From the fire rose Lalitha Tripura Sundari. The Devtas then sought the advice of Sage Narada who advised them to conduct a fire sacrifice. From the ashes came Bhandasura, who made all the world impotent and ruled from the city called Shonitha pura. Heeding their request Shiva stared at the ashes of Manmatha. The Devas and Rati Devi the wife of Manmatha requested Shiva to give life to Manmatha.

Shiva woke up and opened his third eye and burnt Kamadeva, God of love into ashes. So, to wake Shiva from his deep meditation, the Devtas deputed Manmatha, the God of love who shot his flower arrows at Shiva. The Devtas faced an enemy in Sura Padma / Banda who had a boon that he could be killed only by a son of Shiva and Parvati. Naturally, Parvati sought and received Shiva as her husband. Sati reincarnated as daughter of Himavat, king of the mountains, and his wife, the apsara Mena. This incident upset Shiva and he entered into deep meditation. Consequently at the behest of Shiva, Daksha was killed by Veerabhadra Swamy, an incarnation of Shiva’s wrath and later resurrected with a goat’s head. Daksha insulted her husband and she jumped into the fire and ended her life. However Sati went to attend that function in spite of Shiva’s protest. Daksha and Shiva did not get along and consequently Daksha did not invite Shiva for one of the great fire sacrifices that he conducted. Lord Shiva married Sati, the daughter of Daksha. Shiva is one of the trinity of Hindu pantheons, in charge of moksha (layam).

All the other Sahasranamam are said to have been composed by Vyasa Maharishi. Lalitha Sahasranamam is the only Sahasranamam composed by vagdevatas under Lalitha’s direction.

This has been conveyed to us by the sage Vyasa Maharishi.

At the request of Agasthya, Hayagriva is said to have taught him the thousand holiest names of Lalitha. Agasthya is one of the sages of yore and one of the stars of the constellation Saptarishi (Ursa Major). Hayagriva is an incarnation of Vishnu with the head of a horse who is held to be the storehouse of knowledge. Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam Stotra (hymn of praise) occurs in the Brahmanda Purana (history of the universe) in the chapter on discussion between Hayagriva and Agasthya.

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