Vishnu Sahasra Namam Meaning
Vishnu Sahasranama means the "Thousand Names of Vishnu”. The Vishnu Sahasranaama was composed by Sri Veda Vyaasa. We see this classical work of Sri Vishnu Sahasanama in Mahabharata.
Prince Yudhisthira, the eldest of the pandavas, at the end of the war approached Bheeshma Pitaamaha, when he was lying on the bed of arrows. Yudhishthira asked
six questions and Bheeshma, answered them all. This is how we find
the "Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu" introduced in the immortal
classic of the Hindus, the Mahaabaarata.
Shree Vaisham payana uvacha:
Shruthvdharmanaseshena pavanicha sarvashaha
Yudhishtara shanthanavam punarbhbya bashatha
Vaisampayana, the narrator to Dhritrastra says:
Yudhishthira, the righteous man with immortal integrity asks Bhishma an interesting set of questions.
Yudhishtira uvacha
1. Kimekm daivatham loke = Who is the greatest Lord in the world?
2. kim vapyekam parayanam = Who is the one refuge for all?
3. Sthuvantha kam kamarchantaha prapnuyur manavassubham = By glorifying whom and by worshiping whom the man can reach all peace and prosperity?
4. Ko dharma sarva dharmanam bhavatha paramo mathaha = Which is the great Dharma according to you?
5. Kimjpanmuchyate janthuhu janma samsara bandhanaat? = By doing japa of what can the creatures get beyond this world and attain Mukti?
Shree Bheeshma uvacha: Shri Bheeshma replied:
Jagath prabhum
deva devam
antham
purushothamam
Sthuvan nama sahasrena = by meditating on His thousand names.
Thameva archayan nityam = By worshipping Him every day
bhakthya = with Bhakti
purusha mavyayam
Dhayam
sthuvan
namasyamscha
yajamanas thamevacha 10
By meditating upon Him, worshiping Him, by prostrating before Him, you can get all the prosperity.
Anainidhanam vishnum = Vishnu, who has neither a beginning nor an end (Nidhanam),
sarva lokamahesvaram = the supreme Lord ("maheshwaram") of the world
Lokaadhyaksham sthuvan nithyam = You pray this Lord of this World
sarva dhukkadhigo bhavet = He takes you beyond Dukhas
Brahmanyam sarva dharmangyam lokaanaam keerthivardhanam
Lokanatham mahat bhootham sarva bhootha bhavothbhavam
Esha m頳arvadharm㮣m dharmodhi kathamo mathaha
Yath bhakthy㠰undari k㫳ham sthavai rar-ch鮠nara ssatha
Paramam yo mahath teja = He is the biggest Thejas
paramam yo mahath tapa = He is the Greatest Controller
Paramam yo mahath brahma = He is the all pervading truth
paramam ya parayanam = He is the Highest Goal to be attained
Pavithraanam pavithram yo = He is the chief of all sancitities
mangalanaamcha mangalam = He is the chief of all auspiciousness
Daivatham devathanaancha = He is the Devatha of all Devathas
bhoothanaam avyayah pitha = He is the eternal father of all creatures
Yatha sarv㮩 bhooth㮩 bhavanthy㤨i yug㧡m鼢r> Yasmimscha pralayam y㮴hi punar鶡 yugakshay鼢r>
Thasya loka pradh㮡sya jagan-n㤨asya bhoopath鼢r> Vishnor nama sahasrm m頳runu p㰡 bhay㰡ham
Y㮩 n㭣ni goun㮩 viky㴨㮩 mah㴨manaha
Rushibhi parigeerth㮩 th㮩 vaksh㹣mi bhoothay鼢r>
Rushirn㭮㭠sahasrasya v館avy㳯 mah㭵nihi
Chchando-nushtup thadha dh鶯 bhaghav㮠dh鶡gee-suthaha
Amruth㭠soothbhavo bheejam shakthir dh鶡ki nandhanaha
Thris㭣 hrudhayam thasya sh㮴hyarth頶iniyujyathe 20
Vishnum jishnum mah㶩shnum prabhavishum mah鳷aram
Anaika roopa dhaithy㮴ham nam㭩 purushoth-thamam
----------------------------------------------------------Meanings of
the Dialogue------------------------------------------------
Yudhistirau Uvaachaa:
(Question 1.) Kim ekam daivatam loke?
Who ("kim") is the greatest ("ekam") Lord ("daivatam") in the world
("loke")?
(Answer 1.)
Pavitraanaam pavitram yo
Mangalaanaam cha mangalam
Daivatam devataanam cha
Bhootaanam yo avyayah pitaa.
He who is ("yo") the very sanctity ("pavitram") that sanctifies all
sacred things ("pavitraanaam"); he who is most auspicious
("mangalam"); he who is the god ("devataa") of gods ("daivatam"); he
who is the eternal ("avyayah") father ("pitaa") of all creatures
("bhootaanaam") is the one god ? VISHNU.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Question 2. ) Kim vaapyekam paraayanam?
Who is the one ("ekam") refuge ("paraayanam") for
all?
(Answer 2.)
Paramam yo mahat-tejah Paramam yo mahat-tapah
Paramam yo mahat-brahma Paramam yah paraayanam.
He who is the great ("mahat") effulgence ("tejah"); He who is the
Great controller ("tapah"); He who is the Supreme All-Pervading
Truth; ("brahma") he who is the Highest (Param) Goal (Ayanam)-the
Lord Vishnu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Question 3.) Stuvantam kam praapnuyuh (
Maanavah subham)?
By glorifying ("sthuvantah") whom ("kam") can man ("manavah") reach
the Auspiciousness ("shubam") (peace and prosperity)?
Answer 3.
Jagat-prabhum deva-devam
Anantam purushottamam
Stuvan naama-sahasrena
Purushah satatotthitah.
The supreme ("uttamam") Purusha, who is ever up and dong for the
welfare of all, the Lord ("prabhum") of the world ("jagat") the
endless ("anantam") ? Sri Maha Vishnu.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 4. (Kam archantah) praapnuyuh Maanavaah subham?
By worshipping ("archantah") whom can a man reach
auspiciousness (peace and prosperity)?
Answer 4. Tameva cha archayan nityam
Bhaktyaa purusham avyayam
Stuvan naama-sahasrena
Purushah satatthitah.
By meditating upon ("sthuvan naama"), by ("cha") worshipping
("archayan") and by prostrating at the same Purusha, man can reach
true Auspiciousness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Question 5. Ko dharmah sarva-dharmaanaam
Bhavatah paramo matah?
What ("ko") is, in thy opinion, the Greatest Dharma?
Question 6. Kim japan muchyate jantuh
Janma-samsaara-bandhaaat?
By ("kim") doing japa of what can "creatures" (jantu) go beyond
("mutchyate") the bonds ("bandhanaath") of samsara?
Answers 5&6.
Anaadi-nidhanam vishnum
Sarvaloka-maheshvaram
Lokaadhyaksham stuvan nityam
Sarva-duhkha-atigo bhavet.
Both questions are answered here: - the greatest Dharma is the one
Vishnu, who has neither a beginning (Aadi) nor an end (Nidhanam), the
supreme Lord ("maheshwaram") of the world. All creatures can go
beyond the bonds of samsar, "and he goes beyond all sorrows" who
daily ("nityam") chants ("stuvan") the sahasranaamas and within
glorifies "the knower of the world" (Lokaadhyaksha).
The supreme is described as that from which the whole world of names
and forms had risen in the beginning of the creation, that in which
the world continues to exit, that into which alone the world can
merge back during the `Dissolution' (Pralaya); this supreme is VISHNU.
After thus answering all questions, "His thousand Name", said
Bheeshma, "I shall now advise you. Please listen to them with all
attention". This is how the Sacred Hymn, called as "The thousand
names of Lord Vishnu", is introduced in the Mahaabhaarata.
------------------------------------------------------END: Meanings
of the Dialogue------------------------------------------------
Extra Comments: The Supreme cannot be defined and since He is the
very substratum of all qualities, He cannot be denominated by any
name, or indicated by any term, or defined in any language, or ever
expressed, even vaguely, in any literary form. He is beyond both
the "Known" and the "Unknown". He is the very illumining Principle of
Consciousness that illuminates all experiences.
And yet He has many manifestations and, therefore, He can have
infinite names in terms of His manifestations. Definitions should
directly describe the thing defined, and here we have a thousand
indirect definitions with which the Real, the Infinite is being
indicated in terms of the unreal and the finite. These "Thousand
names of the Lord" have been coined and given out by the Rishis. They
were collected and strung together into a joyous Hymn to Vishnu, a
garland of devotion and reverence, by the poet-seer Vyaasa.
Since each of them is thus an indicative definition of the unknown in
terms of the known, each term here is believed to rocket-us up into
the realms of the divine experience, only when we have lifted our
minds towards it through contemplation. Thus the Vishnu Sahasranaama
is employed not only by the devotees, in the sweet attitude
of `sporting with the Lord', but these are also employed by the
contemplative students of philosophy, as gliders to roam in the
realms of inspired Higher Consciousness.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
More commentary: In the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, which is one of the
minor Upanishads, we find the great devotee Naarada approaching
Brahmaaji to enquire what is the way out for man to evolve in these
hard days of extrovertedness, which is quite natural and unavoidable
in the Iron-age (Kaliyuga)."Repetition of the names of Naaraayana is
sufficient enough", was the reply given.
It is to be carefully noted here that in the sixth question the
enquiry was how can `creatures' realise the Highest. Jantu
means `that which is born' (Janana-dharman). So all living creatures
are fit for this easy path. `Creatures' could even include the animal
kingdom as it is described in the Puraanas in their own poetic
language. In the Trikutaachala lake, the elephant that was caught by
the crocodile is described as having been saved by the Lord (Gajendra
Moksha). The story of Jadabharata is yet another example.
Sankara in his commentary describes here Japa as comprehensive of all
the three types. (A) That which can be heard by others; (B) That
which is heard by ourselves; (C) That which is mental.
Vishnu Sahasranaama can be employed in performing Japa of all these
three kinds.
In the following "Thousand Names", we meet with, though rarely, some
repetitions. Exactly 90 names have been repeated in this Great Hymn;
and of them, 74 are repeated twice, 14 are repeated thrice, and again
2 of them are found to have been repeated four times. Sometimes, the
terms are repeated as such Vishnu- Vishnu, Siva-Siva etc. and
sometimes different words with the same meaning are also employed
(Sreepati- Maadhava; Pushkaraaksha- Kamalaaksha). These need not be
considered as a defect, since this Hymn is a chant of His Glory .In a
chant of glory (stuti) repetitions are acceptable-it is but a style
of the emotional heart to repeat its declarations of love.
There are exactly 1,031 single "Names" of the Lord in the 1000-Name-
Chant (Sahasranaama). The extra 31 Names are to be considered each as
an adjective qualifying (Viseshana) the immediately following noun.
When one makes Archanaa to the Lord the correct dative case is to be
used. There are 20 double-names in the first 500 Names and 11 double-
names in the second half of the chant. There is one indeclinable
(Avyaya) word used, and it (896th) should be used in the dative for
Archanaa as Sanaat Namah; so too the 929th Name in the chant, being a
plural noun, should be used in Archanaa as Sadbhyo Namah.
It will also be found, as we study the significances of these Divine
names, that Vyaasa has employed sometimes masculine gender, on other
occasions feminine gender and some other times even neuter gender.
Wherever it is masculine. , it denotes Vishnu, the Lord of Lakshmi.
and when it is feminine it is indicative of His Might. Glory or power
(devataa) that is manifest everywhere, and when the term is in neuter
gender, it means Pure Brahman, the infinite Reality.
This Archanaa is generally performed by devotees daily; if this is
not convenient they perform this worship at least on their own birth-
days, on eclipse days and on the day on which the Sun moves from one
zodiac to another (the Samkraanti-day). This performance has been
prescribed by the Sastra for warding off troubles arising from the
position of planets, anger of the rulers, incurable diseases and
ruthless enemies. The highest effect is for purifying the mind and
thus gaining more and more inner-poise for the Saadhaka in meditation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
INSTALLATION OF THE LORD
All ritualisms start in Hinduism with a beautiful function-the
installation of the Lord in the devotee's own physical form. This is
technically called as Anga-Nyaasa and Kara-Nyaasa. The "Installation
in the Limbs", and the "Installation in the Palm". This is a method
by which the seeker with wilful thoughts and deliberate physical
signs sanctifies himself to be a Divine Temple and installs various
sacred deities in himself.
This helps the student to realise that though he is worshipping the
Lord as a Goal (or an Ideal) other than himself (bheda or anya), in
fact, he is to seek his identity with no traces of differentiation
(Abheda or Ananya), between himself and the Lord. The final
realization is a perfect identity indicated in the Mahaavaakya. "I am
Brahman". (Aham Brahmaasmi).
Neither in the Northern texts nor in the original Mahaabhaarata do we
find this `subjective installation ceremony' (Anga-Nyaasa)
prescribed. However, pundits of ritualism in the South employ the
Anga-Nyaasa; and it being such a beautiful act, so very helpful to
the seekers, we give here below the most popular one practised widely
in the South.
This "Installation Ceremony" declares to the devotees that the
enchanting form of Vishnu is to be ultimately realised as One
Infinite Reality without names or forms-in which the recognition of
even the distinction of the meditator-meditated- meditation is to
cease. Beside this deep significance, even though it be only for the
time being, the student is also given a sense of purity and sanctity
in himself. Just as a devotee feels highly inspired in the divine
atmosphere of a sacred temple, so too, after the Anga-Nyaasa, however
shattered we might have been, before we entered the Pooja-room, we
can artificially work ourselves up into a divine mood of peace and
purity.
The body itself is rendered as the temple of the Lord, wherein the
various limbs become the altars upon which, with a heart of love and
faith, the devotee invokes and installs various deities. In this
process, in order to bring the full blast of the sacred suggestions
to him, the repetition of each of these mantras is emphasised by a
corresponding physical sign. The idea is only, as we have already
explained, to establish the correct mood for devoted contemplation.
A. asya Vishnu-sahasranaama-stotrasya veda-vyaasa Rishih
For this sacred chant, the "Thousand Names of Lord Vishnu", Sri Veda
Vyaasa is the divine Rishi.
Great mantras of deep spiritual significance and sublime Vedic
dignity are not mere poetic compositions by mortal fallible
intellects. When a. mastermind through meditation transcends the
lower levels of his personality and soars into the higher mental
altitudes, through his contemplation, there he `receives'
certain `revelations' that are faithfully repeated by them to the
world. Such `heard' statements (Srutam) alone have the power to stand
against the onslaught of the intellect, the ravages of time, the
forces of criticism etc.
