703. Sarvamohinī
Sarvamohinī reveals the Divine Mother as the divine enchantress who captivates all beings through her beauty, grace, and power of Māyā. The name symbolizes her ability to project the universe as a wondrous play of multiplicity while ultimately guiding seekers beyond illusion to the realization of the one infinite Consciousness that underlies all existence.
Sarvamohinī (सर्वमोहिनी)
This is the 703rd name of the Lalitā Sahasranāma.
After revealing the Divine Mother as Sarvagā, the all-pervading reality present everywhere, the Sahasranāma now presents a profound and paradoxical aspect of her divine play:
Sarvamohinī – She who enchants all; She who causes all beings to become deluded; She who fascinates the entire universe through her power of Māyā; She who captivates all hearts by her beauty and grace.
This name must be understood carefully, for it operates on multiple levels—from devotion to cosmology to the highest Advaita.
1. Literal Meaning
Word-by-word
Sarva – all
Mohinī – enchantress, deluder, fascinator, one who causes attraction or bewilderment
Literal translation
"She who enchants all."
or
"The Enchantress of the universe."
or
"She who causes all beings to be captivated through her power."
2. Traditional Meaning
The commentators explain:
The Goddess is called Sarvamohinī because through her power of Māyā she causes the universe to appear as a manifold reality and enchants all beings.
She is both:
the creator of the cosmic illusion,
and the one who ultimately removes it.
3. The Meaning of Moha
Moha means:
delusion,
fascination,
attachment,
enchantment,
bewilderment.
Not all moha is negative.
A devotee may become enchanted by the beauty of the Divine.
Thus the name has both positive and negative dimensions.
4. The Mother as Divine Enchantress
The Mother possesses incomparable beauty.
Her grace captivates:
gods,
sages,
devotees,
all beings.
Thus she is Sarvamohinī.
5. The Power of Māyā
The universe appears as:
diverse,
separate,
changing.
This appearance is produced by Māyā.
Māyā is not independent.
It is the Mother's own power.
Therefore she is Sarvamohinī.
6. Why Does This Name Follow Sarvagā?
The sequence is deeply meaningful.
Sarvagā
She pervades everything.
Sarvamohinī
The same all-pervading power appears as the enchanting universe that captivates beings.
The Mother is both the reality and the appearance.
7. Devotional Meaning
For devotees, Sarvamohinī often carries a beautiful sense.
The Mother enchants the heart so completely that worldly attractions lose their power.
Her beauty becomes the devotee's sole fascination.
8. Śākta Meaning
In Śākta philosophy:
Creation itself is a divine play (līlā).
The Mother manifests the universe through her power of self-concealment.
She veils herself and then reveals herself.
Both actions belong to her.
9. Advaita Vedāntic Meaning
Now the deeper layer.
A profound insight
Who is deluded?
The hidden teaching
The ego.
The Great Enchantment
The greatest illusion is:
"I am separate."
From this arise:
attachment,
fear,
desire,
suffering.
This is the work of Māyā.
Why Does the Mother Delude?
This question has fascinated philosophers for centuries.
The traditional answer is:
Divine play (līlā).
The Infinite appears as the finite for the joy of manifestation.
Veiling and Revealing
The Mother has two powers:
Āvaraṇa-śakti – the power of concealment.
Vikṣepa-śakti – the power of projection.
Through these, the One appears as many.
The Compassionate Enchantress
The Mother does not merely delude.
She also liberates.
The same power that creates illusion can dissolve it.
The Highest Meaning
At the ultimate level, even delusion is not separate from Consciousness.
The appearance and the reality are both supported by the Mother.
She alone remains unchanged.
Divine Beauty
Another interpretation emphasizes attraction rather than delusion.
Everything seeks beauty, happiness, and fulfillment because the Mother draws all beings toward herself.
Thus she enchants the universe.
Relation to Earlier Names
Observe the progression:
Sarvagā – She is present everywhere.
Sarvamohinī – Through her presence the universe becomes an enchanting manifestation.
The all-pervading reality now appears as the captivating play of existence.
The Non-Dual Meaning
At the highest level, Sarvamohinī signifies the power of Consciousness to appear as a universe of multiplicity while remaining one and undivided. The Divine Mother both projects the illusion of separation and grants the wisdom that transcends it.
A Deeper Contemplation
The name Sarvamohinī reveals one of the deepest mysteries of spiritual life.
The Mother is not merely the ultimate reality.
She is also the power through which that reality appears as the world.
The universe fascinates us.
Forms attract us.
Experiences captivate us.
All of this occurs through the Mother's Māyā.
Yet the name should not be understood only negatively.
The Mother also enchants the heart with devotion.
She attracts the soul toward truth.
The same power that binds can liberate.
The sequence after Sarvagā is especially significant.
The Mother is everywhere.
The world that enchants us is therefore not separate from her.
The challenge is to see through the enchantment without rejecting its divine source.
From a devotional perspective, Sarvamohinī is the irresistible beauty of the Goddess.
From a Śākta perspective, it is her power of Māyā and cosmic play.
From a philosophical perspective, it explains the appearance of multiplicity.
From an Advaitic perspective, it points to the mysterious capacity of Consciousness to appear as a world of diversity while remaining forever non-dual.
The Mother is both the enchantment and the truth beyond it.
Ultimately, Sarvamohinī teaches that the Divine Mother enchants the entire universe through her power of Māyā and divine beauty. She veils reality as multiplicity, attracts beings through countless forms, and ultimately draws them back to the recognition of the one infinite Consciousness that she alone is.
To contemplate Sarvamohinī is to recognize the Divine Mother as the mysterious power behind both illusion and awakening, the enchantress of all worlds, and the supreme beauty that captivates the heart and leads it home to truth.
One-line Essence
Sarvamohinī reveals the Divine Mother as the cosmic enchantress whose power of Māyā both veils and reveals the one reality.
