Sadāśiva-pativratā सदाशिव-पतिव्रता (709)

Śiva has many forms and Sadāśiva (Sadāśiva means always happy or prosperous) is one among them.  Following are the few interpretations of Sadāśiva.  Brahma, Viṣṇu, Rudra, Mahādeva and Sadāśiva are the five elements viz. earth, water, fire, air and ākaś.  Out of all the forms of Śiva, Sadāśiva form is considered as supreme, as He is the cause for re-creation that happens after deluge (mahā pralayā). Sadāśiva is the thirty fourth principle or tattva and the next two principles are Śaktī and finally Śiva, thus making thirty six principles.  Principles are nothing but states of consciousness.  Sadāśiva principle is the stage where the practitioner feels that ahaṁ idaṁ.  Ahaṁ means I am and idaṁ means here.  Idaṁ also refers to ‘something that is immediately following’. In this context ahaṁ idaṁ means that ‘I am here awaiting Śaktī and Śiva’ (refer nāma 999).  This is the penultimate stage to Self-realisation.  In the stage of Sadāśiva ‘I consciousness’ is still predominant and associated with icchā or will.  Sadāśiva tattva leads to Śaktī which ultimately culminates in Śiva.  There is nothing beyond Śiva. 

This nāma means She is the wife of Sadāśiva. Śiva is nirguṇa Brahman or the Brahman without attributes and Sadāśiva’s wife is saguṇa Brahman, as She is endowed with all the energies for creation, sustenance and dissolution. 

Saṃpradāyeśvarī संप्रदायेश्वरी (710)

Saṃpradāya means the knowledge imparted through traditions.  This knowledge is mostly associated with rituals and generally taught through guru-disciple relationship.  It can also be said that Saṃpradāya is sacred traditions.  This nāma says that She is the Īśvarī (chief) of all types of traditions. 

This nāma also means that Her mantra-s such as Pañcadaśī and ṣodaśī should be recited only after a proper initiation by a Guru.  Here, Guru means a Self-realized person.  In Śrī Vidyā worship, too much of importance is given to the rituals and devotees are made to spend more time in rituals rather than being with Her.  Devotion is the one and the only factor that leads to realization.  Rituals become a necessity only in the initial stages of knowing Her.  Worshipping Lalitāmbikā should be done in privacy as everything associated with Her is secretive in nature (refer nāma 707).  Samaṣṭi (group) pūja is not a good idea to realize Her. 

Sometimes it becomes difficult to find a proper guru.  In such a situation one can have self-initiation, provided one understands the meaning of the mantra and the associated procedures (like nyāsa, etc).  Guru is a must in Śrī Vidyā cult and in the case of self-initiation either Śiva or Viṣṇu can be contemplated as one’s Guru.  But this procedure is applicable only for rare cases.  It is always better to get initiation through a guru in person as there are procedural formalities involved.

There is a higher level of interpretation for this nāma.  In reality, the Brahman is One.  Brahman is contemplated as Śiva and Śaktī as two different entities.   Differentiating between Śiva and Śaktī is traditionally accepted and followed. The same tradition also says that the one without the other cannot independently act, implying that they are same. Tradition does not say anything that is different from Veda-s, but they have their own style of interpretation.  Basically, tradition is meant for the beginners.  Tradition should pave way to reality of satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahmā (Taittirīya Upaniṣad II.i.1). 

She is said to be the ruler of traditional knowledge.

Sādhu साधु (711)

In the poetic version of this Sahasranāma, verse 138 says sādhvī.  This word has been split into two nāma-s – sādhu (711) + I (712).  This is because nāma 128 is sādhvī. Lalitā Sahasranāma is unique because no nāma is repeated. Such repetition is known as punarukti doṣa (offence of repetition i.e. tautological) which is totally avoided in this Sahasranāma.

Sādhu has number of interpretations such as to complete, to accomplish, to overpower, to understand, etc.  Śaktī is known as parāhaṃta, the highest form of egoism.  Her parāhaṃta quality is the cause for sustaining this universe.  Both intellect and ego evolve from three guṇa-s (sattvic, rajas and tamas). The Brahman stands covered by the sheath of ego.  Ego is a functional quality and hence Śaktī is called parāhaṃta. Śiva is static in nature and Śaktī is functional in nature.  Functionality is the inherent quality of Śaktī.  She is the cause for accomplishments and dispelling ignorance.  Hence She is called Sādhu. Sādhu also means a person who does not cause any harm to others and has intent to do good things for others.  This interpretation also suits Her quality.