Vishnu Sahasranama 72 - 79

Vishnu Sahasranama 72 - 79

72. Mādhavaḥ माधवः

Mā refers to Goddess Lakṣmī and dhava means husband. Goddess Lakṣmī is the consort of Viṣṇu. Both Viṣṇu and Śiva hold their consorts in high esteem. Viṣṇu holds Lakṣmī in His chest and Śiva holds His consort Śakti in His left lap. Both Viṣṇu and Śiva are the cause of creation and this cause is effected through their power of projections, known as their consorts. If one desires to reach the lotus feet of Viṣṇu, he has to first surrender to His projecting power Goddess Lakṣmī, who alone is capable of taking him to Him.

This also refers to Kṛṣṇa’s descendance, the Madhu or Yādava-s

73. Madhusūdanaḥ मधुसूदनः

He is the destroyer of a demon by name Madhu. Sūdana means destruction.

Madhu also refers to charming and delightful things. Charming and delight are the experiences associated with sensory organs. Sensory organs cause impressions in the mind, which in turn prevents the mind in becoming pure. If an aspirant surrenders to Viṣṇu, He ensures that such impressions are destroyed in the aspirant’s mind, paving way for his liberation.

74. Īśvaraḥ ईश्वरः

Nāma 36 is also Īśvaraḥ, which described Him as the master of the universe.

Īś means to possess and vara means to reward. He possesses the capacity to reward His devotees. Brahman alone has the capacity to reward whatever is prayed for. If devotees ask for wealth, He gives them wealth. If they ask Him for liberation, He gives them liberation. However, He gives subject to the law of karma. Though He gives, they get fructified only when the law of karma is ripe for its fructification. This is the reason for most of our prayers not being answered spontaneously. The life principle is based on the fact that what is sown is only reaped.

Even though the same nāma is repeated twice, both of them convey different meaning.

75. Vikrami विक्रमि

Vikramin means striding or the long steps. Three famous steps of Viṣṇu are well known during His Vāmna avatar. The three steps of Viṣṇu refer to His action of pervading the universe through icchā jñāna and kriya śakti-s. They refer to desire, wisdom and action that are present in every human being. Status of a being depends upon the predominance of any of the three types of śakti-s. The Brahman interpenetrates the universe with these three kinds of subtle powers.

Vikrama means courage. The Brahman has to be courageous as He has to perform the three acts of creation, sustenance and dissolution.

Rig Veda (I.22) talks about the Supreme step of Viṣṇu.                                                      

tad viṣṇoḥ paramam padaṁ sadā paṣyanti sūrayaḥ

 तद् विष्णोः परमम् पदं सदा पष्यन्ति सूरयः

The supreme step of Viṣṇu, His highest seat, is the triple world of bliss and light, His Supreme feet is seen continuously by the wise, like eye fixed on Heaven. This makes the difference between a yogi and an aspirant. Yogi always stands connected with the Pure Consciousness, the Brahman. An aspirant goes up and down and does not stay connected with Him all the time. The former does not accrue karma because of his eternal connection with Him and the latter accrues karma, whenever he performs actions with lower level of consciousness, attached with ego.

76. Dhanvi धन्वि

Dhanvin means armed with one bow, known as śārṅgi. He holds bow to establish virtues in the universe.

77. Medhāvī मेधावी

Medhā means intelligence personified. Brahman alone is Medhāvī because all the Vedas originate from Him. Vedas are said to be His breath. The best of human knowledge is only a miniscule of His knowledge.

Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad (I.i.9) explains this, “The Brahman is all-knowing, who knows everything in detail. From His knowledge came names, forms and food.”

Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad Gita (XVIII.10), “The one who does not hate bad actions or likes good actions is truly wise, with all his doubts cleared and is said to be a man of true renunciation.”

78. Vikramaḥ विक्रमः

Kramaṇa means transgression and vi-kramaṇa means without transgression. Viṣṇu is the lord of dharma śāstra-s. He never transgresses śāstra-s. All the śāstra-s originate from Him.

79. Kramaḥ क्रमः

Krama is one of the systems followed by Kashmiri scholars, where inner purification takes place in successive stages from obscurity to perfect clarity leading to realisation of the Brahman. Perfect clarity can be attained only through knowledge, as discussed in nāma 77. He can be realised only by attaining perfect mental clarity.

