Vishnusahasranama

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living creatures, everywhere, at all times. The Lord is the ‘subject’, not only

in the sense organs, but He is the “feeler” in the mind and the “thinker” in

the intellect. And thus the sense organs cannot perceive It, nor the mind

feel It, nor the intellect apprehend It; says the Upanishad, “That from which

words retire unapproached along with the mind” is the Supreme. Hence He is

Agraahya-Imperceptible and Incomprehensible. Kenopanishad is very clear and

emphatic: “That which the eyes cannot perceive, but because of which eyes are

perceiving, understand That to be Brahman (Maha Vishnu) and not that which you

here worship.” (56) Saasvatah -That which remains at all times the same is the

Permanent, That which is permanent, should remain Changeless in all the three

periods of time. In short, He is unconditioned by time. The Supreme

Consciousness Itself is the very Illumminator of Time, and the Illuminator can

never be affected by what It illumines. This changeless reality is Vishnu. (57)

Krishnah -The word Krishna means in Sanskrit ‘the dark’. The Truth that is

intellectually appreciated, but spiritually not apprehended, is considered as

‘veiled behind some darkness’. The root Krish means Existence (Sattaa) and na

means Bliss (Aananda) .So says Vyasa in Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 70, 5.

Therefore Krishna (Krish+na) means Existence- Bliss (Sattaa-Aananda). Thus, the

very name divine, ‘Krishna’, represents the Supreme Paramaatman. Or, because of

His dark-blue complexion He is called as Krishna. Mahabharata Santi Parva 343

says, “As My colour is dark-blue, I am called Krishna, O Arjuna.” In

Mahabharata, we find Krishna explaining Himself to Arjuna ‘when the earth

becomes shelled in by its hard crux I shall turn myself into an iron

plough-share and shall plough the earth. Apart from the above

meaning Krishna also means the Enchanter of all His devotees (Aakarshana) .Truth

is One which irresistibly attracts everybody towards Itself. Commentators have

interpreted this significance in a more attractive context. They conclude that

Krishna means One who sweeps away the sins in the heart of those who meditate

upon Him. Truth has got a magnetism to attract to Itself all the ego and

ego-centric passions of the individual. In this sense viewed, we need not

consider Krishna as a deity of the farmyard in the agricultural estates. The

Lord ploughs the hard stupidities in us and prepares the heart-field, weeding

out all the poisonous growths of sin, and cultivates therein-pure Bliss which

is of the nature of Reality. (58) Lohitaakshah -Red-eyed. Very often we find

descriptions in the Puranas, where the Lord is explained as having eyes like

the red-lotus (Hibiscus). Generally the ruddy eyes represent anger and

the incarnations are taken for the purpose of destroying the evil and so His

anger is towards the evil-minded materialists who live ignoring the higher

values of life. (59) Pratardanah - The root Tarda means “destruction” and

with the prefix Pro the root (Pra-tarda) means “supreme destruction”. One who

does this total destruction (Pratardanah) is the Lord in the form of Rudra at

the time of the great dissolution (Pralaya). (60) Prabhootah -The term means

‘born full’ or ‘ever-full’. He is ever-full and perfect in His Essential

Nature, as the Transcendental Reality, or even when He manifests in the form of

His various incarnations. Especially in His chief and glorious incarnation as

Lord Krishna, He proved Himself to be ever full with His Omnipotency and

Omnisciency. (61) Trikakubdhaama -One who is the very foundation or support

(Dhaama) of the three quarters (Kakubh). We find this is generally commented

upon and described as “all quarters, in the three realms above, below and

middle.” Viewing this from the platform of Vedanta, He must be considered by us

as the three Planes-of -Consciousness-the waking (Jaagrat), the dream (Svapna)

and the deep-sleep (Sushupti) conditions. The fourth Plane-of-Consciousness

(Tureeya) is indeed the Substratum for all the other three planes. (62)

Pavitram –One who gives purity to the heart. To the seekers who are meditating

upon Him, He gives inner purity, and hence He is known as Pavitram. Or, the

term Pavi means; the weapon vajra (thunderbolt). One who saves his devotees

from the thunderbolt of lndra is Pavitram. The thunderbolt is described as an

instrument ill cross bones-made out of the bone of sage

Dadheechi. Indra is the Lord of the lndriyas. In Vedanta Indra signifies the

mind. Mind’s cross purposes, confusions, intellectual compromises and the

consequent self- cancellation of our mental powers (Sankalpa-Vikalpa) can be

the great thunderbolt of the mind with which Indra (mind) can destroy in no

time all the acquired tapas of the saadhaka. Deep devotion, ardent meditation

and firm faith in the Lord Vishnu save the saadhaka from all such mental storms

and, therefore, the Lord acquires the significant name Pavitram (63) Param

Mangalam -Mangalam is that which not only removes the dark pains of evil, but

brings the bright joys of merit. Param Mangalam is Supreme Mangalam, and It can

be none other than He, by whose mere remembrance all inauspiciousness gets

lifted up and all Auspiciousness comes to flood our hearts The Upanishad

declares. “May That Brahman-who removes all inauspiciousness in man and gives

man all

auspiciousness, by a mere remembrance of Him -give us all auspiciousness.

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