MantraOnNet.com: Vishnu Sahasranaama

901. Svasti-dah ? “One Who gives Svasti
to all His sincere devotees.” A true devotee is one who has
discovered his fulfillment in seeking and gaining the Infinite
Bliss that is Sree Hari. Naturally, he comes to turn away from
the realms of inauspiciousness. To the extent he is able to move
into the Han-Consciousness, he is to that degree in the Bliss-
Experience. Therefore, the Lord is termed as the ‘Giver-of-
Auspiciousness.’

902. Svasti-krit ? As in many earlier
terms which were preceded by the suffix ‘Krit,’ here also, it
expands into two meanings: “One Who brings Auspiciousness”
?or “One who robs all Auspiciousness.” To the seeker who
is moving towards the Narayana-Consciousness, his experience
is of added joy and peace in life, but the one who seeks only
sense-gratification and so moves away from the Reality, to
him the experience is more and more sorrow, agitations, tears
and tragedies?total inauspiciousness. The indeclinable (A vyaya)
Sanskrit word Svasti’ means Auspiciousness.

903. Svasti ? “0ne Who is the Source of all
Auspiciousness”?as He is Himself the Auspicious. In essence
His Nature is Sat-Chit-Aananda so there can be no cause for
inauspiciousness therein. The individual functions within the powers of His avidyaa and so is under the infatuation of Maayaa,
while the Lord rules and plays out through Maayaa.

904. Svasti-bhuk – “0ne Who constantly
lives in His Experience a perpetual sense of holy Auspiciousness” – as it is His very nature-divine. It can also be interpreted as “One Who showers Grace and makes His devotees constantly experience Auspiciousness in their loving Narayana-centred hearts.”

905. Svasti-dakshinah – Lord is ever
engaged in smartly distributing Auspiciousness. The word
‘Dakshinaa’ has, apart from the meaning of ‘gift,’ also a meaning: “One Who is efficient and quick.” Therefore, the term
indicates that Sree Narayana quickly and efficiently will reach
His sincere seekers to give them the experience of Auspicious-
ness which is the Lord’s very nature.

906. Araudrah – “One Who has none of the
negative terrible urges and emotions.” The State of Perfection
is a condition where the frailties of the mortal heart can never
remain. The Lord is One in Whom the cruelties which rule
the man of the world-likes, dislikes, hatred ness, jealousy and
his other imperfections-can never abide or even be contained.

907. Kundalee – “One Who wears the famous
ear-ring called the Makara-Kundala.” The term Kundalee
also signifies the ‘Serpent’-hence the Kundalinee-Sakti-the
‘Serpent-Power’-the coiled mystic-glory lying now inert,
uninvoked at the base of the back-bone in the deep pelvic
region. Here the ‘Serpent’ may be taken as the thousand-
tongued Ananta on whom Sree Narayana is described as ever
reclining in His Yoga-rest.

In all religions, ‘Serpent,’ it seems, symbolises the ‘mind.’
In Hinduism it is true. Whether it is in Krishna’s dance on the
Kaaliya-Serpent, or Shiva wearing as ornaments the Serpents

(Bhooshana), or Sree Hari resting upon Ananta-the idea is
always the conquest of the mind, the poisonous serpent.

908. Chakree – “He Who wears ever His Discus
called Su-Darsana (Auspicious Vision).” The Lord destroys
with the Discus only the foul and the low in us and the individual naturally gains the Experience Divine, the Self.

909. Vikramee – “He Who is more daring
than all others.” The term is also interpreted: “One Who
travels by air,” as ‘VT means Bird. Famous is the allegory
that Lord Vishnu travels on the back of the white-necked
Eagle.

910. Oorjita-saasanah – “One Who
commands and administers with His Hand.” His commands in
the scriptures advise us firmly what is right to do and what are
the destructive forces in each one of us. In case man decides
to disobey His Laws, He severely punishes him on all such
occasions. Disobedience of Laws is immediately followed by
His loving curative punishment. It permits no exceptions;
accepts no excuses; admits no circumstantial conditions.

911. Sabdaatigah – “He Who transcends
all words”-One Who is Indescribable. The Vedas themselves
are but indications ‘pointing to Truth’ and are not explaining,
describing or even defining Truth. The Infinite and the Eternal
Truth is beyond even the Vedas, beyond all that can be gained
through even the highest faculties of the finite equipments
(mind and intellect).

912. Sabda-sahah – “0ne Who allows Him-
self to be invoked by the Vedic declarations.” If, however,
the Upanishadic declarations are properly reflected and sincerely
meditated upon, even though the Vedas have failed to define
Truth, their contemplative implications can transport us into
the realms of the Infinite Experience-Divine.

