SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 107. nAma-s 996, 997. SAr'nga dhanvA, gadA-dh

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SrImate SrI ra'nga rAmAnuja mahA deSikAya namaH.

 

SrI vishNu sahasra nAmam - Slokam 107 -

nAma-s 996, 997. SAr'nga dhanvA, gadA-dharaH.

 

996. SAr'nga dhanvA – He Who has the bow named SAr'nga.

 

om SAr'nga-dhanvane namaH.

 

SAr'ngam dhanuH asya iti SAr'nga-dhanvA – He Who has the bow by name

SAr'nga. The word SAr'nga can be derived from the root " SRR –

himsAyAm – to tear to pieces, to hurt, to kill. The word dhanush is

derived from the root dhan – Sabde – to sound.

 

SrI BhaTTar describes the greatness of the SAr'nga bow as one that is

capable of destroying not only the evil forces, but even the names

and status of the enemies, by a mere twang (the sound caused by the

vibration of the chord of the bow) echoing in a powerful and fiery

manner. Added to this is the power of the sharp arrows issuing out

of the bow. Note SrI BhaTTar's anubhavam that the SAr'nga dhanus

destroys its enemies in two ways: by the sound that emanates when its

chord is plucked, and the shower of arrows issuing from it – jyAgosha

Sara-varsha nASita. The sound emanating from the string of the bow

rejuvenates the ASrita-s and shatters the will of the enemies.

 

SrImad SrImushNam ANDavan reminds us of ANDAL's pASuram singing the

glory of the SAr'nga dhanus, in her pASuram – Azhi pOl minni, valam

puri pOl ninRu adirndu tAzhAdE SAr'ngam udaitta Sara mazhai pOl vAzh

ulaginil peidiDAi. (tiruppAvai 4) – an appeal to the Rain-god to

shower rain like the shower of arrows that shoot out from SAr'nga,

the divine bow in the Lord's hands. Note that instead of comparing

the shower of arrows to the rain, ANDAL compares the rain to the

shower of arrows, meaning that the rain can only try to match the

shower of arrows shooting out from the SAr'nga bow. For ANDAL, the

profuse and ceaseless shower of arrows from His bow is the known

(upamAna), and the shower of rain becomes only the upameyam.

 

SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj refers to the great sound of the bow as

described in SrImad bhAgavatam – " dhanuSca SAr'ngam

stanayitnughosham " (8.20.30) - The SAr'nga bow that makes the sound

that resembles thunder.

 

Sri Sa'nkara's explanation is: indriyAdi aha'nkAra Atmakam SAr'ngam

nAma dhanuH asya asti iti SAr'nga-dhanvA – He has the bow called

SAr'nga, representing the senses and egotism (aha'nkAra).

 

SrI cinmayAnanda explains the nAma as: " " One Who aims His unerring

Bow called SAr'nga " . He continues: " This bow of nArAyaNa is

glorified in our texts as representing the Ego, as the apex of all

the sense organs, aha'nkAra-tattva. In this concluding stanza, the

instruments of Blessing in Sree nArAyaNa's hands are remembered with

reverence and devotion. " .

 

SrI baladeva vidyAbhUshaN explains the nAma as – kriyA tattvam

SAr'ngam dhanuH asya iti SAr'nga-dhanvA - He Who bears the bow by

name SAr'nga that represents the kriyA tattvam.

 

997. gadA-dharaH – He Who bears the Mace.

 

om gadA-dharAya namaH.

 

gada – vyaktAyAm vAci – to speak. gadati – Sabdam karoti iti gadA –

that which generates sound is gadA. dhara is derived from dhR'nj –

dhAraNe – to hold, to bear, to support. gadAyAH dharaH gadA-dharaH –

He Who holds or bears the mace. BhagavAn's Mace is called

kaumodakI. SrI BhaTTar describes the kaumodakI as the `queen of

maces, that gives Him pleasure and that emits flames all around like

the fire at the final dissolution of all the worlds " . SrI vAsishTha

compares the sound that emanates from the kaumodakI to the sound that

one hears from the thunders.

 

SrI rAdhAkRshNa SAstri relates the incident of the destruction of

kANDa vanam by arjuna with the help of kRshNa. At that time, the

kaumodakI was given as a gift by varuNa to kRshNa, according to a

description in mahA bhArata. He also gives another derivation for

the nAma: kumudaH is One Who rejoices in the company of Bhumi devi.

kumodakaH is One Who makes the earth happy. KaumodakI is that which

belongs to Him – kumodakasya idam.

 

The vishNu purANa description given at the beginning of this Sloka

attributes the buddhi tattva with the gadA, and SrI Sa'nkara gives

his interpretation according to the vishNu purANam – buddhi-

tattvAtmikAm kaumodakI nAma gadAm vahan gadA-dharaH – The Bearer of

the club called kaumodakI representing the principle of intellect.

 

SrI kRshNa datta bhAradvAj gives reference to SrImad bhAgavatam:

kaumodakI vishNu gadA tarasvinI (8.20.31) - vishNu's gadA that has

enormous strength.

 

-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan

(To be continued)