ThirunaamangaL

[Guest guest]

Hello,

 

The discussion about 'nappinnai' has kept me thinking about how so many have

so passionately wanted to be with God and have praised/described Vishnu in His

avatars in such innumerable ways. Can those of you who know about SriVaishnavite

philosophy, systematically post its essence in whatever time schedule that is

convenient? - may seem really a basic question and a lot has been said about it

too in this group, but still I would like to see this. Or if it has already

been done ( I did miss some postings) elaborately, can a summary be done?

 

More urgently than that, I would like to know the various namas by which Vishnu

or Krishna is praised ( pl don't ask me to rfer to Vishnusahasranamam) with

how or why that name is attributed to Him, especially the ones which are not

apparent reading the name? This can also include the names of deities in

various temples.

 

I am just reminded of that beautiful song:

 

"enna solli azhaiththaal varuvaayO- nee

eLiyEn enthanai inithu aatkoLLa (enna)

 

pannaka sayanaa parama thayaapara

patham paNinthEn naRkathipeRavE naaNn

 

abhayam enRakari kuthaviya naamam

aarangkin maanam kaththathOr naamam

aranmanaththidai sathaa capiththidum namamO

avaniyOr uraiththidum aayiram naamaththil - nee enna solli azhaiththaal ...

 

..... .............

it is just so sweet even to think of his namaas. Imagine how wonderful it

would have been to be a gopi, Prahlad, Andal... she seems to be the ultimate

embodiment of loving and being one iwth God.... I don't know how many janmaas

I have to be born to come even close to a tarce of their enlightenment or

unwavering or constant devotion.

 

Kannanai enna solli azhaiththaal varuvaanO

naan azhaiththaal varuvaanO?

[Guest guest]

There is one sloka by Desikar that beautifully explains the

12 thirunaamams of PerumaaL. These 12 names are probably

familiar to all of us; they are repeatedly used during nearly

all ceremonies and rituals, including sandhyaavandanam,

ritual bathing, etc.

 

The sloka appears in Desikar's "dramiDopanishad taatparya

ratnaavaLI", a Sanskrit summary of sri nammaazhvaar's

thiruvaaymozhi. Each set of 11 paasurams is summarized very

crisply in one sloka, in Sanskrit that I often find quite

difficult to disassemble.

 

The following sloka is the summary for thiruvaaymozhi 2.7.x,

which is unique among all the decads in that it has 13 paasurams,

one for each of the 12 special names of the Lord, with the

customary thirteenth being the phalaSruti.

 

sarvaadiH sarvanaathas tribhuvajananIvallabhaH svaaSritaarthI

vishvag vyaapty aatidIpto vimatanirasanaH svaanghrisadbhaktidaayI |

visvaaptyau vaamanaangaH svavibhavarasadaH svaantanirvaahayogyaH

svaartheho bandhamoktaasvajanahitatayaa dvaadaSaakhyaabhiruce || 29 ||

 

The translator R. Rangachari writes:

 

The twelve special Names of the Lord -- think of their import:

 

Kesava - The Source of all;

Narayana - The Master of all;

Madhava - The Consort of the three worlds' Mother;

Govinda - He who makes us His willing bondsmen ever;

Vishnu - Lustrous Pervader of the Universe;

Madhusudana - Slayer of His foes (egoists);

Trivikrama - He who of His own volition, placed His foot on the

heads of all Beings, to rouse Devotion therefor;

Vamana - He, who deigned to become a tiny dwarf to restore the

worlds (unto Him);

Sridhara - The abode of Sri, the appellation most dear to Him

and to us;

Hrishikesa - The Director of our heart and mind towards Him;

Padmanabha - He, from whose Lotus-navel, arose the Universe,

His own body;

Damodara - The bound one that liberates all from bondage

(our unfailing hope!) --

 

SaThakopa expounds thus and rejoices.

 

It was very nice to see such a meaningful interpretation

of such common names.

 

Mani