SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
911) SabdhAthiga: (शब्दातिगः)
bhagavAn’s glories cannot be hailed completely even by AdhiSEsha (or ‘anantha’) – who possesses infinite tongues or the vEdhas – which are thousands (of SAkhAs) in number, or even by saraswathi herself – who is popularly considered as the goddess of speech.
Thus, bhagavAn is called ‘SabdhAthiga:’ – the one whose glories are unbounded by speech.
Etymology: He, whose glories cannot be sung (easily or completely) by the vEdhas which has thousands of SAkhAs, or saraswathi who is considered as goddess of speech, or even by AdiSEsha who has thousands of heads (and so many tongues), is ‘SabdhAthiga:’.
अनन्तशाखैराम्नायैः वाग्दॆव्यानन्तभॊगिना |
वक्तुं ह्यशक्यॊ महिमा यस्य शब्दातिगॊsस्ति सः ||
912) Sabdhasaha: (शब्दसहः)
Thence the gajEndhra mOksha incident is hailed.
bhagavAn bears even the cry of distressed animals – whose words are nothing but unclear sounds – like a huge burden. Thus, he is called ‘Sabdhasaha:’.
This is as said in the vishNu dharma thus: “…remembering his devotion very well…”
Etymology: He, who bears the unclear sounds (calls of distress) of even the animals as a great burden, is called ‘Sabdhasaha:’. This eight lettered manthra is one of the best.
अतिभारमिवास्पष्टं तिरश्चां शब्दमार्जितम् |
सहतॆ यः शब्दसहः वस्वर्णॊ मनुरुत्तमः ||
913) SiSira: (शिशिरः)
Immediately after he heard the elephant’s call of distress, bhagavAn rushed to protect it. Thus, he is called ‘SiSira:’ – the swift one.
The root ‘SaSa’ (शश) is used to mean ‘running fast’. It gets the ‘rak’ (रक्) adjunct by grammatical rules.
The vishNu dharma hails thus: “Having heard the elephant’s distress call, the wielder of chakra and gadhA made his presence in the pond at that instant”.
[NOTE: It is notable that the commentator – SrI parASara bhattar – befittingly salutes this speed of bhagavAn in his sthOthra, where he says “bhagavatha: thvarAyai nama:”. In this SlOka, he shows how bhagavAn rushed to protect the elephant – not even waiting to accept the hand holding of vishvaksEnar, or the gem studded sandals that he usually gives, or even without waiting to ascend the garuda vAhanam, leaving the entire dwelling in utter commotion and setting everyone (including his consorts) thinking as to what happened]
Etymology: He who rushed in order to protect the elephant is called ‘SiSira:’.
गजॆन्द्रपालनार्थं यः शिशिरस्तरसा गतः |
914) SarvarIkara: (शर्वरीकरः)
The root ‘SruNAthi’ शृणाति (to cut into pieces) gets the ‘Svarach’ (श्वरच्) and ‘~jeesh’ (ञीष्) adjuncts, resulting in this divine name.
The word ‘SarvarI’ (शर्वरी), therefore, means the weapons that are violent / causing pain. It refers to the five divine weapons (Sankha, chakra, gadhA, khadga and dhanus) of bhagavAn slaying enemies with ease. Since he holds all these five weapons in his hands (kara: करः), he is called ‘SarvarIkara:’ – the one with the five deadly weapons in his hands.
Etymology: The word ‘SarvarI’ denotes violence (in the form of slaying enemies). The five deadly weapons which slay the oppressors are always present in the hands of bhagavAn. Hence, he is called ‘SarvarIkara:’.
उच्यतॆ शर्वरीशब्दात् हिंसा परविदारिणी |
पञ्चायुधी करॆ चास्यॆत्युदितः शर्वरीकरः ||
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अक्रूरः पॆशलॊ दक्षॊ दक्षिणः क्षमिणांवरः ।
विद्वत्तमॊ वीतभयः पुण्यश्रवणकीर्तनः ॥ ९८ ॥
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915) akrUra: (अक्रूरः)
Even though bhagavAn had all the needed weapons in his hand to deliver the elephant from its distress, he did not kill the crocodile at once either. Thus, he is called ‘akrUra:’ – the non-cruel one.
