Naama 581-592: The Lord who is the medicine for samsara and the means to attain Him

त्रिसामा सामगः साम निर्वाणं भेषजं भिषक् ।

सन्न्यासकृच्छमः शान्तो निष्ठा शान्तिः परायणम् ॥ ६२ ॥

trisāmā sāmagaḥ sāma nirvāṇaṃ bhēṣajaṃ bhiṣak |

sannyāsakṛcchamaḥ śāntō niṣṭhā śāntiḥ parāyaṇam || 62 ||

581. trisāmā · त्रिसामा

The one who is praised by the three most important kinds of Saama chants, called Bruhat, Rathantara, and Vaamadevya, which together are known as Deva-vrata.

(oṃ) trisāmnē namaḥ

Of the four Vedas, the Sama Veda has the praise of the deities as its main theme and is very musical to hear when it is chanted properly. Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "Among the Vedas, I am the Sama Veda" (vēdānām sāmavēdō'smi).

582. sāmagaḥ · सामगः

The one who Himself sings the Sama in His enjoyment of His own glory.

(oṃ) sāmagāya namaḥ

The Taittiriya Upanishad says that the released souls in Paramapadam sing the Sama in their enjoyment of the Lord (ētat sāma gāyannāstē). It is also said, "One who knows the Sama Veda knows everything."

583. sāma · साम

The one who destroys the sins of those who sing about Him.

(oṃ) sāmnē namaḥ

Nammazhwar calls upon us to praise the lotus-eyed Lord who removes all our sins (pāva nāsanai paṅkaya taḍam kaṇṇanai paravuminō). Periyazhwar calls Him "naraka nāśan", the destroyer of hell.

584. nirvāṇam · निर्वाणम्

The one who is the cause of the state of bliss for those whose sins have been destroyed, as described in the previous naama.

(oṃ) nirvāṇāya namaḥ

It is said that nirvāṇa is the state in which one no longer identifies oneself with the body, so that one does not even feel the wind that blows upon it. Suffering is of three kinds, bodily, mental, and that which comes from ignorance. The Lord removes all three and grants perfect bliss.

585. bhēṣajam · भेषजम्

The one who is the only remedy for the otherwise incurable disease of samsara.

(oṃ) bhēṣajāya namaḥ

In the Bhishma Stava Raja of the Mahabharata, it is said, "The groups of rishis, the siddhas, the great serpents, the devas, and the divine sages came to know Narayana as the medicine for the disease of samsara." Peyazhwar says that He is the medicine, the wealth, and the nectar (marundum poruḷum amudamum tānē), and Nammazhwar calls Him the great medicine for our disease.

586. bhiṣak · भिषक्

The physician who treats the disease of the fear of samsara in His devotees through His teaching of the knowledge of Brahman, in the form of the Gita and the Upanishads.

(oṃ) bhiṣajē namaḥ

The Taittiriya Samhita says that He is the foremost divine physician (prathamō daivyō bhiṣak). A physician of the body gives relief that is only temporary, but the Lord, by removing our ignorance, gives a permanent cure. It is said that the words "nirvāṇam bhēṣajam bhiṣak" should be recited by those who seek relief from disease.

587. sannyāsakṛt · सन्न्यासकृत्

The one who cuts away the bonds of rajas and tamas in those who perform their actions with true renunciation, without any desire for the fruits.

(oṃ) sannyāsakṛtē namaḥ

This renunciation is also called saattvika tyaaga, giving up the fruits of all our actions and offering them to the Lord alone, so that every act we do is only for His pleasure. This is the essence of the karma yoga taught in the Gita. Sri Bhattar quotes the Mundaka Upanishad: "Those who have clearly understood the meaning of the Vedanta, and who have purified their minds through renunciation, all of them attain the world of Brahman and are released."

588. śamaḥ · शमः

The one who teaches His devotees how to control desire, anger, fear, and other such emotions.

(oṃ) śamāya namaḥ

589. śāntaḥ · शान्तः

The one whose mind is always tranquil.

(oṃ) śāntāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar observes that even though the Lord's greatness could express itself like a rising, stormy ocean, He chooses to remain as calm as a waveless sea. A poet has said of Sage Vyasa that his tranquillity was such that even the wild animals became calm at the very sight of him. Even though we commit oceans of offences that could justly make Him boil with anger, He remains calm and always ready to forgive us.

590. niṣṭhā · निष्ठा

The one who, together with His divine body, is the object on which those who have achieved deep concentration fix their minds.

(oṃ) niṣṭhāyai namaḥ

Thirumangai Azhwar describes the Lord as "the one who stays in my heart and never leaves it." The Lord, who is the auspicious object of meditation (śubhāśraya), becomes the firm support of the meditating mind.

591. śāntiḥ · शान्तिः

The one who grants peace. In the final stage of perfect meditation, those who meditate on Him forget all other activities and interests and become completely tranquil.

(oṃ) śāntayē namaḥ

At this stage, called samādhi, the Lord makes the devotee enjoy Him and Him alone. This quietening of all other interests is called śānti, and it is granted only by the Lord.

592. parāyaṇam · परायणम्

The one from whom alone the highest devotion, which is the supreme means of attaining Him, is obtained.

(oṃ) parāyaṇāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar quotes the Gita: "Giving up ego, force, pride, desire, anger, and possessiveness, the one who is free from the sense of 'mine' and is tranquil becomes fit for the state of Brahman. Having realised Brahman and being tranquil, such a person neither grieves nor desires, and being the same towards all beings, attains supreme devotion to Me." The Lord also says, "But through exclusive devotion, O Arjuna, it is possible to know Me, to see Me, and to enter into Me."

The word parāyaṇam also appears in Yudhishthira's question in the prologue, "kim vāpyēkam parāyaṇam?" ("What is the one highest goal?"). The Lord is both the means (upāya) and the goal (upēya).