SrIvishNu sahasranAmam – 51 (Names 500 to 510)

SrI:  SrImathE SatakOpAya nama:  SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama:  SrImath varavaramunayE nama:

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501) SarIrabhUthabhruth (शरीरभूतभृत्)

bhagavAn bears all the elements (the 24 thathvas, as they are called) making up this entire creation. These elements are nothing but his body. Hence, he is called ‘SarIrabhUthabhruth’.

Beginning by saying “The sky, along with all the stars, became the head of that universal form”, the SAnthi parva of mahAbhAratha proceeds to say thus: “Verily the same bhagavAn took the form of hayagrIva, surrounded by various forms…”

With all these statements, it is shown that the 24 primary elements of creation – which are a part of bhagavAn’s body – are also borne by him.

Etymology: Since bhagavAn bears the twenty four elements of creation (starting with ‘mUla prakruthi’ or primordial nature and ending in ‘pruthvI’ or Earth), which are also a part of his body, he is called ‘SarIrabhUthabhruth’.

दॆहभूतं जगत्तत्त्वं प्रकृत्यादिधरान्तकम् |
शरीरभूतभृत् प्रॊक्तॊ बिभर्तीति दशाक्षरः ||

502) bhOkthA (भॊक्ता) (also repeated in 145)

The mahAbhAratha further hails thus: “That hayagrIva, whom you earlier hailed, is verily that vishNu who slept in the great ocean before creation. He (hayagrIva) is verily the consumer of havya हव्य (oblations to Devas) and kavya कव्य (oblations to pithrus or manes).”

Thus, he is called ‘bhOkthA’ – the enjoyer of all kinds of oblations.

Etymology: He who consumes the havya and kavya (oblations to dhEvas and pithrus respectively) is called ‘bhOkthA’.

हव्यं कव्यं च यॊ भुङ्क्तॆ स भॊक्ता परिकीर्तितः |

503) kapIndhra: (कपीन्द्रः)

The same bhagavAn who thus promotes one’s adherence to the scriptural injunctions (as explained previously) also showed himself as rAma long ago. With his unparalleled divine acts in his incarnation as a human, he led a pack of monkeys who were unique in nature and incarnations of dhEvas who had surrendered unto bhagavAn. Thus, he is called ‘kapIndhra:’ – the lord of monkeys.

The SrImath rAmAyaNa itself hails thus in the yudhdha kANda: “Verily the lord of all worlds that you are, you have been surrounded by all dhEvas, who have manifested themselves as these monkeys, for the welfare of all worlds”

Etymology: Since bhagavAn is the lord of all dhEvas, who – in the form of monkeys –surrendered unto him, he is popularly called as ‘kapIndhra:’.

कपिरूपप्रपन्नानां दॆवानामीश्वरत्त्वतः |
कपीन्द्र इति विख्यातॊ सप्तार्णॊ मनुनायकः ||

504) bhUridhakshiNa: (भूरिदक्षिणः)

The same bhagavAn rAma stood as an example to the rest of the world and conducted many sacrifices such as the aSvamEdha, with sumptuous donations and rewards. Hence, he is called ‘bhUridhakshiNa:’ – the one who rewards sumptuously.

Etymology: Being an example to the rest of the world, since rAma performed yajnas like aSvamEdha and others, and thereby gave away sumptuous rewards, he is called ‘bhUridhakshiNa:’.

हयमॆधादिभिर्यज्ञॆः जगदाचार्यकाय वै |
यजमानः स विज्ञॆयः सर्वदा भूरिदक्षिणः ||

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सॊमपॊsमृतपः सॊमः पुरुजित् पुरुसत्तमः ।
विनयॊ जयः सत्यसन्धॊ दाशार्हः सात्त्वतांपतिः ॥ ५४ ॥
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505) sOmapa: (सॊमपः)

In such yagyas, since rAma partook of classic ‘sOma rasa’, he is called ‘sOmapa:’ – the consumer of sOma.

Etymology: The one who partook of sOma rasa in the aSvamEdha is called ‘sOmapa:’.

हयमॆधॆ सॊमपीथी सॊमपः परिकीर्तितः |

506) amruthapa: (अमृतपः)

The scriptures declare thus: “Whatever oblations are given in the sacred fire are converted to nectar by agni and given to vishNu”.

bhagavAn also declares thus in the bhagavath gIthA: “I am only the one who consumes all the oblations in all yagyas. I am the lord of all yagyas”.

Thus, bhagavAn himself is the one who drinks the nectar derived out of the oblations in the yagyas (called ‘havis’ हविस्), and hence he is called ‘amruthapa:’ – the drinker of nectar.

