VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM Part 2 Of 5

October 13, 2008

VISHNU SAHASRANAMAM [Part 2 of 5]

Continued from previous part

Marichir-damano hamsah suparno bhujagottamah

Hiranya-nabha sutapah padmanabhah prajapatih ..21

Marchir: The supreme power and impressiveness seen in persons endowed

with such qualities.

Damano: One who in the form of Yama inflicts punishments on those who

tread the path of unrighteousness.

Hamsah: One who removes the fear of Samsara from those who practise

the sense of identity with Him.

Suparnah: One who has two wings in the shape of Dharma and Adharma.

Bhujagottamah: One who is the greatest among those who move on Bhujas

or arms, that is, serpents. The great serpents like Ananta and Vasuki

are the powers of Vishnu, so he has come to have this name.

Sutapah: One who performs rigorous austerities at Badarikashrama as

Nara and Narayana.

Padmanabhah: One whose navel is beautifully shaped like lotus.

Prajapatih: The father of all beings, who are His children.

Amrutyuh sarva-druk simhah sandhata sandhiman sthirah

Ajo durmarshanah shasta vishrutatma surariha ..22

Amrutyuh: One who is without death or its cause.

Sarva-druk: One who sees the Karmas of all Jivas through His inherent

wisdom.

Simhah: One who does Himsa or destruction.

Sandhata: One who unites the Jivas with the fruits of their actions.

Sandhiman: One who is Himself the enjoyer of the fruits of actions.

Sthirah: One who is always of the same nature.

Ajo: The root `Aj' has got as meanings both `go' and `throw'. So the

name means One who goes into the hearts of devotees or One who throws

the evil Asuras to a distance, i.e. destroys them.

Durmarshanah: One whose might the Asuras cannot bear.

Shasta: One who instructs and directs all through the scriptures.

Vishrutatma: One who is specially known through signifying terms like

Truth, Knowledge etc.

Surariha: One who destroys the enemies of Suras or Devas.

Gurur gurutamo dhama satyah satya-parakramah

Nimisho animishah sragvi vachaspatir udaradhih ..23

Gurur: One who is the teacher of all forms of knowledge.

Gurutamo: One who gives the knowledge of Brahman even to divinities

like Brahma.

Dhama: It means brilliance.

Satyah: One who is embodied as virtue of truth specially.

Satya-parakamah: One of unfailing valour.

Nimisho: One whose eye-lids are closed in Yoga-nidra.

Animishah: One who is ever awake.

Sragvi: One who has on Him the necklace called Vaijayanti, which is

strung with the subtle aspects of the five elements.

Vachaspatir-udaradhih: Being the master of Vak or word i.e.

knowledge, He is called so. As his intellect perceives everything, He

is Udaradhih. Both these epithets together constitute one name.

Agranir gramanih shriman nyayo neta samiranah

Sahsra-murdha vishvatma sahasraksha sahasrapat ..24

Agranir: One who leads all liberation-seekers to the highest status.

Gramanih: One who has the command over Bhutagrama or the collectivity

of all beings.

Shriman: One more resplendent than everything.

Nyayo: The consistency which runs through all ways of knowing and

which leads one to the truth of Non-duality.

Neta: One who moves this world of becoming.

Samiranah: One who in the form of breath keeps all living beings

functioning.

Sahasramurdha: One with a thousand, i.e. innumerable, heads.

Vishvatma: The soul of the universe.

Sahasraksha: One with a thousand or innumerable eyes.

Sahasrapat: One with a thousand, i.e. innumerable legs.

Avrtano nivrutatma samvrutah sampramardanah

Ahah samvartako vahnir anilo dharani-dharah ..25

Avartano: One who whirls round and round the Samsara-chakra, the

wheel of Samsara or worldy existence.

Nivrutatma: One whose being is free or untouched by the bondage of

Samsara.

Samvrutah: One who is covered by all-covering Avidya or ignorance.

Sampramardanah: One who delivers destructive blows on all beings

through His Vibhutis (power manifestation like Rudra, Yama etc.).

Ahah samvartako: The Lord who, as the sun, regulates the succession

of day and night.