913. Sisirah – The term means winter, the
cold season. In India it is the cool season. Therefore, by suggestion, this name indicates that the Lord is the ‘cool arbour’
for those who are tortured by the heat of Samsar.

914. Sarvaree-karah – The word Sarvaree
means ‘night’ or ‘darkness’; therefore, the term defines the
Lord as “One Who creates darkness.” To the men of realisa
tion, our world of sorrows and pains, of strains and stress,
of worries and anxieties is unknown-while to those who live
in their ego-sense, to them the Real is unknown. The un-
known means ‘veiled in darkness.’ The subtle meaning is clear
now.

915. Akroorah – “Never-cruel.” Cruelty comes
from anger, and anger rises from ‘desire’-craving or lust.
Sree Narayana, the Fulfilled and the All-Full, cannot have
‘desire’ from which could come anger-thus, naturally, never
any cruelty. Generally this term is interpreted as “One Who is
of the form of, the Yaadava, Sree Akroora.” Akroora was a
great devotee of the Lord upon whom were bestowed many
divine powers. “Wherever, there is any special glory in anyone,
know that to be a manifestation of a part of my splendour,”
sings Lord in Bhagavad-Gita. Thus the term is interpreted
as the Lord Whose one ray of glory was the Kamsa – employee,
the Yaadava-Akroora.

916. Pesalah – “One Who is supremely soft.”
In His Infinite Kindness and Mercy, His Heart-divine is ever
flowing out in love and tenderness towards His devotees when
they call out for help ardently and lift themselves from their
body-consciousness and ego-centric life of sense-pursuits.

917. Dakshah – This term stands for the quality
of ‘promptitude.’ In army training, the Sanskrit command
Daksha is equal to “attention alertness, vigilance and utter
preparedness to act immediately with supreme urgency.” All
these are implied in that pose of “Attention.” The Lord is
”Daksha’ in serving the world and in rushing to His sincere
devotees. Omnipotent and divinely Efficient in His Infinite
Smartness to reach and help all, at all times, everywhere, under
every circumstance is echoed in the charming suggestions of this
chosen term in the Sahasranaama of Sree Narayana, the Self
in All.

918. Dakshinah – “One Who is most liberal.”
The term ‘Dakshina’ is popularly used for the ‘gift’ presented
to the priests after a ritual as their fee. This giving must be
done in a spirit of large-hearted, liberal charity-so that very
large-heartedness of mind (Daakshinya) itself is the Lord,
as it is the opposite of selfishness and attachment to the wealth
which one possesses. “One Who has Infinite Kindness and
Charity towards all good people and One Who is thus ever-
ready to liberally give away His endless Benevolence” is Sree
Narayana, the Dakshina.

919. Kshaminaam-varah – “One Who has
the greatest amount of patience with the sinners and for-
giveness for their sins.” Sree Narayana is more patient than
even the Earth which is generally pointed to as an example of
highest patience (Kshamaa). He exhibits supreme patience with
the evil-minded, with the tyrant, the foul and the fiendish.
Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and others of this type
were given many fair opportunities to realise for themselves
the folly of their baser attitudes to existing things and their
immoral ways of life. It is only when no other method of treatment could cure them that the Lord destroyed them in His infinite kindness.

920. Vidvat-tamah – “One Who has the
greatest Wisdom.” There are wise men in the world-each
one also may be a master in his own subject. The Lord, the
very Consciousness illumining all bosoms simultaneously
everywhere, is the One Knowledge Absolute, the Knower of
all knowledge of all wise men. Omniscient-Infinite Truth
is Sree Narayana as He is Pure Knowledge by the Light of
which all ‘Knowledge’ is known.

921. Veeta-bhayah – “0ne Who has lost
all fears.” Fear can come only from the sense of ‘other.’ In
Advaita Reality, there cannot be any fear as He is the “One-
without-a-second.” The state of Narayana-Consciousness is
declared in all scriptures to be ‘Abhayd’-the Fearless State.

922. Punya-sravana-keertanah – One -Whose Glory when ‘heard’ (sravana) and ‘sung’ (keertana)
-causes merits (punya) to grow in the bosom of that devotee.
This statement of fact is never investigated deeply by students
so they generally understand its superficial and obvious meaning only.

