vishNu sahasranAmam - (4)
From the Bhakti List Archives
• March 15, 1996
Dear bhaktAs-
I promised to post the meaning of 10 slokas today. Seems like I
did not understand his infinite/immeasurable (aprameyaH) nature :-)
Posting the meanings comparing the outlook of the two schools is proving
to be very time consuming (as I first attempt understand them). I'll try
to do my best. I'm posting the meaning of the first six slokas. I've
expanded the references to four books (I've included the translations of
Prof.A. Srinivasa Raghavan (A Visishtadvaita Pracharini sabha Pub.) and
Prof.L. Venkatarathnam Naidu (A TTD Pub.).
kIrtanIya sadA hariH
-Srinivasan
vyAsa intends to indicate the sum and substance of the vedAnta philosophy
by the first six/seven names in the sahasranAmam. The names are sUtra like,
suggestive of vedAnta philosophy. The names can be viewed as an elaboration
of the first name 'viSwam' (full in all respects).
nAmAvali
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(sl-1) om viSvam vishNur vashaT-kAro bhUta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuH
bhUtakRd bhUbhRd bhAvo bhUtAtmA bhUta-bhAvanaH
1 viSvam (The All/Universe)
PB: viSvam refers to pUrNa (totality or complete fullness) and
is appropriate beginning. He is paripUrNa- full in all
respects- full in all aspects, such as rUpa, gUNas and
vibhUtis. bhagavAn fills everything, and is therefore viSvam.
panshasikha has commented on this word in mokshadharma, in
the context of samyama (control of the mind) "O' great king,
they say the worlds are identical with viSwam" (because He
enters into and fills the entire cosmos).
SA: He whom the Upanisads indicate by the passage 'yataH sarvANi
bhUtAni' as the cause of generation, sustenation and
dissolution of the universe. He is brahmaN, the Non-dual
Supreme Being. The term viSvam meaning 'the all or the whole
manifested universe indicates Him, both in relation to His
adjunct of the universe and without it. As the effect can
indicate the cause, He is called by the name 'viSvam' - the
universe of manifestation having its source in Him and thus
forming His effect.
Alternatively, as the universe has no existence apart from him,
He can be called viSvam, the Universe. 'brahma ev'edam
viSvamidam varishTham (this universe is verily the supreme
brahman - MuU.2-2-11), and purusha ev'edam viSvam (all this
universe is purusha Himself - MuU.2-1-10) support this.
Its root viSati means enter or interpenetrate. Brahman
interpenetrates everything: tat sRshtvA tad ev'AnuprAviSat
(having projected the universe, he entered into it-
TaitreyaU.2.6) and yat prayAnty abhisamviSanti (that into
which all beings enter at the time of dissolution -
TaitreyaU.3.1). Thus brahman enters into its effect, the
Universe, and the Universe enters or dissolves in Him. Thus,
in both these senses He is viSvam.
2 vishNuH (The all-pervading)
PB: vishNu derives from root viS meaning 'pervades'. As a vibhava
avatAra, He pervades or enters the vibhUtis of cit and achit.
The sruti declares- "O keSava, because You have made Your entry
into cetanas and acetanas, You bear the name vishNu". The names
'viSwam' and 'vishNu', respectively, indicate fullness
(pUrNatva) and 'all-pervasion' and are hence significant.
SA: It is most appropriate that the name vishNu is mentioned after
viSwam. When the question arises who is it that has become
viSwam, the All, the answer is 'it is vishNu'. As He pervades
everything, vevshTi, He is called vishNu. The name vishNu is
derived from the root 'viS' (indicating presence everywhere)
combined with the suffix nuk. vishNu purAna (3.1.45) says:
"The power of that Supreme Being has entered within the
universe. The root viS means 'enter into'". Rgveda (2.2.26)
advocates adoration of vishNu for spiritual enlightenment:
"O hymnists! Put an end to your recurring births by attaining
the real knowledge of that Ancient Being who is eternal and
true. Understanding these names of vishNu, repeat them always.
Let other people repeat or not repeat Thys holy names; we,
O vishNu, shall adore thy charming effulgence".
