Parameshvari (परमेश्वरी, IAST: parameśvarī) is a Sanskrit-origin Hindu girl-name meaning “She who is the supreme sovereign of all existence”. From parama (highest, supreme) and īśvarī (feminine sovereign, mistress of all), Parameśvarī is the quintessential title of the Goddess as the ultimate ruler over every plane of being.

Meaning, etymology & significance

Īśvarī derives from the root īś, to rule or possess, and in its feminine form names the Goddess as the one whose sovereignty is inherent and unchallenged. The prefix parama elevates this rulership to the absolute: not merely great or powerful, but the very apex of lordship. In the Lalitā Sahasranāma's theology, Parameśvarī is Lalitā insofar as she governs all gods, all worlds, and all states of consciousness from the transcendent summit of her being.

Parameśvarī is one of the most cherished and widely used titles of the Goddess across all Śākta traditions and is beloved in South India especially as both a devotional address and a given name. Pronounced puh-ruh-mesh-vuh-ree; common short forms include Parameshwari, Parameshwari, and the affectionate Pari.

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Scriptural source

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

Astrology — nakshatra, rashi & numerology

By the standard Vedic correspondence between a name’s first syllable and the lunar mansion, Parameshvari aligns with the Uttara phalguni nakshatra, under the Kanya rashi (Moon sign). Its Chaldean name-number is 3.