LalithaTriShati & Sahasranamam

Lalitha Trishati:

Lalitha is the name of the goddess and means, She who can be easily attained or She who is simplicity personified. Adi Shankara has written a bhashyam. He also has contributed to Shakteya literature by writing a book called Soundarya Lahari.

In the Lalithopakyanam chapter, Hayagreeva teaches Agasthya the famous Lalitha Sahasranamam. But Agasthya does not get satisfied because he feels that his teacher has not taught him one another important Stotra.

Hayagreeva hesitates because that one stotra is extremely secret. Then Lalitha herself appears before Hayagreeva and asks him to teach Agasthya, the most secret of the stotras called Laltha Trishati. She also tells him that this is the Sarva Poorthikara stotra meaning “that stotra which completes everything.” Then Hayagreeva thanks his disciple for giving him an opportunity of seeing the Goddess Lalitha herself and teaches him The Lalitha Trishathi stotra.

This stotra recounts the 300 names of the goddess.

Lalitha Sahasra Namam:

This stotra (hymn which praises) occurs in Brahmanda purana (Old epic of the universe) in the Chapter on discussion between Hayagreeva and Agasthya. Hayagreeva is an incarnation of Vishnu with the horse head and is believed to be the storehouse of knowledge. Agasthya is one of the great sages of yore who is one of the stars of the constellation great bear. At his request Hayagreeva taught him the most holy 1000 names of Lalitha .