3 vashaT-kAraH (He for whom vashaT is offered in yaj~nas)
PB: vashaT-kAraH is derived from the root 'vaS'. Everything is
'vaS' (subject) to Him. The whole universe, movable and
immovable, is under His sway. Brihadharanyaka says "He is
the controller and ruler of all". "This universe is under
his control". vAsudeva is all. We must surrender to Him, who
fills the cosmos, as an oblation and perform Atmayaj~na -
a sacrifice of one's self. The yaj~na aspect of God as a
diety to whom surrender of one's own AtmA is made by the
jIvas is referred to here. Gita (IV-24) stresses arpaNa of
every action to Him by stating "To Him, the offering is
brahmaN (God), the oblation is God; and it is God that offers
it to the fire of God. Thus does he realize God in his
undertakings and he reaches Him alone".
SA: He in respect of whom vashaT is performed in yaj~nas. vashaT
is an exclamation uttered by the hotR priest in a yaj~na at
the end of a sacrificial verse, hearing which the adhvaryu
priest casts the oblation for the diety in the fire. As vashaT
thus invariably precedes the oblation, which is the chief rite
of a yaj~na, yaj~na itself can be called vashaT-kAraH. And
"yaj~na is indeed vishNu" (in Tai.Sam.1.7.4): "yajno vai
vishNuH".
4 bhUta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuH (The Lord of the past, future and the present)
PB: Because everything is in God's control (vaS) as indicated by
previous names 'vashaT-kAraH', He is the Lord or Master(prabhu)
of all. The Sastras proclaim:
"(He who is) the Lord of the Universe",
"The Lord of Lords" (Sweta),
"Kesava, the destroyer of Kesi is the Lord of all present, past
and the future".
SA: His greatness consists in His having an absolute existence,
unassociated with any time. As He is beyond the sway of time,
He is eternal being, and thus His majesty is undecaying. He is,
therefore, the real prabhu- the Lord.
5 bhUtakRt (The creator and destroyer of all existences in the universe)
PB: Names 5 to 9 refer to the craetion of the Universe by the Lord
and show His ownership and sovereignty. All beings are created
by Him of His own accord. Sruthis say:
"All these have been verily created by brahmaN (bhagavan)",
"From Him all beings are born".
SA: Assuming rajoguNa, He as brahmA, is the creator of all beings.
kRt can also be interpreted as kRntana or destruction. The
name can also mean one who, as rudra, destroys the worlds,
assuming the guNa of tamas.
6 bhUbhRt (The governs/sustainer of all beings)
PB: He supports and protects all beings.
"He bore the earth", "The indestructable Lord Bears" (Gita),
"He bears the universe and He is the navel of the earth".
SA: Assuming sattva guNa, He sustains the worlds.
7 bhAvaH (The pure/absolute existence)
PB: Like a peacock with its expanded feathers, He exists possessed
of all the riches mentioned already and to be mentioned
hereafter. Since everything is His attribute (prakAra), and
He as the substratum has them all in Him, they are delineated
as His riches or glories (vibhUtis). BhAgavata says:
"What is that which is not made vastu by kRshNa? What is there
which is vastu without kRshNa?"
SA: It can also mean one who manifests Himself as the universe.
It is not the question of His creating the cosmos from outside
as a potter makes a pot. He makes Himself a vital part of
prapa~nca. He is the real and true sat (existence) and He
fills the universe with His own property of existence and
reality. Without Him as the basis, nothing can have any
reality. 'bhAvaH' may also be interpreted as becoming. He is
not only the instrumental cause but also the material cause.
8 bhUtAtmA (The Soul/Self/essence of all beings)
PB: The state of all being the possessions of bhagavan and His
being the possessor is particularized by saying that they are
His body and He their soul. He is the Soul of all beings.
Vedas and purANAs declare:
"All this is indeed the body of Hari",
"This (bhagvan) is indeed the inner soul of all beings",
"The entire Universe is thy body",
"He who is in the AtmA".
SA: He is the indweller (antaryAmin) of all objects individually
and collectively. "esha ta atm'AntaryAmy amRtaH"- this Thy
AtmA is the inner pervader and immortal (BrU.3.7.3.22).
