Guruji and GuruAmma in front of Devipuram


Lalitōpākhyāna drawing by Arghya Dipta

The Lalitōpākhyāna, which is found in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, is a text containing 40 Chapters and comprising about 3000 verses. It is a dialogue between Hayagrīva (an avatar of Lord Viṣṇu) and sage Agastya, which details the emergence of Devi Lalitā, her valour in the battle against the demon Bhaṇḍāsura and his armies, the formation of Śrīpura and others.

Link to download Lalitopakhyana in English

Many of the accounts in Lalitōpākhyāna provide the basis for the rituals described in Paraśurāma Kalpa Sūtra and also find their way to the Lalitā Sahasranāma, which shouldn't be a surprise since it's also part of the same Purāṇa.

Below are the 20 LSN names (#65-84) with direct references to Lalitopākhyāna.


Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 16
LSN #65 bhaṇḍāsuravadhodyuktaśaktisenāsamanvitā
She who is endowed with an army of Śaktis intent on slaying Bhaṇḍa

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 16 v. 7-13
LSN #66 sampatkarīsamārūḍhasindhuravrajasevitā
Who is attended by a herd of elephants ably commanded by Sampatkarī

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 16 v. 14-30
LSN #67 aśvārūḍhādhiṣṭhitāśvakoṭikoṭibhirāvṛtā
She who is surrounded by a cavalry of several million horses which are under the command of Aśvāruḍhā

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 19 v. 1-60
LSN #68 cakrarājarathārūḍhasarvāyudhapariṣkṛt
She who shines in Her chariot Cakrarāja, equipped with all kinds of weapons

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 19 v. 61-86a
LSN #69 geyacakrarathārūḍhamantriṇīparisevitā
She who is served by Mantriṇī who rides the chariot known as Geyacakra

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 20
LSN #70 kiricakrarathārūḍhadaṇḍanāthāpuraskṛtā
She who is escorted by Daṇḍanāthā, seated  in the Kirichakra chariot

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 26 v. 28-32
LSN #71 jvālāmālinikākṣiptavahniprākāramadhyagā
She who has taken a position at the center of the fortress of fire created by the goddess, Jvālāmālinī

Lalitopākhyāna [many places]
LSN #72 bhaṇḍasainyavadhodyuktaśaktivikramaharṣitā
She who rejoices at the valor of the shaktis who are intent on destroying the forces of Bhaṇḍāsura

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 25 v. 74-82, 109
LSN #73 nityāparākramāṭopanirīkṣaṇasamutsukā
She who delights in seeing the might and the pride of Her Nityā deities

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 26 v. 72-94
LSN #74 bhaṇḍaputravadhodyuktabālāvikramananditā
She who delights in seeing the valor of the goddess Bālā who is intent on killing the sons of Bhaṇḍa

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 28 v. 102-106a
LSN #75 mantriṇyambāviracitaviṣaṅgavadhatoṣitā
She who rejoices at the destruction, in battle, of the demon Viṣaṅga by the Mantrṇī (See note)

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 28 v. 106b-113
LSN #76 viśukraprāṇaharaṇavārāhīvīryananditā
She who is pleased with the prowess of Vārāhī who took the life of Viśukra (See note)

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 27 v. 67
LSN #77 kāmeśvaramukhālokakalpitaśrīgaṇeśvarā
She who gives rise to Mahāgaṇapati by a glance at the face of Kāmeśvara

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 27 v. 72-76
LSN #78 mahāgaṇeśanirbhinnavighnayantrapraharṣitā
She who rejoices when Mahāgaṇapati shattered the Vidhna yantra

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 29 v.62-89
LSN #79 bhaṇḍāsurendranirmuktaśastrapratyastravarṣiṇī
She who showers counter weapons to each weapon fired at Her by Bhaṇḍāsura

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 29 v. 90-136
LSN #80 karāṅgulinakhotpannanārāyaṇadaśākṛtiḥ
She who created from Her fingernails all ten incarnations of Nārāyaṇa

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 29 v. 140
LSN #81 mahāpāśupatāstrāgninirdagdhāsurasainikā
She who burned the armies of the demons in the fire of the missile, Mahāpāśupata

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 29 v. 141-4
LSN #82 kāmeśvarāstranirdagdhasabhaṇḍāsuraśūnyakā
She who burned and destroyed Bhaṇḍāsura and his capital Śūnyaka with the Kāmeśvara missile

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 30 v.11-42
LSN #83 brahmopendramahendrādidevasaṃstutavaibhavā
She whose many powers are extolled by Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Śiva, and other gods

Lalitopākhyāna Ch. 30 v. 45-47
LSN #84 haranetrāgnisandagdhakāmasañjīvanauṣadhiḥ
She who became the life-giving medicine for Kāmadeva who had been burned to ashes by the fire from Śiva's (third) eye


Note: In Lalitopākhyāna it's the opposite, Mantriṇī killed Viśukra and Vārāhī killed Viṣaṅga.

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