Lalita Sahasranamaha - in a New Light

"Indisputably, Gayatri* is the greatest Mantra in the Vedas. It has been claimed that it is the quintessence of Vedas. The Mantra: ॠ(भूरà¥à¤­à¥à¤µà¤¹à¤¸à¥à¤µà¤¹) ततॠसवितà¥à¤°à¥à¤µà¤°à¥‡à¤£à¥à¤¯à¤‚ भरà¥à¤—ो देवसà¥à¤¯ धीमहि धियो यो नः पà¥à¤°à¤šà¥‹à¤¦à¤¯à¤¾à¤¤à¥à¥¥ The Mantra means that that there are three layers of existence and in all the layers, that sun Brahman (universal Consciousness) provides its effulgence. We focus our awareness towards that wisdom. We are ordained to repeat this Mantra on every spiritual occasion so that we do not lose sight of the fact even for a moment. In Bhu and Bhuvar Loka (layers) thought predominates pushing awareness to back-seat. Bhu is earth where we belong and Bhuvar Loka is the world of imagination that tethers us to Bhu (Loka). At Suvar Loka (layer), thought dissipates allowing unobstructed freedom of awareness. Predominance of thought implies duality (dvaita) as "I" am different from the world at large. As a consequence, thought creates a virtual reality common to all beings. We know no other reality. When a spiritual aspirant transcends thought, he graduates into a world of awareness where true reality is revealed. Space and time cease. That is the world of Lalitambika (Advaita). Most of the thousand names (Lalita Sahasranama) are relevant to a devotee who has transcended Bhu and Bhuvar Loka (layers) and set his focus on Suvar Loka with assistance from Lalitambika."