Vishnu Sahasranamam 55 - 63

Vishnu Sahasranamam 55 - 63

55. Agrāhyaḥ अग्राह्यः

Agrāhya means that cannot be perceived through senses. Brahman is beyond normal human comprehension.

Taittirīya Upaniṣad (II.9) asks, “How can words express the Self. He is beyond words, thought and mind.” Brahman cannot be expressed. He can only be realised by negations and affirmations. One cannot say this is Brahman or that is Brahman, as He is omnipresent.

Kṛṣṇa confirms this in Bhagavad Gita (XI.8). He said, “You are incapable of seeing Me with your biological eyes.”

56. Śāśvataḥ शाश्वतः

Śāśvata means eternal. This is yet another quality of the Brahman. Brahman is beyond time and space and therefore, He is beyond modifications. Modification happens only if one is bound by time and space. Time is the essence of all changes that happens in the universe. The entire creation originates from Him and dissolves unto Him and in spite of this He remains the same.

Nārāyaṇa sūktaṁ (3) says, “śāśvatam śivam acyutam” which means that Nārāyaṇa is permanent, auspicious and unchanging. One of the names of Viṣṇu is Acyutan, meaning unchanging.

57. Krṣṇaḥ क्र्ष्णः

Krṣṇa means dark or dark blue. Viṣṇu’s famous incarnation is Krṣṇa avatar. Krṣṇa had dark blue complexion. Blue is said to be the colour of the eternity. Sky is a typical example. He is known as the master of the universe because of His famous teaching Bhagavad Gita. It is said that the name Krṣṇa signifies bliss or the one who recites the name Krṣṇa attains the state of bliss.

58. Lohitākṣaḥ लोहिताक्षः

He is red eyed. Red is the colour of compassion. Lalitā Sahasranāma describes Lalitāmbikā red in complexion. His eyes can also be compared to the rising sun, which is red in colour. Without sun, the universe cannot function. In the same way, without the grace of His eyes, the universe cannot sustain. His red eyes are the indicators of His compassion for His creation. The Brahman not only creates, but also nourishes His creations. He is the embodiment of compassion.

59. Pratardanaḥ प्रतर्दनः

Pratardana means destruction. Viṣṇu is also the destroyer, another aspect of the Brahman. Here destruction means annihilation of the universe at the time of deluge. He absolves the universe unto Him at the time of annihilation, only to recreate again.

60. Prabhūtaḥ प्रभूतः

Prabhūta means abundance. He is abundant in anything. From Him alone, everything originates. He is an embodiment of abundance.

61. Trikakubdhāma त्रिककुब्धाम

It is tri + kakub + dhāma. Tri means three; kakub – regions and dhāma – abode. All the three regions are His abode. Three regions are three vyāhṛti-s of Gāyatri mantra bhuḥ, bhuvaḥ and suvaḥ. These three regions indicate three normal states of human consciousness, active, dream and deep sleep.

The universe is sustained by many triads such as creation, sustenance, dissolution; past, present and future; three alphabets of OM – a, u, m; three guṇa-s – sattva, rajas and tamas. The Brahman creates, sustains and dissolves by remaining in all these triads.

62. Pavitram पवित्रम्

Pavitra means purity. Brahman is pure. Factually, Pure Consciousness is the Brahman and mundane level of consciousness is human. Everything in this universe is consciousness of different levels.

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gita (IV.38), “There is no purifier like knowledge in this earth. One, who has purified his heart by persistent practice of karma yoga, automatically realizes the Self in course of time.” Internal purification happens only by aligning oneself with higher level of consciousness.

There can be another interpretation. Pavitra means purification of mind. As Realisation happens in the domain of the mind, one has to keep his mind devoid of any impressions. Subconscious mind is capable of storing impressions of past experience. Unless all the impressions in the subconscious mind are dissolved, one cannot realise the Self.

This nāma could mean, if one contemplates Lord Viṣṇu, He is realised as the Self.

63. Maṅgalam param मङ्गलम् परम्

He is in the state of Supreme Bliss. Brahman is eternal Bliss. That is why it is said that one has to reach the state of bliss to realise the Brahman, who is the embodiment of Supreme Bliss. When one is aspiring to attain liberation, he has to first reach the state bliss as the Brahman is the state of Supreme Bliss. The realisation happens only if one is able to transform himself to the state of Brahman before his final absorption into Him.

This nāma says that one should have purity of mind and thought while seeking Him, who is the source of supreme auspiciousness.

In spiritual pursuit, one has to purify his consciousness as liberation can happen only if everything is purified in the self. A self can unite with the Self only if the former attains the same level of purity of the latter. This is the concept behind ‘I am That’.