Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 662: Shri Asta murtihi (ōṃ aṣṭamūrtyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother has eight rupams or forms. 

Ancient documents mention that Her eight rupams are, the five elements, namely ether (akasa), water, air(vayu), fire and earth plus three others are mind, intellect and ahamkara. All universal creatures which have come up for consideration, are said to have these eight forms as the creatures represent the Divine Mother; as all creatures have come from the Divine Mother or Brahman. 

Bhava, Sharva, Ishana, Pasupathi, Rudra, Ugra, Bheema and Mahat are the eight forms of Lord Shiva. Since the Divine Mother is the Shakti for Lord Shiva, She, is also having eight forms. In one version these eight forms are identified as: earth, water, fire, air, ether (akasa), sun, moon and purusha. 

Prakruti is of two types; one is Para, which is the highest considered fundamental source; the other apara- prakruti which is split into eight types; earth, water, fire, air, ether (akasa), mind, intellect and ahamkara as mentioned in Gita (Vll – 4). The Divine Mother is also in these eight forms. 

Lakshmi (wealth), Medha(intellect), dhara the one who holds the earth, Pushti (nourishment), Gauri (flawless or blimshless), Tushti (satisfaction), Prabha (brightness), Dhruti (confidence) are a set of eight forms. The eight Vak Devis are also the Divine Mother’s forms. 

In Yogasastra, the Self is described as having eight different forms based on gunas: the embodied soul (jivatman), the inner self (antaratman), supreme self (paramaatman), unstained self (nirmalatman), pureself (suddhaatman), wise Self (jnanatman), the great self (mahatman) and elemental Self (bhutatman). The Divine Mother is said to be in these eight forms. 

In Saktirahasya, the five gross elements plus the sun, the moon and the jivatman are mentioned as eight forms for the Divine Mother. Heaven or sacrifice appears in some lists in place of jivatman.

The Goddess the Divine Mother is in eight forms.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 17 November 2021/ updated 28 August 2024.

 

 

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