Verse 1

 

1.Vishvam-

The very first word of the Vishnu Sahasranaama is Vishvam.

The Narayana Sukta begins with equating the entire universe to Sriman Narayana.

Om sahasrasirsam devam, vishvaksham vishvasambhuvam

Vishvam narayanam devamaksharam paramam prabhum.

Vishvatah parama nityam, vishvam narayanagm harim,

Vishvamevedam purushastad vishvamupajivati

Meaning : The universe is the eternal being Narayana. He is omnipresent, omniscient and imperishable and is a source of joy to the entire universe.

He alone is the most supreme and the universe depends on Him for its existence and functioning. The universe is synonymous with Narayana.

It then goes on to reveal to us that He is the sole protector of the universe which he has created and the supreme object worthy of being worshipped and an unfailing sanctuary to those who seek refuge at his feet.

Vishwa means everywhere, all encompassing.

The Purusha sukta explains that the Lord envelops everything from all directions.

Sa bhumim vishvato vrutvatya

Purusha eva idam sarvam

Everything is his, under his control.  That neatly sums up the entire essence of Vishnu Sahasranaama. He is the Vishwa and the Vishwa is him.

 

2. Vishnum-

He present in everyone. He is sarva vyapi.

Hence it is said that, वे वेष्टी व्याप्नोति इति विष्णु

One that has spread everywhere. or the one which has permeated everything.

The Narayana Sukta describes it succinctly,

Yachha kinchit jagat sarvam, drishyate shruyatepi vaa,

Antar bahischa tat sarvam, vyapya Narayana stitha.

Whatever in this Universe is seen or heard of, everything is pervaded from inside and outside by the supreme being Narayana without any limitations of time, space and substance.   

The Ishavasya Upanishad too, reveals that everything in the universe is pervaded by Narayana.

Ishavasam idam sarvam yat kincha jagatyam jagat

 

3. Vashatkara

The word ‘Shat’ means six.

There are six gunas that is bestowed upon us by the almighty.

Jnana (knowledge) , Aishwarya (wealth), Tejas ( light), Shakti (mental strength), Bala (physical strength) and Veerya (courage)

So Vashatkara means the one who bestows us with these six gunas.

There are six stages that mortals go through.

Jayate (birth), Asti (live), Vardhayate ( grow), Parinamate (change), Apakshiyate ( decay) , Mriyate or Nashyate ( death)

So the one who takes us through these six stages of life is Vashatkara.

Vasha also means in control or the one to whom we are attracted to.

Vashatkara also means Yagnya Samarpana.

Taking all these meanings into consideration we could summarise that Vashatkara means that the one who controls and guides everything.

Let’s look at the first three names together – Vishvam – Vishnu – Vashatkara

The space aspect of the Lord is very evident in the first three names.

Vishvam means ‘this world’ also called ‘Ihaloka’ and Vashatkara means ‘that world’  or Paraloka.

Ihaloka can be seen or felt with the help of our ‘Indriyas’ or senses (drustvam) 

While Paraloka cannot be seen and we only have heard about it (Shrutvam)

Vishnu is the tool to guide us or show us the path to traverse from this world to the other world.

Vishvam (this world) –> Vishnu (tool)  –> Vashatkara (that world)

 

4. Bhuta Bhavya Bhavat prabhu

Bhuta means the past, Bhavya means the future, Bhavat means the present

The Purusha Sukta describes the Lord as –

Yat bhutam, yat cha bhavyam

That which existed in the past and that which will exist in the future.

The beauty of the very first verse becomes evident when we read the next three words in that sentence!

If the first three words – Vishvam, Vishnu, Vashatkara, express the space aspect of the Lord, the next three words – Bhuta, Bhavya, Bhavat, express the time aspect of the Lord. It is a known fact in the world of science that time and space are the reason for the existence of the universe. Isn’t it amazing that this scientific fact was known to our ancestors eons ago?

To construct a verse so deep-rooted in science, and deliver the complex facts about the origin of the universe in such simple terms is beyond genius!! Don’t you agree?

Well, to go back to the names – Bhuta, Bhavya, Bhavat – they indicate time and are called Trikalas, tri meaning three.

Therefore Bhuta, Bhavya, Bhavat Prabhuhu means “Trikala vartinam prabhu” or the one who is the lord of time – the master who knows all about our present, past and future.

To delve deeper into it,

Bhavat means what is happening now, or our present existence. It can be represented by the pancha bhootas or the five elements that our mortal body is made of – ether, fire, air, water and earth. It represents the Satva guna and represents our current existence.

Bhavat or Bhavanti means ‘what will be’ represents Tamasic guna. It signifies our end, that will eventually happen.

And Bhuta means ‘what has been’ represents Rajasic guna. It signifies our birth that has already taken place.

Together, they represent creation, that is birth, sustenance and death. Therefore ‘Prabhu’ is the Lord who is responsible for the creation, its sustenance and destruction.

Prabhu means Pra bhavti iti – ‘pra’ meaning special or unique, ‘bhavati’ means happens – whatever has happened in the past is special, whatever is happening now is special and whatever will happen in the future is also special.

So, we would do best if we left everything in the hands of the Lord.     

The names in the first line of the verse indicate the one who lords over space and time, creating, sustaining and destroying the universe.

 

5. Bhuta Krut

We have already seen that Bhuta means the five elements that our body is made up of.

Hence Bhuta Krut, means Bhutani karoti , kridanti iti bhutakrut – meaning the one who has created us out of the five elements and which dissolves after our death. (Karoti means creates and kridanti means destroys) 

 

6. Bhuta Brut

Bhuta Brut means the one who supports, bears or sustains the universe. He nourishes and protects all his creations and hence he is bhuta brut.

 

7. Bhaavo-

Bhava means how it exists. The lord exists in both manifested forms (that which we can see) and unmanifested forms (that which we cannot see)

‘kevalam bhavati’ refers to the raw, unmanifested form of the Lord which exists independent of everything.

Pra-panch rupena bhavati refers to the manifested form of the Lord which exists in all its splendour or glory.

How seamlessly the lord holds the power to integrate and disintegrate us into and from the five elements, in manifested and unmanifested forms using his energy!

 

8. Bhutatma 

Bhut + atma

Atma refers to our pure consciousness. It is said that “Atti iti atma” – atti meaning to eat or consume. As we come to the end of our life, our atma eats or consumes our prana or breath and leaves our body.

 

9. Bhutabhavana-

Bhuta, as we have seen earlier is the five elements.

Bhavana means the reason or cause.

Bhutani bhavayati iti bhutabhavanah

Bhutabhavana means the reason why one is born (formed out of the five elements), how things happen to me (how the five elements shape my life) and how I die (how the five elements leave my body) is decided by him. Ultimately, he is the one who controls everything that happens. 

As we chant this first verse, let us be aware that Vishnu is the universe and he pervades everything that we can see and also all that we cannot see. He is the one that takes us through the six stages of our life and bestows us with the six qualities that permeate every part of our existence - he is the past, the future, and the present. He is the one who creates us, nourishes us, and finally takes us to our rightful end, creating us from the pancha bhootas and dissolving us into it at the end.     

Jai Shri Krishna!