Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 219: Shri Maha bhoga (OM mahAbhogAyai namaH)

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

The Divine Mother can derive and enjoy all forms immense wealth. People taking refuge in the Divine Mother gets all the above things in abundance.

Bhoga means riches, money, grain and other assets. It is essentially the blessings for the devotee to enjoy all the auspicious things, even though he may not be the real owner of the things giving him the enjoyments. For example, if a very rich man owns many large properties in different places in a country. If a person is hired as the manager of one of such properties with all the best facilities under his control, he gets to enjoy the benefits of the set up, while the real owner may stop by for short periods in the property to supervise the regular activities. Being on the spot, even though he is not the owner, gives the manager the means to all the benefits of the set up. This is one kind of bhoga to be enjoyed by the devotees with the Divine Mother’s grace. 

The Divine Mother gives happiness and comfort to all universal creatures. All comforts enjoyed by the all creatures come from Her. Getting comfort using sensory elements is also called Bhoga. The divine comfort got without the sensory elements is called yoga. Bhoga is not eternal comfort; which gives happiness and sweetness in the short term and sorrow in the end. The devotee learns that eternal comfort is yoga. In general, the common man aims for Bhoga. The Divine Mother guides the devotee from enjoying the Bhoga to yoga; and to get liberation to enjoy the Supreme Self. 

The sensory elements and devotees materialistic assets give bhoga. Assets and resultant uninterrupted pleasure is called Maha bhoga. The Divine Mother is spreading such b hoga to all creatures in this universe. 

Maha bhoga also means completeness or extension. The Divine Mother extends her form, filling the whole universe which is known as Maha bhoga.

 

Goddess Annapoorneshwari is giving out food for the universe.

C N Nachiappun           

Singapore, 30 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.