Such statements when contemplated upon by lesser seekers, they too,
in the spiritual cadence of these mantras, get unconsciously uplifted
into realms unknown, and there they come to live a world of
experiences unfrequented by the ordinary multitudes. The `author of
the mantra' is thus termed in our Vedas as the `Seer' (Mantra-
Drashtaa). Such Rishis themselves admit that they did not
manufacture, compose or create the mantra, but they had a revelation
or vision (Darsanam) of the mantra.
The Mantra- Drashtaa, the Rishi, is the guru of the seeker, who is
seeking his path with the help of that particular mantra. The Rishi
of a mantra is installed at the roof of the head and the seeker, in
his seat of Vishnu-Sahasranaama-chanting,
Symbolism: ... chants this mantra in his mind, and, with his right-
hand thumb, middle-finger and ring-finger touches the top of his
head.
B. Anushtup Chandah
The metre ("chandah") in which the revealed mantra comes to the
teacher is also mentioned because it orders the discipline that
should be followed while chanting the mantra. Anushtup is the name of
the particular metre in which this thousand-name- chant on Vishnu is
sung. The chant is to come out through the mouth, and therefore,
the `altar of the metre' can be only the mouth.
Symbolism: The fingers that were touching the roof of the head now
come down to touch the lips, when the mantra `B' is repeated in the
mind by the seeker.
C. Sri Vishvaroopo Mahaavishnur-Devataa
Lord Vishnu of the form of the entire universe of variegated names
and forms (Vishva-roopah) is the deity of the mantra. Vishnu is the
theme of the chant. The Lord of Vaikuntha is the altar at which the
devotee is preparing to offer himself in humble dedication and utter
surrender.
Symbolism: Since Lord Vishnu is, to the devotee, the Lord of his
heart, the very centre of his personality, while chanting mentally
the mantra 'C' the student, installs the Lord in his heart, bringing
the fingers from the lips down to touch his bosom.
D. Devakee-nandanah srashteti Saktih
Every deity is a manifestation of the mighty Omnipotency of the
Supreme. The creator and sustainer (Srashtaa) of Dharma, the son of
Devaki (Devakeenandana), is the manifested power ("shaktih") of the
Almighty.
Symbolism: This creative power of righteous-ness and peace is
installed at the navel (naabhi) point, and, therefore, the fingers
come down from the heart region to the navel.
E. Sankha-bhrit nandakee chakree iti Keelakam
The mighty Creative Power invoked and established on the navel region
cannot be as such conceived by the mind. Therefore, to `nail' it down
(Keelakam) and establish it in our comprehension, this mantra
conceives ("udbavah") the Power as the Lord, who bears the Conch
("shanka"), the Sword, named Nandaka, and the Discus ("chakra"). This
is only to show how the total cosmic Power, expressed in terms of our
present understanding as creation, sustenance, and destruction, is
but a manifestation of the Lord. The conch (Sankha) represents
the `call' of the Reality, the Lord's own declarations stated in the
scriptures. Nandaka, the sword that punishes to bring joy (Nandana)
into the community and the destruction, without which evolution is
impossible, is represented by the concept of the Discus (Chakra).
Here it is also to be noted that the blowing or the conch represents
speech; wielding the sword represents action and the discus that
takes off from Him at His will, represents his thoughts. Thus this
great Power installed at the navel expresses itself in the world
through speech, action and thought.
Symbolism: To conceive fully this form is to hold firmly the Lord's
own feet, and, therefore, when this mantra is mentally chanted, the
fingers move away from the navel, and with both hands the seeker
touches his own feet.
Here it is to be carefully noted how:
the Guru is kept at the roof of the head,
the Veda (metre) in the mouth,
the Lord in the heart,
the Power in the navel and, thereby, the seeker himself becomes so
sacred that he prostrates unto himself by holding his own feet.
F. Saarnga-dhanvaa-gadaa-dhara iti Astram
Whenever there is a large wealth in a box it becomes a treasure and
it is locked and safely protected; when this divine installation has
taken place, and therefore, the body has become the Temple of the
Almighty, and therefore, it has become a scared treasure house to be
protected. But the seeker himself has no power to protect, and so, he
invokes the very weapon (Astra) of Vishnu, the protector of the
world, to stand by for the defence of the sanctified bosom. Saarga is
the name of the Bow (Dhanus) of Vishnu and the Mace (Gadaa) is
another of his weapons. These two form the artillery of defence;
which are manned by the Lord himself.
Symbolism: At this moment when this mantra is mentally chanted, it is
significant that the student lifts the palm away from the feet, and
with the stretched out index and middle fingers of the right palm
snaps them on the open left palm.
G. Rathaangapaanir-akshobhya iti Netram
Lord Vishnu as Lord Krishna played the part of the charioteer and
gained the name "Rein-handed" (Ratha-anga-paani). A charioteer has to
guide every step of every horse in order that the chariot be safe,
and the travel be pleasant. Of the sense organs, the eyes ("netram")
are the most powerful and once they are well guided, all others also
follow their heels. When Lord Vishnu, the charioteer, Himself is
installed in the eyes ("netram"), the individual is safe
("rakshobya") in his spiritual pilgrimage.
Symbolism: Therefore, invoking the Divine Driver, with reins in his
hand (Rathaangapaani), He is installed in the pair of eyes, and at
the moment of mentally chanting this, both the eyes are touched by
the tip of the fingers.
H. Trisaamaa saamagah saameti Kavacham
He (Tri-Saamaa) who is glorified by all the three ("tri") types, of
Saama songs (Deva-Vrata-Prokta), He who is the very theme that is
glorified by the Saama songs (Saamagah), He whose glory itself is the
manifested Sama Veda (Saama), He is none other than the Supreme This
great Lord is installed a, an armour ("kavacham") to wear for self-
protection.
Symbolism: While chanting this in the mind the seeker first touches
with the tip of his finger, of each arm, the same shoulders, and
afterwards crosses the arm, in front of him making fingers of each
palm touch the other shoulder-as if he is actually wrapping himself
and wearing the divine armour.
I. Anandam brahmeti Yonih
The Supreme ("para") Brahman, the Infinite Bliss ("anandam") is
("eti") the very womb (Yonih) from which the universe has emerged
out. The procreated world of endless variety has only one Eternal
Father, and this source is immaculate Bliss. When this is chanted the
seeker installs the Bliss Infinite at the very place of procreation
in himself. It is a spot in this great divine temple of the body,
wherein is the one source, from which the world has emerged out,
manifesting itself as the power of procreation (Taittireeya).
J. Visvaroopa iti Dhyaanam
The entire band of experience gained through the instruments of the
body, mind and intellect in terms of perceptions, emotions and
thoughts together is indicated by the term Visva. He, who has
manifested to be the total world of experiences (Visva), must
therefore be Visvaroopah. The cosmic form of the Lord (Visvaroopa) is
the total universe. Thus to meditate (Dhyaanam) upon Him as the whole
universe, is a method of installing Him in our intellect.
Symbolism: At this moment the student locks his fingers and sits in
meditation.
K. Ritam sundarasnah kaala iti Dikbandhah
Truth (Ritam), the lord, and his weapon, the discus, called
Sudarsana, and his annihilating power, Time (Kaala)-these three are
the mighty forces that guard this scared temple of life in the seeker
at the outer frontier of his world of influence (Dik-Bandhah). To be
truthful and ever to seek the great Reality (Ritam), to discriminate
and see the play of the Lord in all situations (Su-Darsanam), and to
control the very instrument of the time (Kaala), which is intellect
in the seeker, is to guard the frontiers of one's spiritual world,
against the hoards of inimical forces.
Symbolism: At this moment the student snaps his middle finger with
the help of his thumb and runs his palm around his head.
L. Sree-mahaa-vishnu-preetyarthe jape Viniyogah
Having thus installed through sankalpa the Lord in himself and having
come under the protecting wings of the mighty lord, here is the
declaration how he is going to employ himself in it. He is going to
engage himself (Viniyoga) in japa (jape) of the "Thousand Names of
Lord" ("sahasra-naama"). Now the question is: with what motive should
be undertake this chanting? The answer is in the very statement that
it is only for the grace (Preetyarthe) of Sree Maha Vishnu.
Symbolism: After chanting this declaration in the mind, the saadhaka,
takes a spoon of water (Teertham) in his right palm and pours it on
the floor in front of him.
A true seeker is not desire-ridden for material satisfaction, and,
therefore, he can have only one intention-the grace of lord, which
will manifest in him as contemplative power.
These twelve `slogans' are chanted for invoking and installing these
refreshing and spiritually benign ideas on the limbs of the devotee
himself. At this juncture this makes him inspired sufficiently for
higher meditation upon the truth as indicated and directed by the
thousand terms in Sahasranaama.
This beautiful subjective ritual is known as `Installation on the
limbs' (Anga-nyaasa). Not only that the student temporarily discovers
a new surge of inspiration, but even beginners feel highly relieved,
at least temporarily, from the load of his senses of `sins'. When
this is properly performed with a right attitude and devotion, the
student gains identification (saaroopya) with the Lord of his heart,
at the outer levels of his personality.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------
THE MEDITATION STANZA
saantaakaaram bhujaga-sayanam
padmanaabham suresam
"We meditate ("vande") upon the master ("naatham") of the universe
("sarva-lokaika"), lord Vishnu, who is ever peaceful ("shaanta-
aakaaram"), who lies on the great serpent-bed ("bhujaga-shayanam"),
from whose navel ("nabhi") springs the lotus ("padma") of the
creative power, who is the controller ("eesham") of the gods ("sura").
visvaadhaaram gagana-sadrisam
megha-varnam subha-angam
... whose form ("aakaaram") is the entire universe ("vishwa"), and
who is the foundation ("aadhaaram") for the universe. who is all
pervading ("sadrusham") as the sky("gagana"), of the hue ("varnam")
of the cloud ("megha"), of fascinating beauty ("shuba-angam"),
Laksmikantam Kamalanayanam
Yogibhir-dhyaana-gamyam
... the lord ("kaantam") of Laksmi, the lotus ("kamala") eyed
("nayanam"), he who dwells in the hearts ("bhir") of the yogis and
who can be approached ("gamyam") and perceived through meditation
("dhyaana"),
vande vishnum bhava-bhaya-haram
sarva-lokaika-naatham.
We pray to ("vande") to Lord Vishnu, he who is the destroyer
("haram") of the fear ("bhaya") of samsara ("bhava") and the Lord of
all ("sarva") the worlds ("loka").
This is the meditation upon the form of the lord, visualising Him
thus in His, all-Comprehensive nature, and meditating upon Him, the
seeker starts the vishnu-sahasranaama chanting.
(Approximate meanings:
Whose body is of the dark ("shyamam") like the clouds ("megha").
He lives ("vaasam") in the pure ocean of milk ("peeta-kousheya").
He has Lakshmi ("sri") in his chest ("vatsangam"). )
["shanka" = conch, "chakram" = discus; "kireeta" = crown; "kundalam"
= ear-rings,
"peeta" = yellow, "vastram" = clothes; "saraseeruha-ekshanam" = lotus-
like eyes;
"sahaara" = wide; "vakshasthala" = chest; "kaustubha" = gem stone;
"namaami" = i pray; "sirasaa" = bow down with my head; "chatur-
bhujam" = to the four-handed one;
"chandra-aananam" = moon-faced; "baahum" = hands ]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Stanza 1
Om visvam vishnur- vashatkaaro
bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh
bhoota-krit bhoota-bhith bhaavo
bhootaatmaa bhoota-bhaavanah
(1) Visvam - He whose manifestation is the whole universe of forms:
the Viraat-Purusha. The cause is always present in the effects and as
such That Form from which the whole universe has emerged out can only
be its own manifestation. The whole cosmos of gross forms is His own
expression, and therefore, He is called as Viraatpurusha. `Sa eva
Sarva- Bhootaatmaa Visvaroopo Yato-Avyayah'. The Sanskrit term Visvam
comes from the root Vis, to enter: Thus it means He who has created
and entered into the entire universe, as the All-Pervading Reality.
It can also mean, That into which the entire universe has entered to
remain therein established. In the Upanishads also we have assertions
of similar ideas. It is only when intellectually, we view the Lord
that we come to recognise Him as the `cause' for the universe. When
viewed through contemplation, since the effect is nothing other than
the cause, there can be no world other than Him. In fact, there is
nothing other than the Supreme. In the Mandukya Upanishad we
read `Omkaara Evedam Sarvam'. In Geeta `OM ltyekaaksharam Brahma'.
(2) Vishnuh -The term Vishnu is dissolved as Veveshti Vyaapnoti iti
Vishnuh-That which pervades everywhere is Vishnu. That which has the
nature of pervasiveness is Vishnu. He is the one who pervades all and
nothing ever pervades Him. `Eesaavaasyam Idam Sarvam'-All this is
indwelt, pervaded by the Lord. This very same idea is described in
the typical style of the Puranas, in the incarnation of the Lord as
Vaamana, the short-boy (Vamana), who, with His three feet, measured
the entire universe. Because of this act, the Lord got the name
Vishnu, says Mahaabhaarata. Vishnu Purana (3-1) says: The root Vis
means `to enter'. The entire world of things and beings is pervaded
by Him and the Upanishad emphatically insists in its mantra `whatever
that is there is the world of change'. Hence it means that He is not
limited by space (Desa), time (Kaala) or substance (Vastu).
(3) Vashatkaarah - ln the ritualistic portion of the Vedas we find
many mantras ending with `vashat' and they are used in pouring
devoted and dedicated oblations. Thus the term Vashatkaara means: He
who is invoked, and for propitiating whom, the oblations are poured
in Vedic ritualism, using mantras ending with vashat.
Also Vashatkaara can mean yajna in its association and thus the term
in its suggestion can signify `He who is of the form of the Yajna'.
In the Upanishads also we find this meaning endorsed when the
Upanishad mantra says: "Yajno vai Vishnuh" - Yajna itself is Vishnu.
(4) Bhoota-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuh - He who is the Lord (Prabhu) of
the Past (Bhooita), the Future (Bhavya) and the Present (Bhavat).
Time is the concept of the intellect; it expresses itself in the
interval between experiences. Experiences are registered as thoughts
and thoughts are ever changing. This very change is known and
experienced by us. The knower of the change must be something other
than the change. Thus, He who is the Illuminator of all changes,
meaning the Consciousness (Aatman) is the Lord Vishnu. He is the One
who is not conditioned by time.
(5) Bhoota-krit -The Creator (Krit) of all creatures (Bhoota). This
word can be dissolved in two ways:
(a) One who creates the creatures (Bhootaani Karoti iti Bhoota- Krit)
or
(b) One who annihilates all creatures (Bhootaani Krindati iti Bhoota-
krit).
In both these cases, Brahman, the Supreme is the One Reality that
seems to function as the Creator, Sustainer or Destroyer, when He
functions through different gunas in the Total-Mind. Functioning
through a preponderance in Rajoguna, He becomes the `Creator';
through Sattvaguna the `Sustainer', and through Tamoguna, He Himself
expresses as the `Destroyer'.
