Sahasranama position 499 of the 1,072 names

Sumantra

सुमंत्रा

Sumaṃtrā

What Sumantra means

Sumantra is name 499 in the Adya Mahakali Sahasranama, the 1,072-name devotional text to Maa Kali. The Goddess of excellent sacred chants, revealing the deepest truths.

Also spelled

  • Sumamtra
  • Source transliteration: SU-MANTRA

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 Goddess of excellent sacred chants, revealing the deepest truths.

Elaboration

Su-Mantra directly translates to "Excellent Mantra" or "Good Mantra." The name points to the sacred sounds that carry divine truth and power, and it reveals Kali as the living essence of all auspicious and potent mantra.

The Essence of Sacred Sound (Shabda Brahman) In Vedic and Tantric traditions, the universe is understood to arise from and be sustained by sound (Shabda Brahman). As Su-Mantra, Kali is the highest expression of that cosmic sound, the primal vibration from which all manifestation emerges and into which it dissolves. She is not only the receiver of mantras, but their source, their power, and their deepest meaning.

Revelation of Deepest Truths Mantras are not mere words but energetic forms that attune the practitioner to higher realities. As Su-Mantra, Kali reveals the profound and esoteric truths hidden within these sacred chants. She is the wisdom that unlocks the potency of each syllable, leading the seeker beyond surface meaning into direct experience of reality. Through her, mantra becomes a living force that opens the way to spiritual insight and liberation.

The Path to Liberation For the devotee, to approach Kali as Su-Mantra is to recognize her as the gateway to spiritual awakening through the disciplined practice of chanting (japa). She is the power that purifies the mind, clarifies perception, and dissolves the illusion of separation. Chanting her name, or any sacred mantra filled with her essence, becomes a direct path to her transformative power and to the deepest truths of existence.

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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