9 bhUta-bhAvanaH (The generator/nourisher of all beings)
PB: He is bhUta-bhAvanaH because He makes all beings grow by
bestowing on them things that sustain, nourish and contibute
to their enjoyment (just like parents). In GItA, arjuna
addresses srI kRshNa thus:
'bhUtabhAvana bhUteSa devadeva jagatpaye' (GItA 10.15).
Srutis say:
"He is the sustainer of the Universe and also the Lord of the
Universe",
"He is the Protector of beings".
Thus, His Mastery (Seshitva) has been established by the Virtue
of His being the Creator, Sustainer and Protector.
SA: He who originates and develops all Elements. Gives same
meaning as PB.
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(sl-2) pUtAtmA paramAtmA ca muktAnAm paramA gatiH
avyayaH purushaH sAkshI kshetraj~no'kshara eva ca
10 pUtAtmA (The Pure Self/Soul)
PB: Though bhagavan is the Soul of all objects, unlike the
individual souls He is remains Pure. He is not affected
by the defects of the Sentient and non-sentient objects
which are His body. Though the contact with the body is
similar to both ParamAtmA and jIvAtmA, only the lower
(individual) soul reaps the fruits of his actions and is
subject to sufferings. Sruthi says:
"Work does not bind Me nor I have any desire for work"
(gItA 4.18),
"nAradA! Look at the superiority and greatness of the Lord
(paramAtmA), who is never tainted by actions, good or bad".
(bharata sam)
The analogy, 'when a guard whips a criminal, the contact
with the whip is same for both of them. However, only the
criminal experiences pain from whipping, not the guard',
illustrates this.
SA: One whose nature is purity or one who is purity and the
essence of all things. Though within the body and ensouling
it, He is unsullied and pure. SveU.6.11 says:
"kevalo nirguNaS ca - He is non-dual being untouched by
the guNAs". The ourusha only assumes a relation with the guNas
of prakRti, but His essential nature is not affected by it.
So He is ever pure.
11 paramAtmA (The Supreme Self/Soul)
PB: Unlike all beings which have Him as their soul, He does not
have any one as His AtmA. 'Param' He who has no other above
Him, or He is Supreme.
"There is nothing wharever greater than Myself" (gItA7.7),
"There is no higher nectar than this Universal form"
(vishNu purANA)
SA: He who is the supreme one and the Atman. He is beyond the
cause and effect relationship, and He is by nature ever free
pure and absolute consciousness.
12 muktAnAm paramAgatiH (The highest goal of the liberated ones (muktAs) )
PB: Thus He is the supreme object to be attained by all beings
(who are His subjects). muktAH are those who are freed freed
completely and without any remanants from all the coverings
caused by contact with prakRti (samsArA - birth/death cycle)
such as ignorance, fruits of action etc.
"Giving up name and form" (MundU.),
"The knot binding the heart is cut" (MundU.),
"The soul realizing brahmaN is freed from merits and sins
and is finally liberated from all bonds" (SwetaU.),
"They cross this samsArA" (gItA7.14)
'muktAnAm' used in plural makes it clear that freed souls are
many and different from one another. This indicates the
difference between the mukta and brahmaN and to point out the
plurality of the AtmAs and the mukti. Srutis say:
"All are freed through that great immortal Being" (MunU.),
"They are individuals endowed with greatness and reach Him"
"They have attained veri-similitude with me", "They reach ME"
(gItA)
Thus, there is difference between these souls and the Lord
as the latter is the great witness and the refuge of the
released souls.
The use of the adjective paramA before gati points out that
some of the muktAs attain another goal of a lower order
(kaivalyA). This is a state in which the soul is released from
old age, death etc. It is in between samsArA (lIlavibhuthi)
and paramapada (nityavibhuti).
SA: The highest goal of the liberated ones (muktas). For one who
attains to Him, there is neither rebirth nor attaining to any
thing higher, there being nothing higher than Him (gItA).
13 avyayaH
PB: The 12th name 'muktAnAm paramAgatiH' is explained by the five
names following it. avyayaH is derived from the sense that
these muktas, having crossed the samsAric ocean and attained
His lotus-feet, will not sent back from Him.