The root ‘kruth’ कृत् (to cut) gets the ‘rak’ (रक्) adjunct, and changes its form to ‘krU’ (क्रू), resulting in the word ‘krUra:’ (क्रूरः). That means the cruel one who desires to cut apart (the enemy into pieces).
The vishNu dharma says thus: “The lord of unfathomable compassion – madhusUdhana – uplifted both the elephant, which was caught by the crocodile, and the crocodile itself from the pond.”
Etymology: He, who deferred slaying the crocodile even while having all the weapons ready in his hand, is called ‘akrUra:’.
यॊsसौ धृतायुधैर्ग्राहम् अक्रूरॊ मङ्क्ष्वकृत्तवान् |
916) pESala: (पॆशलः)
When bhagavAn came running to protect gajEndhra – the elephant, all of his divine ornaments and robes were scattered and disordered in his rush. These disordered robes and ornaments themselves turned out to be great decoration for him, and he looked beautiful. Thus, he is called ‘pESala:’.
Etymology: He who looked beautiful even with disordered robes and ornaments – which were scattered in his great rush to protect gajEndhra – is called ‘pESala:’.
त्वरातिशयतः स्रस्तस्रग्भूषाम्बरसुन्दरः |
गजॆन्द्ररक्षासमयॆ यॊsसौ स्यात्पॆशलः स्मृतः ||
917) dhaksha: (दक्षः) (also seen in 424)
bhagavAn came running to protect the elephant when it called. Thus, he is called ‘dhaksha:’ – the diligent one.
Etymology: He is called ‘dhaksha:’, who came running (diligently) to protect the elephant.
दक्षॊ यॊ द्रुतमागन्ता रक्षणाय स उच्यतॆ |
918) dhakshiNa: (दक्षिणः)
Even after coming promptly thus, bhagavAn showed his greatness by saying “Down upon myself! I was so far away from you that I delayed in protecting you”. Speaking thus, bhagavAn pacified the distressed elephant gajEndhra, and spoke soothing words to him. Thus, he is called ‘dakshiNa:’ – the one who is most courteous or well mannered.
The word ‘dhaksha’ is used in the context of growing (beyond words, by his deeds). This gets the ‘inan’ (इनन्) adjunct by grammatical rules, resulting in this divine name.
This is shown in the vishNu dharma thus: “That loveable lotus eyes lord madhusUdhana, who is most affectionate towards the surrendered souls, spoke nectarine soothing words to the elephant”.
Etymology: He who was loveable to the elephant gajEndhra, who surrendered unto him, is called ‘dhakshiNa:’.
गजॆन्द्रस्य प्रपन्नस्य यः प्रियॊ दक्षिणस्तु सः |
919) kshamiNAmvara: (क्षमिणांवरः)
bhagavAn was pacified only after seeing the elephant (with the satisfaction of having come to protect him). Thus, he is called ‘kshamiNAmvara:’.
The vishNu dharma hails thus: “The lord of all dhEvas appeared there, and only then he was satisfied”
Etymology: bhagavAn is called ‘kshamiNAmvara:’ since he calmed down only after seeing gajEndhra – the elephant.
गजॆन्द्रदर्शनॆनासौ धृतात्मा क्षमिणांवरः |
920) vidhvaththama: (विद्वत्तमः)
bhagavAn was adept at treating the wounds of the elephant. Thus, he is called ‘vidhvaththama:’ – the skilled one.
This is as said in the vishNu dharma thus: “Having spoken soothing words thus, bhagavAn madhusUdhana touched the elephant with his hands…”, etc.
Etymology: The one who was skilled / adept at treating the wounds of the elephant is called ‘vidhvaththama:’.
गजॆन्द्रार्तिचिकित्सायां विद्वान् विद्वत्तमः स्मृतः |
adiyen srinivasa raja ramanuja dasan
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