Lokayātrāvidhāyinī (लोकयात्राविधायिनी, IAST: Lokayātrāvidhāyinī) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “She who ordains the journey and order of the world”. Loka (world), yātrā (journey, procession, sustenance of life), and vidhāyinī (she who ordains or arranges) combine to portray Lalitā as the divine administrator who establishes and maintains the entire course of worldly existence.

Meaning, etymology & significance

The word yātrā in classical usage extends beyond physical travel to encompass the sustenance and regulated functioning of society and the cosmos; lokayātrā thus means the ongoing 'going on' of the world in its moral and natural order. Vidhāyinī, from vi + dhā (to place, to establish), marks her as the one who actively sets that order in motion and upholds it. This name resonates with the Devī's role as the supreme sovereign whose will is the very constitution of existence.

This compound epithet is primarily encountered in stotra recitation and theological commentary rather than as a standalone given name; its length makes it unwieldy for everyday personal use. Devotees who wish to draw from it as a name sometimes shorten it to Vidhāyinī or Yātrā.

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Scriptural source

Lokayātrāvidhāyinī appears in the Lalitha Sahasranama, among the sacred names of Lalitha.