Vahnir: One who as fire carries the offerings made to the Devas in

sacrifices.

Anilo: One who has no fixed residence.

Dhanani dharah: One who supports the worlds, Adisesha, elephants of

the quarters etc.

Suprasadah prasannatma vishva-dhrug vishva-bhug vibhuh

Sat-karta sat-krutah sadhur jahnur narayano narah ..26

Suprasadah: One whose Prasada or mercy is uniquely wonderful, because

He gives salvation to Sisupala and others who try to harm Him.

Prasannatma: One whose mind is never contaminated by Rajas or Tamas.

Vishva-dhrug: One who holds the universe by his power.

Vishva-bhug: One who eats up or enjoys or protects the worlds.

Vibhuh: One who becomes many from Hiranyagarbha downwards.

Satkarta: One who offers benefits.

Sat-krutah: One who is adored even by those who deserve adoration.

Sadhur: One who acts according to justice.

Jahnuh: One who dissolves all beings in oneself at the time of

dissolution.

Narayanah: Nara means Atman. Narayana, that is, one having His

residence in all beings.

Narah: He directs everything, the eternal Paramatma is called Nara " .

Asankhyeyo prameyatma visistah shishtakruch chucih

Siddharthah siddha-sankalpah siddhidah siddhisadhanah ..27

Asankhyeyo: One who has no Sankhya or differences of name and form.

Aprameyatma: One whose nature cannot be grasped by any of the means

of knowledge.

Visistah: One who excels everything.

Shishtakrch: Shihstam means commandment. So, one who commands

everything. Or one who protects shishtas or good men.

Siddharthah: One whose object is always fulfilled.

Siddha-sankalpah: One whose resolutions are always fulfilled.

Siddhidah: One who bestows Siddhi or fulfillment on all who practise

disciplines, in accordance with their eligibility.

Siddhisadhanah: One who brings fulfillment to works that deserve the

same.

Vrushahi vrushabho vishnur vrushaparva vrushodarah

Vardhano vardhamanascha viviktah shruti-sagarah ..28

Vrushahi: Vrusha means dharma or merit.

Vrushabho: One who showers on the devotees all that they pray for.

Vishnur: One who pervades everything.

Vrushaparva: One who has given as steps (Parvas), observances of the

nature of Dharma, to those who want to attain the supreme state.

Vrushodarah: One whose abdomen showers offspring.

Vardhamanascha: One who multiplies in the form of the universe.

Viviktah: One who is untouched and unaffected.

Shruti-sagarah: One to whom all the shruti or Vedic words and

sentences flow.

Subhujo durdharo vagmi mahendro vasodo vasuh

Naikarupo bruhad-rupah shipivishtah prakashana ..29

Subhujo: One possessing excellent arms that protect the worlds.

Durdharo: One who holds up the universe – a work which none else can

do.

Vagmi: One from whom the words constituting the Veda come out.

Mahendro: The great Lord, that is, the Supreme Being, who is the God

of all gods.

Vasudo: One who bestows riches.

Vasuh: One who is himself theVasu.

Naikarupo: One who is without an exclusive form.

Bruhad-rupah: One who has adopted mysterious forms like that of a

Boar.

Shipivishtah: Shipi means cow. One who resides in cows as Yagya.

Prakashana: One who illumines everthing.

Ojas tejo dyuti-dharah prakashatma pratapanah

Vruddhah spahstaksharo mantras chandramshur bhaskaradyutih ..30

Ojas tejo duti-dharah: Ojas means inherent vitality. Tejas means

puissance and such qualities. Dyuti means radiance. So the word means

one who possesses all these qualities.

Prakashatma: One whose form is radiant.

Pratapanah: One who warms the world through the power manifestations

like the Sun.

Vruddhah: One who is rich in excellences like Dharma, Gyana

(knowledge), Vairagya (renunciation) etc.

Spashstaksharo: He is so called because Omkara, the manifesting sound

of the Lord, is Spashta or high pitched.

Mantras: One who manifests as the Mantras of the Rk, Sama, Yajus

etc., or one who is known through Mantras.

