Soundarya Lahari - Part 291

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The word ‘bhavAni’ can be interpreted in two ways -  one as a noun, and another as a verb. The verbal root is ‘bhava’. This itself gives the two meanings. When ‘bhava’ is a noun it is a name of Lord Shiva. In this context ‘bhavAni’ would mean ‘the consort of bhava’, that is, ambaal. ‘bhava’ as a verb would mean ‘be’ or ‘become’. 

In this context, ‘bhavAni’ would mean ‘Let me become’ or ‘Let me be’. So ‘bhavAni tvaM’ would mean ‘May I become You’. Remember that in Sanskrit a sentence accommodates changing the order of the words in the sentence without affecting the meaning.

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