The thousand names · page 2 of 12
Ślokas 10 to 18
Names 86 to 175
सुरेशःsurēśaḥमहाबलःmahābalaḥ
सुरेशः शरणं शर्म विश्वरेताः प्रजाभवः।surēśaḥ śaraṇaṃ śarma viśvarētāḥ prajābhavaḥ|
अहस्संवत्सरो व्याळः प्रत्ययः सर्वदर्शनः॥ १० ॥ahassaṃvatsarō vyāḻaḥ pratyayaḥ sarvadarśanaḥ|| 10 ||
86सुरेशःsurēśaḥ
Lord of the gods
The gods have Him for their Lord; in need they come to Him, and He sets right what has gone wrong for them.
ओं सुरेशाय नमःōṃ surēśāya namaḥ
87शरणम्śaraṇam
the Refuge
He is the shelter to which the afraid and the helpless run; with Śrī beside Him, none who comes is turned away.
ओं शरणाय नमःōṃ śaraṇāya namaḥ
88शर्मśarma
Joy itself, and the Shelter
Śarma means happiness and protection both: He is the bliss that those who reach Him enjoy, and the shelter that keeps it safe.
ओं शर्मणे नमःōṃ śarmaṇē namaḥ
89विश्वरेताःviśvarētāḥ
the Seed of the universe
As a plant comes from its seed, the whole universe comes from Him; He is its cause and the root from which it grows.
ओं विश्वरेतसे नमःōṃ viśvarētasē namaḥ
90प्रजाभवःprajābhavaḥ
the Source of all creatures
Every creature that is born has its birth from Him, as from a parent; its coming and its kind are His gift.
ओं प्रजाभवाय नमःōṃ prajābhavāya namaḥ
91अहःahaḥ
the Day
He is Time in the form of the day, and the light in which everything is seen.
ओं अह्ने नमःōṃ ahnē namaḥ
92संवत्सरःsaṃvatsaraḥ
the Year in which all dwell
He is Time in the form of the year, the circle in which the seasons turn and all beings dwell.
ओं संवत्सराय नमःōṃ saṃvatsarāya namaḥ
93व्याळःvyāḻaḥ
the Untamable, like a serpent
As a great serpent cannot be seized, so no one can lay hold of Him or bind Him by force; only love binds Him.
ओं व्याळाय नमःōṃ vyāḻāya namaḥ
94प्रत्ययःpratyayaḥ
Knowledge itself, and sure trust
Pratyaya is knowing and also firm trust: by His light everything is known, and those who trust in Him are not disappointed.
ओं प्रत्ययाय नमःōṃ pratyayāya namaḥ
95सर्वदर्शनःsarvadarśanaḥ
the All-seeing
Every being and every deed lies open to His sight, and He looks on all with eyes of grace.
ओं सर्वदर्शनाय नमःōṃ sarvadarśanāya namaḥ
He is the Lord of the gods; He is the Refuge, and the happiness and shelter that the refuge gives. He is the seed of the universe and the Source of all creatures; He is the Day and the Year. He cannot be seized, as a serpent cannot, and He is Knowledge and trust itself; and He sees all.
Bhāvam
The refuge and the joy come straight after the Lord of the gods, as though the verse were first of all for the one in need. It then goes to the seed and source of the world, to day and year, and closes on knowledge, trust and the One who sees all.
अजस्सर्वेश्वरः सिद्धः सिद्धिः सर्वादिरच्युतः।ajassarvēśvaraḥ siddhaḥ siddhiḥ sarvādiracyutaḥ|
वृषाकपिरमेयात्मा सर्वयोगविनिस्सृतः॥ ११ ॥vṛṣākapiramēyātmā sarvayōgavinissṛtaḥ|| 11 ||
96अजःajaḥ
the Unborn
No womb gave Him birth; even when He comes among us it is by His own will and not by the force of karma.
ओं अजाय नमःōṃ ajāya namaḥ
97सर्वेश्वरःsarvēśvaraḥ
the Lord of everything
Every being and every power, without exception, is His to command.
ओं सर्वेश्वराय नमःōṃ sarvēśvarāya namaḥ
98सिद्धःsiddhaḥ
the Ever-Perfect
He is complete by His own nature, not made perfect by any effort; nothing is lacking in Him and nothing needs to be added.