Chandramshur: He is called `Chandramshu' or moonlight because just as

the moon-light gives relief to men burnt in the heat of the sun, He

gives relief and shelter to those who are subjected to the heat of

Samsara.

Amrtamshu dbhavo bhanuh shashabinduh sureshvarah

Aushadham jagatah setuh satya-dharma-prarakramah ..31

Amrtamshu dbhavo: The Paramatman from whom Amrutamshu or the Moon

originated at the time of the churning of the Milk-ocean.

Bhanuh: One who shines.

Shashabinduh: The word means one who has the mark of the hare, that

is the Moon.

Sureshvarah: One who is the Lord of all Devas and those who do good.

Aushadham: One who is the Aushadha or medicine for the great disease

of Samsara.

Jagatah setuh: One who is the aid to go across the ocean of Samsara.

Satya-dharma-parakramah: One whose excellences like righteousness,

omniscience, puissance, etc. are all true.

Bhuta-bhavya-bhavan-nathah pavanah pavano analah

Kamaha kamakrut kantah kamah kamapradah prabhuh ..32

Bhuta-bhavya-bhavan-nathah: One who is the master for all the beings

of the past, future and present.

Pavanah: One who is the purifier.

Pavanah: One who causes movement.

Analah: The Jivatma is called Anala because it recognizes Ana or

Prana as Himself.

Kamaha: One who destroys the desire-nature in seekers after

liberation.

Kamakrut: One who fulfils the wants of pure minded devotees.

Kantah: One who is extremely beautiful.

Kamah: One who is sought after by those who desire to attain the four

supreme values of life.

Kamapradah: One who liberally fulfils the desires of devotees.

Prabhuh: One who surpasses all.

Yugadikrud yugavarto naikamayo mahashanah

Adrushyo vyakta-rupascha sahasrajid anantajit ..33

Yugadikrud: One who is the cause of periods of time like Yuga.

Yugavarto: One who as time causes the repetition of the four Yugas

beginning with Satya Yuga.

Naikamayo: One who can assume numerous forms of Maya, not one only.

Mahashanah: One who consumes everything at the end of a Kalpa.

Adrushyo: One who cannot be grasped by any of the five organs of

knowledge.

Vyakta-rupascha: He is so called because His gross form as universe

can be clearly perceived.

Sahasrajid: One who is victorious over innumerable enemies of the

Devas in battle.

Anantajit: One who, being endowed with all powers, is victorious at

all times over everything.

Ishtovishistah shishtestah sikhandi nahusho vrushah

Krodhaha krodhakrut karta vishva-bahur mahidharah ..34

Ishto: One who is dear to all because He is of the nature of supreme

Bliss.

Avishistah: One who resides within all.

Shishtestah: One who is dear to shishta or Knowing Ones.

Sikhandi: Sikhanda means feather of a peacock. One who used it as a

decoration for His crown when he adopted the form of a cowherd (Gopa).

Nahusho: One who binds all beings by Maya the root `nah' means

bondage.

Vrushah: One who is of the form of Dharma.

Krodhaha: One who eradicates anger in virtuous people.

Krodhakrut karta: One who generates Krodha or anger in evil people.

Vishva-bahur: One who is the support of all or one who has got all

beings as His arms.

Mahidharah: Mahi means both earth and worship. So the name means one

who supports the earth or receives all forms of worship.

Achyutah prathitah pranah pranado vasavanujah

Apam-nidhir adhishthanam apramattah pratishtitah ..35

Achyutah: One who is without the six transformations beginning with

birth.

Prathitah: One who is famous because of His works like creation of

the worlds etc.

Pranah: One who as Hiranyagarbha endows all beings with Prana.

Pranado: One who bestows Prana, that is, strength, on Devas and

Asuras and also destroys them by withdrawing it.

Vasavanujah: One who was born as younger brother of Indra (Vasava) in

His incarnation as Vamana.

Apam-nidhir: The word means collectivity of water or the ocean.

Adhishthanam: The seat or support for everything.

Apramattah: One who is always vigilant in awarding the fruits of

actions to those who are entiled to them.

Pratishtitah: One who is supported and established in His own

greatness.

