Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 109

Stanza: 108
Vanamali gadi sharangi shankhi chakri cha nandaki
Shriman narayano vishnur-vasudevo-abhirakshatu ..108

Protect us Oh Lord Narayana
Who wears the forest garland,
Who has the mace, conch, sword and the wheel.
And who is called Vishnu and the Vasudeva.

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Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 108

Stanza::107::
Shankhabrun-nandaki chakri sharangadhnva gadadharah
Rathanga panirakshobhyah sarva-praharanayudhah ..107

993. Shankhabrun: One who sports the conch known as Panchajanya, which stands for Tamasahamkara, of which the five elements are born.

“One who has the divine conch named “Paanchajanya.” The word meaning is this term pancha-janya is “that which is born of the five” (sense organs), so it stands for the mind. Mind being the seat of ego, the sastras declare that the conch in the divine hand of Sree Narayana is the ego-factor (Ahamkaara-Tattva) in our personality.

994. Nandaki: One who has in His hand the sword known as Nandaka, which stands for Vidya (spiritual illumination).

The lord’s sword is called Nandaka. Therefore,this term indicates one who holds and wields the Nandaka sword. The word Nanda-kam mean “that which brings bliss.” The Sastras sing that the divine sword in the sacred hands of the lord hari represents the knowledge-Spiritual (Vidyaa-Tattva) with which the seeker can destroy all his “ignorance” of the self in him.

995. Chakri: One who sports the discus known as Sudarshana, which stands for the Rajasahamkara, out of which the Indriyas have come.

“one who carries the discus called Sudarsana.” The term Su-Darsana means “that gives the auspicious vision.” The shashtras attribute to this discus-Divine the representation of the human mind.

996. Saarnga-dhanvaa: “One who aims his unerring bow called Saarnga.”

This bow of Narayana is glorified in our texts as representing the Ego, as the ‘apex’ of all the sense organs, Ahankaara-Tattva. In this concluding Stanza, the instruments of Blessing in sree Narayana’s hands are remembered with reverence and devotion.

997. Gadadharah: One who has the mace known as the Kaumodaki, which stands for the category of Buddhi.

“One who holds his divine club (Mace) celebrated as Kaumodakee –which generates and spreads beauty and joy.” This Mace is described as representing the intellect in man (Buddhi-Tattva).

998. Rathangapani: One in whose hand is a wheel (Chakra).

“The traditional meaning is, of course, “One who has the ‘wheel of the chariot’ as his weapon.” This means the discuss which already has been mentioned in this very Stanza as Chakree. But, there are others who would like to interpret this term in other ways. In a glorification-Hymn or devotional-Chant, repetition is no sin; in fact, it should be quite natural.

999. Rakshobhyah: One who cannot be upset by anything, because He controls all the above-mentioned weapons.

“One who cannot be exasperated by anyone, by any act or acts, however blasphemous they may be.” One whose peace and calm cannot be stormed out by any happening in his outer world; Ever-peaceful. The term suggests Infinite patience, love and kindness towards man and his frailties.

1000. Sarva-praharana-yudhah: There is no rule that the Lord has got only the above-mentioned weapons. All things, which can be used for contacting or striking, are His weapons.

“He who has all implements for all kinds of assault and fight.” No enemy can surprise Him. The ‘conqueror of all.’ One who has weapons to meet any missile. However powerful.

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Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 107

Stanza::106::
Atmayonih svayamjato vaikhanah samagayanah
Devaki-nandanah srashtha kshitishah papanashanah ..106

985. Atmayonih: One who is the source of all; that is, there is no material cause other than Himself for the universe.

“One who is himself the ‘material cause’ (Upaadaana Kaarana) for himself;” the self born, the uncaused cause.

986. Svayam-jato: He is also the instrumental cause.

“One who, as the lord of the universe, has no other ‘Instrumental cause’ (Nimitta-Kaarana) in projecting Himself.”

