Chapter 1 · Prathamo’dhyāyaḥ (First Chapter)
Verse 77
तथा संहृतिरूपान्ते जगतोऽस्य जगन्मये। महाविद्या महामाया महामेधा महास्मृतिः ॥ ७७ ॥
tathā saṁhṛtirūpāntē jagatō’sya jaganmayē | mahāvidyā mahāmāyā mahāmēdhā mahāsmṛtiḥ || 77 ||
Translation
'And likewise, at the end, you assume the form of dissolution of this world. O you who are full of the world, you are the great knowledge (Mahāvidyā), the great illusion (Mahāmāyā), the great intelligence (Mahāmedhā), and the great memory (Mahāsmṛtiḥ).'
Word by word
- tathā
- and
- saṁhṛtirūpā
- having the form of dissolution
- ante
- at the end
- jagataḥ
- of the world
- asya
- this
- jaganmayē
- she who is full of the world, who pervades it
- mahāvidyā
- the great knowledge
- mahāmāyā
- the great illusion
- mahāmedhā
- the great intelligence
- mahāsmṛtiḥ
- the great memory
Meaning
Brahmā concludes this section of his praise by reiterating her role as the dissolver and by glorifying her with four majestic names that describe her divine attributes: Mahāvidyā: The highest wisdom that leads to liberation. Mahāmāyā: The divine power that creates the fascinating illusion of the cosmos. Mahāmedhā: The supreme intellect and power of discernment. Mahāsmṛtiḥ: The eternal consciousness that remembers all and is the basis of all knowledge. He addresses her as jaganmaye, signifying that while she pervades the entire cosmos, she also transcends it. She is both immanent and transcendent.