Sumeru-madhya-śṛṅgasthā सुमेरु-मध्य-शृङ्गस्था (55)

From this nāma   till 63, the narration of Her abode begins.

Sumeru means in the midst of mountains called meru.  She lives in the centre of Meru Mountains.  Vāc Devi-s in nāma   52 said that Lalitai is seated on the left thigh of Śiva, union of static and kinetic energies.  Now they are discussing about her palace.  Meru mountain range has three peaks and if a line is drawn connecting them, a triangle is formed.  In the midst of this triangle there is a taller peak than the rest of the three where in Lalitai resides.  Sage Durvāsa in his master piece Lalithāstavaratna says “I salute the three peaks (the shorter ones) which are abodes of Brahma, Viṣṇu and Śiva.  In the midst of these peaks, there is another peak much higher than the other three.  The golden rays are beautifying this peak and I worship it.”

Possibly this could be the description of Śrī Cakrā.  In the middle of Śrī Cakrā there is a triangle and in the centre of this triangle there is dot called bindu in which Lalitai lives with Her consort Mahā Kāmeśvara.   Nāma 52 is contemplated on this bindu.

Śrīman-nagara-nāyikā  श्रीमन्-नगर-नायिका (56)

She owns this auspicious and wealthy city called Śrī Nagara.  There are two narrations about this Śrī Nagara.  One is found in Durvasa’s Lalithāstavaratna and another in Rudra Yāmala (as told to Pārvatī by Śiva).  The former says that Śrī Nagara was constructed by celestial architect Viśvakarma.  Rudra Yāmala says that Śrī Nagara is in the midst of ocean of milk as an island called Ratnadvīpa  (island formed out of precious gems).  In the midst of Śrī Nagara there is another city called Śrī Vidya that is surrounded by twenty five walls, each wall representing a tattva.  So, She is the queen of such a place, from where She performs all Her three acts of creation, etc.

Cintāmaṇi-gṛuhāntasthā चिन्तामणि- गॄहान्तस्था (57)

She lives in a palace constructed out of Cintāmaṇi, one of the most valuable gems.  This gem is supposed to give whatever is desired.  This palace is on the northern side of Śrī Nagara, the city.  All the gods and goddesses go to this place to worship Her.  This is supposed to be the place of origin of all mantra-s.  Worshipping this place eradicates all mental afflictions. 

Pañca-brahmāsana-sthitā पञ्च-ब्रह्मासन-स्थिता (58)

She is seated on a throne made up of five Brahmans.  The five Brahmans are Brahma, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Īśāna and Sadāśiva (Some used to say Brahma, Viṣṇu, Śiva, Mahādeva and Sadāśiva).  Śiva, Mahādeva, Sadāśiva, Kāmeśvara are the different forms of Śiva.  Each form represents different acts.  Saundarya Laharī (verse 92) says that “Brahma, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Īśvara form the support of Your throne and Sadāśiva is the seat of Your throne”.  This nāma affirms Her highest authority of the universe.  But, Surely Vāc Devi-s could not have meant to name Brahma, Viṣṇu etc as support of Her throne and Sadāśiva as Her seat.  There is another interpretation for this Pañca-Brahman.  This could possibly mean the basic elements.  We have five cakra-s in our body (mūlādhāra to viśuddhi) and each of these cakra-s represent one element.  Mūlādhāra – earth element, svādhiṣṭhāna – water element, maṇipūraka – fire element (some are of the opinion that svādhiṣṭhāna is fire element and maṇipūraka is water), anāhata – air element and viśuddhi – ākāś or ether element.  Lalitai is sitting on these five elements, each element forming four legs of Her throne and one forming the seat.  This seems to be appropriate as She is the creator and creation is made out of the five basic elements only.  After crossing these cakra-s, one has to proceed to ājñā cakra where mind is controlled and then proceed to the crown cakra where the union of Śiva and Śaktī takes place.  This explanation suits the interpretations of certain other nāma-s in this Sahasranāma.   Nāma-s 249 and 947 also speak about this concept.