Extra comments: Subjectively, the Atman functioning through my own
mind and intellect is I, the individuality. My personality entirely
depends upon the quality and texture of my own thoughts. I myself
become according to the moods of my mind the creator, sustainer and
annihilator of my world of experiences. He who manifests and
functions, in these three aspects, is the Supreme Vishnu.
(6) Bhoota-bhrit -One who nurtures ("brith") and nourishes all beings
(living creatures: "bhoota") in all their attitudes is this Great
Reality and, therefore, He is called as the Bhoota Bhrit. In Geeta
there is an elaborate description of this idea in the l5th Chapter
where the Lord points out how, He, as the light in the sun, fertility
in the earth, growth in the plants, nourishment in food, heat in
fire, -becomes Himself the `eater', and, therefore, how He Himself
presides over all the functions of the body and mind, and apparently
nurtures and nourishes the creatures, who are in fact nothing other
than Himself.
(7) Bhaavah -One who `becomes' (Bhavati iti Bhaavah) Himself into the
movable and the Immovable beings and things in the world. He is the
Pure Existence in all the sentient organisms and the insentient
objects in the universe. Hence He is indicated by the term Bhaavah.
(8) Bhootaatmaa -He is the Aatman (soul) of all the beings
("bhoota"): The very `Be' in the living beings. Just as the same
universal space manifests in all rooms as the room-space, so the
Infinite Life manifesting through any given vehicle is called the
Aatman of the vehicle. It is well known that space everywhere is one
and the same; so too, the One Reality sports as though different
Aatmans. This One Universal Soul is called in Vedanta the Supreme
Brahman (Para-Brahman) .In Bhaagavata, the Lord is addressed as "You
are the One Self in all living creatures ever illumining all their
experiences.'' In Kathopanishad: "The One enchanting Truth that
revels in every form manifesting in plurality".
(9) Bhoota-bhaavanah -One who creates and multiplies the creatures;
meaning the One, who is the cause for the birth and who is
responsible for the growth of all living creatures.
Stanza 2
pootaatmaa paramaatmaa cha
muktaanaam paramaa gatih
avyayah purushah saakshee
kshetrajno akshara eva cha.
10) Poota-atmaa -One with an extremely Pure (Pootam) Essence; One who
is not affected the least by the impurities of Maayaa. The Self is
beyond all vaasanaas and, therefore, He cannot be affected by anyone
of the manifestations of Maayaa such as thoughts of the intellect,
emotions of the mind or the perceptions of the body. Immaculate is
ever the Self, and so He is termed as the Pure Self (Poota-Aatmaa).
(11) Parama-atmaa -The Supreme, meaning that which transcends all
limitations and imperfections of matter: in short, the Transcendental
Reality. The Spirit is other than matter, and that in its presence,
the vestures of matter, borrowing their dynamism from Him, play their
parts rhythmically at all times. This has been the assertion found
chorusly repeated in all the Upanishads and in the entire Vedantic
literature. Sankara in Aatma Bodha points out that the Self is other
than the three bodies and that He functions in the microcosm as a
king in the nation. It was also said therein that matter borrows its
energy from the Spirit and continues its activity "as the world from
the Sun".
Kathopanishad and the Geeta guide us from the outer levels of our
personality, stage by stage, into the inner-most sanctum, and there,
the teachers declare, is He the Infinite, transcending all, reigning
in His own glory. "In short, that which remains other than the cause
and effect-Maayaa and matter-is He, the Parama Aatman. In Vishnu
Purana this Supreme is glorified as Maha Vishnu (Paramaatmaa)"-Vishnu
Purana 6.4.10...
(12) Muktaanaam paramaa gatih -He who is the final Goal ("parama
gathi"), that is reached by all the liberated souls ("mukta"). The
limitations and bondages lived through by man are in fact the destiny
of the matter vestures. Through delusion of non-understanding, we
identify with them and come to suffer the consequent sense of
imperfections. To liberate ourselves from the thraldom of matter is
to realize the Self. Hence the Truth is defined as the Supreme Goal
of the emancipated.
This `Goal' to be attained is called as `Gati' in Sanskrit, "The
Supreme Goal" (Paramaa Gatih) would necessarily be then that Goal,
having reached which, there is no return:
"There where having gone, men never return, That sacred place is My
seat"-Geeta Ch. 15. St. 6. In Geeta. (Ch. 8. St. 6)
even more explicitly the same idea has been asserted by Sri Krishna
when He says:
"O Son of Kunti, having reached Me, there shall be no more any re-
birth".
Again, He defines the final Goal as "That having reached no return
again" ? Geeta Ch. 15, st.4.
(13) Avyaah ?"Vyaya" means destruction; destruction cannot be without
change; therefore, that which is "without destruction" (Avyayah) is
the changeless. The Indestructible, and therefore, changeless, can
never have any modifications (Parinaama). For, modification is but
the death of a previous condition and the birth of a new condition.
The Eternal and the Immutable (Avyayah) is the Supreme Sat-chit-
aananda, and every other thing and being come under the hammer or
change. The medium in which all these changes are sustained is
Brahman, the Immutable. The Upanishads glorify Him as "Ajaro Amaro
Avyayah"-without old age, death or change.
(14) Purushah -One who dwells in the Fort-city (Puri sete iti
Purushah). Herein metaphorically the Rishis conceive our body as a
fortress with nine gate-ways-"Nava Dvaarc Pure Dehee"-(Geeta Ch. 5,
St. 13) -and declare the One who rules within it, like a king, is the
Self.
This term can also be dissolved in two more different ways giving
more and more suggestions to the nature of the Self. Thus, Purusha
can mean "That which was before all creatures" -Puraa Aaseet iti
Purushah or it can be
"One who completes and fulfils the Existence everywhere", meaning,
without whom Existence is impossible (Poorayati iti Purushah).
This Aatman remains in the bodies of living creatures as their
individuality (Jeeva) and in all the activities, physical, mental and
intellectual, Aatman is not in fact involved but He is therein only
an observer of all that is happening. This will become clear in the
following discussion.
(15) Saakshee -Witness. In every day life he is a witness who without
any mental reservation or personal interest observes and watches what
is happening in a given field of experience. "Saakshaad Drashtari
Saakshee syaad-Amarakosa. "The `Knower' in every bosom is the same
Supreme Self", says Lord Krishna (Geeta Ch. 13, St. 3). Though thus
Consciousness illumines everything, It is only a Witness, as It knows
no change. Just as the sun illumines every thing in the world and yet
the Sun is not affected by the condition of the things it is
illumining, so too Vishnu, the Supreme, illumines all, without Itself
undergoing any change.
According to Paanini Sutras the word Saakshee is derived from "Sa
+akshi", meaning "direct perceiver".
(16) Kshetrajnah -One who knows the body and all the experiences from
within the body, is the Knower-of-the- field, Kshetrajnah. As
Brahmapurana would put it: Bodies are `fields' and the Atman
illumines them all without an effort, and therefore, is called Knower-
of-the-field, Kshetrajnah".
(17) Aksharah -lndestructible: things which are finite are
necessarily conditioned by time and space; the Infinite is
unconditioned, and so It is Aksharah. Since It is Indestructible, It
cannot come under the methods of universal destruction arising from
nature or through the wilful actions of man. "It cannot be cleaved by
instruments of destruction, nor can fire burn It, nor water drench
It, nor air dry It"-(Geeta Ch. 2, St. 23). It is also indicated that
the Supreme Brahman is the Akshara-"Aksharam Brahma Paramam" -(Geeta
Ch. 8, St. 3).
Please note that in the stanza there is the extra word `only' (Eva)
used, indicating that Kshetrajnah is the Aksharah; there is no
difference between them both: the "Knower-of-the-field" and
the "field".
Stanza 3
yogoh yoga-vidaam netaa
pradhaana-purushesvarah
naarasimha- vapuh
sreemaan kesavah purushottamah.
(18) Yogah -The one who is to be known or realized through yoga. By
withdrawing the sense organs from their objects of preoccupation,
when the mind of the seeker becomes quietened, he is lifted to a
higher plane-of-consciousness, wherein he attains "yoga", meaning
wherein he realizes the Reality. At such moments of equanimity and
mental quiet "yoga" is gained: Samatvam yoga uchyate- (Geeta Ch. 2,
St. 48).
Since He is experienced through Yoga He is known as Yogah.
(19) Yoga-vidaam netaa ?One who guides ("neta") all the activities of
all men `who knows yoga' (Yogaviti) .To all men of realization, He
who is the Ideal, is the Supreme Lord. Just as our activities are
today ordered by our selfishness and individuality, the Ideal that
commands and orders all activities in the bosom of a Man of
Realization is his God-Consciousness. This realm of experience is
Mahaa Vishnu. In the Geeta also we find the same idea expressed, in
the language of emotion, when the Lord says: "Those who contemplate
upon Me with total dedication, their daily welfare and spiritual
progress I shall bear".
(20) Pradhaana-purusha-eesvarah -Lord of both Pradhaana and Parusha.
The term Pradhaana means `maayaa'-the total cause for the entire
universe of forms.
The term Purusha indicates the individuality in each one of us-the
Jeeva.
Lord Eesvara means the Master (Eeshte iti Eesvarah).
The Lord of Maayaa and Jeeva means the one who makes both these
possible to exist and function. The One Infinite Reality which Itself
manifests as Maayaa, Jeeva and Eesvara is the Essence in Vishnu.
(21) Naarasimha-vapuh -One whose form ("vapuh") is half human
("nara") and half lion ("simha").This is the famous fourth
incarnation of Lord Vishnu which He took in order to destroy the
atheistic tyrant Hiranyakasipu and bless his devotee, Prahlaada.
(22) Sreemaan -One who is always with ("maan") Sree. Mother Sree is
Mother Lakshmi. In the Puranic terminology Lakshmi stands for all
powers, all faculties. The total manifested power potential in the
Omnipotent is Lakshmi. These powers are ever in Him and therefore, He
is the Sreemaan.
(23) Keshavah -He who has beautiful and graceful (Va) locks of hair
(Kesa) is familiar as in Lord Krishna's form. Or, it can also mean,
one who destroyed ("vah") the demon Kesin who was sent to destroy the
child-Krishna by his uncle Kamsa This interpretation is endorsed by
the Vishnu Purana, 5.16.23.
(24) Purushottamah -The constitution of the individuality, Jeeva,
when analysed, we find that it is made up of both the perishable-
matter and the Imperishable-Spirit. The Spirit expressing through
matter is the individuality, Jeeva. Reflected moon is the moon of the
heavens dancing on the surface of water. Just as the moon is
something different from its reflections and the water surfaces, so
too the Self is, in its transcendental nature, something different
from both matter, the perishable, and Spirit, the Imperishable, ever
playing in matter. This Transcendental Truth is indicated by the term
the Supreme Purusha (Purusha-uttama).
Stanza 4
sarvas-sharvas-sivah sthaanur
bhootaadir nidhir-avyayah
sambhavo bhaavano bhartaa
prabhavah prabhur-eesvarah.
(25) Sarvah -He who is the all. He being the One cause from which
have sprung forth all things and beings. He himself is the all. In
Mahabharata Udyoga Parva (70-12) we read: "As He is the origin and
end of all, whether existent or otherwise, and as He, at all times,
cognises all, He is called "Sarva". All waves rise from the same
ocean and, therefore, the ocean is the very essence in all waves.
(26) Sharvah - The Auspicious One: meaning, the One who gives
auspiciousness to those who hear of Him, to those who have a vision
of Him, and to those who meditate upon Him.
(27) Sivah -The One who is Eternally Pure. In Him can never be any
contamination of the imperfection of Rajas and Tamas. `Non-
apprehension of Reality' is Tamas and `misapprehensions of Reality'
constitute the Rajas. In the Reality Itself there can be neither of
them `He is Brahman; He is Siva', so the Upanishad declares of the
Absolute Oneness, which is Vishnu.
(28) Sthaanuh: -Generally this term Sthaanuh is used for the
permanent pillars that mark the frontiers of a country. They are
permanent, immovable, fixed. The Truth, that remains thus firm and
motionless, without movement, permanently established in Its own
Realm of Purity, is called by the term Sthaanuh-the Pillar. "Eternal,
All-Pervading, the Pillar, Motionless (is) this Ancient One," so says
Geeta Ch. 2, 24.
(29) Bhootaadih - The very cause ("aadi") for the five great
elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
(30) Avyayah Nidhih -The Imperishable treasure. The term Nidhi
means `that in which precious things are stored away or preserved
secretly': (Nidheeyate Asmin iti Nidhih). Therefore, He who is the
substratum-container-for the entire universe is the Nidhi. During the
dissolution (sleep) the One into Whom all things go to lie merged
therein temporarily, till the next projection or creation (waking),
as this Immutable Treasure Chest-the Vishnu. Here `unchangeable'
(Avyaya) is qualifying `Nidhi'.
(31) Sambhavah -One who takes up by his own free will various
incarnations for the glory of the world is Sambhavah. In fact, He
alone is the source of all that is created. In Harivamsa we read the
assertion: "I am the Narayana, the Source from which all creatures
and things spring forth". To uphold Dharma I shall manifest again
and again, declares the Lord in His Geeta:
(32) Bhaavanah -To do Bhaavana is to give: One who gives everything
to His devotees is Bhaavanah. The Lord is One who gives both joy and
sorrow to each one according to his deserts. In the case of humanity
it is He again who destroys the evil and blesses the good.
(33) Bhartaa -The One who `Governs' the entire living world.
Governing includes protecting the world from all harms and serving it
positively with progress and joy. One who does these to all creatures
at all times is Vishnu-the great Bhartaa.
(34) Prabhavah - The One who is the very womb of all the Five Great
Elements. It is That from which even the very concepts of time and
space have sprung from.
(35) Prabhuh -The Almighty Lord. He who is the All-Powerful. He who
has the supreme freedom to do (Kartum), not to do (Akartum), or to do
quite differently from what He had already done (Anyathaa Kartum) is
considered as the Prabhuh.
(36) Eesvarah -One who has the ability to do anything without the
help of other beings or things is called Eesvara.
Stanza 5
svayambhooh sambhur aadityah pushkaraaksho mahaasvanah
anaadi-nidhano dhaataa vidhaataa dhaaturuttamah.
(37) Svayambhooh -The one who manifests Himself from Himself is
considered as self-made. Everything born or produced must have a
cause. The Supreme is the cause from which all effects arise, and
Itself has no cause. This un- caused Cause-of-all, this Ultimate
Cause, with reference to which every thing else is considered
as `effects' is in itself the Absolute Cause. This idea is indicated
by the term Self-made (Svayambhooh).
(38) Shambhuh -He who brings Auspiciousness- both inner goodness and
outer prosperity to His devotees. Sambhuh is one of the famous names
of Lord Siva. By using this term in invoking Vishnu, by its
suggestion, it declares that Vishnu and Siva are not two Divine
Entities, but they are both manifestations of the One Essential
Reality.
