SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
261) vrushOdhara: (वृषॊदरः)
bhagavAn fills his stomach with the oblations offered by his devotees. He is easily available to every soul who yearns for his service. He is thus the one who possesses a stomach of righteousness (a stomach filled with offerings of righteous devotees), and hence called ‘vrushOdhara:’.
Etymology: The one who excels by virtuously filling his stomach with offerings of his dear devotees is called ‘vrushOdhara:’.
भक्तैरुपाहृतां पूजामुपाहारांश्च धर्मतः |
कृत्वॊदरॆ यॊ जयति स वृषॊदर उच्यतॆ ||
262) vardhana: (वर्धनः)
bhagavAn is further called ‘vardhana:’ – the fosterer, since he fosters all the individual souls by placing them all in his own belly (at the time of destruction – naimiththika praLayam), just as a mother nourishes a child in her womb.
Etymology: Placing all of his dear devotees in his belly, since bhagavAn fosters them just as a mother fosters a child in her womb he is called ‘vardhana:’.
मातृवज्जठरॆ कृत्वा भक्तान् वर्धयति स्वयम् |
वर्धनः प्रॊच्यतॆ नित्यं सप्तार्णॊ वृद्धिदॊ मनुः ||
263) vardhamAna: (वर्धमानः)
Fostering his devotees, and looking at them grow, since bhagavAn himself feels elated and grows with them, he is called ‘vardhamAna:’. Alternately, he is the one who possesses such bountifulness that he fosters every individual soul infinitely. Hence also he is called ‘vardhamAna:’.
Etymology: Fostering his devotees, since bhagavAn also thrives with elation, he is called ‘vardhamAna:’.
वर्धयंस्तान् स्वयमपि वर्धमानश्च वर्धनः |
264) viviktha: (विविक्तः)
Thus, since bhagavAn displays supernatural feats and possesses qualities and actions that are unique to him, he is called ‘viviktha:’ – the distinct one.
Etymology: With all his supernatural feats and most auspicious qualities that distinctly qualify him, bhagavAn is popularly called ‘viviktha:’. This manthra bestows auspiciousness upon all chanters.
लॊकॊत्तरादिवृत्तान्तात् स्वैकान्तात् गुणबृंहितात् |
विविक्त इति विख्यातः पावनत्वप्रदॊ मनुः ||
265) SruthisAgara: (श्रुतिसागरः)
Just as all rivers must flow and eventually reach the ocean, so also all the vEdhas expounding the supreme qualities grandly culminate in the contemplation of that supreme soul – bhagavAn. Thus, he is like the ocean to the river of vEdhas, where they finally rest. Hence he is called ‘SruthisAgara:’.
Etymology: Just as ocean is the final residing place for all rivers, so also bhagavAn is the final resting place for all vEdhas that hail his supreme qualities. Thus, he is called ‘SruthisAgara:’.
नदीनां सागर इव स्वगुणॊक्तिविधाजुषाम् |
श्रुतीनामवसानत्वात् कथ्यतॆ श्रुतिसागरः ||
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सुभुजॊ दुर्धरॊ वाग्मी महॆन्द्रॊ वसुदॊ वसुः ।
नैकरूपॊ बृहद्रूपः शिपिविष्टः प्रकाशनः ॥ २९ ॥
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266) subhuja: (सुभुजः)
Since bhagavAn possesses mighty and auspicious shoulders that bear the burdens of all his dear devotees who have surrendered unto him, he is called ‘subhuja:’ – the one with beautiful shoulders.
Etymology: The one who possesses mighty shoulders that can bear the burdens of all his devotees who have surrendered unto him is called ‘subhuja:’.
प्रपन्नभरणॆ धुर्यभुजॊ यः सुभुजस्तु सः |
267) dhurdhara: (दुर्धरः) (also repeated in 720)
With such mighty shoulders, bhagavAn possesses immense force that none can oppose, just like the mighty waves in an ocean cannot be stopped by a sandy bridge on the shores built by playful kids. Hence, he is called ‘dhurdhara:’ – the one who cannot be restrained.
The dhu: (दुः) gets the ‘khal’ (खल्) adjunct per grammatical rules, resulting in this divine name. The same rule is applicable in other divine names such as ‘dhurlabha:’ दुर्लभः (783), ‘dhurgama:’ दुर्गमः (784), et al.
Etymology: The one whose force is unrestrained by others is called ‘dhurdhara:’.
परैर्दुर्वारवॆगॊ यॊ दुर्धरः स च कथ्यतॆ |
268) vAgmI (वाग्मी)
Similarly, since bhagavAn possesses commendable speech, he is called ‘vAgmI’ – the excellent orator. The adjunct ‘gmini’ (ग्मिनि) is suffixed to the word ‘vAk’ वाक् (speech), indicating praiseworthiness of such speech. This results in this divine name. bhagavAn’s speech is commendable since it is the gist of vEdhas, controlled, sweet, profound, loveable and favorable to everyone.
As the scriptures put it, bhagavAn’s speech is hailed thus:
- “vEdhas are verily the words of bhagavAn”
- “rAma is the one who can answer every question with utmost diligence, just like the celestial preceptor brihaspathi”
- “Oh krishNa, your words are so nectarine that I am not being content with whatever I have listened till now. I request you, please speak again…”
- “rAma is extremely intelligent and speaks up first, speaks softly, speaks sweetly and speaks lovingly”
- “The lotus eyed krishNa spoke the most meaningful words to the assembled kings, which was unobjectionable and free from satire, fright and confusions with his thunderous voice”, etc.
Etymology: Since bhagavAn speaks sweet and favorable words whose forms are verily the vEdhas, he is called ‘vAgmI’.
वॆदलक्षणवक्तृत्वात् वाग्मी प्रियहितॊक्तितः |
269) mahEndhra: (महॆन्द्रः)
Since bhagavAn possesses venerable, supreme, infinite wealth spread all around, he is called ‘mahEndhra:’ – the wealthiest one.
The root ‘idhi’ (इदि) is used in the context to mean ‘extreme wealth’. This root gets the ‘ran’ (रन्) adjunct, resulting in the word ‘indhra:’ (इन्द्रः). The qualifier ‘mahA’ (महा) is prefixed to clearly show that bhagavAn’s wealth overthrows that of lower demigods such as indhra, kubEra, et al. It clearly shows the rulership of bhagavAn over all other entities.
Etymology: Since bhagavAn possesses supreme wealth, he is called ‘mahEndhra:’.
परमैश्वर्यवत्वॆन महॆन्द्र इति शब्दतॆ |
270) vasudha: (वसुदः)
Even in such a great disposition of being the wealthiest, bhagavAn never predominates over any entity. Instead, he bestows all wealth upon such individual souls who seek such lowly wealth from him. Thus, he is called ‘vasudha:’ – the one who bestows wealth.
The vishNu dharma clearly says “indhra obtained the rulership of three worlds, and kubEra got the ownership of wealth – all by the grace of bhagavAn”.
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘vasudha:’ since he bestows wealth, especially upon such seekers.
वसुदॊ धनदानाच्च धनायद्भ्यॊ विशॆषतः |
adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan
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