yajvan
17 March 2008, 05:08 PM
Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste,
Ofen when performing puja we invoke the names of visNu during the initial part of the puja, or Acamanam, for purifing one spiritually. This thought is stimulated from Ganesa's Puja. I thought to list out the names of visNu below along with my understanding.
Please feel free to add names or extend the meanings as you are inspired. This is a joy-filled post and offered as such - not so much as a debating point :).
What I find of interest… Krsna’s name nor Sri Ram’s name is not called out directly during Acamanam, yet Krsna is known by most the names below. All the names below are found in the vishNu-sahasra-nAma or 1000 names of visNu. This is found in the Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva.
Here is the list below with a description of the name, a story or two to make the reading enjoyable ( I hope). For me this connection truly brings out the wisdom of the mahavakyas - All This is indeed Brahman. Before we repeat the 12 names we do achamananam or inner purification with sipping water 3 times. With this we recognize the following:
Acyutah or achyuta - means one who is infallible, and is another name of Visnu. According to Shankara, Acyutah means One who will never lose His inherent nature and powers i.e. one who is infallible.
Anantaya or ananta- is made up of 'a' or not + 'anta' or end. So anantya is 'endless' without out end, or Infinite. Another name of Visnu as He rests on Ananta Shesha the Infinite Serpent.
Govinda - we will see the name/origin below as one of the 12 names called out.
The 12 names
· Kesava or keSava - 'beautiful haired' -Krishna has been called Kesava; ka= brahma + a = visnu + isa = siva. Or He that controls Brahma + Visnu + Siva. As Krsna is considered the Universal SELF , all that is.
· Narayana or nArAyaNa- nara = humanity + ayana = path of going. So narayana is the path that all humanity is going to i.e. the Divine. Another view is Nara or नारis eternal Spirit pervading the universe; Nara is also water + ayana or moving - He who then moves or lies upon the ocean of water (that is, consciousness) - and this is Visnu.
Sarabhanga offers great insights into nara and nArAyaNa -if there more interest with these names please consider search HDF on these words and the author (sarabhanga).
Also nara is son of the primeval man ; both nara and Narayana are considered either as devata or sages. And who are they? Arjuna and Krsna are Nara and Narayana. Who says? Mahabharata...Arjunabhigamana Parva of the Mahabharata - "Arjuna, having addressed Krishna thus, the illustrious Pandava, who was the soul of Krishna, became dumb, when Janardana (Krsna) saying, 'Thou art mine and I am thine, while all that is mine is thine also! He that hateth thee hateth me as well, and he that followeth thee followeth me! O thou irrepressible one, thou art Nara and I am Narayana! We are the Rishis Nara and Narayana born in the world of men for a special purpose. O Partha, thou art from me and I am from thee! O bull of the Bharata race, no one can understand the difference that is between us!"
· Madhava or mAdhava- another name given to Krsna . Madhu is all sweet , delicious , pleasant , charming , delightful - also known as honey and/or the juice or nectar of flowers and 'va' which is considered auspiciousness , reverence, also strong , powerful.
· Govinda - Another name for Krsna. Go (some write gau) = cows + inda = master. We know Krsna as Govinda as the master ( herder) of the cows. Another view is go or a singer , praiser + vid = knowledge . So the singer or prasier of knowledge e.g. the knower/singer of the Vedas. Last one can look at it this way: Go can refer to cows or ones senses + vinda means protector. So Govinda means Krsna who is the protector of the cows, the land, and/or one's senses. Note Govinda is said twice in the Visnu sahasranama and is said twice here, once in achamananam and once now.
·Visno (as called out in the puja this way)- is visnu or viSNu = all pervading some say all pervader; Visnu is connected to Krsna as we already know.
Madhusudana - He who defeated the demon Madhu. Arjuna addresses Krsna as Madhusudana multiple times in the Bhagavad Gita. Please see the following posts and comments here and sarabhanga’s offering: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=21515&postcount=6 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=21515&postcount=6)
· Trivikrama - Lord Vishnu who as Vamana, or dwarf, conquered three worlds and is addressed asTrivikrama, conqueror of three worlds.
· Vamana - Vishnu as the dwarf. Here is the short story of 3 strides. Mahabali was a demon. When Mahabali was performing a yajna on the bank of Narmada, Vamana, disguised as a hermit boy, reached him and prayed him to grant him a small piece of land measuring just three strides. Three strides of a dwarf meant nothing. Mahabali insisted him to take more but Vamana declined.
The prayer was granted. Mahabali's teacher Sukracharya (this is also Venus) thought foul-play in Vamana's demand and warned Mahabali against it but he did not take note of it. Vamana lifted his right leg and with it began expanding his form to cosmic magnification. In one stride Vamana covered the earth; in the second, heaven; and for the third, he asked Mahabali where to put it and finding no place put it on Mahabali's head and pushed him into the netherworld, his true abode. Mahabali's subjects grived and asked Vishnu to bring . Mahabali back. Vamana partly granted the prayer. Mahabali would ascend the earth once a year for a good harvest and people would celebrate the occasion in full festivity.