Skandah skanda-dharo dhuryo varado vayuvahanah

Vashudevo bruhad-bhanur adidevah purandarah ..36

Skandah: One who drives everything as air.

Skanda-dharo: One who supports Skanda or the righteous path.

Dhuryo: One who bears the weight of the burden of all beings in the

form of birth etc.

Varado: One who gives boons.

Vayuvahanah: One who vibrates the seven Vayus or atmospheres

beginning with Avaha.

Vashudevo: One who is both Vasu and Deva.

Bruhad-bhanur: The great brilliance.

Adidevah: The Divinity who is the source of all Devas.

Purandarah: One who destroys the cities of the enemies of Devas.

Ashokas-taranas-tarah surah saurir janeshvarah

Anukulah shatavartah padmi padma-nibhekshanah ..37

Ashokas: One without the six defects – sorrow, infatuation, hunger,

thirst, birth and death.

Taranas: One who uplifts beings from the ocean of samsara.

Tarah: One who liberates beings from the fear of residence in the

womb, birth, old age, death etc.

Surah: One of great prowess, that is, who fulfils the four supreme

satisfactions of life – Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Saurih: One who as Krishna as the son of Sura, that is Vasudeva.

Janeshvarah: The Lord of all beings.

Anukulah: One who, being the Atman of all beings, is favorable to

all, for no one will act against oneself.

Shatavartah: One who has had several Avataras or incarnations.

Padmi: One having Padma or lotus in his hands.

Padma-nibhekshanah: One with eyes resembling lotus.

Padmanabho aravindakshah padmagarbhah sarirabhrut

Mahardhir ruddho vruddhatma mahaksho garuda-dhvajah ..38

Padmanabho: One who resides in the Nabhi or the central part of the

heart-lotus.

Aravindakshah: One whose eyes resemble Aravinda or the Lotus.

Padmagarbhah: One who is fit to be worshipped in the middle of the

heart-lotus.

Sarirabhrut: One who supports the bodies of beings, strengthening

them in the form of Anna (Food) and Prana.

Mahardhir: One who has enormous Ruddhi or prosperity.

Ruddho: One who is seen as standing in the form of the world.

Vruddhatma: One whose Atma or body is Vruddha or ancient.

Mahaksho: One who has got two or many glorious eyes.

Garuda-dhvajah: One who has got Garuda as his flag.

Atulah sarabho bhimah samayagno havirharih

Sarvalakshana lakshanyo lakshmivan samitinjayah ..39

Atulah: One who cannot be compared to anything else.

Sarabho: The body is called `Sara' as it is perishable.

Bhimah: One of whom everyone is afraid.

Samayajno: One who knows the time for creation, sustentation and

dissolution.

Havir-harih: One who takes the portion of offerings (Havis) in

Yajnas.

Sarvalakshana-lakshanyo: The supreme knowledge obtained through all

criteria of knowledge i.e. Paramatma.

Lakshmivan: One on whose chest the Goddess Lakshmi is always residing.

Samitinjayah: One who is vicotious in Samiti or war.

Viksharo rohito margo hetur-damodarah sahah

Mahidharo mahabhago vegavan amitashanah ..40

Viksharo: One who is without Kshara or desruction.

Rohito: One who assumed the form of a kind of fish called Rohita.

Margah: One who is sought after by persons seeking Moksha or

Liberation.

Hetur: One who is both the instrumental and the material cause of the

universe.

Damodarah: One who has very benevolent mind because of disciplines

like self-control.

Sahah: One who subordinates everything.

Mahidharo: One who props up the earth in the form of mountain.

Mahabhago: He who, taking a body by His own will, enjoys supreme

felicities.

Vegavan: One of tremendous speed.

Amitashanah: He who consumes all the worlds at the time of

Dissolution.

TO BE CONTINUED...

October 14, 2008

Dear Mr. Swamy Mahadevan, Jay Sai Ram. You are doing a great appreciable job. Please post the remaining parts of Vishnu Sahasranamam. By seeing these meanings.. I really have started to read the slokas. I am looking for the rest of the slokas with meanings........ Thank you,

Ever smiling Satheesh.