466. svApanah
467. sva-vaSah
468. vyApI
469. naikAtmA
470. naika-karma-kRt
471. vatsarah
472. vatsalah
473. vatsI
474. ratna-garbhah
475. dhaneSvarah
om svApanAya namahom sva-vasAya namahom vyApine namahom naikAtmane namahom naika-karma-kRte namahom vatsarAya namahom vatsalAya namahom vatsine namahom ratna-garbhAya namahom dhaneSvarAya namah
He who lulls people into sleep.om svApanAya namah.SrI BhaTTar's vyAkhyAnam is that bhagavAn in His mohini incarnation lulledinto sleep the asura-s who had not been put away as described in theprevious nAma, using His beautiful smile, sweet glances and the play of Hiseyebrows, and thus made them forget that He was distributing the nectar tothe deva-s exclusively.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha's anubhavam of this nAma is "svApayati nidrApayatipralayakAle sarvam prakRtAviti svApanah" - He puts everyone to sleep at thetime of pralaya. Even though He makes everyone sleep, He Himself is wideawake. This svApanatva guNa of bhagavAn is reflected again in everything Hecreates after the pralaya also. The Sun puts everyone to sleep when thenight comes, but the sun itself does not sleep.SrI rAdhAkRshNa Sastri refers to gItA 7.25 - "nAham prakASah sarvasyayoga-mAyA-samAvRtah, mUDho'yam nAbhijAnAti" - His paratva has beenconcealed to the non-devotee in bhagavAn's incarnations because He appearslike all of us in His body, appearance, and talk etc., and so they don'trecognize Him as paramAtmA. He who does not see what is in front of Him isas good as a person who is sleeping.The dharma cakram writer gives the analogy of the animal life vs. the humanlife. Humans are "awake" in the world of intelligent reasoning, in whichthe animals are "asleep", i.e., they are not capable of operating in thisdomain as well as humans can do. Similarly the ordinary human is asleep tothe world of the j~nAni. The path for the ordinary human to become awakein the world of the j~nAni is to chant the nArAyaNa mantra - "nalam tarumSollai nAn kaNDu koNDEn nArAyaNA ennum nAmam" is AzhvAr aruLic-ceyal. Thisis the lesson we should take from this nAma.
He who is under His own control.om sva-vaSAya namah.Continuing on his anubhavam of the mohini incarnation, SrI BhaTTar explainsthat after bhagavAn put the asura-s to sleep, He plays as He likes with thedeva-s, consistent with His absolute independence.The bhAvam here is that bhagavAn is not under the control of anyone oranything else, and He is only under His own control. He does not needanyone's help or support for whatever He does. Everything else is under Hiscontrol. He does His acts of creation etc. as He wishes. He does not alsohave any desire that is out of His reach (based on vaS - kAntau to wish, todesire - SrI satyadevo vAsishTha). BhagavAn is sva-vaSah because He haseverything that He desires within Himself, does not have any desire outsideof Him, and rejoices with His own Self.SrI Sa~nkara bhAshyam is that bhagavAn is Independent, being the cause ofcreation, preservation and withdrawal of the Universe - svatantrah.The dharma cakram writer points out that it is only when one does not haveany need that one can be totally independent. tiruvaLLUvar refers tobhagavAn as "vENDudal vENDAmai ilAn". ANDAL's words are "kuRaivu onRumillAda gOvindA". When we are under the control of our mind, we lose ourindependence, and do whatever our mind dictates. Then we become dependenton others. This nAma teaches us that we should learn to control our mindand get it under our control instead of being controlled by our mind.Meditating on this nAma of bhagavAn will give us this discipline. The morewe are able to devote ourselves to bhagavAn, the more our mind will getunder our control.
