Sri Lalitha Trishati Namavali

The Lalitha Trishathi Stotram is also known as the Sarva Poorthikara stotram.

There is a very large school of thought which gives primacy to Shakthi which is the female aspect of energy of the Gods. The followers of Shakthi were called Shakteyas. Among this group rose a peculiar group of sages who were called Tantrics. They believed in Shakthi only and worshipped her using methods which was not considered "normal", for example worshipping a virgin, doing Yoga sitting on a corpse and so on. They also preferred acts over mostly. To them, the names of Goddess had some divine meaning, which would give them supernatural powers. They also believed in animal and even human sacrifice. From them rose voluminous religious literature dedicated to Shakthi. In these books sounds were considered extremely important. Chanting each Sound was believed to result in different benefits. The most important of these ancient books is the Devi Bhagavatam, Devi Mahatmyam (from Markandeya Purana), Lalitha Sahasranama and Lalitha Trishathi (both also from the Brhamanda Purana)

These are contained in the chapter called Lalithopakyanam. This entire chapter is in the form of conversation between Hayagreeva and Sage Agasthya. Agasthya is also the saint who is supposed to have originated the Tamil language by writing its first book of grammar.

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. Twenty names each start from each of the fifteen letters which form the Pancha dasakshari manthra (the 15 letter manthra)