Three cause are necessary in all ‘creation’ in the pluralistic world: the Material cause’ (mud), the “Instrumental cause’ (wheel), and the ‘Efficient cause’ (the pot maker). In Shree Narayana’s self-projection, as in the dream, that all these three causes are He, Himself, is shown in these term.

987. Vaikhanah: One who excavated the earth, taking a unique form.

“The one who dug through the earth” –cutting through the denseness of the gross to reach, apprehend and kill the subtle Hirnyaksha, the terrible and the monstrous who had tried to destroy the spiritual values in the world. The self has to reach us to destroy the ego in us and give us the ‘liberation’ from our evil adherence to the body-mind-intellect.

988. Samagayanah: One who recites the Sama chants.

“One who signs the Saama-songs.”

989. Devaki-nandanah: The Son of Devaki in the incarnation as Krishna.

“He who appeared as born to Devakee in his Incarnation as Krishna.” And since Devakee could only, from afar, see, watch and enjoy the pranks and play of her blessed child in Gokula, Krishna is called as the “Joy of Devakee” (Devakee-nandhana).

990. Srashtha: The creator of all the worlds.

“One who creates.” Even the Creator can perform his job only by drawing his abilities and capacities from the infinite self, Sree Narayana.

991. Kshitishah: A master of the world. Here it denotes Rama.

“One who is the lord of the earth.” Sree Narayana is the husband of mother Earth. He is her protector. Her nurtuer and nourisher. Her, earth may stand for all that is gross –the entire maayaa-and Narayana is the Lakshmee-Pati.

992. Papanashanah: He who destroys the sins of those who adore Him, meditate upon Him, remember and sing hymns of praise on Him.

Meditating upon whom, all vaasanaas (sins) are liquidated. When the individuals, surrendering in love to Him, acts and fulfils his duties, all his existing vaasanaas are destroyed and no new ones are created –this is the very root in the theory of karma Yoga in the Vedas. Through meditation upon the self, all sins are dissolved and totally removed.

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Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 106

Stanza::105::
Yagyabhrud yagyakrud yagyi yagyabhrug yagyasadhanah
Yagyanantakrud yagyaguhyam annam annada eva cha ..105

976. Yagyabhrud: He is so called, because He is the protector and supporter of all yagyas.

“The ruler of the Yajnas” –the One who helps us to conclude successfully all our ‘good, dedicated. Selfless acts of service to others’ –Yajnas.

977. Yagyakrud: One who performs Yagya at the beginnig and end of the world.

“One who performs Yajna.” The same term also mean One who destroys the yajnas. The term Yajna connotes all noble and divine actions of service and love undertaken in a pure sense of God dedication, selflessness and joy. Lord issued forth the creation as an act of yajna, and in the end He must also undertake the total dissolution of this very yajna. Sometimes this is interpreted as “One who ‘performs’ the yajnas of the good people and one who ‘destroys’ the Yajnas of the evil minded folk.”

978. Yagyi: One who is the Principal.

“One who is constant ‘Enjoyer’ of the perpetual Yajnas.” In all Yajnas, because every act is Narayana –centered-god-dedicated-to him alone is the attribute of being the only single ‘Enjoyer.’

979. Yagyabhrug: One who is the enjoyer of Yagya or Protector of Yagya.

“All that is offered into the scared Fire during a Yajna, though with an invocation to any of the deities, in tender devotion and joy. Goes to Him alone, the “One receiver of all that is offered,” for all deities are but Narayana in different forms.

980. Yagyasadhanah: One to whom the Yagya is the approach.

“One who fulfills all Yajnas.” It is by his grace alone all noble endeavours, undertaken in an honest and true sincerity, gain spectacular success.

981. Yagyanantakrud: One who is the end or the furits of yagya.

“One who performs the last, concluding act in all Yajnas.” The final item in a yajna is the “total –offerings” (Poorna-Aahuti) when Sree Narayana is reverently and earnestly invoked. Without this prayer-ritual. Yajna is never complete. Sree Hari, therefore, is of the form of Poorna-Aahuti -in the sense that when ‘total’ surrender of all vehicles and their actions is accomplished, the transcendental experience of the Self, Narayana alone, comes to manifest in all His divine Splendour.

