Sahasranama position 123 of the 1,072 names

Puta

पूता

Pūtā

What Puta means

Puta is name 123 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. The Purifier, the Holy One, the One who removes all impurity.

Also spelled

  • Source transliteration: PUTA

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 Purifier, the Holy One, the One who removes all impurity.

Elaboration

Puta is a rare yet deeply significant name of Mahakali. It comes from the Sanskrit root "Pu," which means "to purify," "to cleanse," or "to make holy." In this name, she is the very essence of primordial purity and the supreme power of purification.

The Absolute Purity As Puta, Kali represents absolute, stainless purity that transcends ordinary notions of clean and unclean. This purity is not merely physical. It extends into the mental, emotional, and spiritual realms. She embodies the pristine, unconditioned consciousness that existed before the distortions of duality and impurity arose.

Remover of Impurities (Mala) In Hindu philosophy, impurities (mala) are the subtle coverings that veil the true nature of the self. These include anava mala (individual ego-limitation), karma mala (impressions of actions), and mayiya mala (delusion of form and matter). As Puta, she is the fierce, transformative power that burns away these impurities and reveals the soul's inherent purity. Her fire is not destructive in a negative sense. It consumes ignorance and defilement.

Sanctifier and Consecrator She is the power that consecrates and makes sacred. By her very presence, any object, space, or being that enters her purifying aura is rendered holy. She is invoked by sadhakas (spiritual aspirants) to cleanse the mind, heart, and intention, making them fit vessels for divine realization. Worshiping Puta is itself a process of deep inner cleansing and spiritual renewal.

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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