VISHNU SAHASRANAAM

370. Mahaa-bhaagah -He who has extreme beauty in all His limbs, or He who is ever fortunate, or fie who gets the greatest share (Bhaaga) in every Yajna.

371. Vegavaan –“He who is swift”; One who is the fastest in reaching the devotee the moment his loving heart remembers Him. By import it means that He is All- pervading, therefore, He is the fastest, inasmuch as “nothing can ever overtake Him.”

In the Isavasyopanishad He is indicated as swifter than the mind- (Manasojaveeyah).

372. Amitaasanah –“Of endless appetite.” This should not be taken literally, but it only means that the entire world of plurality projected by the mind, merges back when the mind is transcended at the time of the experience of the Self. Just as we can say that the waker swallows the dreamer, the Higher Consciousness, with an infinite appetite, as it were, swallows the Infinite Cosmos; hence figuratively, He is considered as ‘the Great Consumer’ of the whole world of plurality during involution (Pralaya).

Stanza 41

udbhavah kshubhano devah sreegarbhah paramesvarah
karanam kaaranam kartaa vikartaa gahano guhah.

373 Udbhavah –“The Originator” The Lord is the material-cause from which the entire universe arises and, therefore, He is the origin for the Cosmos, or it can mean to indicate, “One who is again and again born as the endless jivas under the urge of their individual vaasanaas”.

374 Kshobhanah –“The Agitator” If the Self were not in the equipments, the equipments will not get agitated -will not pursue their functions The Atman, the Pure Consciousness is that which thrills and agitates both the matter (Prakriti) and energy (Purusha), and causes the manifestation of the living entities (jives), who, with their actions, constitute the dynamic aspect of the world. If the Self is not there, there can be no movement or expression of life; everything would have remained completely inert and insentient. He is the Lord who thrills the world and makes it so beautifully palpitating with life. Hence, He is called as the Agitator (Kshobhanah).

375 Devah –“One who revels is Deva. This term ‘Deevyati’ in Sanskrit also means ‘to conquer’, ‘to shine’ and ‘to praise’ Therefore, Lord Vishnu is rightly called as Derah because He sports through His play-the great Creation-Sustenance-Destruction-play, He functions in all Beings as He shines as the Universal Consciousness; and He is praised by all the devotees Svetasratara Upanishad indicates “there is only one Deva”.

376 Sree-garbhah -“Containing all glories within; One in whom are all glories (Aisvarya)” The glory of the Lord is the universe and this universe resides in Him, and therefore, all powers and glories that are manifested in the universe are also ever in Him.

377. Paramesvarah -The Supreme (Parama) Lord (Isvara). The fanatics generally interpret the word to mean as “the only Lord”, in the sense that all other concepts of God are wrong. The large-hearted, tolerant Rishis of old, could have never meant such a meaning. It could only mean “that He is the Supreme Consciousness whose expressions are all the deities”. The term Isvara indicates both might and glory. Therefore, Paramesvara means “One who is Omnipotent and All-glorious.”

378. Karanam –“The Instrument.” That which is most useful in fulfilling any piece of work is called the tool or the instrument. For the creation of the world He is the instrumental-cause (Nimitta Kaarana).

379. Kaaranam –“The Cause.” By the earlier term it was indicated that He is the instrumental-cause (Nimi- tta Kaarana) for the whole universe. Here now, by this term, it is indicated that He is the very material-cause (Upaadaana Kaarana) of the universe. Since the term directly means only “the cause”, it can mean not only the material cause, but also it can suggest the instrumental-cause. In the former case it would mean “He from whom the whole universe arises”, and in the latter sense, the term is interpreted by some commentators as “He who causes the universe to emerge out”.

380. Kartaa –“The Doer”. He is the One in whose presence alone all activities are possible, and hence by a transferred epithet, though the doings all belong to the equipments, the Self is called as the “Doer”. One who can freely perform all the functions of creation, sustenance and destruction, is the “Doer”.

381. Vi-kartaa –“One who creates the infinite varieties that constitute the universe.” It can also mean, “One who has created out of Himself, the endless self-manifestations of incarnations.”

382. Gahanah –“The Un-knowable”. One who cannot be comprehended by any of the known instruments of knowledge; One who is not an object of perception, but is the very subject and the perceiver in all sense-organs.

383. Guhah –“One who dwells in the cave of the heart” meaning “One who is the very core of every living creature.” He is concealed within the equipments and hence, He is described in our Scriptures as “One who dwells in the cave of the heart”. The Smriti describes Him as “This Lord, the Great Purusha, the Witness who dwells in the cave most secretively.” Mundakopanishad describes the Self as ‘Nihitam Guhaayaam’. Again, the Lord Himself says, “I am not readily perceivable by all as I am veiled by my own Maayaa “.

Stanza 42.

vyavasaayo vyavasthaanah samsthaanah sthaanado-dhruvah
pararddhih paramaspashtah-tushtah pushtah subhekshanah.

384. Vyavasaayah  -“Resolute.” Being of the nature of Pure Wisdom, there is no vacillation in Him; all irresolution is at the level of the doubting mind and the unprepared intellect. The term ‘Vyavasaayah’ also means “Yoga.” In this sense, the term is used in the Geeta, “The intellect of one who is practising Yoga is single-pointed without vacillation.” Again, in the same chapter criticising those who are running after enjoyment and power, Krishna says, “those who are revelling in sensuality and consequently disturbing the poise of their intellect, cannot have a steady mind and consistent pursuit of Yoga.”

To work persistently until the Goal is reached is resolution. “To steadily apply ourselves in continuously withdrawing ourselves from our identifications with the not-Self, until we come to apprehend and experience the Self”, is Yoga. Hence, commentators interpret ‘Vyavasaaya’ as “Yoga.”

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