Some commentators have, however, taken the meaning of the Yajna-anta-not as “the last item in yajna” but as ‘anta,’ the ‘fruit’ of the yajna by which they bestow the meaning that Narayana is the “One who gives away the ‘fruits’ for all Hari-dedicated, selfless acts of love and service.”

982. Yagyaguhyam: The gyana yagya or the sacrifice of knowledge, which is the esoteric (Guhyam) of all the yagyams.

“Sree Narayana is the most profound truth to be realised in all yajnas.” The self is the most noble truth to be sought through ‘offerings’ all the ‘Dravya’ (objects) into the “consciousness” (Fire) in the “body” (kunda). This kind of subjective-Yajna is called in the Geeta as “Knowledge-Yajna.” This is also called in the Vedas as Brahma-Yajna.

983. Annam: That which is eaten by living beings. Or He who eats all beings.

“One who has himself become the ‘food’ ” –sense –objects which are the ‘food’ consumed by the sense –organs. As a verb it can be used as One who “Eats” the whole universe at the time of the great dissolution. At that time, he is the one in whom the world remains absorbed in the pralaya, just as our individual world each day gets dissolved in our sleep. The one in whom alone the world of names and forms can remain in their ‘seed-form,’ is Sree Narayana, the self.

984. Annada eva cha: One who is the eater of the whole world as food. The word Eva is added to show that He is also Anna, the food eaten.

“One who eats the ‘food.’ ” not only the objective world is the projection on Narayana, but the subjective-enjoyer –the individuality, the ego, that experiences-is also Narayana. The self, functioning through the “equipment” is the jeevaatman, the individuality in each of us who “experiences.” Thus the self is the both ‘food’ (Annam) and ‘eater-of-food’ (Annaadah) just as our own waking-mind becomes the “experiencer” and the “experienced” in our dream-world.

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Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 105

Stanza::104::
Bhurbhuvah svastarus-tarah savita prapitamahah
Yagyo yagya-patir-yajva yagyango yagya-vahanah ..104

967. Bhur-bhuvah-svastarus: The three Vyahrutis Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah are said to be the essence of the Veda.

“One who is snap in the tree-of-life existing in all the universe of the higher world, our-world and the lower world.” The famous Vedic terms bhooh Bhuvah and Svah connote the three worlds (lokas). The world ‘Loka’ in Sanskrit means “a field of experience.” Therefore, in fact, these three terms, called Vyaahritees, subjectively represents all our experiences in the walking, dream and deep-sleep states of consciousness. His constant Yajna to nurture and nourish the Universe. So, this epithet has been given to Sree Narayana, the infinite Self, the glorious Essence (Sap) that pervades the entire Tree-of-Life-flowering out to even embrace all experiences in all planes of Consciousness. Everywhere, in the everything at all times.

968. Tarah: One who helps Jivas to go across the ocean of Samsara.

“One who helps all to cross –over” –the Eternal Boat-man, to whom, if the devotees can surrender in unswerving faith and true devotion, he will surely row them across the “Ocean of samsara:” that one is Taarah. Through exclusive, devoted meditation, alert with understanding, the individuality in each of us wakes up to the higher plane – and there is Be-attitude to experience the Self, the eternal Brahman – Sree Hari.

969. Savita: He who generates all the worlds.

“He who is the father of All” –Who is the eternal father of the entire Universe.

970. Prapitamahah: One who is the father of Brahma and therefore the grandfather of all.

“He who is the father of even the ‘Father of all Beings,’ the creator, Brahmaaji, of the trinity.” The creator Himself rose from the Absolute self. Creator is known in our scriptural language as Pitaamaha –the Father.