Vishnu Sahasranama 64 - 71

Vishnu Sahasranama 64 - 71

64. Īśānaḥ ईशानः

Īśāna means the One, who controls everything in the universe. He is the Supreme Commander and under whose command everything acts. Fearing the Brahman, the sun shines, the wind blows, etc says Upaniṣad-s. Brahman is an able administrator.

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (IV.iv.22) says, “He is the controller of all, the lord of all, the ruler of all”.

65. Prāṇadaḥ प्राणदः

Prāṇa is the life force, without which life is not possible. This nāma says that Lord Viṣṇu is the life force of all beings. Brahman is the source of all. At the time of conception, air plays a very significant role in the formation of foetus. Both soul and prāṇa enter the foetus at the time of conception.

After having entered into the foetus, prāṇa multiplies into five types and sustains the body. They together form a sheath around the soul which is known as prāṇamaya kośa. When prāṇa leaves the body, death is caused, as the vital force to sustain the body has left the body. This also confirms the theory that He is the creator by getting into the body as prāṇa, sustaining in the body by modifying into five types of prāṇa and causes death be leaving the body. Along prāṇa, soul and subconscious mind also leave the body during death.

In this nāma, the addition of da after prāṇa is important. द da underlines the act of giving. He is the giver of prāṇa.

66. Prāṇaḥ प्राणः

This nāma is an extension of the previous nāma. The previous nāma said that He is the giver of prāṇa, indicating His creative aspect. This nāma refers to the soul, without which, nothing can be created. Both soul and prāṇa are life sustaining forces.

Kena Upaniṣad (I.2) explains this by saying “prāṇasya prāṇah” meaning He is the breath of breath. He is power behind breath, which subtly refers to the soul.

67. Jyeṣṭhaḥ ज्येष्ठः

Jyeṣṭha means pre-eminence, first, etc. This nāma says that Viṣṇu is the first in the universe. He created Himself on His own. Nobody created Him and every other thing originated from Him.

Chāndogya Upniṣad explains this nāma in relation to the previous two nāma-s. The Upniṣad (V.i.1) says:

यो ह वै ज्येष्ठं च श्रेष्ठं च वेद ज्येष्ठश्च ह वै श्रेष्ठश्च भवति प्राणो वाव ज्येष्ठश्च श्रेष्ठश्च॥

yo ha vai jyeṣṭhaṁ ca śreṣṭhaṁ ca veda jyeṣṭhaśca ha vai śreṣṭhaśca bhavati prāṇo vāva jyeṣṭhaśca śreṣṭhaśca ||

The meaning is – He who knows the oldest and the best, becomes the oldest and the best. When one knows the Self, he becomes That. It is prāṇa, which is the oldest and the best.

The previous two nāma-s explained the importance of prāṇa and this nāma says that prāṇa is not only ancient but also the best in terms of life sustenance. This nāma subtly conveys that prāṇa is the earliest creation of the Brahman.

68. Śreṣṭhaḥ श्रेष्ठः

Śreṣṭha refers to the highest degree of splendour. Chāndogya Upniṣad quoted above used this word to describe prāṇa and through prāṇa, the Brahman.

These nāma-s do not simply say that Brahman is the Supreme, but also say why it is Supreme.

69. Prajāpatiḥ प्रजापतिः

Prajāpati means the Lord of all beings. Prajāpati is the creative aspect of the Brahman. Vedas use Prajāpati in a number of verses. To cite examples, Yajur Veda (II.i.2.1) says, “prajāpatiḥ prajā asṛjata jā asmāth sṛṣṭāḥ....... प्रजापतिः प्रजा असृजत जा अस्माथ् सृष्टाः......”. Yajur Veda says that Prajāpati created successors. They, being created from him.....” Vedas use this word to mean the creative aspect of the Brahman. In another place (V.vii.10.1), the Veda says, that Prajāpati created fire. In yet another place (III.v.9.1), the Veda says, “all gods are Prajāpati”.

Therefore Prajāpati refers to all the creative energies of the Brahman. Brahman does not create merely through His Free Will. He created the universe through different evolutionary processes that are now being studied as science and are being endlessly researched. The creation happens from subtle to gross and annihilation happens through gross to subtle.

70. Hiraṇyagarbhaḥ हिरण्यगर्भः

Hiraṇya means gold and garbha means foetus. Literally Hiraṇyagarbha means the golden egg. Lalitā Sahasranāma also uses this nāma as Svarṇagarbhā (nāma 638).

