Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 735: Shri Mithya jagad adhishtana (ōṃ mithyājagadadhiṣṭhānāyai namaḥ)

From Nama 684 to 741 the glories of the Divine Mother were discussed.

The Divine Mother is the basis or support of the illusory universe.

Mithya is illusory, not constant, ever changing; jagad is constantly changing; adhisthana can mean foundation. There is a Mahavakyam namely, Brahmah Sathyam, jagad mithya. The Divine Mother is the Supreme Brahman, and the entire universe is Her creation.

The universe is created, sustained and dissolved. The Divine Mother is the ultimate deity for this ever-changing universe. The zero space with total emptiness can be said to be a lie. It is not correct to say an item is non-existent when it is available or seen. Nature is constantly functioning and changing.

An item seen is true; however, when we analysis through a universal approach, it cannot be alone, and it will become not true. For such a universe, the Divine Mother is supporting or basis of it.

The Divine Mother is the one who appears as the whole universe. When we see the universe, we do not see the Divine Mother who is the support for it. At that stage, the universe holds the truth. When we analyze, the universe is not in our sight, but we realize the support for the universe, who is the Divine Mother.

A mud pot, from its name and shape is understood as an independent item. When we consider the base mud, which gives the shape and name to the pot, the pot and shape become immaterial or untrue. Likewise, a gold ring is independently recognized in name and shape. However, when gold is the base for such a ring, it loses its ring status but only looked at as gold. Here, the pot and the ring were real and in name in one time. But when their supporting base mud and gold were considered, they lost their status and became immaterial. This is a form of Mithya. Similarly, looking at a shell as silver and as a shell is also Mithya. Same identified silver initially, turns out to be a shell only. Shell is true; Silver is untrue which had come in between. Likewise, within everlasting or eternal Divine Mother, the universe is created and dissolved. She is true to have created the universe. Then we can realize the Divine Mother is true. The universe is Mithya state, The Divine Mother is in ultimate true state without any illusion.

When we consider the universe is created by the Divine Mother, the universe created by Her becomes true. The assumption that the universe is different than the Divine Mother is Mithya. When we understand the ultimate Divine Mother, the universe has the same sense. Like gold and the ring, the Divine Mother is the base for the universe.

The basis or support for the illusory universe is Para-Brahman.The Nama can also mean that the Divine Mother is that Para-Brahman.

Mithya is illusory, not constant, and ever changing. Everything that is changing is Mithya or illusory. Truth is what is constant. There is only one such truth which is Para-Brahman.

The ‘sages’ of India recognized thousands of years ago that every soul is Para-Brahman, having parted from it and trying to reach it for Liberation. The universe manifests in the essence of that Para-Brahman. This manifestation persists until one realizes the Para-Brahman. Until then, this world is indeed the reality for the soul. It is relative reality. If the sense of Samsara (birth and death cycle) exists, the world looks real to the soul. Only for the one who has reached the ultimate (truth) realization of the Self, does the world become an illusion.

The Divine Mother is the support for this illusory universe.

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 29 January 2022; Updated 03 April 2025

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