Chandogya says: "Those who have been redeemed by Him do not
return to this world of men", "They do not go back-they do
not go back".
SA: One for whom there is no decay. Sruti says:
"ajaro'maro'vyayaH - unaging, undying and undecaying". This
shows He is unconditioned and totally changeless.
14 purushaH
PB: Derived in terms of one who gives in plenty (bahu), the root
sanoti (in 'puru bahu sanotIti') means giving charity. Thus,
bhagavan allows the muktAs to enjoy His kalyANa guNAs, which
are innumerable and beyond the scope of complete conception
and expression, and to derive Ananda in boundless measure.
SA: One who abides in the body or pura. mahAbhArata (SAnti 21.37)
says: "The great being resides in and pervades the mansion
of the body, having all features described before and
provided with nine gateways; because of this He is called
purushaH";
OR by interpreting the word as purA AsIt, the word meaning
'one who existed always';
OR it can mean one who is pUrNa, perfect;
OR one who makes all things pUrita, i.e. filled by pervading
them.
mahAbhArata (udyoga7.11) says: "pUraNAt sadanAt ca'iva
tato'sau purushottamaH - He is called purushottama because He
infills everything and sustains them all".
15 sAkshI
PB: He who sees them all directly. Bhagavan is known as sAkshI
(witness) because He directly sees the muktAs enjoy the Bliss
He has bestowed and is also delighted seeing them full of joy.
SA: One who witnesses everything, without any aid/instrument/
organ, by virtue of His inherent nature alone. sAkshI also
suggests that although in the body along with the jIva, He
is only an uninvolved onlooker.
16 kshetraj~naH
PB: Knower of a kshetra (region/field), i.e. paramapada, beyond
matter for the muktas to live in and enjoy Himself, unaffected
by prakRti. The kshetra is so-called because of its being
the field that raises the crop of His abundant enjoyment.
SA: The knower of the field or body.
"kshetraj~nam cA'pi mAm viddhi - know Me to be the knower of
the kshetra or the field (body)" (gItA),
"These bodies are the fields, in which seeds consisting of
man's good and bad acts yield their fruits as enjoyments and
suffereings. As the dwelling spirit is the Knower of all
these, He is called kshetraj~na" (SAnti parva 351.6).
17 aksharaH
PB: The undecaying. He is an undiminished and inexhaustible store
of honeyed bliss. However much enjoyed by the muktas, He
becomes only more and more enjoyable (never less).
SA: He who is without destruction i.e. the Supreme Spirit. The
word is formed by adding the suffix sara at the end of the
root 'aS'. eva and ca in the text show respectively that
according to the mahavAkyA "tat tvam asi", kshetraj~na
and aksharaH are identical metaphysically and their
difference is relevant only relatively.
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(sl-3) yogo yogavidAm netA pradhAna-purusheSvaraH
nArasimha-vapuH srImAn keSavaH purushottamaH
18 yogaH
PB: The union; the name suggests that He is the sole and natural
upAya (means) for release/salvation. The word yoga derives
from the verb 'yujyate', meaning 'with whose help the goal
is attained'. He is the direct cause of release and nothing
else. gItA says: "aham tvA sarvapApebhyo mokshaIshyAmi - I
shall liberate you from all sins".
SA: One attainable through Yoga or "The contemplation of the
unity of the jivAtmA and the paramAtmA, with the organs of
knowledge and the mind withheld". He Himself is the sAdhana,
Yoga means sAdhana for brahmic union. It is also union.
19 yogavidAm netA
PB: He who leads to fruition the efforts of even yogis who
practise other means. He leads them until the fruit is
acheived.
"Out of compassion for them do I dwell in their hearts and
dispels the darkness born of ignorance by shining the lamp
of wisdom" (gItA 10.12),
"When He is pleased they get immortality through Him" (SwetU)
SA: He very lovingly helps Yogavids (practisioners of Yoga).
gItA (9.22) says:
"teshAm nityAbhiyuktAnAm yogakshemam vahAmy aham - Of those
who are ever united with Me in communion, I bear their
Yoga-kshema- preservation of their worldly and spiritual
interests".