This nāma can be best explained through sayings of Veddanta Paribhāṣā, a 17th century scripture. It says, “Hiranyagarbha is the first soul to be born and is different from Brahmā, Viṣṇu and śiva.” The subtle body consisting of the five vital forces, the mind, the intellect and the ten organs is produced from the five basic elements. This paves the way for the soul to experience the result of actions or in other words it causes karmas. The subtle body is of two kinds, superior and inferior. The superior one is the subtle body of Hiranyagarbha and the inferior is the subtle body of living beings. The subtle body of Hiranyagarbha is called as ‘mahat’ or the cosmic intellect and the subtle body of living beings is called ego.”

71. Bhūgarbhaḥ भूगर्भः

Brahman carries the Mother Earth in His womb. He nourishes Mother Earth like a mother taking care of her child in her womb. Bhūmi means Earth and Bhūmā Devi means Mother Earth. Mother Earth is said to be highly sacred in nature as She beholds several gods and goddesses, celestial beings, ancestors, etc. Bhūsūkta, a part of Mahānārāyaṇa Upaniṣad (28) prises Mother Earth. It says, “She is universal and comprising of the primary element, that is She is exceedingly blissful, transformed into the bodies of creatures, illustrious, enduring and hence immortal.”

Mother Earth is the Consort of Viṣṇu. This means that Viṣṇu carefully nourishes the earth along with everyone who exist in Her. This analogy also confirms that Brahman creates and protects in a scientific way. This also goes to prove that He is the Supreme and He controls every act of the universe through His creative power. It must be remembered that when a reference to the Brahman is made, it refers only to His power of projection or saguṇa Brahman.

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’.

Vishnu Sahasranamam Meaning 46 - 54

Vishnu Sahasranamam Meaning 46 - 54

46. Aprameyaḥ अप्रमेयः

Lalitā Sahasranāma 413 is also aprameya.

Brahman cannot be measured, as He is out of bounds of human comprehension He cannot be known through senses as he is devoid of qualities such as sound etc. He cannot be visualized because we have not seen Him. He cannot be known through examples because there is nothing to make a comparison (this is based on the simple logic that a rat cannot be compared to a lion though both have four legs, a tail etc.). He cannot be known either by affirmations or by negations as we do not have any basis for such affirmations and negations. But Vedas and Upaniṣad-s try to explore (though by affirmations and negations, as the perceptive knowledge can be inferred only by such affirmations and negations only) Him as “That” and says that He exists as self-illuminating light witnessing the activities of His creation. Kena Upaniṣad (I.6) explains this point a little more elaborately. “Know that alone to be Brahman which the mind cannot comprehend and which yogi-s say makes the mind function. Brahman is not this sense world, which people worship”. The Upaniṣad continues to say “If you think (guru addressing his disciple) ‘I know the Brahman well’ then it is for certain that you know little about the nature of the Brahman. You know only its manifestation in the individual self, the gods, and the phenomenal world. Therefore, Brahman should still be thoroughly investigated”. But we need some basic inputs to know Him.

47. Hṛṣīkeśaḥ हृषीकेशः

He is the Lord of senses. The subtler meaning is that one who surrenders unto Him can conquer his senses. Conquering senses is one of the important aspects of realising the Brahman. Controlling the mind leads to subjugation of senses. Though senses cannot remain unused, subjugation of senses means that one should not leave impressions of sensory inputs in the mind. Impressions of the mind are capable of entering into the subconscious mind and could manifest at the most inappropriate time. Subconscious mind and karma work in tandem to cause sufferings and pains.

48. Padmanābhaḥ पद्मनाभः

A divine lotus springs up from His navel, from which arose the lord of creation Brahmā. Brahma refers to the Brahman and Brahmā refers to the lord of creation. This also overrides the myth that Lord Viṣṇu is not merely the sustainer of the universe. This nāma clearly says that He is also the Creator. The true nature of the Brahman is being described. Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad says (I.1), “viśvaya kartā bhuvanasya goptā” which means He is the creator of the universe and the supporter of the universe.

Yajur Veda (IV.vi.2.7) says, “ajasya nābhāvadhyekamarpitaṁ” which means ‘the One (ekam) is established (arpitam) in the centre (nābhi) of the Unborn (ajasya) waters.” This mantra of Yajur Veda talks about the manifestation of the universe.