(39) Aadityah-The Truth (Purusha) that glows with a golden splendour
in the solar system is called Aadityah. There are twelve Aadityas and
of them One is called Vishnu.
Krishna Himself declares, `I am Vishnu among the Aadityas' -
Aadityaanaam Aham Vishnuh- (Geeta Ch. 10, St. 21).
The word Aaditya can mean `Son of Aditi'-signifying the one who was
born as the son of Aditi in His Vaamana incarnation.
The term Aadityah can also mean in Sanskrit `One who is like the
sun'. The Sun is the one who illumines all, and every living creature
draws its nurture and nourishment directly or indirectly always from
the sun alone. In the same way Brahman is the one Sun in the universe
of living creatures illumining all experiences of all creatures.
(40) Pushkaraakshah -One who has eyes ("akshah") like the lotus
("pushkara"). Joy and Peace in the bosom of an individual are
expressed in the world outside at no other point so vividly as in the
eyes. The One, whose inner peace and joy, beaming out through His
eyes, bring into the devoted hearts all the aesthetic beauty and
romantic thrills of seeing a lotus dancing in the breeze, In short,
the term indicates the Lord who with His beautiful looks, magically
lifts all the sorrows in the devotee's heart and fills it with Peace,
Joy and Perfection.
(41) Mahaasvanah- One who possesses thundering ("mahaa") voice of
compulsion: "Svana" means `sound'. One whose `call' is thundered in
all hearts, familiarly known as the `compelling whisper' of the
Higher.
Or, Svanam can also mean `breath'; and so, the term can mean, `He
whose great breath is the very Vedas'. "Thus, O Maitreyee, this has
been breathed forth from this great Being what we have as Rigveda.
Yajurveda" -Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad (4.4.10). In the Spiritual
literature of India we often read Vedas described as His breath; He
breathed out the Vedas (Nih-svasitam).
(42) Anaadi-nidhanah ?One who has neither ("an") birth (Aadi) nor
death (Nidhanum). Thus One who is changeless is Anaadi-Nidhanam; for,
any change should include the death of an old condition and the birth
of newer condition. To the Immortal and the Immutable, change is
impossible.
(43) Dhaataa- One who is the Substratum for the world of names and
forms. And who supports all fields of experiences in all. He who is
the screen for the cinema of empirical experiences' (Visvam).
(44) Vidhaataa -The One who is the Dispenser of all `fruits-of-
actions'. In the Karma-kaanda portion of the Vedas, Eesvara is
described as the Dispenser of fruit (Karma- phala-daataa Eesvarah).
He is the Lord who is behind this universe of scientific truths and
rhythm. He is the One who has not only ordered the laws of the
nature, but he is the one afraid of whom, the phenomena dare not
disobey his laws anywhere at any time. The light of the sun, the
heart is the fire, the sweetness in the sugar, the pains in the sin
and the joy s in goodness, are all their `nature' and none dare ever
disobey these laws. The one who is thus the unquestionable law behind
the entire universe of laws is Vidhaata.
(45) Dhaatur-uttamah ?the fundamentals ("dhaatu") that form the
reinforcement on any existent thing are called Dhaatu. In science of
life, as explored by the Rishis, all corporal forms have risen form
and exist as composed of some definite `elemental factor' called the
Dhaatus. Of the end less varieties of Dhaatus available in existence,
the subtlest Dhaatu, without which no existence, is ever possible, is
the chit Dhaatu, and this is the Dhaatu-ruttamah.
Though very rarely, we do find some commentators splitting this word
into two as Dhaatu and uttama. But in the majority of the cases we
find it taken to form one term and explained as `the subtlest of the
Dhaatus'.
Stanza 6
aprameyo hrisheekesah padmanaabho-a- maraprabhuh
visvakarmaa manustvashtaa sthavishthah sthaviro dhruvah.
(46) Aprameyah ? He, who cannot be defined and explained in terms of
any logical term of reference with other things should necessarily be
inexpressible. A thing that can be directly perceived (Pratyaksha)
can be desired, certain other things, which we may not directly
perceive, but can be infer (anumaama) them from data available. And
there are yet things which can be brought home to the listener by
describing them in terms of similar other objects (Upamaa). Since the
infinite has no `Properties'. It cannot be perceived, nor can It
be "understood through inference." Nor even explained in terms of
similar or dissimilar things." Hence the supreme Reality, Vishnu, is
called as Aprameyah. We can experience him only by ending all sense
of separativeness and becoming one with Him.
(47) Hrisheekesah ?In the Puranic literature the meaning of the term
is `close-cropped' or `One who has coiled up his locks of hair'
(Hrissheeka+Eesa).
The term `Hrisheeka' is an absolute one now, and it means the "sense
organs". The Aatman, the self as Consciousness is the one who gives
light to all sense organs and, therefore, it is the lord of all sense
organs. This lord is Vishnu.
The obsolete word Hrisheeka also means the `rays' or that which gives
the joy'. Thus the term Hrisheekas can mean "the Lord of the rays":
the sun and moon. This way interpreted, commentators point out that
the term Hrisheekesah means He who has Himself becomes the Sun and
the Moon.
In His manifestation as the Sun and the Moon, the Lord Himself whips
the world to wakeful activities and sends the world to sleep and
rest. Thus Hrisheekesa in its deeper significance, is, to all
contemplative hearts, the Lord, who becomes Himself the world,
exhausts Himself in His activities, and ultimately packs His toys and
goes to rest at the time of dissolution.
(48) Padmanaabhah ? One from whose navel ("nabhi") springs the Lotus
("padma"), which is the seat of the four-faced Creator, Brahmaaji.
Lotus in Hinduism represents Truth or any of Its manifested powers.
The creative faculties in man flow from the navel area (center:
naabhi), and manifests as the `four-faced' inner equipment
(Antahkarana) constituted of the mind, intellect, Chit and ego.
In the Yoga-sastras, we find a lot of details regarding this concept.
According to them every "idea" springs from Him (Paraa), and then at
the navel area, each of them comes to be `perceived' (Pasyantee).
Thereafter they play in the bosom as thoughts (Madhayamaa), and at
last they are expressed (Vaikharee) in the outer fields-of ?activity.
In this discussion-upon the evolutionary stages through which
every "idea" becomes an "action" ? we gather a clearer insight into
the meaning of the symbolism of "the Creator seated on the lotus",
which springs forth from the navel of the Lord, the Supreme Vishnu.
(49) Amaraprabhuh -The Lord ("prabhu") of the Immortals ("a-mara"),
the Devas. The Denizens of the Heavens, including all the office
bearers therein (Dikpaalakas etc.) along with Indra, are
called `Devas', and they enjoy in their heavenly state a relative
immortality.
The devas live and continue functioning till the great dissolution-
the Sleep of the Creator. Compared with the short span of the
existence of man on this globe, the aeons through which the Devas
live can be considered as end- less or immortal.
One who serves them with His might, giving protection and security to
all creatures, is called, therefore, Amaraprabhuh.
(50) Visvakarmaa -The very creator-of the world-of-objects, of all
equipments-of-experiences, and of all experiences in all bosom-is
called the Visva-Karmaa. Herein the Infinite Lord is but a Witness of
all that is happening and though the experienced world is sustained
in Him, He is not involved in the imperfections or mortality, that
are happening all around at all times in the Visvam. "They are in Me,
I am not in them"-Geeta.
(51) Manuh -The term means One who has the ability to reflect upon
the Higher (Mananaseelah Manuh). Manu also means mantra and so, as
applied to the Lord, it can mean as the One who has manifested
Himself in the form of the Vedic mantras.
(52) Tvashtaa -One who makes gross things of huge dimensions into
minutest particles. At the time of the world's dissolution, the
entire gross-world folds back into its subtler elements until at last
pure objectless space alone comes to remain.
(53) Sthavishthah -lt is the superlative degree of gross (sthoola)
and thus `the Supremely gross' is the subtlest Reality. The
contradiction that it contains is itself its vigour and beauty. The
Infinite as the subtlest is All-Pervading in Its own nature. It is
this Maha- Vishnu who has Himself become the entire universe of gross
things and beings. Just as all waves are the ocean, the total world
of gross things is itself the form of Vishnu.
In His cosmic form, Narayana had manifested to Arjuna in he Geeta.
There the words of Arjuna's chant will clearly bring home to us that
the entire gross world is ever His own Divine form.
(54) Sthaviro Dhruvah -The Ancient (Sthavirah) and the Motionless or
firm (Dhruvah). He is called the `Ancient' because the very
first `unit of time' itself had risen from Him. He was the progenitor
of the very concept of Time in us. Therefore, `Time' cannot condition
Him. Thus He becomes the most Ancient. He is the `Firm Truth';
nothing that happens in the phenomenal world can affect Him at any
time.
Stanza 7
agraahyah saasvatah krishno lohitaakshah pratardanah
prabhootah trikakub-dhaama pavitram mangalam param.
(55) Agraahyah -That which cannot ("a") be perceived ("graahyah")
through the play of the sense organs; in short, that which is not
an `object' of perception, but which is the very `subject'-who is the
Perceiver in all that is perceived.
The `subject' can never become the `object', and hence Truth is
something that the sense organs cannot apprehend, as they do any
other sense-objects. He is the one `subject' ever-perceiving all
objects, through all sense-organs of all living creatures,
everywhere, at all times.
The Lord is the `subject', not only in the sense organs, but He is
the "feeler" in the mind and the "thinker" in the intellect.
And thus the sense organs cannot perceive It, nor the mind feel It,
nor the intellect apprehend It; says the Upanishad, "That from which
words retire unapproached along with the mind" is the Supreme. Hence
He is Agraahya-Imperceptible and Incomprehensible.
Kenopanishad is very clear and emphatic: "That which the eyes cannot
perceive, but because of which eyes are perceiving, understand That
to be Brahman (Maha Vishnu) and not that which you here worship."
(56) Saasvatah -That which remains at all times the same is the
Permanent, That which is permanent, should remain Changeless in all
the three periods of time. In short, He is unconditioned by time. The
Supreme Consciousness Itself is the very Illumminator of Time, and
the Illuminator can never be affected by what It illumines. This
changeless reality is Vishnu.
(57) Krishnah -The word Krishna means in Sanskrit `the dark'. The
Truth that is intellectually appreciated, but spiritually not
apprehended, is considered as `veiled behind some darkness'.
The root Krish means Existence (Sattaa) and na means Bliss (Aananda).
So says Vyasa in Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 70, 5. Therefore Krishna
(Krish+na) means Existence- Bliss (Sattaa-Aananda). Thus, the very
name divine, `Krishna', represents the Supreme Paramaatman.
Or, because of His dark-blue complexion He is called as Krishna.
Mahabharata Santi Parva 343 says, "As My colour is dark-blue, I am
called Krishna, O Arjuna."
In Mahabharata, we find Krishna explaining Himself to Arjuna `when
the earth becomes shelled in by its hard crux I shall turn myself
into an iron plough-share and shall plough the earth.
Apart from the above meaning Krishna also means the Enchanter of all
His devotees (Aakarshana). Truth is One which irresistibly attracts
everybody towards Itself. Commentators have interpreted this
significance in a more attractive context. They conclude that Krishna
means One who sweeps away the sins in the heart of those who meditate
upon Him.
Truth has got a magnetism to attract to Itself all the ego and ego-
centric passions of the individual. In this sense viewed, we need not
consider Krishna as a deity of the farmyard in the agricultural
estates. The Lord ploughs the hard stupidities in us and prepares the
heart-field, weeding out all the poisonous growths of sin, and
cultivates therein-pure Bliss which is of the nature of Reality.
(58) Lohitaakshah -Red-eyed. Very often we find descriptions in the
Puranas, where the Lord is explained as having eyes like the red-
lotus (Hibiscus). Generally the ruddy eyes represent anger and the
incarnations are taken for the purpose of destroying the evil and so
His anger is towards the evil-minded materialists who live ignoring
the higher values of life.
(59) Pra-tarda-nah - The root Tarda means "destruction" and with the
prefix Pro the root (Pra-tarda) means "supreme destruction". One who
does this total destruction (Pratardanah) is the Lord in the form of
Rudra at the time of the great dissolution (Pralaya).
(60) Prabhootah -The term means `born full' or `ever-full'. He is
ever-full and perfect in His Essential Nature, as the Transcendental
Reality, or even when He manifests in the form of His various
incarnations. Especially in His chief and glorious incarnation as
Lord Krishna, He proved Himself to be ever full with His Omnipotency
and Omnisciency.
(61) Tri-kakub-dhaama -One who is the very foundation or support
(Dhaama) of the three ("tri") quarters (Kakubh). We find this is
generally commented upon and described as "all quarters, in the three
realms above, below and middle." Viewing this from the platform of
Vedanta, He must be considered by us as the three Planes-of -
Consciousness-the waking (Jaagrat), the dream (Svapna) and the deep-
sleep (Sushupti) conditions. The fourth Plane-of-Consciousness
(Tureeya) is the Substratum for all the other three planes.
(62) Pavitram ?One who gives purity to the heart. To the seekers who
are meditating upon Him, He gives inner purity, and hence He is known
as Pavitram.
Or, the term Pavi means; the weapon vajra (thunderbolt). One who
saves ("tram") his devotees from the thunderbolt of lndra is
Pavitram. This can also be interpreted as the "giridhara" episode
where the lord saves his devotees from Indra's wrath.
The thunderbolt is described as an instrument made out of the bone of
sage Dadheechi. Indra is the Lord of the lndriyas. In Vedanta Indra
signifies the mind. Mind's cross purposes, confusions, intellectual
compromises and the consequent self- cancellation of our mental
powers (Sankalpa-Vikalpa) can be the great thunderbolt of the mind
with which Indra (mind) can destroy in no time all the acquired tapas
of the saadhaka. Deep devotion, ardent meditation and firm faith in
the Lord Vishnu save the saadhaka from all such mental storms and,
therefore, the Lord acquires the significant name Pavitram
(63) Param Mangalam -Mangalam is that which not only removes the dark
pains of evil, but brings the bright joys of merit. Param Mangalam is
Supreme Mangalam, and It can be none other than He, by whose mere
remembrance all inauspiciousness gets lifted up and all
Auspiciousness comes to flood our hearts The Upanishad declares. "May
That Brahman-who removes all inauspiciousness in man and gives man
all auspiciousness, by a mere remembrance of Him -give us all
auspiciousness.
Stanza 8
eesaanah praanadah praano jyeshthah sreshthah prajaapatih
hiranya-garbho bhoo-garbho maodharo madhu-soodanah.
(64) Eesaanah ?"The Controller of all the five Great Elements". When
this term is used, Eesvara becomes the Administrator of His own Law
in the phenomenal world of plurality. The executive function of His
Infinite Will, when manifested through Him, the Lord. Eesvara, is
said to function as Eesaanah. Or, the term can also mean One who is
the Supreme Eesvara-the Paramesvara.
