Viṣhṇu Sahasranāmam 9



Viṣhṇu Sahasranāmam 9 (Names: 82-108)

 catur - mūrtiś catur - bāhuś catur - vyūhaś catur - gatiḥ | catur - ātmā catur - bhāvaś catur - veda vide - kapāt || 82 || Chaturmurtis: One with four aspects as Virat, Sutratma, Avyakruta, and Turiya. Or one with four horns with colours white, red, yellow and black. Chaturbahus: One with four arms, as Vasudeva is always described. Chaturvyuhas: One having four manifestations. Chatur-gatih: One who is sought as the end by the four Orders of life and four Varnas ordained by the scriptures. Chaturatma: One whose self is specially endowed with puissance, because it is without any attachment, antagonism etc. Chaturbhavas: One from whom has originated the four human values – Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. Chaturvedavid: One who understands the true meaning of the four Vedas. Ekapat: One with a single Pada, part or leg. Or one with a single foot or manifestation. samā-vartō nivaṛt-ātmā durjayō durati-kramaḥ | durlabhō durgamō durgō durā-vāsō durā-rihā || 83 || Samavarto: One who effectively whirls the wheel of Samsara. Anivrutatma: One who is not Nivruta (separated from) anything or anywhere, because He is all-pervading. Durjayo: One who cannot be conquered. Duratikramah: One out of fear of whom, even heavenly objects like sun do not dare to oppose His command. Durlabho: One who can be attained by Bhakti, which is difficult for a person to be endowed with. Durgamo: One whom it is difficult to attain. Durgo: One the attainment of whom is rendered difficult by various obstructions. Duravaso: He whom the Yogis with very great difficulty bring to reside in their hearts in Samadhi. Durariha: One who destroys beings like Asuras. śubhāṅgō lōka-sāraṅgaḥ sutantus-tantu-vardhanaḥ | indra-karmā mahā-karmā kṛta-karmā kṛtā-gamaḥ || 84 || Shubhango: One whose form is very auspicious to meditate upon. Lokasarangah: One who like the Saranga (honey-beetle) grasps the essence of the world. Sutantus: As this universe of infinite extension belongs to Him, the Lord is called Sutantu. Tantu-vardhanah: One who can augment or contract the web of this world. Indrakarma: One whose actions are like that of Indra, that is, are of a highly commendable nature. Mahakarma: One of whom the great elements like Akasha are effects. Krutakarma: One who has fulfilled everything and has nothing more to accomplish. Krutagamah: One who has given out the Agama in the shape of the Veda. udbhavaḥ sundaraḥ sundō ratna-nābhaḥ sulōcanaḥ | arkō vāja-sanaḥ śṛṅgī jayantaḥ sarva-vijjayī || 85 || Udbhavah: One who assumes great and noble embodiments out of His own will. Sundarah: One who has a graceful attractiveness that surprises everyone. Sundo: One who is noted for extreme tenderness (Undanam). Ratnanabhah: Ratna indicates beauty; so one whose navel is very beautiful. Sulochanah: One who has brilliant eyes, that is, knowledge of everything. Arko: One who is being worshipped even by beings like Brahma who are themselves objects of worship. Vajasanah: One who gives Vajam (food) to those who entreat Him. Shrungi: One who at the time of Pralaya (cosmic dissolution) assumed the form of a fish having prominent antenna. Jayantah: One who conquers enemies easily. Sarva-vij-jayi: The Lord is ‘Sarvavit’ as He has knowledge of everything. He is ‘Jayi’ because He is the conqueror of all the inner forces like attachment, anger etc., as also of external foes like Hiranyaksha. suvarṇabindu rakṣōbhyaḥ sarva vāgī -śvareśvaraḥ | mahā-hradō mahā-gartō mahā-bhūtō mahā-nidhiḥ || 86 || Suvarna-bindur: One whose ‘Bindus’ that is, limbs, are euaql to gold in brilliance. Akshobhyah: One who is never perturbed by passions like attachment and aversion, by objects of the senses like sound, taste, etc., and by Asuras the antagonists of the Devas. Sarva-vagishvareshvarah: One who is the master of all