Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 212: Shri Maha rupa (OM mahArUpAyai namaH)

In Namams 199 to 248, the Divine Mother’s  Saguna or infiniteness power and glory are described. 

The Divine Mother is endowed with greatest form or gracious figure or indomitable identity. 

The Divine Mother being represented here as Maha-rupa is very customary. For each rupa, She has a Nama. 

Elephant is a big animal. Huge in size compared to an ant. A small ant moving cannot understand the total size of the elephant. 

Similarly, we cannot understand the full form or rupa of the Divine Mother. The Namas attributed for Her, can only represent a very small portion of Herself. There are many non-understood elements in Her form, which can only be referred to as being very big (Maha). 

The initial unknown stage comes ahead of the universal creation. That structure had developed very big (Maha), emerging itself into a greater universe contained within the Divine Mother. 

Vishnu Purana states that there are four forms of the Supreme Brahman. They are namely: Purusha, Pradhana (unmanifested), Vyakta (manifested) and Kala (Time). These forms, contained within the Divine Mother, are the basis of creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe. The Divine Mother’s form is bigger and far beyond all these four forms. 

The Divine Mother’s form is very big or She is Maha rupa.

 

Mari amman. She takes care of the earthly things. 

C N Nachiappun          

Singapore, 23 August 2020.

 

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.