(65) Praanadah -One who gives (Dadaati) the Praanas to all. The term
Praanas used in philosophy indicated "all manifestations of Life in a
living body". The Source of Life from which all dynamic activities in
the living organisms of the world flow out, meaning, That from which
all activities emerge out is Praanadah.
Taittireeya Upanishad (2- 7) exclaims: "Who could then live. who
could breath" if He be not every- where."
(66) Praanah -That which sustains is Praana and that which has got
Praana functioning in it is called a Praanee. Since the Lord is
termed as this very same Praana, it means by its suggestion that He
is One who ever lives. The Immortal and the Eternal is Praanah.
The term can also mean that which gives Life-impulse even to the air;
the capacity to sustain life in the atmosphere flows from Him alone.
In the Kenopanishad we read the Supreme `Defined' as the "Praana of
Praanas" (Praanasya Praanah).
(67) Jyeshthah -Older than all. The Infinite is That which was even
before the very concept of space (Aakaasa) came into existence. The
term is the superlative degree of the Aged. In short, the import of
this term is the same as the more familiar term used in our sastras,
the Ancient (Sanaatanah).
(68) Sreshthah -The most Glorious One: Here again it is the
superlative degree of glorious, Sreyah.
(69) Prajaapatih -The Lord (Pati) of all living creatures
(Prajaah) .The term Prajas means `Children'. Therefore Prajaapati
means the Great Father, to whom all beings in the living kingdom are
His own children, In this sense, the term connotes One, who, as the
Creator, creates all creatures.
(70) Hiranyagarbhah -One who dwells in the womb (garbha) of the world
(Hiranya). The Upanishad declares: "All these are in-dwelt by the
Lord." The "Golden Universe" is an idiom in Sanskrit where `gold'
means "objects of fulfilment and joy". One who dwells in them all is
Hiranyagarbhah. The term can also mean as He who, having become first
the Creator, has come to he considered as the womb of all objects.
(71) Bhoogarbhah -One who is the very womb of the world (Bhooh) The
One from whom the world has emerged out. In the Cosmic Form of the
Lord, this world occupies an insignificant though sacred portion,
just as the foetus in the womb, constantly and lovingly nurtured and
nourished by the very Essence in the mother. Or, Bhooh = the earth:
the divine consort of Hari: Garbha = Protector.
(72) Maadhavah -The Lord of Maayaa, Spouse of Mahaalakshmee. Or, the
term can signify the One who is ultimately experienced through a
diligent practice of "Madhu technique": the very famous Madhu Vidyaa
of the Chandogya Upanishad. The term Maadhavah can also mean One who
is the Silent (Mauni); who is ever the Non-interfering Observer, the
Silent Witness of the physical, mental and intellectual activities in
the realm of change. To put it in one word, He is the One whom the
seeker experiences when he has stilled his mind which has been
purified by Yoga practices.
(73) Madhusoodanah -One who destroyed the great demon Madhu. The
story of Vishnu destroying these two demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, is a
story of secret suggestions in Mahabharata. Madhu also means in Veda
(Madhu=honey) as the fruits of actions (Karma-phala). Actions leave
impressions and these sensuous Vaasanaas are destroyed by meditations
on the Reality and so the Supreme gathers to Itself the name
Madhusoodanah: "the Destroyer of Vaasanaas."
Stanza 9
eesvaro vikramee dhanvee medhaavee vikramah kramah
anuttamo duraadharshah kritajnah kritir-aatmavaan.
(74) Eesvarah -One who is Omnipotent, and so has all powers in Him to
the full. The manifested powers of Life express themselves in every
intelligent man as the power of action in the body (Kriyaa Sakti),
the power of desire in the mind (Icchaa Sakti) and the power of
knowledge in the intellect (Jnaana Sakti). All these three powers are
manifestations of Him, and since He is the One everywhere, He is the
total mighty power-the Great Vishnu.
(75) Vikramee -One full of prowess (Vikrama), courage, daring. Or, it
can be One who has "Special foot steps". This term commemorates how
the Lord, as Vamana, measured with His tiny three steps all the three
worlds.
(76) Dhanvee -Lord Vishnu's Divine Bow is called `Saarnga' and it is
described as the mightiest among the weapons. One who is having this
Mighty Bow at all times is Dhanvee. It can also remind us of His
incarnation as Sree Ramachandraji, when, in order to protect the
world from the mighty Raakshasas of Lanka, He had to dedicate a
substantial part of His life almost constantly wielding his bow:
hence Sri Rama came to be known as Dhanushpaani; in His attitude of
protection He is known as Kodandaraama. Thus, the term Dhanvee, the
Wielder of the bow, is quite appropriate for Vishnu. "I am Sri Rama
among the Wielders of the bow" ?Geeta Ch.l0, St. 31.
(77) Medhaavee -Supremely intelligent; One who is capable of
understanding everything. One who has the capacity to comprehend
intellectually all that is happening around is called Medhaavee.
Since Consciousness is the One Light in all living creatures, which
illumines all intellects, and since Vishnu is this Infinite
Consciousness, He is the One Knower, knowing all things, at all
times, at once. Hence Sarasvati, the Goddess of Learning and
Knowledge is described as the very tongue of Vishnu.
(78) Vikramah -While describing the term Vikramee (75) we had already
explained the meaning contents of Vikrama, and thus Vikrama is an
appellation that had come to Vishnu as a result of His Supernatural
Act of measuring the universe with three steps.
Also, Vi means the "king-of-birds", the white-necked eagle; Krama
means steps and, therefore, `movement or travel'. In this sense
Vikrama can mean: "One who rides on the white- eagle (mind) is
Vishnu"-who is described as having Garuda for His vehicle (Vaahanam).
(79) Kramah -He who is All-Pervading is Kramah. Because of His All-
Pervasiveness, the Infinite is called as Vishnu. That which goes
beyond the frontiers of the known is the Supreme, and, therefore, in
the description of Him, who has manifested as the Cosmos, we have in
Purushasookta an indication that He not only pervades all that is
known but "extends even beyond by ten digits" (Atyatishthat
Dasaangulam).
(80) Anuttamah -One who is `incomparably Great' in glory-Anuttamah.
In the Sanskrit construction of the word, it means something more
than what we have said; it means: `He is one, beyond whom there
exists none who is greater than He (unexcelled). The Upanishad itself
describes Him: In Geeta (XI-43) we read: "For Thy equal exists not,
whence another superior to Thee?" In Sri Narayana Upanishad (12) we
again read, "There is nothing above or below, equal to Him".
(81) Duraadharshah -One who cannot be attacked, stormed or
beleaguered successfully. In short, He is All-Powerful. In the
Puranas, we find Daityas and Asuras and others, mighty and powerful
ones, become themselves helpless victims of His Power and come under
His sway. To one who has realized the Infinite, the lower nature of
the mind (Daityas) and the enchantments of the senses (Raakshasas) ,
are all helpless to overwhelm Him. "Rasopyasya Param Drishtvaa
Nivartate" -Geeta Ch. 2, St. 59.
(82) Kritajnah -He who knows all that is done by all: the One Knower
who knows all physical activities, all emotional feelings, and all
intellectual thoughts and motives. He illumines them all, in all, at
all times. Hence He is called Kritajna. Vishnu is the One who knows
clearly the exact depth of sincerity, the true ardency of devotion,
the real amount of purity in the bosom of all his devotees, and,
accordingly, brings joy and bliss to their hearts.
(83) Kritih -The One, who is the very dynamism behind all activities.
He is the Inevitability behind the result of actions. He is called
Kritih because it is He who visits to bless the good and to punish
the evil; in short; He is the One who rewards all our actions.
(84) Aatmavaan -One who is the Self in all beings. In the Chandogya
Upanishad (7.24.1) when the disciple asks, "Where does the Lord, the
Infinite, stand established?" the Sruti answers, "In Its own glory
established ever is the Self"-(Sve Mahimni Pratishthitah).
Stanza 10
suresah saranam sarma visva-retaah prajaa-bhavah
ahah samvatsaro vyaalah pratyayah sarvadarsanah.
(85) Suresah -The denizens of the Heavens are called in the Puranas
as Suras. Eesa means the Lord; Suresa, therefore, indicates the God
of gods, the Lord of the Suras. The gods are called as Suras because
they are capable of blessing their devotees with a fulfilment of
their desires. Therefore, Suresah means One who is the best among
those who fulfil all the demands of their devotees (Suras). In short,
He is the One who gives the Supreme State of Beatitude and the
consequent total liberation from all desires of the ego.
(86) Saranam -The Refuge for all who are suffering from the thraldom
of imperfection in life. According to the Sanskrit Lexicon
(Amarakosa), the term Saranam means `Protector' and also `home'.
Since the Lord is the Ultimate Goal, Saranam, He is also
the "Destination", the `Harbour'. The One Who realizes Him comes to
live in Him.
He is the home to which the prodigal son (jeeva) ultimately returns.
Not only for the men of Realization is He the Home, but for all
creatures, movables and immovables, He is the Home, to which they all
disappear to rest and to revive during Pralaya (Sleep).
(87) Sarma -One who is Himself the Infinite Bliss. Transcending the
mind lie the shores of Bliss, beyond the waters of agitations. The
Infinite is described in our Upanishads as the "Sacchidaananda", ever
of the same nature-"Saantam Sivam Sundaram".
(88) Visvaretaah -Retas means `seed'; the term connotes that He is
the seed from which the tree of life has sprung forth. He who is the
very cause for the entire play of experience in the world of
pluralistic objects (Sarva- Prapancha-Kaaranabhootah) is called
Visvaretaah.
(89) Prajaabhavah -He from whom all living creatures (Prajaa) spring
forth (Bhava) is known as Prajaabhavah.
(90) Ahah -Ahan has got two meanings: the 24-hour-day or the 12-hour
day-time. He is of the nature of `day-time' means "He is the One,
ever effulgent and bright"; as bright as the daylight that illumines
all objects around. In case we accept the other meaning, "the 24-hour-
day", then, a day being a unit of time, the term Ahan can also
mean, "One who is of the nature of Time itself". Also He is one who
does not (a) ever destroy (han) the devotees who have surrendered
themselves to Him.
(91) Samvatsarah -One who is of the nature of year-meaning One who is
the Lord of Time; He, from whom the very `concept of Time' rises.
(92) Vyaalah -One who is unapproachable. Vyaala also means `Serpent';
to those who have no devotion or understanding, God or Truth is as
horrible and terrible as a `serpent'. Moreover, it is so difficult to
grasp in our understanding that It is like a serpent: ever eluding,
always slippery.
(93) Pratyayah -One whose very nature is Knowledge. That the Supreme
is Knowledge Absolute is very well known. It is in the light of
Consciousness that all `know- ledges' are possible. `Knowledge of a
thing' is the Awareness of its nature. Awareness is Knowledge. Since
the Supreme is the One Awareness everywhere, all `Knowledges' spring
from the Self. Hence, He is called "the Pure
Knowledge". "Consciousness is Brahman" is one of the Mahaavaakyas.
(94) Sarvadarsanah -This term, "All-seeing" is very appropriate in as
much as the Supreme Consciousness has been defined and indicated in
the Kenopanishad as, "That which the eyes cannot see, but because of
which the eyes see". It is the Seer in the eyes, the Hearer in the
ears, the Speaker, the Feeler and the Thinker". And since this
Principle of Consciousness is One everywhere, as expressed through
the equipments, It is indeed the One Seer in all `seeing', by
everyone, everywhere. The Upanishad says: and the Geeta indicates
Him as "One who has eyes and heads everywhere".
Stanza 11
ajah sarvesvarah siddhah siddhih sarvaadir achyutah
vrishaakapir ameyaatmaa sarva-yoga- vinissritah.
(95) Ajah -Unborn. Birth implies a modification; birth cannot be
without the death of its previous condition. Since the Eternal and
the Infinite, is ever Changeless there can be in It neither birth nor
death. That which is born must necessarily die: -(Geeta Ch. 2, St.
27) and so, that which is unborn should be deathless (Amritah).
Rig Veda (1-81-5): "He was neither born nor is He going to be born."
(96) Sarvesvarah -God of all gods or the Supreme Controller of all.
In a sense it means the Almighty, the All-powerful. "He is the Lord
of all," says Brihad Upanishad (6-4-2).
(97) Siddhah -One who has achieved all that has to be achieved, as
He Himself is the Final Goal for all. Or the term can also mean "the
most famous".
(98) Siddhih -He who is available for recognition (Siddha) everywhere
at all points in His nature as Pure Consciousness. Again, Siddhi also
means the `fruit of action', and in the context here this would-
mean, "He who gives the Infinite fruit of Kaivalya, Moksha." All
other karmas can acquire for us only relative joys of the heavens,
but in realizing the Self the seeker gains an `Infinite State from
which there is no return', so describes Geeta.
(99) Sarvaadih -One who is the very beginning (Aadi) of all; one who
was in existence earlier than everything else. Even before effects
arise, the Cause. The Infinite which was before creation and from
which the created beings had emerged out, as an effect, is naturally
the Primary Cause (Moola-Kaarana).
(100) Achyutah -Chyutah= Fallen; Achy utah: One who has never fallen:
the Ever-Pure Reality which is never fallen into the misconceptions
of Samsar: the Pure Knowledge in which ignorance has never come to
pollute Its purity. Lord Himself says in Bhagavata, "I have never
ever before fallen from my Real Nature; therefore, I am Achyutah".
(101) Vrishaakapih -There is a lot of controversy among pundits upon
the exact meaning of this term. But all controversies become
meaningless when we read Bhagavan's own words, "Since Kapi has a
meaning the `boar', and since vrisha has the meaning of `Dharma' the
great Kasyapa Prajapati says I am Vrishaakapih".
In Sanskrit the term Kapi has a meaning: `that which saves one from
drowning'. Lord in the form of the Great Boar, (Varaaha) in that
incarnation, had lifted the world from the waters at the end of the
deluge; the term vrisha means `Dharma'. One who thus lifts the world
drowned in Adharma to the sunny fields of Dharma is vrishaakapih
(102) Ameyaatmaa -One who has His manifestations (Aatmaa) in Infinite
varieties, almost unaccountable (Ameya), The Viraat Purusha of the
Form of All-Lord of the Cosmic Form is suggested here. As all forms
have risen from Him, exist in Him, and dissolve into Him alone, all
forms are His own different forms.