ओं सिद्धाय नमःōṃ siddhāya namaḥ
99सिद्धिःsiddhiḥ
the Fulfilment itself
Siddhi is success and attainment: He is the very thing gained when every effort ends, the fulfilment of every wish worth wishing.
ओं सिद्धये नमःōṃ siddhayē namaḥ
100सर्वादिःsarvādiḥ
the Beginning of everything
He is the first of all that is, living and lifeless alike; before anything began, He was.
ओं सर्वादये नमःōṃ sarvādayē namaḥ
101अच्युतःacyutaḥ
He who never slips or lets go
He never falls from His own state, and He never lets go of any who hold fast to Him.
ओं अच्युताय नमःōṃ acyutāya namaḥ
102वृषाकपिःvṛṣākapiḥ
Dharma itself, the Boar who raised the earth
Vṛṣa is dharma and kapi is the boar: He is righteousness itself, and as Varāha He lifted the Earth from the waters on His tusk.
ओं वृषाकपये नमःōṃ vṛṣākapayē namaḥ
Points to Varāha
103अमेयात्माamēyātmā
of immeasurable nature
His own self cannot be measured by any reckoning; His glory, power and grace are without limit.
ओं अमेयात्मने नमःōṃ amēyātmanē namaḥ
104सर्वयोगविनिस्सृतःsarvayōgavinissṛtaḥ
free of every bond
No tie of any kind holds Him or clings to Him; all He does, He does in perfect freedom.
ओं सर्वयोगविनिस्सृताय नमःōṃ sarvayōgavinissṛtāya namaḥ
He is the Unborn and the Lord of everything; ever perfect, and the fulfilment itself, He is the beginning of all and Acyuta, who never lets go. He is Dharma itself, the Boar who raised the earth, whose nature cannot be measured, and who is free of every bond.
Bhāvam
The verse runs from His being unborn to His being unbound, and Acyuta stands near the middle: those who hold fast to Him are never dropped by Him. The perfect Lord is also the fulfilment that the seeker reaches, so that the goal and the One who gives it are the same.
In this verseVarāha
वसुर्वसुमनास्सत्यस्समात्मा सम्मितस्समः।vasurvasumanāssatyassamātmā sammitassamaḥ|
अमोघः पुण्डरीकाक्षो वृषकर्मा वृषाकृतिः॥ १२ ॥amōghaḥ puṇḍarīkākṣō vṛṣakarmā vṛṣākṛtiḥ|| 12 ||
105वसुःvasuḥ
the Treasure in whom all dwell
Vas means to dwell, and vasu is wealth: He dwells within every being and every being dwells in Him. To those who love Him He is the treasure beyond all treasures.
ओं वसवे नमःōṃ vasavē namaḥ
106वसुमनाःvasumanāḥ
of the gracious, excellent mind
Vasu here is good and excellent: His mind is kind, clear and ever turned to the good of those who rest on Him.
ओं वसुमनसे नमःōṃ vasumanasē namaḥ
107सत्यःsatyaḥ
the True One
Satya is what is real and never fails. He is the one true being, His word is never false, and what He has promised to those who trust Him He fulfils.
ओं सत्याय नमःōṃ satyāya namaḥ
108समात्माsamātmā
even-minded toward all
He has the same heart for every being, high or low, and dwells as the same inner Self in each; it is love that draws Him near, never birth or rank.
ओं समात्मने नमःōṃ samātmanē namaḥ
109सम्मितःsammitaḥ
perfectly proportioned, well measured
Sammita is well measured: His form is of perfect proportion, with nothing lacking and nothing out of place, a joy to the eyes of those who behold Him.
ओं सम्मिताय नमःōṃ sammitāya namaḥ
110समःsamaḥ
the Even, ever the same
Sama is level and even. He is the same at all times, unmoved by the rise and fall that shakes the world, and equal to every need that is brought to Him.
ओं समाय नमःōṃ samāya namaḥ
111अमोघःamōghaḥ
He whose deeds never fail
Mogha is what is vain or fruitless, and He is without it: whatever He sets His hand to is accomplished, and nothing He does is in vain.
ओं अमोघाय नमःōṃ amōghāya namaḥ
112पुण्डरीकाक्षःpuṇḍarīkākṣaḥ
the Lotus-eyed
Puṇḍarīka is the white lotus: His eyes are wide, fresh and lovely as its petals, and a glance from them is grace to those who come to Him.
