Sri VishNu SahasranAmam - Nama 3.

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Sri VishNu SahasranAmam - Nama 3- .

 

3. VashatkAra: - One who controls and directs (not merely pervades).

 

Sri Bhattar interprets the names VishNu, vashatkAra, and

bhuta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhu, as additional elaborations of the name

visvam. The root of the word is vas - to control as He wills.

 

It should be noted that Sri Bhattar has pointed out in his commentary

for visvam that BhagavAn is everywhere with His shAdguNya paripUrNatva

WHICH IS NATURAL TO HIM, in the commentary for vishNu that He permeates

everything that HE CREATES AND POSSESSES, and in the current one for

vashatkAra that He controls AS HE WILLS. Thus, all these guNas are not

something that have been acquired or imparted by something external, but

this is His will and schema.

 

The following passages from the sruti are given in support of the

interpretation of this nAma:

 

* sarvasya vaso sarvasya IsAna: - He is the Controller of all and the

Ruler of all.

 

* jagadvase vartatedam - The Universe is under His control.

 

The summarization from Nirukti is

 

svecchayA yo sarvam vase karoti sa: vashatkAra: - One Who controls and

directs everything and everyone as He wills.

 

Sri Sankara provides a very different interpretation for this nAma. He

points out that BhagavAn is Himself the vashatkAra mantra, where

vashat is a sacred sound (similar to Om, svAhA, etc). used on

sacrificial offerings. It is also used in the anganyAsa and karanYasa

practice before chanting the sacred slokas (e.g., sahasrArchis

saptajihva iti saktyai sikhAyai vashat). Note the similarity of

vashatkAra to Om kAra, a word with which we are familiar. VashatkAra is

thus a mantra, and BhagavAn is the mantra svarUpi.

 

The explanation in terms of BhagavAn having control over all His

creations is appealing because of the continuity it provides to the

interpretations of the previous nAmas.

 

-Dasan Krishnamacharyan