By ‘hearing’ – with attention-to the stories of the Lord-
we must get ourselves involved in the ”listening’ and thereafter
we must reflect upon the glories of the Lord (Bhagavat Guna)
and thus expose ourselves to those recreative thoughts. Not
only is it sufficient thus that we imbibe the qualities spiritual,
but we must learn to get ourselves committed to the life of God-
centred activities. This is called true keertana-singing His
Glories. It is not to be a mere noisy chanting of hymns, a mere
muttering of mantras; we must teach ourselves to allow Him
to express through us. Our physical activities, mental feelings
and intellectual thoughts must all shine forth the awareness
of His Divine Presence that is in us at every moment, every-
where. The life of such a devotee will itself become, in its dyna-
mic beauty, love and devoted tenderness, a constant worship
(poojaa), a continuous (akhanda) hymn chanted (keertana) in
praise of the Lord-of-the-heart.

923. Uttaaranah – “One Who lifts us out
of the ocean-of-change.” We, by identifying through our body-
mind-intellect, with the changing whirls of matter around us,
assume to ourselves the changes and these provide us, in their
totality, the horrible sorrow of the mortal finitude. On lifting
our attention from the giddy changes in these whirls of finite
matter, when we fix it upon Him, the one Consciousness that
illumines all changes in all living creatures, we get uplifted into
a state of Immortality-Changeless, Blissful, Supremely
Satisfying. Hence, Sree Narayana is called as the ‘Up-lifter,’
the ‘Saviour.’

The ‘Taara-mantra’ lifts us from the cesspool of sense
living into the serener climes of the lit-up peaks of peace and
perfection.

924. Dushkritihaa – ‘Kriti’ means actions;
‘Dush-kritr means bad actions. When actions are undertaken,
prompted by sensuous desires, they leave impressions
and these always have a tendency to make us repeat similar
actions. When one turns the mind towards Narayana the Self,
he is emptied of his existing vaasanaas, so Lord is indicated
as the ‘destroyer (Haa) of the sins.’

925. Punyah – “Supremely Pure.” One Who
purifies the heart of His devotee-removing all his sense hunting
vaasanaas of indulgence. Sree Narayana guides the pure-hearted
to the portals of the final goal, the Higher Consciousness.

926. Duh-svapna-naasanah – “One Who
destroys all ‘bad dreams’.” The worst dream is the samsar.
Perception of plurality is the horrible dream of terrible pangs,
consuming fears and drowning sorrows. Dreams are explosions
of the suppressions stored away in the subconscious. A real
devotee exists in utter surrender unto the Lord. When his life
is ever-centred in Narayana-smarana, in such total and humble
dedication he has no chance of earning these suppressions.
Since his sub-conscious mind is not loaded with half-digested
thoughts and unexpressed intentions, repressed desires and
suppressed motives, immoral passions and covetous inclinations, he has no fearful dreams in his daily sleep. Ultimately
each seeker will rise above his little ego and its hungers and
enter into the plane of – Consciousness.

927. Veerahaa – “One Who ends the passage
from womb-to-womb-the wheel of birth and death.” Veera
means diversified ways, or one who functions in innumerable
fields in countless ways.

928. Rakshanah – “0ne Who is the Protector
of the Universe.” Among the Trinity, Vishnu is the Protector,
the Sustainer of all the created. “For the protection of the
good, the destruction of the wicked and the establishment of
righteousness, He takes different Incarnations.”

929. Santah – This term, used in the plural
number, indicates “the good people.” They are considered
as “good” who have moral virtues, ethical values, spiritual
purity and scriptural knowledge. By using the plural form here,
the import is that the holy beauty of Sree Narayana is found
expressed in the glory of such a company of good and saintly
men.

930. Jeevanah – “The Life-Spark in all living
creatures.” The Flame-of-Existence that warms an organism
to life is the presiding Consciousness Supreme, the Self. This
Self is Narayana. “Permeating the earth I support all beings by
(My) energy; and having become the juicy Moon I nourish all
herbs”-is the declaration of Bhagavan.

931. Paryavasthitah – In all places, in
all creatures, He dwells. He is the final Factor-Divine beyond
which there is nothing, and upon which all else depends.

932. Ananta-roopah – “One of Infinite
Forms.” The endless variety of forms constituting the world
of objects are all projections in Him. They are in their essence
nothing but Himself. Just as the entire spread-of-objects in a
dream is nothing but the creation of one single mind of the
waker, and it is seen as many only in the dream-plane-of-
Consciousness, so, too, the world of objects-emotions-and-
thoughts are all discovered as the One Self when the spiritual
seeker re-awakens himself to the Consciousness.

933. Anantasreeh – “0ne Who is full of
Infinite Glories,” or, “One Who is full of Incomparable
Powers.” The main three ‘powers’ which the Lord expresses
in the world are the ‘Desire-power’ (Icchaa-sakti), ‘Action-
power’ (Kriyaa-sakti) and ‘Knowledge-power’ (Jnaana-sakti).
These are expressions of His Glory at our physical, mental and
intellectual levels. These three manifestations of His ‘powers’
and their continuous interplay, together weave the fabric of
the total dynamic expressions of life in the world. The Self,
Sree Narayana, the one spring-board for all these vibrant
aspects of life-He, The Omniscient, is called “One of Infinite
Forms.”

