Bhagamālinī भगमालिनी (277)

Bhaga has many meanings. Goddess Savitṛī is also addressed as Bhaga. It also means good fortune, happiness, welfare, prosperity, dignity, majesty, distinction, excellence, beauty, loveliness, etc.

She is in the form of Bhagamālinī, one of the tithi nitya devi-s.  There are fifteen tithi nitya devi-s, one nitya devi-s for each lunar day.  Tithi means one lunar day. In her mantra ‘bhaga’ appears several times.  Hence this tithi nitya devi is called Bhagamālinī.  They are worshipped during Śrī Cakra navāvaraṇa pūja. 

In Liṅga Purāṇa there is a reference (I.99.6, 7) to a goddess called Bhagā.  “She is the mother of the universe.  Her   name is Bhaga.  She is the threefold pedestal (the bottom portion of Liṅga) of the deity, in the form of Liṅga”.  This description perfectly fits Umā and Maheśvarā (Śaktī and Śiva). The pedestal on which Liṅga is placed is called Bhagā.

Bhagā also means the six qualities of Śaktī which is explained in nāma 279.  She is wearing a garland twined with these six qualities of prosperity.

Padmāsanā पद्मासना (278)

She is seated on a lotus or She is sitting in the posture of padmāsana (a yogic way of sitting, cross legged).  Padma means lotus.  When one is seated in padmāsana, the posture will appear like a lotus.  The leaves of lotus creeper are compared to prakṛti (the source of objectivity), its filaments to vikṛti (categories, changed condition), and its stalk to knowledge.  Padma also means the Goddess of wealth Lakṣmī.  In this context it indicates that She distributes wealth to Her devotees.  Here wealth does not mean material wealth only, but also the intellectual wealth, the capacity to have higher level of consciousness, needed to realise the Brahman.  It could also mean the Brahma, the lord of Creation.

Bhagavatī भगवती (279)

She is endowed with auspiciousness and power of autonomy of Śiva.

This nāma is an extension of nāma 277.  Bhaga refers to six qualities of Śaktī viz. supremacy, righteousness, fame, prosperity, wisdom and discrimination.  The nāma means to highlight certain important qualities of the Brahman.  She is endowed with these qualities.  There is another set of six qualities and they are creation and destruction, waxing and waning, knowledge and ignorance. It is also said that She is worshipped by all gods and goddesses, therefore She is known as Bhagavatī.  In Viṣṇu Sahasranāma, nāma 558 is Bhagavate which carries the same meaning.  The masculine gender of Bhagavatī is used in Viṣṇu Sahasranāma. 

Padmanābha-sahodarī पद्मनाभ-सहोदरी (280)

She is the younger sister of Lord Viṣṇu.  Brahma and Lakṣmī, Viṣṇu and Umā, Śiva and Sarasvatī are twins.  They represent creation, sustenance and destruction. Sarasvatī got married to Brahma, Lakṣmī to Viṣṇu and Umā to Śiva.  This is a beautiful description of interdependence of creation in mythology. 

The Brahman is divided into two aspects.  One is the form of righteousness (dharma) and another is the possessor of righteousness.  The dharma portion of the Brahman is divided into two, male and female.  Viṣṇu, the male form of dharma portion of the Brahman is sustainer of this universe.  Śaktī, the female portion of the righteousness became the wife of Śiva.  She is called Umā.  Śiva, His wife Umā and Viṣṇu combine is referred as the Brahman in this nāma. 

The three nāmas 278, 279 and 280 subtly convey the first kūṭa (vāgbhava kūṭa) of Pañcadaśī mantra (क ए ई ल ह्रीं).  That is why these nāma-s do not convey any serious meaning as seen in other nāma-s.  In fact, these nāma-s convey the secretive mantra form.