SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 71 - brahma-vivardhanah

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam

71 - Part 3 - brahma-vivardhanah.

 

 

 

670. brahma-vivardhanah – He Who makes dharma grow.

 

 

 

Om brahma-vivardhanAya namah.

 

 

 

SrI BhaTTar’s interpretation here uses the meaning “tapas”, which it 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.

 

 

 

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 thoughts 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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