(103) Sarva-yoga-vinissritah -Yoga is from Yuj `to join'; `to
attach', One who is totally free (vinissritah) from all contacts or
attachments. Attachment to a thing is possible only when the object-
of-attachment is other than the subject, In the One Infinite Reality
there cannot be any attachment with anything, mainly because there is
nothing here that is not the Infinite Itself. The Infinite is a Mass
of Love; there is no attachment in It; for, attachment is Love with
possessiveness and desire for gratification, "This Purusha is,
indeed, unattached", roars Brihad Upanishad (6-3-15), Lastly, the
term, Sarva- Yoga- Vinissritah can also mean that He is beyond the
reach of the various systems of Yogas taught in the Sastras. These
systems are to quieten the mind, to end the misapprehensions-of-
Truth, to annihilate the Maayaa, What is there left over in the
seeker's bosom is the Self-the Great Vishnu,
Stanza 12
vasur-vasumanaah satyah samaatmaa sammitah samah
amoghah pundareekaaksho vrishakarmaa vrishaakritih.
(104) Vasuh -The One who is the very support of all elements, and the
One who Himself is the very Essence of the elements, This is
something like the dream made up of our own mind; and the very same
dream-world plays itself out, all the time sustained in the very same
mind. Similarly, the Self indwells all and all dwell in the Self. In
the Geeta we are told by the Lord, "I am among the Vasus the
Paavakah"-(Geeta. Ch. 10, St. 23). Therefore, the Self exists like
air-allowing everything to remain in it and sustaining everything by
it.
(105) Vasumanaah -One who has a mind which is Supremely Pure; meaning
a mind that has none of the sins of passions and pains; none of the
storms of desires and jealousies; none of the quakes of likes and
dislikes.
(106) Satyah -He is the Real. The term Satyam used in philosophy has
a special connotation. That which remains the same in all the three
periods of time is called Satyam. That which seemingly exists, but
which never was nor shall ever be, is considered as a false delusion,
A-satya. He who remains the same, before the creation, during the
existence and even after the dissolution, is the Infinite Truth,
Satyah. The Taittireeya Upanishad thunders that the Eternal Truth
is "Truth, Knowledge, Bliss": "Satyam, Jnaanam, Anantam Brahma" -
Taittireeya Upanishad: 2-1.
We may here mention a couple of other meanings that are generally
given to this term "The best among good people is Satyam. Again, the
word Satyam is made up of three sounds -Sat-ti-yam -and, herein,
according to the Upanishad itself, "Sat means praana, ti means food,
Yam means sun;" therefore, Sat yam is the Law which orders the food
to sustain the praana when both are blessed by the sources of all
gross energies in the cosmos, the Sun.
(107) Samaatmaa -He wbo is equally in all. In Kathopanishad we read
the declaration of Lord Death to Nachiketas how the same Truth has
come to express itself differently from form to form. To visualize
the Paramesvara who revels equally ill all, among the perishables and
imperishables, is the Vision Divine. Kauseshika Upanishad (3-9)
says, "One should understand that the Self is the same-in-all". In
the Geeta also is the declaration "I am the Seer in all the fields-of-
experiences everywhere" -Geeta Ch. 13, St. 3).
(108) Sammitah -The term Sammatam means `acceptable'. The One. Truth,
which has been proved and accepted by the Rishis In the Upanishads
through subtle logic and philosophical reasoning, is called Sammatah.
This is the most direct and very appealing meaning. But there are
some who would interpret this portion of the Thousand Names of Lord
Vishnu by combining Samaatmaa (107) and Sammitah (108) to form
together a single `Name', wherein the compound word would read
Samaatma-asammitah. Here the term Asammitah then would come to
mean "One who is incomparable, Inimitable (Atulya) who has none to
equal Him".
(109) Samah -Equal; the same. Truth remains the same. One Infinite
Reality plays the game of plurality. As has been said in the
Kathopanishad, "The One Principle of Fire having entered this world
burns itself out differently according to the equipments upon which
it is manifested", so the One Truth manifests as the many Jeevas.
Hence He is called the Samah. Also it can mean as One who is ever
united, with (Sa) Lakshmi (Maa).
(110) Amoghah -Moghah means "useless fellow" (Nishphalah), "a
disappointing power". Amogha is the opposite of it: "Ever
Useful", "Ever the Fulfiller" of all the wishes and demands of His
devotees. Chandogya Upanishad (8-1-5) declares: "Truthful is His
wish, and Truth is His resolve".
(111) Pundareekaakshah -One who can be contacted and fully
experienced in the Heart Space (Pundareekam). In the Narayana
Upanishad (10) we find the same term employed: "In the core of the
body, in the Heart Space, dwells the Supreme." In the `Heart', the
meditator can experience the Reality more readily and very clearly,
and so the All- Pervading Reality is described as "dwelling in the
Heart-cave".
(112) Vrishakarmaa -Vrisha means Dharma. One whose every activity is
righteous and who acts only to establish righteousness. "For the sake
of establishing Dharma, I am born in every age", says Lord -(Geeta
Ch. 4, St. 8).
(113) Vrishaakritih -One who is of the form (Aakriti) of Dharma
(Vrisha). It is not only that His actions are righteous but He is
Himself Righteousness. It can also mean as One who takes different
forms during His Divine Incarnations-all for maintaining the Rule of
Dharma in the world.
Stanza 13
Rudro bahu-siraa babhrur visvayonis-suchi-sravaah-
amritah saasvatah-sthaanur- varaaroho mahaatapaah.
(114) Rudrah -One who makes all people weep, At the time of death or
during the total dissolution, the One who makes all weep is Rudrah.
From a devotee's standpoint the same term is interpreted as the One
who liquidated all sorrows is Rudrah. Bhagavan declares Himself to
be "Among the Rudras, I am Sankara ?(Geeta Ch. 10, St. 23). According
to the Vedic terminology there are 11 Rudras; this eleventh "Rudra"
is called as Sankara: Sam-karoti-iti = Sankarah - "One who blesses
all with Auspiciousness (Sam)."
(115) Bahusiraah -One who has many heads. The Purushasooktam of the
Rig Veda describes the Cosmic Form of the Lord with a narration, "The
Purusha of thousand heads, thousand eyes and thousand feet??." In
Geeta a similar description of the Universal Form of the Lord is
found in Chapter XI. Again in the Geeta Chapter XIII when the Lord
was describing the Infinite Goal to be known (Jneyam), He describes
It as "Everywhere legs, everywhere hands, every- where eyes,
everywhere His face".
Thus, He whose personal manifestations constitute the universe is
known as "One who has many heads."
(116) Babhruh -One who rules over the worlds. "Like a King" -
Atmabodham gives this analogy .He in whose presence all the
instruments of perception, feeling and knowing continue their
coordinated activity is the Self, the Atman, who is Great Lord
Vishnu.
(117) Visvayonih -One who is the Total Cause from which alone the
entire world of experiences (visvam) has emerged out. The womb (yoni)
from which thoughts and actions had risen is called Visvayonih.
(118) Suchisravaah -One who has beautiful and efficient ears
(Sravas): "Everywhere are His ears"-(Geeta Ch. 13, St. 13) meaning
thereby He is the Hearer in all ears. The term Sravas not only means
ears, but it also means "names" -so Suchisravas can mean `One who has
Divine and Sacred names'. Thus, the devotee can invoke Him with
thousands of His names when He can readily listen in and rightly
understand the exact purity and the real depth of devotion in the
devotee. Also the term can be used to indicate the One whose "names"
are worthy of being heard by seekers.
(119) Amritah -One who is Immortal and Immutable. Mritam = dead. The
Infinite is Ajarah, Amarah and Avyayah. It can also mean as One who
is of the nature of Nectar (Amritam) -a sure cure for those who are
suffering from malady of ignorance. Amritah also means Moksha; and
thus it is indicated, He is the ever-liberated-the Pure State of
Being.
(120) Saasvata-sthaanuh -One who is both permanent (Saasvatah) and
irremovable (Sthaanuh). He is the One who remains Changeless, because
Immortal; who remains the same in all periods of time, because
permanent (Saasvatah); and who remains changeless in His nature or
Consciousness (Sthaanuh). This is a single term (Saasvata-sthaanuh)
and, therefore, we must add the meanings together- Permanent and
Changeless; Permanently Changeless Factor in lire is Vishnu.
(121) Vararohah - He who is the most Glorious (Vara) Destination
(Aaroha). The Seat of the Self is the most Glorious because the
imperfections of the world-of-matter (Prakriti) are not there in the
Spirit (Purusha). Liberation from the thraldom of matter is the
arrival of the Infinitude of the Self. "He never returns", thunders
the Chandogya Upanishad (8-15-1) three times in one and the same
breath, assuring us that one who has reached the Seat of Vishnu,
beyond the frontiers of the intellect, there is for him no more any
return ever into the ego-centric life of tensions of sorrows.
(122) Mahaatapaah -One of great Tapas. The term tapas in Sanskrit has
three meanings: `Knowledge' (Jnaana), `Prosperity' (Aisvarya) and
also `Might' (Prataapa). It is in the presence of Consciousness that
we come to know all our experiences. `Conscious of' a thing or an
idea is the `Knowledge of' the thing or the idea. That about which I
am not conscious of, I have really no knowledge of it. All
knowledges, of all bosoms, in all living creatures, everywhere, at
all times, cannot be without the play of Consciousness upon the
respective objects of knowledge, and hence this Consciousness is
indicated in the Upanishads as Pure Knowledge, in the light of which
alone all knowledges are possible. All achievements and prosperity
(Aisvarya), all might and power of the living creatures can express
themselves through them only when they are alive. This great truth is
Maha Vishnu. "Whose Tapas is of the nature of Knowledge" (Mundaka-
Upanishad. 1-1-9).
Stanza 14
sarvagah sarvavid-bhaanuh- vishvak-sena janaardanah
veda vedavid-avyango vedaanga vedavit kavih.
(123) Sarvagah ?"He who has gone everywhere", meaning "One who
pervades everything". The cause pervades its effect: gold in all
ornaments; ocean in all waves; cotton in all cloth. The Infinite
Consciousness Itself expresses as both world-of-matter (Kshetra) and
the Knower-of-the-field (Kshetrajna). Vishnu, the Infinite is beyond
these two (Uttamah Purushah) in whom there is no expression of matter
and, there- fore, no `Knower'-hood. He is the All-Pervading Self,
Maha Vishnu.
(124) Sarvavid-bhaanuh -One who is All- Knowing (Sarvavit) and
Effulgent (Bhaanuh) .The Light of Consciousness is the "Light that
illumines all lights" and it is again Consciousness that "illumines
even darkness" -Geeta Ch.13, St.17. In the Mundaka Upanishad (4.10)
also we read: "By its Light alone it illumines all other
experiences." Sarvavit-Bhaanuh is one term: meaning that all Knowing
Effulgent Consciousness.
(125) Vishvaksenah -He, while facing whom, even the mighty army of
the gods retreat and scatter away, is called as Vishvaksenah. He is
the Almighty and All-Powerful, and no army can stand against Him.
(126) Janaardanah -The term Ardayati is a verb meaning both `giving
sorrow' or `giving joy'. Thus, One who gives sorrow and disaster to
the vicious, and who blesses with joy and peace to the good people is
called Janaardanah.
(127) Vedah ?The term Veda comes from the root vid: `to know'. Since
Veda gives knowledge, the Lord is termed as Vedah, in the sense, that
He is the One who gives the Knowledge of the Reality, because He is
the very Reality. In Mahabharata, Vyasa says: "Krishna alone is All-
vedas, All-sciences, All-techniques and All-dedicated Actions". In
the Bhagavad Geeta (Ch. 10, St.2) Lord says: "Out of mere compassion
for them, I, abiding in their Self, destroy the darkness born of
ignorance, by the luminous lamp of wisdom".
(128) Vedavit ?`One who knows the veda'. The Lord alone is the One
Experience without which the Vedas cannot be fully realized. The
surest and the most exhaustive commentary of the Vedas is to be found
only in a stilled mind, which is in communion with Vishnu, the
Supreme Reality. Geeta (Ch. 15, St. 15) says, "I am the author of the
Vedanta, as well as the Knower of the Vedas."
(129) Avyangah -He who has no imperfections (Vyanga) anywhere in him-
The All-Perfect. The term Vyanga also means person, and so A vyanga
means One who cannot be known by anyone in any `personal-form'. Geeta
plainly says "This great Reality is Imperceptible, Unthinkable,
without any modifications". -Geeta. Ch. 2, St. 25
(130) Vedaangah ?One whose very limbs are the vedas. In Kenopanishad
in the closing stanzas, the teacher insists that all knowledges are
Its limbs.
(131) Vedavit ?`One who contemplates upon the Veda is Vedavit':
(Vedam Vichaarayati=Vedavit). Mere word meaning cannot give us the
true concept of the subtle theme discussed in the Vedas. Continuous
reflection upon their declarations alone can reach us to the peaks of
their imports. In the Geeta, Bhagavan Himself declares that He is not
only the very Revealer of Vedas but He is at once the Knower of the
Veda -Geeta Ch. 15, St. 15.
It is absolutely necessary that the student of the Vedas should try
to understand the meaning of their declaration. To repeat the mantras
parrot-like is not of any consequence: `He who has studied the Vedas
but has not understood the meaning, but carries a load, as the `road-
rest' on the roadside.' Thus He who constantly reflects upon the
Veda, and naturally lives up to it, is the Great Lord.
(132) Kavih -The term Kavi in the Vedas means the `Seer'. One who
experiences something more than the ordinary is called a Kavi. In the
Isavasyopanishad (8) we read: -"The Seer, the Intelligent...." In
the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (5-7-23) we read: "There is no Seer
except Him."
In the Glory of the Lord, He confesses, in the Geeta, "among the
Poets, I am Usanas, Sukra-Aachaarya".
Stanza 15
lokaadhyakshah suraadhyaksho dharmaadhyakshah krita-akritah
chaturaatmaa chaturvyoohas-chatur-damshtras-chatur-bhujah.
(133) Lokaadhyakshah ?One who presides over all fields of
experiences -all lokas. President is one who is responsible for the
conduct of the assembly; he guides the discussion in a disciplined
manner, and ultimately at the end of it all, he dissolves the
meeting. All through the discussions he never interferes with the
freedom of speech and action of the members, if they act within the
agenda of the day. Similarly, the Lord presides over all the fields
of activities, never interfering with the freedom of the individuals
to act. "The Supreme Purusha in this body is also called the
spectator, the permitter, the supporter, the enjoyer, the great Lord,
and the Supreme Self." From the Puranic standpoint the Lord in His
Vaamana manifestation was installed as the king of the three worlds
and, therefore, this name, say the Pauraanikas.
(134) Suraadhyakshah -The President of the Heavens to whom the Devas
run for protection when they are threatened by their constant
enemies -the Daityas and the Asuras. When in the Heaven of our bosom,
the thought-angels are threatened by the negative tendencies and
criminal purposes, He to whom the good in us surrender totally for
sure protection and safety is Vishnu, the President within the bosom.
(135) Dharmaadhyakshah -Presiding over the activities of the living
organisms, Consciousness revels, illumining both the good and the
evil therein. The One Sacred factor that constantly thus illumines
all the nature and functions (Dharma) of the body, mind and intellect
is the Dharmaa- dhyakshah, Lord Vishnu.
