Naama 644-660: The vyuha and vibhava forms of the Lord in the holy shrines

644. aniruddhaḥ · अनिरुद्धः

The one who, as Aniruddha, is eternally present with the name Janardana in the part of the earth called Vasubhanda.

(oṃ) aniruddhāya namaḥ

From this naama, Sri Bhattar describes the special manifestations of the Lord in His vyuha (emanation) and vibhava (incarnation) forms in the holy shrines. This naama occurred earlier as the 187th naama, where it referred to the Lord whose power to protect cannot be obstructed by anyone.

645. apratirathaḥ · अप्रतिरथः

The one who has no match. As Janardana, the tormentor of those who are wicked by nature, no one can stand against Him.

(oṃ) apratirathāya namaḥ

Nammazhwar describes Him as "the wondrous Lord who has no equal and none superior" (ottār mikkārai ilaiyāya māyan). Arjuna says in the Gita, "There is none equal to You. How then could there be anyone greater?"

646. pradyumnaḥ · प्रद्युम्नः

The one who, as Pradyumna, makes the jeevaathmas effulgent.

(oṃ) pradyumnāya namaḥ

The Maulas describe Him as "the Illuminator", and it is said, "Pradyumna is the Purushottama, the Supreme Purusha. Presiding over all things, He Himself resides here and bestows the supreme goal on His devotees." Pradyumna is worshipped, among other places, at Thiruvallikeni.

647. amitavikramaḥ · अमितविक्रमः

The one whose steps are immeasurable. In His incarnation as Trivikrama, the three worlds were no match for His three steps.

(oṃ) amitavikramāya namaḥ

It is said, "O Brahma, born of the lotus! Trivikrama, the God of gods, has stationed Himself in the waters of the Yamuna and bestows the supreme goal on all people." The Purusha Suktam also describes the Lord as having a thousand feet (sahasrapāt).

कालनेमिनिहा शौरिः शूरः शूरजनेश्वरः ।

त्रिलोकात्मा त्रिलोकेशः केशवः केशिहा हरिः ॥ ६९ ॥

kālanēminihā śauriḥ śūraḥ śūrajanēśvaraḥ |

trilōkātmā trilōkēśaḥ kēśavaḥ kēśihā hariḥ || 69 ||

648. kālanēminihā · कालनेमिनिहा

The one who destroys the felly (the outer rim) of the wheel of time, which is ignorance.

(oṃ) kālanēminighnē namaḥ

The Lord says, "The felly of the wheel of time, called ignorance (avidyā), is very hard to overcome. But when it comes to Me, it loses its form." By living in the holy shrines, the Lord removes the blemishes of the Kali yuga. The nine-syllabled mantra "oṃ kālanēminighnē namaḥ" is said to remove the root cause of ignorance. Of course, this naama also refers to the Lord who killed the asura Kaalanemi.

649. śauriḥ · शौरिः

The one who, as Lord Krishna, the son of Vasudeva (who is also called Soora), lives in the shrine of Utpalavartaka by the name of Sauri.

(oṃ) śaurayē namaḥ

This shrine is Thirukkannapuram, where the Lord is worshipped as Sowriraja Perumal. Thirumangai Azhwar has sung many pasurams in praise of this Lord. This naama occurred earlier as the 342nd naama.

650. śūraḥ · शूरः

The valiant one. This naama refers to Lord Rama, whose valour is well known.

(oṃ) śūrāya namaḥ

It is said, "Rama, who has broad lotus-like eyes and who brought about the destruction of the rakshasas, lives on the Chitrakoota mountain." The naama sūraḥ occurred earlier as the 341st naama, where it described the Lord's valour in general.

651. śūrajanēśvaraḥ · शूरजनेश्वरः

The ruler of all valiant men, such as Hanuman and Sugriva, and the commander of the brave.

