Verse 5

37. Swayambhu

Bhu means bhavati means is present.

Svayam means on their own.

He is present on his own accord. He does not owe his existence to anyone.

Sa evam swayam udbhavo

The one who has created the existence of his own self.

In the Mundakopanishad, Sage Angiras is engaged in dialogue with Saunaka, described as a Mahashalo, the one who is adept in Gnana and is in search of truth.

Saunaka asks: “Sir, what is that, knowing which, everything becomes known?” Sage Angiras’s reply constitutes the entire Mundaka Upanishad in 64 verses, encapsulating the Vedantic view.

The sixth shloka is as follows:

nāntaḥ-prajñam, na bahiṣ prajñam, nobhayataḥ-prajñam, na prajnañā-ghanam, na prajñam, nāprajñam;

adṛṣtam, avyavahārayam, agrāhyam, alakṣaṇam, acintyam, avyapadeśyam, ekātma-pratyaya-sāram, prapañcopaśamam, śāntam, śivam, advaitam, caturtham manyante, sa ātmā, sa vijñeyaḥ.

He having created himself, presents himself as the one whose consciousness is neither inward turned nor outward-turned nor the two together; not an undifferentiated mass of consciousness; neither knowing, nor unknowing; invisible, ineffable, intangible, devoid of characteristics, inconceivable, indefinable, its sole essence being the consciousness of its own Self; the coming to rest of all relative existence.

 

38. Shambhu

Shambhu = Sham + Bhu = Joy/ happiness/ bliss + gives or creates.

Sham  bhaktanaam bhaavayati iti shambhu.

The one who is in a blissful state always or the one can take us to a blissful state always. He brings delight to his devotees.

 

39. Aaditya

Aadatte iti Aditya

Aadatte means to devour.

With every sunset, He devours one day of our life. Finally, he devours us completely.

It must keep reminding us that every single day in our life is precious and we must use it in his devotion.

Maha Vishnu is the central energy of the Sun. He is described as

Aaditya mandalaant astha hiranmayah purusha.

He is the golden purusha at the center of the sun’s orb.  

In the Bhagavad Gita, 10.21, Krishna says,

Aadityanaam aham Vishnuh (urukrama)

Sage Kashyapa and Aditi had 12 sons. They are known as the 12 aadityas and are said to represent our 12 months. the last son, Urukrama is the Vamana rupi, Vishnu.

 

40. Puskaraskha

Pushkara – lotus  , aksha – eyes  

The one who is lotus-eyed, or has eyes shaped like the lotus.

A lotus stays in water but not a drop of water sticks to it. Similarly, the Lord is the doer, everything happens with his consent, but he is free of the karmas of his actions. He is ‘nishkalmashah’.

It teaches us that we must also be detached from everything in this universe.  

The lotus bud signifies the creation of the universe, it’s blooming denotes the sthithi or the creation itself and the withering denotes laya or destruction of the universe.

Push or pushti also means to nourish. Kara means to do, aksha means a glance. He nourishes us with a simple glance of his.

 

41. Mahasvanah

Maha – big /huge,  svana – nada or sound.

Mahasvanah is the embodiment of the Vedas. The Vedas are shruthi rupa or sounds that were heard (when the Lord took a breath). Vedas are therefore shabhda brahma or cosmic sounds. The rishis heard it and taught it to their disciples through the oral guru-shishya parampara.

It can also be understood as – Maha + asu (Indriyas) + anah (what moves or has life) which again is dependent on the prana or the breath. With the first breath, we are born, it stays as long as we live, and with the last breath, life ends. He is the creator, protector, and destroyer.

 

42. Anadi Nidhana

Ana (no) + adi (beginning)+ nidhana (end)

Yasya adi nidhana na asti.

The one who has no beginning and no end.  He is eternal.

Towards the end of the sahasranaama, Bhishmacharya describes Lord Vishnu to Yudhistira in these words,

Anadinidhanam vishnum sarva loka maheshwaram.

Maha Vishnu, who has no beginning and no end, is the lord of the entire universe.   

 

43. Dhaata

Dha – the one who has created the universe.

Dharaan poshanayoscha He is also the one who sustains us

 

44. Vidhata

The one who creates and protects all life forms in various ways. He is the supreme controller. He rules our destiny.

 

45.  DhaturUttama

Dhatuh means the fundamental or the root or basic unit.  The basic building block of all creation.

Uttamah means the best.

The one who has created this universe with the best or finest fundamental building block. Meaning his entire creation is the finest, the best.

Another meaning could be taken as –

Dhatu – another name for chatur mukha brahma

Dhatur Uttama, therefore, means the one who is above Brahma, He is Parabrahma.

This verse can be summarised to understand that He is the one who has no beginning or end and he is the one who has created the universe in its best form.   

Jai Shri Krishna!