Vishnu Sahasranama Stanza 55

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Om Namo Narayanaya!

 

jeevo vinayitaa-saakshee mukundo-amitavikramah

ambhonidhiranantaatmaa mahadadhisayo-antakah.

 

 

513. Jeevah – One who as the Ksetrajna or the knower of the field or

the body is associated with the Pranas [sri Sankara]. He helps

bhAgavata-s keep away from committing sinful acts and thereby

bringing about their ruin, and instead makes them lead a life of

Bliss by doing service to Him [sri Bhattar].

 

514. Vinayitaa-saakshee -The Witness of the Vinayita or worshipful

attitude of all devotees. He is the one Consciousness that illumines

the very sense of humility in His devotee's heart. It can also mean

that as Pure Consciousness, He is one without a second, and,

therefore, from His state of Universal Oneness He sees nothing other

than Himself everywhere. In this Absolute Nature He does not see the

world of finitude constituted of the ego and its deluded devilry.

 

515. Mukundah -One who gives mukti or liberation. To those who are

trying to free themselves from the imperfections of the matter-

conditionings, and who are struggling hard to end their delusions,

Sri Narayana, being the very Goal, ultimately gives complete

liberation for all devotees who reach Him in the true spirit of

total surrender " muktim dadAti iti mukundah " .

 

516. Amita-vikramah -Of immeasurable Prowess or One whose step

(Vikramah) is immeasurable (Amita). SrI Sankara gives two

interpretations for the nAma. One is based on vikrama referring to

Saurya, which means strength, power, might -

amitam vikramaNam Sauryam asya iti amita-vikramah.

The nAma occurs in SrImad bhagavad-gItA in Slokam 11.40 -

The second interpretation SrI Sankara gives for the nAma is based on

the meaning " stride, step, pace " for vikramah, or vikramaNa - amitA

aparicchinnA vikramAstrayah pAdavikshepA asya - He whose three

strides, or steps, were immeasurable. The reference here is to the

tri-vikrama incarnation. The Lord's steps were so vast, they were

indeed immeasurable.

SrI BhaTTar interprets the nAma-s 517 to 525 which follow in terms

of the kUrmAvatara.

 

517. Ambho-nidhih -The direct meaning of the word is " ocean " and the

Lord Himself in the Bhagavat Geeta has declared, " Of the lakes I am

the ocean " . According to the Taittireeya Braahmana: " These are the

four Ambhas: viz. the Devas, Men, Manes and the Asuras. " Therefore,

the term Ambhonidhih should mean " One who is the substratum for all

the four types of creatures. SrI BhaTTar gives the first

interpretation- He who has the waters as His abode (kUrma

incarnation).

pAtAlAmbhasi akhila-jagadAdhAra-pITha nidhIyate iti ambhonidhih -

He has kept His form as a Tortoise in the waters of the pAtAla loka

as the base plank to support the Universe. The mantra quoted by SrI

BhaTTar in support is:

" ananta bala Saktaye bhuvanabhr*te kacchapAtmane " -

Unto Him of unlimited power and strength Who supports the worlds in

the form of a Tortoise.

nidhi means reservoir, abode, receptacle.

 

518. Ananta-atmaa -The Infinite Self. He is undefeated by time,

space, or substance, and, therefore, in His own unconditioned nature

He is the Infinite One Self. Or it can also mean One who manifests

Himself as the endless varieties of entities constituting the

universe. Ananta also means " end-less " and, therefore, the Endless

Self, which means the Paramaatman, the Supreme Self. SrI BhaTTar

interprets the nAma as referring to bhagavAn being the Inner Soul of

ananta, who bears the Universe standing on top of the kUrma.

 

519. Mahodadhisayah -One who rests on the great ocean. SrI Sankara

gives the interpretation that during pralaya bhagavAn disintegrates

everything and reduces them all into one ocean and reclines in those

primeval waters. According to the description of Vishnupurana, Lord

Narayana reclines upon the Aadisesha in the Milky-ocean of Vaikuntha

[sri Bhattar]. SrI cinmayAnanda suggests that the nAma can also be

interpreted as referring to bhagavAn reclining on a fig-leaf on the

waters after the deluge.

 

520. Antakah -The Death. As Time, He is the One who brings about

constant changes in the world, without which no evolution or

creative development is ever possible. SrI Sankara gives the

derivation " antam karoti bhUtAnAm iti antakah " . SrI BhaTTar gives

several supporting quotes. ante pr*thivyAm salile dr*Syase tvam

mahoragah (SrImad rAmAyaNa, yuddha. 120.23)- " At the time of the end

of this world, Thou art seen on the AdiSesha in the waters of the

deep " . SrI cinmayAnanda adds that as Time He brings an end to all

things thus creating constant changes in this world, without which

no evolution or creative development is ever possible, and in this

sense bhagavAn is the antakah.

 

Krishnarpanamastu!