20 pradhAna-purusheSvaraH
PB: The Lord of the primordial matter and purushas (jIvas). He
is in every way the controller of prakRthi, purushas and the
qualities as well. On account of His mAyA, He keeps the jIvas
under samsAric fetters. Those who attain Him are freed and
granted moksha. BrahmasUtra says:
"Because of His sankalpa the soul's true state is clouded
and He, indeed is the Cause of bondage and release therefrom".
SA: Master of 'pradhAna' ( prakRti and mAyA) as well as 'purusha'
(jIva).
21 nArasimha-vapuH
PB: He came down as nRsimha avatAra to save one of his greatest
bhaktiyogi prahlAda. Thus the name also indicates the removal
of impediments to devotion to Him. This form of Him combines
man and lion, assumed instantaneously and shows He dwells in
everything and is all-pervading.
SA: One in whom the bodies of a man and a lion are combined;
refers to His avatAra as man-lion (nRsimha).
22 srImAn
PB: He of a lovely form / United to Lakshmi. Though this form is
unique with mismatched head and body, He is srImAn as it is
very attractive and possess beauty, effulgence and other
qualities. Those who had seen this would not have been
attracted by appearance of only men or lions, however
beautiful they might have been.
SA: Goddess Sri (Lakshmi) eternally dwells on His chest. Hence He
is also called LakshmInRasimha. As an aside, Sankara composed
'karAvalamba stotra ' on Lord LakshmInRasimha.
23 keSavaH
PB: This substantiates His possession of such singular qualities
as overlordship, beauty etc., that are all His own. He is
known as keSavaH because of his enchantingly lovely, dark
and curly locks of hair. This aspect has been widely referred
to by sri satakopa and other Alwars.
SA: Three interpretations. One whose keSa or locks are beautiful.
OR one who is himself three- kaH (BrahmA), aH (vishNu) and
ISA (Siva).
OR one who destroyed asura keSi in kRshNAvatAra.
24 purushottamaH
PB: The Supreme amongst purushas (individual souls); Higher than
all. gIta (15.18) says:
"As I surpass the perishable and as I am higher than even
the imperishable, I am celebrated in the world and in the
vedas as the Supreme Being (purushottama)".
SA: The Greatest among all puruSAs (spirits) vide gIta (15.18).
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(sl-4) sarvaH SarvaH SivaH sthANur bhutAdir nidhir avyayaH
sambhavo bhAvano bhartA prabhavaH prabhur ISvaraH
25 sarvaH
PB: He who is all. According to Niruktha derivation, "As He is
the cause of creation and dissolution of prakRti (achethana)
purusha (chethana) and as He simultaneously and always
understands everything, He is known as sarva (All)". Vedas
say:
"All things are connected to Him as gems in a thread"
and declares:
"He is verily all this",
"You pervade all; therefor you are sarva".
arjuna addresses bhagavan in gItA (11.40), seeing viSwarUpa:
"Thou dost pervade all and therefore Thou art All".
Also cites the mahAbhArata verse cited by SA.
SA: The omniscient source of all existence. Mahabharata(Ud.70.11)
says: "As He is the source of all things gross and subtle, and
as He knows all things at all times He is called sarva".
26 SarvaH
PB: The remover; He removes/destroys the aSubham or evils (sins,
miseries etc.) of all objects that are His body.
SA: Destroyer (of the whole Universe at the time of pralaya
or cosmic dissolution)
27 SivaH
PB: He who confers Subham (auspiciousness)/The Pure. Etymologically
it means: "The eternal, auspiciousness and never failing".
This is a quality name of vishNu. Srutis say:
"mangalAnAm hariH - Hari is the seat of auspiciousness",
"mangalyam mangalam vishNuH - vishNu is auspiciousness
(mangalam) embodied",
SA: The Pure one. For He is not affected by the three guNAs of
prakRti. The kaivalyaU (1.8) says: "sa brahmA sa SivaH - He is
both brahmA and Siva". This shows the non-difference between
Siva and vishNu. In fact it is vishNu Himself that is exhalted
by praise and worship of Siva.
