SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
561) pushkarAksha: (पुष्कराक्षः) (also repeated in 40)
Since bhagavAn nurtures all of his dear devotees (who have taken refuge under the tree of supreme brahman, as stated in the previous divine name) by showering grace upon them through his glance, he is called ‘pushkarAksha:’ – the one with a nurturing glance.
The root ‘push’ (पुष्) means to nurture. It gets the ‘karan’ (करन्) adjunct per grammatical rules, resulting in this divine name.
Etymology: He who possesses eyes that nurture his devotees by showering his grace (with his glance) is called ‘pushkarAksha:’. The chanting of this eight syllable manthra enhances love towards other beings.
सतां प्रसादवर्षॆण पॊषकॆ यस्य चाक्षिणी |
पुष्कराक्षः स विज्ञॆयॊ ह्यष्टार्णॊ प्रीतिवर्धकः ||
562) mahAmanA: (महामनाः)
Since bhagavAn shows an extremely compassionate and broad mind towards his devotees, he is called ‘mahAmanA:’.
Etymology: He who possesses an unquantifiable, generous and an open mind (towards his devotees) is called ‘mahAmanA:’.
अगाधॊदारविस्तारं मनॊ यस्य महामनाः |
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भगवान् भगहा नन्दी वनमाली हलायुधः ।
आदित्यॊ ज्यॊतिरादित्यः सहिष्णुर्गतिसत्तमः ॥ ६० ॥
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563) bhagavAn (भगवान्)
As seen till now, since bhagavAn is devoid of all blemishes and possesses abundance of all auspicious qualities, and since he is thus the most revered one, he is called ‘bhagavAn’.
Etymology: He who is most revered due to his being devoid of all blemishes and possessing all auspicious qualities is called ‘bhagavAn’.
सर्वहॆयप्रत्यनीक-कल्याणगुणवत्तया |
पूज्यात्पूज्यतमॊ यॊsसौ भगवानिति कथ्यतॆ ||
564) bhagahA (भगहा)
bhagavAn is also called ‘bhagahA’ for the same reason that he possesses auspicious qualities.
The word ‘bhaga’ (भगः) refers to six auspicious qualities namely mastership, power, capability to succeed, wealth, knowledge and detachment. bhagavAn possesses all these qualities. The word ‘hanthi’ (हन्ति) in this divine name is used in the context of ‘movement’ (गमनकर्मा).
Alternately, the six qualities denoting the word ‘bhaga’ can also be known from the sixth amSa of vishNu purANa, where the word ‘bhagavAn’ is defined in great detail.
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘bhagahA’ since he possesses all the auspicious qualities that are denoted by the word ‘bhaga’. This six lettered manthra confers happiness upon the chanter.
भगशब्द्यान् स कल्याणगुणान् हन्ति तु गच्छति |
इत्यसौ भगहा प्रॊक्तः षडर्णः सुखदायकः ||
565) nandhI (नन्दी)
Having taken the form of sankarshaNa in among the vyUha forms, bhagavAn accepted nandhagOpa as his father in his incarnation as balarAma. Thus, he is called ‘nandhI’ – the son of nandha.
He is also called nandhI since he found happiness in enjoying nectar and the cowherd womenfolk.
Etymology: The one (balarAma) who had nandhagOpa as his father is called ‘nandhI’. Alternately, the one who was always full of joy is called ‘nandhI’.
नन्दगॊपॆन पितृमान् नन्द्यान्दीति वा तथा |
566) vanamAlee (वनमाली)
Furthermore, bhagavAn always wears the fragrant vaijayanthi garland (वैजयन्तीमाला) – also called ‘vanamAlA’ (वनमाला), which is the ‘abhimanini dhEvathA’ of the five subtle elements that he creates. Thus, he is called ‘vanamAlee’ – the one who adorns the vanamAlA.
Etymology: bhagavAn is always associated with the vaijayanthi garland or vanamAlA, which is the essence of the five subtle elements created by him; hence he is called ‘vanamAlee’. This eight syllable manthra confers ornaments upon the chanter.