ओं पुण्डरीकाक्षाय नमःōṃ puṇḍarīkākṣāya namaḥ
113वृषकर्माvṛṣakarmā
He whose deeds are dharma
Vṛṣa is dharma, and every deed of His is dharma in action: He does what is right, and by His own acts shows the world how to live.
ओं वृषकर्मणे नमःōṃ vṛṣakarmaṇē namaḥ
114वृषाकृतिःvṛṣākṛtiḥ
He whose form is dharma
Ākṛti is shape or form: dharma takes shape in Him, and when He appears among us it is righteousness made visible.
ओं वृषाकृतये नमःōṃ vṛṣākṛtayē namaḥ
He is the Treasure in whom all dwell, the One of gracious mind; He is the True, even in spirit toward all, perfectly proportioned and ever the same. His deeds never fail. His eyes are the lotus, His works are dharma, and dharma itself has taken His form.
Bhāvam
The names of this śloka are names of steadiness: He is true, even, ever the same, and never in vain. The lotus-eyed gaze stands in the middle of them, and the last two names say that what He does and what He is are one thing, dharma.
रुद्रो बहुशिरा बभ्रुर्विश्वयोनिश्शुचिश्रवाः।rudrō bahuśirā babhrurviśvayōniśśuciśravāḥ|
अमृतश्शाश्वतः स्थाणुर्वरारोहो महातपाः॥ १३ ॥amṛtaśśāśvataḥ sthāṇurvarārōhō mahātapāḥ|| 13 ||
115रुद्रःrudraḥ
He who drives away sorrow
Rud means to weep: He is the One who puts weeping to flight, driving out the sorrow of those who take refuge in Him.
ओं रुद्राय नमःōṃ rudrāya namaḥ
Points to Śiva
116बहुशिराःbahuśirāḥ
of many heads
The Vēdas speak of the Puruṣa of a thousand heads: every head is His, for every mind that thinks and every mouth that speaks does so by His power, and His great form is seen with many faces.
ओं बहुशिरसे नमःōṃ bahuśirasē namaḥ
Points to Śēṣa
117बभ्रुःbabhruḥ
the Bearer of the worlds
Babhru comes from bhṛ, to bear: He carries the weight of all the worlds, and whoever rests on Him is held up.
ओं बभ्रवे नमःōṃ babhravē namaḥ
118विश्वयोनिःviśvayōniḥ
the Source of the universe
Yōni is the womb, the source: the universe takes birth from Him, and He is both the One who makes it and the One from whom it is made.
ओं विश्वयोनये नमःōṃ viśvayōnayē namaḥ
119शुचिश्रवाःśuciśravāḥ
of pure renown
Śravas is fame and also hearing: His glory is without stain, and whoever hears it is made clean.
ओं शुचिश्रवसे नमःōṃ śuciśravasē namaḥ
120अमृतःamṛtaḥ
the Immortal
He never dies and never grows less; and to those who take refuge in Him He is as nectar, the sweetness that gives life without end.
ओं अमृताय नमःōṃ amṛtāya namaḥ
121शाश्वतःśāśvataḥ
the Everlasting
Śāśvata is ever-abiding: what He is, He is always, and His kindness to those who seek Him never lapses, for it lasts as long as He does.
ओं शाश्वताय नमःōṃ śāśvatāya namaḥ
122स्थाणुःsthāṇuḥ
the firm pillar, unmoved
Sthāṇu is a post set firm in the earth, which does not travel. He does not go away from the heart in which He has made His home, and the soul that comes back to Him after all its wandering finds Him where He was.
ओं स्थाणवे नमःōṃ sthāṇavē namaḥ
Points to Śiva
123वरारोहःvarārōhaḥ
the highest place to rise to
Vara is the best and ārōha a climbing or a seat: the name seems to point to the highest place the soul can rise to, His own supreme abode, and He Himself is the goal of the ascent.
ओं वरारोहाय नमःōṃ varārōhāya namaḥ
124महातपाःmahātapāḥ
of great tapas
Tapas is the heat of will and knowledge: His resolve and His knowing are great, and the Upaniṣad speaks of His tapas as made of knowledge, by which the worlds were brought forth.
ओं महातपसे नमःōṃ mahātapasē namaḥ
Points to Saṅkarṣaṇa
He is Rudra, who drives away sorrow, the many-headed Puruṣa, the Bearer of the worlds and the Source from which the universe is born. His renown is pure; He is the Immortal, the Everlasting and the unmoved Pillar. He is the highest place to which the soul can rise, and His tapas is great.
Bhāvam
Tenderness and steadiness run side by side here: He drives out sorrow, and He is the pillar that does not move. Source and support, womb and bearer, stand together near the start of the śloka, and it comes to the height to which the souls He holds may rise, and to the great tapas that is His.
In this verseSaṅkarṣaṇaŚēṣaŚiva
सर्वगः सर्वविद्भानुः विष्वक्सेनो जनार्दनः।sarvagaḥ sarvavidbhānuḥ viṣvaksēnō janārdanaḥ|
वेदो वेदविदव्यङ्गो वेदाङ्गो वेदवित्कविः॥ १४ ॥vēdō vēdavidavyaṅgō vēdāṅgō vēdavitkaviḥ|| 14 ||
125सर्वगःsarvagaḥ
He who is everywhere
Gam is to go: there is no place He has not already gone, nothing in which He is not present.
ओं सर्वगाय नमःōṃ sarvagāya namaḥ
126सर्ववित्sarvavit
the All-knowing
He knows all that is, was and will be, the thought of every heart and the need of every one who calls on Him.
ओं सर्वविदे नमःōṃ sarvavidē namaḥ
127भानुःbhānuḥ
the Radiant Sun
Bhā is to shine: He shines by His own light, and the sun and every light in the world shine with a ray of His.
ओं भानवे नमःōṃ bhānavē namaḥ
128विष्वक्सेनःviṣvaksēnaḥ
He whose hosts go everywhere
Viṣvak is in every direction and sēnā an army: His hosts go out on every side and none can stand before them. The tradition also knows by this name the chief of His host, who carries out His commands.
ओं विष्वक्सेनाय नमःōṃ viṣvaksēnāya namaḥ
Points to Aniruddha
129जनार्दनःjanārdanaḥ
He whom the people beseech
From ard, to ask or to afflict: the people ask Him for every good and He gives it, and He puts down those who oppress them.
ओं जनार्दनाय नमःōṃ janārdanāya namaḥ
Points to Kṛṣṇa
130वेदःvēdaḥ
the Vēda itself
The Vēdas are His own word, and their whole purpose is to speak of Him; He is the Vēda in person and the One it reveals.
ओं वेदाय नमःōṃ vēdāya namaḥ
131वेदवित्vēdavit
the Knower of the Vēdas
He knows the Vēdas through and through, for they are His own; nothing in them is hidden from Him.
ओं वेदविदे नमःōṃ vēdavidē namaḥ
Points to Pradyumna
132अव्यङ्गःavyaṅgaḥ
without flaw in any limb
Vyaṅga is a defect or a missing limb: He has none. His form is whole in every part and His glory has no flaw.
ओं अव्यङ्गाय नमःōṃ avyaṅgāya namaḥ
133वेदाङ्गःvēdāṅgaḥ
He whose limbs are the Vēdas
The Vēdas are, as it were, the limbs of His body, and the sciences that serve them belong to Him as well.
ओं वेदाङ्गाय नमःōṃ vēdāṅgāya namaḥ
134वेदवित्vēdavit
He who knows what the Vēdas mean
He alone knows the Vēdas to their end, that all of them speak of Him; this is the knowing that sees the aim of the sacred word.
ओं वेदविदे नमःōṃ vēdavidē namaḥ
135कविःkaviḥ
the Seer
Kavi is the seer whose sight reaches beyond what others see; He sees all things, near and far, and the wisdom of the Vēda comes from Him.
ओं कवये नमःōṃ kavayē namaḥ
He is everywhere and knows everything. He is the Radiant One, Viṣvaksēna with hosts on every side, and Janārdana, whom the people beseech. He is the Vēda and the Knower of the Vēdas; His body is whole in every limb, and the Vēdas are His limbs. He knows what the Vēdas mean, and He is the Seer.
Bhāvam
The śloka opens with His reach, everywhere and into everything, and then settles on the Vēda: four of its names carry that word. Being the word, knowing it and having it for His limbs are all gathered in Him, and the Seer closes the line as the one from whom the word first came.
लोकाध्यक्षस्सुराध्यक्षो धर्माध्यक्षः कृताकृतः।lōkādhyakṣassurādhyakṣō dharmādhyakṣaḥ kṛtākṛtaḥ|
चतुरात्मा चतुर्व्यूहश्चतुर्दंष्ट्रश्चतुर्भुजः॥ १५ ॥caturātmā caturvyūhaścaturdaṃṣṭraścaturbhujaḥ|| 15 ||
136लोकाध्यक्षःlōkādhyakṣaḥ
Overseer of the worlds
Adhyakṣa is one who looks over: all the worlds are under His eye, and nothing in them goes on without His watch.
ओं लोकाध्यक्षाय नमःōṃ lōkādhyakṣāya namaḥ
137सुराध्यक्षःsurādhyakṣaḥ
Overseer of the gods
The gods hold their offices under Him and carry them out by His leave; He watches over them as their Lord.
ओं सुराध्यक्षाय नमःōṃ surādhyakṣāya namaḥ
138धर्माध्यक्षःdharmādhyakṣaḥ
Overseer of dharma
He watches over right and wrong, sees that each deed meets its fruit, and keeps dharma upheld in the world.
ओं धर्माध्यक्षाय नमःōṃ dharmādhyakṣāya namaḥ
139कृताकृतःkṛtākṛtaḥ
the made and the unmade
He is both: the world that is made is His body, and He Himself is the unmade cause, with no maker.
ओं कृताकृताय नमःōṃ kṛtākṛtāya namaḥ
140चतुरात्माcaturātmā
of fourfold self
Catur is four and ātmā self or form: He is fourfold in Himself, and the four are shown in the name that follows.
ओं चतुरात्मने नमःōṃ caturātmanē namaḥ
141चतुर्व्यूहःcaturvyūhaḥ
He of the four arrays
Vyūha is an array or a manifestation: He stands as Vāsudēva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha, the four in whom His glory is shown out for the care of the world.
ओं चतुर्व्यूहाय नमःōṃ caturvyūhāya namaḥ
142चतुर्दंष्ट्रःcaturdaṃṣṭraḥ
the four-tusked
Daṃṣṭra is a tusk or fang: He has four, terrible to the wicked and a shelter to the good; the name seems to recall His mighty forms such as the Boar and the Man-Lion.
ओं चतुर्दंष्ट्राय नमःōṃ caturdaṃṣṭrāya namaḥ
143चतुर्भुजःcaturbhujaḥ
the four-armed
Four arms bear His signs, the conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus, and upon His chest Śrī has Her home.
ओं चतुर्भुजाय नमःōṃ caturbhujāya namaḥ
He is the Overseer of the worlds, of the gods and of dharma, and He is both the made and the unmade. He is fourfold in Himself and stands in the four arrays; four-tusked and four-armed, He bears the conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus.
Bhāvam
Three kinds of watching, over the worlds, the gods and dharma, give way to a run of fours. After the oversight comes the shape He takes: four arrays, four tusks and four arms, each name opening with the same word, catur.
भ्राजिष्णुर्भोजनं भोक्ता सहिष्णुर्जगदादिजः।bhrājiṣṇurbhōjanaṃ bhōktā sahiṣṇurjagadādijaḥ|
अनघो विजयो जेता विश्वयोनिः पुनर्वसुः॥ १६ ॥anaghō vijayō jētā viśvayōniḥ punarvasuḥ|| 16 ||
144भ्राजिष्णुःbhrājiṣṇuḥ
the Ever-shining
Bhrāj is to shine, and the ending says that He does so by nature: His radiance is not put on but His own, and it is never dimmed, in any place or time.
ओं भ्राजिष्णवे नमःōṃ bhrājiṣṇavē namaḥ
145भोजनम्bhōjanam
that which is enjoyed
Bhōjana is what is enjoyed: all the objects of enjoyment are His, His body, and to His devotees He is Himself the sweetness they enjoy.
ओं भोजनाय नमःōṃ bhōjanāya namaḥ
146भोक्ताbhōktā
the Enjoyer
He is the Enjoyer of every offering and sacrifice, and He delights in the love of His servants, relishing even a leaf or a flower offered with devotion.
ओं भोक्त्रे नमःōṃ bhōktrē namaḥ
147सहिष्णुःsahiṣṇuḥ
the Patient, who bears all
Sah is to bear: He bears the failings of His servants with patience, and He overcomes those who set themselves against Him.
ओं सहिष्णवे नमःōṃ sahiṣṇavē namaḥ
148जगदादिजःjagadādijaḥ
He who appears at the world's beginning
At the opening of creation He is there before all that is made and shows Himself first; from Him comes even the first creator.
ओं जगदादिजाय नमःōṃ jagadādijāya namaḥ
149अनघःanaghaḥ
the Sinless
Agha is sin and sorrow, and none touches Him; He is spotless, and He frees those who come to Him from theirs.
ओं अनघाय नमःōṃ anaghāya namaḥ
150विजयःvijayaḥ
Victory itself
Vijaya is victory: it is His nature and not a prize that He wins, for no one can stand against Him.
ओं विजयाय नमःōṃ vijayāya namaḥ
151जेताjētā
the Conqueror
He is the victor in every contest, and He overcomes what stands in His devotees' way, even their own sins.
ओं जेत्रे नमःōṃ jētrē namaḥ
152विश्वयोनिःviśvayōniḥ
the Home of the universe
Yōni is also a home: the universe not only springs from Him but rests in Him and returns to Him.
ओं विश्वयोनये नमःōṃ viśvayōnayē namaḥ
153पुनर्वसुःpunarvasuḥ
He who dwells again and again
Punar is again and vas is to dwell: He dwells in body after body as the inner Self of every being, and He comes again and again among us in His descents.
ओं पुनर्वसवे नमःōṃ punarvasavē namaḥ
He is the Ever-shining, the sweetness that is enjoyed and the Enjoyer of it. He is the Patient who bears all, He who appears at the world's beginning, the Sinless, Victory itself and the Conqueror. The universe has its home in Him, and He dwells again and again within the beings it holds.
Bhāvam
The first half sets enjoyment beside patience: He is what is relished, the One who relishes, and the One who bears with the faults of those who come to Him. The second half passes from sinlessness through victory to a return: He is the home of the world, and He comes back to dwell in it again and again.
उपेन्द्रो वामनः प्रांशुः अमोघः शुचिरूर्जितः।upēndrō vāmanaḥ prāṃśuḥ amōghaḥ śucirūrjitaḥ|
अतीन्द्रस्सङ्ग्रहस्सर्गो धृतात्मा नियमो यमः॥ १७ ॥atīndrassaṅgrahassargō dhṛtātmā niyamō yamaḥ|| 17 ||
156प्रांशुःprāṃśuḥ
the Tall, the lofty
Prāṃśu is tall: the little boy grew until He filled the worlds as Trivikrama, and His strides measured them all.
ओं प्रांशवे नमःōṃ prāṃśavē namaḥ
Points to Vāmana
157अमोघःamōghaḥ
He whose grace never fails
Nothing offered to Him is wasted: worship, surrender and a look of love turned to Him all bear fruit, and His own boons never fail.
ओं अमोघाय नमःōṃ amōghāya namaḥ
Points to Vāmana
158शुचिःśuciḥ
the Pure
Śuci is pure and bright: nothing can stain Him, and by remembering Him the unclean are made clean.
ओं शुचये नमःōṃ śucayē namaḥ
159ऊर्जितःūrjitaḥ
the Mighty, full of vigour
Ūrj is strength: His strength is mighty past all measure, and the vigour of every strong being is His gift.
ओं ऊर्जिताय नमःōṃ ūrjitāya namaḥ
160अतीन्द्रःatīndraḥ
greater than Indra
Ati is beyond: the king of the gods rules by His leave, and His own lordship is given by no one.
ओं अतीन्द्राय नमःōṃ atīndrāya namaḥ
Points to Indra
161सङ्ग्रहःsaṅgrahaḥ
He who gathers all in
Saṅgraha is a gathering and a holding together: He draws the worlds into Himself when their time is done, and He gathers to Himself all who take refuge in Him.
ओं सङ्ग्रहाय नमःōṃ saṅgrahāya namaḥ
162सर्गःsargaḥ
Creation itself
Sarga is the letting go forth: the worlds are sent out of Him, and what He sends out is His own.
ओं सर्गाय नमःōṃ sargāya namaḥ
163धृतात्माdhṛtātmā
Upholder of all selves
Dhṛta is held or upheld and ātmā self: He upholds the souls of all beings, and He holds His own nature unchanged through every descent.
ओं धृतात्मने नमःōṃ dhṛtātmanē namaḥ
164नियमःniyamaḥ
the Appointer
Niyama is appointing and settling: He sets every being to its task and its place, and what He ordains stands.
ओं नियमाय नमःōṃ niyamāya namaḥ
165यमःyamaḥ
the Restrainer
Yama is restraining: He holds the unruly in check and keeps all beings within their bounds, ruling them from within.
ओं यमाय नमःōṃ yamāya namaḥ
Points to Yama, Lord of death
He is Upēndra, the younger brother of Indra, and Vāmana the Dwarf, who grew tall as Trivikrama. His grace never fails; He is pure and mighty, greater than Indra himself. He gathers the worlds in and lets them forth as creation; He upholds every self, appoints each to its task and restrains it within its bounds.
Bhāvam
The śloka begins with the Dwarf, the small form that hides great power, and ends in rule: He appoints and He restrains. Between them stand the gathering in and the sending forth, so that the Lord of the small beginning is shown to be the Lord of the whole round of making and withdrawing.
In this verseVāmanaIndraYama, Lord of deathBali
वेद्यो वैद्यः सदायोगी वीरहा माधवो मधुः।vēdyō vaidyaḥ sadāyōgī vīrahā mādhavō madhuḥ|
अतीन्द्रियो महामायो महोत्साहो महाबलः॥ १८ ॥atīndriyō mahāmāyō mahōtsāhō mahābalaḥ|| 18 ||
166वेद्यःvēdyaḥ
He who is to be known
He is the One whom the Vēdas teach us to know, and to know Him is the end of all knowing.
ओं वेद्याय नमःōṃ vēdyāya namaḥ
167वैद्यःvaidyaḥ
the Physician, master of knowledge
Vaidya is a physician and also one learned in every science: He heals the sickness of birth and death, and all knowledge is complete in Him.
ओं वैद्याय नमःōṃ vaidyāya namaḥ
168सदायोगीsadāyōgī
ever steady in yoga
Sadā is always and yōgī one who is in yoga: His mind never turns from its own truth, and His care for the world never lapses.
ओं सदायोगिने नमःōṃ sadāyōginē namaḥ
169वीरहाvīrahā
slayer of the proud heroes
Vīra is a hero and han to strike down: the mighty warriors who stand against dharma fall before Him, and no strength turned to harm the good can stand.
ओं वीरघ्ने नमःōṃ vīraghnē namaḥ
170माधवःmādhavaḥ
of the line of Madhu
Madhu is the forefather of a line of the Yādavas; born in that line as Kṛṣṇa, He is Mādhava, the name by which Arjuna calls Him in the Gītā.
ओं माधवाय नमःōṃ mādhavāya namaḥ
Points to Śrī Lakṣmī
171मधुःmadhuḥ
Sweetness itself
Madhu is honey: He is the sweetness the heart cannot have enough of, and those who taste His name and His qualities find nothing as sweet.
ओं मधवे नमःōṃ madhavē namaḥ
172अतीन्द्रियःatīndriyaḥ
beyond the senses
Indriya is a sense: no sense reaches Him by its own power, yet He shows Himself by His grace to those who seek Him.
ओं अतीन्द्रियाय नमःōṃ atīndriyāya namaḥ
173महामायःmahāmāyaḥ
of mighty, wondrous power
Māyā is His wondrous power, by which the world is made and which none can cross unaided; those who surrender to Him pass beyond it.
ओं महामायाय नमःōṃ mahāmāyāya namaḥ
174महोत्साहःmahōtsāhaḥ
of great zeal
Utsāha is zeal: He is untiring in making and guarding the world and in doing good to those who seek Him.
ओं महोत्साहाय नमःōṃ mahōtsāhāya namaḥ
175महाबलःmahābalaḥ
of great strength
His strength is beyond measure, and all strong beings are strong with the strength they have from Him.
ओं महाबलाय नमःōṃ mahābalāya namaḥ
He is the One to be known, the Physician who heals the sickness of birth and death, ever steady in yoga. He brings down the proud heroes who stand against dharma. He is Mādhava, born in the line of Madhu, and Madhu, sweet as honey. The senses cannot reach Him, yet His wondrous power is great, His zeal untiring and His strength beyond measure.
Bhāvam
The śloka sets the knowable beside the unreachable: He is the One to be known, and the senses cannot grasp Him. It sets power beside sweetness too, for the same Lord whose zeal and strength are great is honey to those who taste Him.
In this verseŚrī Lakṣmī
Text: prapatti.com, Śrīmad Āṇḍavan Āśramam edition prepared by Sunder Kidāmbi. Sources.