49. Amaraprabhuḥ अमरप्रभुः

Amara refers to immortals and prabhu means the chief. Amara here refers to gods and goddesses. There are certain sages who remain immortals. Viṣṇu is the only Lord for these immortals. This means that immortals worship only the Brahman and they do not resort to worshipping anyone less than the Supreme Reality. This nāma says that Viṣṇu is the Brahman. Though the Brahman is beyond shapes and forms and cannot be known through names and forms, for the sake of understanding the Brahman, such names and forms are used for easy perceptiveness.

50. Viśvakarmā विश्वकर्मा

Viśva means all pervading and karma means actions. This nāma subtly conveys His omnipresent nature. Brahman alone is omnipresent. When He is omnipresent, He has to be present in all types of actions.

This nāma can also be interpreted to mean that because of His act of creation (referred to as karma here), the universe (viśva) is created. He is the architect of the universe. Viśvakarma also means accomplishing everything, which refers to the Brahman.

Viśvakarmā, son of Brahmā is a celestial architect who builds homes for gods and goddesses.

51. Manuḥ मनुः

Manu means thinking and Manuḥ means the one who thinks. He thinks about all the aspects of the universe. In reality, such attributes do not belong to the Brahman, about whom we have no knowledge at all, as He is beyond comprehension. There is no attributes to the Supreme Brahman, who always remains pure. When a nāma depicts Him with attributes, it refers only His power of projection or Brahman with attributes, who is also known as saguṇa Brahman. Saguṇa means qualities or guṇa-s.

Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (III.vii.23) says, “there is no other thinker but Him”. Kena Upaniṣad (I.2) also substantiates the thinking of the Brahman. It says, “manaso manaḥ”, the real power of the mind. This forms the answer for a question “Who controls this world”. All this goes to prove that He creates this universe out of His Free Will.

52. Tvaṣṭāḥ त्वष्टाः

At the time of annihilation of the universe, gross matters are absorbed into subtle elements for ultimate absorption into the Brahman. At the time of creation, gross matters originated from subtle elements. Taittirīya Upaniṣad (II.i.1) says that at the time of creation Self created ether, ether created air, air created fire, fire created water, water created earth, earth created food. At the time of dissolution, the reverse process takes place and at the end of cosmic annihilation, the eternal Brahman alone remains, not even His projecting power known as māyā.

This nāma says that Viṣṇu initiates this annihilation of the universe. All the three aspects of the Brahman have been dealt with, creation, sustenance and annihilation.

Death is different from annihilation. Death is a process by which an individual soul leaves a gross body; whereas annihilation means all the souls pulled out of all the beings to merge with the Brahman. At the end of annihilation, the universe itself disappears.

53. Sthaviṣṭhaḥ स्थविष्ठः

Sthaviṣṭha literally means strong or bulky. Sthaviṣṭha is the superlative degree to indicate gross form. Brahman is stronger than the strongest, bulkier than the bulkiest, grosser than grossest. Superlative degrees are used to define His attributes and even then, no one is able to describe Him properly. This is because He is bigger than the biggest and smaller than the smallest.

Kaṭha Upaniṣad (I.ii.20) says, “aṇoraṇīyān mahato mahīyān” which means He is smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest. The Brahman has to be this way, as He is omnipresent. Everything is His creation and all that exist are His reflective images.

54. Sthaviro-dhruvaḥ स्थविरो-ध्रुवः

Sthavira means ancient and dhruva means eternal. This nāma says that the Brahman is ancient and eternal. He is ancient because He is ādi and anādi.

Bhagavad Gita (VIII.20) says, “Far beyond this unmanifest, there is yet another Unmanifest, which is Eternal and does not get destroyed even when the entire beings are annihilated.”

This nāma reaffirms Him as the Brahman. Brahman does not need affirmations and confirmations. Ancient sages thought that incomprehensible Brahman should at least be elucidated with the highest degree of everything. This is the reason for such reference to the Brahman. The repetitive expressions make one understand the concept of the Brahman and His Supremacy.

This nāma says that Brahman is the most ancient in this universe. The superlative degree is used here because, nobody knows the origin of the Brahman. He always exists. He exists even during the great deluge because the whole universe is absorbed into Him.