masters of learning, including Brahma. Mahahrado: He is called a great Hrada (lake), because being the paramatman who is of the nature of Bliss, the Yogis who contemplate upon Him dip themselves in that lake of Bliss and attain to great joy. Maha-garto: One whose Maya is difficult to cross like a ddp pit. Maha-bhuto: One who is not divided by the three periods of time – past, present and future. Mahanidhih: One in whom all the great elements have their support. He is Mahan or a great one and ‘Nidhi’, the most precious one. kumudaḥ kundaraḥ kundaḥ parjan-yaḥ pāvanō-anilaḥ | amṛtāśō amṛta - vapuḥ sarvajñaḥ sarvatō-mukhaḥ || 87 || Kumudah: ‘Ku’ means earth; one who gives joy (muda) to the earth by freeing it of its burdens is Kumuda. Kundarah: One who offers blessings as pure as Kunda or jasmine. Kundah: One who has limbs as beautiful as Kunda or Jasmine. Parjanyah: The word means cloud. One who resembles the cloud in extinguishing the three Tapas (heats, that is, miseries) arising from psychological, material and spiritual causes. Or one who rains all desires like a cloud. Pavano: One by merely remembering whom a devotee attains purity. Anilah: ‘Ilanam’ means inducement. One who is without any inducement is Anila. Ilana also means sleep. So one who sleeps not or is ever awake is Anila. Amrutasho: One who consumes Amruta or immortal bliss, which is His own nature. Amrutavapuh: One whose form is deathless, that is, undecaying. Sarvagyah: One who is all-knowing. Sarvatomukhah: One who has faces everywhere. sulabhaḥ suvratas siddhaḥ śatrujit chatrutāpanaḥ | nyagrōdhō udumbarō- aśvatthaś-cāṇūrāndhra-niṣūdanaḥ || 88 || Sulabhah: One who is attained easily by offering trifles like leaf, flower, and fruits etc. with devotion. Suvratah: ‘Vratati’ means enjoys. So, one who enjoys pure offerings. It can also mean one who is a non-enjoyer, that is, a mere witness. Siddhah: One whose objects are always attained, that is, omnipotent and unobstructed by any other will. Shatru-jit: Conqueror of all forces of evil. Shatru-tapanah: One who destroys the enemies of the Devas. Nyagrodho: That which remains above all and grows downward. That is, He is the source of everything that is manifest. Adumabaro: One who as the Supreme cause is ‘above the sky’, that is, superior to all. Asvatthas: That which does not last even for the next day. Chanurandhra nishudhanah: One who destroyed a valiant fighter Chanura belonging to the race of Andhra. sahasrārciḥ saptajihvaḥ saptaidhāḥ sapta-vāhanaḥ | amūrtir-anaghō-acintyō bhaya-kṛd bhaya-nāśanaḥ || 89 || Sahasrarchi: One with innumerable Archis or rays. Sapta-jihvah: The Lord in his manifestation as Fire is conceived as having seven tongues of flame. Saptaidhah: The Lord who is of the nature of fire has seven Edhas or forms of brilliance. Sapta-vahanah: The Lord in the form of Surya or sun has seven horses as his vehicles or mounts. Amurtir: One who is without sins or without sorrow. Achintyo: One who is not determinable by any criteria of knowledge, being Himself the witnessing Self- certifying all knowledge. Bhayakrud: One who generates fear in those who go along the evil path. Or one who cuts at the root of all fear. Bhaya-nashanah: One who destroys the fears of the virtuous. aṇur-bṛhat kṛśaḥ sthūlō guṇabhṛn nirguṇō mahān | adhṛta-svadhṛta-svāsyaḥ prāga-vaṁśō vaṁśa-vardhanaḥ || 90 | Anur: One who is extremely subtle. Bruhat: The huge and mighty. Krusah: One who is non-material. Sthulo: Being the inner pervader of all, He is figuratively described as Stula or huge. Gunabrun: The support of the Gunas. He is so called because in the creative cycle of creation, sustentation, and dissolution, He is the support of the Gunas – Satva, Rajas and Tamas – with which these functions are performed. Nirguno: One who is without the Gunas of Prakruti. Mahan: The great. Adhrutah: One who, being the support