SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 105 - nAma 977 - yaj~na-kRt.

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 105 - nAma 977 - yaj~na-kRt.

 

 

977. yaj~na-kRt †" He Who created the sacrifice.

 

om yaj~na-kRte namaH.

 

Both SrI Sa’nkara and SrI BhaTTar give the interpretation that Lord

vishNu has this nAma because He created yaj~na as a means for the

well-being of the universe. SrI BhaTTar’s interpretation is: jagad-

hitAya yaj~namAdI sRjati iti yaj~na-kRt †" He first created the

sacrifice for the well-being of the Universe.

 

The following Sloka-s in the gItA explain in detail, in the words of

Lord kRshNa, the idea that bhagavAn created yaj~na as a means of

establishing a connection between the deva-s and the human beings:

 

saha-yaj~nAH prajA sRshTvA purovAca prajApatiH |

anena prasavishyadhvam esha vo’stvishTa kAma-dhuk ||

(gItA 3.10)

 

devAn bhAvayatAnena te devA bhAvayantu vaH |

parasparam bhAvayantaH SreyaH param avApsyatha || (gItA

3.11)

 

ishTAn bhogAn hi vo devA dAsyante yaj~na bhAvitAH | …

(gItA 3.12)

 

“In the beginning, the Lord of all beings, creating man along with

the sacrifice, said: “By this shall you prosper; this shall be the

cow of plenty granting all your wantsâ€.

 

“By this (yaj~na), please the gods, and the gods will support you.

Thus nourishing one another, may you obtain the highest goodâ€.

 

“The gods, pleased by the sacrifice, will bestow on you the

enjoyments you desire…â€.

 

In his explanation for the nAma vashaTkAraH, SrI rAdhAkRshNa SAstri

elaborates on this connection and interdependence between the deva-s

and the manushya-s as follows: The deva-s depend on the manushya-s

for their havir-bhAgam through the yaj~na-s, and the people depend on

the deva-s for their sustenance through rain etc. Thus, bhagavAn has

set up the yaj~na as the bridge between the deva-s and the people,

and thereby the interdependence between the deva-s and the manushya-

s. Thus He is called yaj~na-kRt.

 

The term yaj~na-kRt has also been interpreted as “One Who is the

performer of yaj~na-sâ€. SrI cinmayAnanda’s translation for the nAma

is “One Who performs yaj~naâ€. He notes that the Lord issued forth

creation as an act of yaj~na †" a pure and selfless act of service to

the jIva-s. SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj gives the interpretation †"

yaj~nAn makhAn svayamapi karoti avatAra vigrahe iti yaj~na-kRt †" He

Who performs yaj~na-s Himself during His incarnations.

 

As has been noted in several previous nAma-s, Sri Sa’nkara gives an

alternate interpretation for the term kRt as “One Who destroys††"

kRntati: jagadAdau yaj~nam karoti, tadante yaj~nam kRntati iti vA

yaj~na-kRt †" He Who created the sacrifices at the beginning, or He

Who destroyed them at the end of the universe.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

-To be continued.