Naama 248-256: The Lord who is perfect and makes His devotees perfect

असङ्ख्येयोऽप्रमेयात्मा विशिष्टश्शिष्टकृच्छुचिः ।

सिद्धार्थस्सिद्धसङ्कल्पः सिद्धिदस्सिद्धिसाधनः ॥ २७ ॥

asaṅkhyēyō’pramēyātmā viśiṣṭaśśiṣṭakṛcchuciḥ |

siddhārthassiddhasaṅkalpaḥ siddhidassiddhisādhanaḥ || 27 ||

248. asaṅkhyēyaḥ · असङ्ख्येयः

The one whose possessions, as mentioned in the previous naama, are innumerable.

(oṃ) asaṅkhyēyāya namaḥ

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, upon seeing the Vishwaroopam, says, "O Lord of the universe! I see You with numberless arms, stomachs, mouths, and eyes. I see neither Your end nor Your middle nor Your beginning."

249. apramēyātmā · अप्रमेयात्मा

The one who pervades, both inside and outside, the countless things which are too numerous for us to grasp one by one.

(oṃ) apramēyātmanē namaḥ

The word apramēya means "that which cannot be measured". We know an object by seeing its colour and shape, by touching it, or by smelling it, but the Lord is beyond the reach of our senses and our reasoning. The Yajur Veda says, "There is no likeness of Him, whose name is great glory" (na tasya pratimā asti yasya nāma mahadyaśaḥ). This naama is closely related to apramēyaḥ (the 46th naama) and amēyātmā (the 103rd and 181st naamas).

250. viśiṣṭaḥ · विशिष्टः

The one who is exalted by His very nature and does not depend on anyone else for His greatness.

(oṃ) viśiṣṭāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar explains that the Lord's superiority is natural to Him; it is not given to Him by anyone else (svata ēva tadanapēkṣa vailakṣaṇyāt viśiṣṭaḥ). One commentator observes that true superiority in life does not come from wealth, power, or fame, but from devotion to the Lord, for only devotion gives us purity of mind.

251. śiṣṭakṛt · शिष्टकृत्

The one who, by His contact with His devotees, makes them eminent and endows them with auspicious qualities.

(oṃ) śiṣṭakṛtē namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "api tu svasambandhēna tān svānuguṇa kalyāṇān kurvan", "by His contact with them, He makes them endowed with auspicious qualities like His own." Just as iron placed in a fire takes on the glow of the fire, the devotee who comes into contact with the Lord takes on His qualities. This is why the company of the Lord and His devotees (satsangam) is so precious.

252. śuciḥ · शुचिः

The one whose purity and effulgence are natural to Him and not bestowed on Him by anyone else. Association with Him makes His devotees pure as well.

(oṃ) śucayē namaḥ

Sri Bhattar explains these two naamas (251 and 252) together: the Lord has an effulgence that is natural to Him and not given by anyone else (anādhēya dīptaḥ), and by His contact He makes His devotees pure as well. This naama also occurred earlier as the 157th naama.

Just as we bathe our body to keep it healthy, we can purify our speech by chanting the names of the Lord, and our thoughts by turning our senses towards Him: seeing His form in the temple, hearing His names, and smelling the fragrance of the flowers and tulasi offered to Him.

253. siddhārthaḥ · सिद्धार्थः

The one who already possesses everything that is desirable. There is nothing that He needs to attain.

(oṃ) siddhārthāya namaḥ

The Chandogya Upanishad describes the Lord as "the one whose desires are true and whose will is true" (satyakāmaḥ satyasaṅkalpaḥ). The four goals that human beings seek, dharma, artha, kāma, and mōkṣa, are already His. He has attained all that is to be attained, so whatever He does is only for the good of others.

254. siddhasaṅkalpaḥ · सिद्धसङ्कल्पः

The one whose will is always fulfilled. Whatever He wishes for comes about at once, without fail.

(oṃ) siddhasaṅkalpāya namaḥ

For example, when Lord Rama resolved to make Sugriva and Vibhishana the kings of their respective kingdoms, His resolve was fulfilled exactly as He had willed it.

255. siddhidaḥ · सिद्धिदः

The one who confers the eight siddhis, or superhuman powers, upon those who strive for them by resorting to Him.

(oṃ) siddhidāya namaḥ

The eight siddhis are: aṇimā (becoming as small as an atom), mahimā (becoming immeasurably large), laghimā (becoming very light), garimā (becoming very heavy), prāpti (obtaining anything), prākāmyam (an irresistible will), īśitvam (lordship over others), and vaśitvam (bringing others under one's control).

256. siddhisādhanaḥ · सिद्धिसाधनः

The one who makes the means of attaining Him as sweet and pleasant as the goal itself.

(oṃ) siddhisādhanāya namaḥ

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that those who follow the path of devotion, which is as sweet as nectar, are exceedingly dear to Him. Thus, even the practice of meditating upon the Lord becomes a source of joy for the devotee.