of all supporting agencies, like Pruthvi (Earth), is not supported by anything external to Him. Svadhrutah: One supported by oneself. Svasyah: One whose face is beautiful and slightly red like the inside of a lotus flower. Pragvamsho: The family lines of others are preceded by the lines of still others, but the Lord’s descendent, namely, the world system, is not preceded by anything else. Vamshavardhanah: One who augments or destroys the world-system, which is His off-spring. bhārabhṛt kathitō yōgī yōgīśaḥ sarva-kāmadaḥ | āśramaḥ śramaṇaḥ, kṣāmaḥ suparṇō vāyu-vāhanaḥ || 91 || Bhara-bhrut: One who bears the weight of the earth assuming the form of Ananta. Kathito: One who is spoken of as the highest by the Veda or one of whom all Vedas speak. Yogi: Yoga here means knowledge. So He who is attained by that is Yogi. Or Yoga means Samadhi. He who is ever established in His own Self, that is, the Paramatma. He is therefore Yogi. Yogishah: He who is never shaken from Yoga or knowledge and establishment in His own Self, unlike ordinary Yogis who slip away from Yoga on account of obstacles. Sarva-kamadah: One who bestows all desired fruits. Ashramah: One who is the bestower of rest on all who are wandering in the forest of Samsara. Shramanah: One who brings tribulations to those who live without using their discriminative power. Kshamah: He who brings about the decline of all beings. Suparnah: The lord who has manifested Himself as the tree of Samsara has excellent leaves (Parna) in the form of Vedic passages (Chandas). Vayu-vahanah: He for fear of whom Vayu (Air) carries all beings. dhanur-dharō dhanur-vedō daṅḍō damayitā damaḥ | aparājitas sarvasahō niyantā niyamō yamaḥ || 92 || Dhanurdharo: He who as Rama wielded the great bow. Dhanurvedo: He who as the same Rama, the son of Dasharatha, was the master of the science of archery. Dando: He who is discipline among the disciplinarians. Damayita: He who inflicts punishments on people as Yama and as king. Damah: He who is in the form of self-descipline in men as a result of enforcement. Aparajitah: One who is never defeated by enemies. Sarvasaho: One who is expert in all Karmas (works). Niyanta: One who appoints every person to his respective duties. Aniyamo: One on whom there is no enforcement of any law, or above whom there can be no overlord to enforce anything, as He is the controller of everything. Ayamah: One on whom Yama has no control, that is one who has no death. sattvavān sāttvikaḥ satyaḥ satya dharma parāyaṇa | abhi-prāyaḥ priyār-hōrhaḥ priya-kṛt priti-vardhanaḥ || 93 || Satvavan: One who has got the strengthening qualities like heroism, prowess etc. Satvikah: One who is established essentially in the Satva Guna. Satyah: One who is truly established in good people. Satya-dharma-parayanah: One who is present in truthfulness and righteousness in its many aspects. Abhiprayah: The One who is sought after by those who seek the ultimate values of life (Purushartha). Priyarhah: The being to whom the objects that are dear to oneself, are fit to be offered. Arhah: One who deserves to be worshipped with all the ingredients and rites of worship like offerings, praise, prostration etc. Priyakrut: One who is not only to be loved but who does what is good and dear to those who worship Him. Pritivardhanah: One who enhances the joys of devotees. vihāya-sagatir jyōtiḥ suru-cir-huta-bhug-vibhuḥ | ravir virōcanaḥ sūryaḥ savitā ravi-lōcanaḥ || 94 || Vihayasagatir: One who is the support of Vishupada. Jyotih: One who is the light of self-luminous consciousness that reveals oneself as well as other things. Suruchir: The Lord whose Ruchi i.e. brilliance or will, is of an attractive nature. Huta-bhug: One who eats, that is, receives, whatever is offered to whatever deities (Devas) in all sacrifices. Vibhuh: One who dwells everywhere. Or one who is the master of all the three