28 sthANuH
PB: He who is steady/firm (in blessing others). The fruit of
contact with Bhagavan does not stop with the mere destruction
of some specific sin as ordinary acts of expiation does (like
in the case of sacrifices or from worshiping minor dieties).
It not only completely destroy the inauspiciousness in a
devotee, but also fulfills all His desires in many ways. In
fact, it does not stop with this (but is ready to grant more).
"MadhusUdhana, when meditated upon , bestows on the devotee
unasked, that which is diffcult to realize, indeed impossible
to obtain (by his own exertion) and which is incomprehensible
to the mind".
SA: One who is steady, immovable and changeless.
29 bhutAdiH
PB: He Who is eagerly sought after by all all beings (bhUtAs)
(because He is most desirable). The word has got the affix
Ki, like sarvAdhi, nidhi etc. Vide- "What have we got to do
with progeny, if we do not have Him as our Master".
SA: The Source of all elements or existing things.
30 nidhiravyayaH
PB: The inexhaustable/indestructable treasure. avyaya is an
adjective qualifying nidhi and not an independent name of
vishNu. avyaya signifies that He, the Treasure (nidhi) does
not diminish, even to the minutest extent, however much/often
used. "He is like a treasure of gold hidden in the bowels of
the earth (i.e. gold mine)" (Chandogya).
SA: The changeless and indestructable Being in whom the whole
Universe becomes merged and remains in seminal condition at
the time of pralaya.
31 sambhavaH
PB: He who manifests Himself. Though ordinarily hidden like a
treasure, He shows Himself (by His own free will) to His
devotees (who long for Him). This is exemplified by his all
round appearance, everywhere and at all times as in His rAmA,
kRshNa and other avatArAs. Vide-
"I appeared in many births before",
"When ever dharma declines, I appear in the world (yuga after
yuga)" (gItA 4.8).
SA: One born out of His own will as incarnation, vide (gItA 4.8).
32 bhAvanaH
PB: Savior. He is so called because, having shown Himself to His
devotees, He regenerates the universe by eradicating evils.
"For the protection of the good (do I take birth)"
SA: One who generates the fruits of karmas of all jIvAs for them
to enjoy. brahma sUtra (3.2.28) says:
"phalamataH upatteH - Lord bestows the fruits of all actions
of the jIvas"
33 bhartA
PB: Supporter / He nourishes and develops all by giving Himself up
to His devotees as though doing like that is His nature.
SA: One who supports the universe as its substratum.
34 prabhavaH
PB: He is of Exhalted/Glorious birth. His descent is not like that
of jIvAs.Every descent taken by Him of His own will is of
paramount importance. He takes forms that are divine and not
material. Vide-
"He is unborn",
"The great and the wise know His birth well",
"Whoever understands correctly My birth and action as Divine
knows no rebirth" (gItA)
SA: One from whom all the great elements are born. Or one who has
exhalted births as incarnations
35 prabhuH
PB: He who is all powerful(though born in the guise of a man etc.)
He has the ability to grant mokshas and other fruits to mortals
(ex: kRshNa received SiSupAlA's soul after slaying him)
SA: One who is all powerful and is adept in all rites.
36 ISvaraH
PB: The supreme ruler. In avatArAs, He retains fully His cosmic
supremacy. He is even greater in His incarnations. Vide gItA:
"The are ignorant of my Supreme power which persists even
when I have taken a human body",
"Even when I take birth I am born keeping the power of
overlordship"
SA: One who has unlimited lordiness or power over all things.
"eSa sarveSvaraH - He is the Lord of All" (MandukyaU 6).
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(sl-5) swayambhUH Sambhur AdityaH pushkarAksho mahA-svanaH
anAdi-nidhano dhAtA vidhAtA dhAtur uttamaH
37 swayambhUH
PB: What is the source of all this greatness? He is swayambhUH;
One who manifests Himself, of His own free will, for the
purpose of His sport (lIlA). Although He may have the
exterior of a deva or a man, but inwardly retains His prakRti
(His essential nature) which is exclusively His own and is of
pure satwa. His birth is not due to karma nor dictated by some
other God like brahms. Vide gItA-
"swayambu is the highest brahman to the ever released",
"Keeping my own prakRti Iam born through my sankalpa (will)".