The Pervader.om vyApine namah.SrI BhaTTar-s vyAkhyAnam is that bhagavAn pervades everyone with His ownPower and gives energy to them. At the time of churning the Mik-Ocean, Hepervaded the deva-s, the asura-s, the mandAra mountain, vAsuki and others,and gave them the energy to churn the ocean. SrI v.v.rAmAnujan refers us tonammAzhvAr 1.1.10 - "paranda taN paravai uL nIr torum paranduLan....karandue~ngum paranduLan ivai uNDa karanE". (paravai here refers to an expanse ofwater - Ocean).SrI rAdhAkRshNa Sastri gives reference to the Sruti - avyaktAt-tu parahpurusho vyApakah ( muNDaka 2.3.8). SrI cinmayAnanda points out that inphilosophy pervasiveness indicates subtlety. BhagavAn is all-pervasive, andso is subtler than the subtlest. Since the cause pervades the effect (e.g.,gold pervades all gold ornaments), so also bhagavAn who pervades everythingis thus the Cause of everything.The dharma cakram writer observes that All-pervasiveness also implieslimitlessness, since whatever there is and wherever it is, BhagavAn pervadesit, and so there is no limit to Him. This limitless emperumAn just projectsHimself such that we see whatever little we see based on our limitations.Meditating on this nAma of bhagavAn will broaden our ability to see thisLimitless vyApI.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha gives several references from the Sruti - parItyabhUtAni parItya lokAn parItya sarvAh pradiSo diSaSca (yajur), pRshTo divipRshTo agnih pRthivyAm pRshTo viSvA oshadhIrAviveSa (Rg), yo agnau rudroyo apsv-antarya oshadhIr-vIrudha AviveSa (atharva); etc.
He of diverse forms.om naikAtmane namah.SrI BhaTTar's anubhavam is that bhagavAn assumed several forms at the timeof churning - as vishNu to help the gods and the asura-s to churn, as thetortoise to support the mandAra mountain, and as mohini to distribute thenectar.SrI rAdhAkRshNa SAstri reminds us of the similarity between this nAma andnAma 139 - caturAtmA. A more general interpretation is that bhagavAnexpresses Himself through all the forms of His creation. The dharma cakramwriter points out that the different forms of gods that the followers ofdifferent religions worship are all an expression of bhagavAn, and it isbecause of their ignorance of bhagavAn being a naikAtmA that they think theyare worshipping different deities and fighting within themselves.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha gives the root of the word AtmA as ata -sAtatyagamane - to go constantly, which nicely explains the nature of theAtmA. BhagavAn is everywhere in the form of the father, the mother, theson, the disciple, the teacher, the husband, the wife, the friend, etc.,since He is the antaryAmi in everything. SrI vAsishTha gives severalreferences to the Sruti in support of the interpretation of this nAma, amongwhich are the following - tadev-Agnis-tad-Adityas-tadu vAyus-tadu-candramAh| tadeva Sukram tad-brahma tA Apah sa prajApatih || (yajur. 32-1); tvam hinah pitA vaso tvam mAtA Satakrato babhUvitha (Rg 8.98.11)
He who performs diverse acts.om naika-karma-kRte namah.SrI BhaTTar explains the nAma by giving the example of His churning theocean, supporting the mountain, overcoming the enemies, distributing thenectar, etc. SrI v.v.v rAmAnujan gives the quotes from nammAzhvAr - kUDinIraik-kaDaindavArum amudam dEvar uNNa asurargaLai vIDum vaNNa~ngaL SeidupOna vittagamum (tiruvAimozhi 5.10.10), and from tirumaZhiSai AzhvAr - malaiAmai mEl vaittu vASugiyaic-cuRRi talai Amai tAn oru kai paRRi alaiyAmalpIrak-kaDainda perumAn (nAnmugan 49). SrI Sa~nkara points to diverseactions such as creation, sustenance, etc. as a way of interpreting thisnAma. SrI rAdhAkRshNa Sastri points to His actions in the form of candra,sUrya, agni, etc. and helping to serve us.The dharma cakram writer gives a view which summarizes all the above bypointing out that everything that ever takes place is His action and nothingelse. Examples of this abound. We are instruments in His creation, but weare not creators. From one mango tree, only another mango tree can come,and we can't create something else from a mango seed. We are theinstruments and He is the kartA. If we have this realization, the benefits(karma phalam) of none of the actions for which we are the instruments willaccrue to us.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha continues his interpretation based on his previousinterpretation of naikAtmA. BhagavAn who is in many forms (father, mother,son...), performs many actions in the form of the father, mother, son, etc.