worlds. Ravir: One who absorbs all Rasas (fluids) in the form of the Sun. Virochanah: One who shines in many ways. Suryah: One who generates Shri or brilliance in Surya. Or Agni (Fire) is what is called Surya. Savita: One who brings forth (Prasava) all the worlds. Ravi-lochanah: One having the sun as the eye. anantō huta- bhug-bhōktā sukhadō naikajō-agrajaḥ | anir-viṇṇaḥ sadā-marṣī lōkā-dhiṣṭhā-nam-adbhutaḥ || 95 || Ananto: One who is eternal, all-pervading and indeterminable by space and time. Hutabhuk: One who consumes what is offered in firesacrifices. Bhokta: One to whom the unconscious Prakruti is the object for enjoyment. Sukhado: One who bestows liberation (Miksha) on devotees. Naikajo: One who takes on birth again and again for the preservation of Dharma. Agrajah: One who was born before everything else, that is, Hiranya-garbha. Anirvinnah: One who is free from all sorrow, because he has secured all his desires and has no obstruction in the way of such achievement. Sadamarshi: One who is always patient towards good men. Lokadhishthanam: Brahman who, though without any other support for Himself, supports all the three worlds. Adbhutah: The wonderful being. sanāt sanātana-dhamaḥ kapilaḥ kapir-avyayaḥ | svastidaḥ svasti-kṛt svasti svasti-bhuk svasti-dakṣiṇaḥ || 96 || Sanat: The word Sanat indicates a great length of time. Time also is the manifestation of the Supreme Being. Sanatana-tamah: Being the cause of all, He is more ancient than Brahma and other beings, who are generally considered eternal. Kapilah: A subterranean fire in the ocean is Kapila, light red in colour. Kapir: ‘Ka’ means water. One who drinks or absorbs all water by his Kapi, that is, the sun. Avyayah: One in whom all the worlds get dissolved in Pralaya.Svastidah: One who gives what is auspicious to devotees. Svastikrut: One who works bestowing what is good. Svasti: One whose auspicious form is characterized by supreme Bliss. Svastibhuk: One who enjoys the Svasti mentioned above or who preserves the Svasti of devotees. Svasti-dakshinah: One who augments as Svasti (auspiciousness). araudraḥ kunḍalī cakrī vikram-yūr jita-śāsanaḥ | śabdātigaḥ śabda-sahaḥ śiśi-raḥ śarvarī-karaḥ || 97 || Araudrah: Action, attachment and anger these three are Raudra. The Lord is one whose desires are all accomplished, so He has no attachment or aversion. So He is free from theRaudras mentioned above. Kundali: One who has taken the form of Adisesha. Chakri: One who sports in his hand the discus named Sudarshana, which is the category known as Manas, for the protection of all the worlds. Vikrami: Vikrama means taking a stride, as also courage. Urjita-shasanah: One whose dictates in the form of shrutis and smrutis are of an extremely sublime nature. Shabdatigah: One who cannot be denoted by any sound because He has none of the characteristics, which could be grasped by sound. Sabdasahah: One who is the purport of all Vedas. Sisirah: One who is the shelter to those who are bruning in the three types of wordly fires – sufferings arising from material causes, psychological causes and spiritual causes. Sarvari-karah: For those in bondage, the Atman is like Sarvari (night) and for an enlightened one the state of samsara is like night (Sarvari). So the Lord is called the one who generates Sarvari or night for both the enlightened and the bound ones. akrūraḥ peśalō dakṣō dakṣiṇaḥ, kṣami-ṇāṁ varaḥ | vidvat-tamō vīta-bhayaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ || 98 || Akrurah: One who is without cruelty. Peshalo: One who is handsome in regard to His actions, mind, word and body. Daksho: One who is fullgrown, strong and does every thing quickly, such a person is Daksha. Dakshinah: This word is also means the same as the above Nama. Kshiminam varah: The greatest among the patient ones, because He is more patient than all Yogis noted for patience. Vidvattamo: He