Alternately, bhagavAn is the one who makes his dear devotees – who are ever contemplating on him – drink the nectar of his divine experience in the supreme abode SrIvaikuNtam. Thus also, he is called ‘amruthapa:’ – the one who makes his devotees drink nectar.

This is also supported by scriptural statements that hail thus:

  • “…in that abode, where the dhEvas (refers to nithyasUris in this case) partake of the nectar…”
  • “In that third abode, they glow with partaking of the nectar”
  • “bhagavAn is indeed the bridge connecting us with his nectarine divine abode”
  • “he, whose shadow is also nectarine…”, etc.

Etymology: The derivative of ‘havis’ or oblation is called ‘amrutham’ or nectar. Since bhagavAn drinks such nectar, he is called ‘amruthapa:’. Alternately, he who provides the liberated souls in the supreme abode of SrIvaikuNtam with the nectar of his own divine experience to drink in is called ‘amruthapa:’.

परिणामॊsस्य हविषां पीयूषमिति कथ्यतॆ |

तत्पानात् स्यादमृतपः परमॆ व्यॊम्नि वा स्थितः |
मुक्तॆभ्यॊ यः स्वानुभवं पातीत्यमृतपः स्मृतः ||

507) sOma: (सॊमः)

bhagavAn is nectarine not only for himself, but also for his devotees who are ever fixed in his divine experience. Thus, he is called ‘sOma:’ – the nectar.

In this context, the word ‘sOma’ itself represents nectar.

The scriptures reinforce this claim thus:

  • “sOma existed in the third world…”
  • “he, indeed, is like the divine nectar”
  • “Oh rAma, with great penance and noble actions, you have been begotten by dhaSaratha as his son, just like the dhEvas obtained the nectar”
  • “Just like the partaking of nectar is never satisfying, so also the sight of janArdhana is not satisfying (it makes the devotees want more of it always)”
  • “…that divine nectar, who is filled with peace”, etc.

Etymology: Since bhagavAn is nectarine for the liberated souls (much aloof from the lowly nectar gotten by the dhEvas), he is called ‘sOma:’.

सॊमः सुधायमानत्वात् मुक्तानां परिकीर्तितः |

508) purujith (पुरुजित्)

bhagavAn wins over every individual by showing various qualities. For instance, SrImath rAmAyaNa hails thus: “rAma wins over all worlds by his virtue of honesty. More so, he wins over the downtrodden people with his donations. He wins over his preceptors by serving them befittingly, and wins over all of his enemies with his bow”

Thus, since he wins over everyone, he is called ‘purujith’.

Etymology: The one who wins over a multitude of individuals like the general people in all worlds, the downtrodden, the preceptors and the enemies respectively by his virtues of honesty, donations, servitude and valor (with his bow) is called ‘purujith’.

लॊकान् दीनान् गुरून् शत्रून् बहून् सत्यॆन दानतः |
शुश्रूषया च धनुषा जितवान् पुरुजित् स्मृतः ||

509) purusaththama: (पुरुसत्तमः)

hanuman declares thus in SrImath rAmAyaNa:

“Oh lord, my highest love is ever fixed in yourself. Oh valiant one, my devotion towards you is steadfast, and my feelings would never move away from you. Oh valiant one, as long as rAmAyaNa exists in this world, my prANas or life forces shall stay in my body, and I shall enjoy listening to it every time”

As shown in these statements made by hanuman, it is clear that bhagavAn rAma resides in the hearts of his dearest devotees like hanuman and others, who long to drink in the nectarine ocean of his auspicious qualities. Thus, he is called ‘purusaththama:’.

Etymology: The word ‘puru:’ here refers to great people (devotees of bhagavAn). The one who resides in the hearts of such great people like hanuman and others is called ‘purusaththama:’.

पुरुः महान् महत्स्वस्तितमः हनुमदादिषु |
पुरुसत्तम आख्यातॊ नवार्णः स्वस्तिदॊ मनुः ||

510) vinaya: (विनयः)

mArIcha and other demons are also easily subdued by bhagavAn’s prowess. Thus, bhagavAn is called ‘vinaya:’ – the one who subdues.

Etymology: He with whose prowess the demons like kumbhakarNa, mahAkAya, khara, mArIcha and rAvaNA were subdued is called ‘vinaya:’.

कुम्भकर्ण-महाकाय-खर-मारीच-रावणाः |
दम्यन्तॆ विक्रमैर्यॆन विनयः स उदाहृतः ||

adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan

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