Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 628: Shri Trimurtih (ōṃ trimurtyai namaḥ)

The Goddess Divine Mother is the aggregate of the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Rudran/Shiva). 

The Divine Mother is considered in the forms of three murtis, namely Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra, who are assigned to do the three functions in universal creation, preservation and dissolution. Various universal beings are constantly born due to the creator Brahma. Likewise, to provide such universal beings with appropriate type of food to look after their bodies is Vishnu. When the soul leaves the human body, the remaining body is unfit and is being destroyed is called the death. Even due to ignorance if one wants to avoid death, he cannot stop it from happening. Rudran handles such destroying or dissolution action. All three functions are happening continuously. Souls through these three functions and re-birth, graduate towards Brahman, with the Divine Mother’s grace who is a party to these three murtis’ actions happening. 

Trimuthi also can mean that the Divine Mother is acting like a three year old girl, Bala Devi; a three year old gir known as Trimurti, according to Dhanmyacarya;  three year old girls do not have ahankara, their karna effects have not been felt yet, they are in cit form and are called Anantha Mai. They are celebrated as the Divine Mother is a good prayer to the Divine Mother. 

Trimurti can also relate to Vama, Jyestha and Rudri, in three forms of the Divine Mother, who also functions as Iccha, Kriya and Jnana shaktis. These three shaktis are also called Brahmi, Vishnavi and Rudri respectively. 

Trinity (brahma, Vishnu and Rudra) is essentially created by the Divine Mother and are forms of the Divine Mother. All the three world beings also choose to pray to these three murthis. 

The Divine Mother takes the forms and roles of three murthis. This Namam also can mean. ‘She manifested in three coulors of red, white and black.” Devi Bhagavata says, “Sambhavi is white, Srividya is red and Syama is black in colour; the three shaktis represent the three gunas.” Three Devis have assumed he colours of three gunas, namely Sattva, rajas and tamas. 

A girl of three colours white, red and black came in front of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudran. They asked Her, “O smiling one, who are you?’ Don’t you know me? She replied. I am your own Shakti. I was born in beautiful form from Your own gaze.” Three granted Her boons and said, “Please divide your body into three.” Accordingly, the girl took the three forms of these colours, white, red and black (as mentioned in Varaha Purana). 

In another instance, it is said that Parashakti took a form in white, predominantly sattvic, consisting of the shakti of Brahma; a form in red, predominantly rajas, consisting of Shakti of Vishnu and a form in black predominantly tamasic consisting of shakti of Rudran.

A three year old girl, Bala Devi, is worshipped as the Divine Mother.

 

C N Nachiappun

Singapore, 14 October 2021.

References:

1.     The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamayi Center, San Ramon, California, USA, with Commentary by T. V Narayana Menon

2.     Shri Lalitha Sahasranama Stostram published in Tamil by N. Ramaswami Iyer charities’ societies, Trichirapalli, India, with Commentary by C. V. Radhakrishna Sastry.

3.     The Lalitha Sahasranamam published in Tamil by Shri Ramakrishna Thapovanam, Thiruipparaithurai, Trichy District, Tamilnadu, India with commentary by Shrimath Swami Sithbavandar