· Sridhara or SriIdhara - the maintainer of the goddess of fortune. Sri + dhara. Sri is Lakshmi (Sri Devi) and dhara is holding , bearing , carrying , wearing , possessing , having , keeping , sustaining , preserving , observing. So this is the devata that holds and maintains Lakshmi , and that is visNu.
· Hrishikeshaya or hRshIkeSa - controller or director of the senses. Hrsikesa means hrsika + isa. Hrsika means the senses, and isa, the master or lord i.e. another name of Krsna. It is interesting to note that हृषि or hRSi is joy , satisfaction + kesa - or rooted keshava from the above 1st definition offered. Yet hrI is ह्रीto blush , be bashful or modest. So it is He that makes the senses modest, or under control.
Padmanabha or padmanAbha -another name of Visnu, as we this name too is in the Visnu sahasranama. Shankara says Padmanabah means He in whose navel (nabhi), the lotus, (padma), the source of the universe stands, or One who whose navel is beautifully shaped like the lotus or one who shines in the middle or the heart-lotus of all. In still another meaning the name means One who resides in the central part of the heart-lotus.
Damodara or dAmodara - दामोदर means having a rope around the waist. This again is another name of Krsna. How do we get this name? The story goes something like this: As a child he would often steal the ghee . Once, after breaking the ghee crock and feeding the butter to the monkeys, his mother, Yasoda, took some rope and tied him up to keep him out of mischief, thus he was called Damodara, bound by ropes of love. Now a bit more esoteric - we know dAma means rope. And Krsna's stomach (udara) was bound by the rope affectionately tied round his waist by mother. dAma also means abode; the abode of the whole universe is His stomach i.e. Krsna's Universal form and the reason Ganesa is seen with the big belly - He holds the entire universe in His abode/udara.
May only good come from this post and we all become become GudAkeSa. Krsna addresses Arjuna as such. This GudAkeSa means one who has conquered sleep. Sleep is another way of saying 'ignorance' or one that is not yet possessed fully of the SELF, enlightenment.
http://www.sanatansociety.com/beeld/Paintings/Pieter_Weltevrede/Gods_and_goddesses/pw_gg_vishnu_lakshmi_massage_01_200.gif (http://www.sanatansociety.com/indian_art_galleries/pieter_weltevrede/pw_gg_vishnu_lakshmi_massage_01_painting.htm)
pranams
~~~~~
Namaste,
Ofen when performing puja we invoke the names of visNu during the initial part of the puja, or Acamanam, for purifing one spiritually. This thought is stimulated from Ganesa's Puja. I thought to list out the names of visNu below along with my understanding.
Please feel free to add names or extend the meanings as you are inspired. This is a joy-filled post and offered as such - not so much as a debating point :).
What I find of interest… Krsna’s name nor Sri Ram’s name is not called out directly during Acamanam, yet Krsna is known by most the names below. All the names below are found in the vishNu-sahasra-nAma or 1000 names of visNu. This is found in the Mahabharata, Anushasana Parva.
Here is the list below with a description of the name, a story or two to make the reading enjoyable ( I hope). For me this connection truly brings out the wisdom of the mahavakyas - All This is indeed Brahman. Before we repeat the 12 names we do achamananam or inner purification with sipping water 3 times. With this we recognize the following:
Acyutah or achyuta - means one who is infallible, and is another name of Visnu. According to Shankara, Acyutah means One who will never lose His inherent nature and powers i.e. one who is infallible.
Anantaya or ananta- is made up of 'a' or not + 'anta' or end. So anantya is 'endless' without out end, or Infinite. Another name of Visnu as He rests on Ananta Shesha the Infinite Serpent.
Govinda - we will see the name/origin below as one of the 12 names called out.
The 12 names
· Kesava or keSava - 'beautiful haired' -Krishna has been called Kesava; ka= brahma + a = visnu + isa = siva. Or He that controls Brahma + Visnu + Siva. As Krsna is considered the Universal SELF , all that is.
· Narayana or nArAyaNa- nara = humanity + ayana = path of going. So narayana is the path that all humanity is going to i.e. the Divine. Another view is Nara or नारis eternal Spirit pervading the universe; Nara is also water + ayana or moving - He who then moves or lies upon the ocean of water (that is, consciousness) - and this is Visnu.
Sarabhanga offers great insights into nara and nArAyaNa -if there more interest with these names please consider search HDF on these words and the author (sarabhanga).
Also nara is son of the primeval man ; both nara and Narayana are considered either as devata or sages. And who are they? Arjuna and Krsna are Nara and Narayana. Who says? Mahabharata...Arjunabhigamana Parva of the Mahabharata - "Arjuna, having addressed Krishna thus, the illustrious Pandava, who was the soul of Krishna, became dumb, when Janardana (Krsna) saying, 'Thou art mine and I am thine, while all that is mine is thine also! He that hateth thee hateth me as well, and he that followeth thee followeth me! O thou irrepressible one, thou art Nara and I am Narayana! We are the Rishis Nara and Narayana born in the world of men for a special purpose. O Partha, thou art from me and I am from thee! O bull of the Bharata race, no one can understand the difference that is between us!"