934. Jitamanyuh – “One Who has conquered anger” (manyuh). It cannot be repeated too often, thus
the significance is again given in this term, that anger is one of
the most overpowering enemies within us-“One Who has
conquered anger” is One Who is established in His own Purity.
Earlier, the technique of anger was explained that when
a desire is unfulfilled, anger rises in a man’s heart towards
the obstacle between him and his desire. The Self is All-full
(Paripoorna); It cannot feel any need, want or desire. The Self,
then, Sree Narayana, is ever without the low and ruinous
passion called ‘anger.’

935. Bhayaapahah – “One Who destroys or
removes all fears in samsaric life.” Naturally, Lord Narayana
is the one sure harbour wherein the boats of life, tossed mercilessly on the high-seas of passions, can find their calm of
peace and total security.

936. Chaturasrah – ‘One Who deals squarely
with all.” The term Chaturasrah means a geometrical square
of equal sides. Sree Narayana distributes the results of actions
equally to all: each one can get only the exact reward of his
own previous actions. Thus, Narayana bestows justly and
squarely upon all.

937. Gabheeraatmaa – “One Who, in His
Real Nature, is too deep to be fathomed by the frail instrument of our mind.” Depth here indicates profoundness-the
Supreme Essence pervading the Universe is unfathomably
profound in Its significance and glory.

938. Vidisah – “0ne Who is unique in His
giving.” He is divinely liberal, magnificently benevolent in
fulfilling the earnest desires of all His true devotees.

939. Vyaadisah – “One Who is unique in
His Commanding-Power.” One Who orders even the phenomenal powers, the deities and gods.

940. Disah – “One Who advises and gives
knowledge.” It is the Self Who is the Author of the Vedas,
nay, the very theme and essence of the Vedas. Lord Narayana,
in the form of the Sruti-texts, gives to man the knowledge of
the Self.

941. Anaadih – “0ne Who is the First – and Who is Himself the Uncaused. The Eternal, the beginning-less is Sree Narayana.

942. Bhoorbhuvah – “The very substratum or support for the Earth.” Since Earth revolves in Space we can say that He Who is both Earth and the Space in
Universe exists and revolves is the Supreme, Narayan.

943. Lakshmeeh – “0ne Who is the wealth, the
richness or glory of the Universe.” If Self were not, then all
would have been inert, unborn, dead. As the One Life every
where, as Pure Existence, all the glories of this dynamic
Universe are in Him and from Him alone.

There is a reading wherein the terms 942 and 943 are
coupled, in which case their combined meaning would be:
“One Who is the glory in the Universe and in the interspace
everywhere.”

944. Suveerah – “One Who moves through
various ways which are all divinely glorious.” Or, One Who
exhibits in all His Incarnations the inimitable splendour of
valour in His actions and achievements.

945. Ruchiraangadah – “One Who wears
resplendent shoulder-caps”-a kind of ornament used by
ancient Indian kings to protect their upper arms and shoulders
from their enemies’ slashing swords.

946. Jananah – “He Who delivers all living
creatures.” Lord Sree Narayana is the great Father of all living
beings as all the universe comes from Him alone. He alone
was before all creation; from Him alone everything has risen;
in Him everything exists, is nurtured and nourished by His
Glory. Thus, as the very progenitor of the universe, Sree
Narayana, the Self, is the only Jagat-Eesvara (Lord of the Universe).

947. Janajanmaadih – “One Who is the
sole Cause of birth for all living creatures in the Universe.”
The immediate cause is, of course, the vaasanaas of each being,
but the real and ultimate Cause is the Self, Sree Narayana.

948. Bheemah – “One Whose form is terrible
and frightening to the sinners.” “Oh, Glorious Sir, seeing your
wonderful but awesome form, the whole world is shuddering
with fear,” cried Arjuna upon beholding the Cosmic Form of
the Lord. He adds: “Having seen Thy Immeasurable Form . . .
the worlds are terrified, and so am I.” Again, “On seeing Thee
touching the sky . . . my heart is stricken with dread and I find
no courage nor peace, 0 Vishnu.”

949. Bheemaparaakramah – “One Whose prowess is irresistible and fearful to His enemies.”

950. Aadhaaranlayah – “One who is the fundamental sustainer” – The support for all that exists. All things and all beings are supported by the Earth which itself rests upon the Lord, its substratum. It is upon the Lord, the Self, that each mind projects the entire world of names and forms.