SA: One who exists by Himself, uncaused by any other. Says
manu (1.7): "He manifested Himself". He is so called because
He existed before everything, and over everything. He is the
Supreme.
38 SambhuH
PB: The Source of Happiness. He is 'Sambhu' because He gives
'Sam' (Happiness) to all by manifesting His own beauty, easy
availability and other qualities. Vide -
"visvAksham visvasambhuvam - He visualizes all things
directly, He is the cause of Bliss for all",
"He ravished the eyes and mind of men by His comeliness,
magnanimity and other virtues" (rAmAyaNa)
"srI rAma had a countenance lovely as a moon and was pleasing
to the sight".
SA: One who bestows good (on devotees).
39 AdityaH
PB: The person residing in the Sun (sUryamaNDala). Vide-
"He, is only the same (Diety) who is seen in the heart of a
human being and who is seen in the Sun".
SA: The golden-hued purusha in the suryamaNDala. gItA (10.21):
"Among the Adityas I am vishNu"; (there are 12 Adityas).
Or it may imply the meaning that just as one sun reflects as
many water receptacles, it is the One Soul that is reflected
in various bodies and appears as many. Hence the comparison.
40 pushkarAkshaH
PB: The lotus-eyed. exclusively signifies His possession of all
riches in the Universe (i.e. its sole ruler).
SA: Lotus-eyed.
41 mahAsvanaH
PB: He of mahAn (sacred/venerable) svanaH (sound). "His name
and form have sound as the basis. He is verily, vedas. He is
the brilliant purusha in the middle of the Sun".
Or He is the Supreme object of worship since He is signified
by the sAvitri (gAyatri mantra).
SA: From whom comes the great sound- the vedas. Vide-
"the Rg-veda and the yajur-veda are the breath of that great
being" (BRU.2.4.10).
42 anAdi-nidhanH
PB: One without beginning or end. The form of this purusha is
not made up of matter but is wholly divine. There is no birth
or death for any of His avatAr forms. There is only an entry
and an exit of that form (like an actor on the stage). His
form always shines with splendor and beauty.
SA: The one existence that has neither birth nor death.
43 dhAtaH
PB: The creator. This suggests vishNu is the prime cause and is
distinguishable from brahma. gItaA (14.3) says:
"He puts the seed into the womb of prakRti (mahat brahman),
from which the cosmos sprouts"; aniruddha sows the seed.
SA: One who is the support of the universe.
44 vidhAtA
PB: The producer/dispenser. He develops the seed in the womb of
prakRti and makes it appear (as hiraNyagarbha). Vide-
"He saw brahma being born",
"He who creates brahma at first",
"From Him, virAt (brahma) was born".
SA: He who generates karmas and their fruits.
45 dhAturuttamaH
PB: Best of Creators/Far Superior to brahma. Vide-
"nArAyaNa is the Supreme tattva (reality)",
A discussion between brahma and rudra clearly states:
"nArAyaNa is the highest divinity and the four-faced brahma
was born of Him".
SA: The ultimate support of everything. Or He being caitanya or
Pure Consciousness, is superior to all other dhAtus
(substances). Or it can be taken as two different names:
He is 'dhAtu' because He bears everything, and He is also
uttama, the greatest of all beings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(sl-6) aprameyo hRshIkeSaH padma-nAbho'mara-prabhuH
viSva-karmA manustvashTA sthavishThaH sthaviro dhruvaH
46 aprameyaH
PB: The immeasurable. He is beyond the reach of all the pramANas
including SAstra and Sabda. He is even beyond the sense-
organs of brahma and other Gods. Vide-
"This bhagavan brahma does not know the supreme purusha",
Brahma himself declares,
"We do not verilt know the beginning, middle and end of the
birthless Supreme Creator (vishNu) whose forms all things are.
We neither know the essential nature of the Supreme Ruler,
nor His sublime Greatness, nor His power".
