Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 666: Shri Bhuma rupa (ōṃ bhūmarūpāyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the aggregate of all existing things in this universe. 

Bhuma means “many” and Brahman, which is one Unique thing. She has incomparable biggest form. Bhuma can be viewed as very big thing also. Upanishads say Brahman is Bhuma. Non-moveable Para Brahman is different than the constantly moving the Divine Mother which is not to be taken. When the snake is curled up and moves, it is still a snake. Likewise, the Brahman and the Divine Mother are one and the same is the interpretation of this Nama. 

She is everything. When we say that the Divine Mother is all alone, we cannot think that She is staying in one place and specific time. There is nothing different to Her in this universe; She is everything that can be visualized in this universe. 

Bhuma rupa, coming just after previous Nama “Ekakini” (to identify Her as all alone), this can be taken to mean “many”. Devi Purana describes her thus:” Even though She is only one, through conditioning She is celebrated everywhere as Bhuma, “many’. As a crystal takes the colours of objects nearby, She does shine as Bhuma due to the different gunas”. 

When we take Bhuma as Brahman, this Nama implies that the Divine Mother is none other than Brahman. Everything in this universe is only an illusion (vivarta) form of Brahman. Just as water is one but it appears as sea wave, foam, cloud, ice and whirlpool water. Brahman is one without a second, but the Divine Mother appears in many names and forms in this universe. 

Vishnu as protector is part of Trinity. Sri Devi for wealth and Buma Devi having all the earthly creations are his consorts. Therefore, this Nama can be viewed as the Divine Mother in the form of Bhuma Devi.

The Divine Mother is Bhuma as “many”.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 21 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