971. Yagyo: One who is of the form of Yagya.

“One whose very nature is yajna.” The term yajna means “work undertaken with a pure spirit of total dedication in complete co-operative endeavor with total selflessness, there is Sree Narayana in action through His creatures.

972. Yagya-patir: One who is the protector and the master of the Yagyas.

“The lord of all yajnas.” I am the ‘Enjoyer’ in all self –dedicated, co-operative endeavors (Yajna). These are the joyous words of the lord who Himself declares; “The ‘Enjoyer’ and the ‘lord’ in all yajnas am I.”

973. Yajva: One who manifests as the performer of a Yagya.

“The one who performs Yajna according to the strict prescriptions laid down in Vedas” –the one who maintains in ll his divine actions the true Yajna spirit.

974. Yagyango: All the parts of His body as the incarnate Cosmic Boar are identified with the parts of a yagya.

“One whose limbs are the ‘things’ employed in Yajna.” In Harivamsa we told that ‘things’ are the very aspects of Lord Sree Narayana.

975. Yagya-vahanah: One who supports the Yagya which yield various fruits.

“One who fulfils Yajnas in complete and exact accord with the Vedic instructions.”

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Lord Shri Vishnu Sahasranama Part: 104

Stanza::103::
Pramanam prananilayah pranabhrut pranajivanah
Tatvam tatvavidekatma janma-mrutyu-jaratigah ..103

959. Pramanam: One who is self-certifying, as He is Pure Consciousness.

“He whose very form is the Vedas” –which are the only ‘proof’ for the Eternal Reality. Or, we may read it: He who is pure Infinite Consciousness (Prajnaanam) as we have it in the great Commandment, “Consciousness is the Infinite Reality.”

960. Prananilayah: The home or dissolving ground of the Pranas.

“He in whom all ‘praanas’ stand established.” He who is very substratum –vital foundation –for all ‘activities’ manifested in a living organism.

961. Pranabhrut: One who strengthens the Pranas as food (Anna).

“He who rules over all ‘Praanas’ –Sree Hari is the one who causes everyone to eat, digest, feel energized, act, achieve the fruits thereof, grow old and die. In all ‘activities,’ the great One-commanding, Factor-Divine, Sree Narayana, the self, presides in silent detachment, and by His Presence He initiates and maintains all these activities in all living creatures upon the earth’s surface.

962. Pranajivanah: He who keeps alive human beings with Vayus (airs) known as Prana, Apana etc.

“He who maintains the life-birth in all living creatures.” This interpretation is not a happy one as this meaning has just come in the preceding, endearing term. In love, of course, there is no rule that the lover should not repeat the same loving words to address his beloved. But, we can find yet a new depth of suggestion if we understand this term to mean “One who is the very life-giving divine-touch in every breath.”

963. Tatvam: Means Brahman, just as words like Amruta, Satya, Paramartha etc.

“the Reality” –that which is eternal, the essence. “That which one gains in subjective realization is the self,” Sree Narayana.

964. Tatvavid: One who knowns His own true nature.

“One who has realized fully the reality” –meaning the original essential nature of the self. On realizing the self, the individual become the self and, therefore, Sree Narayana, that very self, is One who has realized fully the Reality which is His Own Nature Divine.

965. Ekatma: One who is the sole being and the spirit (Atma) in all.

“The Advaita Reality” –Narayana is the One self, the Oversoul, Who expresses himself as the individualities of the infinite entities in the universe.

966. Janma-mrutyu-jaratigah: One who subsists without being subject to the six kinds of transformations – being born, existing, temporarily, growing, transforming, decaying and dying.

“One who knows no change or modifications in Himself.” Ever finite object in the world undergoes constant ‘change’ and each of them is extremely painful. They are birth, growth, decay, and the Eternal, the changeless Self, Sree Narayana, Ever- the-same Supreme. Geeta thunders the nature of the self to be “ever-birthless and never dying,” and once It has existed, Self never becomes non-existent.

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