who has got the unsurpassable and all-inclusive knowledge of everything. Vitabhayah: One who, being eternally free and the Lord of all, is free from the fear of trnsmigratory life. Punya-shravana-kirtanah: One to hear about whom and to sing of whom is meritorious. uttāraṇō duṣ-kṛtihā puṇyō duḥ-svapna-nāśanaḥ | vīrahā rakṣaṇas-santō jīvanaḥ parya-vasthitaḥ || 99 || Uttarano: One who takes beings over to the other shore of the ocean of Samsara. Dushkrutiha: One who effaces the evil effects of evil actions. Or one who destroys those who perform evil. Punyo: One who bestows holiness on those who remember and adore Him. Duh-svapna-nasanah: When adored and meditated upon, He saves one from dreams foreboding danger. Hence He is called so. Viraha: One who frees Jivas from bondage and thus saves them from the various transmigratory paths by bestowing liberation on them. Rakshanah: One who, assuming the Satvaguna, protects all the three worlds. Santo: Those who adopt the virtuous path are called good men (Santah). Jivanah: One who supports the lives of all beings as Prana. Paryavasthitah: One who remains pervading everywhere in this universe. ananta - rūpō - ananta - śrīr - jita - manyur - bhayā - pahaḥ | catu-raśrō gabhīr-ātmā vidiśō vyādiśō diśaḥ || 100 || Ananta-rupo: One who has innumerable forms, as He dwells in this all-comprehending universe. Ananta-shri: One whose Shri (glory) is infinite. Jitamanyur: One who has overcome anger. Bhayapahah: One who destroys the fears of beings from Samsara. Chaturashro: One who is just, because He bestows on Jivas the fruits of their Karma. Gabhiratma: One whose nature is unfathomable. Vidisho: One who distributes various furits of actions to persons differing in their forms according to competency. Vyadisho: One who gives to Indra and other deities directions according to their varied functions. Dishah: One who in the form of the Vedas bestows the fruits of their ritualistic actions on different beings. anādir-bhūr-bhuvō lakṣmīs suvīrō rucirāṅ-gadaḥ | jananō jana-janmādir bhīmō bhīma-parākramaḥ || 101 || Anandi: One who has no beginning because He is the ultimate cause of all. Bhurbhuvo: ‘Bhu’ means support. One who is the support (Bhu) of even the earth, which is known to support all things. Lakshmih: He who is the bestower of all that is auspicious to the earth besides being its supporter. Suviro: One who has many brilliant ways of manifestation. Ruchirangadah: One who has very attractive armlets. Janano: One who gives brith to living beings. Jana-janmadir: One who is the root cause of the origin of Jivas that come to have embodiment. Bhimo: One who is the cause of fear. Bhima-parakramah: One whose power and courage in His incarnations were a cause of fear for the Asuras. ādhāra-nilayō-dhātā puṣpa-hāsaḥ prajā-garaḥ | ūrdhvagas-satpathā-cāraḥ prāṇadaḥ praṇavaḥ paṇaḥ || 102 || Adharanilayo: One who is the support of even all the basic supporting factors like the five elements – Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. Adhata: One who is one’s own support and therefore does not require another support. Pushpahasah: One whose manifestation as the universe resembles the Hasa or blooming of buds into flowers. Prajagarah: One who is particularly awake, because He is eternal Awareness. Urdhvagah: One who is above everything. Sat-pathacharah: One who follows the conduct of the good. Pranadah: One who givesback life to dead ones as in the case of Parikshit. Pranavah: Pranava (Om) the manifesting sound symbol of Brahman. As He is inseparably related with Pranava, He is called Pranava. Panah: It comes from the root ‘Prana’ meaning transaction. So one who bestows the fruits of Karma on all according to their Karma. pramā-ṇaṁ prāṇa-nilayaḥ prāṇabhṛt prāṇa-jīvanaḥ | tattvaṁ tattva-videk-ātmā janma-mṛtyu-jarātigaḥ || 103 || Pramanam: One who is self-certifying, as He is Pure