a) He who lives within all beings.b) He in whom everything resides.c) He who is the Infinite Time.d) He who restored the calves to the gopa-s.om vatsarAya namah.a) The word is derived from the root vas - to dwell. BhagavAn resides inall beings as a way of administering His dharma - for bestowing fruits in ajust way for the acts of all. He also lives as anrtaryAmi in everyone inorder to guide them towards the path of dharma according to their merits andqualifications. SrI BhaTTar refers us to the following mantra aboutbhagavAn which brings out this point - sarvAntaScAriNe dharmAtmane - UntoHim Who is the embodiment of dharma and Who lives in all beings. SrI v.v.rAmAnujan gives reference to toNDaraDippoDi AzhvAr in tirumAlai - uLLuvAruLLiRRellAm uDanirundu aRidi enRu (34).b) SrI Sa~nkara bhAshyam is 'vasati atra akhilam iti vatsarah' - He in whomeverything resides - The Abode of All.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha gives several references to the Sruti-s illustratingthe vyAkhyAna-s above. ISAvAsyamidam sarvam yat-ki~ncit jagatyAm jagat(IsaVAsya); samvatsaro'si parivatsaro'sIdAvatsro'sIdvatsaro'si vatsaro'si(yajur. 27.45); tvayi rAtri vasAmasi svapishyAmasi jAgRhu (atharva19.47.9); etc.c) vatsarah also refers to time - the period of one year. BhagavAn is thecontinuum of space and time, in which all creatures live - in the sense ofb) above. So He is the endless space and infinite time - vatsarah.d) SrI cinmayAnanda decomposes the word as vatsAn rAti iti vatsarah. In HiskRshNAvatAra, He restored the calves to the gopa-s when they had been takenaway by the enemies - So He is vatsarah because He gave away the calves(vatsa here is interpreted as calf).
The Affectionate.om vatsalAya namah.This nAma is formed from the word vatsa by adding the lach pratyayasignifying loving, tender (based on 5.2.98 ashTAdhyAyI of PANini - vatsaamsAbhyAm kAma bale). The nAma signifies that He has extreme love for Hisdevotees. SrI cinmayananda translates the word as "Supreme Love", andpoints out the significance of this nAma - BhagavAn SrIman nArAyaNa is LoveIncarnate.SrI BhaTTar points out that this nAma explains why bhagavAn wants to guideeveryone by being their antaryAmi as expressed in the previous nAma - it isbecause of His extreme kindness towards His devotees. This affection islike that of a cow to its calf - kanaittu iLam kaRRerumai kanRukku ira~ngininaittu mulai vazhiyE ninRu pAl Sora. sItA pirATTi's words of advice torAvaNa were - vihitah sa hi dharmaj~nah SaraNAgata-vatsalah - It iswell-known that rAma knows this great virtue, and that He is veryaffectionate towards those who have sought refuge in Him.The dharma cakram writer gives several examples of bhagavAn's guNa ofvAtsalya. guha became a close friend of rAma. bhagavAn also gave Himselfcompletely to hanumAn (which was revealed when hanumAn opened his heart andshowed rAma residing there). sugrIva SaraNAgati, vibhIshaNa SaraNAgati,etc. are other examples of His extreme love for His devotees.
a) He who possesses lots of calvesb) He who possesses lots of children whom He protects like a cow protects its calves.om vatsine namah.The first of these interpretations is a reference to His gopAla incarnation,where He protected the calves during the episode involving indra. SrIv.v.rAmAnujan refers us to kanRu mEittu inidu uganda kALAi (16).The second interpretation refers to the innumerable hosts of souls who areto be always tended by Him, like a cow tends to its calves with affection.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha observes that bhgavAn's guNa of being the Protectorexhibits itself throughout life. Even before the child is born to a mother,He makes sure the mother has the milk to feed to the child as soon as it isborn, the mother bird and the child bird know how to transfer food throughtheir beak, etc.
