Naama 65-86: He is greater than any bhakta or muktha

ईशानः प्राणदः प्राणो ज्येष्ठः श्रेष्ठः प्रजापतिः ।

हिरण्यगर्भो भूगर्भो माधवो मधुसूदनः ॥ ८ ॥

īśānaḥ prāṇadaḥ prāṇō jyēṣṭhaḥ śrēṣṭhaḥ prajāpatiḥ |

hiraṇyagarbhō bhūgarbhō mādhavō madhusūdanaḥ || 8 ||

65. īśānaḥ · ईशानः

The one who controls all of creation.

(oṃ) īśānāya namaḥ

This name clearly distinguishes the Lord from the bound souls, the released souls, and the ever-free souls. It is His very nature to keep all things under His control in all circumstances. The name comes from the root īś, "to rule".

66. prāṇadaḥ · प्राणदः

The one who gives the nityasuris of Sri Vaikuntham the energy and power to continually visualise and experience His various forms.

(oṃ) prāṇadāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar explains that the Lord gives the nityasuris the strength to see Him, enjoy Him, and serve Him forever. Sri Sankara adds two other meanings: the one who takes away life at the time of death (prāṇān dyati), and the one who purifies the vital airs (prāṇān dīpayati). This is one of the two names that occur four times in Sri Bhattar's reading (here, and as the 323rd, 409th, and 956th naamas).

67. prāṇaḥ · प्राणः

The one who can become a life force and energise all the beings of creation.

(oṃ) prāṇāya namaḥ

The Kena Upanishad describes the Supreme as "the life of life" (prāṇasya prāṇaḥ). He sustains all living beings, and it is because of Him that the breath of life moves in them. This naama occurs again as the 322nd and 408th naamas.

68. jyēṣṭhaḥ · ज्येष्ठः

He is highly praiseworthy but cannot be fully visualised because of his vast form and nature.

(oṃ) jyēṣṭhāya namaḥ

Brahma is older than all the beings he creates, but the Lord created Brahma, and so He is older than Brahma himself. The word jyēṣṭha is the superlative of vṛddha (old): vṛddha, jyāyān, jyēṣṭha.

69. śrēṣṭhaḥ · श्रेष्ठः

The one who is the direct recipient of all the praise of the nityasuris.

(oṃ) śrēṣṭhāya namaḥ

It is notable that the three names prāṇaḥ, jyēṣṭhaḥ, and śrēṣṭhaḥ occur in the same order in the Chandogya Upanishad: "Life indeed is the eldest and the best" (prāṇō vāva jyēṣṭhaśca śrēṣṭhaśca).

70. prajāpatiḥ · प्रजापतिः

The leader of all the prajā (here, the badhaathmas and mukthaathmas) is prajāpatiḥ.

(oṃ) prajāpatayē namaḥ

The word prajā is explained as "those who have an excellent birth" (prakarṣēṇa jāyantē iti prajāḥ), referring to the nityasuris. The Lord is their master. Another explanation takes prajā to mean all beings.

71. hiraṇyagarbhaḥ · हिरण्यगर्भः

The one who is befitting of an abode such as hiraṇya (here, hiraṇya means Paramapadam).

(oṃ) hiraṇyagarbhāya namaḥ

The word hiraṇya means golden, and Sri Bhattar takes it to mean fitting or lovely. The word garbha means womb, and he takes it to mean abode. So the name means "the one who dwells in a lovely abode", Paramapadam. This naama occurs again as the 412th naama.

72. bhūgarbhaḥ · भूगर्भः

The one who protected Bhoomi Devi as if She were His child from the attack of Madhu-Kaithaba.

(oṃ) bhūgarbhāya namaḥ

The name can be read as "the one who holds the earth within Himself" (bhūḥ garbhē yasya). Just as a mother protects the child in her womb, the Lord protects the earth and lovingly nourishes it.

73. mādhavaḥ · माधवः

He who is the husband of Sri Mahalakshmi.

(oṃ) mādhavāya namaḥ

This name occurs three times (the 73rd, 169th, and 741st naamas). Here it means mā dhavaḥ, the consort of Mā, Lakshmi. Sri Bhattar devotes his explanation of this name to the greatness of Lakshmi Herself. He quotes the Purusha Suktam, "Hrī and Lakshmi are Your consorts" (hrīśca tē lakṣmīśca patnyau), and the Vishnu Purana, "She is eternal, the mother of the world, never separated from Vishnu. Just as Vishnu is all-pervading, so is She" (nityaiva sā jaganmātā viṣṇōḥ śrīranapāyinī | yathā sarvagatō viṣṇuḥ tathaivēyaṃ dvijōttama ||).

74. madhusūdanaḥ · मधुसूदनः

The one who brought about the end of the demon Madhu.

(oṃ) madhusūdanāya namaḥ

It is said in the Mahabharata, "Because He killed the great asura named Madhu, born from Vishnu's ear, the sages, devas, asuras, and men call Janardana Madhusudana" (viṣṇu karṇōdbhavaṃ cāpi madhu nāma mahāsuram | tasya tāvadvadhādēva dēva dānava mānavāḥ madhusūdana ityāhurṛṣayaśca janārdanam ||). In Vedanta, madhu is also used to mean the fruits of action. The Lord destroys the fruits of the karma of those who meditate on Him.

ईश्वरो विक्रमी धन्वी मेधावी विक्रमः क्रमः ।

अनुत्तमो दुराधर्षः कृतज्ञः कृतिरात्मवान् ॥ ९ ॥

īśvarō vikramī dhanvī mēdhāvī vikramaḥ kramaḥ |

anuttamō durādharṣaḥ kṛtajñaḥ kṛtirātmavān || 9 ||

75. īśvaraḥ · ईश्वरः

He is the supreme commander of Paramapadam and shows his infinite attributes to all of its desirous residents.

(oṃ) īśvarāya namaḥ

This name occurred earlier as the 36th naama. There, Sri Bhattar explained it as the one who has supreme power to rule over all beings. Here he explains it as the one who does whatever He wills and goes wherever He wishes (yatra kāmagamō vaśī).

76. vikramī · विक्रमी

When He wishes for a task to be completed, all vigna (impediments) are shattered.

(oṃ) vikramiṇē namaḥ

Sri Bhattar explains that by His very nature, the Lord removes every possibility of anything going against His will. One commentator adds another meaning: the one with "special steps", the Vamana who measured the worlds.

77. dhanvī · धन्वी

The one who owns and wields the divine bow Sharangam.

(oṃ) dhanvinē namaḥ

He wields the divine bow Sharnga. In His incarnation as Sri Rama, a great part of His life was spent with the bow in His hand. Lord Krishna says in the Gita, "Among the wielders of weapons, I am Rama" (rāmaḥ śastrabhṛtām aham).

78. mēdhāvī · मेधावी

The one who possesses the knowledge of everything in the face of creation.

(oṃ) mēdhāvinē namaḥ

Sri Sankara defines medhā as the ability to grasp many ideas on many subjects at once (mēdhā bahugrantha dhāraṇa sāmarthyam). One commentator points out that it is because the Lord has this power of knowing everything at any time that He is īśvaraḥ, vikramī, and dhanvī.

79. vikramaḥ · विक्रमः

The one who rides upon Garuda and is seen as the embodiment of the three Vedas.

(oṃ) vikramāya namaḥ

The prefix vi refers to Garuda, the king of birds, and krama to movement. Garuda is the embodiment of the three Vedas, and the Lord playfully moves around the world riding on him.

80. kramaḥ · क्रमः

The Lord is the ruler of Sri Vaikuntham. In Sri Vaikuntham, His riches, treasures, and flamboyance are uniformly spread. The one who enjoys such a large spread is known as kramaḥ.

(oṃ) kramāya namaḥ

The word krama can mean order, steps, or movement. According to Panini (vṛtti sarga tāyanēṣu kramaḥ), it can also mean expansion and prosperity. Sri Bhattar takes this last meaning: the one whose prosperity spreads everywhere.

81. anuttamaḥ · अनुत्तमः

He who has no equal or poses any competition when compared to Him.

(oṃ) anuttamāya namaḥ

The Nirukti summarises, "He than whom there is no one better is called anuttamaḥ" (uttamō nāsti yasmāt saḥ anuttama udāhṛtaḥ). Arjuna says in the Gita, "There is none equal to You; how could there be anyone greater?"

82. durādharṣaḥ · दुराधर्षः

The one whose qualities are like that of an ocean; vast, pure, and unadulterated.

(oṃ) durādharṣāya namaḥ

The name means "the one who cannot be overcome by the asuras and others" (daityādibhiḥ dharṣayituṃ na śakyatē). The ocean cannot be emptied by any number of people drawing water from it, and the Lord cannot be overcome by any force.

83. kṛtajñaḥ · कृतज्ञः

The one who is grateful for even the smallest of offerings made to Him with affection by His devotees.

(oṃ) kṛtajñāya namaḥ

Sri Bhattar quotes the Gita: "Even if a person of very bad conduct worships Me with undivided devotion, that person must be considered good, for they have resolved rightly" (api cētsudurācārō bhajatē mām ananyabhāk | sādhurēva sa mantavyaḥ samyagvyavasitō hi saḥ ||). Sri Ramanuja comments that such a person is to be regarded as the foremost of Vaishnavas. The Lord is so grateful that sincere worship alone is enough for Him to forgive everything else.

84. kṛtiḥ · कृतिः

The one who is the cause of virtuous deeds which result in our upliftment to Sri Vaikuntham.

(oṃ) kṛtayē namaḥ

Sri Bhattar's words are "tacca tēṣāṃ sukṛtam asmādēva prasannāt iti kṛtiḥ", "Even that good deed of theirs comes from Him alone, when He is pleased." When the Lord wishes to lift us up from worldly existence, He Himself makes us do good deeds, and then thanks us for them as if we had done them on our own.

85. ātmavān · आत्मवान्

The souls of those who perform virtuous deeds are in His possession.

(oṃ) ātmavatē namaḥ

The lesson of the last three names is that it is not our own efforts that bring about our liberation. The Lord, who owns our souls, is pleased by our small effort of sincere devotion. He then turns us towards good deeds, which He uses as the reason (hetu) for blessing us.

सुरेशः शरणं शर्म विश्वरेताः प्रजाभवः ।

अहस्संवत्सरो व्याळः प्रत्ययः सर्वदर्शनः ॥ १० ॥

surēśaḥ śaraṇaṃ śarma viśvarētāḥ prajābhavaḥ |

ahassaṃvatsarō vyāḻaḥ pratyayaḥ sarvadarśanaḥ || 10 ||

86. surēśaḥ · सुरेशः

He who can command and control Lord Brahma, Indra, and other devatas.

(oṃ) surēśāya namaḥ

The word sura can be explained as "one who gives well" (suṣṭhu rāti iti suraḥ). The Lord created Brahma, Rudra, and the other devas, and gave them their functions; so He is their master. He is also the best of all givers, because He alone can give the ultimate gift, liberation.