence, the ambrosia which is stored there gets melted and drips through the throat and enters the entire nervous system. 

Saundaryalaharī verse 39 gives the same interpretation, but in a different context. It says when Śiva’s glance burns the universe, Her glance (śaśicandrikā), which is full of compassion renders chilliness as treatment.

207. Hrīṁkārabhāskararuciḥ ह्रींकारभास्कररुचिः

Bhāskara means the sun and ruci means splendour. This nāma says that She is in the form of bright splendorous sun, who is referred as Brahman here.  

Prāṇa Upaniṣad (II.9) says that there three gods who preside over the three worlds. Agni presides over earth, Indra and Vāyu (air) presides over the mid world (antarikṣa- the world between earth and heaven) and sun presides over the heaven. Sun contextually interpreted as the Self, which alone is always shining.

A number of Upaniṣad-s talk about this Light. 

Bṛhadāraṇayaka Upaniṣad (IV.iv.6) says “upon that immortal Light of all lights the gods meditate for longevity.” This means that gods meditate on this Supreme Light for their immortality. 

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (II.ii.15) explains this further. “In the presence of Brahman, the sun does not shine, nor do the moon and stars, nor does lightning, let alone this fire.  When Brahman shines, everything follows.  By Its light, all these are lighted.”  This is the famous dīpa ārādhana mantra:

na tatra sūryo bhāti na candratārakaṃ
nemā vidyuto bhānti kutoyamagniḥ
tameva bhāntamanubhāti sarvaṃ
tasya bhāsā sarvamidaṃ vibhāti|

”न तत्र सूर्यो भाति न चन्द्रतारकं
नेमा विद्युतो भान्ति कुतोयमग्निः।
तमेव भान्तमनुभाति सर्वं
तस्य भासा सर्वमिदं विभाति॥

Chāndogya Upaniṣad (VIII.iii.4) says, param joytiḥ upasampadyate which means attaining the highest light.  The Upaniṣad says “Then, this person, who is the embodiment of happiness, emerging from the body and attaining the highest light, assumes his real nature.  This is the Self (this talks about merger into Brahman).”

208. Hrīṁkārāmbhodacañcalā ह्रींकाराम्भोदचञ्चला

Āmbhasa refers to clouds and cañcala means lightning. This verse can be best explained through Saundaryalaharī verse 40. The verse says, “"I worship You in navel chakra as the one, appearing as dark blue in colour and like a powerful lightning, that dispels darkness. The reflections of Your ornaments appear like a rainbow, cause rain to cool the three worlds, burnt by Śiva."

This nāma can be further explained. When She, in Her subtlest form kuṇḍalinī, reaches crown chakra, one can visually see sparks of Light in ājñā cakra and above. This is compared to lightning. Once She reaches sahasrāra, amṛtavarṣini begins to flow as described in nāma 206. This is compared to thick clouds that cause downpour.

Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad (XIII.11) gives a beautiful description on this.

nīlatoyadamadhyasthā vidyullekheva bhāsvarā |
nīvāraśūkavattanvī pītā bhāsvatyaṇūpamā ||

नीलतोयदमध्यस्था विद्युल्लेखेव भास्वरा।
नीवारशूकवत्तन्वी पीता भास्वत्यणूपमा॥

This verse explains the Self (Brahman). It says, “Brahman is like lightning amongst dark clouds, which is slender like awn of paddy grain, subtle like an atom shining forever.”

209. Hrīṁkārakandāṅkurikā ह्रींकारकन्दाङ्कुरिका

Kanda means bulbous root of a plant and aṅkurita means sprouting. She is in the form of a seed that sprouts. In other words, She is both the cause as well as effect.

Kāmakalāvilāsa (an important work of Śrī Vidyā. It is classified as a Tantric Scripture, which talks about evolution from the inner most triangle of Śrī Cakra (Lalitā Sahasranāma 322 is kāmakalā rūpā). In one of the verses Kāmakalāvilāsa (I.3) says, “bījāṅkurarūpiṇī parāśaktiḥ बीजाङ्कुररूपिणी पराशक्तिः”This means that She is both the seed as well as sprout.

Similarly, in Dakṣiṇāmūrti stotra (verse 2), it is said that the universe before its appearance was present like a seed of a tree.

The meaning of this nāma is that She is smaller than the smallest and also bigger than the biggest, as explained in Kaṭha (कठ) Upaniṣad (I.ii.20).  It says aṇoḥ aṇīyān meaning smaller than the smallest.  The Self is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest and from this arises all existence and the one who knows this process is called self-realised person.

210. Hrīmkāraikaparāyaṇā ह्रीम्कारैकपरायणा

She is the ultimate goal of all devotees. She alone can make a devotee merge unto Śiva, for which Her Grace is the most important factor. She is the ultimate destination to get relief from the pains of transmigration. Unless, She is effectively contemplated, She cannot be attained. Parāyaṇa means last resort or refuge. Parāyaṇa also means possessed by. Unless the mind is completely possessed by Her, attaining Her Grace is not possible. Without Her Grace, spiritual path is not complete. In order to attain Her, effectively contemplating Her is important. One can enter this stage after passing through the initial levels of daily rituals, singing hymns in Her praise, repetition of mantra japa-s, etc.

Due to Her own power of māyā, She makes a person to get attached more towards ritualistic worship. Though ritualistic worship may give mental satisfaction, it does not lead to the ultimate aim of liberation. Liberation can happen only through a completely purified mind in which She is intently contemplated. When the contemplation is effective, She makes the aspirant to enter into the state of Bliss, during which state the effects of māyā begin to wane. Once if one is able to enter into the state of Bliss, liberation is not far-off.