LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM
निस्तुला नीलचिकुरा निरपाया निरत्यया ।
दुर्लभा दुर्गमा दुर्गा दुःखहन्त्री सुखप्रदा ॥ ५०॥
[ Nistula Neelachikura Nirapaya Niratyaya // Durlabha Durgama Durga Dukha-hantri Sukhaprada ||50||]
दुःखहन्त्री (191)
Dukha-hantri (191)
Meaning:
Devi and Devi alone has the power to destroy the sufferings of her devotees. Hence she is addressed as Dukha Harini.
Interpretation:
Dukha Hantri by itself is a two worded phrase. Let's discuss them one by one.
Dukha in general refers to sorrow. As far as this Namah is concerned, one should have an elaborate reach to understand what are the kinds of sorry that Devi is capable of destroying. We get details about it in Agni Puranam.
Himsa (violence), the wife, and Adharma (unrighteousness) gave birth to two daughters called Anarta (falsehood) and Nikarta (fraud) and from them were born the daughters Bhaya (fear), Naraka (hell), Maya (illusion) and Vedana (pain). Maya brought forth Mrityu (death), the annihilator of all living objects, and Raurava (a particular kind of hell). Mrityu brought forth Dukha (sorrow, grief). From Raurava were born Jaati (caste), Jara (wrinkles), Shoka (sorrow), Trishna (covetousness) and Krodha (anger). Devi will destroy all these and give Mukti to her devotees.
Now let's look at Hantri. This word has been specifically used by Vaag Devis to describe that Devi would destroy (Hanthum - literally means to kill) without leaving any trace of it so that these kind of sorrows donot make any reappearance.
Interestingly, we also find a mention of the word Hanthum in Devi Mahatmyam or Chandi Path:
नृसिंहरूपेणोग्रेण हन्तुं दैत्यान् कृतोद्यमे । त्रैलोक्यत्राणसहिते नारायणि नमोऽस्तु ते ।।
And the English Translation of the above Sloka by Swami Vivekananda is:
Salutations to You O Narayani, Who in the Form of Nrisinghi (Woman-Lion), in Fierce Rage, Undertook to Kill the Demons,
Who Bear the Task of Protecting the Three Worlds; Salutations to You O Narayani.
Author's Notes:
This Namah is very interesting in the sense that it serves twin objectives of the devotees. Firstly the devotee gets rid of all his sorrows by the grace of Devi. Second is he is assured of salvation or Mukti which is nothing but a permanent place in the abode of Devi.
It should however be remembered that things do not happen overnight or by claiming to have done long hours of Meditation. It should be remembered that it's Devi who decides who should be the recipient of her grace and when.
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