As a deity name
Name 615 of the Narasimha Sahasranāma — Brahmanda Purana / Narasimha Purana, as taught by Sages to Assembly of Devotees
Name 134 of the Shiva Sahasranāma — Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva), as taught by Sage Tandi to Sage Upamanyu
As a Hindi name
No reading on this path — this spelling has no entry in our Hindi sources, and no near neighbour is attested there either. We say so rather than invent one.
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
a chameleon
Scripturally attested Verified split — attested membersMultiple readings (5)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "bahurūpāya" is the dative of "bahurūpa" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
M3 · meaning shifts "bahurūpa" is derived from "bahu" with the rūpap suffix — a related word whose meaning shifts, so both meanings are shown.
bahu mf(vī or u)n. much, many, frequent, abundant, numerous, great or considerable in quantity (n. also as subst. with gen.), RV. (rarely in Maṇḍ. i-ix), AV. &c. &c. (tadbahu-yad, ‘it is a great matter that’, MBh.; tvayā me bahu kṛtaṃ-yad, ‘you have done me a great service by — or that —’, Nal.; kim bahunā, ‘what occasion is there for much talk?’ i.e. ‘in short’, Śak.; Hit.)
abounding or rich in (instr.), ŚBr.
bahu—rūpa mf(ā)n. multiform, variegated, checkered
manifold, VS. &c. &c.
Related forms
Dictionary citations
bahu—rūpa mf(ā)n. multiform, variegated, checkered
manifold, VS. &c. &c.
bahu mf(vī or u)n. much, many, frequent, abundant, numerous, great or considerable in quantity (n. also as subst. with gen.), RV. (rarely in Maṇḍ. i-ix), AV. &c. &c. (tadbahu-yad, ‘it is a great matter that’, MBh.; tvayā me bahu kṛtaṃ-yad, ‘you have done me a great service by — or that —’, Nal.; kim bahunā, ‘what occasion is there for much talk?’ i.e. ‘in short’, Śak.; Hit.)
abounding or rich in (instr.), ŚBr.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
Sources contain errors and engines have limits; every claim above carries its citation so you can verify it. This is guidance about names and their sources — not religious or astrological consultation. How we work · Our sources