· Madhava or mAdhava- another name given to Krsna . Madhu is all sweet , delicious , pleasant , charming , delightful - also known as honey and/or the juice or nectar of flowers and 'va' which is considered auspiciousness , reverence, also strong , powerful.
· Govinda - Another name for Krsna. Go (some write gau) = cows + inda = master. We know Krsna as Govinda as the master ( herder) of the cows. Another view is go or a singer , praiser + vid = knowledge . So the singer or prasier of knowledge e.g. the knower/singer of the Vedas. Last one can look at it this way: Go can refer to cows or ones senses + vinda means protector. So Govinda means Krsna who is the protector of the cows, the land, and/or one's senses. Note Govinda is said twice in the Visnu sahasranama and is said twice here, once in achamananam and once now.
·Visno (as called out in the puja this way)- is visnu or viSNu = all pervading some say all pervader; Visnu is connected to Krsna as we already know.
Madhusudana - He who defeated the demon Madhu. Arjuna addresses Krsna as Madhusudana multiple times in the Bhagavad Gita. Please see the following posts and comments here and sarabhanga’s offering: http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=21515&postcount=6 (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=21515&postcount=6)
· Trivikrama - Lord Vishnu who as Vamana, or dwarf, conquered three worlds and is addressed asTrivikrama, conqueror of three worlds.
· Vamana - Vishnu as the dwarf. Here is the short story of 3 strides. Mahabali was a demon. When Mahabali was performing a yajna on the bank of Narmada, Vamana, disguised as a hermit boy, reached him and prayed him to grant him a small piece of land measuring just three strides. Three strides of a dwarf meant nothing. Mahabali insisted him to take more but Vamana declined.
The prayer was granted. Mahabali's teacher Sukracharya (this is also Venus) thought foul-play in Vamana's demand and warned Mahabali against it but he did not take note of it. Vamana lifted his right leg and with it began expanding his form to cosmic magnification. In one stride Vamana covered the earth; in the second, heaven; and for the third, he asked Mahabali where to put it and finding no place put it on Mahabali's head and pushed him into the netherworld, his true abode. Mahabali's subjects grived and asked Vishnu to bring . Mahabali back. Vamana partly granted the prayer. Mahabali would ascend the earth once a year for a good harvest and people would celebrate the occasion in full festivity.
· Sridhara or SriIdhara - the maintainer of the goddess of fortune. Sri + dhara. Sri is Lakshmi (Sri Devi) and dhara is holding , bearing , carrying , wearing , possessing , having , keeping , sustaining , preserving , observing. So this is the devata that holds and maintains Lakshmi , and that is visNu.
· Hrishikeshaya or hRshIkeSa - controller or director of the senses. Hrsikesa means hrsika + isa. Hrsika means the senses, and isa, the master or lord i.e. another name of Krsna. It is interesting to note that हृषि or hRSi is joy , satisfaction + kesa - or rooted keshava from the above 1st definition offered. Yet hrI is ह्रीto blush , be bashful or modest. So it is He that makes the senses modest, or under control.
Padmanabha or padmanAbha -another name of Visnu, as we this name too is in the Visnu sahasranama. Shankara says Padmanabah means He in whose navel (nabhi), the lotus, (padma), the source of the universe stands, or One who whose navel is beautifully shaped like the lotus or one who shines in the middle or the heart-lotus of all. In still another meaning the name means One who resides in the central part of the heart-lotus.
Damodara or dAmodara - दामोदर means having a rope around the waist. This again is another name of Krsna. How do we get this name? The story goes something like this: As a child he would often steal the ghee . Once, after breaking the ghee crock and feeding the butter to the monkeys, his mother, Yasoda, took some rope and tied him up to keep him out of mischief, thus he was called Damodara, bound by ropes of love. Now a bit more esoteric - we know dAma means rope. And Krsna's stomach (udara) was bound by the rope affectionately tied round his waist by mother. dAma also means abode; the abode of the whole universe is His stomach i.e. Krsna's Universal form and the reason Ganesa is seen with the big belly - He holds the entire universe in His abode/udara.
May only good come from this post and we all become become GudAkeSa. Krsna addresses Arjuna as such. This GudAkeSa means one who has conquered sleep. Sleep is another way of saying 'ignorance' or one that is not yet possessed fully of the SELF, enlightenment.
http://www.sanatansociety.com/beeld/Paintings/Pieter_Weltevrede/Gods_and_goddesses/pw_gg_vishnu_lakshmi_massage_01_200.gif (http://www.sanatansociety.com/indian_art_galleries/pieter_weltevrede/pw_gg_vishnu_lakshmi_massage_01_painting.htm)
pranams