(oṃ) śūrajanēśvarāya namaḥ

652. trilōkātmā · त्रिलोकात्मा

The one who is always moving about in the three worlds in order to bless His devotees.

(oṃ) trilōkātmanē namaḥ

It is said, "O Brahmin! Janardana, the God of all gods, has resorted to the mountain Mahabodha in the kingdom of Magadha, and remains there by the name of Lokanatha." Nammazhwar sings, "You reside in the heavens, You stand on the mountain, You recline on the ocean, You walk upon the earth, and You are hidden within all of these."

653. trilōkēśaḥ · त्रिलोकेशः

The ruler of the three worlds, who came from His own abode to a holy place in Pragjyotisha and remained there with the name of Trilokesa.

(oṃ) trilōkēśāya namaḥ

Nammazhwar calls Him "the one who owns the three worlds" (ulagam mūnṟu udaiyāi) in the very pasuram in which Thaayaar declares that She will never leave Him.

654. kēśavaḥ · केशवः

The one who removes all distress, and who remains in two forms in two places, in the holy Mathura and in Varanasi.

(oṃ) kēśavāya namaḥ

The name Kesava is explained in the Harivamsa, where Rudra says to the Lord, "Ka is the name of Brahma, and I am Isa, who rules over all embodied beings. Both of us have been born from Your body. Therefore You are known by the name of Kesava." The name also means the one with beautiful locks of hair, as explained under the 23rd naama.

655. kēśihā · केशिहा

The one who killed the asura Kesi.

(oṃ) kēśighnē namaḥ

Kamsa sent the asura Kesi, in the form of a horse, to kill the child Krishna, but Krishna thrust His arm into its mouth and destroyed it. Andal refers to this in the Thiruppavai, "mā vāi kīṇḍānai", the one who tore apart the mouth of the horse. Sage Vyasa himself gives this as another meaning of the name Kesava, "the slayer of Kesi."

656. hariḥ · हरिः

The one who lives in a place of worship on the Govardhana hill by the name of Hari.

(oṃ) harayē namaḥ

In the Mahabharata, the Lord says, "When invoked in sacrifices, I accept the offerings made to Me, and so I am called Hari. My superior complexion is green (hari), and therefore also I am called Hari." Thondaradippodi Azhwar describes the Lord's form as "like a great emerald mountain" (paccai mā malai pōl mēni). The name also means the one who removes (harati) the distress of His devotees.

कामदेवः कामपालः कामी कान्तः कृतागमः ।

अनिर्देश्यवपुर्विष्णुः वीरोऽनन्तो धनञ्जयः ॥ ७० ॥

kāmadēvaḥ kāmapālaḥ kāmī kāntaḥ kṛtāgamaḥ |

anirdēśyavapurviṣṇuḥ vīrō’nantō dhanañjayaḥ || 70 ||

657. kāmadēvaḥ · कामदेवः

The one who grants all the desires of all beings.

(oṃ) kāmadēvāya namaḥ

In the Mahabharata it is said, "Bhagavan has the name Kamadeva because He grants all the desires of all beings." He is on the Himalayas, in a shrine where He is worshipped by the apsaras.

658. kāmapālaḥ · कामपालः

The one who not only grants what His devotees desire, but also protects what He has given.

(oṃ) kāmapālāya namaḥ

659. kāmī · कामी

The one who has in His possession all desirable things in abundance, to be given to others.

(oṃ) kāminē namaḥ

660. kāntaḥ · कान्तः

The one who is charming and fascinating by Himself, and is worshipped by the apsaras.

(oṃ) kāntāya namaḥ

In this way, Sri Bhattar observes, the connection of the Lord with the various holy shrines may be inferred from the suggestions, explicit or implicit, in these names. Nammazhwar calls Him "the nectar that I drink" (parugu innamudē). Unlike the devas, who made Him churn the ocean to get the nectar for them, the Azhwar wants to drink the Lord directly, for He is the nectar itself. This naama occurred earlier as the 297th naama.