Naama 139-146: Description of the Vyuha Swaroopa Moorthies

139. caturātmā · चतुरात्मा

He who can manifest as the four vyuha moorthis.

(oṃ) caturātmanē namaḥ

1. Vasudeva- The controller of the other three vyuha moorthis.

2. Sankarshana- The controller of destruction during pralayam.

3. Pradyumna – The controller of creation after pralayam.

4. Anirudha- The protector of creation.

Sri Sankara quotes the Vishnu Purana, which describes how the Lord expresses Himself in four forms in each of His acts of creation, protection, and dissolution: for creation, as Brahma, Daksha and others, time, and all beings (brahmā dakṣādayaḥ kālastathaivākhila jantavaḥ).

140. caturvyūhaḥ · चतुर्व्यूहः

The vyuha swaroopams have the role of controlling an individual's consciousness, which is divided into four parts.

(oṃ) caturvyūhāya namaḥ

1. Jagrith- This is when the individual is entirely conscious.

2. Swapna- This is when the individual is in the phase of light sleep.

3. Nidhra- This is when the individual is in deep sleep.

4. Thurya- This aspect of an individual's consciousness gives them a realisation of Paramaathma.

Sri Sankara quotes Sage Vyasa: "Dividing Himself into four, as Vasudeva and the other forms, the renowned Janardana carries out creation and the other acts" (vyūhyātmānaṃ caturdhā vai vāsudēvādimūrtibhiḥ | sṛṣṭyādīn prakarōtyēṣa viśrutātmā janārdanaḥ ||). A vyuha is a form taken for a particular purpose. Pradyumna is for creation, Aniruddha for protection, and Sankarshana for dissolution.

141. caturdaṃṣṭraḥ · चतुर्दंष्ट्रः

The one who has four canine teeth (Narasimha).

(oṃ) caturdaṃṣṭrāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar points out that having four prominent canine teeth is one of the marks of a great person (mahāpuruṣa lakṣaṇa). He refers to Hanuman's description of Sri Rama to Sita in the Sundara Kandam: "with fourteen pairs of limbs perfectly matched, with four (fine) canine teeth, and with the gait of four noble animals" (caturdaśa samadvandvaḥ caturdaṃṣṭraḥ caturgatiḥ). The fierce teeth of Narasimha are also recalled by this name.

142. caturbhujaḥ · चतुर्भुजः

The one who, as Para-Vasudeva, has four hands endowed with the four divine distinctions, namely the discus Sudharshana, the conch Panchajanya, the mace Kaumodaki, and the lotus Padma.

(oṃ) caturbhujāya namaḥ

One commentator gives a lovely explanation of how the four hands uphold dharma. The conch calls us to the righteous path. When we do not listen to that inner voice, He gently uses the mace, and we meet small setbacks that wake us up. If we still do not listen, the discus cuts away what binds us. And to the one who finally turns to Him, He offers the lotus, the bliss of His presence.

भ्राजिष्णुर्भोजनं भोक्ता सहिष्णुर्जगदादिजः ।

अनघो विजयो जेता विश्वयोनिः पुनर्वसुः ॥ १६ ॥

bhrājiṣṇurbhōjanaṃ bhōktā sahiṣṇurjagadādijaḥ |

anaghō vijayō jētā viśvayōniḥ punarvasuḥ || 16 ||

143. bhrājiṣṇuḥ · भ्राजिष्णुः

The one who takes the chaturbhuja form to bless His devotees.

(oṃ) bhrājiṣṇavē namaḥ

The name means "the one whose very nature is to shine" (bhrājatē iti tacchīlaḥ). Sri Bhattar points out that it is the Lord's nature to show Himself to His worshippers. Whatever radiance there is in the sun, the moon, and the stars is only a reflection of His.

144. bhōjanam · भोजनम्

He becomes the food for the devotees. The Lord's charm fills the devotees, giving them a sense of bliss and fulfilment.

(oṃ) bhōjanāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "taiḥ bhujyatē sukhēna anubhūyatē iti bhōjanam", "He is enjoyed with delight by His devotees." The Lord makes the objects of this world fit to be enjoyed, and when His devotee rises above the desire for worldly things, He becomes Himself the object of their enjoyment. Nammazhwar says that for him, the Lord is the food he eats, the water he drinks, and the betel he chews (uṇṇum sōṟu parugu nīr thinnum veṭṭilaiyum ellām kaṇṇan).

145. bhōktā · भोक्ता

The one who enjoys all the offerings presented before Him.

(oṃ) bhōktrē namaḥ

Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "Whoever offers Me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I accept that offering of love from the pure-hearted" (patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ tōyaṃ yō mē bhaktyā prayacchati | tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtam aśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ ||). He also says, "I alone am the enjoyer of all sacrifices" (ahaṃ hi sarvayajñānāṃ bhōktā).

146. sahiṣṇuḥ · सहिष्णुः

The one who accepts and withstands the mistakes committed by His devotees against Him.

(oṃ) sahiṣṇavē namaḥ

The name comes from the root sah, "to bear" or "to forgive", with the suffix -iṣṇu, which indicates a habit or nature. So it is His very nature to forgive. With this name, Sri Bhattar completes his description of the vyuha forms.