SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 103 - pramANam.

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 103 - pramANam.

 

pramANam prANa-nilayaH prANa-dhRt prANa-jIvanaH |

tattvam tattva-vit_ekAtmA janma-mRtyu-jarAtigaH ||

 

om pramANAya namaH

om prANa-nilayAya namaH

om prANa-dhRte namaH

om prANa-jIvanAya namaH

om tattva-vide namaH

om ekAtmane namaH

om janam-mRtyu-jarAtigAya namaH

 

959. pramANam – The valid authority.

 

om pramANAya namaH.

 

We discussed this nAma earlier in Slokam 46 (nAma 429).

 

SrI vAsishTha indicates the root for the nAma as mA'ng – mAne – to

measure, to limit, to compare with, to form, to show, etc. pra- is

an uapsarga. The term `pramANam' is used to refer to `proof, valid

knowledge, authority', etc. – prakRshTam mAnam pramANam – Superior

knowledge,Valid authority.

 

SrI BhaTTar explains nAma 429 as "atha kArta yugAnAm hita a-hitayoH

pramANam" – BhagavAn is the authority for determining what is good

and what is bad for the people who live in the kRta yuga. PramANam

is used here in the sense of `vyavasthApanam – setting the standard,

establishing'. The context in which SrI BhaTTar interprets the

sequence of nAma-s 422 to 436, is in terms the kalki incarnation,

which will be taken by bhagavAn when a-dharma will become so wide

that He decides to eliminate everything and start again with creation

in the kRta yuga. When the cycle of yuga-s starts with the kRta yuga

after this current yuga (the kali yuga), bhagavAn sets the standard

for action – the right and the wrong. SrI BhaTTar notes that

perception and other means of knowledge are considered authoritative

by being activated by this power of His, and people in this world are

supposed to follow only this mode of His action.

 

For the current instance of the nAma, SrI BhaTTar explains that

bhagavAn has this nAma since He reveals the secrets and mystic truths

of the veda-s without doubt or error – evam nis-samSaya viparyaya

veda rahasya paramArtha pratyAyakatvAt paramANam. SrImad SrImushNam

ANDavan explains that since bhagavAn reveals the paramArtha – the

Supreme Truth, to us without any samSayam or viparyayam (beyond any

doubt and without any distortion in truth etc.)., bhagavAn is the

true pramANam – the true proof. He is not only the goal to be

achieved – prameyam, but He is also the means to achieve the goal.

 

SrI satya sandha tIrtha interprets the nAma as – prakRshTam mAnam

vedAdi pramANam yasmin iti pramANam – He Who has given the veda-s

etc. as the highest authority, is pramANam.

 

SrI vAsishTha uses the generic meaning `measure' for the root `mAn',

and gives the interpretation that bhagavAn has this nAma signifying

that prior to creation itself, He has decided and established the

nature of the Universe, including the extent, the nature of the guNa-

s that dominate our conduct, the different kinds of beings, etc. –

yAvat-pramANakam, yAdRg-guNam, yAdRg-AkRtimacca jagan-nirmitsati, tat-

pramANam tAn guNAn tA'nca AkRtim jagad-ArambhAt pUrvameva tan-nirmAti

parimitayata eva tat-pramANam abhidIyate |

 

SrI vAsishTha gives several instances from the Sruti to support his

interpretation:

 

- anaDvAn indraH sa paSubhyo vicashTe trA'nchako vimimIte

adhvanaH (atharva. 4.11.2)

- nava prANAn navabhiH sam mimIte dIrghAyutvAya SataSaradAya |

(atharva. 5.28.1)

- dhAmAni veda bhuvanAni viSvA | (yajur. 32.10)

- sa bhUmim sarvato vRtvA atyatishThad-daSA'ngulam | (Rg.

10.90.1)

- etAvan asya mahimA ato jyAyAg'mSca pUrushaH | (yajur. 31.3)

 

SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj gives another etymological derivation –

prakrsheNa mimIte Sabdayati, Avishkaroti j~nAnam brahmAdibhya iti

pramANam – He Who clearly reveals or makes known, the true nature of

Brahman etc. (mA'ng = mAne, Sabde ca).

 

Alternatively, SrI bhAradvAj explains the nAma as – prakrsheNa

mAnyate brahmAdibhiH iti praMANam – He Who is worshipped by the likes

of brahmA (mAna – pUjAyAm).

 

One of the alternate interpretations given by SrI satya sandha

tIrtha is: prakRshTam mAnam SarIrAdi parimANam tri-vikramAdi rUpeNa

yasya iti vA pramANam – He Who had unusual dimensions for His form in

His tri-vikrama incarnation ( mAne – to measure).

 

SrI baladeva vidyA bhUshaN explains the nAma as "One Who always

speaks the truth". satya bhAshitvAt pramANam. He gives the

following in support: "pramANam nitya-maryAdA satya vAdi

pramAtRshu". In the amara koSa vyAkhyAnam by Prof. A. A.

Ramanathan, he gives the following: "iyattA hetu SAstreshu pramANam

satyavAdinI |", showing the equivalence of the words pramANam

and "satya vAdinI".

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan