SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 71 - Part 3 - brahma-vivardhanah.

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 71 - brahma-vivardhanah.

 

670. brahma-vivardhanah - a) He Who makes dharma grow.

b) He Who grows and nurtures everything in a big way.

 

 

Om brahma-vivardhanAya namah.

 

a) SrI BhaTTar's interpretation here uses the meaning "tapas", which

in itself includes dharma, for the term brahma. The Sruti text is

"tapo

brahma", and He Who makes it grow is brahma-vivardhanah - tapo

brahma, tam vivardhayati iti brahma-vivardhanah. SrI satyadevo

vAsishTha gives reference to the Sruti - brahma vai yaj~nah (aiyt.

BrAh. 7.22). SrI v.v. rAmAnujan adds that tapas involves getting

detached from objects of sensual enjoyment; the more one grows tapas,

the more will be the growth towards enjoyment of Him.

 

SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj gives the interpretation that because He

nurtures the tattva of brahma in the hearts of His devotees, He is

called brahma-vivardhanah - brahma tattvam, tat viSesheNa vardhayate

sva-jana hRdayeshu iti brahma-vivardhanah. SrI cinmayAnanda includes

austerities, veda-s, truth, and knowledge under the term tapas, and

since He grows these in His devotees, He has this nAma.

 

b) SrI satyadevo vAsishTha gives another interpretation which uses

the meaning "big" for brahma. Because He grows things indefinitely and

infinitely, as in the case of a seed yielding a tree, which yields

many more seeds, and the process continue on and on, He is called

brahma-vivradhanah -

 

vivardhanam viSvamidam samastam yatah svayam brahma-vivardhanah sah |

bIjAcca vRksham kurute vivRddham vRkshAcca bIjAn kurute bahUn sah ||

 

The dharma cakram writer includes tapas, dhAnam, and yaj~nam under

the term brahma for this nAma. I have summarized his write-up in the

following: tapas is the means by which one keeps improving his or

her own self. When one sacrifices what one has for the benefit of the

society, it is called dhAnam. Doing all our actions through thought,

word, and deed without feeling self-ownership, and dedicating them to

bhagavAn, is yaj~nam. All karma should be performed without

attachment. This way of doing karma leads one to forsake the worldly

pleasures, and seek union with God instead. All the actions that one

undertakes with this feeling become tapas, dhAnam, or yaj~nam. The

more we indulge in actions in this spirit, the more the world

improves and becomes purer. tapas through deed, or through body, is the

service to bhAgavata-s. Talking only good things, chanting the

veda-s,

etc., become tapas by word. Thinking only good thoughts, and not

thinking bad thoughts, becomes tapas through thought. All this tapas

should be undertaken with no desire for fame or name, and should be as

ordained in the SAstra-s. Similarly, dhAnam should be done with full

joy in giving, and not with reservation or sadness that one is parting

with one's possessions, or expecting something in return. Yaj~na

should

again be undertaken with selflessness, and not for show or recognition,

and should be consistent with SAstra-s, and performed with SraddhA.

It is His thought that grows this path of tapas, dhAnam, and yaj~nam.

Therefore He is called brahma-vivardhanah.

 

The above ideas (of sAttvic tapas, dhAnam and ya~jnam) are clearly

enunciated by bhagavAn in gItA Chapter 17 - SraddhA traya vibhAga

yogah.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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