Bhayāpahā भयापहा (121)

She dispels fear. 

Taittirīya Upaniṣad (II.9) says “having known the Brahman, he is not afraid of anything as there is none by his side”.  He is with the Brahman who is always a witness; therefore Upaniṣad says that there is none with him.  Bṛhadāraṇayaka Upaniṣad (I.iv.2) says, “If there is nothing else except me, where is the question of fear”.  The cause of fear is the existence of a second person.  The existence of second person is felt only out of ignorance.  In fact, there is no second in this universe.  It is only the same Supreme Self within, who prevails in everybody which is mistaken for the second.  This happens out of māyā

The very recitation of Her name will dispel fear.  Viṣṇu Sahasranāma nāma 935 is ‘bhāyapahā’.  

Saundarya Laharī (verse 4) says, “Your feet are by themselves powerful to protect those in grip of fear.”   But Śaṇkarā says that cycle of birth and death afflicted with saṁsāra (bondage) is known as fear.  Śaṇkarā’s interpretation of fear is also confirmed by Sage Durvāsā in his Śrī Śakti Mahimnaḥ.  He says jarāṁṛuti nivāraya, praying relief from the fear of birth and death.

Those who worship Her do not have the fear of birth and death.  Mere recitation of Her name will dispel this fear.

(Further reading on fear:  Fear is the worst destroyer of spirituality. Fear is a product of mind. Not only it obstructs the spiritual path, but also it destroys the progress made. Fear not only afflicts the mind, though it is a product of the mind, it affects one’s health as well. Most of the fears are unfounded and a result of our imagination. Fears are mostly related to physical body. For example fear of an accident, fear of an unexpected fall, fear of disease or injury, fear of an enemy etc. Sometimes fear arises out of ego. Fear of hurting one’s prestige in the society, fall in status, etc are classified under this category. Basically it is important to note that fear arises out of attachment to the physical body and ego. The latter also includes finance management. There are only two possible remedies one can think of. One is to undergo the agony of fear and the other is destroying the cause of fear by visualization. When there is fear, the entire energy will be drained out. After all, everything is pre-determined by karma-s and whatever is to happen is bound to happen. If one develops positive thoughts, positive actions will manifest and if negative thoughts are nurtured, manifestation of miseries and sufferings happen.  To a great extent one can eliminate fear by positive thoughts. Thoughts are always very powerful.

All of us never escape the clutches of fear, but most of us encounter fear and make it powerless. There should be some cause for fear. If one is are able to destroy that cause, the effect of fear will not manifest. Let us take a simple example. If someone is pulling a car out of the garage with a fear that he might meet with some accident, his fear will manifest and cause some accident. In this situation, his thought manifests as action. On the contrary, if one thinks that he will have a safe day, the day is bound to be safe. Let us take another example. One’s superior is going to give his report on his promotion. On some earlier occasions he had misunderstandings with his superior and he did not like his attitude. Possibly he may not give a good report about him for his promotion. In this case if he meditates and infuses positive energy to his superior he can be rest assured that his superior will not give any adverse report about his, as his positive energies will induce him to make out a good report. By infusing positive energies, one can have positive results in most of the situations. Mentally one can burn the cause of fear by visualizing fire burning the cause. Practicing this type of meditation is a sure way to success. There is no need for separate place to do this meditation. One can take a minute or two, find out a place where one can get some fresh air, by closing the eyes and visualise that the cause of fear is being burnt by flames of fire.

{Remember one thing always. Nobody can harm you either emotionally or physically. You are a divine soul and abundant divine energies are always around you to protect. This divine energy prevents committing evil acts and protects you from evil influences. After all what you sow is what you reap.}

Śāṃbhavī शांभवी (122)

Śiva is known as Śāṃbhu and His wife is ŚāṃbhavīViṣṇu Sahasranāma nāma 38 is Śāṃbhavae which is interpreted as ‘the one who gives comforts to devotees’.  In that way both Śiva and Lalitāmbikā give comfort to their devotees. 

There is a mudra called śāṁbhavi mudra which is generally used in Kuṇḍalinī meditation.  Focusing both the eye balls internally towards ājña cakra and lifting the consciousness upwards, by correspondingly raising the eye balls is śāṁbhavi mudrā.  There are other interpretations also. 

There are three types of dīkṣā-s (initiations) and one among them is śāṁbhavi dīkṣā.  The other two are śākti and māntri.  

Worshippers of Śiva are called śambhavā-s.  She is the mother of śambhavā-sSaundarya Laharī (verse 34) says, śarīraṁ tvaṁ śambhoḥ meaning ‘You (Śaktī) are the body of Śiva.  The next verse says śiva  yuvāti bhāvena meaning ‘assuming the role of Śiva’s wife’.  Such narrations are in plenty to affirm that She always remains as a part of Śiva, both physically and mentally. 

Śāṃbhavī also refers to a young girl of eight years.  There is a ritual by name kanyā pūja explained in Devi Bhāgavata (III.25 and 26) about worshipping Her in the form of girls of of different ages.  If such a ritual is performed as per the prescribed method, it is said that the devotee will become prosperous and wealthy. 

Śāradārādhyā शारदाराध्या (123)

Śāradā means Sarasvatī, the Goddess of speech.  She is worshiped by SarasvatīŚāradā could also mean Vāc Devi-s, the authors of this Sahasranāma

She is worshipped for nine days in the month of October/ November called navarātrī or śārada navarātrī, meaning nine nights.  Śaktī worship is always done in the nights as per tantra śāstra.  It is said that Viṣṇu is to be worshipped in the morning, Śiva in the evening and Lalitāmbikā in the night.  Apart from the śārada navarātrī, there is one more navarātrī called vasanta navarātrī celebrated in the month of April/May. Possibly this nāma could mean Śāradā navarātrī

Kālikā Purāṇa says ‘Once upon a time in spring, in the ninth day you were awakened by gods.  Hence you are known to the world by the name Śāradā”. 

This nāma means that she is worshipped by the knowledgeable (knowledge gained from Veda-s and śāstra-s).