Naama 266-271: The Lord who protects His devotees and gives Himself as their wealth

सुभुजो दुर्धरो वाग्मी महेन्द्रो वसुदो वसुः ।

नैकरूपो बृहद्रूपः शिपिविष्टः प्रकाशनः ॥ २९ ॥

subhujō durdharō vāgmī mahēndrō vasudō vasuḥ |

naikarūpō bṛhadrūpaḥ śipiviṣṭaḥ prakāśanaḥ || 29 ||

266. subhujaḥ · सुभुजः

The one whose auspicious arms are ever ready to shoulder the burden of those who seek refuge in Him.

(oṃ) subhujāya namaḥ

One commentator recalls a beautiful prayer to Lord Ranganatha: "May the Lord of Srirangam protect us, who always holds the five weapons in His hands, as though He cannot bear even a moment's delay in protecting those who bow to Him" (pātu praṇata rakṣāyāṃ vilambam asahanniva | sadā pañcāyudhīṃ bibhrat sa naḥ śrīraṅganāyakaḥ ||).

267. durdharaḥ · दुर्धरः

The one who, by the strength of His arms, is irresistible. Just as a bridge of sand built by children for sport cannot hold back the waters of the great deluge, nothing can hold Him back.

(oṃ) durdharāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar continues the thought of the previous naama: the strength of the Lord's arms, ever ready to protect His devotees, is so irresistible that nothing can withstand it. Other commentators add that He is also difficult to hold in the mind, except by those who meditate on Him with devotion.

268. vāgmī · वाग्मी

The one whose words, the Vedas, are worthy of praise. His words are sweet, majestic, kind, and beneficial.

(oṃ) vāgminē namaḥ

In the Ramayana, Lord Rama is described as the one who speaks sweetly and is the first to speak to others with kindness. In the Mahabharata, when Lord Krishna spoke in the court of the Kauravas, His voice was like the thunder of a timely rain cloud, serious but never frightening.

269. mahēndraḥ · महेन्द्रः

The one who, because He pervades everything, possesses supreme wealth and lordship worthy of respect.

(oṃ) mahēndrāya namaḥ

The word Indra comes from the root id, meaning "to have great wealth and lordship". The Lord is the Great Indra (Mahendra) because His lordship extends over everything, including Indra and all the other devas.

270. vasudaḥ · वसुदः

The one who, even though He is the great Lord of all wealth, bestows wealth upon the needy even when they are insignificant people.

(oṃ) vasudāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar quotes, "The Supreme Deity confers the three worlds and also Kubera's riches." One commentator observes that every act of giving in this world, whether of food, clothing, or knowledge, is only a reflection of this quality of the Lord as the great Giver.

271. vasuḥ · वसुः

The one who is Himself the wealth sought by great souls.

(oṃ) vasavē namaḥ

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that the great soul who realises that "Vasudeva is everything" is very rare. For such a soul, the Lord Himself is the only wealth worth having.