Bhanda means shameless. Here, it means embodied soul endowed with life.

As it is said, “though he is existence,

consciousness and bliss, this embodied. Soul (bhandima)is afflicted by ignorance, transient pain etc.” In the word
asura, asu =life, ra=take away. So he who takes away life. Life (asu) means real nature, i.e., bandha (captivity)as
expressed in a Sutra which says “knowledge is captivity”. Knowledge according to the second sutra means “not
recognizing the reality in the self, and recognizing the reality in what is not the self”. This word bhanda, is also
well-known by the word anavamala (vide the SauBha commentary # 354)
The siva sutras (1.5.6)say, ” The effort (udyama) is called Bhairava; when united with sakticakra, the evolution of
the universe takes place. When sakti is united, the creation of the body comes into existence. When the bhuta is
united, the separation of the bhutas, the composition etc., of the universe comes”. The vartikas on the above
sutras are as follows:
“From the self-knowledge of vimarsa aspect (of Devi), who is tended towards creation, comes out an effort
quickly (udyama)with complete egoism (purnahambhava)agitated within, merging in the reflective self
(Pratibha). That udyama is called by the derivative name Bhairava, because he is completely equipoised with all
other saktis, he is all pervading and he consumes all the armies of different modifications (of the mind). That
udyoga, by name Bhairava, as said above of Svasamvit, has a great sakti. It is above the order or otherwise,
standing entirely in its own citasakti and powerful to overcome the armies (dualities), in the void as well as
shaped forms, and when united with Sakticakra, it means realization as said before. When that process is formed,
evolution of the universe from Kalagni begins and Kala remains the state of the fire of Svasamvit Sakti. His Sakti
as described ( in the Siva Sutra, I -13)as Iccha -sakti. Uma is united, is meditated upon.
The effect of the meditation gives power to create anybody that he wishes. Bhutas: Bhutas are the body, buddhi
and prana which are graspers of the object and immovable things which are to be grasped, united nourished:
separation parting with them owing to disease etc. All these and other things come to a yogi when he realizes
sakti”.
Virility is latent in boyhood and manifests itself in youth. Similarly the various powers (saktis) that are in the jiva,
remain latent due to ignorance. When an effort is made all these shine forth. This is the purport of the above
quotation.
She is ready with her army to wage a war against Bhandasura. Her army consists of various goddesses mentioned
in Sri Chakra. There is a story associated with this nama. Manmata, the god of love was burnt by Shiva to ashes.
Ganesha, playfully collected the ashes of manmata and created a man. Brahma, the lord of creation on seeing
Ganesha’s act said ‘bhanda, bhanda’ meaning well done. That was why the demon was named as Bhandasura.
Since Manmata was burnt by the fierce fire of the third eye of Shiva, Bhandasura was said to be all powerful. He
was an embodiment of all evils. Bhanda also means bondage. Shiva Sutra 2 says ‘Jnanam bhandaha’. The
explanation given to bhandha is limited knowledge. This means ignorance is the cause for bondage. Bondage
means attachments, desires etc. Since lack of knowledge is the cause for duality, it is called bondage. If you have
knowledge, you will say ‘I am That (Brahman)’. Innate nature or unconditioned state of mind is called anava
mala. This state of mind is called innate because, the mind does not realise the Brahman as a result gets bonded.
Liberation is needed to get out of this bondage. This liberation is possible only with knowledge.
There is another interpretation for such a situation in Shiva Sutra 6 which says that by intense awareness, the
various shakthis (various acts of Shakthi) are united causing the disappearance of the universe (maya or illusion
and duality), leaving the supreme consciousness (the Brahman) to be realized. This process is nothing but self-
realization. The secretive meaning of this nama is – Lalitha is ready to give us liberation from the cycles of birth
and death, provided we have inclination to know about her. Bhandasura is an embodiment of ignorance and
resultant evil acts. She is ready to wage a war against ignorance and its associated acts. Shakthi sena means her
different acts, not just creation, sustenance and dissolution. Her different acts are symbolically represented by
various goddesses represented in Sri Chakra. We will discuss more about these goddesses later in this series.
She is endowed with an army of shaktis to slay Bhandasura.