SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 105 - nAma 979 - yaj~na-bhuk.

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SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 105 - nAma 979 - yaj~na-bhuk.

 

 

979. yaj~na-bhuk – The Enjoyer or the Protector of the sacrifice.

 

om yaj~na-bhuje namaH.

 

yaj~nam bhu'nkte, bhunakti iti vA yaj~na-bhuk. The root used is

bhuj – pAlana abhyavahArayoH – to protect, to eat, to consume, to

enjoy. Thus, both the meanings (He is the Enjoyer, and He is the

Protector) are given. Both SrI Sa'nkara and SrI BhaTTar give both

the definitions.

 

SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj emphasizes the meaning bhu'nkte = aSnAti =

consumes, and gives the following interpretation: " ijyante dIyante

samarpyante svajanaiH iti yaj~nAH, arthAt nAnA-vidhA rucirAH

padArthAH | tAn bhu'nkte aSnAti iti yaj~na-bhuk " – He Who accepts

and enjoys the different kinds of offerings that are offered with

devotion by the devotees is ya~jna-bhuk. He gives support from the

gItA:

 

patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktyA prayacchati |

tad-aham bhaktyupahRtam aSnAmi prayatAtmanaH || 9gItA 9.26)

 

" Whoever offers Me with true devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit or

some water, I accept this offering made with devotion by him with

pure heart " .

 

It is worth recalling from the write-up for the previous nAma that

yaj~na is anything offered with sincerity, and that bhagavAn is ever

ready to accept even the simplest offering as long as it is made with

love, as we saw from the pASuram-s of toNDaraDippoDi AzhvAr, as

elaborated by SrI veLukkuDi kRshNan. The gItA Slokam quoted here

confirms the same point. SrImad SrImushNam ANDavan refers to the

gItA Slokam 9.24: " aham hi sarva yaj~nAnAm bhoktA ca prabhureva ca " –

(I am the enjoyer and also the Lord of all the sacrifices " .

 

For the current nAma, SrI kRshNan points out that the protection

aspect of yaj~na-s by bhagavAn is very well illustrated in His rAma

incarnation, where He protects the yAga by sage viSvAmitra. Anyone

who came in the way of the yaj~na was finished off by Lord rAma.

This is a vivid and visible case of protection of the yaj~na by

bhagavAn. For all the yaj~na-s performed, bhagavAn is the means, the

end, the One Who is worshipped, the One Who is the Object of worship,

and is also the One Who ensures the successful completion of the

yaj~na by protecting it from all obstacles. This is the significance

of the interpretation that " He is the Protector of yaj~na-s " .

 

SrI cinmayAnanda makes another important point: " All that is offered

into the sacred Fire during a yaj~na, though with an invocation to

any of the deities, in tender devotion and with joy, goes to Him

alone, " The One receiver of all that is offered " " .

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

 

(To be continued).