(136) Kritaakritah -Kritam = that which is done = that which is
manifested or created Akritam, therefore, is that which has not
manifested or become. The former (Kritam) indicates all the "effects"
manifested out of the Creator's activities, and the latter (Akritam)
is the "cause" from which no manifestation has yet emerged -it is
still unmanifest. The Self, the Atman, is the `Post' -in the ghost-in-
the-post example -upon which the cause and the effect, the unmanifest
and the manifest, like the "ghost" apparently come to play (Kritam =
Vyaktam, A-Kritam = A-Vyaktam).
(137) Chaturaatmaa -The Self is described as four-fold when we
consider the Atman as the Glory (Vibhooti) of the Self. Thus, the
Essential factors, with which alone the endless play of creation,
sustenance and destruction can continue, are the glories of the Self
(Aatma-Vibhooti). In Vishnu Purana, four distinct vibhooties of the
Lord -when He functions as the creator, sustainer and destroyer -are
found enumerated. From the standpoint of a Vedantic student, since in
the Non-dual Reality there cannot be anything other than It- self,
all the plays of the gross, the subtle and causal bodies, in the
microcosm and in the macrocosm, are the glories (vibhooties) of the
One Self. In the Absolute, in the Eternal, all these are transcended;
these- the water, dreamer, deep-sleeper, the Tureeya -are all Its
Glories. The Possessor of these Glories is the One that transcends
even "Tureeya"; He is called as the Tureeyaateetah.
(138) Chaturvyoohah -One who manifests into the four mighty powers
(Vyooha). The Truth, that plays thus Himself in these four levels
having apparently created the world of experiences, is Vishnu, the
All-Pervading. According to the Vaishnava literature, for the purpose
of creation, Maha Vishnu Himself became four mighty powers (Vyooha)
and they were called Vaasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha.
One who has Himself these four mighty powers, necessary for the
conduct of plurality, is the Great Self, Maha Vishnu.
(139) Chatur-Damshtrah -The canine teeth fully developed in the upper
and the lower rows, as in the case of carnivorous animals, are called
in Sanskrit as Damshtraa. This is reminiscent of the Powerful
Damshtraa of the Lord when He took the form of Nara-Simha to protect
Prahlaada.
Also in the Puranas we find that the Great white Elephant of Indra, "
Airaavata," has four tusks -He whose glory is the four-tusked
Airaavata is Maha- Vishnu. To the student of the Upanishad, it is
indeed very clear that these four `tusks' or `teeth' are nothing
other than the four paadas which Mandukya thunders -"Chatushpaada".
The manifestation of the Might and Glory of the Supreme are the play
of the waking, dream and deep-sleep conditions. With reference to
these three, transcending them all, is the fourth plane-of-
consciousness the Springboard for all these three. He, whose Glory
are all these four grinding, crushing, fearful experiences of
duality, is the One Non-dual Self, the Great Maha Vishnu.
(140) Chaturbhujah ?"One who has four hands". It is famous that Maha
Vishnu has four hands and they carry the Conch, the Discus, the Mace,
and the Lotus. According to the Puranas, these four are used by the
Lord in maintaining Dharma among mankind. The `Conch' calls man to
the righteous path that directly leads to Peace and Perfection, the
Divine Vishnupada. Very many of us in the enchantment of the
immediate sense-joys refuse to listen to the small inner voice of
conscience, the sound of the Paanchajanya-conch, and so He wields
the `Mace' and we come to suffer small calamities and tragic jerks in
our smooth existence -communal, social or national. If still the
individual is not listening to the call of the `Conch', the wheel-of-
time, Chakra annihilates the entire. The call and the punishment are
all only to take man towards his Ultimate Goal, represented by
the "Lotus" in His hand.
Subjectively Vishnu is the Self within, who manifests as the four-
armed `subtle-body' to serve as the Eesa of the gross physical
structure, in all its actions and protect it with existence.
The "Subtle-body" as the inner-equipment (Antah-Karana) functions as
four mighty powers -mind, intellect, chit and ego. Chit is
the `Lotus', intellect is the `Conch', ego is the `Mace', and mind is
the `Discus'. All these four are wielded by the One Infinite Blue-
bodied Narayana, clothed in His `yellow garb', manifesting to
maintain and sustain the world of good and evil. Since the Self
functions thus in a four-fold pattern, Vishnu has the
appellation, "the four-armed Lord."
Stanza 16
bhraajishnur-bhojanam bhoktaa sahishnur- jagadaadijah
anagho vijayo jetaa visvayonih punarvasuh.
(141) Bhraajishnuh -Self-Effulgent Consciousness illumines
everything; and it is not borrowing Its Light from any other
source. "It is the Light of lights that illumines even darkness"-
(Geeta Ch. 13, St.18). And the Upanishad is equally vehement and
declares: "There the sun has no light nor the stars nor these
lightnings; how little then can this fire! By its Light alone all
these are illumined.
(142) Bhojanam -The immediate meaning of the term is food, viz.
eatables. In philosophy it has a wider implication and the
term "food" cannotes the entire field-of-objects experienced or
enjoyed by the sense-organs. The world-of-objects projected by the
sense-organs, the inner psychological play and this world-of-matter
constituting the field-of-plurality, all together is comprehended by
the term Maayaa. Thus cathodox commentators reduce this
term `Bhojanam' to the contents and functions of Maayaa. Taittireeya
Upanishad (2-7) says: "He is indeed the Essence (Rasa)".
(143) Bhoktaa -The "Experiencer" Not only the world-of-objects is
essentially nothing but the Spirit, Lord Vishnu, but even the very
instruments-of -experiences and their ultimate joys and sorrows, are
all illumined for us by the Lord- of-Lakshmi. The Pure Self,
expressing through the gross, the subtle and the causal bodies,
becomes the waker, dreamer and deep-sleeper, experiencing all
happenings, good and bad, as the individuality in that living person.
Consciousness, Purusha, identifying with and functioning through
matter (Prakriti), comes to experience the endless modifications that
are born out of Prakriti. The Self in Its Infinite nature is
actionless and yet in Maayaa seems to function and becomes the
Enjoyer or Sufferer of the actions of matter.
(144) Sahishnuh -One who is capable of patiently suffering, in his
perfect detachment, all that is happening around, is a sahishnuh.
Whatever happens to the reflections of the Sun, the Sun in the cosmos
is unaffected by them, and with reference to his reflections we can
call him a Sahishnuh, the Sun is a mere "witness" of his own endless
reflections.
The term has also got two more meanings in Sanskrit as `Forgiver'
or `Conqueror'. Vishnu is one who forgives us readily all our
trespasses, and conquers for us all the inimical forces in our inner
personality.
(145) Jagadaadijah -One who had born (Jah) in the very beginning
(aadi) of the world (jagat) is called Jagadaadijah. At the time of
dissolution (Pralaya) when the entire gross and subtle bodies go to
lie absorbed in the Total Causal-body, the world, in Pralaya, lies
merged in Eesvara. Before the gross world-of-plurality emerges out
there should be a condition of subtle manifestation of it in the form
of thoughts. Thoughts constitute the mind-intellect; when the
Infinite functions through this Total Mind-intellect, It is called as
Hiranyagarba the womb of all objects, it is from the Hiranya garba-
state, the manifestation of the gross world emerges out, when the
lord comes to play as a Virat Aatmaa. Maha Vishnu is the one who was
born before the world of gross bodies, therefore it is indicated here
that he is the "Womb-of all- objects" in the world, the Hiranyagarba-
the very creator.
(146) Anaghah -Agham means sin (Paapa), impurities (mala); and
therefore, Anaghah means One who has no imperfections and who is not
affected by the good and bad Vaasanaas left over in the personality
as a result of the wilful actions. He is the Uncontaminated
(Aliptah) .The Light of Consciousness is the Illuminator of the mind,
and so the peace of virtue or the agitations of the sin cannot affect
the Illuminator -the Illuminator being always different from the
illuminated. Chandogya Upanishad (8-1-5) says: "He is free from Sin".
(147) Vijayah ?"The Victorious". One who realizes the Self can
thereafter stand apart from the thraldom of matter, Victorious over
the tyrannies of the flesh, feelings or facts. Thus, the Seat of Self
is the Seat of Victory over matter. The Peace and harmony of the Self
can never be assailed by the noisy hordes of the world of plurality.
Vijaya is the name also of Arjuna and the Lord Himself says, "Among
the Pandavas, I am Arjuna" - Geeta Ch. 10, St. 37.
(148) Jetaa ?"Ever Successful". In all undertakings He alone wins;
One who never knows any defeat or failure. Upanishad says: "Truth
alone wins, never falsehood".
(149) Visvayonih -It can be interpreted in two ways as (a) He who is
the Cause of the universe or (b) He who has the world as His Cause.
The former is clear to those who have so far followed the commentary,
and to them the latter may be a very confusing statement. From the
standpoint of the Puranas, it is logical. The Self has manifested as
the various Incarnations from time to time because of the condition
of the world, and therefore, Visvam is the cause for His
manifestations.
(150) Punarvasuh -One who comes to live again and again in various
equipments of living organisms is Punarvasuh:
Stanza 17
upendro vaamanah praamsur-amoghah suchir-oorjitah
ateendrah samgrahah sargo dhritaatmaa niyamo yamah.
(151) Upendrah -The younger brother of Indra. In His Incarnation as
Vaamana, He was born to Aditi, who was the mother of Indra, and
hence, the Lord is known as the "Younger brother of Indra". In
Sanskrit the prefix upa denotes `Above' in the sense of `superior
to'; therefore, Upendra may also mean "One who is superior to Indra",
the king of gods. Such an explanation we find in the Harivamsa (76-
47).
Indra, the king of the sense-organs, is the mind and the
Consciousness, which is the Self, is the One factor that dynamises
the mind. Since life is that which controls even the mind, certainly
It is superior to the mind and this Self is the Maha Vishnu.
(152) Vaamanah -Of the ten great incarnations, the fifth one is
Vaamana; and the very name indicates `One who has a small body'. It
was in the form of a child (vatuh =A child student in a gurukula)
that Vaamana approached the divinely righteous Emperor Mahaabali to
beg of him a little land, of the length of his tiny three steps-and
the Lord measured in His three steps all the three worlds and thus
conquered Mahaabali. He checked (Vamayati) the rising pride of
possession in Bali, hence He, in that incarnation as a Vatu, is
called Vaamana.
The term Vaamana also means `worshipful': "Him, the Dwarf, sitting in
the middle of the heart, all gods adore", so we read in the
Kathopanishad (5-3). However, here the emphasis should be upon the
meaning "short statured" because of the contrast it makes with the
following name.
(153) Praamsuh -One whose body is vast is called Praamsuh. Vaamana,
when He got the promise from the righteous King, and when He started
measuring, the Lord took His Cosmic Form, and with each step measured
the earth, the interspace, and the heaven. In Harivamsa (262-263)
there is a beautiful description of the little Vaamana growing into
His Total Form. The rate of His expansion is described with reference
to two fixed factors the Sun and the Moon. When He took the form, the
Sun and the Moon were His eyes; as He measured the earth, they came
to His bosom; as He was measuring the space, the Sun was at His navel
and as He lifted His feet to measure the Heaven, the Sun and the Moon
were just below His knees.
(154) Amoghah -One whose activities are ever a fulfilment of some
great purpose. Even insignificant actions, which, ordinarily, people
would think are empty and purposeless, are never really so, when they
spring from Him. Even when He punishes, it is only for inaugurating a
greater evolutionary blessing.
(155) Suchih -One who is spotlessly `clean', and therefore, Ever-
Pure. Impurities in a substance are things other than itself; when
dust is on the cloth, the cloth is impure, unclean. Since the Self,
the Aatman, is the Non- Dual Reality, having nothing other than
Itself in It, Ever-pure alone must It always be. And Suchih is One
who gives this purity to those who contemplate upon Him constantly.
(156) Oorjitah -One who has infinite strength and vitality. Wherever,
in the organism, we meet with any strength and vitality they are all
the strength and vitality of the Self. The Infinite Vishnu is the One
All-Pervading Self, and therefore, He is the very springhead for all
strength.
(157) Ateendrah -One who is beyond Indra in knowledge, glory and
strength. Since Indra represents the `mind-intellect' equipment,
Aatman, the Self is denoted here as that which transcends the mind.
(158) Samgrahah -One who holds the entire world of beings-and-things
together in an indissoluble embrace unto Himself. Just as the hub of
a wheel holds the rim unto itself by its endless spokes, so too the
Aatman, the Self within, lends Its vitality to every cell in the body
and to every thought in the inner-equipments.
In none can anything happen which is not a glory borrowed from Him.
And, the Self, being the same everywhere, in all existence, in both
the movables and immovables, gross and subtle -in the manifest as
well as in the unmanifest - He certainly is the One who holds the
world of phenomena unto Himself in a vast embrace of Love and
Oneness.
(159) Sargah -One who has created out of Him- self the whole world.
It therefore must also connote One, who has the whole created world
as His own form, since the creation is His own manifestation as the
Subtle and the Gross.
(160) Dhritaatmaa -One who supports Himself by Himself. In the
previous epithet Samgrahah, He was shown as the Cohesion of Love in
the world of matter and energy, and in Sargah, He, as the One
material and efficient cause of creation, was shown as also the very
supporter of the manifested world. But who supports Him? He is
Dhritaatmaa - He is established in Himself.
(161) Niyamah -The Appointing Authority: It is He, who orders all the
mighty forces of nature and prescribes for each the Laws of their
conduct, the ways of their behaviour and the methods of their
functions. The Sun, Moon, Air, Waters, Dik-Paalakas, Death etc. are
all appointed and ordered by the Lord.
(162) Yamah -One who is the mighty Power that administers all the
forces of Nature under His Law. Everything in nature strictly obeys
ever all His Laws.
Stanza 18
vedyo vaidyah sadaa-yogee
veerahaa maadhavo madhuh
ati-indriyo mahaamaayo mahotsaaho mahaabalah.
(163) Vedyah -That which is to be known; in the language of the
Geeta, it is Jneyam. That final knowledge, knowing which every-thing
becomes known. "Kasmin nu bhagavo vijnaate sarvamidam vijnaatam
bhavati iti"-(Mundaka. 1-3).
All sciences are investigations into Truth After observing the nature
and behaviour of things and beings when the investigator moves ahead
seeking the ONE Harmonious Chord of Reality that holds all phenomena
in its inescapable love-web, the scientist of Truth-comes to reject
first the gross, and soon thereafter the subtle realms, and
ultimately even the causal factors, and thus-comes to apprehend this
harmony, which he is seeking as the very subjective core of his own
Self. This final Goal to be realized, "having known which everything
else becomes known," the One Consummate Knowledge to be gained
(Vedyah), is the Self, the Great Vishnu.
