vishNu sahasranAmam (9)

[Guest guest]

Dear All-

Since I'll be travelling, there will be no vishNu sahasranAmam postings

for the next 6-weeks. I'll resume the same when I return to Seattle on

June 15.

 

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PB = Translation of srI parAsara bhattar's commentary.

SA = Translation of srI sankarAchArya's commentary.

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(sl-15) lokA'dhyakshaH surA'dhyaksho dharmA'dhyakshaH kRtA'kRtaH

catur'AtmA catur-vyUhas catur-damshTras catur-bhujaH

 

133 lokA'dhyakshaH

 

PB: 'A'dhyakshaH' means 'the presiding overlord'. He who

controls the world is the 'lokA'dhyakshaH'

 

SA: He who directly witnesses everything (in pradhAna/prakRti/

nature)

 

134 surA'dhyakshaH

 

PB: He who controls the Gods (surAs)

 

SA: He exercises overlordship over gods.

 

135 dharmA'dhyakshaH

 

PB: He who controls dharma.

 

SA: He directly sees the dharma (merits) and adharma (demerits)

of all and confers due rewards.

 

PB: In names (133-135), lokAH : those eligible to practice dharma;

surAH : the dieties worshipped by those eligible; and

dharmaH : the instrument of such worship ordained by SAstras.

He (anuruddha) controls all these. He alone dispenses fruits

with knowledge (of the dharma performed by each person). He is

therefore called the Knower of dharma, Knower of Methods,

Presiding Diety, Highly Truthful.

 

136 kRtA'kRtaH

 

PB: dharma is of two kinds, one that prolongs samsAra and the

other liberates us from samsAra. He is called 'krutha' because

He gives temporary fruits (in this world) to those who are

worldly. He is also 'akrutha' as He gives the eternal fruit

of moksha to those who seek it. Hence He is 'kRtA'kRtaH'.

 

SA: He is both the cause and effect of the Universe.

 

137 catur'AtmA

 

PB: He of four-forms (vAsudeva, samkarshana, pradhyumna and

aniruddha). These four vyUhas have the Supreme para vAsudeva

as their AtmA.

 

SA: One who assumes forms for the creation, suatenation and

dissolution. Vide VishNu pUrANA (I 22-31-33) -

"brahmA, prajApatis like daksha, kAla (time) and jIvAs -

these are powers of vishNu for the purpose of creation.

vishNu, the manus, kAla (time) and living beings -

these are powers of vishNu for the purpose of sustenation.

rudra, Time, Death (mRtyu) and living beings -

these are powers of vishNu for the purpose of dissolution".

 

138 catur-vyUhaH

 

PB: This name explains how He is catur'AtmA. For the purposes

already mentioned, The Supreme Being suitably distributes

His six qualities in four forms of Himself. These four forms

are expressive of His special qualities,color,status,actions,

ornaments, weapons etc.

 

SA: He has four manifestations. vyAsa says -

"The all famed janArdana manifests Himself in four forms

(vAsudeva, samkarshana, pradhyumna and aniruddha), to perform

the work creation etc. (with these forms)".

 

 

139 catur-damshTraH

 

PB: He of four teeth in His transcendental form (from which the

four vyuhas emerge). The possession of four large teeth is

an indication of a mahApurusha (Great Person).

 

SA: One with four fangs in His nRsimha avatArA.

 

140 catur-bhujaH

 

PB: Four-Armed. They say that such is the para-rUpa (the

transcendental form). Vide -

"endowed with four arms",

"He who is in a place beyond darkness (the material world)

and who wields the conch, discuss, mace and bow".

 

SA: Four-armed.

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(sl-16) bhrAjishNur-bhojanam bhoktA sahishNur jaga-AdijaH

anagho vijayo jetA viSva-yoniH punar-vasuH

 

141 bhrAjishNuH

 

PB: The effulgent. As vyUha avatArs, He manifests Himself to His

worshippers.

 

SA: He is the essence of light (and shines everywhere).

 

142 bhojanam

 

PB: He is enjoyed by his bhaktAs.

 

SA: prakRti or mAyA is called bhojanam (or what is enjoyed by

the Lord). But as He Himself is prakRti, He is also called

bhojanam (the object of enjoyment).

 

143 bhoktA

 

PB: He is bhoktA since He Himself enjoys the offerings made to Him

lovingly (by his bhaktAs). Vide -

"I enjoy the offering made by the pure-minded",

"I am the enjoyer of all sacrifices and austerities".

 

SA: As purusha He enjoys prakRti. So He is bhoktA (enjoyer).

 

144 sahishNuH

 

PB: (Due to His generous nature) He forgives all the faults of

His devotees. If it is asked how His patience is immeasurable,

the answer is given by the use of 'ishNu' suffix. This

signifies a quality which is natural to Him like coolness

that is natural to moon, water etc.

 

SA: He is sahishNuH as He supresses asuras like hiraNyAksha.

 

145 jaga-AdijaH

 

PB: Until now His vyuha avatArs were referred to. Now on, His

vibhava avatArs will be dealt with. jaga-AdijaH means He

who is the first born in the Universe and is one of the

trinity (trimUrtis).

 

SA: He who manifested as hiraNyagarba (by Himself) at the

beginning of creation.

 

146 anaghaH

 

PB: Though born, as vishNu, in the midst of samsArA (the

material world), He is Sinless (and so anaghaH). He Himself

is the destroyer of all sins.

 

SA: The sinless one. Vide -

"apahata pApmA - He is without sin" (Cha.U. 8.7.1).

 

147 vijayaH

 

PB: Victory Incarnate. The creation and destruction of the world

are done by brahma and rudra is possible because of His help.

Vide - "The Creator and the Destroyer follow the paths

indicated by Him".

 

SA: He is Lord of the Universe by virtue of His bhagas (j~nana,

vairAgya and other qualities).

 

148 jetA

 

PB: The Conqueror. He makes even brahma and rudra yield to His

wishes.

 

SA: One who naturally excels all beings.

 

149 viSva-yoniH

 

PB: Through the other mUrtis, He is the cause of the Universe.

 

SA: He is all and the Cause of all.

 

150 punar-vasuH

 

PB: He is punarvasuH as He resides in other gods, beginning with

brahma and rudra, as their antarAtmA (Inner Soul). Vide -

"He is the relation of Gods kept in caves (hearts)",

Brahma says (to Rudra) "He is the Inner Soul of yourself

and myself and all the embodied beings".

This and the succeeding names of upedra, vAmana and prAmSu

indicate that the Unborn Eternal Supreme Being, out of His

grace, passes through the states of birth and life on the

earth for the redemption/protection of humanity.

 

SA: One who dwells again and again in the bodies (as kshetraj~na).

-

S. G. Srinivasan email : sgsrini

Graduate Student

Dept. Of Mater. Sci. & Engg.

Room 204, Roberts Hall, BOX 352120

University Of Washington Phone : (206)-632-1083 (H)

Seattle, WA 98195-2120 (206)-685-3851 (W)

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