Namasthe- Janardana

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Continuation of the 24 names.

 

" Think of Janaardana before Bhojanam or eating " . We will try to

examine the meaning of Janardana and explore how it can be linked to

Bhojanam.

 

There are different ways to look at the word Janardana

1. Janaan ardayathi meaning one whose sakthi, thejas and veeryam

destroys (ardayathi) Janaan or durjanaan (wicked people) .

2. Janai: ardyathe. Ard also means to beg or ask. So He is the one

approached by devotees (janai:) for their wishes.

3. dasyuthraanath Janardana. Dasyus are demons or wicked people.

Thraanath means protects. So He is the one who protects devotees from

the wicked.

 

Janardana can be approached to satisfy any genuine wish (#2) and the

most genuine wish of a living being is the wish to satisfy hunger.

With out satisfying this basic wish, nothing else with that body is

possible. For the same reason we say that greatest duhkham is

daaridrya duhkham, when you do not have enough food to satisfy your

hunger or jadharaagni. So when we are blessed with sumptuous food in

abundance for all the meals we pray to Janardana to thank Him

sincerely as well as pray Him and ask Him to provide us at least with

enough food for sustenance.

 

Also we can take another meaning: We need sakthi, tejas and veeryam in

the form of Janardana to fight back all the wickedness with in us and

around us.(#1 and #3) To get this power, we need to feed the gross

body and Janardana transforms this energy from food into the spiritual

power we need to fight evil.

 

So it is very appropriate to think of Him as Janardana during bhojanam

or eating.

 

In Vishnu Sahasranama JanArdhanan is " Sarvagan " ( who reaches All); He

is " Sarva-vith " (who obtains All);He is " Bhanu: " (Who shines in All

thru His virility); He is " Vishvaksena " (One with army in all

directions to protect ALL of His Bhaktha kotis).

 

 

Regards and prayers

 

savitri