(164) Vaidyah -The One Supreme Doctor who alone can minister to the
world suffering from ego and egocentric misconceptions. One who is a
master of all knowledge (Vidyaa) is also termed as Vaidvah
(165) Sadaa Yogee -To the confused and the deluded to detach
themselves from the false vestures-of-matter and to seek their
identity with the ETERNAL Self is called Yoga. All attempts in
attaining an at-one-ment with the Self is called Yoga. The Goal, the
Self, therefore, in the language of the seeker must be Sadaayoga-ever-
in yoga.
(166) Veerahaa ?"He who destroys the mighty heroes". The powerful men
of strength and valour when they grow in their audacity to become
tyrants, the Lord manifests to destroy such Raakshasas and thus
protects the Dharma and the Good.
(167) Maadhavah -Earlier this term was used (72) where we interpreted
the term as the "Lord of Lakshmi." Maa means not only "Lakshmi," but
she is also "Vidyaa" (Knowledge). The Lord (Dhava) of all Knowledge
(Maa) is Maadhava.
He who helps introspection and meditation in the seeker is
Maadhava. "To become conscious of the existence of a thing" is called
the knowledge of the thing, The Aatman, the Self is Existence (Sat)
and Consciousness (Sphurana) and, therefore, Lord Vishnu, the Self is
the source of all knowledge and as such the Master of all Vidyaas:
(Maa-dhava), Harivamsa says" "O Hari, You are the Lord (Dhava) of
Knowledge (Maa), and hence You are called as Maadhava, the Master of
Maa."
(168) Madhuh -The term Madhuh familiarly stands for "honey". It is
also a term to indicate "nectar." One who generates Nectarine Bliss
in the hearts of His devotees is called Madhuh. The springtime in
India is called as Madhumaasa since spring is the season of flowers;
full of honey for the bees, and joy for man. The month called Madhu
(March- April) is the Chaitra month which is considered specially
auspicious for prayers, and meditation. One who is of the nature of
the Maadhava-maasa, the month of Maadhava (April-May) can also be the
suggestion in this term. Vaisaakha (April-May) is considered as the
most auspicious time of the year for the worship of Vishnu by all
Vaishnavites.
(169) Ateendriyah -One who is beyond the sense-organs not only in the
sense, that the sense-organs cannot perceive Him as their `object'
but also in the sense that He is other than the sense-organs and
their functions. Lending to them, all their very vitality, is His
mere presence! He is the very `subject' in the perceiver, and,
therefore, the instruments of perceptions, emotions, and thoughts
cannot experience Him: this Source of All-life is Maha Vishnu.
Kathopanishad (3-15) says: "He is soundless, untouched, formless,
immutable, so without taste, eternal, smell-less.
(170) Mahaamaayah -One who is the Supreme Master of all Maayaa. He is
the very Substratum upon which all the plurality spring up and play
their infinite enchantments, constantly basking in the Light of the
Supreme Consciousness. Aatman, the Self, is untouched by the play of
Maayaa, and yet the Maayaa-play is sustained only by the exuberant
warmth of His Divine presence. The Sun is the Master of all clouds,
inasmuch as, in its presence, borrowing its heat, water by its own
nature gets evaporated, and the water, vapour again, because of its
own nature of a lesser density than the atmospheric air, rises to the
higher altitudes and gathers there as clouds. It is, again, the
nature of the atmosphere that at higher altitudes it is cooler and
the water-vapour so cooled becomes water again, and due to the higher
density of water it descends as rain. In this example the Sun can be
called as the "Creator" of all clouds and the "Cause for the rams,"
and consequently the sun is also the " Master of the Seasons." And
yet, the Sun is uncontaminated by all these phenomena that are
happening in its presence.
In the same fashion the Infinite Reality, Vishnu, is indicated here
as the Great Magician, who has the magic of Maayaa at His command.
Krishna Himself confesses in the Geeta: "Very difficult indeed it is
to cross over My Maayaa" -(Geeta Ch. 7 St. 14).
(171) Mahotsaahah -The Great Enthusiast; the Ever-Dynamic
Accomplisher. The Powers of creation, of sustenance and of
annihilation-in their totality is the world of birth and death that
we live in. This wonderful world cannot be sustained without the
endless enthusiasm of this Mighty Power. Looking at the ocean,
through the waves, we come to recognise the ocean as the "Sleepless
Agitator"; similarly, looking at Vishnu, "through the ephimeral
kaleidoscopic changes in the patterns of life available to us in our
experience today, we call Him as the "Dynamic accomplisher"
(Mahotsaahah). The term employed here, the Enthusiastic Accomplisher,
is indeed one of the most appropriate names for Maha Vishnu.
(172) Mahaabalah -One who has Supreme Strength. He, being Omnipotent,
is the Source of all Strength that we see in each individual organism
in life. His Vitality reflected in each of us, is our individual
strength; naturally He is the Infinitely Strong, Mahaabalah.
Stanza 19
mahaabuddhir-mahaa- veeryo mahaa-saktir mahaa-dyutih
anirdesya-vapuh sreemaan ameyaatmaa mahaadri-dhrik.
(173) Mahaabuddhih-In the previous term, we were told He is
Omnipotent. Here He is indicated as Omniscient. The Supreme,
functioning through the intellect, is the intelligence. The quality
and quantity of the intelligence will depend upon the condition of
the "intellect' through which the Infinite comes to play. The
intelligence in a mathematician, poet or an artist, scientist or
politician-all are the different play-patterns of energies invoked
from the one Supreme Intelligence, and therefore, Mahavishnu, the
Self, is called here as Mahaabuddhih, the Reservoir of all
Intelligence.
(174) Mahaaveeryah -One who is the Supreme Essence. "Veerya" is the
Essence behind all the creative urges. Since the Divine is the very
source, from which alone the dynamism for creation can manifest, the
Supreme Divinity is termed here as the Mahaaveerya.
(175) Mahaasaktih -All-Powerful. Power here means efficiency. He-
whose manifestations are the power-of-action, the power-of-desire and
the power-of-knowledge saktees-must necessarily be the most powerful,
in as much as a play of these three powers is the total play of the
world.
(176) Mahaadyutih -Of Splendorous Light. Dyuti means `Glow', Sobhaa.
The Pure Consciousness is the illuminator of all, including all other
material sources of light in the world-Sun, Moon, stars, fire etc.-
but this is not all; He is also the One, who is Himself Self-
Effulgent. This is Mahavishnu-the Supreme Self. In the
Mundakopanishad (4-9) Lord is described as the "Light of lights".
Brihadaaranya- kopanishad (6-3-9) declares: "He is Self-effulgent".
(177) Anirdesyavapuh -One whose form is indefinable, indescribable,
inexplicable (Anirdesyam). Ordinary things can be defined, described
or explained because they come within our experience. Our objective
experiences can be satisfactorily expressed in words. Vishnu is that
Truth which is the Subjective Essence in all of us; He is
that `Knowledge', in the light of which, all other knowledges are
rendered possible. As such no "sources of knowledge" (Pramaanas such
as Direct perception, Inference etc.) can be employed successfully in
exploring the realm of the Self. Subjective experiences of `Be', the
Maha Vishnu, is possible; but It can never become an `idea' to
express, nor can It become an `emotion' to feel, nor can It ever
become an `object' to be described.
(178) Sreemaan -Sree means Glory (Aisvarya). Vishnu is permanently
wedded to Mother Glory; He, who is constantly courted by all glories,
is Sreemaan, Lord Vishnu.
(179) Ameyaatmaa -He whose Essence (Aatmaa) is inestimable and
immeasurable (Ameya). As Aatman (Kshetrajna) He, the One, expresses
Himself everywhere in every equipment (Kshetra), as the `knower' in
each `field'. Since these equipments are infinite in number, as the
individuality (jeeva) in each one of the created beings, His own
Glory expresses in endless manifestations.
(180) Mahaadridhrik -One who supports the great Mountain. In the
Puranas, we find two instances, wherein the Lord has been described
as the uplifter of or as having lifted and supported the mountains.
While churning the milky ocean with the Mandara mountain we are told
that the "churning-stick" sunk into the bottom and the Lord had to
manifest in the form of the Great Tortoise (Koorma) and support it,
while the Gods and Demons continued the churning, until they gathered
the nectar (Amritam).
Again, the Supreme, as Lord Krishna, in order to protect the cows had
to lift the Govardhana Mountain. Because of these two stories in the
Puranas, Lord, the Protector of the mind in Saadhanaa, is called as
Mahaadridhrik.
Vishnu is the Divine, that supports the mind-intellect of the
Saadhaka while he is churning, through study (sravana) and reflection
(manana), his own Milk-like pure heart-of devotion in order to gain
the experience of Immortality (Amritam).
Stanza 20
maheshvaaso maheebhartaa sreenivaasah sataam gatih
aniruddhah suraanando govindo govindaam-patih.
(181) Maheshvaasah -One who wears or wields the Great Bow called
Saarnga.
(182) Maheebhartaa -The husband of Mother Earth. The Sanskrit term
for husband is Bhartaa and the term denotes `Supporter'. In the
Puranic language we have the description of how the Lord, as the
Great Boar uplifted the earth from the "waters of Deluge." Viewed
from the platform of philosophy, just as gold is the supporter of all
things made of gold, the Infinite Consciousness is the Essence from
which everything has risen. Hence He is the Lord, the Supporter, the
Husband (Bhartaa) of Mother Earth and everything that exists in her.
(183) Sreenivaasah -The permanent abode of Sree. Mother Sree
connotes "all Glory and power, faculties and strength, to be good and
to perform creative acts of righteousness". She is found to remain
never permanently in any bosom. Even saints and sages, in recorded
history, have come to compromise the perfections in them. The only
place, where imperfections never enter to molest the serene essence,
is the seat of Eternal Perfection, which is the bosom of Narayana.
Hence Maha Vishnu is indicated as Sreenivaasa ?"the Permanent Abode
of Lakshmi".
(184) Sataam Gatih -For the truly virtuous and for all spiritual
seekers (Sat-People) He who is the final Goal. In the language of the
Geeta He is the "Paraa gatih". The term gati is used to denote not
only the goal, but the very movement, as well as the direction and
the way. Narayana is the very Direction, Path, Progress and the Goal
for his devotees.
(185) Aniruddhah -One who cannot be obstructed or resisted by anyone.
Irresistibly, the will of the Lord functions in the world of created
things-and-beings. Just as in the world of matter, the laws of nature
are irresistible, the Rhythm and Harmony of Truth ever march in their
Eternal Logic of objectless Love and immaculate perfection. Time and
tide wait for none. When the sun rises, the living creatures absorb
energy and nothing can obstruct this process. In the presence of the
Self, the worlds of matter must get thrilled into their own
independent activities, and in all these welter of efforts and
exertions, achievements and failures, joys and sorrows, the Self is
not involved by the Irresistible Enchantment of His presence, the
Gopis seek their own fulfilment in their own dances. In the Puranas,
we find Bhagavan Vishnu taking up in His various Incarnations
different manifested forms and in all of them He was victorious; ever
irresistible (Aniruddhah) is His Might.
(186) Suraanandah -The One who doles out happiness (Aananda) even for
the Denizens-of-the Heavens (Suras). In the Upanishad we have the
declaration, that the Infinite Perfection, the Lord is of the very
nature of Absolute Bliss. In the Aanandavallee of Taittireeya
Upanishad we find the arithmetics of Bliss. The Rishi concludes that
all joys of the world and heavens-mental and supramental-are all but
flickerings of the Infinite Bliss, which is the Lord Mahavishnu.
(187) Govindah -The word Go in Sanskrit has four
meanings: `Earth', `Cows', `Speech' and `Vedas'. As the earth is the
supporter of everything that is existing, He, who is the supporter of
everything within the individual, is called Govinda; He, who is the
Protector of the Cow's and played the part of Gopaala in Gokula, is
the very controller of the animal instincts and passions in the bosom
of man; "One, without whom, no speech can ever emerge out of any
throat-He being the very Life in all Creatures" says Kenopanishad;
and the Highest Speech is the declaration of Truth in the Vedas. The
Lord Himself is the very Theme and the Author of the Vedas. This
great Self is Mahavishnu.
(188) Govidaam Patih -One, who is the Lord of all `seers' and "Men of
Wisdom". We have already indicated that Go means Vedas. Govit-
Vedavit-those, who have realized the Theme indicated in the Vedic
declaration as the Essential Reality in their Own subjective bosom.
They are called the Seers or Sages. To such Men-of-Wisdom the Self-
alone is the Lord and the Master.
Stanza 21
mareechir-damano hamsah suparno bhujagottamah
hiranyanaabhah sutapaah padmanaabhah prajaapatih.
(189) Mareechih -The term Mareechih means `Effulgence'. Consciousness
illumines objects and therefore in terms of worldly knowledge the
Upanishads declare that the Supreme is the Light-Infinite. In the
Geeta we read Bhagavan, Vaasudeva declaring: "I am the Light in all
effulgents" -(Geeta Ch. 10, St. 36).
(190) Damanah -One who restrains and controls every Raakshasic
impulse within the bosom. In the forms of the ten incarnations, He
had controlled the irresistible tyrannies of the vicious against the
good. In the form of pain and agitation, sorrow and death, it is He,
who is the Controller, Damanah, of all negative tendencies in
everyone's Heart.
(191) Hamsah -One of the great declarations of the Vedas is: "I am
Brahman" (Aham Brahmaasmi). Here the term I, the first person
singular used, denotes the supreme. Self functioning through the
conditionings." This individual concept is called jeeva. Thus I, the
Jeeva (Aham), once detached from the conditionings, IS essentially
nothing other than He, the Lord (Sah). This experience that Aham is
Sah is the very God-consciousness and therefore, Vishnu, the Supreme
State of Realization is declared as Hamsah.
(192) Suparnah -Parna means wings; Suparna means that which has
beautiful wings-bird. "A pair of white- winged birds extremely
friendly sit on one and the same tree; one cats the fruits, the other
eats not and gazes on".
Thus traditionally in the Upanishads, the Suparnas suggest the
Jeevaatmaa and the Paramaatmaa sitting on the same tree (body): one
(Jeeva) eats the fruits (of actions) and the other (the Self) merely
gazes on (Saakshee). Vishnu is this All-experiencing Principle of
consciousness.
(193) Bhujagottamah -The sacred serpent named in the puranas as
Ananta. " Among the serpents I am Ananta," says Krishna: -(Geeta Ch.
10, St. 29).
(194) Hiranyanaabhah -He, who supports at His navel, the creator,
Hiranyagarba. The meaning for this term as given by some is "the One
who has the navel region beautiful in its golden hue" must fail, in
the context of the thoughts in the stanza, to appeal to all seekers.
(Message over 64k, truncated.) Wed Sep 8, 2004 5:12 pm
posted by R. Raghunathan @ 3:32 AM
0 Comments
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home