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Re: Question about Purandara

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Sadagopan • October 12, 2000 


Dear SaadhakA :

The reference to Sriman NaarAyaNan in
the deeper and metaphysical sense is in
Rg Vedam 1.109.8 Rk and other Sruthi
passages .

As you indicated , in common parlance ,
the Thripura SamhAram episode gives 
the reference to Lord Siva as Purandhara
( Pura: sathrUNAm nagarANi dhArayathi ithi):
ThripurAndhakan .

The other meanings given to Purandhara:
are Agni, VishNu and JyEshtA Nakshathram
(18th lunar mansion).As in case of 
Sanskrit words , the context will 
determine the meaning .In the female form 
PurandharA refers to GangA river that originated
from the feet of Lord Thrivikraman .

Coming back to the deeper meaning of
Sriamn NaarAyaNA as revealed by
Rg Vedam , it is the world of 
Sapithvam ( saha prApthavyam sthAnam ),
Sri Vaikuntam , reached by archirAdhi Maargam 
as indicated in Brahma Soothrams and Upanishads
on which they are based.

Rg vedam 1.109.7 refers to Sapithvam 
and the next verse 1.109.8 starts with 
the word Purandharaa:

PurandharA sikshatham vajrahasthamam 
Indraagni avatham BharEshu
tannO mithrO varuNO maamahanthAmadhithi: 
Sindhu PruthvI utha dhyou:

(meaning): " Oh resplendent Self and Mind , 
destroyers of the strongholds of evil ,
instruct us and protect us in our struggles
with adamant hands. May the friendly , VENERABLE
AND INDIVISIBLE LORD and His bounteous creation ,
including the Ocean , the earth and the celestial 
regions grant us our wishes".

There are many deeper meanings to this manthram .
For the discussion purposes here , the reference to 
VishNu-NaarAyaNan can be inferred from here. 
Vedic grammar has its own twists .I wont get into
those fine points in this posting.

The examples are abundant in AzhwAr Prabhandahms
( e.g: PeriYazhwar ) and Upanishads , where this 
concept of Puram is referred to quite a bit.

V.Satakopan 


  At 09:18 PM 10/10/00 -0000, you wrote:
>Namo Narayana.
>
>Could someone explain why Narayana is referred to as
>Purandhara, wheras the title is more apt for Siva(as
>tripuranthaka). I do understand the common explanation
>that in the ancient world 'conqueror of cities' was a
>common epithet to valour, however I suspect that there
>is a deeper and metaphysical explanation or symbolism
>with the name purandhara for Sriman Narayana.
>
>A Sadhaka.
>(I prefer to keep my identity anonymous since it helps
>me concentrate on questions without bringing my
>personality and its flaws into picture.)
>
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
>To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
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>
>
>


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