Shri Lalitha Sahasranamam: Namam 821: Shri Brahmani (ōṃ brahmāṇyai namaḥ)

The Divine Mother is the root of Brahman; She is the support for all.

She exemplifies the glories of Brahman. She is eternally in Anandham, the true nature of Brahman. This cannot be opposing the Brahman. The four faced Brahma has Sarasvati as his spouse. He needs the guidance of Sarasvathi and the Divine Mother, in doing his job of creating the universe. This is explained by Sage Paramahamsa as follows. Dried mud cannot be used for making the pot. Brahma is like dried mud. Sarasvati is like water. So, dried mud and properly mixed water can be used to make pots or other forms. Both Brahma and Sarasvati joined to continue creating universal beings. Sarasvati is also under the command of the Divine Mother. Due to this, the Divine Mother gets the name Brahmani.

The Divine Mother is Brahma Sakti. Ani is the sharp end of a nail. Ananda-mayam is a maya based tattva. It is hiding the Atman like a sword is held in its scabbard. The Atman resides in natural happiness and is called anandha-mayam. The Divine Mother is the end or the root to reach Brahman. It is like a sharp edge of a nail reaching inner areas. So, She is the root of the Brahman.

Brahman, with its Iccashakti form and due to maya effect is taking a form, as the Divine Mother and She is called Brahmani. As She is helping Brahma, through Sarasvati Devi in the creation of the universe; She is also called Brahmani.

Ani means a tail. This usually means the bottom or end of the backbone and its continuation; it forms the support used by animals for sitting.

The Bhruguvalli discusses the anandha-maya kosa (the bliss sheath), as made of five parts, the last of which is the ‘the tail’. This tail is the support for the universe, which is Brahman (Taittiriya Upanishad II.5.) The Divine

Mother is the Brahman, and She provides the support for all universal things.

The Divine mother gave life to Brahma, the creator and is, therefore, known as Brahmani as mentioned in Devi Purana.

Sadashiva is not different from Brahman, then the Divine Mother as His spouse is Brahmani.

The Divine Mother is the tail of Brahman; She is the support for all.

 

C N Nachiappan

Singapore, 24 April 2022 updated 10 August 2025

References:

1.     The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother published in English by Mata Amritanandamis AparnaSan 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