Vishnu Sahasranamam

[Sudarshan]

I would like to start a thread the explains the different meanings of all names of Lord Vishnu in the Vishnu Sahasranama. Since there are 1031 such names, this might be a long thread and might take weeks or months to complete.

Any one interested may contribute here. You may add your own interpretations, but make sure it conveys a reasonable meaning. Meanings that are allegorical and hidden are also welcomed on this thread.

It is intended that the interpretation proceeds in a strict order, starting from viShvam. If, however you need to add something in the middle breaking the sequence, make a reference to the shloka being referenced.

Hope this will be enlightening and informative, and also spiritually uplifting for everyone here, .

[devisarada]

Namaste Sudarshan,

I am looking forward to reading this thread! It will be very educational for me.

[satay]

OM Acyutah Namah

From Wikipedia:
"According to Sri Sankara, Acyutah means One who never loses and will never lose his inherent nature and powers." This also means One who is without the six transformations beginning with birth.

satay

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Everyone,

And welcome to this new Forum

acyuta

cyuta means “moved or shaken”, “gone away from, deviated from, or flying away from”, and thus “failing an aim”; or “expelled from, come forth from, streaming forth from, dropped from, deprived of, destitute of, free of, abandoned by, disappeared, or vanished”. cyuta means “morally sunk” or “divided”. And cyuta means “fallen from or fallen” ~ especially “fallen from any divine existence to be re-born as a man”.

So that acyuta (i.e. a-cyuta) means “not fallen”, and thus “firm, solid, imperishable, or permanent”.

acyuta is “unmoved, unshaken, attractive, unerring, unforsaken, unfailing, impelling, contained, content, prosperous, satisfied, unborn, inborn, appearing, manifest, risen, uplifting, undivided, and immortal”.

oM acyutAya namaH

[Sudarshan]

achyuta

chyuta means to slip or fall.

nachyuta iti achyuta - One who does not Fall. ( from glory, power, position etc)

chyutam refers to change. achyutam is unchanging, achyuta is one who does not change, immutable.

Sri Bhattar gives also gives an alternative meaning from the derivation:

na chyAvayati iti achyuta. chyAvayati is - cause to fall.
na ChyAvayati is thus the one who prevents the fall. (of his devotees)

Though this meaning is widely accepted, it is not grammatically accurate.

Nice to see you here, Sarabhanga-ji.

[sarabhanga]

Acyuta, as the uplifting, is equally the not downfalling, and the unborn inborn, rising or risen Lord appears in order to support the falling or fallen and unfailingly raises them up to prosperity, contentment, and undivided immortality.

[Sudarshan]

viSvam

The literal meaning of viSvam is the Universe.

viSvam is derived from the root viS, which means to enter. The universe is called as viSvam because the Lord enters into it.( and controls it). The Lord himself is called viSvam because of his quality of entering.(into the world, into the sentient and insentients)

viSvam also refers to the cause of the universe. Sri Shankara uses this point to show that the cause (Brahman) and effect(viSvam) are one and the same.

The all encompassing definition of Vishnu as Universe is symbolic of his perfection and completeness and infiniteness. There is absolutely nothing outside the realm of God. This represents the first name, and mentions at the very outset that there is no second one to Vishnu, and he is the cause of everything, and is present in everything, and controller of everything, as the subsequent names add further qualifiers.

Om viSvAya namah

[Sudarshan]

Acyuta, as the uplifting, is equally the not downfalling, and the unborn inborn, rising or risen Lord appears in order to support the falling or fallen and unfailingly raises them up to prosperity, contentment, and undivided immortality.

Dear Sarabhanga,

Can you justify the meaning "the uplifting" by proper rules of derivation? I mentioned that:

the meaning is derived in a crude way as na chyAvayati iti....

na chyAvayati can only become achyAvaka: or achyAvi due to the nich (causal) form.

Most of the names in Sahasranama will have exactly one (or two meanings) if you choose to honor the grammatical rules that go in the derivation. But most commentaries do choose to violate grammar, and often give fanciful or dozens of meanings for each word. If the meaning is correct, it can be derived from some root through proper rules. You can always determine if the meaning is truly valid or not - the vedic grammar is slightly liberal though.

[sarabhanga]

cyuta means “moved or shaken”, and so a-cyuta means “unmoved, unshaken, firm, solid, imperishable, or permanent”.

cyuta means “gone away from or flying away from”, and so a-cyuta means “attractive”.

cyuta means “deviated from or failing an aim”, and so a-cyuta means “unerring or unfailing”.

cyuta means “expelled from, come forth from, or streaming forth from”, and so a-cyuta means “contained, unborn or inborn”.

cyuta means “deprived of, destitute of, free of, or abandoned by”, and so a-cyuta means “content, prosperous, or satisfied”.

cyuta means “disappeared or vanished”, and so a-cyuta means “appearing or manifest”

cyuta means “morally sunk”, and so a-cyuta means “risen or uplifted”.

cyuta means “divided”, and so a-cyuta means “undivided”.

cyuta means “dropped from, fallen from or fallen” (especially “fallen from any divine existence to be re-born as a man”) and so a-cyuta means “not fallen” (and especially “unborn, not re-born, or immortal”).

And when one is fallen, or in fear of falling, one wishes for the immortal and unfailing essence of non-falling (i.e. that one who is the very acyuta).

[Sudarshan]

cyuta means “moved or shaken”, and so a-cyuta means “unmoved, unshaken, firm, solid, imperishable, or permanent”.

cyuta means “gone away from or flying away from”, and so a-cyuta means “attractive”.

cyuta means “deviated from or failing an aim”, and so a-cyuta means “unerring or unfailing”.

cyuta means “expelled from, come forth from, or streaming forth from”, and so a-cyuta means “contained, unborn or inborn”.

cyuta means “deprived of, destitute of, free of, or abandoned by”, and so a-cyuta means “content, prosperous, or satisfied”.

cyuta means “disappeared or vanished”, and so a-cyuta means “appearing or manifest”

cyuta means “morally sunk”, and so a-cyuta means “risen or uplifted”.

cyuta means “divided”, and so a-cyuta means “undivided”.

cyuta means “dropped from, fallen from or fallen” (especially “fallen from any divine existence to be re-born as a man”) and so a-cyuta means “not fallen” (and especially “unborn, not re-born, or immortal”).

And when one is fallen, or in fear of falling, one wishes for the immortal and unfailing essence of non-falling (i.e. that one who is the very acyuta).

Interesting, eh? Carry on...


Let us first see how the word itself is derived:

The correct word we are dealing with acyuta:
The correct meaning is dervived from na cyuta: iti

cyuta: is the past participle of the root cyu(masculine form), which means to fall or sink.

The meanings of cyuta as "cause to fall" are not correct, because the root for the term is actually cyut ( not cyu). Note that cyu and cyut are entirely different roots. cyut is "cause to fall", but cyuta cannot be derived from cyut. Note that acyuta: can be derived only from the root cyu and not cyut. The equivalent word derived from cyut would be cOtate or cyOtitam.

Even Sri Bhattar uses only the causal form of cyu which is cyAvayati( nic pratyaya). But even here, acyuta: cannot be derived as na chyAvayati . It is only acyAvaka: or acyAvi. Thus, if you are going by grammar, you cannot derive the meaning "prevent from falling" for acyuta. .

Thus acyuta: essentially stands for "one who does not fall", from which a few ideas can be inferred about the majestic nature of the Lord.