स्वसृज्यभूतसूक्ष्माणां मालया नित्ययॊगतः |
वनमाली समाख्यातॊ ह्यष्टार्णॊ भूषणप्रदः ||
567) halAyudha: (हलायुधः)
bhagavAn is also the farmer who holds a plough in order to grow the sentient and insentient entities in abundance. Hence, he is called ‘halAyudha:’.
The vishNu dharma also hails bhagavAn’s holding of plough thus: “In order to reap abundant harvests, one must meditate upon balarAma at the time of plowing the fields”.
Etymology: He who holds a plough at all times, in order to reap abundant harvests (of sentient and insentient entities), is called ‘halAyudha:’.
हलं च सततं सीरं धत्तॆ यॊsसौ हलायुधः |
सीरकार्यसमृद्ध्यर्थॆ वस्वर्णॊ मन्त्रनायकः ||
568) Adhithya: (आदित्यः) (also repeated in 39)
The syllable ‘A’ (आ) represents bhagavAn. Since he is attained (itya: इत्यः) through the syllable ‘A’ (Atha: आतः), he is called ‘Adhithya:’ (आतः इत्यः प्राप्यः इत्यादियः). This divine name is born out of the ‘kyap’ (क्यप्) adjunct.
It is a well known fact that the syllable ‘A’ (आ) is the bIja manthra of bhagavAn sankarshaNa.
Alternately, bhagavAn was born to dhEvaki, who was in turn born as ‘adhithi’ in her previous birth. Thus also he is called ‘Adhithya:’ – the son of adhithi.
This is supported in the vaishNava dharma, where bhagavAn himself declares thus: “Oh dhEvaki, you were indeed the daughter of dhaksha prajApathi in your earlier birth. You were then born as adhithi in this world. You have always been a support to this world. Thus, I have come to grace you”
Etymology: He who is attained by the syllable ‘A’ is hailed as ‘Adhithya:’. Alternately, the one who is born as the son of dhEvaki, who in turn was ‘adhithi’ in her previous birth, is called ‘Adhithya:’.
आवर्णादॆव यः प्राप्यः स आदित्यः प्रकीर्तितः |
अदितिर्दॆवकी तस्याः वाsदित्यॊsपत्यभावतः ||
569) jyOthirAdhithya: (ज्यॊतिरादित्यः)
Then on, the speaker elaborates on ‘nArAyaNa’ in the forthcoming names. bhagavAn nArAyaNa is characterized by unsurpassed divine and astounding effulgence, and hence he is called ‘jyOthirAdhithya:’. The effulgent sun ‘Adhithya:’ (आदित्यः) that we see with our eyes is popularly known. But nArAyaNa nullifies this sun’s effulgence with his own effulgence, as much as to say that “the sun is just a ball of darkness”!
In the nArAyaNIyam (SrI mahAbhAratha), this is hailed thus: “While nara and nArAyaNa fought with Siva, all those who possessed effulgence lost their effulgence. Even brahmA fell from his position”
Etymology: He who shines forth with astounding effulgence that dulls all other entities is indeed called ‘jyOthirAdhithya:’. This nine lettered manthra confers knowledge upon the contemplators.
समस्ततॆजॊहरणज्यॊतिषा दीप्यतॆ च यः |
स वै स्याज्ज्यॊतिरादित्यॊ नवार्णॊ ज्ञानदायकः ||
570) sahishNu: (सहिष्णुः) (also repeated in 146)
In the fight between Siva and nArAyaNa (illustrated in the previous divine name from nArAyaNIyam), since bhagavAn patiently tolerated Siva’s faults, he is called ‘sahishNu:’.
In the same context, it is said further in nArAyaNIyam thus: “At the end, Siva pleased nArAyaNa – the supreme godhead and the master of all, the sole refuge for all souls, the one who removes sins and grants the wishes of his devotees – by singing his praise. Immediately, the granter of boons – nArAyaNa – controlled his anger and became pleased with rudhra, and joined him”
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘sahishNu:’ since he tolerated the faults of brahmA and other dhEvas.
ब्रह्मादिमन्तुसहनात् सहिष्णुरिति कथ्यतॆ |
adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan
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