Sahasranama position 504 of the 1,072 names

Trailokya Janani

त्रैलोक्य जननी

Trailokya Jananī

What Trailokya Janani means

Trailokya Janani is name 504 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. The Mother of the Three Worlds, the creator and sustainer of the entire cosmos.

Also spelled

  • TrailokyaJanani
  • Source transliteration: TRAI-LOKYA JANANI

Sanskrit names travel into English in several romanizations. This page keeps the common spelling, the IAST form, and the source transliteration together so the same name is discoverable under each spelling readers use.

Meaning and elaboration

Meaning: The Mother of the Three Worlds, the creator and sustainer of the entire cosmos.

Elaboration

The name Trai-Lokya Janani means "the Mother (Janani) of the Three Worlds (Trai-Lokya)." It places Kali in the supreme role of cosmic source and sustainer.

The Concept of the "Three Worlds" (Trai-Lokya) In Hindu cosmology, the "three worlds" usually refer to: 1. Bhur Loka: the earthly realm, the world of mortals. 2. Bhuvar Loka: the intermediate or atmospheric realm, inhabited by celestial beings and ancestors. 3. Svar Loka: the heavenly realm, the abode of the gods. Sometimes the phrase is also understood as the three states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. In either reading, Trai-Lokya points to the whole of manifest existence, embracing all planes of being, all dimensions, and all states of experience.

The Supreme Creatrix and Sustainer As Janani, the Mother of these three worlds, Kali is far more than a fierce destroyer. She is the primordial energy (Ādya Shakti) from which everything arises, and by which everything is nurtured and sustained. She is the womb of creation, holding infinite possibilities within herself, and the steady power that maintains the balance of the universe.

Immanence and Transcendence This name reveals both her immanent and transcendent nature. She is immanent as the living fabric of the three worlds, present in every atom and every being. Yet she is also transcendent, beyond and above these worlds as their ultimate source, untouched by the cycles of creation. She is the provider, protector, and source of all life and consciousness within these realms.

The All-Encompassing Divine Mother Trai-Lokya Janani emphasizes her all-encompassing nature as the Divine Mother. She cares for her creation and guides it through its unfolding journey. In this light, even her ferocity becomes the stern discipline that purifies and perfects her children across all planes of existence, ultimately leading them back to her. This name firmly establishes her as the absolute sovereign of the cosmos.

Text and sources

The name list follows the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama as compiled for this project. The English meaning and elaboration are interpretive notes for devotional study, not a translation of a single critical edition.

Read the editorial method and source notes →

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