SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
751) achala: (अचलः)
bhagavAn was invincible to all wicked people such as dhuryOdhana and all his men. Thus, he is called ‘achala:’.
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘achala:’ since he was invincible to dhuryOdhana and other bad elements.
दुर्यॊधनाद्यभॆद्यत्वात् अचलः परिकीर्तितः |
752) chala: (चलः)
In order to help the pANdavas and others who had surrendered unto him, bhagavAn allowed himself to slip from his promises. Hence, he is called ‘chala:’ – the fickle one, or the one who went back on his promise!
bhagavAn had vowed not to touch any weapon during the mahAbhAratha war. But later he took up the chakrAyudha or his divine discus in order to slay bhIshma.
(NOTE: bhagavAn had vowed not to touch any weapon. But bhIshma had vowed that he would make bhagavAn take up his divine weapon. During the war, arjuna was brutally attacked by bhIshma. In order to save arjuna and other pANdavas including dhraupadhi for their act of surrender, and in order to save his dear devotee bhIshma’s vow, bhagavAn went back on his own vow and took up his divine weapon – the chakrAyudha – not caring the least bit for his own credence of keeping up promises!)
This unique feat of bhagavAn is hailed in various scriptures in many ways. Some of them are as below:
- “At that moment when krishNa got angry and took up the chakra in his hands shouting loudly, all the creatures immediately started screaming with the fear of extinction of the entire kuru clan.”
- “That vAsudheva – holding the chakra – jumped from his chariot. It was as though he was rushing to clear all the worlds of all creatures. At that moment, he looked like a fierce comet that was about to extinguish all life forms from the face of all worlds”
Etymology: In order to save the pANdavas and others (who are his dear devotees), bhagavAn is ready even to go back on his own vows. Hence, he is called ‘chala:’.
सत्यादॆः पाण्डवार्थॆ स चलतीति चलः स्मृतः |
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अमानी मानदॊ मान्यॊ लॊकस्वामी त्रिलॊकधृत् ।
सुमॆधा मॆधजॊ धन्यः सत्यमॆधा धराधरः ॥ ८० ॥
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753) amAnI (अमानी)
bhagavAn never shows his ego before his devotees. Thus he is called ‘amAnI’ – the humble one. That is why he readily walked as a messenger of pANdavas to the court of dhritharAshtra, without the least bit of hesitation
(NOTE: walking as a messenger with a palm leaf tied in the neck while everyone else is witnessing was considered as a very lowly job. Yet, bhagavAn enjoys his identity as the messenger of pANdavas rather than being identified as the supreme master. He has a huge temple built in kAnchipuram, where he is worshipped as ‘pANdavadhUtha’)
Etymology: He who never shows his ego before his devotees is called ‘amAnI’.
अमानी यॊsनहङ्कारी भक्तॆष्वॆव स ईरितः |
754) mAnadha: (मानदः)
bhagavAn bestowed the respectful positions to his dear ones, such as mastership of chariot (rathithva रथित्व) to arjuna and rule of a kingdom (AdhirAjya आधिराज्य) to ugrasEna and yudhishtira, et al. Thus, he is called ‘mAnadha:’.
Etymology: He is called ‘mAnadha:’, who re-established the lost respect and kingdom upon his dear ones such as arjuna and others.
स मानदॊsर्जुनादिभ्यॊ मानं राज्यं च दत्तवान् |
755) mAnya: (मान्यः)
In all these ways, bhagavAn shows his happiness in being subservient to his dear devotees (by being their messenger, charioteer, et al). He considers such subservience itself as a great respect to himself. Thus, he is called ‘mAnya:’.
The scriptures say thus: “None of the kauravas can escape the anger of that charioteer of pANdavas today” (the scriptures here identify krishNa as a charioteer rather than the supreme self)
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘mAnya:’, since he shows his belongingness to his devotees at all times (by being subservient to them) and takes that itself as their greatest respect.
मान्यस्तदीयत्वॆन स्यात् संमन्तव्यः सदॆति सः |
756) lOkasvAmI (लॊकस्वामी)
Who is that who does such wondrous deeds and acts so fascinatingly? It is bhagavAn – who is the master of all worlds. Thus, he is called ‘lOkasvAmI’. This means that he does not give up his identity or his nature of being the supreme lord of all worlds although he stoops down to our level in his incarnations.
Etymology: Since all the worlds are his property, bhagavAn is called ‘lOkasvAmI’.
लॊकस्सर्वस्स्वमस्यॆति लॊकस्वामीति कथ्यतॆ |
757) thrilOkadhruth (त्रिलॊकधृत्)
How does such a supreme soul mix with lowly souls? It is because he is ‘thrilOkadhruth’. This divine name means that, no matter what, bhagavAn is the one who bears the entire creation, nurtures them and thus takes up the entire responsibility of all souls in all the worlds.
bhagavAn says thus in the bhagavath gIthA: “I stand bearing all of this creation”.
Etymology: Since bhagavAn bears all three worlds, he is called ‘thrilOkadhruth’.
लॊकत्रयस्य धरणात् स त्रिलॊकधृदीरितः |
758) sumEdhA: (सुमॆधाः)
bhagavAn has a very favourable mind towards all those who worship him. Thus, he is called ‘sumEdhA:’.
The word ‘mEdha’ gets the asich (असिच्) adjunct, resulting in the word ‘mEdhA’.
Etymology: He whose thoughts (mind) are auspicious is called ‘sumEdhA:’.
बुद्धिः सुशॊभना यस्य सुमॆधाः परिकीर्तितः |
759) mEdhaja: (मॆधजः)
bhagavAn was born as krishNa in one such worship (mEdhas मॆधस्) which was carried out by dhEvaki for begetting bhagavAn as her child. Thus, he is called ‘mEdhaja:’.
bhagavAn himself says thus to dhEvaki, immediately after he is born to dhEvaki.
“Oh dhEvaki, just as you had requested me, I have now born as your son. Your prayers are now fulfilled”
The same incident is recorded in the vishNu dharma thus: “Oh dhEvaki, your acts of worship stand fulfilled today, for I am pleased by your worship. I am now born as your son”
Etymology: He, who has had a birth in effect of dhEvaki’s worship for begetting a son, is called ‘mEdhaja:’. This seven lettered manthra grants progeny to the chanter.
दॆवकीकृत-पुत्रीयव्रतयज्ञॆ च यस्य वै |
जनिस्तु मॆधजः स स्यात् सप्तार्णः पुत्रदायकः ||
760) dhanya: (धन्यः)
bhagavAn treats such birth unto his dear devotees itself as a great fortune. Thus, he is called ‘dhanya:’ – the fortunate one.
The word ‘dhana’ धनः (wealth) gets the ‘yath’ (यत्) adjunct, resulting in this divine name. This means he is the one who possesses such wealth.
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘dhanya:’ since he treated his birth in dhEvaki’s womb itself as a great fortune.
धन्यस्तु दॆवकीजन्मधनलाभादयं स्मृतः |
adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan
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