SA: One who is not measurable or understandable by any of the
accepted means of knowledge like sense perception, inference
etc. Even the scriptures cannot reveal Him DIRECTLY.
scriptures only eliminate the appearance of the Universe
(which stands in the way of intuiting Him).
Or not being an object but only the ultimate witness or
knower, He is beyond the purview of all means of knowledge,
which can reveal only things in the objective world.
47 hRshIkeSaH
PB: He is hRshIkeSa because He is the Cotroller of the indriyas
(the sense and sense organs). Vide Harivamsa:
"They say that hRshIkas are sense-organs. Since you are
their controller, you are known as hRshIkeSaH. Among the
Gods, vishNu is known as keSava".
"He is hRshIkeSa because of joy (harsha), happiness(saukhya)
and effortless rulership (sukha-aisvarya)".
i.e. (hRshI + ka + isa).
SA: The Master of senses (hRshIkas); or He under whose control
the senses subsist. Another interpretation is He whose
keSa (hair) consisting of the rays of the Sun and the Moon,
gives joy (harsha) to the world. Vide-
"the rays of the Sun, which is harikeSaH (the hair of Hari)"
48 padmanAbhaH
PB and SA: He who has a lotus in the navel. This substantiates what has
been said before: He is the cause of brahma (the lotus-born).
"The whole Universe is placed in the navel of that unborn".
49 Amara-prabhuH
PB: Lord of all Gods. He effects creation etc. by bestowing on
the Gods authority (and directs them) for carrying them out.
In srI rAmAyaNa brahma says to rAmA:
"Lying on the waters of the great ocean You created me
long ago".
SA: The Master of the devas or the amaras (the deathless ones).
50 viSvakarmA
PB: He who is the agent of all actions(in regard to the Universe)
The entire work (visvam karma) related to the Universe, both
before and after the creation of brahma is His alone. Vide-
"He does all the work relating to the Universe",
"Him the ourusha, the Creator of the Universe, the Supreme
God, the Unborn, All-pervading".
SA: He whose karma (work) has resulted in all that exists
(viSvam). Or He whose power of creation is unique and
wonderful.
51 manuH
PB: He who wills. By means of sankalpa (thinking/willing), He
Creates everything. Vide-
"That Supreme desired that He should create a world which
was not in existence before".
"Creation is based on the infallible wish of the Supreme, and
requires no analogy for support".
SA: He who thinks. The BrU.(3.7-23):
"nAnyo'tosti mantA- There is no thinker other than He".
Or He is called manu, because He manifests in form of
mantra and of manu (the Patriach).
52 tvashTA
PB: The Divine Chiseller/Carpenter who constructed the Universe.
He fashioned the Universe by giving names and forms. Vide-
"sarvANi rUpANi vicitya dhIraH"
SA: He who makes all beings shrunken (tanUkaraNa) at the time of
pralaya (cosmic dissolution).
53 sthavishThaH
PB: He who is exceedingly immense. Vide-
"There is no limit to my expansiveness" (gItA),
"All Universe is the expansion of vishNu Who is All".
SA: He who excels in everything in bulk or substantiality.
54 sthaviraH-dhruvaH
PB: Takes it as two names: 'sthaviraH' and 'dhruvaH'
sthaviraH means He who is existent at all times. Though the
original cause of all, He is different from worldly causes
like clay etc. Though for His lIla (creation of world etc.)
he accepts help of time, He is not bound by it. This shows
that His nature is entirelly different from that of milk
which depends on Time to get transformed into curd.
"He (bhagavan) makes there (srI vaikunta) Time and the latter
has no power over Him".
He is dhruvaH, because his essential nature is changeless.
Though there are infinite transformations, He is immutable.
Vide- "ajayya (invincible), Saswatha (eternal) and
dhruva (unchanging)".
SA: Eternal one, being the most ancient. The name and
qualification is taken as a single phrase.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S. G. Srinivasan email : sgsrini@u.washington.edu
Graduate Student
Dept. Of Mater. Sci. & Engg.
University Of Washington Phone : (206)-632-1083 (H)
Seattle, WA 98195 (206)-685-3851 (W)
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