Naama 453-463: Nara-Narayana Avataram

453. nivṛttātmā · निवृत्तात्मा

The one whose mind is turned away from worldly desires.

(oṃ) nivṛttātmanē namaḥ

The Lord took the forms of Nara and Narayana to teach the world Nivritti Dharma. To show His deep detachment from material objects, He kept His mind withdrawn from them. He is meditated upon as "the one whose thoughts are concentrated within Himself" and "the one whose mind is fixed on the lotus of the heart."

454. sarvajñaḥ · सर्वज्ञः

The one who knows His own self in all its aspects.

(oṃ) sarvajñāya namaḥ

This naama occurs again as the 821st naama. Sri Bhattar explains that He knows that He is the inner controller of everything, and that He is Himself the best dharma, the best means, and the best goal. Thirumangai Azhwar addresses Him as "You who know everything in the world" (ulagattu ellām aṟivīr).

455. jñānamuttamam · ज्ञानमुत्तमम्

The one from whom the great Vaishnava Dharma in its entirety can be learnt. He is the one who propounded all the shastras, including the Pancharatra.

(oṃ) jñānāya uttamāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "sarvaḥ parō vaiṣṇavō dharmaḥ jñāyatē asmin iti jñānam uttamam", "He is the supreme knowledge, by whom the highest dharma, the Vaishnava dharma, is known." In His Nara-Narayana incarnation, He taught this dharma to the world. Sri Bhattar also refers to the Lord's revelation of the Pancharatra Agama as another instance.

सुव्रतः सुमुखस्सूक्ष्मः सुघोषः सुखदः सुहृत् ।

मनोहरो जितक्रोधो वीरबाहुर्विदारणः ॥ ४९ ॥

suvrataḥ sumukhassūkṣmaḥ sughōṣaḥ sukhadaḥ suhṛt |

manōharō jitakrōdhō vīrabāhurvidāraṇaḥ || 49 ||

456. suvrataḥ · सुव्रतः

The one whose observances are always for the good of others and are therefore auspicious.

(oṃ) suvratāya namaḥ

Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "O Arjuna! There is nothing that I have to do for My own advancement." In the Nara-Narayana form, He is meditated upon as standing on one leg, living on air, and observing the fortnightly and monthly fasts, all for the sake of teaching the world.

457. sumukhaḥ · सुमुखः

The one whose face is unchanging, pleasing, and delightful, even while He chants the mantra.

(oṃ) sumukhāya namaḥ

The mantra about Him says, "To Sri Krishna, who has a face with eyes as pure and spotless as lotus petals."

458. sūkṣmaḥ · सूक्ष्मः

The one whose essential nature is extremely subtle and can be realised only through deep and unsullied meditation.

(oṃ) sūkṣmāya namaḥ

He can be realised only through deep meditation done without expecting any reward. He cannot be grasped by the eyes and ears, or even by the mind, but can only be experienced. One commentator observes that the subtler a thing is, the more powerful it is: water is more powerful than earth, air more than water, and the Lord, who is the subtlest of all, is the most powerful.

459. sughōṣaḥ · सुघोषः

The one who is proclaimed by the Vedic voice of the Upanishads.

(oṃ) sughōṣāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar explains that the Lord is proclaimed by the voice of the Upanishads. Nammazhwar sings of "Narayana, the Lord of all the seven worlds, who is praised by the Vedas" (nāraṇan muzhu ēzhulagukkum nāthan vēda mayan). Sri Sankara adds that His voice is deep and sonorous, like the rumbling of the rain cloud.

460. sukhadaḥ · सुखदः

The one who bestows the fruit of supreme bliss on those who follow good conduct and practise deep meditation by Himself observing them.

(oṃ) sukhadāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "sadācāra samādhi anuṣṭhāpanēna tanniṣṭhēbhyaḥ phalaṃ paramasukhaṃ dadāti", "He makes people practise good conduct and meditation, and to those who are firm in them, He gives the fruit of supreme bliss." He does not merely give the fruit; as Nara-Narayana, He Himself practised these disciplines to set an example for us.

461. suhṛt · सुहृत्

The good-hearted friend, who wishes well even for those who have never helped Him, and who always thinks, "How shall I help them?"

(oṃ) suhṛdē namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "anupakāriṇi api kim asya bhaviṣyati, kiṃ karavāṇi iti śubhāśaṃsi śōbhana hṛdayatvam", "Even towards one who has never helped Him, He always wishes good, thinking, 'What will become of him? What can I do for him?'" This is what it means to be a true friend (suhṛt).

462. manōharaḥ · मनोहरः

The one who captivates the hearts of all by His innate benevolence.

(oṃ) manōharāya namaḥ

Nammazhwar sings, "You stole my heart by making me mad with love" (maiyal seidu ennai manam kavarndānē). One commentator calls Him "the looter of the mind": not only is the Lord beauty itself, but He compels the attention of His devotees so completely that they cannot think of anything else.

463. jitakrōdhaḥ · जितक्रोधः

The one who has conquered anger and other bad qualities.

(oṃ) jitakrōdhāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar also interprets the names from 457 to 463 as referring to the Lord who helped the devas during the churning of the milky ocean.

In that context, He is sumukha because His face is as delightful as the moon and full of the nectar of bliss; sūkṣma because His intentions were hidden from the asuras; sughōṣa because the churning was praised loudly by both the devas and the asuras; sukhada because He gave joy to the devas by distributing the nectar to them; suhṛt because of His love for them; manōhara because, as Mohini, His form bewitched the minds of the asuras; and jitakrōdha because, on seeing that form, the asuras became confused and their anger against the devas was overcome.