Consciousness. Prananilayah: The home or dissolving ground of the Pranas. Pranabhrut: One who strengthens the Pranas as food (Anna). Pranajivanah: He who keeps alive human beings with Vayus (airs) known as Prana, Apana etc., Tattvam: “the Reality” –that which is eternal, the essence. “That which one gains in subjective realization is the self,” Sree Narayana Tatvavid: One who knowns His own true nature. Ekatma: One who is the sole being and the spirit (Atma) in all. Janma-mrutyu-jaratigah: One who subsists without being subject to the six kinds of transformations – being born, existing, temporarily, growing, transforming, decaying and dying. bhūrbhuvaḥ svasta-rus-tāraḥ savitā prapitā-mahaḥ | yajñō yajña-patir yajvā yajñ-āṅgō yajña-vāhanaḥ || 104 || Bhur-bhuvah-svastarus: The three Vyahrutis Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah are said to be the essence of the Veda. Tarah: One who helps Jivas to go across the ocean of Samsara.Savita: He who generates all the worlds. Prapitamahah: One who is the father of Brahma and therefore the grandfather of all. Yagyo: One who is of the form of Yagya. Yagya-patir: One who is the protector and the master of the Yagyas. Yajva: One who manifests as the performer of a Yagya. Yagyango: All the parts of His body as the incarnate Cosmic Boar are identified with the parts of a yagya. Yagya-vahanah: One who supports the Yagya which yield various fruits. yajña - bhṛd yajña - kṛd yajñī yajña - bhug yajña - sādhanaḥ | yajñā-anta-kṛd yajña-guhya manna mannāda eva-ca || 105 || 2x Yagyabhrud: He is so called, because He is the protector and supporter of all yagyas. Yagyakrud: One who performs Yagya at the beginnig and end of the world. Yagyi: One who is the Principal. Yagyabhrug: One who is the enjoyer of Yagya or Protector of Yagya. Yagyasadhanah: One to whom the Yagya is the approach. Yagyanantakrud: One who is the end or the furits of yagya. Yagyaguhyam: The gyana yagya or the sacrifice of knowledge, which is the esoteric (Guhyam) of all the yagyams. Annam: That which is eaten by living beings. Or He who eats all beings. 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. ātma-yōniḥ svayaṁ-jātō vaikhānaḥ sāma-gāyanaḥ | devakī - nandanaḥ sraṣṭā kṣitīśaḥ pāpa - nāśanaḥ || 106 || Atmayonih: One who is the source of all; that is, there is no material cause other than Himself for the universe. Svayam-jato: He is also the instrumental cause. Vaikhanah: One who excavated the earth, taking a unique form. Samagayanah: One who recites the Sama chants. Devakidddd-nandanah: The Son of Devaki in the incarnation as Krishna. Srashtha: The creator of all the worlds. Kshitishah: A master of the world. Here it denotes Rama. Papanashanah: He who destroys the sins of those who adore Him, meditate upon Him, remember and sing hymns of praise on Him. śaṅkha-bhṛn nandakī cakrī śārṅga-dhanvā gadā-dharaḥ | rathāṅga-pāṇi rakṣō-bhyaḥ sarva-prahara-ṇāyudhaḥ || 107 || Shankhabrun: One who sports the conch known as Panchajanya, which stands for Tamasahamkara, of which the five elements are born. Nandaki: One who has in His hand the sword known as Nandaka, which stands for Vidya (spiritual illumination). Chakri: One who sports the discus known as Sudarshana, which stands for the Rajasahamkara, out of which the Indriyas have come. Sharnga-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. Gadadharah: One who has the mace known as the Kaumodaki, which stands for the category of Buddhi. Rathangapani: One in whose hand is a wheel (Chakra). Rakshobhyah: One who cannot be upset by anything, because He controls all the above-mentioned weapons. 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. vanamālī gadī śārṅgī śaṅkhī cakrī ca nandakī | śrīmān nārāyaṇō viṣṇur vāsudevō- abhi - rakṣatu || (3x) Sree Sarva-prahara naayudhah Om Namah iti


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