a) He who is in possession of abundant wealth.b) He who is the source of everything that can give happiness.om ratna-garbhAya namah.Among BhagavAn's devotees there are those who are after wealth, and He hasimmense wealth to take care of their needs. SrI v.v.rAmAnujan givesreference to nammAzhvAr 6.7.11 - vaitta mA-nidhiyAm madhusUdananai -BhagavAn is like a treasure in deposit, available in times of need infuture.SrI Sa~nkara's vyAkhyAnam is based on the ratna-s or gems being treasured inthe depth of the oceans, and since bhagavAn is Himself in the form of theOceans, He is called ratna-garbhah. SrI cinmayAnanda refers us to gItA 10.24- sarasAm asmi sAgarah, and observes that bhagavAn is ratna-garbhah like theOcean and has all the treasures within His control, and can bestow anywealth quickly to any devotee as He desires. SrI rAdhAkRshNa Sastriextends this to the presence of ratna in the hood of the serpent and in theknots of the bamboo shoots, which are caused by none other than bhagavAn.The name also suggests that bhagavAn protects His devotees like gems, andassists them towards the path of realization of the Self. Meditating onbhagavAn constantly instead of succumbing to the rAjasic and tAmasic aspectsdormant in us will elevate us so that we can realize Him.SrI satyadevo vAsishTha derives the meaning of ratna starting from the rootram - krIDAyAm to play, to rejoice at. Thus, the word ratna denoteseverything that gives happiness. Since bhagavAn has the whole world in Hisgarbha, He has everything that can give happiness in Himself, and so He isratna-garbhah. He gives several examples from the Sruti: hiraNyagarbhahsamavartatAgre bhUtasya jAtah patireka AsIt; arcAmi satyasavam ratnadhAmabhipriyam matim; hiraNyAkshah savitA deva AgAt dadhat ratnA dASushe vAryANi,etc.
The quick giver of wealth.om dhaneSvarAya namah.dhanAnAm ISvarah dhaneSvarah - He who is the Lord of all wealth, is theinterpretation given by SrI Sa~nkarAcArya, who interpreted the previous nAmaas referring to bhagavAn's vibhUti as the Ocean which bears the gems.Since SrI BhaTTar interpreted the previous nAma in a broader sense, viz.,that He is the source of all wealth, he interprets the current nAma asreferring to bhagvAn's generosity in giving away this wealth quickly to Hisdevotee who wishes for it. He supports his interpretation based on theuNAdi sUtra 738 - aSnoter-AsukarmaNi varat ca - The affix varat comes afterthe root aS - to pervade, when the word formed from it refers to 'having thepower of granting success soon' - the emphasis being that bhagavAn is quickin giving the benefit to His devotees. SrI v.v.rAmAnujan gives reference tonammAzhvAr 3.9.7 - SErum koDai pugazh ellai ilAnai. SrI anantakRshNaSastri gives the example of bhagavAn giving instantaneous wealth to Hisdevotee kucela. SrI rAdhAkRshNa Sastri gives an alternate interpretationthat this nAma refers to bhagavAn's vibhUti of being in the form of kubera,the god of wealth. Note gItA 10.23 - vitteSo yaksha rakshasAm - wherevitteSah refers of bhagavAn's vibhUti as kubera.SrI cinmayAnanda comments that the term wealth here refers to all thingsthat cause happiness. He is lakshmI-pati, the Lord of Goddess Lakshmi, andso He is ever the Master-of-Wealth. The greatest of wealths is moksha, andLord nArAyaNa is Isvara of this great wealth, and is the Giver of thiswealth to the prapanna-s readily.-dAsan kRshNamAcAryan