SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 89 - bhaya-kRt, bhaya-nASanah.

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 89 - bhaya-kRt, bhaya-nASanah.

 

837. bhya-kRt – He Who causes fear.

838. bhaya-nASanah – He Who destroys fear.

 

Om bhaya-kRte namah.

Om bhaya-nASanAya namah.

 

The word bhaya is derived from the root bhI – bhaye – to fear, to be

anxious about. The nAma bhaya-kRt can be viewed as "bhayam karoti

iti bhaya-kRt", or "bhayam kRntati iti bhaya-kRt" – "One Who causes

fear", or "One Who removes fear".

 

SrI BhaTTar gives his interpretation for these two nAma-s together.

His explanation is that bhagavAn creates fear in those who violate

His commands, and dispels fear in those who follow them. SrI v.v.

rAmAnujan gives the following supports for the two interpretations:

 

- bhaya abhayam karah kRshNah sarva-lokeSvarah prabhuh (mahA

bhArata) – Lord kRshNa is One Who causes intense fear in those who

violate the commands of the SAstra-s, and removes fear in those who

obey the SAstric injunctions.

- sakRdeva prapannAya tavAsmIti ca yAcate | abahayam sarva

bhUtebhyo dadAmyetad vratam mama || (rAmAyaNa, yuddha. 18.34,

declared by Lord rAma during vibhIshaNa SaraNAgati on the sea shore) -

"To him who even once bows to Me saying that I am Thine, I grant

him shelter and protection from all evils. This is My vow".

- van SaraN surarkkAi, asurarkku vem kURRamumAi

tan SaraN nizahR-kIzh ulagam vaittum vaiyAdum

ten SaraN tiSaikkut tiru viN nagar SErnda pirAn

en SaraN en kaNNan ennai ALuDaiyan en appanE

(tiruvAi. 6.3.8)

 

The simultaneous role of bhayakRt and bhaya-nASanah is

reflected both in the first and second lines of this pASuram:

surarkku van SaraNAi – For His devotees, including the deva-s, He is

the surest Protection; asurarukku vem kURRamumAi – Just as surely,

for those with a demonic disposition, He is the sure Death; tan

SaraN nizaR-kIzh ulagam vaittum – Keeping those who have surrendered

to Him under His Feet for protection; vaiyAdum – Those that have not

surrendered to Him are not allowed anywhere close to His Feet. Such

is the Nature of our great kaNNan in tiru viN nagar – Oppiliappan

koil.

 

- His guNa as bhaya nASanah is reflected in nammAzhvAr's

tiruvAimozhi pASuram 3.10.8 also – ellai il mAyanai kaNNanait tAL

paRRi yAn Or duhkam ilanE – By surrendering to this mAyak kaNNan's

divine feet, I have no more worry of any sorrow.

 

SrI Sa'nkara gives the primary interpretation for `bhaya kRt" as One

Who causes fear to those who follow the wrong path – asan-mArga

vartinAm bhayam karoti iti bhaya-kRt (kR – karaNe – to do). He gives

an alternate interpretation that brings out His guNa of protecting

the bhakta-s – bhaktAnAm bhayam kRtanti vA bahaya-kRt – He Who

dispels fear from the minds of His devotees (kRt – chedane – to

cut).

 

SrI vAsishTha also gives both the interpretations for the nAma "bhaya-

kRt". In support of the first interpretation, he gives the support

from Rg veda:

 

dyAvA cidasmai pRthivI namante, sushmAcidasya parvatA

bhayante |

yah somapA nicito vajra-bAhur-yo vajra-hastah sa janAsa

indrah || (Rg. 2.12.13)

 

"Even the Heaven and Earth bow down before Him, before His very

breath the mountains tremble. Known as the soma drinker, armed with

thunder, who wields the bolt, he, o ye men, is indra". We know that

indra trembles before bhagavAn, and so bhagavAn is the bhaya-kRt of

them all, to ensure that all the gods function properly and perform

their assigned duties. The taittirIya Upanishad declares:

bhIshAsmAd vAtah pavate, bhIshodeti sUryah,

bhIshAsmAdagniScendraSca, mRtyur-dhAvati pa'ncama iti | - "The

wind blows out of fear of Him; For fear of Him does the Sun rise;

For fear of Him do agni and indra function. Out of fear of Him, does

Death, the fifth one, run".

 

SrI Sa'nkara's interpretation for the nAma "bhaya nASanah" stresses

the importance of following the varNASrama dharma-s: varNa ASrama

AcAravatAm bhayam nASayati iti bhaya-nASanah. This can be understood

in different ways:

 

- as a reference to varNASrama dharma – to the practices

prescribed for the four divisions or varNa-s - the brAhamNa-s,

kshatriya-s, vaiSya-s and Sudra-s;

- as a reference to the practices prescribed for the four varNa-

s as well as for the four ASrama-s (brahmacarya, gArhasthya, vAna

prastha, and sanyAsa),

- or as a reference to the varNa-s, ASrama-s as well as the

AcAra-s or the codes of conduct for all these groups.

 

SrI sa'nkara gives support from SrI vishNu purANam of ParASara:

 

varNa ASrama AcAravatA purhseNa parah pumAn |

vishNur-ArAdhyate panthA nAnyas-tat-tosha-kArakah || (VP

3.8.9)

 

"The supreme vishNu is propitiated by a man who observes the

institutions of varNa, ASrama, and the AcAra-s (purificatory

practices). No other path is the way to please Him".

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan