The thousand names · page 3 of 12
Ślokas 19 to 27
Names 176 to 258
महाबुद्धिःmahābuddhiḥसिद्धिसाधनःsiddhisādhanaḥ
महाबुद्धिर्महावीर्यो महाशक्तिर्महाद्युतिः।mahābuddhirmahāvīryō mahāśaktirmahādyutiḥ|
अनिर्देश्यवपुः श्रीमान् अमेयात्मा महाद्रिधृत्॥ १९ ॥anirdēśyavapuḥ śrīmān amēyātmā mahādridhṛt|| 19 ||
176महाबुद्धिःmahābuddhiḥ
of great wisdom
Buddhi is understanding: His wisdom has no limit, and He gives those who love Him the understanding by which they come to Him.
ओं महाबुद्धये नमःōṃ mahābuddhayē namaḥ
177महावीर्यःmahāvīryaḥ
of great valour
Vīrya is valour and potency: He is mighty, and in Him power stays whole and unchanged however the world changes.
ओं महावीर्याय नमःōṃ mahāvīryāya namaḥ
178महाशक्तिःmahāśaktiḥ
of great power
Śakti is capacity: nothing is too hard for Him, and what no one else can do, He does with ease.
ओं महाशक्तये नमःōṃ mahāśaktayē namaḥ
179महाद्युतिःmahādyutiḥ
of great splendour
Dyuti is brightness: His form, His ornaments and the Kaustubha jewel on His chest shine with a light greater than all lights.
ओं महाद्युतये नमःōṃ mahādyutayē namaḥ
180अनिर्देश्यवपुःanirdēśyavapuḥ
of a form beyond description
Nirdēśa is pointing out or describing; no word or likeness reaches His form, and its beauty can only be known by seeing it.
ओं अनिर्देश्यवपुषे नमःōṃ anirdēśyavapuṣē namaḥ
181श्रीमान्śrīmān
He who is ever with Śrī
Śrī is the Mother who is never apart from Him; She speaks for the souls that come to Him, and so His majesty is made mild to those who approach in need.
ओं श्रीमते नमःōṃ śrīmatē namaḥ
Points to Śrī Lakṣmī
182अमेयात्माamēyātmā
of immeasurable nature
Ameya is what cannot be measured, and ātmā is His very self: it is His kindness above all that no one can take the full measure of, for it gives more than is asked and forgives more than can be counted.
ओं अमेयात्मने नमःōṃ amēyātmanē namaḥ
183महाद्रिधृत्mahādridhṛt
the Bearer of the great mountain
Adri is a mountain: the name recalls the great Mandara, which He bore on His back as the Tortoise in the churning of the Milk Ocean, and the hill Govardhana, which He lifted to shelter the cowherds.
ओं महाद्रिधृते नमःōṃ mahādridhṛtē namaḥ
His wisdom, His valour, His power and His splendour are all great. His form cannot be pointed to or described; Śrī is ever with Him, and His nature has no measure. He is the Bearer of the great mountain.
Bhāvam
The first four names each begin with mahā and name qualities the tradition holds up again and again: wisdom, valour, power, splendour. The names that follow say how great: beyond describing and beyond measuring, with Śrī at His side, and the last shows that greatness at work in the lifting of a mountain.
In this verseŚrī Lakṣmī
महेष्वासो महीभर्ता श्रीनिवासस्सतां गतिः।mahēṣvāsō mahībhartā śrīnivāsassatāṃ gatiḥ|
अनिरुद्धः सुरानन्दो गोविन्दो गोविदां पतिः॥ २० ॥aniruddhaḥ surānandō gōvindō gōvidāṃ patiḥ|| 20 ||
184महेष्वासःmahēṣvāsaḥ
the great Archer
Iṣvāsa is a bow: He is the great bowman who bears the bow Śārṅga, and as Rāma He took up the bow for the defence of the helpless.
ओं महेष्वासाय नमःōṃ mahēṣvāsāya namaḥ
185महीभर्ताmahībhartā
the Bearer of the Earth
Mahī is the Earth and bhartā one who bears and sustains: He upholds the Earth, and Bhūdēvī is His consort, whom He raised from the waters as the Boar.
ओं महीभर्त्रे नमःōṃ mahībhartrē namaḥ
Points to Bhūdēvī
186श्रीनिवासःśrīnivāsaḥ
the Dwelling of Śrī
Śrī makes Her home on His chest and does not leave it; and in Him alone is every good fortune truly at home.
ओं श्रीनिवासाय नमःōṃ śrīnivāsāya namaḥ
Points to Śrī Lakṣmī
187सतां गतिःsatāṃ gatiḥ
the Refuge of the good
Gati is the way, the goal and the refuge: the good walk toward Him, and He is where their road ends and where they are received.
ओं सतां गतये नमःōṃ satāṃ gatayē namaḥ
188अनिरुद्धःaniruddhaḥ
the Unhindered One
Niruddha is hindered or held back: none can stop Him, bind Him or turn Him from His purpose. It is also the name of the fourth of the four arrays.
ओं अनिरुद्धाय नमःōṃ aniruddhāya namaḥ
Points to Aniruddha
189सुरानन्दःsurānandaḥ
the Joy of the gods
When the gods are troubled by their foes He is their relief, and their gladness is in His coming; He gives them joy.
ओं सुरानन्दाय नमःōṃ surānandāya namaḥ
Points to Haṃsa
190गोविन्दःgōvindaḥ
Guardian of cows, earth and speech
Gō means cow, earth and sacred speech, and vind to find or to gain: He found and raised the Earth as the Boar, He tends the cows as the cowherd Kṛṣṇa, and in Him the sacred speech finds its goal.
ओं गोविन्दाय नमःōṃ gōvindāya namaḥ
Points to Kṛṣṇa
191गोविदां पतिःgōvidāṃ patiḥ
Lord of those who know the word
Gō here is the sacred word and gōvid one who knows it: He is the Lord and keeper of the Vēda-wise, who in turn know Him.
ओं गोविदां पतये नमःōṃ gōvidāṃ patayē namaḥ
He is the great Archer and the Bearer of the Earth, and Śrī has Her dwelling in Him. He is the Refuge of the good, the Unhindered, the Joy of the gods; He is Gōvinda, the guardian of cows and earth and sacred speech, and the Lord of those who know the word.
Bhāvam
Śrīnivāsaḥ stands between the bow and the refuge: the One who bears the bow and the Earth is the One on whose chest Śrī dwells, and that is why the good can take Him for their refuge. The close of the śloka draws Him near, as the joy of the gods, as Gōvinda, and as the Lord of the wise.
In this verseAniruddhaKṛṣṇaHaṃsaŚrī LakṣmīBhūdēvī
मरीचिर्दमनो हंसः सुपर्णो भुजगोत्तमः।marīcirdamanō haṃsaḥ suparṇō bhujagōttamaḥ|
हिरण्यनाभस्सुतपाः पद्मनाभः प्रजापतिः॥ २१ ॥hiraṇyanābhassutapāḥ padmanābhaḥ prajāpatiḥ|| 21 ||
192मरीचिःmarīciḥ
the Ray of light
Marīci is a ray of light: every light that shines in the heavens is a ray from Him.
ओं मरीचये नमःōṃ marīcayē namaḥ
193दमनःdamanaḥ
the Subduer
Dam is to tame: the proud and unruly are brought to heel by Him, and the restraint He lays on them is for the good of the world.
ओं दमनाय नमःōṃ damanāya namaḥ
194हंसःhaṃsaḥ
the Swan
The swan is pure and white and can take the milk and leave the water, as He tells the self from the body and teaches the seeker to tell the real from the unreal. The tradition remembers a form of Haṃsa in which He taught the sages.
ओं हंसाय नमःōṃ haṃsāya namaḥ
Points to Haṃsa
195सुपर्णःsuparṇaḥ
the Fair-winged
Suparṇa means fair-winged and is the name of Garuḍa, the great eagle whom He rides; as the Lord's own name it speaks of Him who bears His people across the ocean of birth as on strong wings.
ओं सुपर्णाय नमःōṃ suparṇāya namaḥ
Points to Garuḍa
196भुजगोत्तमःbhujagōttamaḥ
the best of serpents
Bhujaga is the serpent and uttama the best: the name recalls Ādiśēṣa, the great serpent on whom He rests in the Milk Ocean and who serves Him in every way.
ओं भुजगोत्तमाय नमःōṃ bhujagōttamāya namaḥ
Points to Śēṣa
197हिरण्यनाभःhiraṇyanābhaḥ
the Golden-navelled
Hiraṇya is gold: His navel is golden and lovely, and from it the whole world unfolds.
ओं हिरण्यनाभाय नमःōṃ hiraṇyanābhāya namaḥ
Points to Brahmā
198सुतपाःsutapāḥ
of excellent tapas
Su is fine and tapas austerity: the tradition remembers Him as Nārāyaṇa the sage, who with Nara practised tapas at Badarī for the good of the world.
ओं सुतपसे नमःōṃ sutapasē namaḥ
200प्रजापतिःprajāpatiḥ
Lord of the lords of creatures
Prajāpati also names the great lords who father the generations, Brahmā and the rest; He is the Lord and inner Self of them all, the Prajāpati of the Prajāpatis.
ओं प्रजापतये नमःōṃ prajāpatayē namaḥ
He is the Ray of light, the Subduer of the unruly, the pure Swan and the Fair-winged One who bears His people across. He is the best of the serpents; He is golden-navelled and of excellent tapas, and lotus-navelled, the Lord of the lords of creatures.
Bhāvam
Names of a swan, an eagle and a great serpent stand together here, recalling the form in which He taught, the bird He rides and the couch on which He rests. The śloka ends where creation begins: the navel, the lotus that rises from it, and the Lord of the lords of creatures.
अमृत्युस्सर्वदृक् सिंहः सन्धाता सन्धिमान् स्थिरः।amṛtyussarvadṛk siṃhaḥ sandhātā sandhimān sthiraḥ|
अजो दुर्मर्षणश्शास्ता विश्रुतात्मा सुरारिहा॥ २२ ॥ajō durmarṣaṇaśśāstā viśrutātmā surārihā|| 22 ||
201अमृत्युःamṛtyuḥ
the Deathless
Mṛtyu is death, and it has no hold on Him; whoever takes refuge in Him passes beyond it.
ओं अमृत्यवे नमःōṃ amṛtyavē namaḥ
202सर्वदृक्sarvadṛk
the All-seeing
Dṛś is sight: He sees everything at once, every deed and every heart, and sees too the trouble of those who cry to Him.
ओं सर्वदृशे नमःōṃ sarvadṛśē namaḥ
203सिंहःsiṃhaḥ
the Lion
He is the Lion, fearless and mighty, terrible to those who stand against dharma; as the Man-Lion Narasiṃha He came forth to protect His devotee Prahlāda.
ओं सिंहाय नमःōṃ siṃhāya namaḥ
Points to Narasiṃha
205सन्धिमान्sandhimān
He in whom all is joined
Sandhi is a joint or a meeting: all the parts of the world meet and are held together in Him as the limbs in a body.
ओं सन्धिमते नमःōṃ sandhimatē namaḥ
206स्थिरःsthiraḥ
the Firm
Sthira is firm and steady: whatever else changes He does not, and His promise to the one who takes refuge stands fast.
ओं स्थिराय नमःōṃ sthirāya namaḥ
207अजःajaḥ
the Unborn, who drives all on
Aja is the Unborn, and from aj, to drive, the word speaks too of Him who sets the worlds in motion and drives them on to their end; all that moves moves by His urging.
ओं अजाय नमःōṃ ajāya namaḥ
208दुर्मर्षणःdurmarṣaṇaḥ
He whom foes cannot withstand
Durmarṣaṇa is one hard to bear: those who oppose dharma cannot endure His might, though to His devotees He is the gentlest.
ओं दुर्मर्षणाय नमःōṃ durmarṣaṇāya namaḥ
209शास्ताśāstā
the Ruler and Teacher
Śās is to rule and to teach: all things go by His command, the Vēdas and śāstras are His word, and He teaches the way, as He taught Arjuna.
ओं शास्त्रे नमःōṃ śāstrē namaḥ
210विश्रुतात्माviśrutātmā
of widely famed nature
Viśruta is widely heard of: His nature and glories are sung by the Vēdas and the saints in every land.
ओं विश्रुतात्मने नमःōṃ viśrutātmanē namaḥ
211सुरारिहाsurārihā
Slayer of the gods' foes
Sura is a god, ari a foe and han to slay: He destroys those who trouble the gods, and the enemies within the hearts of those who ask for His protection.
ओं सुरारिघ्ने नमःōṃ surārighnē namaḥ
He is the Deathless and the All-seeing, fierce as the Lion. He joins each being to the fruit of its deeds and holds all together in Himself, and He stands firm. Unborn, and the One who drives the worlds on, He is more than His foes can endure; He is the Ruler and Teacher, renowned in His nature, and the Slayer of the foes of the gods.
Bhāvam
Deathlessness opens the śloka and the end of the gods' foes closes it: the One who cannot die is the One who ends what threatens life. Between them the Lion's fierceness is joined to steadiness, for He is firm, He holds all together, and He rules as a teacher does.
गुरुर्गुरुतमो धाम सत्यस्सत्यपराक्रमः।gururgurutamō dhāma satyassatyaparākramaḥ|
निमिषोऽनिमिषस्स्रग्वी वाचस्पतिरुदारधीः॥ २३ ॥nimiṣō’nimiṣassragvī vācaspatirudāradhīḥ|| 23 ||
212गुरुः गुरुतमःguruḥ gurutamaḥ
the Teacher, the greatest Teacher
Guru means both teacher and one of weight: He teaches every seeker the knowledge that saves, and no teacher is greater or more weighty than He.
ओं गुरुतमाय गुरुवे नमःōṃ gurutamāya guruvē namaḥ
Points to Matsya
213धामdhāma
the Light and the Abode
Dhāma is both radiance and dwelling: He is the splendour by which all things shine, and the place in which His devotees find their rest.
ओं धाम्ने नमःōṃ dhāmnē namaḥ
Points to Matsya
214सत्यःsatyaḥ
the True One, the unchanging Real
Satya is the real as against what passes: the things of the world come and go, but He is the unchanging One on whom they rest, the same in every age, and the Vēdas declare Him truth, knowledge and without end.
ओं सत्याय नमःōṃ satyāya namaḥ
215सत्यपराक्रमःsatyaparākramaḥ
of valour that never fails
His might is true might: it does not weaken or miss its mark, and He uses it to protect those who rely on Him.
ओं सत्यपराक्रमाय नमःōṃ satyaparākramāya namaḥ
216निमिषःnimiṣaḥ
He of the closed eyes
Nimiṣa is the closing of the eyes: the name recalls the Lord at rest in the sleep of yoga on the couch of Ādiśēṣa, with Śrī at His feet.
ओं निमिषाय नमःōṃ nimiṣāya namaḥ
217अनिमिषःanimiṣaḥ
the Unblinking, ever watchful
His eyes never close in neglect: even in that rest He keeps watch, and His glance does not leave those who depend on Him.
ओं अनिमिषाय नमःōṃ animiṣāya namaḥ
Points to Matsya
218स्रग्वीsragvī
wearer of the garland
He wears the Vaijayantī, the garland of fresh flowers that falls over His chest and adorns Him.
ओं स्रग्विणे नमःōṃ sragviṇē namaḥ
219वाचस्पतिःvācaspatiḥ
Lord of speech
All speech belongs to Him, and the Vēdas are His own word; every utterance finds its master in Him.
ओं वाचस्पतये नमःōṃ vācaspatayē namaḥ
220उदारधीःudāradhīḥ
of noble and generous mind
Udāra means lofty and open-handed: His mind is large and noble, and it is always turned to the good of those who rely on Him.
ओं उदारधिये नमःōṃ udāradhiyē namaḥ
He is the Teacher and the greatest of teachers, the Light in which all things shine and the Abode in which they rest. He is the True One, and His valour is true. He closes His eyes in the sleep of yoga, and yet He is the unblinking One, ever watchful. He wears the garland, He is the Lord of speech, and His mind is noble and generous.
Bhāvam
Two names stand as opposites in the middle, the closed eyes and the eyes that never close. Together they say that His rest and His watchfulness are one care. The śloka opens with the Teacher and ends with the generous mind, the heart from which His teaching comes.
In this verseMatsya
अग्रणीर्ग्रामणीः श्रीमान् न्यायो नेता समीरणः।agraṇīrgrāmaṇīḥ śrīmān nyāyō nētā samīraṇaḥ|
सहस्रमूर्धा विश्वात्मा सहस्राक्षः सहस्रपात्॥ २४ ॥sahasramūrdhā viśvātmā sahasrākṣaḥ sahasrapāt|| 24 ||
221अग्रणीःagraṇīḥ
the Leader who goes before
From agra, the front, and nī, to lead: He goes at the head and brings souls forward to the highest goal.
ओं अग्रण्ये नमःōṃ agraṇyē namaḥ
222ग्रामणीःgrāmaṇīḥ
Chief of the multitude
Grāma here is a host or company: He is the head of all beings together and cares for each one in the throng.
ओं ग्रामण्ये नमःōṃ grāmaṇyē namaḥ
223श्रीमान्śrīmān
He who has Śrī at His side
He leads, and He does not lead alone: Śrī is at His side as He goes before the host, and with Her beside Him His leading is a welcome, not a summons to be feared.
ओं श्रीमते नमःōṃ śrīmatē namaḥ
Points to Śrī Lakṣmī
224न्यायःnyāyaḥ
the Right Way
Nyāya is that by which one is led to the goal, and also what is just: He is the order of right, and He Himself is the sure means by which those who seek Him reach Him.
ओं न्यायाय नमःōṃ nyāyāya namaḥ
225नेताnētā
the Guide
He conducts the world, and each soul in it, along its course, as a guide who knows every road.
ओं नेत्रे नमःōṃ nētrē namaḥ
226समीरणःsamīraṇaḥ
the Breath that moves all
From sam and īr, to set in motion: as the wind and as the breath of life He moves every creature and keeps it alive.
ओं समीरणाय नमःōṃ samīraṇāya namaḥ
227सहस्रमूर्धाsahasramūrdhā
the Thousand-headed
The Vēdas sing of the Person with a thousand heads; the number means beyond count, since all beings are His body.
ओं सहस्रमूर्ध्ने नमःōṃ sahasramūrdhnē namaḥ
228विश्वात्माviśvātmā
the Self of the universe
He is the inner Self of the whole world, which is His body; it lives and moves because He is within it.
ओं विश्वात्मने नमःōṃ viśvātmanē namaḥ
229सहस्राक्षःsahasrākṣaḥ
the Thousand-eyed
His eyes are countless: there is nothing that He does not see, and no sorrow of His devotees passes unseen.
ओं सहस्राक्षाय नमःōṃ sahasrākṣāya namaḥ
230सहस्रपात्sahasrapāt
the Thousand-footed
Countless feet carry Him to every place, and those same feet are the refuge to which souls come.
ओं सहस्रपदे नमःōṃ sahasrapadē namaḥ
He is the Leader who goes before and the Chief of the host of beings, and He is Śrīmān, never apart from Śrī. He is the Right Way and the Guide, and the Breath that sets all moving. He has a thousand heads and is the Self of the universe; He has a thousand eyes and a thousand feet.
Bhāvam
The first six names show Him guiding and moving the world; the last four are the Person of the Vēdas, with a thousand heads, eyes and feet. The Self of the universe stands among them, which tells that the thousands are the world itself as His body, and that nothing is outside His care.
In this verseŚrī Lakṣmī
आवर्तनो निवृत्तात्मा संवृतस्संप्रमर्दनः।āvartanō nivṛttātmā saṃvṛtassaṃpramardanaḥ|
अहस्संवर्तको वह्निरनिलो धरणीधरः॥ २५ ॥ahassaṃvartakō vahniranilō dharaṇīdharaḥ|| 25 ||
231आवर्तनःāvartanaḥ
the Turner of the wheel
He sets the wheel of the worlds turning, through making, keeping and withdrawing, and the round of births in which souls turn until they reach Him.
ओं आवर्तनाय नमःōṃ āvartanāya namaḥ
232निवृत्तात्माnivṛttātmā
He whose Self is untouched
Nivṛtta means turned back and free: His own Self is ever free, never bound by deeds or by the world He turns.
ओं निवृत्तात्मने नमःōṃ nivṛttātmanē namaḥ
233संवृतःsaṃvṛtaḥ
the Veiled One
He is hidden from those who do not look for Him, covered by His own wonder-working power; to those who love Him, He shows Himself.
ओं संवृताय नमःōṃ saṃvṛtāya namaḥ
234संप्रमर्दनःsaṃpramardanaḥ
the thorough Crusher
He crushes completely all that stands against the good: sin, suffering and the foes of those who take refuge in Him.
ओं संप्रमर्दनाय नमःōṃ saṃpramardanāya namaḥ
235अहःahaḥ
the Day
Ahaḥ is the day, here in its widest sense: the long day in which the worlds stand open is His, begun and ended at His will, and the night of their drawing in is His also.
ओं अह्ने नमःōṃ ahnē namaḥ
236संवर्तकःsaṃvartakaḥ
He who draws the worlds back
Saṃvartaka is the one who rolls up and gathers in: at the close of a cycle He withdraws the worlds into Himself.
ओं संवर्तकाय नमःōṃ saṃvartakāya namaḥ
237वह्निःvahniḥ
the Fire
He is the fire that receives the offering in the sacrifice and the fire that digests food in every living body.
ओं वह्नये नमःōṃ vahnayē namaḥ
Points to Agni, Fire
238अनिलःanilaḥ
the Wind
He is the wind that moves through all the sky and the air that every creature breathes, which blows at His command.
ओं अनिलाय नमःōṃ anilāya namaḥ
Points to Vāyu, the Wind
239धरणीधरःdharaṇīdharaḥ
the Bearer of the Earth
He holds up the earth, and the tradition remembers how as Varāha He raised Bhūdēvī from the waters.
ओं धरणीधराय नमःōṃ dharaṇīdharāya namaḥ
He turns the wheel of the worlds, and His own Self stays free. He is the Veiled One and the thorough Crusher of all that opposes the good. He is the Day, and He draws the worlds back at the close of a cycle; He is the Fire and the Wind, and He is the Bearer of the Earth.
Bhāvam
The śloka goes from the turning of the world to its drawing back, and ends on the support beneath it all. Fire and wind appear here as His forms; the last name shows that the world He turns and withdraws is also the world that He holds.
In this verseAgni, FireVāyu, the Wind
सुप्रसादः प्रसन्नात्मा विश्वसृग्विश्वभुग्विभुः।suprasādaḥ prasannātmā viśvasṛgviśvabhugvibhuḥ|
सत्कर्ता सत्कृतस्साधुर्जह्नुर्नारायणो नरः॥ २६ ॥satkartā satkṛtassādhurjahnurnārāyaṇō naraḥ|| 26 ||
240सुप्रसादःsuprasādaḥ
of perfect graciousness
Su means fair and full: His grace is complete and quick to be given to anyone who turns to Him, and Śrī at His side makes it flow the more freely.
ओं सुप्रसादाय नमःōṃ suprasādāya namaḥ
241प्रसन्नात्माprasannātmā
of serene and clear mind
Prasanna means clear and glad: no anger or craving clouds His mind, and He is pleased to receive whoever comes to Him.
ओं प्रसन्नात्मने नमःōṃ prasannātmanē namaḥ
242विश्वसृक्viśvasṛk
the Maker of the universe
The whole universe comes forth from Him; by His will it is made, and He is its first cause.
ओं विश्वसृजे नमःōṃ viśvasṛjē namaḥ
243विश्वभुक् विभुःviśvabhuk vibhuḥ
Enjoyer and Guardian of all, the All-pervading
Bhuj means both to enjoy and to protect: the universe is His delight and His care; and as vibhu, the all-pervading, He is present in every part of it and mighty over it.
ओं विश्वभुग्विभवे नमःōṃ viśvabhugvibhavē namaḥ
244सत्कर्ताsatkartā
He who honours the good
He honours those who are good and does good for them, taking their service as a great thing.
ओं सत्कर्त्रे नमःōṃ satkartrē namaḥ
245सत्कृतःsatkṛtaḥ
He whom the good honour
The good honour Him with their worship and their lives; the One who honours them is honoured by them in return.
ओं सत्कृताय नमःōṃ satkṛtāya namaḥ
246साधुःsādhuḥ
the Good One
He is goodness itself, straight and upright; and sādhu also means one who accomplishes, for He brings to completion the aims of those who trust Him.
ओं साधवे नमःōṃ sādhavē namaḥ
247जह्नुःjahnuḥ
He who lays aside faults
From the root hā, to leave: it seems to speak of the One who puts aside the faults of those who take refuge in Him and does not hold them against them.
ओं जह्नवे नमःōṃ jahnavē namaḥ
248नारायणःnārāyaṇaḥ
the Home and Goal of all beings
Nāra means the whole company of souls and ayana a dwelling and a way: He is the home in which they all live, the goal they go to, and the One who abides within them, Śrī ever at His side.
ओं नारायणाय नमःōṃ nārāyaṇāya namaḥ
249नरःnaraḥ
Nara, the Guide of souls
From nī, to lead: He leads the souls to their goal. The name stands beside Nārāyaṇa, as the tradition also knows the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa as His own forms.
ओं नराय नमःōṃ narāya namaḥ
His grace is perfect and His mind is serene and clear. He makes the universe, enjoys and guards it, and pervades it. He honours the good, and the good honour Him; He is goodness itself, and He lays aside the faults of those who come to Him. He is Nārāyaṇa, the home and goal of all beings, and Nara, who leads them there.
Bhāvam
The śloka opens with grace and ends with the name Nārāyaṇa, the home of every being. Between them the Maker of the world is shown as the friend of the good, who honours them and is honoured by them, and who lets go the faults of those who come to Him.
असङ्ख्येयोऽप्रमेयात्मा विशिष्टश्शिष्टकृच्छुचिः।asaṅkhyēyō’pramēyātmā viśiṣṭaśśiṣṭakṛcchuciḥ|
सिद्धार्थस्सिद्धसङ्कल्पः सिद्धिदस्सिद्धिसाधनः॥ २७ ॥siddhārthassiddhasaṅkalpaḥ siddhidassiddhisādhanaḥ|| 27 ||
250असङ्ख्येयःasaṅkhyēyaḥ
the Countless
No number can reach His glories, His forms or the souls who are His; there is no counting them.
ओं असङ्ख्येयाय नमःōṃ asaṅkhyēyāya namaḥ
251अप्रमेयात्माapramēyātmā
of immeasurable nature
No means of knowledge can take the full measure of Him; His nature is beyond any word or thought, and yet He gives Himself to the love of His devotees.
ओं अप्रमेयात्मने नमःōṃ apramēyātmanē namaḥ
252विशिष्टःviśiṣṭaḥ
the Pre-eminent
He is distinguished from all else by His excellence: none is equal to Him and none above, and His glory sets Him apart as the Highest.
ओं विशिष्टाय नमःōṃ viśiṣṭāya namaḥ
253शिष्टकृत्śiṣṭakṛt
Maker of the good and the disciplined
Śiṣṭa means one who is trained in the right way: He shapes the good by His teaching and His rule, and He keeps them upright.
ओं शिष्टकृते नमःōṃ śiṣṭakṛtē namaḥ
254शुचिःśuciḥ
the Pure, the Shining
Śuci is pure and clear. He shapes the disciplined, and He is Himself the measure of the purity He asks of them: a heart made clean is made clean in His likeness.
ओं शुचये नमःōṃ śucayē namaḥ
255सिद्धार्थःsiddhārthaḥ
He whose every aim is fulfilled
He lacks nothing and wants nothing for Himself; every purpose is already accomplished in Him, so what He does is done for the sake of others.
ओं सिद्धार्थाय नमःōṃ siddhārthāya namaḥ
256सिद्धसङ्कल्पःsiddhasaṅkalpaḥ
whose will is always fulfilled
Whatever He resolves comes to pass, and nothing can turn His will aside; and that will is set on the good of those who trust Him.
ओं सिद्धसङ्कल्पाय नमःōṃ siddhasaṅkalpāya namaḥ
257सिद्धिदःsiddhidaḥ
Giver of accomplishment
He gives each one the success they strive for, and to the seeker of the highest, the highest attainment.
ओं सिद्धिदाय नमःōṃ siddhidāya namaḥ
258सिद्धिसाधनःsiddhisādhanaḥ
the Means of all attainment
He is the means by which any success is reached; and for the soul that seeks Him, He is both the way and the goal.
ओं सिद्धिसाधनाय नमःōṃ siddhisādhanāya namaḥ
He is beyond counting, and His nature is beyond measure. He is the Pre-eminent, who makes the good what they are, and He is Pure and shining. All His aims are fulfilled and His will is never frustrated; He gives accomplishment, and He is the means by which it is reached.
Bhāvam
Four of the last five names are built on fulfilment, two on siddha and two on siddhi. The One whom nothing can count or measure is also the One through whom every purpose of a creature comes to its end; He who is beyond reach in size is near in help.
Text: prapatti.com, Śrīmad Āṇḍavan Āśramam edition prepared by Sunder Kidāmbi. Sources.